Month: January 2012

Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Roasted Chouxfleur

/ Ren

A seasonal, Franco-Italian dish of fresh cauliflower, EVOO, homegrown garlic and thyme and the zest & juice from a Meyer lemon. Topped with sea salt, cracked pepper and local sprouts. Slightly crisp on the outside, with a luxurious, creamy interior.  Look for the recipe in the comment section at the bottom of this post..

From Wikipedia..

Cauliflower has a long history. François Pierre La Varenne employed it in Le cuisinier françois after it had been introduced to France from Genoa in the 16th century. Cauliflower is featured in Olivier de Serres’ Théâtre de l’agriculture (1600), as cauli-fiori “as the Italians call it, which are still rather rare in France; they hold an honorable place in the garden because of their delicacy”, but they did not commonly appear on grand tables until the time of Louis XIV.

Cauliflower is low in fat, low in carbs but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density.

Cauliflower contains several phytochemicals, common in the cabbage family, that may be beneficial to human health.

Sulforaphane, a compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed, may protect against cancer.
Other glucosinolates
Carotenoids
Indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that enhances DNA repair and acts as an estrogen antagonist, slowing the growth of cancer cells.

Boiling reduces the levels of these compounds, with losses of 20–30% after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 75% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods, such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying, had no significant effect on the compounds.

A high intake of cauliflower has been associated with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

100g of cauliflower contains the following nutritional information according to the USDA:

Calories : 25
Fat: 0.28
Carbohydrates: 4.97
Fibers: 2
Protein: 1.92

Vegan Rajmah with Green Tea-Germinated Brown Rice

/ Ren

Dark red kidney beans in a curry of fresh ginger, onions, garlic, tomatoes and chilies with toasted cumin and coriander, turmeric and cilantro, served over a bed of green tea-germinated brown rice..

Germinated brown rice is approximately 10-20 times higher in protein and amino acids (including GABA) than white rice.  Soaking the rice in freshly-brewed green tea adds a pleasing flavor and increases the medicinal value.  It also helps to prevent the rice from spoiling during its 18-24 hour germination period.

For more information about germinated brown rice, please see this excellent article at Kitchen Stewardship

Just Label It!

/ Ren

More than HALF the foods at U.S. grocery stores are likely to contain genetically engineered ingredients, but you wouldn’t know it because the industry-run FDA doesn’t require labels for foods with genetically engineered (GE) ingredients  (also called genetically modified organisms  or GMOs).

In America, we pride ourselves on having choices and making informed decisions. Under current FDA regulations, we don’t have that choice when it comes to GE ingredients in the foods we purchase and feed our families. Labeling is essential for us to choose whether or not we want to consume or feed our families genetically engineered foods.

Focusing on transparency, trust, and truth, Gary Hirshberg (Stonyfield Farm President and Just Label It partner) pointed to the $30 million public relations campaign underway by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance to fight the negative impression of big agribusiness, including the companies that produce GE seeds.  He emphasized that there should be a $30 million effort for transparency to build more truth and trust for consumers.  He noted Americans are looking for it everywhere, which is evidenced by the growth in organic food, farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture, and the amount of coverage in major publications, like the New York Times, about our food system.

Related articles

Glazed Chicken Shichimi, Black Rice Noodles

/ Ren

Locally pastured chicken breasts are skinned and boned, then dusted in rice flour and quickly shallow-fried in peanut oil until golden in color.  The chicken is then placed in a hot oven for  about 15 minutes, basted twice with a mixture of wild honey, fermented tamari, Shichimi tōgarashi and a pinch of sea salt.  The finished chicken is served over organic black rice noodles and topped with chopped peanuts.  The whole dish is gluten-free..

“Dating at least to the 17th century, Shichimi tōgarashi (Japanese: 七味唐辛子, “seven flavor chili pepper”) is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients:

coarsely ground red chili pepper (the main ingredient)
ground sansho (Sichuan pepper)
roasted orange peel
black sesame seed
white sesame seed
hemp seed
ground ginger
nori or aonori

Some recipes may substitute or supplement these with poppy seed, yuzu peel, rape seed or shiso.

Shichimi should be distinguished from ichimi togarashi (一味唐辛子), which is simply ground red chili pepper, and means literally “one flavor chili pepper” (ichi meaning “one”).”  –Wikipedia

Edible Aria on Mobypicture

/ Ren

While I try to eat at least one homemade meal every day, I don’t always have the time or inclination to blog about it.  Still, I’m interested in keeping up with my food journal one way or another, so I’ll often post a picture (sometimes with the recipe) to a photo sharing site.  If you’re interested in seeing these, just follow me on Twitter for announcements, or jump straight to the pictures on Mobypicture.  Here’s a sample from the other day..

(click through to see the stream)

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Wild-Caught Salmon Chowder with Smoked Bacon and Black Sea Salt

/ Ren

Loaded with protein, omega 3’s and life-giving amino acids, this hearty and delicious soup has just a few carefully selected ingredients. Perfect fare on a cold winter’s eve..

Peel and cut 1 medium Yukon gold potato into 1/2-inch dice.  Place in a pot and barely cover with light chicken (or fish, vegetable) stock and bring to a low boil.  Cook until the stock has thickened with potato starch and the potatoes are very nearly done.  Turn off the heat and keep warm.

Cut a couple of thick slices of hardwood smoked bacon into 1-inch lengths and cook over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp.  Transfer the bacon to a side dish to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add about 1 cup each of diced yellow onions, diced carrots and bias-cut celery to the pan with the bacon fat and cook without browning until al dente.

Meanwhile, remove the skin from 6 or 8 ounces of wild Alaskan salmon filets, tear into large chunks and set aside.

Add the potatoes and their cooking water to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the salmon and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the pan, stir and simmer until the base has thickened and the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon juice and stir to combine.  Simmer for one last minute, then season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper.

Ladle soup into warm bowls, top with pieces of bacon and finish with a few flakes of black sea salt.

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  • Chef Freddie Bitsoie Recommends a Cross-Cultural Celebration of Native Regional Winter Recipes (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)