Mortar & Pestle: Who uses them?

[spressomon]

I have several from small to large with the largest being about 8C capacity. For the many pestos I make I find it much quicker and even tastier to use my M&P rather than the food processor. And I find the manual process of the M&P to my liking...

Grilled up some lamb chops last night and made this quick pesto that I used on the chops:

3-4T fresh garden rosemary
1-2T fresh parsley
1-Garlic clove
Peel slices from 1/2 lemon
1T whole coriander seeds
2T pecans
1/4 smoked habanero
Course smoked salt
Enough EVO to make a loose paste

Grind all the above minus the pecans and EVO to a smooth paste. Add the pecans...mash and incorporate to smooth paste. Add enough EVO to get a loose mixture.

Spread on the meat...let rest for about 30-minutes...then direct heat sear...then finish indirect. Tasty.

 

[B-RAD]

I have a small M&P that I usse to grind up whole spices .

 

[NorCalDoug]

I have a couple wooden mortar & pestles. I used to use them all the time.
I need to get a larger stone/granite set...I want to start making thai curry paste from scratch...and the m&p is the traditional method.

 

[JohnVee]

I've got a small stone one that I use to grind spices. I'd like a large one but can't justify the space it would take up.

--john

 

[rusty_tlc]

I have a marble set I've had since Jeff Smith was on PBS every Saturday Morning.

Steak Florentine;
Garlic
Olive Oil
Whole Peppercorns
Kosher Salt

Make a paste and rub it on any old cut of beef suitable for grilling, let it sit for anywhere from 1 to 4 hours then grill.


My Lamb version;
Lemon zest
Fresh Rosemary
Garlic
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Whole pepper corns

Same as above. Put the rosemary stems on a piece of foil and let them smoke on the grill while you cook the lamb.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I have a small 3 piece marble set (1/4 to 1 cup size) mainly for spice grinding for Indian dishes and personal dehydrate items.. roasted onion, garlic, salts and peppers. YUM!

J

 

[sggoat]

mine, I think, is the same as Rusty's. Works great!
Lamb Chops Marinade:
4 tblspns Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tblspns Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tblpsns Ex Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Fresh minced garlic
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Pinch Salt
1/4 tspn ea of Cloves/ginger/turmeric-crushed
1 tblspn fresh Rosemary-crushed
1 tspn dehydrated onion-crushed
1 tblspn mustard seed-crushed
1/2 tspn fresh mint-crushed

Mix all ingredients-marinate chops in mixture at least 2 hrs.(or longer)
Grill chops on medium heat--if they start to char a little, remove and soak in marinade, then put back on grill--
Shouldn't take more than ~ 20 minutes for 6 chops