Mention the word turnip and most people will wrinkle their noses in disgust. Yet this root veggie is actually tasty as well as being versatile. It can be made into a number of dishes , from roasted to mashed. It can be used in stews or accompanying roasts. Turnips can be a great addition to any fall feast.
This common root veggie is mostly harvested right now in the autumn. It’s been around for centuries although the name and origin are unknown. There is actually wild version known as a “hot turnip“ and it‘s also a cousin of mustard and radish. The Scandinavians cross bred it with a cabbage in the 19th Century to create the plant rutabaga. It was also the most popular vegetable there until the potato was introduced sometime in the 1700. The turnip was also the precursor of the pumpkin in Halloween celebrations in Ireland and Scotland where it was carved out jack o’lantern style and then had a lit candle placed inside it. Turnips and their greens are one of the healthiest veggies to eat. The root is high in Vitamin C while the tops or greens are high in both Vitamins A and K.
Turnips can be made a variety of ways. Most people simply like them mashed like potatoes and served with butter. You can also make then in a gratin with cream, butter and parmesan Romano cheese. For a tasty side try them Paula Deen’s waywith brown sugar and butter and then mashed. This would be a great accompaniment tot any pork roast or even ham. You can also try a Finnish casserole, or even a turnip salad to go with holiday turkeys or goose.. Many soups call for chopped or diced turnips , especially vegetable and beef based ones.
The turnip isn’t as bad as some make it out to be. It is a tasty root vegetable, good for you and good tasting too. Have some in a tasty side . You’ll be surprised a t just how wonderful they really are!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
That Extra Dash? Cider
This is definitely the month for cider. Usually most people have it just a chilled drink during this time of year. However it can be a vital ingredient to any fall cooking or baking. Its' taste livens up any dish , giving it a pop of unexpected flavor. A dash of cider is just a great idea for whatever you have in mind.
Surprisingly any meat goes well with cider. It can be used with turkey. duck and chicken, as a sauce or a marinade to flavor the meat. Mostly it's used in pork and ham dishes. which makes sense. For centuries Germans have been serving apple dishes as sides with these meats. To add cider to them is a no brainer. There is a great crock pot recipe that calls for slow cooking ham with cider for four hours and then roasting it in a cider bath. You can also braise pork loin in it for a both delightfully sweet and savory main meal. Wild meats such as venison can also be cooked with apple cider. too, mostly in pot roasts. If you're adventurous you can try cider as a marinade for this as well.
Apple cider is widely used in baking. Many farms across the country feature apple cider doughnuts amongst their baked products. These add a sweet fruity note and are almost impossible to resist. For a different spin make cider doughnut holes too for fun party snacking. The drink is also used in muffin recipes along with cake ones. Apple cider pound cake is a New England favorite , perfect for a Sunday afternoon tea. There is also the decadent caramel apple cake made not only with cider but also with a good helping of apples and caramel. You can also use apple cider in making spicy sorbets, a good dessert for warm Indian summer evenings.
Apple cider is perfect on its' own as a refreshing, chilled drink. However it's even better used as an ingredient in any kind of dish from dinner to dessert. Try it for it's versatility and to liven up your fall menu!
Surprisingly any meat goes well with cider. It can be used with turkey. duck and chicken, as a sauce or a marinade to flavor the meat. Mostly it's used in pork and ham dishes. which makes sense. For centuries Germans have been serving apple dishes as sides with these meats. To add cider to them is a no brainer. There is a great crock pot recipe that calls for slow cooking ham with cider for four hours and then roasting it in a cider bath. You can also braise pork loin in it for a both delightfully sweet and savory main meal. Wild meats such as venison can also be cooked with apple cider. too, mostly in pot roasts. If you're adventurous you can try cider as a marinade for this as well.
Apple cider is widely used in baking. Many farms across the country feature apple cider doughnuts amongst their baked products. These add a sweet fruity note and are almost impossible to resist. For a different spin make cider doughnut holes too for fun party snacking. The drink is also used in muffin recipes along with cake ones. Apple cider pound cake is a New England favorite , perfect for a Sunday afternoon tea. There is also the decadent caramel apple cake made not only with cider but also with a good helping of apples and caramel. You can also use apple cider in making spicy sorbets, a good dessert for warm Indian summer evenings.
Apple cider is perfect on its' own as a refreshing, chilled drink. However it's even better used as an ingredient in any kind of dish from dinner to dessert. Try it for it's versatility and to liven up your fall menu!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Moroccan Cuisine Updated
Morocco was always the mainstay of traditional and expected North African cuisine. There were always the traditional tagines and kabobs. In short typical tourist fare. However two new cookbooks ares rediscovering some old recipes and doing justice to new. Consider it an update on a centuries old table.
The New York Times Dining regular, Julia Moskin wrote about this in her column yesterday. The first cookbook is by Alice Wolfert who had spent sometime in the exotic country back in the seventies. Her book, The Food of Morocco by Ecco Publishers is a reworking of the original that put her on the map. The second is by Mourad Lahlou, born in the famed Casablanca. His book is Mourad: New Moroccan by Artisan . Both explore the region's dishes however each has their own spin on them. Mr. Lahlou is the more modern of the two, taking the cuisine to new heights with different spins.
He believes that variety can spice up this traditional cuisine. Moroccan dishes were first influenced by the Berber tribe and later by the Spanish and the French, Persian and Turkish. Lahlou wants to shake up the traditional tagines , get rid of the couscous recipes and introduce more family based ones. Ms. Wolfert goes more for the traditional route, taught to her by Morocco cooks back in the Seventies. She feels that the dishes have to be elaborately made, using no modern shortcuts. After all she ground spices and learned how to preserve lemons in salt along with even grinding wheat. She feels that losing these labor intensive but valuable techniques will take away from true Moroccan cuisine.
The two chefs are right in their own way. Ms . Wolfert believes in preserving the country's culinary past while Mr. Lahlou wants to modernize the ancient dishes. No matter what book is bought there will be a wealth of delicious and exotic dishes.
The New York Times Dining regular, Julia Moskin wrote about this in her column yesterday. The first cookbook is by Alice Wolfert who had spent sometime in the exotic country back in the seventies. Her book, The Food of Morocco by Ecco Publishers is a reworking of the original that put her on the map. The second is by Mourad Lahlou, born in the famed Casablanca. His book is Mourad: New Moroccan by Artisan . Both explore the region's dishes however each has their own spin on them. Mr. Lahlou is the more modern of the two, taking the cuisine to new heights with different spins.
He believes that variety can spice up this traditional cuisine. Moroccan dishes were first influenced by the Berber tribe and later by the Spanish and the French, Persian and Turkish. Lahlou wants to shake up the traditional tagines , get rid of the couscous recipes and introduce more family based ones. Ms. Wolfert goes more for the traditional route, taught to her by Morocco cooks back in the Seventies. She feels that the dishes have to be elaborately made, using no modern shortcuts. After all she ground spices and learned how to preserve lemons in salt along with even grinding wheat. She feels that losing these labor intensive but valuable techniques will take away from true Moroccan cuisine.
The two chefs are right in their own way. Ms . Wolfert believes in preserving the country's culinary past while Mr. Lahlou wants to modernize the ancient dishes. No matter what book is bought there will be a wealth of delicious and exotic dishes.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Age Of Cheese
Age is everything when it comes to cheese. Time is what gives cheese its' flavor. It can also make or break a good wheel, turning into a dream or a nightmare.The ripening process is just as important to cheese as any other. However it is this process that's causing a price war among cheese makers.
This was the topic of Jeff Gordinier's article in today's New York Times Dining section. The process , also called affinage is the art of maturing or ripening cheese. This is done in a variety of ways, from being brushed to help the rind breathe properly to being flipped to evenly distribute the minerals. Sometimes affinage calls for the process of bathing in wine or brandy.Without it comes trouble. Cheddar can produce a sulphuric rotten egg smell if it's not aged accordingly. If there's too much humidity, then the rind can be overly thick.
There is another problem with affinage. Over pricing. It seems the longer a cheese ages the more expensive it will be on the market. some feel that a fancier approach to affinage is nothing more than a gimmick. Cheese can be ripened in a simple walk in freezer as opposed to the on site 'caves' that some cheesemakers have built. This last could just be simple cave like caverns in the basement of a fromagerie. Some such as Wisconsin cheese makers Mary and David Falk, have created their own warren in the Dairy State's hills. According to them this vastly improves the flavor. Water from artesian wells has trickled over it alogn with fresh country air wafting in. Others such as brothers Mateo and Andy Kehler have created "rent a cave" areas in Vermont, for local dairies to process homemade cheeses. Of course this means higher pricing for these cheeses. The question is are we paying for the taste or th e money that went into creating the perfect affinage environment.
All in all, a good cheese is one that has been fully ripened and without any blemish. How it's matured really doesn't matter. What matters is that cheese makers don't drive up the price with any unnecessary over the top aging techniques. Thats what will drive cheese lovers away and to the cheaper , less polished brands.
This was the topic of Jeff Gordinier's article in today's New York Times Dining section. The process , also called affinage is the art of maturing or ripening cheese. This is done in a variety of ways, from being brushed to help the rind breathe properly to being flipped to evenly distribute the minerals. Sometimes affinage calls for the process of bathing in wine or brandy.Without it comes trouble. Cheddar can produce a sulphuric rotten egg smell if it's not aged accordingly. If there's too much humidity, then the rind can be overly thick.
There is another problem with affinage. Over pricing. It seems the longer a cheese ages the more expensive it will be on the market. some feel that a fancier approach to affinage is nothing more than a gimmick. Cheese can be ripened in a simple walk in freezer as opposed to the on site 'caves' that some cheesemakers have built. This last could just be simple cave like caverns in the basement of a fromagerie. Some such as Wisconsin cheese makers Mary and David Falk, have created their own warren in the Dairy State's hills. According to them this vastly improves the flavor. Water from artesian wells has trickled over it alogn with fresh country air wafting in. Others such as brothers Mateo and Andy Kehler have created "rent a cave" areas in Vermont, for local dairies to process homemade cheeses. Of course this means higher pricing for these cheeses. The question is are we paying for the taste or th e money that went into creating the perfect affinage environment.
All in all, a good cheese is one that has been fully ripened and without any blemish. How it's matured really doesn't matter. What matters is that cheese makers don't drive up the price with any unnecessary over the top aging techniques. Thats what will drive cheese lovers away and to the cheaper , less polished brands.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Teen Rebellion Healthy Food
There's always for something for teenagers to rebel against. It's in their nature. The latest battle is over the healthy food that's now being offered high school cafeterias across America. Kids refuse to eat the good for them stuff and instead go for the bad. For now Doritos and Coke are winning out.
Is it wise to ditch the healthy stuff? After all teens can basically eat anything and get away with it, right?. Yes and no. Some teens suffer from obesity and also the complications that go with it. Little ones as young as ten are now being diagnosed with high blood pressure and weight problems.It does start with eating habits. Luckily the younger they are the more acceptable to better choices. Teens not so much so. After all they still smoke and drink, despite those warnings. Eating healthy is just another concept to be laughed at.
Cafeterias are making great commitments to creating healthier menus. Most are losing all those red meat faves and in their stead serving more turkey and soy products,. Also gone are the fries and baked mac. School administrators are advocating steamed veggies and smoothies in place of these. Yet kids refuse to bite. They head straight to vending machines where all sorts of dietary horrors await them. Some reason why pay money for fruit when they can get it at home for free. The same goes for veggie snacks and dips. Teens would rather have an unhealthy lunch of Cheese Doodles and sodas followed by Twix bars and ice cream cones. They can get these at home for free as well. Why they don't give these up is a mystery.
High schoolers will always find something to rebel against. It's in their natures. Let's hope they buck this bad food trend and start eating healthy during their college years.
Is it wise to ditch the healthy stuff? After all teens can basically eat anything and get away with it, right?. Yes and no. Some teens suffer from obesity and also the complications that go with it. Little ones as young as ten are now being diagnosed with high blood pressure and weight problems.It does start with eating habits. Luckily the younger they are the more acceptable to better choices. Teens not so much so. After all they still smoke and drink, despite those warnings. Eating healthy is just another concept to be laughed at.
Cafeterias are making great commitments to creating healthier menus. Most are losing all those red meat faves and in their stead serving more turkey and soy products,. Also gone are the fries and baked mac. School administrators are advocating steamed veggies and smoothies in place of these. Yet kids refuse to bite. They head straight to vending machines where all sorts of dietary horrors await them. Some reason why pay money for fruit when they can get it at home for free. The same goes for veggie snacks and dips. Teens would rather have an unhealthy lunch of Cheese Doodles and sodas followed by Twix bars and ice cream cones. They can get these at home for free as well. Why they don't give these up is a mystery.
High schoolers will always find something to rebel against. It's in their natures. Let's hope they buck this bad food trend and start eating healthy during their college years.
Monday, October 3, 2011
A Fall Fave Pot Roast
Cold weather calls for hot and hearty meals. Pot roast fills that bill nicely, giving the cook an easy meal to make with the end result a rib sticking dish. Served with filling sides it can be the perfect meal on a chilly fall night.There's nothing like a tender slice of pot roast with braised veggies and dumplings to keep anyone warm and happy.
Pot roast is basically just braised beef.The meat is taken from the chuck or shoulder section of the cow and slow cooked. You can also buy the section with a bone in it. This is called seven bone pot roast or roast. Since both are very chewy and sinewy, they can't be oven roasted. This would render them hard to cut and chew. Braising breaks down the fibers using the Maillard reaction or caramelizing. First brown the meat using margarine on all four sides and then braise in water for two hours. Use bay leaf and marjoram as flavoring.
Pot roast goes well with its' own gravy. After the meat has cooked , reserve the juices and add a homemade roux to it for a lovely thick one. Dumplings are a must and these you can make light fluffy ones using Bisquick. A variation is having a side of buttered egg noodles.Many home cooks also simmer veggies in with the meat. Traditionally they are carrots and potatoes but you can also add tomatoes and button mushrooms as well as turnips or parsnips. The leftover meat and veggies can easily be can frozen and then microwaved later for another hearty meal. You can even throw in the dumplings and noodles too.
These chilly nights call for a nice, warm pot roast. Make one for an enjoyable family dinner. It's the perfect autumn dish, full of flavor and goodness.
Pot roast is basically just braised beef.The meat is taken from the chuck or shoulder section of the cow and slow cooked. You can also buy the section with a bone in it. This is called seven bone pot roast or roast. Since both are very chewy and sinewy, they can't be oven roasted. This would render them hard to cut and chew. Braising breaks down the fibers using the Maillard reaction or caramelizing. First brown the meat using margarine on all four sides and then braise in water for two hours. Use bay leaf and marjoram as flavoring.
Pot roast goes well with its' own gravy. After the meat has cooked , reserve the juices and add a homemade roux to it for a lovely thick one. Dumplings are a must and these you can make light fluffy ones using Bisquick. A variation is having a side of buttered egg noodles.Many home cooks also simmer veggies in with the meat. Traditionally they are carrots and potatoes but you can also add tomatoes and button mushrooms as well as turnips or parsnips. The leftover meat and veggies can easily be can frozen and then microwaved later for another hearty meal. You can even throw in the dumplings and noodles too.
These chilly nights call for a nice, warm pot roast. Make one for an enjoyable family dinner. It's the perfect autumn dish, full of flavor and goodness.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
A Healthier Party Time
The school year has been in full swing for a month now and that means one thing: parties. Every little kids wants a party to outdo their class mates. The question is can you give your little darling something that' s not only tasty and fun but also healthy too? The answer is yes!
Kids can be fussy eaters, especially when you try to push something nutritious on them. If it's green its obscene is usually their rule.. However you can actually make your birthday honoree and guests like veggies. Cut up broccoli and cauliflowers into dippable pieces and also have pitted black olives along with grape tomatoes and carrot sticks. You can serve them with a fun ranch dressing or even an onion dip made from onion soup and plain Greek yogurt. Another idea is whipping up healthy sliders. Try quartering veggie or turkey burgers and serving them on whole wheat slider rolls. Slice up sweet potatoes julienne style and bake in your oven with some olive oil and sea salt for a great and crunchy side.
All birthday parties call for cake or cupcakes of some sort. What you can do to make the treats healthier is bake your own cakes using unbleached flour . Use the King Arthur brand which also has gluten free flour as well. You can create a variety of healthier sweets with them, including cookies, brownies and even candies.. As for icing, you'll still have to make one using confectioner's sugar . However the frosting becomes healthier with subbing in Greek yogurt for cream or butter.You can decorate not with sprinkles and chocolate chips but with raisins along with dried cranberries and blue berries.Another fun idea for the tween set are fruit kabobs, where you can alternate pineapple chunks with strawberries and bananas slices.
Your little one's birthday party can be both fun and nutritious. Ditch the salty, greasy stuff and bring in fresh veggies. End with a healthy cake with even healthier icing.It's a great way of celebrating not just another year but a year of eating right!
Kids can be fussy eaters, especially when you try to push something nutritious on them. If it's green its obscene is usually their rule.. However you can actually make your birthday honoree and guests like veggies. Cut up broccoli and cauliflowers into dippable pieces and also have pitted black olives along with grape tomatoes and carrot sticks. You can serve them with a fun ranch dressing or even an onion dip made from onion soup and plain Greek yogurt. Another idea is whipping up healthy sliders. Try quartering veggie or turkey burgers and serving them on whole wheat slider rolls. Slice up sweet potatoes julienne style and bake in your oven with some olive oil and sea salt for a great and crunchy side.
All birthday parties call for cake or cupcakes of some sort. What you can do to make the treats healthier is bake your own cakes using unbleached flour . Use the King Arthur brand which also has gluten free flour as well. You can create a variety of healthier sweets with them, including cookies, brownies and even candies.. As for icing, you'll still have to make one using confectioner's sugar . However the frosting becomes healthier with subbing in Greek yogurt for cream or butter.You can decorate not with sprinkles and chocolate chips but with raisins along with dried cranberries and blue berries.Another fun idea for the tween set are fruit kabobs, where you can alternate pineapple chunks with strawberries and bananas slices.
Your little one's birthday party can be both fun and nutritious. Ditch the salty, greasy stuff and bring in fresh veggies. End with a healthy cake with even healthier icing.It's a great way of celebrating not just another year but a year of eating right!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
