Pecans are the perfect nut for the holiday season. They're great in salads, main dishes and most appropriately in pie. These crunchy gems are easy to incorporate into any festive feast or just on their own as a snack.They have a rich earthy taste that works well with sweet or savory.
Pecans are a truly all American food, having been eaten by the Indians for centuries.It comes from the hickory tree (and that itself is named after the Indian word for pecan based alcohol powcohicora) and was found along waterways. It is indigenous to North America and it's the only tree that the Native Americans cultivated.The name derives from pacane, meaning a nut that be hit with a rock. Colonists fell in love with the easily shelled nut and it was a great favorite of both Washington and Jefferson. Pecans were one of the first cash crops coming out of New Orleans and it was a Southerner, Abner Landrum of South Carolina who grafted wild buds onto domesticated branches, producing one of the first commerical hybrids as early as 1822.
Pecans have been loved ever since. The most famous dish is , of course, the downright, sinful pecan pie. This is a recent creation brought to life by Karo Syrup in 1940 although it supposedly goes back to the 1600''s in Louisiana. However pecans make a neat addition to salads, bringing crunch and a butteriness to any creation from Caesar to Waldorf. You can also grind them up and use them as a coating for chicken or fish dishes. Pecan also work with vegetables. Try them with string beans instead of almonds or in a broccoli gratin for some crunch. They can also be added to pasta or risotto for texture and added flavor.
Pecans are a wonderful nut to have during the holiday season. Have them in the traditional pie or as part of dinner. They're just a delightful flavor and a great addition to any dish.
Showing posts with label RIce and Risotto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RIce and Risotto. Show all posts
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Rice A Tility
Rice is one of the most versatile foods in the kitchen. it can be used a side , a main a dessert and a s flour. It can come in a variety of different types for simple or gourmet dishes. You can add anything to it from spice to sugar to make it unique and tasty.
Savory rice dishes are great for an evening and even a party meal. There' s nothing as sophisticated yet homey about risotto that perfect Northern Italian concoction made with arborio rice. Arborio is a little different than regular rice . The grains are shorter and fatter than regular rice and are also high in starch. This lends to the creaminess of such dishes as risotto Milanese, an easy and lovely saffron rich dish. Milanese and regular risotto (made with tomato and chicken gizzards) are good dishes during these snowy days.If you prefer a regular rice dish then stick with the spicy yet satisfying gumbo. The gumbo can be made first and then poured over white or brown rice. Another fun and excellent recipe is the party perfect paella. It's a blend of all sorts of meats from seafood to chicken to sausage along with peppers , corn and tomatoes. This is a great and again easy dish to make.
Rice can also be used for desserts too. Try leftover brown or white in rice pudding. Again you can vary this sweet, by adding raisins, chocolate chips or nuts to produce something that's either decadent, healthy or mix of both. Some risoterrias or rice restaurants (New York City has one or two of these) sell rice flour products such as cookies.Rice flour is great for kids who have gluten and wheat allergies. You can also buy rice flour at certain groceries.
Rice is certainly one of the most versatile kitchen staples. You can make it anyway savory or sweet and never be disappointed. Always have some on hand for some great dishes!
Savory rice dishes are great for an evening and even a party meal. There' s nothing as sophisticated yet homey about risotto that perfect Northern Italian concoction made with arborio rice. Arborio is a little different than regular rice . The grains are shorter and fatter than regular rice and are also high in starch. This lends to the creaminess of such dishes as risotto Milanese, an easy and lovely saffron rich dish. Milanese and regular risotto (made with tomato and chicken gizzards) are good dishes during these snowy days.If you prefer a regular rice dish then stick with the spicy yet satisfying gumbo. The gumbo can be made first and then poured over white or brown rice. Another fun and excellent recipe is the party perfect paella. It's a blend of all sorts of meats from seafood to chicken to sausage along with peppers , corn and tomatoes. This is a great and again easy dish to make.
Rice can also be used for desserts too. Try leftover brown or white in rice pudding. Again you can vary this sweet, by adding raisins, chocolate chips or nuts to produce something that's either decadent, healthy or mix of both. Some risoterrias or rice restaurants (New York City has one or two of these) sell rice flour products such as cookies.Rice flour is great for kids who have gluten and wheat allergies. You can also buy rice flour at certain groceries.
Rice is certainly one of the most versatile kitchen staples. You can make it anyway savory or sweet and never be disappointed. Always have some on hand for some great dishes!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
On Everything I Want To Cook
Now that I'm the chief chef in my family, I have to fund tempting meals and dishes that will coax about appetites (here;s the fill in- my Mom broke her hip and I am in charge of everything, from laundry to cat duties). With this comes the fun task of creating healthy and happy meals guarantee to please.
What would I like to cook? Easy answer. Anything that has to do with risotto, along with steamed fresh vegetables.I also love making French bistro foods as a bi monthly indulgence (let';s face it croque monseiur fried in butter served with a ton of pomme frites is way too much) I also want to make heart healthy salads that combine new ingredients like blueberries and fresh foraged greens
Right now I am busy with my other job (yes there's more to life than just Foodie Pantry) Hopefully another article will come your way soon.,
What would I like to cook? Easy answer. Anything that has to do with risotto, along with steamed fresh vegetables.I also love making French bistro foods as a bi monthly indulgence (let';s face it croque monseiur fried in butter served with a ton of pomme frites is way too much) I also want to make heart healthy salads that combine new ingredients like blueberries and fresh foraged greens
Right now I am busy with my other job (yes there's more to life than just Foodie Pantry) Hopefully another article will come your way soon.,
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Little Rice Book
My cousin and her husband recently gave me a neat little cookbook. It's all about rice and different recipes for it. The books contains every kind of recipe from savory to sweet. All different kinds of rices are also used, from basmati to arborio from long grain to short. For a rice fanatic like myself this book is a dream come true,
The books is simply called Rice and Risotto and was compiled by Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen. The author herself has written numerous cookbooks from Jewish to French cuisine along with interesting books on Southern cooking and a slew of recipe books just on desserts. Her paean to rice is amazing. There are my favourites in here, the widely popular Risotto Milanese to the little known peas and arborio dish risi bisi. In between Wolf-Cohen also adds in easy risottos as well as pilafs and gumbos along with rice stuffing. There are Vietnamese dishes that call for rice flour wrappers and Mexican dishes that require rice mixed with broken pasta. Every corner of the globe is covered here with special emphasis on risotto dishes. There are so many of them here ranging from seafood to vegetarian wild mushroom to easy to classic.
Another aspect of the book that's appealed to me. is the variety of the dessert dishes. There are variations on the classic rice pudding, from a sinful dark chocolate one to a a creme brulee type with a glazed top. There's also a flan influenced Spanish style rice pudding that looks heavenly. Other sweet rice treats include rice pancakes, New Orleans fried rice cakes (a take on the famed beignet ) and shortbread made with a combo of rice and wheat flour.
Rice & Risotto is the book to get if you're a rice enthusiasts. There are so many different recipes you'll never get bored with them. They're tasty for any part of lunch or dinner.
The books is simply called Rice and Risotto and was compiled by Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen. The author herself has written numerous cookbooks from Jewish to French cuisine along with interesting books on Southern cooking and a slew of recipe books just on desserts. Her paean to rice is amazing. There are my favourites in here, the widely popular Risotto Milanese to the little known peas and arborio dish risi bisi. In between Wolf-Cohen also adds in easy risottos as well as pilafs and gumbos along with rice stuffing. There are Vietnamese dishes that call for rice flour wrappers and Mexican dishes that require rice mixed with broken pasta. Every corner of the globe is covered here with special emphasis on risotto dishes. There are so many of them here ranging from seafood to vegetarian wild mushroom to easy to classic.
Another aspect of the book that's appealed to me. is the variety of the dessert dishes. There are variations on the classic rice pudding, from a sinful dark chocolate one to a a creme brulee type with a glazed top. There's also a flan influenced Spanish style rice pudding that looks heavenly. Other sweet rice treats include rice pancakes, New Orleans fried rice cakes (a take on the famed beignet ) and shortbread made with a combo of rice and wheat flour.
Rice & Risotto is the book to get if you're a rice enthusiasts. There are so many different recipes you'll never get bored with them. They're tasty for any part of lunch or dinner.
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