Crispy chilli ‘oil’ with brown butter
This recipe was born out of our love for Lao Gan Ma’s crispy chilli oil. During staff meals, we’d sometimes go through as many as three jars. That gave us an idea: could this be made even tastier?
We replaced the oil with brown butter and added extra crunch with the crust of aged sourdough bread. For even more depth and bite, we also use fried guanciale.
Creation by Thomas Val, Wils*, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Allergens and dietary requirements
- Gluten
- Cow's milk
- Lactose
- Pescetarian
Ingredients
Preparation method
Dice the guanciale into 2 mm brunoise. Fry gently in a pan with a little neutral oil. Once browned, strain and set the fat aside.
Dice the shallot into 2 mm brunoise. Fry slowly in the guanciale fat until crispy.
Place the guanciale and shallot on kitchen paper to drain thoroughly and become crispy.
Blend the sourdough crust into coarse crumbs in a blender.
Use two pans and divide the butter and the two types of panko between them. Brown the butter, stirring constantly. The butter is ready when both the butter and the panko are a lovely dark brown. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
Peel the garlic cloves and zest them finely using a fine Microplane grater.
When the brown butter is around 100 °C, combine it with the spices, grated garlic and salt. Infuse for at least 2 hours.
Remove the star anise and cinnamon from the butter mixture and add the fried shallot and guanciale.
Serving suggestions
- Delicious in a dish with oxheart cabbage, cuttlefish, and herring roe
- Pairs well with grilled vegetables.
- Perfect as a finishing touch for various dishes.
