High Times For 2015 Hot Pot Cuisine

Some Americans will be adding more greens to their diet in the new year., No it's not about adding kale and Brussels sprouts  as suggested yesterday but marijuana. Yup, there's gonna be some pretty high times at the dinner or dessert table.As it's becoming legal and acceptable , it's also becoming an interesting ingredient at some restaurants and chef's tables,

The New York Times reported on this the other day. According to Food section reporter and chef, Kim Severson, two states, Washington State and Colorado have already legalized  recreational pot and now high end restaurants are following suit. These are not those hash brownies your college roomie made.This is haute high cuisine. Ganga Gourmet in Denver whips up a garlic bread that is not only tasty but will leave you wanting more.There's also a marijuana infused tomato sauce and a cannabis infused wing sauce. Prices aren't cheap. A pizza can cost $86 dollars, while a serving of cooked veggies is 12 dollars, which is about the price of a non pot side in some Manhattan eateries Diners must have medical marijuana cards in some cases.  Even though it's finely ground into a flour , it still can give eaters a mellow buzz and it can also boost appetites as we all well know.

Does marijuana have any nutritional value? Some dietitians do see it as a vegetable..Hemp is 100 per cent protein, and it is high (seriously no pun intended here) in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, similar to what's found in salmon.It is more valuable nutritionwise if it's heated where it releases what its known as cannabinoids. These act as cleaners and removed damaged cells from the body, while the raw state can improve the efficiency of body cells.Ground up raw buds can be added to salads, soups ,stews and even oatmeal. Cannabis butter can be made too  by adding 1/4 ounce buds to 1/2 stick salted butter (and it must be salted since that has a higher smoke point).Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the ground buds, a little at a time, to the melted butter.Stir occasionally and simmer for forty five minutes. Shut off when you see bubbles forming and then strain into a glass container. Press a spoon against the buds to release all the cannabutter.It will either be a chocolate brown color  (not unlike fudge) or green (like pesto) in color.Use at your discretion.

As marijuana becomes more and more legalized , there will be an expansion of high cuisine. Marijuana may be the next super food, thanks to its' composition. It just has to be widely accepted  to be truly considered a culinary treasure.

New Year New Diets

With 2015 only days away it's time to throw out our old diets and start with the new. This is the perfect time to modify as well as clean up our dietary acts. Like do nothing boyfriends and dead end jobs it's time to get rid of those foods that literally weigh us down. Use the start of this year as the reason to begin a fresh good for me way of eating.

Most of us are already sick of the usual holiday fare. We've been out hammed and out cookied too much already. It's time to get to know kale , really know it, and how to cook it.it is one of the most versatile greens going from refreshing salads to fun snacks. One of the best dishes to incorporate into your new diet style is a superfood salad.This is a yummy combination of shredded kale, blueberries , chopped red onions and walnuts. I found this thanks to Stop & Shop selling it and it's a great side dish or even snack. Serve this with lemon grilled chicken for a full dinner.The dark leafy green can also be transformed into a chip. Although most of us are sick of the ubiquitous kale chip, it still is delicious drizzled with olive oil and sea salt and crisped. Kale can also be done in the same way as broccoli rabe , sauted with garlic, olive oil and pepper flakes.Another new must is an old classic, the Brussels Sprout. This mini cabbage is packed with antioxidants and is great steamed or sautéed.

One of the hardest breakups is that with red meat. We all love hamburgers and T bones but it's time to look into a healthier relationship. Try to eat more salmon. It's a nice alternative and can be cooked a variety of ways.It's also a mild tasting fish so it's easily introduced to kids. Let them taste it teriyaki style and be hooked for life.They would also go wild for it with a lime butter sauce too.Also give it a whirl  in burger form. There are many recipes for this , but choose the healthiest and serve on whole grain buns. Any kind of fowl , from the exotic emu to the everyday chicken , is another step in the right direction. Emu meat is kind of hard to find however there are several online stores that do sell it.For more down to earth birds  buy chicken. It's tempting to get the entire roasted bird, especially after work but your best bet is always the chicken breasts. Also go grilled with a lemon or lime bath. if you get tired of chicken the go for turkey. Many supermarkets sell already cooked breasts and these, with steamed veggies make for a very healthy dinner. For fun go with turkey burgers on whole grain bread for a weekend meal.

The old year ,2014 , is coming to a close.Get rid of those bad for you relationships with foods. Head towards better ones, ones that will treat you and your body right.

Just A Simple Bowl Of Soup

The week between Christmas and New Year's is always full of rich  treats and party foods. This can be fun for the palate but havoc on the stomach. It's best to take a break from all this and go for a simple bowl of soup - or even better broth.Have a day or two of just eating simple foods - nothing fancy . Think a hot bowl or mug with crackers- nothing else.

One of the  most detoxifying meals is a simple, clear broth. Nothing beats either a homemade or a bouillon cubed one. If you have leftover turkey you can easily make a broth out of it. The carcass does need to be cut up and cooked with celery , carrots and onion, typical stock ingredients. Home chefs can also do this with leftover chicken too. Serve as a light supper with Saltines or oyster crackers. You can make a light soup too, using whatever meat is still on the bone, more carrots, onions and celery.  Add rice or noodles for more substance. More oomph can be added with a cup of barley or orzo.Another good plain soup is pasta fagioli, . This is a bean soup, originating in Naples, Italy .It is chicken broth with the addition of tomatoes and sauce. Spinach is added for nutrients and flavor along with celery and onions. The recipe calls for red pepper flakes but if you want a tamer soup, then nix them. White cannellini beans are also added for protein and more flavor.This is a great recipe to make for New Year's Day, after a night of rich feasting.

A simple soup can be hearty as well.Chowders are always a welcome change .Most are vegetable or seafood, usually thickened up with cream or for a more basic fare, milk. One of the most famous is Manhattan clam which is a light meal in itself. It starts off with a tomato based broth  along with the addition of clams and their broth. You can get fresh clams right now but canned ones will also do.Add in potatoes and carrots along with garlic and more tomatoes. Spicing is everything with the Manhattan version so make sure you have plenty of thyme, clove and celery seed. You can also make the original New England version which is truer to the original chowder recipe of the  late 1700's and early 1800s. This requires bacon, milk or cream (preferably milk) along with bottled clam juice and chopped razor clams. You can add Worcester sauce  for some zing. A milder version is corn chowder which subs in kernels for clams. This is filling without being heavy and it's a perfect supper for these between holiday meals.

Treat your palate and stomach to a light supper of soup. A bowl is a nice change from the usual wild and heavy holiday fare. Have some for a  tasty yet soothing respite .

Boxing Day Treats

Today is Boxing Day in the United Kingdom and it's a way to continue on with the Christmas festivities. How better to celebrate with one of England's best recipes, the sausage roll.It's a fun snack, perfect for when friends pile over with gifts and appetites. It's also a great way to repurpose leftover holiday meats too.

David Tanis wrote about them in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.His A City Kitchen is dedicated to  sausage rolls, as British, as well, the queen.(and I'm sure that Elizabeth likes them as much as this one writing this  does). They are easy to make, using only puff pastry and sausage meat. Pastry can be homemade or bought  and even pie dough can be used. The dough is first rolled out into an oblong shape and then filled with the sausage mix. The dough is then wrapped around it and it's cut into six  pieces(it pays to make four or five logs because the rolls will go fst) Brush each sausage roll with an egg wash (just a beaten egg ) to give it a shiny finish.Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets for twenty to twenty five minutes. You can serve them hot or preferably partially cooled. Doing this allows the meat's juices to sink into the crust. Serve with a good ale or even champagne,

The filling can be varied. Mr. Tanis suggests a traditional pork one, taken from the pork shoulder. It is spiced with the usual spices of coriander,nutmeg, mace and sage along with thyme, If this is too savory, you can cut down on the stronger spices and just use sage. If you want to make a variation, a Cornish pasty, use chuck that has been chopped finely. Nix the spices, using only salt and pepper for seasoning. another idea is using turkey or chicken sausage, The taste won't be so intense but it is still good. You can also fill the dough with chicken or leftover turkey too, along with potatoes and peas.Again nix the spices .The poultry taste can stand on its own.Of course you can also make vegan rolls, using crumbled soy bits that mimic chopped beef. Another is filling the dough with onions and potatoes along with rutabagas or turnips for a variation on the Cornish vegetable pasty.

Nothing beats a good , fresh made sausage roll on Boxing Day, the day that downstairs staff had off. Their food may have been simple but the roll is fit for a king or queen.This golden treat is rich in taste , a perfect way of crowning the Christmas holiday.,

Merry Christmas

To all my readers have a very good Christmas . Enjoy the treats of the season and share them with the less fortunate.It is the season to share, with every creature in your world. Give the leftovers to the animals  outside. They deserve to have food as well.



Enjoy!!!!

Liz

Christmas Eve And Sore Feet

This will be a short entry. Being the main cook here in Pantry land I am everything from chief sauce maker to chief dish washer.  I managed to recreate my Nonna's gnocchi and homemade sauce with a side of fennel - artichoke salad and a caponata spread. As any home chef will tell you , cooking is grueling work, especially if you have no help. Yet you persevere. It's kind of like running a marathon, from first chopping the onion and garlic for the sauce to serving the finished dish on the holiday table.

I am looking forward to later - a chilled glass of sparkling peach wine, sipped with my feet up and encased in my footie pajamas (and yes I still wear jammy onesies). Tomorrow is Christmas and a day to make Eggs Florentine for a Christmas brunch and a Spanish tapas for a light holiday supper.

Happy feasting  and cooking..Treat the cook well. Its a lot of work creating holiday meals.

Holiday Luxe Eating

This is the time of year when you can treat yourself to some culinary luxuries. It could be caviar on a Ritz or a buttery Christmas cookie. Or a big bubbly flute of good champagne. Or even a sundae with all the works. Give your palate a holiday vacation to rich flavors and foods.

Again caviar is always a lush treat. Most grocery stores sell it, even Costco  has tins of it.There are four different types. There is the lightly salted or the Malossol method that is only 3.5% salt., followed by the semi preserved kind  which contains 8 %  salt. ,Pressed caviar is made from damaged or broken eggs, highly salted and jamlike in consistency . The cheapest and most affordable is the pasteurized kind which is heat treated and vacuum packed. Serve on butter rounds of French bread or Ritz crackers wash it down with a good champagne like Asti Spumente or Bollinger Special Cuvee from France's Marne valley. Another affordable luxe brand is Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve. These are in the price range of about $50.00. Finish this meal with well made macarons.Many bakeries now sell them however you can make them yourself, using ground almonds flour and egg whites to create lovely little luxe puffs. Another luxurious baked treat is the French brioche. This is a egg and butter rich yeast roll that is just pure heaven to have. Again these can be made at home or bought at your local French patisserie.

Of course luxe dining could mean a good steak too. Nothing beats a well cooked filet mignon , seasoned with butter, salt and pepper. The same goes for a juicy T bone steak. my idea of luxe is steak PIedmontese style. This involved cooking filet migon in a bagna calda , a mouth watering  anchovy bath rich with the fish, oil and garlic.Another lush meat idea is pheasant.This is actually a low calorie bird with a flavor that's between chicken and turkey. Some butchers will sell it , but mostly you can get it from on line pheasant farms.If you want to try vegan luxury , then go for truffles. These are smoky in flavor and can be bought at online gourmet food stores.  The average price is around $80.00. some . Big cities like New York and Los Angeles do have stores that will sell this fungi fresh and even truffle oil for cooking. If you can't afford any of these, then treat yourself to some good chocolate. Belgian chocolate is the most coveted however the American Godiva brand is delicious and affordable as well.Buy their ultra rich  box of chocolate truffles or even a foil wrapped Santa as a midnight snack.

Give your palate a rich holiday treat. It could be sweet or savory , as long as it's lush and flavorful. Enjoy it . Savor every nibble , sip and bite.