Monday, February 25, 2013
Culinary Research
Vinny will close down his web page for a week or so while he is on assignment in the Caribbean to do some culinary research. Check back on March 7th for his report.
Friday, February 22, 2013
I Yam what I Yam
I've always been confused when I go to the market as to the difference between sweet potatoes and yams. Are they one and the same, with two different names for the same thing? One time a queried a produce employee if there was any difference and was assured that they were really the same root vegetable.
Nothing could be further from the truth! While they are both angiosperms (flowering plants), they are not related botanically. Yams are of the dioscoreaceae family, as are lilies and grasses. Sweet potatoes are of the family convolvulacea, like the morning glory. Yams are monocots and sweet potatoes are dicots.
What we see in the produce aisle is most likely a variety of sweet potato. They are native to South America and have a wide range of flesh colors that can be white, yellow, orange or even a shade of red. Their skin can be golden or copper colored. Sweet potatoes are popular in the southern US and are not as sweet as a yam.
Yams on the other hand are native to Africa and their name is derived from an African word meaning "to eat." There are over 600 varieties, 95% of which are grown in Africa. They can very in size from a small potato to over 130 pounds and 7 feet long. While containing more sugar they tend to be starchier and drier with a dark bark like skin and a white, purple or reddish flesh.
To learn more about the distinction between these two root vegetables, click on the highlighted webpage.
Here's a great sweet potato recipe to try:
Nothing could be further from the truth! While they are both angiosperms (flowering plants), they are not related botanically. Yams are of the dioscoreaceae family, as are lilies and grasses. Sweet potatoes are of the family convolvulacea, like the morning glory. Yams are monocots and sweet potatoes are dicots.
What we see in the produce aisle is most likely a variety of sweet potato. They are native to South America and have a wide range of flesh colors that can be white, yellow, orange or even a shade of red. Their skin can be golden or copper colored. Sweet potatoes are popular in the southern US and are not as sweet as a yam.
To learn more about the distinction between these two root vegetables, click on the highlighted webpage.
Here's a great sweet potato recipe to try:
SPICED SWEET POTATO FRIES
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp each: chili powder & black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 450F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Toss sweet potatoes with oil and spices. Arrange potatoes on prepared baking sheets in a single layer and bake for 10-15 minutes. Turn potatoes over and rotate pan; bake until crispy, 10-15 minutes more.
Recipe courtesy of Cuisine at home, Issue #92, April 2012, p. 17.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Nutrition Nuggets
Here are some Nutrition Nuggets from co -authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding:
Your blood sugar rises 39% less if you toast your white bread.
A typical serving of potatoes has nearly 5 times as many antioxidants as a typical serving of broccoli.
Frozen peas have up to 4 times as much vitamin C as canned peas.
1 medium carrot has 340% of your daily vitamin A. Wheat flour has 470% more fiber than white flour.
If you shop at a farmer's market, you're 3.2 times more likely to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day than if you shop at a supermarket.
A cup of store-brand bran flakes cereal has more than twice as much fiber as a cup of Cheerios.
Adding blueberries instead of strawberries to your cereal will more than double your antioxidant intake.
Coffee is by far the richest source of antioxidants in the American diet. (Cream and sugar turns a 10-calorie cup of coffee into an 80-calorie cup. Do that once a day and gain 7 pounds in a year.)
Compared with an 8-ounce glass of orange juice, a single medium orange has half as much sugar and 3 more grams of fiber.
Drinking 3 glasses of red wine a week decreases your risk of colon cancer by 68%.
Compared to iceberg, romaine lettuce has more of just about every nutrient, including 8.5 times more vitamin C.
89% of foods marketed to kids provide poor nutrition.
Cut out 96 calories from your daily diet and you'll be 10 pounds lighter one year from today.
So, after reading all that, do you feel smarter (and healthier)?
Your blood sugar rises 39% less if you toast your white bread.
A typical serving of potatoes has nearly 5 times as many antioxidants as a typical serving of broccoli.
Frozen peas have up to 4 times as much vitamin C as canned peas.
1 medium carrot has 340% of your daily vitamin A. Wheat flour has 470% more fiber than white flour.
If you shop at a farmer's market, you're 3.2 times more likely to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day than if you shop at a supermarket.
A cup of store-brand bran flakes cereal has more than twice as much fiber as a cup of Cheerios.
Adding blueberries instead of strawberries to your cereal will more than double your antioxidant intake.
Coffee is by far the richest source of antioxidants in the American diet. (Cream and sugar turns a 10-calorie cup of coffee into an 80-calorie cup. Do that once a day and gain 7 pounds in a year.)
Compared with an 8-ounce glass of orange juice, a single medium orange has half as much sugar and 3 more grams of fiber.
Drinking 3 glasses of red wine a week decreases your risk of colon cancer by 68%.
Compared to iceberg, romaine lettuce has more of just about every nutrient, including 8.5 times more vitamin C.
89% of foods marketed to kids provide poor nutrition.
Cut out 96 calories from your daily diet and you'll be 10 pounds lighter one year from today.
So, after reading all that, do you feel smarter (and healthier)?
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Kitchen Wisdom
In the book Cook This, Not That by co-authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding (authors of the more familiar series, Eat This, Not That) they have a page of interesting tips of kitchen wisdom. Here are some of their bits of advice:
Shop for food on Wednesday. Research shows that only 12 percent of people do it, making it the best time to pick out first-rate products without the clamoring masses.
Freshen up limp vegetables: Drop your aging produce into ice water before cooking. Plants wilt due to water loss; ice water penetrates their cells to restore crispness.
Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator. And keep peaches, potatoes, onions, bread, garlic and coffee out of there, too. Cold temperatures compromise the flavor and texture of these staples.
Warm food served on a cold plate is a rookie mistake. Heat your dishes in a 150F oven for 10 minutes before plating a meal. On the flip side, lightly chilled plates (use your freezer) boost the freshness of cold dishes like summer salads.
Try cooking with a 50-50 mixture of butter and olive oil. Butter brings big rich flavors, while oil protects the butter from burning over high heat.
Teflon coatings can deteriorate on high heat, so save your nonstick pans for gentler tasks like cooking omelets and sauteing fish.
More pucker for the price! Zap lemons, limes, or oranges for 15 seconds in the microwave before squeezing them. The fruit will yield twice as much juice.
Overcooked meat? Salvage dinner: Slice the meat thinly, put it on a plate, and top with chopped tomato, onion, and jalapeno. Add olive oil and fresh lime juice (or a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette (Vinny Garette!). The acid and oil will restore much needed moisture and fat to the mistreated meat.
Tomorrow: Some of their Nutrition Nuggets!
Shop for food on Wednesday. Research shows that only 12 percent of people do it, making it the best time to pick out first-rate products without the clamoring masses.
Freshen up limp vegetables: Drop your aging produce into ice water before cooking. Plants wilt due to water loss; ice water penetrates their cells to restore crispness.
Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator. And keep peaches, potatoes, onions, bread, garlic and coffee out of there, too. Cold temperatures compromise the flavor and texture of these staples.
Warm food served on a cold plate is a rookie mistake. Heat your dishes in a 150F oven for 10 minutes before plating a meal. On the flip side, lightly chilled plates (use your freezer) boost the freshness of cold dishes like summer salads.
Try cooking with a 50-50 mixture of butter and olive oil. Butter brings big rich flavors, while oil protects the butter from burning over high heat.
Teflon coatings can deteriorate on high heat, so save your nonstick pans for gentler tasks like cooking omelets and sauteing fish.
More pucker for the price! Zap lemons, limes, or oranges for 15 seconds in the microwave before squeezing them. The fruit will yield twice as much juice.
Overcooked meat? Salvage dinner: Slice the meat thinly, put it on a plate, and top with chopped tomato, onion, and jalapeno. Add olive oil and fresh lime juice (or a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette (Vinny Garette!). The acid and oil will restore much needed moisture and fat to the mistreated meat.
Tomorrow: Some of their Nutrition Nuggets!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Mark your calendar!
One very tasteful Christmas gift I received was a special calendar. It is published and distributed by "The Roadfood Traveler" and lists all the holidays for 2013 that are related somehow to food. For example August 2 is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day and the following day is National Watermelon Day. I was somewhat disappointed to learn that on my birthday people across the nation will celebrate National Vanilla Pudding Day, not a very memorable event in my estimation.
But this Thursday is an epic celebratory day, National Sticky Bun Day! Yes, a day set apart for one of the truly epicurean delights, perfect any time of the day at any meal. They are wonderfully, well...sticky and a welcome presence at the table for young and old alike.
Food historians claim that sticky buns have a long history, originating in Roman, Greek and Egyptian societies. But I can only imagine that what they consumed was certainly only a poor primitive precursor to the baked dough with melted brown sugar and cinnamon and melted butter that we know today. More reasonably the sticky bun was developed much later, in the Middle Ages, most likely in southwest Germany, an area known as the Palatinate. They rolled up dough and sweetened it with toppings and termed it Schnecken.
But what we could recognize came later in history when the residents of that region emigrated to the New World as a result of the Nine Years' War in 1688. Another wave of immigrants landed on our shores around 1702 when the War of Spanish Succession decimated the Palatinate. Many of them arrived in Philadelphia in a section of the city we now call Germantown. And they brought with them recipes for schnecken. It remains today what it was then, a rolled up dough, baked and topped with whatever is available: honey, molasses, or maple sugar. Sticky buns can be plain or topped with pecans, raisins or even bananas or pineapple. Today Philadelphia remains the Sticky Bun Capital of the World.
For a brief video on how to make sticky buns click on this site.
But this Thursday is an epic celebratory day, National Sticky Bun Day! Yes, a day set apart for one of the truly epicurean delights, perfect any time of the day at any meal. They are wonderfully, well...sticky and a welcome presence at the table for young and old alike.
But what we could recognize came later in history when the residents of that region emigrated to the New World as a result of the Nine Years' War in 1688. Another wave of immigrants landed on our shores around 1702 when the War of Spanish Succession decimated the Palatinate. Many of them arrived in Philadelphia in a section of the city we now call Germantown. And they brought with them recipes for schnecken. It remains today what it was then, a rolled up dough, baked and topped with whatever is available: honey, molasses, or maple sugar. Sticky buns can be plain or topped with pecans, raisins or even bananas or pineapple. Today Philadelphia remains the Sticky Bun Capital of the World.
For a brief video on how to make sticky buns click on this site.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Chowdah!!
A few weeks ago I came across a really interesting recipe for a Smoked Oyster and Shrimp Chowder. This weekend I had the opportunity to cook it up after collecting all the variant components which included cod, in addition to the oysters and shrimp and a plethora of healthy veggies like fennel, onion, celery, tomato (I know it's technically a fruit), parsley, garlic and potato.
But what makes an authentic chowder? That seems to be a much heated (no pun intended) matter of debate. There are numerous varieties that range from the creamy white to the clear and briny to the sweet tomato versions. And everyone seems to have their own favorite recipe.
Chowder was once considered a poor man's meal where random vegetables and fish were thrown into a giant pot and stewed together. Early settlers used salt pork to flavor their chowders imitating the recipes of the men of fishing fleets who when at sea would render salt pork then add sliced onions and layers of fish and top it all off with a final layer of hard crackers. Water would be added in to both soften the biscuits and boil the ingredients. These early chowders were considered "a man's dish, made at sea by men for men."
Eventually the chowder recipe came ashore in the neighboring fishing communities that straddled the English channel in France and Britain. Returning fishermen would offer a portion of their catch and the towns folk would cook it up in a large communal cauldron as a gustatory social event to celebrate the safe return of the fleet. But it was the woman of the house who refined chowder adding sweet herbs like tarragon and including local ingredients like milk and potatoes. Italian immigrants were credited for the inclusion of tomatoes to the broth.
The term chowder was introduced into our English lexicon from the Latin word "calderia" meaning a place for warming things. It later was the term for the cooking pot from which we get the word "cauldron," the French equivalent being "chaudiere" and similar phonetically to our English word chowder.
Here is one of the first recipes for chowder printed in the Boston Evening Post in 1751:
First lay some Onions to keep the Pork from burning
Because in Chouder there can be not turning;
Then lay some Pork in slices very thing,
Thus you in Chouder always must begin.
Next lay some Fish cut crossways very nice
Then season well with Pepper, Salt, and Spice;
Parsley, Sweet-Marjoram, Savory, and Thyme,
Then Biscuit next which must be soak'd some Time.
Thus your Foundation laid, you will be able
To raise a Chouder, high as Tower of Babel;
For by repeating o'er the Same again,
You may make a Chouder for a thousand men.
Last a Bottle of Claret, with Water eno; to smother 'em,
You'll have a Mess which some call Omnium gather 'em.
If that seems a little too tedious to follow, here's the recipe I used. Just click on it for a list of ingredients and instructions. Smoked Oyster and Shrimp Chowder.
But what makes an authentic chowder? That seems to be a much heated (no pun intended) matter of debate. There are numerous varieties that range from the creamy white to the clear and briny to the sweet tomato versions. And everyone seems to have their own favorite recipe.
Chowder was once considered a poor man's meal where random vegetables and fish were thrown into a giant pot and stewed together. Early settlers used salt pork to flavor their chowders imitating the recipes of the men of fishing fleets who when at sea would render salt pork then add sliced onions and layers of fish and top it all off with a final layer of hard crackers. Water would be added in to both soften the biscuits and boil the ingredients. These early chowders were considered "a man's dish, made at sea by men for men."
Eventually the chowder recipe came ashore in the neighboring fishing communities that straddled the English channel in France and Britain. Returning fishermen would offer a portion of their catch and the towns folk would cook it up in a large communal cauldron as a gustatory social event to celebrate the safe return of the fleet. But it was the woman of the house who refined chowder adding sweet herbs like tarragon and including local ingredients like milk and potatoes. Italian immigrants were credited for the inclusion of tomatoes to the broth.
The term chowder was introduced into our English lexicon from the Latin word "calderia" meaning a place for warming things. It later was the term for the cooking pot from which we get the word "cauldron," the French equivalent being "chaudiere" and similar phonetically to our English word chowder.
Here is one of the first recipes for chowder printed in the Boston Evening Post in 1751:
First lay some Onions to keep the Pork from burning
Because in Chouder there can be not turning;
Then lay some Pork in slices very thing,
Thus you in Chouder always must begin.
Next lay some Fish cut crossways very nice
Then season well with Pepper, Salt, and Spice;
Parsley, Sweet-Marjoram, Savory, and Thyme,
Then Biscuit next which must be soak'd some Time.
Thus your Foundation laid, you will be able
To raise a Chouder, high as Tower of Babel;
For by repeating o'er the Same again,
You may make a Chouder for a thousand men.
Last a Bottle of Claret, with Water eno; to smother 'em,
You'll have a Mess which some call Omnium gather 'em.
If that seems a little too tedious to follow, here's the recipe I used. Just click on it for a list of ingredients and instructions. Smoked Oyster and Shrimp Chowder.
Friday, February 15, 2013
That's a Lot of Bread!
If you've been trying all the recipes I've posted this week you have a lot of bread in your kitchen right now. The week began with New England Anadama Bread, then French Brioche, then Jewish Challah and yesterday the poor man's Barley Loaf. So now what do you do with all that bread that is slowly getting stale?
Perhaps the best thing to do with it all is to make Pain Perdu like the residents of the Crescent City do. In New Orleans people will leave bread out on the counter on purpose so it can get good and stale so they can make what it literally called "lost bread." It is a resourceful way to use up bread after it has been sitting around for a day or two. It is similar to what we all know as French toast but significantly different in preparation in that the bread is not merely dipped in an egg batter but thoroughly soaked in an egg custard mixture for a period of time to permit it to reach maximum absorption. This gives the bread a silky and custardy texture. And the bread is then fried in hot oil instead of being heated on a griddle. It is then topped with any number of things including but not limited to powdered sugar, butter, fig preserves or syrup.
For an interesting Pain Perdu recipe from Ina Garten click on her barefoot contessa website.
Perhaps the best thing to do with it all is to make Pain Perdu like the residents of the Crescent City do. In New Orleans people will leave bread out on the counter on purpose so it can get good and stale so they can make what it literally called "lost bread." It is a resourceful way to use up bread after it has been sitting around for a day or two. It is similar to what we all know as French toast but significantly different in preparation in that the bread is not merely dipped in an egg batter but thoroughly soaked in an egg custard mixture for a period of time to permit it to reach maximum absorption. This gives the bread a silky and custardy texture. And the bread is then fried in hot oil instead of being heated on a griddle. It is then topped with any number of things including but not limited to powdered sugar, butter, fig preserves or syrup.
For an interesting Pain Perdu recipe from Ina Garten click on her barefoot contessa website.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Miraculous!
It is John who records in his gospel the account of Jesus feeding the masses with 5 barley loaves and 2 fish brought by a small boy. Barley (Horem vulgare) is one of the first plants cultivated for food and has been found at archaeological sites in the Fertile Crescent indicating that its domestication dates back 10,000 years. Barley has the distinction of being one of the founder crops of Old World agriculture.
While not as flavorful as wheat it is similar but will grow in more arid climates and is thus more prevalent and can be baked into bread without the use of yeast. It has been termed the poor person's grain and was used by families who could not afford to purchase yeast. It is a cereal grain that has a wide usage not solely for baking bread but can be also boiled as a porridge, added in soups and a accompaniment to dinner entrees. Barley is also used commercially as animal feed, and is a major component in the production of beer and other distilled beverages as well as being a health food supplement. Due to its low gluten content is is considered heart healthy and can reduce high blood pressure and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Barley is one of the world's 4 most important cereal crops after wheat, rice and corn. the largest commercial producers around the world are Canada, United States, Russia, Germany, France and Spain. But it is England that has given the lowly grain a lasting global distinction. In 1324 King Edward II standardized the measurement of an inch as being "3 grains of barley, dry and round, placed end to end lengthwise." It was the Spanish that introduced barley to South America and the English and Dutch that brought it to the Northern Hemisphere.
So it's time to give barley the acclaim it deserves! Try this Apple Barley Bread recipe and serve it up with a salmon fillet for a miraculous meal of your own.
Barley is one of the world's 4 most important cereal crops after wheat, rice and corn. the largest commercial producers around the world are Canada, United States, Russia, Germany, France and Spain. But it is England that has given the lowly grain a lasting global distinction. In 1324 King Edward II standardized the measurement of an inch as being "3 grains of barley, dry and round, placed end to end lengthwise." It was the Spanish that introduced barley to South America and the English and Dutch that brought it to the Northern Hemisphere.
So it's time to give barley the acclaim it deserves! Try this Apple Barley Bread recipe and serve it up with a salmon fillet for a miraculous meal of your own.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Hear Oh Israel
Every Jewish service begins with the Shema, "Hear Oh Israel, the Lord your God is One..." Those are the words first spoken in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy and serve as a reminder to Jews around the world of their monotheistic faith. Another Old Testament admonition related to worship is found in the book of Numbers. The faithful are commanded to set aside a portion of their bread dough as a sacrifice to God.
That portion came to be known as the Challah. Eventually it became the name for the whole loaf that was baked using eggs, fine white flour, water, yeast and sugar. The dough was rolled into rope shaped pieces and were then braided and brushed with an egg wash before going into the oven. The resulting loaf was then eaten as a part of the Sabbath observance and on special religious holidays. On such festive occasions a double loaf was always prepared to symbolize the 2 portions of manna that was distributed on Fridays to the Children of Israel during their Exodus in Egypt.
As with many Jewish observances, the challah contains a lot of symbolism. The woven strands represent intertwined arms symbolizing love. The 3 braids are symbolic of the virtues of truth, peace and justice. The 12 humps in the loaves recall the miracle of the 12 loaves for the 12 tribes of Israel. And when baked into different shapes, each shape has a special meaning to Jewish families.
Similar in significance to brioche in that it is served on special occasions, challah differs in being prepared without any dairy products and is thus considered parve, not containing any dairy or meat. But it can contain some variants like whole wheat or spelt flour, or oats. Honey or molasses can also be substituted as a sweetener. And raisins can also be added.
Want to bake your own Challah loaf? Then click on this website for the recipe:
And for all the French scholars among us, yesterday's quote was from the French Revolution and inaccurately attributed to Marie Antoinette, who lost her head over it. She said, "If they don't have enough bread to eat, let them eat cake (brioche)!"
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The French Connection
When is bread not bread? When it is Brioche, that's when. Originating in Normandie it is a highly enriched bread associated with holiday time. The name is a derivation from the French brier, meaning to knead. This celebratory bread with a soft light texture, small buttery crumb and flaky crust is descended from Blessed Bread, or pain benit as it was called by the priesthood in France. It has a high concentration of fat as copious amounts of eggs and butter are added to the flour and yeast. Considered to be a Viennoiserie, it is traditionally baked in a mold to form a ring. But it can also be formed into a standard loaf or baked as smaller individual buns. Sweet and savory versions also appear in patisseries and can be stuffed with chocolate, jams or candied fruits or filled with various vegetables and meats. It is the prime ingredient in rich bread puddings and luxurious French toast.
Brioche has quite an interesting history and dates back to the late Middle Ages and was considered to be the bread of the rich, for only those who could afford the extravagance of fresh eggs and butter could bake such a luxury. The word even appears in a very famous quote from 1783. See if you can translate it and tell me who spoke those fateful words:
Brioche has quite an interesting history and dates back to the late Middle Ages and was considered to be the bread of the rich, for only those who could afford the extravagance of fresh eggs and butter could bake such a luxury. The word even appears in a very famous quote from 1783. See if you can translate it and tell me who spoke those fateful words:
"S'ils n'ont plus de pain, qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"
Monday, February 11, 2013
A story you knead to hear
Inspired by a conversation at an annual banquet celebrating the 125th anniversary of the North Penn Volunteer Fire Company last Saturday night, I will focus this week's VinnyPosts on breads from around the world.
I'll begin our journey with a trip up the east coast of the United States to New England. There legend has it that one day a Gloucester fisherman had had just about enough of his wife's limited culinary expertise. He took her usual mundane evening meal of cornmeal mush topped with molasses and angrily tossed in some flour and yeast and put it in the oven while uttering a profane oath in not so flattering terms regarding his spouse. "Anna, damn her!" were his words
The recipe, and the name, stuck. Anadama Bread is still considered a New England original. Made today as it was in sea faring days, it is characteristically made with cornmeal and molasses. It remains a soft comfortingly sweet bread with a colorful history and a reminder of Colonial America. In researching the recipe I did, however, find a few interesting variations. Some versions include additional ingredients such as nutmeg, oatmeal, crushed walnuts, raisins and sage. Additionally, some recipes include milk, or dry powdered milk. The traditional loaf is baked in the oven after the yeast has risen and the dough is kneaded and proofed. But bread machine versions can also be found to speed the process without compromising the end result. To find the recipe click on the following site from Yankee Magazine.
I'll begin our journey with a trip up the east coast of the United States to New England. There legend has it that one day a Gloucester fisherman had had just about enough of his wife's limited culinary expertise. He took her usual mundane evening meal of cornmeal mush topped with molasses and angrily tossed in some flour and yeast and put it in the oven while uttering a profane oath in not so flattering terms regarding his spouse. "Anna, damn her!" were his words
The recipe, and the name, stuck. Anadama Bread is still considered a New England original. Made today as it was in sea faring days, it is characteristically made with cornmeal and molasses. It remains a soft comfortingly sweet bread with a colorful history and a reminder of Colonial America. In researching the recipe I did, however, find a few interesting variations. Some versions include additional ingredients such as nutmeg, oatmeal, crushed walnuts, raisins and sage. Additionally, some recipes include milk, or dry powdered milk. The traditional loaf is baked in the oven after the yeast has risen and the dough is kneaded and proofed. But bread machine versions can also be found to speed the process without compromising the end result. To find the recipe click on the following site from Yankee Magazine.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Macadoozy
Macadoozy is the term that the Center for Science in the Public Interest's Nutrition Action Health Letter created to describe the Deep Dish Macaroni & 3-Cheese item on the menu at Uno Chicago Grill. It's billed as "Penne with Cabot Aged Cheddar, Parmesan & Romano. Sprinkled with buttery crumb topping and baked in a deep dish pan" according to their web site.
Sounds like a classy upgrade of a classic comfort food. But in their restaurant confidential Extreme Eating 2013 CSPI says, "It's an upgrade, all right. The calories shoot up to 1,980 (you're done for the day!), the saturated fat hits 71 grams (3 1/2 days worth), and the sodium reaches 3,110 milligrams (a two day dose).
"The Mac & 3-Cheese has more calories than any individual pizza on Uno's menu except the sausage-laden Chicago Classic (which squeezes by with 2,300 calories). But it makes the Classic's sat fat (53 grams) look prudent.
"It's not just the three cheeses. There's the Alfredo sauce, which is made with heavy cream, cheese, rendered chicken fat, and butter. And the four cups of pasta plus the crushed Ritz Cracker crumbs also do their share to boost the calorie (and white flour) load.
"Each Deep dish Macaroni & 3-Cheese is like a Family Size box of Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese (which serves five) with half a stick of butter melted on top. Some comfort."
Sounds like a classy upgrade of a classic comfort food. But in their restaurant confidential Extreme Eating 2013 CSPI says, "It's an upgrade, all right. The calories shoot up to 1,980 (you're done for the day!), the saturated fat hits 71 grams (3 1/2 days worth), and the sodium reaches 3,110 milligrams (a two day dose).
"The Mac & 3-Cheese has more calories than any individual pizza on Uno's menu except the sausage-laden Chicago Classic (which squeezes by with 2,300 calories). But it makes the Classic's sat fat (53 grams) look prudent.
"It's not just the three cheeses. There's the Alfredo sauce, which is made with heavy cream, cheese, rendered chicken fat, and butter. And the four cups of pasta plus the crushed Ritz Cracker crumbs also do their share to boost the calorie (and white flour) load.
"Each Deep dish Macaroni & 3-Cheese is like a Family Size box of Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese (which serves five) with half a stick of butter melted on top. Some comfort."
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Extreme Eating 2013, Part 2
Last week I referenced an article in the Nutrition Action Newsletter on the meals currently being offered at some of the nation's franchise restaurants. Here is another installment in the series.
"Designed like 1950s soda shops, Johnny Rockets restaurants are a place to 'experience the uncomplicated goodness of classic America.' And what's more classic American than the Bacon Cheddar Double -- a white flour bun stuffed with two one-third pound beef patties, four slices of cheddar cheese, four strips of bacon, and a 'special' sauce?
"The tab: 1,770 calories, 50 grams of saturated fat, and 2,380 milligrams of sodium. Three McDonald's Quarter Pounders with Cheese have 'only' 1,570 calories. But wait. Who gets just a burger? Johnny's Sweet Potato Fries add another 590 calories -- 110 more than his regular 'American Fries' and 90 more than a large McDonald's Fries -- and 800 mg of sodium.
"And what's Americana without a shake? Johnny's hover around the 1,000-calorie mark, thanks to their size (20 0z) and their 'premium vanilla ice cream, whole milk, and real whipped cream.' Surely, you have room for the extra 1,140 calories, 37 grams of sat fat, and estimated 13 teaspoons of added sugar in a Big Apple Shake, which squeezes a slice of Johnny's 'all-American' Apple Pie into your drinkable body-fat booster.
"Your meal ends up with a cool 3,500 calories (enough for today and most of tomorrow), 88 grams of saturated fat (a four-day supply), and 2 1/2 days' worth of sodium (3,720 mg) and added sugar (15 teaspoons). It's like finishing off your three Quarter Pounders with Cheese and large Fries with a medium McCafe Vanilla shake and two Baked Apple Pies.
"If that isn't uncomplicated goodness, what is?"
"And what's Americana without a shake? Johnny's hover around the 1,000-calorie mark, thanks to their size (20 0z) and their 'premium vanilla ice cream, whole milk, and real whipped cream.' Surely, you have room for the extra 1,140 calories, 37 grams of sat fat, and estimated 13 teaspoons of added sugar in a Big Apple Shake, which squeezes a slice of Johnny's 'all-American' Apple Pie into your drinkable body-fat booster.
"Your meal ends up with a cool 3,500 calories (enough for today and most of tomorrow), 88 grams of saturated fat (a four-day supply), and 2 1/2 days' worth of sodium (3,720 mg) and added sugar (15 teaspoons). It's like finishing off your three Quarter Pounders with Cheese and large Fries with a medium McCafe Vanilla shake and two Baked Apple Pies.
"If that isn't uncomplicated goodness, what is?"
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
DIY
There is some confusion about what buttermilk really is. Unlike the name, there is no butter in buttermilk. And it is in reality lower in fat than regular whole milk. The name comes from the original process of churning butter. The liquid that was left behind after the cream became butter was called buttermilk.
At present commercial buttermilk is made by adding an acid bacteria culture to pasteurized sweet whole milk, or more commonly, skim milk. After the addition of the culture the milk is left to ferment for 12 to 14 hours at a low temperature, not more than 69F. The result is a thick, slightly acid liquid that is sold as buttermilk.
To avoid my previously mentioned dilemma of having more buttermilk on hand than the recipe requires, I came across a do it yourself version. That way I can make exactly the amount that I need without worrying about any overage. Here's what to do:
Measure 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and put it into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring the liquid in the cup up to the one cup line. Let stand for 5 minutes. Then simply use as directed in the recipe!
At present commercial buttermilk is made by adding an acid bacteria culture to pasteurized sweet whole milk, or more commonly, skim milk. After the addition of the culture the milk is left to ferment for 12 to 14 hours at a low temperature, not more than 69F. The result is a thick, slightly acid liquid that is sold as buttermilk.
To avoid my previously mentioned dilemma of having more buttermilk on hand than the recipe requires, I came across a do it yourself version. That way I can make exactly the amount that I need without worrying about any overage. Here's what to do:
Measure 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and put it into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring the liquid in the cup up to the one cup line. Let stand for 5 minutes. Then simply use as directed in the recipe!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
When enough is too much
The brown Irish soda bread I made last week turned out great! A little whole wheat flour and wheat germ did the trick. The recipe also called for 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk. I procured that previously on an excursion out to Lancaster County because at the Shady Maple Market I could purchase it in a smaller quart size rather than the usual half gallon containers that sit on local shelves. But it was still more than enough for the quick bread. So what to do with the rest?
I found some suggestions in the most recent issue of Fine Cooking magazine. Here's what they had to say:
Most of us buy buttermilk with a recipe in mind...(but) we're often left with extra buttermilk just sitting around in the fridge. Here are some ideas for using it.
Ranch dressing Whisk together buttermilk and mayonnaise and season to taste with fresh lemon juice, garlic, chives, salt and pepper.
Buttermilk pancakes Use buttermilk instead of regular milk in any pancake recipe and add 1/2 tsp baking soda per cup of buttermilk.
Fried Chicken Season buttermilk with grated onion, salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk overnight in the refrigerator before draining, flouring, and frying.
When I got to that last suggestion I went into the kitchen and did exactly that for tonight's chicken dinner!!!
Most of us buy buttermilk with a recipe in mind...(but) we're often left with extra buttermilk just sitting around in the fridge. Here are some ideas for using it.
Ranch dressing Whisk together buttermilk and mayonnaise and season to taste with fresh lemon juice, garlic, chives, salt and pepper.
Buttermilk pancakes Use buttermilk instead of regular milk in any pancake recipe and add 1/2 tsp baking soda per cup of buttermilk.
Fried Chicken Season buttermilk with grated onion, salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk overnight in the refrigerator before draining, flouring, and frying.
When I got to that last suggestion I went into the kitchen and did exactly that for tonight's chicken dinner!!!
Monday, February 4, 2013
A Super (Bowl) Meal
In my 3 ring binder of favorite recipes is an entire section just for chili. There's white chili made with chicken, and a spicy variation called Santa Fe that combines the chicken with cannellini beans, replacing the more traditional red kidney beans. Another recipe is for Cinncinnati chili that incorporates chocolate and is served over spaghetti. Other variations include sausage chili as well as ground meat chili.
But for the Super Bowl I decided to cook up a slow cooker version of Texas chili, using cubed chuck roast and brown sugar as well as diced tomatoes and green chilies, and without any beans at all. It was a hearty (and spicy) version calling for 3/4 cup of chili powder as the flavors mellowed for 7 hours. Here's the recipe:
But for the Super Bowl I decided to cook up a slow cooker version of Texas chili, using cubed chuck roast and brown sugar as well as diced tomatoes and green chilies, and without any beans at all. It was a hearty (and spicy) version calling for 3/4 cup of chili powder as the flavors mellowed for 7 hours. Here's the recipe:
SLOW COOKER TEXAS CHILI
2 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into 2" pieces 2 cans chopped green chilies, drained
2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar 1 Tbsp ground cumin
Kosher salt 3/4 cup chili powder
2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped 1 to 2 Tbsp green hot sauce
5 cloves garlic, smashed sliced scallions, fresh cilantro,
sour cream
Toss the beef with 1 Tbsp each brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the beef in batches until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes (do not crowd the pan). Transfer to a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chilies, cumin and chili powder and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water and the tomatoes and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp brown sugar and the hot sauce to the chili. Serve with scallions, cilantro and/or sour cream for topping.
Friday, February 1, 2013
The Germ of an Idea
So imagine my joy when I came across a recipe for Brown Soda Bread using whole wheat flour and something I was not familiar with: wheat germ. I had heard about it over the years as something that health nuts put on their cereal in the morning, but knew little else about it. If I wanted to try this new healthy version of soda bread I needed to learn more and find some. Fortunately while I was out at the Green Dragon this morning I chatted it up with a little Mennonite lady who has a booth selling all kinds of grains, including wheat germ!
Here's what I learned. The wheat germ is the edible section of the wheat kernel, the reproductive part that germinates to form wheat grass. It makes up only a very small fraction of the harvested wheat, about 2.5%. So little that it takes 50 pounds of wheat to produce a mere pound of the germ. While it is beyond doubt the healthiest part of the grain of wheat it is typically removed during processing since it contains an oil that can, over time, become rancid. So to preserve the shelf life of the resulting flour, the germ is extracted, along with the hull. It is golden brown and flaky also another impediment to having smooth silky white flour for baking.
But the wheat germ is a nutritional powerhouse! It contains 23 nutrients and has more of them per ounce than any other vegetable or grain. It is a better source of potassium and iron than any other food source. It also contains large quantities of riboflavin, calcium, zinc and magnesium as well as Vitamins A, E, B1 & B3. In addition, it has more protein (28%) than is found in most meat products. That makes it an excellent protein supplement for vegetarians. And because it slows the digestive process it helps folks feel fuller longer, thus reducing the tendency to snack in between meals. It does, however, have a fairly high caloric content, so a little goes a long way, especially for those on a low calorie diet.
So, beside including it in Brown Soda Bread, how does one include it in a daily diet? As mentioned previously, it can be sprinkled on cereal but can also be used as a substitute for granola in yogurt to give it a nutty crunch. Wheat germ can also replace bread crumbs when a recipe calls for them. Another creative way to use it is to add a spoonful or two to smoothies and milkshakes. And in baking wheat germ can replace up to 1/2 cup of flour in the recipe.
Think I'll add Brown Soda Bread to the Super Bowl feast menu this weekend and do myself a healthy favor...
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