Celebracion!

     Today, April 9th, is National Empanada Day!  For those of you who might not be familiar with this food enjoyed in much of the Spanish speaking world, it is a stuffed bread or pastry that has been either baked or fried.  Similar to the Italian calzone, it is a hand held meal that is eaten as an appetizer, an entree or a dessert, depending on the filling.



     Spain takes claim to its origin, dating back to medieval Iberia.  The recipe appears in a 1520 cookbook that mentions empanadas being stuffed with seafood.  The term is from the Spanish word, empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.



     But while the word empanada is used in a general sense there are many different varieties.  In El Salvador they are stuffed with plantains and served as a dessert while in Columbia they are made with cornmeal and deep fried.  Argentinians bake them.

     There are a wide range of fillings used to stuff an empanada.  Cheese, onions, vegetables, beans & rice are but a few.  Others are more savory with meats like chicken, beef, pork or spicy chorizo inside.  Sweet empanadas can contain strawberries and cream, guava & cheese, or bananas and Nutella.  More creative empanadas have ingredients like hard boiled eggs, olives, salsa, sweet corn, jalapenos, sweet potatoes or roasted pumpkin or any combination of two or more.  And they can be seasoned with spices such as chipotles, cumin, paprika, saffron and cinnamon.

     So declare today a holiday and celebrate with an empanada of your own choosing!



You Are What You Eat

    We have all heard that old maxim that "You are what you eat."  That continues to be true as scientists and nutritionists around the world study the effects of food on health and longevity.  The early studies of Ancel Keys (VinnyPost "Monsieur Cholesterol" April 1st) introduced us to some major factors that contribute to living well and living long.  Recently the TODAY show began a series of segments with a question, "Could a simple, inexpensive and easy-to-make soup help you to live longer?"

     The hearty soup is eaten every day at lunch by the Melises family of Sardinia, claimed to be"the world's longest lived family."  The recipe is a transitional one, based on whatever is currently growing in their garden, but it always contains lots of beans and also fregula, a toasted pebble-size semolina pasta.  But if you cannot find that at your local mega-mart, Israeli couscous is a worthy substitute.  The soup is full of protein from the beans and flavored with lots of vegetables and herbs.  So it's as satisfying as it is healthy with less sodium and more fiber.  And the longer the cooking time the better the flavors can meld together.

Melises Sardinian Minestrone Soup
 

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried peeled fava beans

1/2 cup dried cranberry beans

1/3 cup dried chickpeas

7 Tbsp EVOO

1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2/3 cup)

2 medium celery stalks, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 tsp minced garlic

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups chopped fennel

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

2/3 cup of Sardinian fregula, Israeli couscous, or acini di pepe pasta

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Romano (about 2 oz)

1. Soak the fava beans , cranberry beans and chickpeas in a large bowl of water for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours (overnight). Drain in a colander set in the sink.  Rinse well.

2. Warm 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, potatoes, fennel, parsley, and basil, as well as the drained beans and chickpeas.  Add enough water (6 to 8 cups) so that everything is submerged by 1 inch.

4. Raise the heat to high and bring to a full boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, uncovered, until the beans are tender, adding more water as necessary if the mixture gets too thick, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Stir in the pasta, salt, and pepper.  Add up to 2 cups water if the soup seems too dry.  Continue simmering, uncovered, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

6. Pour 1 Tbsp of olive oil into each of four serving bowls.  Divide the soup among them and top each with 1 Tbsp of the grated cheese.

Tip: You can vary the beans in the minestrone: pinto beans make a good substitute for cranberry beans; great northern or cannellini beans, for the favas.

Home Grown Greens

     Writing for Gardner's Supply Company Aimee Diehl says, "Big on nutrition and flavor, microgreens can be expensive to purchase.  But they can also be brown cost-effectively at home, in a tiny space and with simple supplies.  If you have a sunny windowsill, a shallow container, some potting soil and suitable seeds, you've got all the essentials for growing your own microgreens."

     Also known as " vegetable confetti" edible immature greens can be harvested with success in less than a month after germination, when they are less than 3" tall.  There are any number of plants that work well: salad greens, leafy vegetables, herbs and even edible flowers.  The author recommends starting with something easy to grow, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage mustard, chia (yes, remember those chia pets?), sunflower and buckwheat.

     Here are six simple steps to follow:

1. Read the seed packet to see if there are any special instructions.

2. Cover the bottom of a container (an old aluminum pie pan works well) with an inch or two of moistened pitting soil or mix.  Flatten and level it with your hand or a small piece of cardboard, taking care not to over-compress the soil.

3. Scatter seeds evenly on top of the soil.  Press gently into the soil using your hand or the cardboard.

4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.  Dampen the surface with a mister.  If you prefer, you can skip this step and instead cover the container with a clear lid or plastic wrap until the seeds have sprouted.

5. While waiting for sprouts to appear, usually within 3 to 7 days, use the mister once or twice daily to keep the soil moist but not wet.

6. Once the seeds have sprouted, remove the cover (if you've used one) and continue to mist once or twice a day.

Microgreens need about 4 hours of direct sunlight daily. Harvesting depends on the variety of seeds have been planted but generally you can begin cutting with a pair of scissors in 2-3 weeks, when the first sign of true leaves appear.



Going Green

 

     As I surveyed my property recently I noticed that things are "greening up."  It's that time of the year when growing plants begin to regain their color after a long, cold winter of dormancy.  That beautiful green color is also appearing on our plates, too.

     Greens are grown and sold in upscale markets for use in garnishing salads, soups, on plates and in sandwiches.  First appearing on chefs' menus as far back as the 80s in haute cuisine places like San Francisco, edible young greens and grains are produced from various kinds of vegetables, herbs and similar plants.  Smaller than baby greens and harvested later than sprouts, microgreens are used both as a visual and flavor component to enhance the beauty, taste, and freshness of food, adding a delicate texture and distinctive flavor.  They range in size from 1" to 3" including the stem and leaves.  A microgreen has a single central stem that is cut just above the soil line at harvest, a mere 10-14 days from planting.





     Growing microgreens is relatively easy and can be done by backyard farmers using only a small plastic container.  While the labor invested is low, the benefits are high.  A nutritional study conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland found that microgreens have 5 times the nutritional value than their mature vegetable counterparts.  They contain concentrations of Vitamin C, K, E, and carotenoids containing healthful ascorbic acid, beta-carotine, and tocopherois.  And among 25 different microgreens studied red cabbage, cilantro, garnet amaranth and green daikon radish were found to be the most healthful.



Tomorrow:  Growing your own Microgreens

Layers of Flavor

     After reading yesterday's recipe for Grilled Prawns with Chermoula you no doubt were asking yourself, "What kind of couscous should I use as a nesting place on the plate for the prawns?"  Well ask no more!  Here is a recipe that will provide a layer of flavor:

Couscous with Pine Nuts and Raisins

1 cup couscous

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 Tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley

In a medium bowl, combine couscous with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

In a medium saucepan, add broth, water and 2 Tbsp of olive oil.  Place on the stove over medium high heat and bring to a boil, uncovered.

When the liquid has come to a boil, carefully pour it over the couscous, mixing gently with a silicone spatula to combine. Fold in the raisins and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set aside until the couscous has absorbed the liquid and the grains are tender, about 10 minutes. Add pine nuts and parsley.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and olive oil and serve.

The notes included with the recipe from Sur la table further states:

     Not only delicious in flavor, this recipe is easy to make and versatile.  You can substitute pistachios for the pine nuts or add cranberries instead of raisins.  This recipe is a perfect accompaniment with a range of vegetables, meats, pork, chicken or fish -- or just on its own!

Yield: 4 servings

On the menu in Marrakesh

     Imagine that you are sitting at a table next to an open market in Marrakesh, Morocco looking down the menu for something authentic to eat for lunch.  You spy a familiar word there and consider ordering "Grilled Prawns with Chermoula."  Prawns are a type of large shrimp, you know that.  But what is chermoula?

     Thanks to the cooking class I participated in last weekend I can tell you that chermoula is a traditional sauce for seafood in Moroccan recipes.  It can be fried, cooked with vegetables in a tangine, or baked.  It consists of coriander, garlic, sweet and hot peppers, cumin and coarse salt and it mixed with lemon juice and olive oil.  And if you don't have the time (or the money) to travel to Marrakesh, here is the recipe so you can make it in your own kitchen:

Grilled Prawns with Chermoula

For the Sauce:

1 preserved lemon, flesh removed, skin roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves peeled and minced

1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 fat pinch saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tbsp hot water for 5 minutes

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chile flakes

1 tsp toasted cumin seeds

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Prawns:

1 pound large prawns, shelled and deveined

Olive oil for brushing grill pan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce: Combine all the chermoula ingredients together in a food processor and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

For the prawns: Pat the prawns dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil.  Grill the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes each side, or until cooked through and no longer translucent.  Transfer prawns to a medium bowl  and add chermoula, toss to coat, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve over couscous.

 

 

 



Recipe courtesy of Sur la table.  

Healthy Mediterranean Cooking

Chef Michael Romeo

Monsieur Cholesterol

     Ancel Keys was known for 2 things: creating the K-rations used by troops in battle and the Seven Countries Study that gave rise to the Mediterranean Diet.  In his multicountry epidemiological longitudinal study he studied the relationships between lifestyle and diet to coronary heart disease and stroke.  He wondered why coronary deaths in the United States and northern Europe greatly exceeded those in southern Europe and suspected that serum cholesterol was the main cause.  And that is why the maitre d' of the small Brussels hotel that he would visit always greeted him with the moniker, "Monsieur Cholesterol."

     It was while Dr. Keys was a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota and the director of the Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene there that he investigated the possible link between eating habits of those living along the Mediterranean coast and better health.  And while some have refuted his methodology, the facts are clear.  Places like southern Italy are home to more centenarians than anywhere else on earth.  So while Dr. Keys enjoyed living in the Twin Cities during July and August, his other residence was near Naples, Italy.  He lived to be just two months short of his 101st birthday.

     The Mediterranean Diet is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturates and dietary fiber.  Combined with physical activity (and a daily glass of wine) following the diet can lead to a long and healthy life.    Here is the food pyramid if you would like to give the Mediterranean Diet a try: