As I mentioned yesterday, my kitchen is overflowing with tomatoes and zucchini, given to me by neighbors whose gardens are over-producing. While I am very grateful, it requires a bit of creativity to use it all. Today, I'll be talking about what to do with all the tomatoes
My very favorite tomato dish happens to be the simplest: tomato and mozzarella salad. It's not really a salad, though. It's just tomato slices stacked with mozzarella slices and drizzled with vinaigrette. Make sure to use the best quality mozzarella you can find, because it really makes a difference here. I also like, plain sliced tomatoes with salt, garlic salt or vinaigrette.
Since I am allergic to milk now, I can no longer have the combination of tomato and mozzarella. Besides, it's not conducive to using a lot of tomatoes at once. Salsa is a good option, but I don't really like it, so I skipped over that option. I decided on pasta sauce and tomato soup.
Before you can make either of these dishes, you need to peel the tomato. It's not as difficult as it sounds. Have ready a bowl of very cold or iced water. Bring a pot of water to a boil. While you're waiting for the water to boil, make a small, shallow slit at the bottom of each tomato. Drop them in the boiling water for 1 - 2 minutes, depending on how big the tomato is. Remove them with a slotted spoon and immediately put them in the cold water. After they've cooled, the skin will just slip right off.
Place the tomatoes in a food processor. You can remove the white part where the stem attaches to the tomato if you wish. Process until you've reached the desired consistency. I like my sauce chunky, but my soup very smooth. If you have made the tomatoes smooth, strain them through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. If it's chunky, the seeds won't matter as much. If you're really worried about the seeds, you can remove them before placing the tomatoes in the food processor.
Here's where the differences between sauce and soup come in. Soup is simpler, so I'll start there. Pour the pureed tomatoes into a saucepan. Add basil, cream, and salt. Heat it to the desired temperature and serve. You can also pour it into freezer containers and freeze for later. It's that simple.
For pasta sauce, heat olive oil in the bottom of a skillet or Dutch oven. Add crushed or chopped garlic, and saute for a minute or two. Add your tomatoes and then add the desired seasoning. For a basic, but delicious, sauce, just use basil and a little salt and barely cook it. For a more traditional sauce, add Italian seasoning, salt, a little sugar and possibly beef bouillon and cook longer. You can also get a pizza kind of flavor by using oregano. Go gently with each addition and taste it before adding the next until you find what you like. Some seasonings, like oregano, strengthen in flavor with cooking, so it may be best to wait 5 minutes after adding a spice before taste-testing it.
Pasta sauce can also be put in freezer containers and frozen for later use. If you know how to can you can find recipes for canned tomato sauce. You can alter the spices in these, but do not alter the amounts of anything else, because you may encourage the growth of bacteria and spoilage. Pasta sauce was the first recipe in which I really experimented with seasonings and learned what spices I like. It's a perfect opportunity for you to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Zucchini and the basics of frying
Well, it's that time of year again. My kitchen is overflowing with zucchini and tomatoes from my neighbors' gardens. Despite the fact that everyone has trouble getting rid of them, people continue to grow them both year after year. I'll talk about tomatoes tomorrow, but today I want to ask what do you do with your zucchini? There's the ever popular zucchini bread, but I prefer simpler, less time-consuming methods of preparation. Most of the time, I just shred it, marinate it in olive oil and garlic salt, and eat if raw. But if I want a real treat, I go for fried zucchini.
All basic, pan-fried foods are made by coating them with a breading and frying them in a small amount of oil in a skillet. This is the basic idea for frying zucchini.
The breading on pan fried foods usually requires 2-3 layers before putting it in the fat. The first layer is optional. It is simply coating the item in seasoned flour. Doing this has two effects. The first is that it dries out the item, so the egg layer sticks better. The second is that it makes the breading thicker and more flavorful.
After dipping the item in flour, you need to dip it in an egg-based liquid. Usually, it's egg mixed with a little water or milk. The egg layer acts as a glue to hold the breading onto the food. It will solidify when cooked, making it so that the grease does not soak into the food as much.
After dipping the food in the egg layer it's time to add the outer coating. Seasoned bread crumbs are great for this, but you can use flour, cracker crumbs, or cornmeal. When adding seasoning to the flour or crumbs, taste it before putting in on your food. Make sure it's a little more salty than you like so it has enough flavor for the egg and the food being fried.
It is often a good idea to let the food sit for a few minutes, up to an hour in the refrigerator, before frying. This helps the breading to dry out a little, which makes it hold together better in the pan. Then add oil to the skillet, enough to coat the bottom, and heat over medium high heat. The temperature will vary depending on the density and thickness of what you're frying. Zucchini slices are not very thick, and you don't want them to cook too much on the inside, so keep the heat as high as possible without making the oil smoke.
Cook the zucchini until golden brown and crispy on one side and flip over and cook the other side. Fried zucchini is best served hot and fresh. Here's a picture of the zucchini I had for breakfast yesterday.
I am allergic to egg, so I struggled for a long time trying to make a breading without egg. I finally discovered that if you make commercial egg replacer with a little less water than the directions call for, it makes a good substitute. So for these zucchini, I dipped it first in the egg replacer, then dipped in flour, seasoned with garlic salt and rosemary. The egg replacer was kind of foamy, so I had to kind of press the flour on it, but it worked just fine.
These breading directions can be applied to anything. This is the basics of frying everything from eggplant to chicken. The only difference is how much oil you use (for chicken pieces, you want about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) and the temperature of cooking. For very thick, dense things, like chicken or pork chops, brown the outside on medium to medium high heat, then cover and cook on low until done. Adjust the seasoning in the breading to fit your taste. Enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
All basic, pan-fried foods are made by coating them with a breading and frying them in a small amount of oil in a skillet. This is the basic idea for frying zucchini.
The breading on pan fried foods usually requires 2-3 layers before putting it in the fat. The first layer is optional. It is simply coating the item in seasoned flour. Doing this has two effects. The first is that it dries out the item, so the egg layer sticks better. The second is that it makes the breading thicker and more flavorful.
After dipping the item in flour, you need to dip it in an egg-based liquid. Usually, it's egg mixed with a little water or milk. The egg layer acts as a glue to hold the breading onto the food. It will solidify when cooked, making it so that the grease does not soak into the food as much.
After dipping the food in the egg layer it's time to add the outer coating. Seasoned bread crumbs are great for this, but you can use flour, cracker crumbs, or cornmeal. When adding seasoning to the flour or crumbs, taste it before putting in on your food. Make sure it's a little more salty than you like so it has enough flavor for the egg and the food being fried.
It is often a good idea to let the food sit for a few minutes, up to an hour in the refrigerator, before frying. This helps the breading to dry out a little, which makes it hold together better in the pan. Then add oil to the skillet, enough to coat the bottom, and heat over medium high heat. The temperature will vary depending on the density and thickness of what you're frying. Zucchini slices are not very thick, and you don't want them to cook too much on the inside, so keep the heat as high as possible without making the oil smoke.
Cook the zucchini until golden brown and crispy on one side and flip over and cook the other side. Fried zucchini is best served hot and fresh. Here's a picture of the zucchini I had for breakfast yesterday.
I am allergic to egg, so I struggled for a long time trying to make a breading without egg. I finally discovered that if you make commercial egg replacer with a little less water than the directions call for, it makes a good substitute. So for these zucchini, I dipped it first in the egg replacer, then dipped in flour, seasoned with garlic salt and rosemary. The egg replacer was kind of foamy, so I had to kind of press the flour on it, but it worked just fine.
These breading directions can be applied to anything. This is the basics of frying everything from eggplant to chicken. The only difference is how much oil you use (for chicken pieces, you want about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) and the temperature of cooking. For very thick, dense things, like chicken or pork chops, brown the outside on medium to medium high heat, then cover and cook on low until done. Adjust the seasoning in the breading to fit your taste. Enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I'll be back
Please pardon my lack of posts this week. I'm working on writing a book, which I would like to have mostly finished this week. It is taking all my time. I will be back next week with more creative cooking.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Tostones: a 2 ingredient recipe
I tried a new recipe this afternoon from allrecipes.com, and for once I did not change it one bit. Normally, I only post things that I have created or altered, but this recipe is such a perfect example of a simple food. I love simple foods, because they are easy to prepare, and usually inexpensive, since they have few ingredients.
Tostones are basically fried plantains, and they are a staple (i.e. common or basic) food in Central and South America where plantains are common. They are served frequently with meals, much like Americans frequently serve mashed potatoes.
Plantains look a lot like bananas, but there are significant differences in taste. Plantains are usually not sweet until they are almost completely black. The tostones that I made today were from yellow plantains. They tasted like a cross between a green banana and a potato, and were not sweet at all. Here's the recipe.
Ingredients
1 plantain
oil for frying
Slice the plantain into chunks about 1 inch thick. Pour oil into a small skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium high heat until hot. Place the plantain chunks into the oil and reduce heat to medium heat. Cook turning once or twice until light golden in color and softened somewhat. Remove from the oil. Using the bottom of a mug, flatten the plantain chunks to make patty shapes. You can also place the plantain pieces between sheets of wax paper and use your hand to flatten them. Return the patties to the oil and cook until dark golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt if desired, and serve.
It may not sound like much, but I had this for lunch, and I was full after eating just this one plantain. If I were to have this with a meal, I would only be able to eat 3-4 slices.
This was my first experience with plantains, and I will definitely explore them more in the future. Trying new foods prepared in new, yet simple, ways is how I continue to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Tostones are basically fried plantains, and they are a staple (i.e. common or basic) food in Central and South America where plantains are common. They are served frequently with meals, much like Americans frequently serve mashed potatoes.
Plantains look a lot like bananas, but there are significant differences in taste. Plantains are usually not sweet until they are almost completely black. The tostones that I made today were from yellow plantains. They tasted like a cross between a green banana and a potato, and were not sweet at all. Here's the recipe.
Ingredients
1 plantain
oil for frying
Slice the plantain into chunks about 1 inch thick. Pour oil into a small skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium high heat until hot. Place the plantain chunks into the oil and reduce heat to medium heat. Cook turning once or twice until light golden in color and softened somewhat. Remove from the oil. Using the bottom of a mug, flatten the plantain chunks to make patty shapes. You can also place the plantain pieces between sheets of wax paper and use your hand to flatten them. Return the patties to the oil and cook until dark golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt if desired, and serve.
It may not sound like much, but I had this for lunch, and I was full after eating just this one plantain. If I were to have this with a meal, I would only be able to eat 3-4 slices.
This was my first experience with plantains, and I will definitely explore them more in the future. Trying new foods prepared in new, yet simple, ways is how I continue to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
The many uses of white sauce
What is white sauce? It's a mixture of some form of fat, flour, and milk. In it's most basic form it's often served as country gravy over biscuits or chicken fried steak. For most people, if they use it at all, that's where it ends. But, white sauce is an amazingly versatile recipe.
Before we go any further in its uses, let me give you the recipe.
2 T. white flour (whole wheat flour will work sometimes, but you need more of it)
2 T. fat (bacon drippings, fat from hamburgers, oil, butter)
1 cup milk (any kind: cow, rice, soy, almond, etc)
Heat the fat in a skillet or saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. This step is essential, because it removes the raw flavor of the flour. Slowly add the milk while stirring constantly. Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. You can season it to taste with salt and pepper. True southern gravy has quite a bit of pepper in it and is usually made from sausage or bacon drippings or ham fat.
The beauty of this mixture is that it has the consistency (though not the flavor) of cream. It can be used anywhere you want a non-sweet, creamy texture. One of the most common places I've seen it is in casseroles. It takes the place of the canned creamy soups that many people put in their casseroles. I've used it in place of mayonnaise in my spinach, artichoke dip.
Altering White Sauce
This sauce can be altered quite a bit. The flour can not be left out or changed, because its particular combination of flavor, gluten, and starch is essential to the way this works. Most basic gravies can be done with cornstarch, but the process is different. When using flour to thicken things, you need to add it to the fat, cook it, then add the liquid. When using cornstarch, you start with a liquid, then add a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and water.
Even though the flour cannot really be altered, the other ingredients are infinitely variable. The fat can be any fat. If you're making it as a gravy for meat, use the fat that you cooked the meat in. If you want no flavor from the fat, use oil. One of my favorite onion recipes is to saute onions in oil, then add the flour and milk to that. I serve it in an individual bowl and sprinkle it with cracker crumbs. Voila. Creamed onions. Sausage gravy is basically the same thing. Crumble and cook 1/2 pound of sausage. Add 4 T. of flour and cook that in. Then add 2 cups of milk and cook until thick. This is absolutely delicious over biscuits.
The real miracles take place when you start playing with the liquid. The best turkey gravy is made from the liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the pan while the turkey was cooking (called drippings). Add a little water to the pan, and scrape up the browned bits that are stuck to the pan. Pour these drippings into a measuring cup and skim off the fat into a smaller measuring cup. Taste the liquid. If it's too strong add water or milk. I usually end up with 3-4 cups of liquid from one turkey. Pour the fat into a pan. You want between 1 and 2 Tbsp. for each cup of liquid you have. Heat the fat then add 2 Tbsp of flour for each cup of liquid. Continue with the directions for white sauce, using the drippings instead of milk.
White sauces are used in so many recipes: souffles, alfredo sauce, gravies, sauces, casseroles. But the most amazing use I've ever seen is in chicken croquettes. Here's the recipe.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter (or any solid fat)
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk (any kind)
2 1/2 cups finely chopped chicken (you can use canned)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (optional)
salt or onion salt
Seasoned Breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
Use the butter, flour and milk to make a white sauce. It will be very thick because it has 3 times as much flour. Add the chicken and onion. Add salt or onion salt to taste (probably about 1/2 tsp.). Refrigerate this mixture until it is almost solid, at least 2 hours. Heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a skillet. Form the chicken mixture into patty shapes and coat with breadcrumbs. Place in skillet and fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve warm. These do not keep very well.
White sauce is a perfect example of the amazing properties of flour. When you begin to understand the basics of cooking and how ingredients work together you will begin to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Before we go any further in its uses, let me give you the recipe.
2 T. white flour (whole wheat flour will work sometimes, but you need more of it)
2 T. fat (bacon drippings, fat from hamburgers, oil, butter)
1 cup milk (any kind: cow, rice, soy, almond, etc)
Heat the fat in a skillet or saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. This step is essential, because it removes the raw flavor of the flour. Slowly add the milk while stirring constantly. Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. You can season it to taste with salt and pepper. True southern gravy has quite a bit of pepper in it and is usually made from sausage or bacon drippings or ham fat.
The beauty of this mixture is that it has the consistency (though not the flavor) of cream. It can be used anywhere you want a non-sweet, creamy texture. One of the most common places I've seen it is in casseroles. It takes the place of the canned creamy soups that many people put in their casseroles. I've used it in place of mayonnaise in my spinach, artichoke dip.
Altering White Sauce
This sauce can be altered quite a bit. The flour can not be left out or changed, because its particular combination of flavor, gluten, and starch is essential to the way this works. Most basic gravies can be done with cornstarch, but the process is different. When using flour to thicken things, you need to add it to the fat, cook it, then add the liquid. When using cornstarch, you start with a liquid, then add a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and water.
Even though the flour cannot really be altered, the other ingredients are infinitely variable. The fat can be any fat. If you're making it as a gravy for meat, use the fat that you cooked the meat in. If you want no flavor from the fat, use oil. One of my favorite onion recipes is to saute onions in oil, then add the flour and milk to that. I serve it in an individual bowl and sprinkle it with cracker crumbs. Voila. Creamed onions. Sausage gravy is basically the same thing. Crumble and cook 1/2 pound of sausage. Add 4 T. of flour and cook that in. Then add 2 cups of milk and cook until thick. This is absolutely delicious over biscuits.
The real miracles take place when you start playing with the liquid. The best turkey gravy is made from the liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the pan while the turkey was cooking (called drippings). Add a little water to the pan, and scrape up the browned bits that are stuck to the pan. Pour these drippings into a measuring cup and skim off the fat into a smaller measuring cup. Taste the liquid. If it's too strong add water or milk. I usually end up with 3-4 cups of liquid from one turkey. Pour the fat into a pan. You want between 1 and 2 Tbsp. for each cup of liquid you have. Heat the fat then add 2 Tbsp of flour for each cup of liquid. Continue with the directions for white sauce, using the drippings instead of milk.
White sauces are used in so many recipes: souffles, alfredo sauce, gravies, sauces, casseroles. But the most amazing use I've ever seen is in chicken croquettes. Here's the recipe.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter (or any solid fat)
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk (any kind)
2 1/2 cups finely chopped chicken (you can use canned)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (optional)
salt or onion salt
Seasoned Breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
Use the butter, flour and milk to make a white sauce. It will be very thick because it has 3 times as much flour. Add the chicken and onion. Add salt or onion salt to taste (probably about 1/2 tsp.). Refrigerate this mixture until it is almost solid, at least 2 hours. Heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a skillet. Form the chicken mixture into patty shapes and coat with breadcrumbs. Place in skillet and fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve warm. These do not keep very well.
White sauce is a perfect example of the amazing properties of flour. When you begin to understand the basics of cooking and how ingredients work together you will begin to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Pasta: The Ultimate in Versatility
Pasta has to be one of the easiest ingredients to base a new recipe on. It's quite filling, but has a neutral flavor, which makes it great with almost anything. There's a basic formula that I use for creating a new pasta dish. This formula makes it really easy to use up leftovers or just to clear out some stuff from your cupboard or refrigerator.
The are 5 categories of foods that go into this formula: pasta, sauce, vegetables, meat, and cheese. I'll discuss each of these individually.
Pasta
Choose a pasta that fits well with the other ingredients you want to use. For the most part, it really doesn't matter, but traditionally you should use a bigger pasta when you have a chunky sauce and lots of big pieces of vegetables or meat. Smaller pastas go well with simple sauces and smaller or non-existent vegetables and meat. I'm not a big fan of restrictions like that, so I do not always follow it. Also, you can use rice instead of pasta in almost any pasta dish.
Sauce
There's much more to this category than plain old spaghetti sauce, although there are an amazing number of options there. You could make a sauce out of chopped tomatoes, garlic and basil, sauteed in olive oil. There are also other possibilities with alfredo, white sauce (which I will blog about further later), salsa, barbecue sauce, and anything else you can think of. A sauce doesn't have to be complex in flavor, either. It could be as simple as butter or olive oil.
Vegetables
This is where you have a chance to add more complexity to the dish, as well as a bit more nutrition. The vegetable can be as unobtrusive as spinach blended into the sauce or it can be a major component, like big pieces of broccoli placed over the top. There isn't a vegetable in existence that can't be worked tastefully into a pasta dish, but make sure it works well with the sauce. I tend to choose the vegetable and meat first, then I work the rest of the dish around those.
Meat
The meat can be anything as well. This is really a great way to use up leftover turkey, ham, chicken. You could even use sliced steak or ground beef. I've also found that if the sauce is strong enough, I can even get away with canned meats.
Cheese
When people think of cheese for pasta, they generally think of parmesan and, maybe, mozzarella. These really are the best, if you're using a tomato-based sauce, but you really don't have to be limited to these. For example, macaroni with barbecue sauce and hamburger would go great with American cheese, for an excellent cheeseburger macaroni.
Pulling it all together
The most important thing to remember about this formula is that any element can be left out. That includes the pasta. Choose the ingredients you want to use, then it's time to decide how to serve it. You could just mix it all together in a pot and serve it like Hamburger Helper. You can also layer it or mix it in a baking dish and bake it. My favorite way to serve things like this is to make it a little more like a restaurant. I place the pasta in the middle of the plate, pour sauce over it and top it with veggies and/or meat. This doesn't work for everything so just think about what would work best with the ingredients you're using.
Here's my family's favorite pasta. It was created to find a way of making pasta without the expense of buying or making pasta sauce. My family loves simplicity which explains why they love this stuff. They call it Mommy's Special Pasta. My oldest son actually requested this for his birthday dinner more than once.
Ingredients
1 lb. angel hair pasta or vermicelli
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (I've never measured it, but this should be close)
basil
garlic salt
Parmesan cheese
Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain it and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Toss until the pasta is coated with oil and doesn't stick. Sprinkle with basil and garlic salt. Toss this until the basil is evenly distributed. If you add the parmesan while the pasta is still really hot, it will melt. This is the way I used to make it. Now I serve the parmesan at the table so I can leave it out for myself.
If you decide to try to make this lower in fat, you can use chicken broth instead of olive oil. But you need to serve it right away. The chicken broth will absorb into the pasta, and leftovers will be sticky and mushy.
Pasta is a most amazing food. It's the ultimate in versatility. If you had 5 ingredients that you used for each of the elements in this formula, you could come up with 125 different dishes. Even if half of them weren't that great, you'd have over 60 different fabulous meals. It's a great way to enjoy the creative process and enjoy your.
The are 5 categories of foods that go into this formula: pasta, sauce, vegetables, meat, and cheese. I'll discuss each of these individually.
Pasta
Choose a pasta that fits well with the other ingredients you want to use. For the most part, it really doesn't matter, but traditionally you should use a bigger pasta when you have a chunky sauce and lots of big pieces of vegetables or meat. Smaller pastas go well with simple sauces and smaller or non-existent vegetables and meat. I'm not a big fan of restrictions like that, so I do not always follow it. Also, you can use rice instead of pasta in almost any pasta dish.
Sauce
There's much more to this category than plain old spaghetti sauce, although there are an amazing number of options there. You could make a sauce out of chopped tomatoes, garlic and basil, sauteed in olive oil. There are also other possibilities with alfredo, white sauce (which I will blog about further later), salsa, barbecue sauce, and anything else you can think of. A sauce doesn't have to be complex in flavor, either. It could be as simple as butter or olive oil.
Vegetables
This is where you have a chance to add more complexity to the dish, as well as a bit more nutrition. The vegetable can be as unobtrusive as spinach blended into the sauce or it can be a major component, like big pieces of broccoli placed over the top. There isn't a vegetable in existence that can't be worked tastefully into a pasta dish, but make sure it works well with the sauce. I tend to choose the vegetable and meat first, then I work the rest of the dish around those.
Meat
The meat can be anything as well. This is really a great way to use up leftover turkey, ham, chicken. You could even use sliced steak or ground beef. I've also found that if the sauce is strong enough, I can even get away with canned meats.
Cheese
When people think of cheese for pasta, they generally think of parmesan and, maybe, mozzarella. These really are the best, if you're using a tomato-based sauce, but you really don't have to be limited to these. For example, macaroni with barbecue sauce and hamburger would go great with American cheese, for an excellent cheeseburger macaroni.
Pulling it all together
The most important thing to remember about this formula is that any element can be left out. That includes the pasta. Choose the ingredients you want to use, then it's time to decide how to serve it. You could just mix it all together in a pot and serve it like Hamburger Helper. You can also layer it or mix it in a baking dish and bake it. My favorite way to serve things like this is to make it a little more like a restaurant. I place the pasta in the middle of the plate, pour sauce over it and top it with veggies and/or meat. This doesn't work for everything so just think about what would work best with the ingredients you're using.
Here's my family's favorite pasta. It was created to find a way of making pasta without the expense of buying or making pasta sauce. My family loves simplicity which explains why they love this stuff. They call it Mommy's Special Pasta. My oldest son actually requested this for his birthday dinner more than once.
Ingredients
1 lb. angel hair pasta or vermicelli
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (I've never measured it, but this should be close)
basil
garlic salt
Parmesan cheese
Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain it and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Toss until the pasta is coated with oil and doesn't stick. Sprinkle with basil and garlic salt. Toss this until the basil is evenly distributed. If you add the parmesan while the pasta is still really hot, it will melt. This is the way I used to make it. Now I serve the parmesan at the table so I can leave it out for myself.
If you decide to try to make this lower in fat, you can use chicken broth instead of olive oil. But you need to serve it right away. The chicken broth will absorb into the pasta, and leftovers will be sticky and mushy.
Pasta is a most amazing food. It's the ultimate in versatility. If you had 5 ingredients that you used for each of the elements in this formula, you could come up with 125 different dishes. Even if half of them weren't that great, you'd have over 60 different fabulous meals. It's a great way to enjoy the creative process and enjoy your.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Simple is Best: Poached Sole
The following is one of my favorite fish recipes of all time.
Buttery Sole
2-3 Fillets of sole (a mild white fish), thawed
1 1/2 Tbsp butter (gotta be real butter)
Garlic salt to taste
Melt the butter in a skillet that is large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Place the fish in the melted butter and sprinkle garlic salt on top. Cover the skillet with a lid. Keep the temperature of the burner on medium to medium-low to prevent the butter from browning. When the fish begins to turn white, spoon some of the melted butter on top of the fish. This will spread the flavor and help the top to cook. Cover and cook until all the fish is solid white and the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. Remove to a plate and spoon the butter over the fish and serve. Add more garlic salt if desired.
That recipe was one of my favorite creations for a long, long time. It was a sad, sad day when I realized that being allergic to milk meant I could never have it again. Butter has some milk in it, and margarine simply does not work well in this recipe. I just didn't cook it for a while, and went back to broiling my sole or not eating it at all.
One evening, I was looking for something to eat. It was late at night, and I didn't want something heavy or complicated, but I did want protein. I thought that fish might be nice, but all my fish was frozen. I have used frozen fish in the oven, but I didn't want to heat up the kitchen. I decided to see what would happen if I used frozen fish in a skillet. I knew it had to be a thin fillet, otherwise it would dry out before it was cooked through. So, I settled on sole. It was the perfect opportunity to try a new version of my Buttery Sole.
Before I describe what I did, you have to know a little bit about how fish is frozen. First, they flash freeze the fish. Then they dip the frozen fish in water, and freeze it again. Sometimes they repeat that process up to 2 more times. So when you thaw out the fish, you get a piece of fish, swimming in melted ice.
I knew when I put the frozen fish in the hot pan that the ice would melt. I decided to use that water to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan. No fat, not even cooking spray, would be needed. It worked as I expected and the process was much like poaching, which is basically cooking something in simmering water. So, here's a picture and the final recipe.
2-3 frozen fillets of sole
buttery popcorn salt
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat until you can feel the heat rising from the pan. If you don't have a non-stick skillet, you may need to add a little water to prevent sticking. Place the fillets in the skillet and cover. Covering the pan prevents the water from evaporating too quickly. Cook until the fish is solid white and the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. If the pan stays covered, you won't need to turn the fish over, because the steam will cook the top. Remove the fish to a plate and sprinkle with popcorn salt (or any other salt or seasoning you like).
This recipe is so simple. It has a little less flavor than the Buttery Sole, but it does let the fish shine through. Sole is one of those kinds of fish that really doesn't need any help, so it works perfectly for something like this. This creation reflects something that I learned long ago, but still have to re-learn occasionally. Some of the best creations are simply making the most of something that's already good. You don't need 10 ingredients, 5 steps, and 30 minutes to make something fantabulous. Just look for something that's already good, and prepare it as simply as possible. That is the simplest, fastest, and easiest way to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Buttery Sole
2-3 Fillets of sole (a mild white fish), thawed
1 1/2 Tbsp butter (gotta be real butter)
Garlic salt to taste
Melt the butter in a skillet that is large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Place the fish in the melted butter and sprinkle garlic salt on top. Cover the skillet with a lid. Keep the temperature of the burner on medium to medium-low to prevent the butter from browning. When the fish begins to turn white, spoon some of the melted butter on top of the fish. This will spread the flavor and help the top to cook. Cover and cook until all the fish is solid white and the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. Remove to a plate and spoon the butter over the fish and serve. Add more garlic salt if desired.
That recipe was one of my favorite creations for a long, long time. It was a sad, sad day when I realized that being allergic to milk meant I could never have it again. Butter has some milk in it, and margarine simply does not work well in this recipe. I just didn't cook it for a while, and went back to broiling my sole or not eating it at all.
One evening, I was looking for something to eat. It was late at night, and I didn't want something heavy or complicated, but I did want protein. I thought that fish might be nice, but all my fish was frozen. I have used frozen fish in the oven, but I didn't want to heat up the kitchen. I decided to see what would happen if I used frozen fish in a skillet. I knew it had to be a thin fillet, otherwise it would dry out before it was cooked through. So, I settled on sole. It was the perfect opportunity to try a new version of my Buttery Sole.
Before I describe what I did, you have to know a little bit about how fish is frozen. First, they flash freeze the fish. Then they dip the frozen fish in water, and freeze it again. Sometimes they repeat that process up to 2 more times. So when you thaw out the fish, you get a piece of fish, swimming in melted ice.
I knew when I put the frozen fish in the hot pan that the ice would melt. I decided to use that water to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan. No fat, not even cooking spray, would be needed. It worked as I expected and the process was much like poaching, which is basically cooking something in simmering water. So, here's a picture and the final recipe.
2-3 frozen fillets of sole
buttery popcorn salt
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat until you can feel the heat rising from the pan. If you don't have a non-stick skillet, you may need to add a little water to prevent sticking. Place the fillets in the skillet and cover. Covering the pan prevents the water from evaporating too quickly. Cook until the fish is solid white and the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. If the pan stays covered, you won't need to turn the fish over, because the steam will cook the top. Remove the fish to a plate and sprinkle with popcorn salt (or any other salt or seasoning you like).
This recipe is so simple. It has a little less flavor than the Buttery Sole, but it does let the fish shine through. Sole is one of those kinds of fish that really doesn't need any help, so it works perfectly for something like this. This creation reflects something that I learned long ago, but still have to re-learn occasionally. Some of the best creations are simply making the most of something that's already good. You don't need 10 ingredients, 5 steps, and 30 minutes to make something fantabulous. Just look for something that's already good, and prepare it as simply as possible. That is the simplest, fastest, and easiest way to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Creative Process
In my own creative endeavors in the kitchen I've identified several distinct steps that I go through. The steps vary slightly depending on what sparks the creative fires, but I will describe the most useful process. I go through this process on an almost daily basis.
First identify the type of food you want, and/or identify the ingredients you want to use. For example, this morning I woke up and decided I wanted muffins for breakfast. I had some ripe bananas just screaming, "Use me! Use me!" So, I decided on banana muffins. I have not yet perfected an eggless banana muffin, so I would need to create one.
The second step is to find or think of a recipe that is similar to what you want. In my muffin example, I had already found a good eggless applesauce muffin recipe. This step can be the most time consuming or the simplest, depending on what you're trying to do. I would highly recommend allrecipes.com for help with this step. They have a search engine that lets you identify up to 4 ingredients you want to use and up to 4 ingredients you don't want along with keywords to search for. This lets you look for recipes that already exist that might fit your criteria.
The next step is to identify what changes need to be made to fit what you want. Let's go back to the muffin example. My applesauce muffin recipe calls for 1 cup of applesauce. I knew that applesauce has more liquid than banana, so a straight substitution would not work. I also knew that I didn't have an entire cup's worth of banana. I decided I would make the recipe using the banana I had and then, if it needed more liquid, I could add it at the end.
I followed that plan for the banana muffins and ended up having to add about 1/2 cup of rice milk. I didn't measure it, so I'm not sure of the exact amount. They turned out pretty good. Here's a picture.
This was all that was left by the time I got out the camera. These are whole wheat, eggless banana muffins. I won't post the recipe this time, because it's still a work in progress. They were a little too dense.
The last step is actually the most important step, because it's the basis of future experimentation. Taste what you made. Decide if it's good or not. Does it meet your expectations? Does it have enough flavor? Is the texture right? Try to identify ways that you might be able to improve the recipe, even if it's good. If you want to improve on it later, make sure you write down what you did, so you don't make the same mistake twice.
Going back to the muffin example, I made the comment that the muffins were too dense. This could be a result of not enough liquid or not enough baking powder. They may also have been cooked too long. Before I put them in the muffin tin, the batter was barely moist, so that was probably my mistake. So next time I try this recipe I will add enough rice milk to make the batter slightly thinner. I will need to make sure that I don't add too much milk, though, because then they will not cook all the way through. This is usually the problem I have with eggless muffins.
As you become more proficient with this process, you will get more enjoyment out of cooking. You will be more versatile in what you cook and you will have to make fewer last minute trips to the grocery store. You will enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food.
First identify the type of food you want, and/or identify the ingredients you want to use. For example, this morning I woke up and decided I wanted muffins for breakfast. I had some ripe bananas just screaming, "Use me! Use me!" So, I decided on banana muffins. I have not yet perfected an eggless banana muffin, so I would need to create one.
The second step is to find or think of a recipe that is similar to what you want. In my muffin example, I had already found a good eggless applesauce muffin recipe. This step can be the most time consuming or the simplest, depending on what you're trying to do. I would highly recommend allrecipes.com for help with this step. They have a search engine that lets you identify up to 4 ingredients you want to use and up to 4 ingredients you don't want along with keywords to search for. This lets you look for recipes that already exist that might fit your criteria.
The next step is to identify what changes need to be made to fit what you want. Let's go back to the muffin example. My applesauce muffin recipe calls for 1 cup of applesauce. I knew that applesauce has more liquid than banana, so a straight substitution would not work. I also knew that I didn't have an entire cup's worth of banana. I decided I would make the recipe using the banana I had and then, if it needed more liquid, I could add it at the end.
I followed that plan for the banana muffins and ended up having to add about 1/2 cup of rice milk. I didn't measure it, so I'm not sure of the exact amount. They turned out pretty good. Here's a picture.
This was all that was left by the time I got out the camera. These are whole wheat, eggless banana muffins. I won't post the recipe this time, because it's still a work in progress. They were a little too dense.
The last step is actually the most important step, because it's the basis of future experimentation. Taste what you made. Decide if it's good or not. Does it meet your expectations? Does it have enough flavor? Is the texture right? Try to identify ways that you might be able to improve the recipe, even if it's good. If you want to improve on it later, make sure you write down what you did, so you don't make the same mistake twice.
Going back to the muffin example, I made the comment that the muffins were too dense. This could be a result of not enough liquid or not enough baking powder. They may also have been cooked too long. Before I put them in the muffin tin, the batter was barely moist, so that was probably my mistake. So next time I try this recipe I will add enough rice milk to make the batter slightly thinner. I will need to make sure that I don't add too much milk, though, because then they will not cook all the way through. This is usually the problem I have with eggless muffins.
As you become more proficient with this process, you will get more enjoyment out of cooking. You will be more versatile in what you cook and you will have to make fewer last minute trips to the grocery store. You will enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food.
Eggs: Love 'Em or Leave 'Em
Eggs are one of the most amazing ingredients. For one thing, they are an emulsifier, which means they make it possible for oil and water to combine. This may not sound like a big deal, but it's the difference between mayonnaise and vinaigrette dressing. I once found a recipe for a vegan cake (no eggs) and it was really good, but because of the lack of eggs, it had a greasy feel and taste, and it left grease spots on the paper towels I placed it on.
Eggs also have the interesting property of solidifying when hot. That may sound normal, but stop and think about how many recipes you have made that are liquid or semi-liquid before being heated and are solid or even dry when cooked: pancakes, muffins, banana bread, custard. How many of them use eggs to accomplish this?
Eggs also add protein to many dishes that would otherwise be primarily carbohydrate. This makes them more filling and satisfying. It also slows down the rise in blood sugar after eating them.
With all the amazing things that eggs do in recipes, what do you do if you have to cut them out of your diet? The answer to that lies is why you're cutting them out.
If you are trying to cut down on cholesterol or fat, it's really quite easy. Egg whites have all the baking properties of whole eggs. Just use 2 egg whites for every egg called for in a recipe. The only exception to this rule is in recipes that depend on the fat in egg yolks, such as soft cookies and brownies. It will still work, but the finished product will be more dry. You can even make low-fat scrambled eggs by combining 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg. Add a little mozzarella and some mushrooms and onions and serve with toast and jam for a delicious, healthful breakfast.
If you find eggs are hard to digest, try just the yolks. The yolks have a higher fat concentration, but they are also easier to digest. In any recipe you can use 2 egg yolks for 1 whole egg. I've never seen this fail in any recipe.
If you want to (or have to) eliminate them completely, you have a much more difficult struggle. There are other ingredients that can act as an emulsifier, but there is nothing that has quite the solidifying power of an egg. Here are a few suggestions though. For more information or more options, I've found this website to be very useful. http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-replacements/
Before trying any major cooking change, make sure you are fed well from the foods you can eat. Cooking with new ingredients and making modifications to recipes always comes with a bit of trial and a lot of error. Make sure when you go to make a new recipe that it's not something you are craving and you are not hungry. That way if it doesn't turn out it won't an emotional disaster, just a failed experiment.
The first option I tried was Ener-G egg replacer. I hated it. I seldom had any recipe turn out like I wanted. I later found out my mistakes and have had moderate success with it since. Keep in mind that package directions call for measuring it packed. I usually use just a bit more than what's actually called for just to be on the safe side. Also, it's very important to mix the powder with water BEFORE adding it to your recipe. Whisk it with a whisk or fork until it begins to thicken and froth up like egg whites. When you keep these things in mind it works pretty good almost all the time.
I didn't like the egg replacer very much at first so I went on a search for other options. The two that I like the most are mashed banana and applesauce. These work great in muffins and sweet breads, two of the things I was missing the most. You need 1/4 to 1/3 cup of either to replace one egg. Keep in mind that if you use banana, your final product will taste like banana. Applesauce has a more neutral flavor and is great in anything sweet, but you may need to decrease the other liquids to get the right consistency.
Eggs are just so fascinating. They have been the most difficult of my own allergies to deal with. Milk is so easy, because rice milk and MimiCreme work so well, and once I cut out most processed food, soy just kind of dropped out. But eggs were in everything I wanted to make. I still struggle with cooking without them sometimes, and create some of the most spectacular flops. :) But since I always learn from my mistakes, I still enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food.
Eggs also have the interesting property of solidifying when hot. That may sound normal, but stop and think about how many recipes you have made that are liquid or semi-liquid before being heated and are solid or even dry when cooked: pancakes, muffins, banana bread, custard. How many of them use eggs to accomplish this?
Eggs also add protein to many dishes that would otherwise be primarily carbohydrate. This makes them more filling and satisfying. It also slows down the rise in blood sugar after eating them.
With all the amazing things that eggs do in recipes, what do you do if you have to cut them out of your diet? The answer to that lies is why you're cutting them out.
If you are trying to cut down on cholesterol or fat, it's really quite easy. Egg whites have all the baking properties of whole eggs. Just use 2 egg whites for every egg called for in a recipe. The only exception to this rule is in recipes that depend on the fat in egg yolks, such as soft cookies and brownies. It will still work, but the finished product will be more dry. You can even make low-fat scrambled eggs by combining 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg. Add a little mozzarella and some mushrooms and onions and serve with toast and jam for a delicious, healthful breakfast.
If you find eggs are hard to digest, try just the yolks. The yolks have a higher fat concentration, but they are also easier to digest. In any recipe you can use 2 egg yolks for 1 whole egg. I've never seen this fail in any recipe.
If you want to (or have to) eliminate them completely, you have a much more difficult struggle. There are other ingredients that can act as an emulsifier, but there is nothing that has quite the solidifying power of an egg. Here are a few suggestions though. For more information or more options, I've found this website to be very useful. http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-replacements/
Before trying any major cooking change, make sure you are fed well from the foods you can eat. Cooking with new ingredients and making modifications to recipes always comes with a bit of trial and a lot of error. Make sure when you go to make a new recipe that it's not something you are craving and you are not hungry. That way if it doesn't turn out it won't an emotional disaster, just a failed experiment.
The first option I tried was Ener-G egg replacer. I hated it. I seldom had any recipe turn out like I wanted. I later found out my mistakes and have had moderate success with it since. Keep in mind that package directions call for measuring it packed. I usually use just a bit more than what's actually called for just to be on the safe side. Also, it's very important to mix the powder with water BEFORE adding it to your recipe. Whisk it with a whisk or fork until it begins to thicken and froth up like egg whites. When you keep these things in mind it works pretty good almost all the time.
I didn't like the egg replacer very much at first so I went on a search for other options. The two that I like the most are mashed banana and applesauce. These work great in muffins and sweet breads, two of the things I was missing the most. You need 1/4 to 1/3 cup of either to replace one egg. Keep in mind that if you use banana, your final product will taste like banana. Applesauce has a more neutral flavor and is great in anything sweet, but you may need to decrease the other liquids to get the right consistency.
Eggs are just so fascinating. They have been the most difficult of my own allergies to deal with. Milk is so easy, because rice milk and MimiCreme work so well, and once I cut out most processed food, soy just kind of dropped out. But eggs were in everything I wanted to make. I still struggle with cooking without them sometimes, and create some of the most spectacular flops. :) But since I always learn from my mistakes, I still enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Refried Bean Quesadillas
In January of 2009, I was told that I was allergic to milk protein. I didn't mind not being able to use milk itself. I never liked it anyway, and rice milk works great in cooking. There's also a great substitute for cream called MimiCreme. I even managed to find a substitute for butter (it's harder than you might think). What I can't really find a substitute for is cheese. There are cheeses that are not cow's milk cheeses, but they often have casein (one of the proteins in milk) in them to make them melt. There are even vegan cheeses with no milk products at all, but they are almost universally soy-based, and I'm allergic to soy as well.
For the most part, I've just avoided recipes that depend on the flavor of cheese, but one night, I was serving tacos for my family, and I just got fed up. I wanted a quesadilla. I wanted a tortilla, cooked to a crisp on the outside, filled with something gooey and salty. So I started thinking about what makes a quesadilla what it is.
I've seen all kinds of recipes for quesadillas. They often have things like chicken, olives, green peppers, salsa and any number of other things. But they always have cheese. That's why it's called quesadilla (queso is Spanish for cheese). The cheese serves two purposes: one is flavor, and the other is binding action. When the cheese melts it forms sort of a web that holds all the other ingredients together, so the quesadilla doesn't fall apart.
I knew from repeated failed experiments that I couldn't recreate the flavor of cheese without nutritional yeast (something I try to avoid), so I figured I would just have to let that purpose go. But I did need to find something that would hold the quesadilla together. The answer was right in front of me: refried beans.
I took a tortilla and slathered half of it with refried beans. I then sprinkled it with some olives, diced tomatoes, and garlic salt. I was just going with what was already on the table. I cooked it up, let it cool, and tried it. It was quite good for a first try. I did notice that the refried beans were a little sticky in my mouth, kind of like peanut butter, but the olives and tomatoes helped that out some. The next time I tried it, I used sliced tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes. That was even better, because it spread moisture more evenly.
Here's the basic recipe:
1 tortilla (any size)
about 3 Tbsp. refried beans
your choice of olives, tomatoes, onions, chicken, taco meat, or anything else you can think of.
garlic salt to taste
2 tsp oil
Spread the refried beans on half of the tortilla. The actual amount you use will vary depending on the size of your tortilla and what other toppings you use. You want enough beans to hold it all together. Sprinkle with garlic salt if desired. Sprinkle or spread your other toppings on top of the beans. Fold the tortilla over to create a half-moon shape. Heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan over medium to medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the quesadilla and cook until underside is golden brown. Remove from pan and add the other teaspoon of oil. Return the quesadilla to the pan, cooked side up, and cook until the other side is brown and the inside is warmed through. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the quesadilla into wedges for easier eating.
A word of warning: do not expect this to taste cheesy in the least. If you expect something more like a bean burrito, you will be much happier with it. I had one of these for lunch almost every day for more than a week after I discovered it, and it was different every day.
As always, make any adjustments you need to in order to make this fit your tastes or dietary restrictions. If you are trying to lower fat, just use a good non-stick skillet and you can leave the oil out completely or use non-stick cooking spray. Celiacs can use a corn tortilla. The variations on this idea are endless.
Most importantly, enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food!
For the most part, I've just avoided recipes that depend on the flavor of cheese, but one night, I was serving tacos for my family, and I just got fed up. I wanted a quesadilla. I wanted a tortilla, cooked to a crisp on the outside, filled with something gooey and salty. So I started thinking about what makes a quesadilla what it is.
I've seen all kinds of recipes for quesadillas. They often have things like chicken, olives, green peppers, salsa and any number of other things. But they always have cheese. That's why it's called quesadilla (queso is Spanish for cheese). The cheese serves two purposes: one is flavor, and the other is binding action. When the cheese melts it forms sort of a web that holds all the other ingredients together, so the quesadilla doesn't fall apart.
I knew from repeated failed experiments that I couldn't recreate the flavor of cheese without nutritional yeast (something I try to avoid), so I figured I would just have to let that purpose go. But I did need to find something that would hold the quesadilla together. The answer was right in front of me: refried beans.
I took a tortilla and slathered half of it with refried beans. I then sprinkled it with some olives, diced tomatoes, and garlic salt. I was just going with what was already on the table. I cooked it up, let it cool, and tried it. It was quite good for a first try. I did notice that the refried beans were a little sticky in my mouth, kind of like peanut butter, but the olives and tomatoes helped that out some. The next time I tried it, I used sliced tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes. That was even better, because it spread moisture more evenly.
Here's the basic recipe:
1 tortilla (any size)
about 3 Tbsp. refried beans
your choice of olives, tomatoes, onions, chicken, taco meat, or anything else you can think of.
garlic salt to taste
2 tsp oil
Spread the refried beans on half of the tortilla. The actual amount you use will vary depending on the size of your tortilla and what other toppings you use. You want enough beans to hold it all together. Sprinkle with garlic salt if desired. Sprinkle or spread your other toppings on top of the beans. Fold the tortilla over to create a half-moon shape. Heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan over medium to medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the quesadilla and cook until underside is golden brown. Remove from pan and add the other teaspoon of oil. Return the quesadilla to the pan, cooked side up, and cook until the other side is brown and the inside is warmed through. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the quesadilla into wedges for easier eating.
A word of warning: do not expect this to taste cheesy in the least. If you expect something more like a bean burrito, you will be much happier with it. I had one of these for lunch almost every day for more than a week after I discovered it, and it was different every day.
As always, make any adjustments you need to in order to make this fit your tastes or dietary restrictions. If you are trying to lower fat, just use a good non-stick skillet and you can leave the oil out completely or use non-stick cooking spray. Celiacs can use a corn tortilla. The variations on this idea are endless.
Most importantly, enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food!
My first creative endeavor: southern green beans
My food creation journey began when I was a teenager. My mother wasn't a very good cook (at least I didn't think so), but every time we had a social at church, everything was so yummy. I wanted to recreate the deliciousness, but there was a slight problem. I wasn't the one in charge of purchasing food, so the only ingredients I had to work with were what was in the house. My first project I wanted to tackle was to recreate the delicious green beans that every woman at my church was constantly churning out (I grew up in the south). I had to find something that was better than the plain, re-heated canned beans that my mother served. Here's the process I went through:
I tasted many different versions of green beans. Some were better than others, but the most delicious ones all had a few similar qualities. Firstly, they were all made of canned green beans, not frozen or fresh. Secondly, there was a slight greasiness, indicating the addition of some sort of fat. Thirdly, there was always a distinct saltiness.
My first attempt at southern-style green beans was nothing more than 1 can of green beans with about 2 tsp margarine and a sprinkling of salt. Those were the simplest ingredients that I knew of that would bring all those qualities together. It wasn't as good as most of the green beans at the potlucks at church, but it was miles above simply opening a can, warming it and serving it.
That recipe was satisfactory enough to me that I used it for many years. Once I came up with it, I was always asked to make the green beans when we had them with dinner. However, as I reached adulthood and moved out, I found myself in a place that didn't have such good cooks at church. I decided to have a go at improving my green beans and making them more like what I remembered. I thought back and identified two more flavors that I was missing, flavors that I couldn't have added before, because they were never in my mother's kitchen: onions and a meaty flavor.
I didn't want to deal with the time, energy, and expense of cooking bacon or other smoked meat just for green beans, so I decided to try bacon bits instead. I also hate chopping onions, so I used dehydrated onion flakes. Both of these ingredients re-hydrated in the cooking process because of the liquid from the can. I also stuck with the margarine and salt. It was even better.
But I noticed that the buttery flavor of the margarine didn't go very well with the meaty, smoky flavor of the bacon bits, so the next time I made it I used oil. That was perfect. I have used that basic recipe innumerable times in the last 10 years. Occasionally, I added real onions or leftover ham and ham grease, but that was only when I had the ingredients on hand and was in the mood for a real treat.
So the final recipe was:
1 can green beans (any style)
2 tsp oil (any kind, even olive oil)
2-4 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
2-4 Tbsp bacon bits (either real or artificial)
salt to taste
Drain the green beans, but leave a little less than half the water. Put them in a saucepan. Add the oil, onion, and bacon bits. Stir so that the onion and bacon bits are moistened. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the onions and bacon bits are soft and the flavors have come together. Taste and then add salt to taste.
The most important thing to remember about any recipe I post is that it is always a jumping off point. Alter it in any way that makes it taste better to you or that complies with your own dietary restrictions. For example, if you're trying to add more veggies in your diet, definitely use real onion. If you're trying to decrease fat in your diet, decrease the oil or leave it out. If you're trying to cut out salt, use no salt green beans and flavor it with lemon or an herb mixture like Mrs. Dash.
Most importantly enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food!
I tasted many different versions of green beans. Some were better than others, but the most delicious ones all had a few similar qualities. Firstly, they were all made of canned green beans, not frozen or fresh. Secondly, there was a slight greasiness, indicating the addition of some sort of fat. Thirdly, there was always a distinct saltiness.
My first attempt at southern-style green beans was nothing more than 1 can of green beans with about 2 tsp margarine and a sprinkling of salt. Those were the simplest ingredients that I knew of that would bring all those qualities together. It wasn't as good as most of the green beans at the potlucks at church, but it was miles above simply opening a can, warming it and serving it.
That recipe was satisfactory enough to me that I used it for many years. Once I came up with it, I was always asked to make the green beans when we had them with dinner. However, as I reached adulthood and moved out, I found myself in a place that didn't have such good cooks at church. I decided to have a go at improving my green beans and making them more like what I remembered. I thought back and identified two more flavors that I was missing, flavors that I couldn't have added before, because they were never in my mother's kitchen: onions and a meaty flavor.
I didn't want to deal with the time, energy, and expense of cooking bacon or other smoked meat just for green beans, so I decided to try bacon bits instead. I also hate chopping onions, so I used dehydrated onion flakes. Both of these ingredients re-hydrated in the cooking process because of the liquid from the can. I also stuck with the margarine and salt. It was even better.
But I noticed that the buttery flavor of the margarine didn't go very well with the meaty, smoky flavor of the bacon bits, so the next time I made it I used oil. That was perfect. I have used that basic recipe innumerable times in the last 10 years. Occasionally, I added real onions or leftover ham and ham grease, but that was only when I had the ingredients on hand and was in the mood for a real treat.
So the final recipe was:
1 can green beans (any style)
2 tsp oil (any kind, even olive oil)
2-4 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
2-4 Tbsp bacon bits (either real or artificial)
salt to taste
Drain the green beans, but leave a little less than half the water. Put them in a saucepan. Add the oil, onion, and bacon bits. Stir so that the onion and bacon bits are moistened. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the onions and bacon bits are soft and the flavors have come together. Taste and then add salt to taste.
The most important thing to remember about any recipe I post is that it is always a jumping off point. Alter it in any way that makes it taste better to you or that complies with your own dietary restrictions. For example, if you're trying to add more veggies in your diet, definitely use real onion. If you're trying to decrease fat in your diet, decrease the oil or leave it out. If you're trying to cut out salt, use no salt green beans and flavor it with lemon or an herb mixture like Mrs. Dash.
Most importantly enjoy the creative process and enjoy your food!
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