food – Page 23 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

B well – with mighty little ‘mini’ greens

Little healthful tidbits that go a long way…proving that good things do come in extremely small packages.We already covered the power of using seeds in our food, but what about the ‘seedlings’ called microgreens (mini-me’s?).

Every few years it seems like a new leafy veggie becomes the darling of the ‘farmers’ market – first swiss chard, then kale, and now….microgreens.

Harvested when they’re just seven to 14 days old, these pint-sized leaves can be far more nutrient dense than their full-grown counterparts, according to a recent study done in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. “Plants use stored nutrients to grow, so plucking the tiny seedlings early means they still have high levels of vitamins and minerals,” says study coauthor Zhenlei Xiao. Keep in mind, though, that these mini-me’s lack the fiber found in mature plants, so they should supplement the greens you already eat, not replace them.

The best part? Thanks to the concentrated flavour of these five diminutive standouts, they elevate meals in taste as well as nutrition.

Try:

Micro Cilantro – 11 times more lutein and zeaxanthin (nutrients that can reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related vision loss) than the same amount of mature cilantro.

Micro Red Cabbage – they outshine full grown cabbage with roughly 260 times the beta-carotene and more than 40 times the Vitamin E.

Micro Purple Mustard Greens – just 4 ounces meet your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C. Perk: among the tastiest greens with a spicy zing.

Micro Green Daikon Radish – Vitamin E superstar, boasting 165% of your RDA per ounce. By contrast, mature leaves contain only trace amounts of the antioxidant.

Micro Garnet Amaranth (I’ve never heard of this one before) – light red with an earthy flavour, this ranks highest in Vitamin K which is essential for blood clotting and may reduce the risk of bone fractures. Best with grains.

leafy greens - big & small — leafy greens – big & small

Trader Joe's offers some great packaging — Trader Joe’s offers some great packaging

Taken from an article written by Leslie Goldman

**Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.

Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health

FUN

simply satisfying – slow cooked curried chicken

Love curry? This is a great simplified version that you can prepare a night in advance or the morning of…in a slow cooker. Leftovers are delicious the next day when the spices have more of a chance to settle in.

If you don’t have a slow cooker than put it in the oven at a low temperature (325 F) for several hours.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless (or bone-in), skinless chicken thighs (about 10)

1/3 Cup tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger

2 Tbsp. masala curry powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups long-grain basmati rice

optional: 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish.

Prepare the chicken: make a dry rub. Mine is a combo of equal parts – everyday seasoning, tumeric, powdered ginger, curry powder, black pepper, himalayan salt & chopped dehydrated onion. Pat chicken on both sides with rub.

In a 4-6 quart slow cooker, whisk together the tomato paste, garlic, curry powder, ginger, cumin and 3/4 cup water or stock (I prefer chicken stock). Add the onion and stir to combine. Place the chicken on top.

Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Oven at 325F for at least 2 hours in.

Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to package directions.

Just before serving, add the yogurt and stir to combine. Serve with the rice and sprinkle with the scallions and/or cilantro.

Serve with mango chutney, lime pickle, tomato chutney, or ALL. Naan break for dipping is excellent and you can buy it almost anywhere now. Cover in tinfoil & warm in oven beforehand.

I hope you enjoy this

FUN

simply satisfying – seared Ahi Tuna with sliced Avocado Salad

Love Sushi? Love Salad? The combination of both makes for a very tasty dish – even for a light main course for four, or a starter for six. Make sure to get fresh sushi grade Ahi Tuna.Ahi Tuna – 1 lb.

Two Haas Avocados

A mix of baby lettuces (I used arugula, swiss chard, kale & spinach)

Campari tomatoes (if you can find sweet brown tomatoes, use them)

Green Onion, chopped

Toasted sesame seeds

Sliced ginger in the jar (like they serve at all Japanese restaurants but you can buy at many supermarkets now)

Sweet sesame seaweed topping – optional

Wasabi Mayonnaise (buy it or better still, make it yourself by mixing equal amounts of wasabi + mayo)

Mix some wasabi (to taste) in a small bowl with a bit of lemon juice, reduced sodium soy sauce, sesame chilli oil & a bit of fresh grated ginger (I also put a bit of sake but this is optional). Pat on both sides of tuna. Set aside.

Slice Avocados. Mix up the salad ingredients & make a dressing (your choice as long as it’s light). Mine was canola oil, tahini (made from sesame seeds), apple cider vinegar, light soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, chilli flakes.

You can choose to grill tuna on a barbeque, do it over a very hot stovetop or use a George Foreman grill (spray oil on both sides so it doesn’t stick). For stovetop, make sure to oil your pan with a bit of sesame oil & then sear the tuna on all sides (turning over once). It should be rare in the middle. Then cut it into ¼ in slices.

Arrange each plate with salad in the middle & surround the plate with a slice of avocado, then tuna & a piece of ginger. Sprinkle top of salad with the crunchy seaweed topping.

Drizzle wasabi mayo over tuna slices & serve.

As a side: try smoky sea salted corn on the cob. You can buy the smoked sea salt (very good on buttered corn or steak) at any specialty store.

FUN

simply satisfying – country baked chicken

This “so simple it’s crazy” chicken dish is pure comfort food, baked to perfection if you like it juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

I used bone-in chicken thighs but you can use breasts, drumsticks or a mix thereof. Cooking with the bone-in tends to give it more flavour & helps retain moisture. If you like Southern fried, it tastes similar but without the breading & excess fat – a healthy alternative.

Place chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Sprinkle chicken generously with garlic salt, dehydrated chopped onion (or onion salt) + white pepper on both sides. Rub it in, then put bay leaves over top. Pour fresh lemon juice & a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil on top & cover with thinly sliced lemons. Bake at 325 F for about 1 ½ – 2 hrs. or until crispy on the outside. Turn oven off & leave for up to ½ longer.

Inspiration for this delicious recipe came from a renowned urban diner in Chicago, namely the “White Palace Grill.” There are Diners and then there are Diners!

Open since 1939, The White Palace Grill might be the finest example of an urban diner in Chicago or anywhere else for that matter. It has managed to stick around while other businesses have come and gone.

In addition to an extensive lunch and dinner menu, the White Palace Grill serves up eggs practically any way you can think of 24 hours a day. The diner attracts city workers, policemen, firemen, business people, college students, politicians, the after hours club crowd and just about anybody. The mix of people is terrific and diverse. It is an urban oasis.

Just as a picture tells a story (if the walls could describe every patron who has walked into the place they could write a book), the White Palace Grill is a key part of Chicago history. If you need a break from “caramelized onions”, “infused” sauces and names of food you can’t pronounce then go over anytime 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Of course it helps to live in Chicago.

Food + Drink

The Difference Between a Cook and a Chef

At le diner en Blanc we were fortunate enough to have Michael, our own private (well semi-private as it was for 16 people) chef. Or was he a cook? Everything was so impressively laid out & tasted so good that I automatically assumed he worked at a top Vancouver restaurant. Well as it turns out he just happens to have a passion for cooking but doesn’t do it for a living. So that in my opinion makes him a cook/chef. So, what’s the difference?

To most people, a cook and a chef are the same thing. The two terms are used interchangeably to indicate someone working away in the kitchen, regardless of whether that individual is cutting vegetables or masterminding the entire menu.

First course - prawn in mango & avocado compote. — **First course** – prawn in mango & avocado compote. At diner en Blanc – Vancouver Science World. August 22, 2013. Approx. 2,500 people.

For those who work in the culinary field, however, there is a big difference. Although there is no single professional organization that determines exactly who is a chef and who is a cook, most agree that the difference lies in education and experience. If you have a culinary degree and/or trained under a notable chef and have moved up the ranks, you are typically considered a chef. If you simply dabble in the kitchen at home or are just starting out at the bottom of the restaurant totem pole, you are almost always considered a cook.

What Makes a Cook a Cook?

Most people agree that a cook is lower-ranking than a chef, and that chefs themselves vary in rank. For example, an executive chef is the top of the line, while sous chefs, chefs de partie, and other professionals might have the right training, but are still working toward their top professional goals.

If you still aren’t sure exactly what it is that makes a chef a chef, consider these qualifications:

2nd course - butternut squash chipotle gazpacho with fresh basil garnish. — **2nd course** – butternut squash chipotle gazpacho with fresh basil garnish.

A two- or four-year culinary degree
Extensive training under a chef with the goal of gaining a culinary education equal to that of a degree (also known as a culinary apprenticeship)
Responsibilities that include a supervisory role
The ability to create and implement menus in a restaurant setting
Management roles in the kitchen

3rd course - poached figs & peaches with fois gras, beets and brioche. — **3rd course** – poached figs & peaches with fois gras, roasted beets and brioche.

A cook, on the other hand, can expect to:

Prepare food on a daily basis
Perform kitchen duties, as needed and directed
Clean and wash the kitchen
Use recipes and follow someone else’s menu plan
Still be at the learning level of his or her career

There are some culinary institutions (including the American Culinary Federation) that offer designations and titles based on testing, work experience, and education. Although many organizations and restaurants recognize these distinctions (and will boost your career accordingly), they aren’t required to be a chef or to be successful in your own culinary career.

4th course - Dungeness Crab meat, Scallop, Ahi Tuna & vegetables. Visually & taste wise - excellent. *Course #5 was dessert - petit fours & jello shooters (some extras included). — **4th course** – Dungeness Crab meat, Scallop, Ahi Tuna & Vegetables. ***Course #5** (not shown) was dessert – petit fours & jello shooters (I grabbed some extra shooters).

In most cases, the cook is below the chef in terms of prestige, pay, and career development. However, there are instances in which this isn’t true. Many home cooks or amateurs have skills and experience that surpass that of their chef counterparts; they simply may not make claim to the title.

Famous Cooks vs. Famous Chefs

In fact, many of the celebrity chefs we have come to know and love as a culture aren’t really chefs at all. Rachel Ray and Nigella Lawson are two of the biggest names in the culinary and Hollywood world, but both women profess that they aren’t trained chefs…and have never pretended to be anything other than cooks. Self-trained, self-motivated, and never having worked in a long-term chef capacity (such as overseeing a restaurant), they are just two examples of cooks who have hit it big.

taken from thegatewaygourmet.com by G. Jones.

FUN

simply satisfying – grilled eggplant salad

Grilled Eggplant (or aubergine as it is called in France) with Tomatoes, Basil & Feta.

This is a delicious side dish or a satisfying vegetarian main course. Serves 4

These strange, beautiful, glossy purple vegetables are truly unique. An eggplant’s taste is particularly hard to pinpoint, other than a satisfyingly sweet bitterness. Its texture is like a chameleon and can range from gooey to spongy to slippery. But it is one vegetable that has so much potential so if you work with it properly you’ll learn to love it.

1 large eggplant, trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1-inch thick pieces.

Course salt

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces), halved

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Pinch of red-pepper flakes

1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn

1. Generously season eggplant slices with salt. Place vertically in a colander, overlapping them. Let stand 30 minutes, rinse and pat dry. (*Eggplants contain a lot of moisture, which can ruin any dish. The trick to not having a bad eggplant dish is to prep eggplants in advance, by sweating and draining its extra water content.)

2. Preheat grill to medium high. Liberally brush cut sides of eggplant with oil. Grill, turning once, until tender, about 4 minutes a side. Or if you prefer you can roast the eggplant.

Mix tomatoes, pine nuts, feta, red pepper flakes and oil. Season with salt. Spoon over eggplant and top with torn basil leaves.

*Every Italian grandma knows that you must remove excess water from an eggplant – they contain a lot of extra moisture. Doing so not only dramatically reduces unwanted wateriness in a dish, but it also enhances the true essence of the taste. By sweating out the additional moisture, you also remove some of that extra bitterness taste. This leaves the eggplant tasting more sweet and pure.

Health Benefits: In addition to featuring a host of vitamins and minerals, eggplants contain important phytonutrients, rich in phenolic antioxidant compounds.

As a side with salmon & thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes with malt vinegar salt. — As a side with salmon & thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes with malt vinegar sea salt.

Do you have a favourite eggplant dish?

FUN

simply satisfying – Spicy Fish with Fruit Salsa

Try a little taste of the Caribbean.

White Fillet topped with Spicy Fruit Salsa

This recipe originally called for 4 Chilean Sea Bass fillets. Since Sea Bass in on the endangered list I now substitute for the very comparable Sablefish.

First: combine the below ingredients in a small bowl to form a spicy paste to coat fish.

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. chilli powder

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

½ Tbsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. tumeric

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. aniseed

½ tsp. mustard seed, toasted in dry sauté pan for one minute.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Season fish with salt and pepper. Coat lightly with flour (not necessary but doing so makes it brown better). Brush a heavy coating of the spicy paste mixture (above) on the skin side of fish and a little on the flesh side if you like more spice. Add about 2 Tbsp. of vegetable or canola oil to a very hot, oven-safe skillet (cast iron is great) and sear the fish-skin side. When the skin is crispy, place fish in oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. Serve with fruit salsa. Serves 4-6.

Spicy Fruit Salsa (worth the extra bit of work)

1 tsp. jalapeño pepper, chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

½ cup fresh pineapple, chopped

½ lemon, juiced

½ lime, juiced

1 Tbsp. honey

½ tsp. chilli powder

1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

¼ cup of olive or vegetable oil

pinch of salt & pepper

Carefully (some wear gloves) remove seeds and membrane of jalapeño and discard. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Either top the fish or serve on the side with a nice jasmine rice.

TIP: you’ll most likely have leftover salsa which is delicious next day for fish tacos or chicken salad.

SPICES: I consider all the spices here to be basics for use in so many other dishes. If you must go out to buy them you won’t be wasting your time or money.

I’d love to hear your feedback after you try it.

FUN

Simple & Satisfying Orange-Ginger Pork Medallions

Orange juice gives pork that unique flavor combo of sweet and sour. Freshly squeezed is best. I’ve made this Caribbean/Asian inspired recipe on several occasions and it never fails to please the palate.

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. peanut oil

¼ cup finely chopped shallots

2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp. (or more) red pepper flakes

½ cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 1-pound pork tenderloins, each cut crosswise into 6 slices

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp. butter

In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp. orange juice and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Add shallots, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are light golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining orange juice, broth and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture; boil 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside.

Place pork slices cut side down on work surface and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand to make medallions. Sprinkle with salt + pepper.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Add pork and cook in batches until browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer pork to a platter.

Add sauce to skillet with drippings; place skillet over medium-high heat. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Stir in juices from pork on platter. Remove skillet from heat and add pork slices to skillet, turning to coat with sauce.

Serves six with brown rice and veggies. Taken from The Oprah Magazine Cookbook.

Orange juice’s gentle acid adds sweet-tart flavor notes to cooking. Try orange juice concentrate mixed with maple syrup & a bit of stock for basting a turkey. It’s excellent.

My food board on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/intrigueimports/

FUN

Quick & Satisfying Salad Dressings

Is there anyone who doesn’t love salads?

Right now we’re in the heart of summer and while I do have countless other recipes to share with y’all my head is telling me to keep it simple. Usually I’ll post a recipe soon after I make it so that it’s kitchen tested, not only by myself but whoever happens to be my guinea pigs at the time.

For now a couple of quick & simple healthy dressings. Which one to try – it’s a toss-up!

On the Side: tender & creamy:

Try one head of torn butter lettuce, 2 Tbsp. chopped chives, sliced cherry tomatoes + toasted pinenuts with 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar & 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise.

OR;

Crisp & Lemony: 1 head romaine, chopped with ¼ dill sprigs, 1 english cucumber, sliced, ¼ cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. S+P to taste.

Have any go-to dressings to share?

Food + Drink

Simply Satisfying – Vegetarian Ceviche

Why shouldn’t vegetarians get to enjoy ceviche too?

That’s exactly what I was thinking after sampling a delicious veggie ceviche on an appy menu at the Trio restaurant in Palm Springs. I almost phoned them for the recipe but then it dawned on me – why don’t I just make it my usual way but substitute using tofu instead of white fish? Here’s how:

Cut a block of extra firm tofu (in the package) into half lengthwise and then into 1 cm. cubes. Place in a pyrex dish and add enough fresh lime juice to cover the entire thing – about 6 regular size limes in total. Cover with plastic wrap & leave sit in fridge for about 4 hours, then discard juice and add the following items to same dish:

*Cut up the following into roughly the same size pieces except for the jalapeño which should be seeded & finely chopped :

1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion

1 small jalapeño

handful of fresh Cilantro

Kalamata black olives

1 not overly ripe Avocado

1 not overly ripe Mango

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, course salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve with sliced lime for extra tartness & tortilla chips.

*I also had a side of tomatillo/avocada salsa. Rave Reviews!

Link to my white fish ceviche post below:

last time I suggested the scallop bowls for serving - this time I used them. — Scallop shells for serving adds a nice touch

https://intrigueimports.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/simple-and-satisfying-3/

View/Follow my Food board on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/intrigueimports/foodsavour-taste-flavor-relish-palate-enjoyment/