Gaucho Gourmet has rescheduled a charcuterie tasting at their shop, 935 Isom Road for May 5. The tasting was originally scheduled for April 28. Come and sample an array of the cured, smoked and preserved meats, as well as sausages and the spicy nduja, which we discuss below.

The spreadable, Calabrian sausage with a kick, Nduja

We’ve noticed the word “nduja” popping up in recipes and discussions of charcuterie over the past couple of years, and decided to see if there was a source for this Calabrian sausage/spread in San Antonio.

Nduja is a type of charcuterie, a spicy spread, made of pieces of pork, especially tripe. It comes from Calabria, Italy.

Gaucho Gourmet carries it, and the lightly spicy nduja sells for around $23 for 3/4 of a pound. But its flavor is worth the price, says one of the family members who own Gaucho Gourmet, Luciano Ciociari — and it’s addictive.

“It has a little (spicy) kick, not overpowering and a soft texture. The taste is very flavorful and it lingers on the tongue,” says Ciociari. The nduja they sell is from a domestic company that has produced it since the mid-1940s.

Charcuterie: 

“Charcuterie is the art of making sausages and other cured, smoked and preserved meats. In addition to sausages, classic charcuterie items include pâtés, terrines, galantines, ballotines, confit and crepinetes.” (from about.com). The French are credited with having brought the craft to Italy.

Nduja

Nduja (un-DOO-ya) is a spreadable sausage made in Calabria, Italy. It’s name sounds like the French “andouille,” which is likely where it came from. Nduja is made from second and third choice cuts, like shoulder and thigh trimmings, head, and underbelly of the pig. The pigs are raised on a traditional diet of acorns, grain, chestnuts, beets, pumpkin and dinner table leftovers. The bits or cuts of meat are ground by hand, then encased in a large intestine and aged. If the meat is put into a small, rather than large intestine, it remains a fresh sausage that should be consumed within a month. (Academia Barrilla)

How to use it

It can be spread on crostini and eaten as a snack or appetizer. Its flavor is also good in sauces, for stuffing ravioli or mushrooms. It can be warmed in pan with halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil and garlic and tossed into pasta, spooned into a braised meat dish to enrich the pan juices or to make a sauce, or used as a pizza topping.

Where to find it

In San Antonio, nduja can be found at Gaucho Gourmet, 935 Isom Road. This is mostly a wholesale outlet for a variety of imported and domestic products. But it opens to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, and now also on Wednesdays, from 3 to 6:30 p.m.  You can also visit Gaucho Gourmet online at www.gauchogourmet.com. 877-837-0521.

Recipe

Penne Pasta with Nduja Sauce

A purslane salad, lightly tossed in a creamy vinaigrette with walnuts, from Restaurant Gwendolyn.

It’s possible you’ve encountered purslane in the yard and pulled it right up. That’s because it looks kind of weedy — and actually, it’s generally viewed as a weed.

But it’s also food — and a nutritional powerhouse at that.

“Purslane contains more omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid in particular) than any other leafy vegetable plant,” says Wikipedia, citing information from biological researcher Artemis Simopoulus.

“”Wild-food enthusiasts know this native purslane (Portulaca oleracea) as a potherb and salad ingredient. Its succulent, fleshy leaves have a tart, vinegary taste that is also good in soup or on sandwiches,” say herbalists Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay in their book, “Classic Herb Growing.”  All cultivars of this plant, say the authors, are edible.

Purslane is thought to have arrived in the New World before Columbus. It’s well-distributed in the Old World, from North Africa to the Middle East, into India, Greece and Malasia.

Last summer I had my first taste of purslane, freshly picked in season and mixed with crunchy walnuts, at Restaurant Gwendolyn. Chef Michael Sohocki’s salad was delicious. What I didn’t know at the time was how nutritious it was.

From Wikipedia: About 1 cup of purslane contains 300 to 400 mg of alpha-linolenic acid. A cup of cooked leaves contains 90 mg of calcium, 561 mg of potassium, and more than 2,000 IUs of vitamin A. (A half-cup of purslane leaves also contains as much as 910 mg of oxalate, a compound implicated in the formation of kidney stones, however, many common vegetables, such as spinach, also can contain high concentrations of oxalates.)

There are many varieties of purslane, some of which we found at Rainbow Gardens on Saturday. Because it acts like a ground cover in hot, dry areas, we’ll put ours in a sunny part of the yard and give it some encouragement to spread. The variety we picked up Saturday is known as summer purslane.

There is another species known as winter purslane, also called miner’s lettuce. “The herb’s high vitamin C content helped to keep California gold miners alive and gave the plant its name,” says author Lesley Bremness in “Herbs,” from the Smithsonian Handbook series.

Key Lime Pie

Q. My fiance wants a key lime pie. Should I buy him one or make it myself?

—HH

A. We can’t answer that for you, but we can certainly give you recommendations in both areas.

If you decide to buy, then look no further than the Sandbar at the Pearl Brewery, 200 E. Grayson St., where chef Chris Carlson serves up a key lime tart that is bright with flavor yet silky on the palate. It is second to none in the city’s restaurants. For more information, call (210) 222-2426.

If you want to make your own key lime pie, then you can follow a recipe my family has used for years. It comes from southern Florida, where people take their key lime pie seriously. To be more specific, it comes from the cookbook produced by the famous Miami restaurant, Joe’s Stone Crab. The owners of the restaurant refused to part with their recipe, but Richard Sax, who co-wrote the restaurant’s cookbook with owner Jo Ann Bass, could not envision the cookbook without it, so he came up with a version of the dessert, based on his attempts to copy the original as closely as possible.

A few suggestions when making the pie:

Whip the egg yolks on the highest speed your mixer will allow and keep whipping them for at least 5 minutes. And keep the mixer on high even while drizzling in the sweetened evaporated milk.

Take seriously the suggestion to get the pie as cold as possible by popping it into the freezer for at least 15 minutes before serving. The addition of ice crystals to the texture and the way it awakens the lime flavors make this even more irresistible.

Of course, you can used a store-bought graham cracker crust. Just don’t skimp on the fresh squeezed lime juice in favor of something from the store. There is a huge difference.

By the way, key lime pie is not green; it is yellow. It only has flecks of green from the lime zest. Some people add food color to make it green, which we don’t recommend except on St. Patrick’s Day.

Key Lime Pie

Graham cracker crust:
1 wax paper-wrapped package graham crackers (1/3 of a 1-pound box) or 1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar

Filling:
3 egg yolks
Grated zest of 2 limes (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, such as Eagle Brand
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (use key limes if you can)

Topping:
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

You can use a store-bought crust or make your own.

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. (If you don’t have a food processor,, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filling: Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping: Whip the cream and the powdered sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with whipped cream.

Makes 1 pie.

From “Eat at Joe’s: The Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant Cookbook” by Jo Ann Bass and Richard Sax

The chips and salsa at Rosario's.

Q. We have family visiting this weekend. They want to eat Tex-Mex. Can you recommend one such restaurant downtown and one out in the I-10 or 1604 area?

— Rick

A. In a city known for its Mexican and Tex-Mex, you have plenty of options. Here are a few of our favorites, both downtown and on the north side.

Rosario’s, 910 S. Alamo, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, which is a milestone for any restaurant. But there’s a reason the place is still going strong: Owner Lisa Wong makes sure that the food coming out of her kitchen is as good as it gets. Bonnie Walker and I stopped in on a recent Saturday afternoon for lunch, and by the time we left, there was a line of people waiting for tables.

The salsa is still that smoky, spiky treat with plenty of jalapeño and tomato flavor. A bowl of fideo, filled with beans and noodles, was pure comfort on a cloudy afternoon, while shrimp nachos were loaded with richness from both the cheese and the seafood. The carnitas were perfect as always, with sizzling bites of pork complemented by a cup of beans in a porky broth.

And, of course, Rosario’s is known for its tangy array of margaritas as well as its tequila selection. The salsa music on weekends adds to the lively vibe that flows through the place.

Wong’s other place downtown, Ácenar, 146 E. Houston St., is great if you want to dine on the River Walk. The food is slightly different, with a few more upscale items, including buttermilk fried oysters and duck chalupas, well worth investigating. You can also arrange a barge dinner, if there’s enough time, and enjoy the likes of pasilla-rubbed roasted chicken or grilled adobo pork loin while gliding down the river.

Aldaco's tres leches cake is a treat for anyone with a sweet tooth.

In the I-10 or Loop 1604 area, Aldaco’s at Stone Oak, 20079 Stone Oak Parkway, is always great for a party that never stops. The margaritas flow freely, including a unique one made with avocado, and sipping one on the patio while the sun sets is a great San Antonio pleasure. Plus, Blanca Aldaco makes sure you get food you enjoy, even if you are a gluten-free diet. The weekend brunch, with a great breakfast relleno, is also a good bet.

La Hacienda de los Barrios, 18747 Redland Road, is another place to remember, especially if you have a large party. This is a wonderful place to introduce people to the local favorite, the puffy taco, which Diana Barrios Treviño makes better than most. (She even topped Bobby Flay when he appeared at the restaurant for one of his throwdowns.

Another place not to miss is El Mirasol Alta Cocina, 13489 Blanco Road. Owner Jesse Calvillo and his staff treat you right, whether you’re just dropping by for a margarita and a plate of queso flameado or you want enchiladas with a choice of sauces.

Readers, what other places would you recommend for guests visiting from out of town who had a hankering for San Antonio’s authentic brand of Tex-Mex?  Post your suggestions below.

If you have a food question, email walker@savorsa.com or griffin@savorsa.com.

Choose a firm pear for this tart recipe.

Q. I want to make a pear tart, but what are the best pears to bake with?

—Matt

A. Choose a firm-fleshed pear, such as Anjou or Bosc, as opposed to Comice or Bartlett, which can become too soft in the baking process and turn to mush.

Here’s a recipe from Martha Stewart’s “New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites” (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, $24.99), which calls for poached pears and incorporates almonds to great effect.

Poached Pear and Almond Tart

Vanilla Poached Pears:
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups water
1/4 cup honey
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped
5 ripe firm pears

For the crust:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted  butter melted and cooled, for pan
3/4 cup whole blanched almonds
3 tablespoons sugar, divided use
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the filling:
3 tablespoons sliced blanched almonds
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour or very finely ground blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large whole eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Vanilla Poached Pears

For the pears: Bring wine, water, honey and vanilla bean seeds and pod to a simmer in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut a round of parchment the same diameter as the saucepan. Peel pears and halve lengthwise. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out cores, seeds and stems. Trim fibrous strip from center with a paring knife. Gently lower pears into pot. Place parchment round directly on pears to keep them submerged (this will keep them from turning brown).

Cook until a paring knife slides easily into pears, meeting slight resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool in liquid 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pears to a large bowl; cover with cooking liquid and let cool completely. Pears can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.

For the crust: brush 1 tablespoon melted butter into bottom and up sides of an 11-by-8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Pulse whole almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar in food processor until almonds are finely ground. Add remaining 1/2 cup butter, and process until combined. Add flour, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and almond extract. Pulse until combined.

Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of pan. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the filling: Spread sliced almonds in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast in oven, tossing occasionally until golden, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, salt, flour, almond flour and baking powder. Whisk in eggs and yolk, butter and milk until well combined. Pour filling into crust.

Blot each pear halve lightly with paper towels to remove excess syrup. Arrange halves, cut sides down, over filling, packing fruit closely together (3 rows of 3 pears; reserve remaining half for another use). Sprinkle tops of pears with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle toasted almonds over tart between the pears. Transfer tart to a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees until filling is puffed and golden brown, 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Unmold just before serving.

Makes 1 (11-by-8-inch) tart.

From “New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites” by Martha Stewart

Garlic, appreciated since ancient times for its flavor and health properties.

Q. Recently, I picked up a head of garlic at Central Market, a special variety that was selling for nearly $30 a pound. (But one head cost less than $4.) I know there are many varieties of garlic, but was garlic one of the foods discovered in the New World, like corn and chocolate?

A.  No, garlic is a very Old-World food. Now popular throughout the world, garlic is believed to have come from southeastern Siberia, then to have spread to the Mediterranean countries, where it took hold. “There is a firm belief that it was grown in India, China and Egypt before recorded history,” writes Ian Hemphill in “The Spice and Herb Bible.” Louis Pasteur wrote about its anti-bacterial properties in the mid-1800s.

This hardy perennial belongs to the same genus as onions (Allium), which also includes chives, leeks and shallots. Specialty growers are discovering some of the many cultivated sub-varieties of garlic of which there are reported to be around 600. The garlic you purchased is no doubt being grown by a garlic enthusiast who is exploring some of these different varieties. A great website for those of us who love garlic and want to learn more about it is Gourmet Garlic Gardens.

Q. I have a French coffee press and am wondering if I need to put a different kind of coffee in it. Would I use a French roast coffee?

A French press brews coffee quickly and simply.

A. If you are using a French press, you should use a coarser grind of coffee than you do for a drip coffeemaker. But, you can use any type or roast of coffee in the press.

The advantage of a French press is that it is easily portable, simple to use and, by giving all of the grounds a period of direct contact with the water, extracts more flavor.

The different types of roasted coffee that you see called “French roast” or “Italian roast” refer to the internal temperature reached by coffee beans as they are roasted. With a  French roast, the green coffee beans have been roasted to a higher temperature than an American roast, yielding a darker, more roasted flavor. An Italian roast is heated to a higher internal temperature still, and is darker and more intense in roasted flavor than the French roast.

The darker the roast, the more the flavor of the roasting process itself will be tasted in the bean. Some people love this flavor; others prefer the lighter roasts in which more coffee bean flavor comes through.

Q. I thought butternut was a winter squash but I have two in my CSA share this week and it is certainly not winter.  I’m confused. — A.B.

A. Good question. Because most squashes are available year-round we find out from whatscookingamerica.com that it has become a matter of usage, or common nomenclature, that the terms “summer” and “winter” are still used.

” ‘Summer’ types are on the market all winter; and ‘winter’ types are on the markets in the late summer and fall, as well as winter, according to this source. This terminology was never meant to confuse — it just dates back to a time when the seasons were more crucial to man’s survival than they are now. ‘Good keepers’ became known as winter vegetables if they would ‘keep’ until December.

Steam cubes of butternut squash, then add to cooked greens such as spinach or beet greens for a colorful side dish.

“Winter squash comes in shapes round and elongated, scalloped and pear-shaped with flesh that ranges from golden-yellow to brilliant orange. Most winter squashes are vine-type plants whose fruits are harvested when fully mature. They take longer to mature than summer squash (3 months or more) and are best harvested once the cool weather of fall sets in. They can be stored for months in a cool basement-hence the name “winter” squash.”

Harissa can be found in tubes or bottles.

Q. Does anybody know where on the Northeast side I can find harissa?

— M.M.

A. Harissa is a Tunisian chile sauce that adds a kick to numerous dishes.

According to Anissa Helou, author of the lively “Mediterranean Street Food” (William Morrow, $19.99), “If you order a sandwich in Tunisia, the vendor will automatically spread the bread with harissa the way Westerners spread theirs with butter, mayonnaise or mustard. … Harissa is also eaten as a dip, drizzled with olive oil. In homes, it is generally served plain, while in restaurants it is topped with canned tuna and olives. The plate of harissa is brought to the table before any other food for you to dip your bread into while waiting for your order.”

It is also used in a great many other dishes, the way some Asians use sriracha sauce or the way we in San Antonio use salsa.

You can find harissa on the Northeast at World Market, which is in the Forum, off I-35. It is also available at Whole Foods in the Quarry, Central Market on Broadway and various ethnic markets, including International Food Market at 1719 Babcock Road. The version I picked up at World Market was in a tube; sometimes it is sold in a small glass jar or can.

You can also make it, though I know that’s nobody’s idea of fun when you’re in the middle of a recipe. Still, here’s Halou’s fairly simple recipe, which I have made on numerous occasions. The fun of making your own is playing around with various dried chiles, tasting how each affects the blend.

Harissa (Hot Chile Paste)

8 ounces large dried chiles
15-20 cloves garlic
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup ground caraway seeds
Extra-virgin olive oil to cover the harissa

Pull off the stalks of the chiles and shake out and discard the loose seeds. Rinse the chiles under cold water and soak them in hot water or about 20 minutes.

Peel the garlic and put in a food processor with a little salt. Process until very smooth.

Drain the chiles, add to the garlic, and pulse until you have a lightly textured paste. The chiles should not be pulverized.

Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the ground caraway and more salt if necessary and mix well. Spoon into a container and cover with olive oil. The oil will preserve the harissa. Make sure you top up the oil every time you use some of the harissa. Well covered in oil, it will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Makes just over 2 cups.

From “Mediterranean Street Food” by Anissa Helou

If you have a question for Ask a Foodie, email walker@savorsa.com or griffin@savorsa.com.

Is it juice or is it cider?

Q. I was in the juice aisle the other day and I noticed a lot of bottles, some marked apple juice and others market apple cider. I read a few labels, but I couldn’t figure out what the difference was between the two of them. Do you know?

— Pam

A. There is no difference between the products you are talking about. In the eyes of the labeling gods at the U.S. government, the words can be used interchangeably.

But there is a difference between apple cider and apple juice in the bigger picture.

Cider traditionally has referred to fruit juice that is natural, unprocessed and raw, which is why it can ferment into a liquor or what is known as “hard cider.” You sometimes find fresh cider in the refrigerator section. If it looks darker and murkier than you’re used to, it’s because cider is not filtered and it’s likely that it has not been pasteurized. If it is not pasteurized, it should say so on the label, again another government requirement.

According to a website from the state of Massachusetts, “Cider needs constant refrigeration because it is perishable. It will stay sweet and unfermented for up to two weeks. Cider can also be frozen, but be sure to pour off an inch or two from the container for expansion during freezing.”

Apple juice has been pasteurized and most likely filtered, the government site says.

If you have a question for Ask a Foodie, email walker@savorsa.com or griffin@savorsa.com.