Nikki Duffy
LATIN NAME
Yellow mustard: Sinapis alba. Brown mustard: Brassica juncea. Black mustard: Brassica nigra
ALSO KNOWN AS
Yellow mustard: white mustard
MORE RECIPES
Roasted chicory with honey, mustard and thyme; Walnut and blue cheese soufflés; Leek and potato gratin; Lobster with béarnaise mayonnaise; Curried clams; Lamb’s kidneys with mustard and cream; Hazelnut and cheese biscuits; Green tomato, cumin and green chilli chutney
This time-honoured condiment, with its incomparable bite, dates back to Roman times. It is made by wetting and crushing whole mustard seeds then mixing them with an acidic liquid in order to ‘fix’ the highly volatile, pungent compounds thus released. Centuries ago, young wine (mustum – hence the name of the condiment) or unripe grape juice (verjuice) would be used. These days, vinegar does the job.
In the kitchen, you can get by with nothing more than English mustard. Stained day-glo yellow with a shot of turmeric, it’s the boldest of the bunch. It can deliver in almost all situations but does demand a light touch because of its famous ferocity. It is quite superb with meat, though, and excellent for seasoning a cheese sauce. If you’re mixing up your own from a pot of powder, be aware that its heat will fizzle out relatively quickly. Water doesn’t ‘fix’ the mustard flavour for long.
Dijon mustard is perhaps the best all-rounder. A duller yellow colour than English and considerably milder, the flavour can be excellent, allowing you to enjoy a little more widespread mustard taste. It’s excellent in vinaigrettes and mayonnaise. There are two other French styles, Bordeaux and Meaux, which are milder still.
In farm shops and supermarkets you will also come across a wide range of ‘cottage mustards’ – flavoured with everything from ale to green peppercorns to lapsang souchong tea. Many of these are bobbly wholegrain types, which are almost invariably very mild, but have a lovely sweet, nutty flavour and look great in a creamy sauce.
Mustard complements rich foods most successfully – notably sausages, pork pies, juicy roast beef, bubbling Cheddar cheese on toast and thick béchamel sauces. It is at its very best when fresh, straight from the jar and unheated. Adding it to a plate of food on serving will give you the strongest hit; dressings and dips where the mustard remains uncooked will also preserve the fire. If you are adding it to a cooked sauce, do so shortly before serving because all mustards lose their character with long heating, and also with lengthy storage. Buy mustard in small quantities, store at cool room temperature and use within a couple of months.
Whole yellow mustard seeds (sometimes called white mustard) are often used in pickling mixes, and give a peppery mouth-heat when chewed. Brown mustard seeds, often fried in hot oil at the beginning of curry, have a more powerful, nose-tingling effect. Black mustard seeds are stronger still.
BRAISED SAVOY CABBAGE WITH MUSTARD
This is delicious with roast chicken or venison. Or, scattered with a handful of breadcrumbs and grated cheese and flashed under a hot grill, it makes a lovely gratin to eat on its own. Spring greens can be used in place of the cabbage. Serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a supper
1 small or ½ large Savoy cabbage
15g butter
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1 small-medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2–3 tsp black or brown mustard seeds
250ml chicken or veg stock
3–4 tbsp double cream
1 tbsp English mustard
Sea salt and black pepper
Remove the tough stalks from the cabbage and shred the leaves fairly finely; set aside.
Place a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat and add the butter and oil. When bubbling, add the onion and stir well. Cook for 4–5 minutes, then add the sliced garlic and mustard seeds. Cook, stirring regularly, for 8–10 minutes or until the onions are just beginning to take on a little colour.
Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, letting the onions soften, then add the cream, English mustard and shredded cabbage. Bring back to a simmer. Cook, stirring regularly, until the liquid has reduced down to a sauce that coats the cabbage – about 10 minutes. By this time the cabbage will be nice and tender too. Season well with salt and pepper and serve.