XO chilli sauce

Name: XO chilli sauce
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 250ml
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 30g dried scallops (about 4); 50g dried shrimp; 8 long, red chillies, deseeded and chopped; 6 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 2cm knob of ginger, shredded; 2 anchovies, finely chopped; 2 slices prosciutto, finely chopped (optional); 4 eschallots, finely chopped; 2 tsp castor sugar; 1 tsp salt; 350ml vegetable oil

Jill Dupleix

November 7, 2012

Pippies with XO chilli sauce.Fiona Morris

Time:2 hours +Makes:250ml

An intense, pungent, garlicky relish that's great with seafood.

Ingredients

30g dried scallops (about 4)
50g dried shrimp
8 long, red chillies, deseeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2cm knob of ginger, shredded
2 anchovies, finely chopped
2 slices prosciutto, finely chopped (optional)
4 eschallots, finely chopped
2 tsp castor sugar
1 tsp salt
350ml vegetable oil

Method

Place the scallops and shrimp in a bowl. Pour on boiling water and leave to stand overnight, or for at least four hours.
Pick out the scallops and simmer them in one cup of the soaking liquid for 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool, then shred the scallops into small filaments with your fingers.
Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a blender with the chillies, garlic, ginger, anchovies, prosciutto (if using), eschallots, sugar, salt and oil. Pulse once or twice to a rough, choppy paste.
Transfer to a pan, add the scallops and simmer on the lowest possible heat for 45 minutes until dark, mellow and aromatic, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking or burning. Spoon into a sterilised jar and seal. Store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for two weeks.