Hilo X.O. Sauce
Courtesy of Clarkson Potter/Publishers
Simeon says: “At Lineage, we made our own X.O.- style sauce—that’s a spicy flavor-bomb condiment traditionally flavored with Chinese smoked ham and dried seafood. Rather than a standardized recipe, our cooks often used whatever bits and pieces were around that day, and it always included some blend of sweet, smoky, and salty going on—a balanced approach reflected in the recipe below. Considering its profound wallop of flavor, a couple spoonfuls go a long way. Use it to season cooked rice or noodles, top roasted vegetables and grilled meats, or dab onto steamed fish or seafood.”
How to Make It
1
Place the dried shrimp and cuttlefish in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water. Microwave for 4 minutes, or until the cuttlefish is tender and shreds apart when pinched. Reserving 1⁄2 cup of the soaking water, drain and set aside.
2
In a food processor, combine the jalapeños, garlic, onion, and lemongrass, and pulse until a rough paste forms (scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary). Add the sausage, dried shrimp, and dried cuttlefish and pulse until finely minced.
3
In a large wok or skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium-high heat until shimmering-hot. Add the onion-shrimp-sausage mixture and stir-fry until it’s very fragrant and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sambal, oyster sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, Cognac, five-spice powder, and sesame oil and continue to stir-fry until the mixture starts to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes.
4
Deglaze the pan by stirring in the reserved shrimp-soaking water, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the liquid has mostly evaporated, then remove from the heat. Transfer to a jar or sealable glass container and let cool. Once the mixture has cooled, cover and refrigerate. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Bring back to room temperature before using.
Ingredients
3 oz dried shrimp
3 oz dried cuttlefish or squid jerky, roughly chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ medium sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh lemongrass (cut from the tender center of 1 stalk)
2 small links lap cheong (Chinese sausage; about 3 oz. total), sliced
½ cup neutral oil
¼ cup sambal oelek
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp. light brown sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp Cognac or other brandy
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Directions
1
Place the dried shrimp and cuttlefish in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water. Microwave for 4 minutes, or until the cuttlefish is tender and shreds apart when pinched. Reserving 1⁄2 cup of the soaking water, drain and set aside.
2
In a food processor, combine the jalapeños, garlic, onion, and lemongrass, and pulse until a rough paste forms (scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary). Add the sausage, dried shrimp, and dried cuttlefish and pulse until finely minced.
3
In a large wok or skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium-high heat until shimmering-hot. Add the onion-shrimp-sausage mixture and stir-fry until it’s very fragrant and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sambal, oyster sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, Cognac, five-spice powder, and sesame oil and continue to stir-fry until the mixture starts to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes.
4
Deglaze the pan by stirring in the reserved shrimp-soaking water, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the liquid has mostly evaporated, then remove from the heat. Transfer to a jar or sealable glass container and let cool. Once the mixture has cooled, cover and refrigerate. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Bring back to room temperature before using.
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