***Warning!! Those who get squeamish at the thought of eating offal… please avert your precious, little eyes now.***
I've done the whole bone marrow toast with parsley/caper salad, so a little creativity was in order. Luscious, fatty pieces of roasted bone marrow beg for a crunchy counterpart, so in place of a toasted slice of baguette, I substituted a crispy puffed rice cracker. When all else fails, I always turn to my Chinese roots for a little inspiration. Simply spread cooled cooked long grain rice onto a baking sheet. Bake it at 300 degrees until it is dry. Mine took about 45 minutes, but it all depends on your oven and your rice. Break the sheet up into appetizer-sized pieces and set aside until you're ready.
Whenever making or eating a rich (aka fatty) dishes, never underestimate what a hint of acid or a sprinkle of salt can do. It all helps to cut through the fat. A little contrast does wonders on the palate. In place of the parsley salad, I made a crisp napa cabbage and green onion slaw dressed with rice wine vinegar, sea salt and white pepper. Simple enough, right?
Now we're ramping up to the grand finale. Thirty minutes before all your guests arrive (please share the goodness), pop your bones into an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Now is also the time to transform your crispy rice into crispy PUFFY rice. Slip them into in a bath of hot vegetable oil, and like magic, before your very eyes, watch them puff up nice and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. After 30 minutes, take your bones out of the oven. They should be soft but not melting away. Scoop your marrow onto your rice crackers and top with a little pile of salad. Eat it quickly while the crispy stuff is still crispy and the buttery meat is still oozing and the cabbage is still crunchy.
7 Comments
Jeff D
03 Sep 2008 08:09 pm
where does one get marrow bones?
Aquanetta
03 Sep 2008 11:09 pm
[this is good] Wow! That looks so good. I had no idea one could make crispy puffed rice from scratch, having always bought the dried rice pieces. It sounds really simple and such a good way to glam up leftover rice. The bone marrow and napa slaw sound perfect together.
MoOgooGuypAN
04 Sep 2008 11:09 am
I love the marrow. A restaurant does this dish called Osco Busco, in which the bones and marrow are in a saute’ of garlic, tomatos, oil, and some other things that I don’t know. Delish! Not the most healthiest thing to eat but delish.
julie
04 Sep 2008 09:09 pm
Hi Jeff! I get my marrow bones from a bison vendor at the farmers’ market (http://www.lindnerbison.com), but I’m assuming you want some place more local. I’d try a local butcher shop or even an Asian market. Another option… most grocery stores carry oso bucco (shank) cuts. These are awesome for braising. Then you can have your meat and your marrow to spread over it.
Jeff D
05 Sep 2008 08:09 am
I have some osso bucco cuts (veal shanks) in the freezer, but that marrow is for the osso bucco.
I got the shanks from a farmer’s market meat vendor as well. They actually offer a meat CSA where you get like 20 lbs of meat every month. How freakin’ awesome would that be?
In any case I know they sell soup bones so I’ll ask about shanks.
I wonder if bison marrow tastes radically different than beef marrow?
Shari
15 Sep 2008 06:09 pm
That crispy rice that puffs up sounds amazing! I have yet to try bone marrow, but it’s on my list.
Mexid Cocktail
16 Sep 2008 12:09 am
Nothing beats marrow, but it’s hard to dig those little suckers out.
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