Best of the Best

     At William Patterson University Prof. Jennifer Di Noia recently lead a team of researchers in a study to find the "top 41" based on 17 important nutrients naturally occurring in food, things like fiber, protein, potassium and Vitamins A & B12.  They calculated how much "good stuff" was present in a 100 calorie serving.

     So what would you expect to find at the top of the list?  Lettuce?  (only #7), Spinach? (it was #5), the Queen of Greens, Kale? (it was back at #15), how about Broccoli? (nope, #19).  Strawberries were a distant 30, behind iceberg lettuce.  Not even making the list were fruits like raspberries, cranberries and blueberries.

     The Best of the Best is something that probably has not been seen around the kitchen of most homes.  Watercress scored a nutrient density of 100, over 8 points ahead of #2  Chinese Cabbage. 



    Watercress is a rapidly growing, aquatic perennial that is native to Europe and Asia and is one of the oldest leaf vegetables consumed by humans.  It is related to the mustard plant and the radish and shares that same peppery bite.  It is indeed healthy, containing significant amounts of iron, calcium, iodine, and folic acid, as well as Vitamins A & C.  It's also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acid.  It has been termed a stimulant, a diuretic, expectorant and digestive aid and is believed to defend against certain cancers like lung and breast as well as being a positive factor in wound healing.  Back in the 1940s Huntsville, AL was recognized as the Watercress Capital of the World. Currently Oviedo, FL claims that title.

     I don't think I have any recipes that include the Best of the Best in the list of ingredients.  Guess I'd better start looking!

In a Pickle (soup)

     With temperatures falling I'm eager to get into my seasonal soup mode.  And I'm always on the lookout for a new recipe to try.  One that caught my eye recently has as the main ingredient dill pickles.  It sounded strangly intriguing. I already have the cup of sliced dills and the 2 cups of pickle juice as required in the recipe, graciously provided free of charge by the Pickle Lady out at the Green Dragon in Ephrata.

    So this morning I will cook up a big pot of the soup and see what my executive soup taster, Al Novack, thinks of it.  Here is the recipe if you are interested in making some of your own:

DILL PICKLE SOUP

5 1/2 cups chicken broth                           1 cup sour cream

1 3/4 lbs russett potatoes                          1/4 cup water

          peeled and quartered                       2 cups pickle juice*

1 cup chopped carrots                                1 1/2 tsp Old Bay

1 cup chopped dill pickles                          1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter                            1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour                               1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

*all pickle juice is not created equal.  Some is saltier than others.  Taste your soup after adding the pickle juice and final seasonings.  It's possible you will not need any salt or would prefer more or less.

     In a large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots and butter.  Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender.  Add pickles and continue to simmer.

     In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sour cream,and water, making a paste.  Vigorously whisk sour cream mixture (2 Tbsp at a time) into the soup.  (This will also break up some of your potatoes which is OK.  You might see some initial little balls of flour form but between the whisking and boiling all will disappear.  Don't panic.)

     Add pickle juice, Old Bay, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Cook 5 more minutes and remove from heat.  Serve immediately.

Optional Garnish:

sliced dill pickles

fresh dill

black pepper

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe from Noble Pig

Restaurant Roulette

     Our area is very fortunate to have so many quality restaurants to choose from.  The cuisines are varied from classic contemporary American, to Thai, to Mediterranean, to Japanese, to Latin American.  And for one night a fortunate few can sample them all at one venue.

     It was my good fortune to attend the 8th Annual Chefs of the Burbs event sponsored by the Rotary Club of Blue Bell.  It was a charity fund raiser to benefit the Wissahickon Valley Boys and Girls Club, along with other organizations that benefit area youth.  So in the name of culinary research I made my way around the Grand Ballroom of the PineCrest Country Club and sampled the "hearty appetizers and small plates" prepared by local restaurants. And with nearly 2 dozen samples to choose from it was a daunting task.  But I was up for the challenge.



     The Hotel Fiesole in Skippack was serving some amazing butternut squash soup that seemed like a good place to start.  That coupled well with the cheese sampling offered by Trader Joe's in Montgomeryville.  Benihana of Plymouth Meeting tantalized the palate with some sushi and the Joseph Ambler Inn was also in a seafood mood with shrimp tostadas.

     The appetizers eventually gave way to some larger portions and the Iron Hill Brewery complied with a combination pork and beef nacho while L'Angolo Blue served up a tasty roasted veggie pasta.  Harvest Seasonal Grill provided some chili with a curious zip.  But for me the stars of the show were the braised chicken from 19 Bella and the mini lobster roll from the Blue Bell Inn.  And coming in not far behind were the delicious skewers served up by Arpeggio.

 



     And with barely any room for dessert I forced myself over to the table of delights presented tastefully by Iced by Betsy.

     It was a great night for the Rotary sponsored organizations, for the participating restaurants and for the contributors.  It was a win, win, win!

Time for an Oil Change

     Let's consider the oils available for use in the kitchen.  First, there is Olive Oil.  It is favored for use as a finishing oil and in salads.  It can also be used in baking and sauteing.  But it loses its flavor nuances when heated and is not recommended for deep frying due to its low smoke point, 375 degrees.  At that temperature the fat begins to smoke and the oil takes on an off flavor.

     Vegetable Oil refers to any edible oil made from a plant source and is quite often made from soybeans.  It has one of the highest smoke points at 450 degrees and is considered one of the best oils for frying.  It's pale yellow and mildly flavored and low in saturated fat.

     Canola Oil is derived from the canola plant and has the least saturated fat of any common cooking oil.  The word "canola" is derived from a contraction of Canadian and ola (meaning oil) and is a cash crop in western Canada.  Canola oil has a high heat tolerance, neutral taste and a light texture and contains heart-healthy Omega 6 & 3 fatty acids, making it an excellent choice for almost any culinary use.



     So the next time you are considering purchasing an imported oil, you need look no further than our neighbors to the north!

Brain Octane?

     The latest trend in coffee may boost your energy and help you lose weight.  Or maybe you'll just throw up.  Dave Asprey is attempting to change the way you begin your day with something he has termed Bulletproof Coffee.

     "The caffeine in normal coffee," he says, "gives you an initial buzz, but in a while you'll eventually crash."  That leads to food cravings by mid-morning.  But by adding butter to your morning cup of joe you can increase your energy and cognitive function all the way to the lunch hour.  Yes, butter, 2 tablespoons of it melting in your coffee.  But not just any butter, mind you.  It has to be butter produced from grass fed cows which he claims provides the best milk (and beef).  Grass fed butter has just the right kinds of fats that regulate cholesterol and also contains Vitamin K that can reduce heart disease.  

     And it needs to be the right kind of coffee beans, too.  The low toxin "upgraded" coffee beans, not the kind you pick up at the local Acme are the kind he recommends.  And one more ingredient needs to be included to make your morning joe the super drink of champions...MCT oil.  That is a combination of coconut and palm oil.  

     Asprey claims that the combination of high end coffee beans, grass fed butter and MCT oil can provide the body with all the essential fats and calories needed to jump start your day to give you a boost of energy, focus and satiety.

     But registered dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot cautions, "There's no scientific evidence to support the idea that adding butter to coffee provides an extra energy boost or that it may help you lose weight.  However, these claims may have some merit based on what we know about fat and digestion..."We also know that fat slows down digestion," she said.  "Therefore, in theory, butter could slow the absorption of caffeine into the blood stream.  This would result in a prolonged energy boost rather than the peak and crash you might experience if you drank your coffee without the fat."

     But butter is very high in saturated fat, and some health experts caution that it can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.  And while this elixir will make you feel full, it's worth noting that adding the recommended 2 tablespoons of butter to your coffee in the  morning will  tack on about 200 calories each day.



     I think I'll just take my black, thanks...

Food Safety Questions Answered

     "When it comes to food safety, it can be hard to know what rules to live by,"  states Katie Walsh in an October 16th editorial on the hellawella website.  I've reprinted her advice to the statements posed in yesterday's VinnyPost.

1.  After cooking, you should refrigerate foods promptly to avoid bacterial contamination.
FACT.  Food safety experts recommend transferring cooked food to the refrigerator within one hour during the summer months, and within two hours at all other times of year.  Leaving food out longer than two hours can cause bacteria to grow and contaminate your food.

2.  It's OK to thaw frozen foods at room temperature.
MYTH.  You should never thaw frozen foods at room temperature.  Bacteria can generate quickly once the internal temperature of food has risen above 40 degrees, so frozen foods should always be thawed in the refrigerator, in a cold water bath or in the microwave.  Unknown to many people, it's also OK to cook food from a frozen state--just know that your cooking time will increase by about 50%.

3.  When the power goes out, you should discard all refrigerated and frozenfood immediately.
MYTH.  While vigilance is important when it comes to food safety, a power outage doesn't always necessitate restocking your entire fridge.  An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours after a power outage, while a full, unopened freezer can maintain it's temperature for up to 48 hours.  If your freezer is only partly full and unopened, that time drops to about 24 hours.  Better safe than sorry when it comes to food safety, so if you're in doubt, it's better to throw food out.

4.  You don't always need to adhere to "use by" dates on food packaging.
FACT.  Confusion over expiration dates on foods leads to millions of pounds of food waste every year.  When it comes to un-refrigerated foods, "use by" dates represent when the manufacturer believes the food will be at its peak freshness for consumption.  "Sell by" dates are actually aimed at helping retailers turnover products quickly in store and have no implication on food safety.  Although foods may taste slightly different or have discoloration after a "use by" date passes, they're usually safe to eat.

5.  Leftovers can be eaten up to a week after the food is cooked.
MYTH.  Leftover foods should be eaten within three or four days of cooking.  Storing and consuming leftovers for more than four days after they are cooked can lead to food poisoning.  Contrary to popular belief, it's not usually easy to tell when a food has become contaminated with bacteria, so stick to the four-day rule for maximum safety.



Fact or Myth

     

     Recently the website Hellawella issued a food safety guide to address some common misconceptions regarding food preparation and storage.  See if you can correctly determine whether each statement is fact or myth. 

FACT OR MYTH:

1.  After cooking, you should refrigerate foods promptly to avoid bacterial contamination.

2. It's OK to thaw frozen foods at room temperature.

3. When the power goes out, you should discard all refrigerated and frozen food immediately.

4. You don't always need to adhere to "use by" dates on food packaging.

5.  Leftovers can be eaten up to a week after the food is cooked.


Answers provided in tomorrow's VinnyPost.