COLOR AND TEXTURE

 

 

Color and Texture

            Anyone who saw the scene in the old movie “Oliver”, where he asks for “More” of  that indescribably gray and thin porridge, could not remain unconvinced of the hunger of  those poor orphans. That movie scene, adapted from the musical based on Charles Dickens “Oliver Twist”, demonstrated visually the desperation that would make even such unappealing fare desirable. Poor Oliver just got stuck with the short straw for the job.

            The importance of color and texture in our appreciation of food was brought to mind recently by a dish our friend Dan brought over, when I was in a suboptimal condition for kitchen duty. Simply called, it was a barley and lamb dish, to be served hot or at room temperature, but was a perfect example of how color and texture could transform two plain components into a tempting and tasty presentation.

            Cooked barley is relatively soft and mild as are quickly sautéed lamb strips. However, barely sautéed onions, red peppers and chopped celery and tomatillo gave it both color and crunch. Short pieces of still crisp green bean, a few olives and slightly tart artichoke hearts finished the garnish, all subtly seasoned with a light lemony dressing.  The colorful touches and the variety of the textures enhanced both the flavor and it’s substance to make it an outstanding dish.

            Like lilies, fresh good food does not always need to be enhanced. A well done steak can stand on it’s own, so can a strawberry. However, a crisp golden roasted chicken is likely to be more appetizing than a boiled anemic pale piece of chicken thigh as we have learned in the kitchen. The eye and the mouth seem to work together in conjunction with all those specialized taste buds on our tongues for: sweet, sour, bitter and savory.

            Going into spring and summer, it is worth considering some of the ways in which to brighten up something as basic as a spinach salad. All quick and easy to assemble and a feast to the eye.

                                    Mediterranean spinach salad

            In a large bowl assemble a bag of baby spinach, ½ cup toasted almonds, 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, ½ cup diced red pepper, ¼ cup dried chopped apricots or cranberries, and ½ cup mandarin orange sections cut in half  Toss with 3 + Tblsp. lemony vinaigrette: 2 Tblsp, fresh lemon juice, 3 Tblsp. orange juice, ¼ cup olive oil, salt and pepper, ½ tsp. dried oregano (optional).

                                    Oriental spinach salad

            In a large bowl assemble a bag of baby spinach, ½ cup sliced water chestnuts, ½ cup toasted pecans, ½ cup sliced fresh mushroom caps, 4 chopped scallions with both green and white parts and ½ cup roughly crumbled dry raman noodles. Toss with 3-4 Tblsp.Oriental vinaigrette: 1/3 cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup canola oil, 2 tsp. brown sugar, 1 Tblsp. soy sauce, 1Tblsp, water, 1 Tblsp. grated ginger.

            Contrasting color and texture are easily accomplished by the addition of nuts, dried fruit and lightly sautéed vegetables.

                                    Wild rice, Bacon and Pecan Pilaf

            Cook 1 cup rinsed wild rice in 3 cups salted water for 40 minutes and drain any excess liquid. Meanwhile crisp 3 slices thick bacon, drain on paper towels and break apart in medium pieces. In the bacon drippings sauté 1 medium onion cut in thin wedges and 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced for 5 minutes, stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth, ¼ cup golden raisins, ¼ tsp. salt and pepper to taste and cook over low heat until liquid is absorbed. Stir in rice, bacon, 1 Tblsp. white wine vinegar and ½ cup toasted chopped pecans just before serving. Reserve a few pecan halves for garnish and sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds.

            Considering that color and texture are the usual tools for artists, I asked my friend Jean Kigel for her ideas about the importance of color and texture. Her insightful answer comes from her experience with art, but might be as easily applied to food,

            “Color and texture are powerful tools in art.  They evoke emotion. They elicit attention……even when we’re not aware of them……Although we seek order and harmony in art, we need the right amount of stimulation….if only in accents.

                       

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

SAVORY PANCAKES

Savory Pancakes

            Comfort food!  There are days, when the weather is unsettled and the constellation of events in your life is far from optimum, when nothing but comfort food will satisfy. Realizing that this may be a very individual matter, nevertheless – it is unlikely to be a stalk of celery, an asparagus spear or even a stalk of broccoli, unless you are a rabbit.

            Since we are talking here ‘real food’, chocolate or a bag of chips don’t count. Comfort food is by its nature defined by your background and experience as well as taste buds.  The Chinese probably have a favorite dumpling dish, Italians - pasta, Japanese – udon or soba noodles in dashi, Germans – a favorite sausage, French –cassoulet,  Vietnamese – the fragrant soup pho, Russians – borsch and herring etc.

            Up here in the Northeast we are more likely to think of fish or corn chowder, macaroni and cheese or baked beans with some accompaniment. For breakfast most people would consider pancakes, blueberry or any other kind, comfort food. They have the advantage of being uncomplicated, fairly quick, fresh off the pan and delicious.

            Fortunately the pancake format does not have to belong exclusively to breakfast. Instead of sweet flavors, savory pancakes can take a starring role in both dinner and lunch.

                                                Savory Corn Fritters

            In a bowl sift together 1 cup flour with 1 tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. In another small bowl beat together 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk and 1 Tblsp. melted butter. Stir the liquid in the flour mixture and then fold in 1 cup thawed/drained whole corn kernels and 1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper. Fry small pancakes in a heavy skillet in 1 Tblsp. canola oil until golden. Serve hot. For a variation, stir in 3 Tblsp. shredded sharp cheese, before frying the pancakes.

            Potato pancakes come in many variations and are good not with just grilled meats, but with an accompaniment of sour cream and smoked fish can serve for a meal.

                                                Potato Pancakes

             In a small bowl beat together: 2 large eggs with 6 Tblsp. flour, ¾ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper. Peel 2 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes and coarsely shred them in a paper towel (make sure it is a brand that allows drainage) lined sieve. Squeeze out all moisture and place the potatoes in a bowl and mix in a shredded peeled medium onion. Stir in thoroughly the egg mixture. Drop tablespoons of the batter in 2 Tblsp. hot canola oil in a heavy heated skillet, slightly flatten them and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to a side until golden brown. Serve hot, but the pancakes can be made ahead and reheated in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to crisp them again.

            This type of potato pancakes can be also made with sweet potatoes (yams) flavored with cumin and cayenne.

            One of my favorite childhood memories has to do with very thin pancakes in envelope format filled with a cooked meat and bacon mixture, lightly fried golden brown and served with sour cream or spicy chutney. In German these are called “Komm Morgen vieder”, in Latvian“Nāc rīt atkal”,or in English “Come again tomorrow”. These thin pancakes are the thickness of crepes, but not as rich.

                                    “Come Again Pancakes”

            Pancake batter – lightly beat together 1 egg with ¼ tsp, salt, ½ cup milk and ½ cup water. When batter is smooth, beat in 1 tsp. sour cream. Pour ¼ cup batter in a little hot butter in an 8 inch pan, rotating the pan to spread out the batter evenly and fry for 2 minutes only on one side. Remove from pan and place 1 tbsp. meat mixture on the browned side. Fold the pancake around the meat as an envelope and place folded side down for the second browning when all pancakes are filled.

            Meat mixture: Fry until crisp 2 slices of bacon and drain on paper towels. Mix ¼ lb browned and drained ground beef with 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped, ¼ tsp salt, the crumbled bacon, pepper to taste and 1 Tblsp. sour cream.

            When all the pancakes are filled, fry the pancake ‘pillows’ in batches in a small amount of butter, turning once, until golden. Serve while hot.

            While there is a person in our house who would insist that ice cream is the ultimate comfort food, savory pancakes will fill the bill for me any day.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

VALENTINE'S DINNER FOR TWO

Valentine’s Dinner for Two

            A long time ago (as told in any fairy tale) mothers used to tell their daughters that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. Thus: ”You better learn to cook, girl, or no one will love you!” Since that was a fairy tale long ago and these days men cook as well as women, this column is no longer directed only to the female of the species.

            Valentine’s Day comes this year on a Sunday and allows for more leisurely approach to a romantic dinner for two at home. This being Maine and February, the possibility of a snowstorm is another inducement for celebrating the day at home. Having set the stage on the table with some flowers and candles, the trick is to have a menu that does not overwhelm the cook at the last minute and yet looks elegant at the table.

            One of my favorite main dishes for such an occasion is Coquilles St. Jacques or scallops in a delicate sauce. It is an adaptation from an old recipe by Fernande Garvin’s “The Art of French Cooking” published in the late 1950’s, when Bantam books were sold at 35 cents and I was first learning to cook.

                                    Coquilles St. Jacques Parisienne

            In a heavy saucepan combine ¾ lb sea scallops, ¾ cup dry white wine ¼  tsp salt and a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper. Slowly bring to boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Reserve the liquid and cut the scallops in bite size pieces. Heat 2 Tblsp. butter in the same sauce pan and briefly sauté 1 finely chopped shallot, stir in 1 Tblsp. flour and slowly add the reserved cooking liquid and ½ cup milk, stirring constantly for 3 min. until the sauce thickens.  Add ½ cup coarsely chopped white mushrooms heating for 5 minutes, stir in the scallops and heat through. Stir in 2 Tblsp. grated Swiss or Gruyère cheese and mix well. Divide scallops between two buttered shells or individual casseroles. The dish can be made a couple of hours ahead to this point. Sprinkle each dish with 1 Tblsp. bread crumbs and dot with 1 tsp. butter. Broil until top is browned and serve hot with boiled fingerling potatoes or rice.

            If your love is more the carnivore type, steak with peppercorns may be more appropriate.

                                                Steak au Poivre

            Start with tenderloin, boneless ribeye  or even NY strip steak, depending on your pocketbook. Rub steak with salt and press into surfaces 1 Tblsp. green or pink peppercorns per piece. Black peppercorns are too strong, so use judiciously if only those are available. In a heavy skillet melt 2 Tblsp. butter and 1 Tblsp. oil until hot but not smoking. Add steaks and cook 3-4 minutes or more on each side, depending on thickness of meat and desired doneness. Remove to a heated platter. Pour off fat from the pan and add ½ cup Madeira (not sweet) or Ruby Port and  ½ cup beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan until the crust has dissolved. Reduce the sauce to ½ cup or less and pour over the steaks on the platter. Serve with sautéed mushrooms and fingerling potatoes.

            Both of these dishes would go well with a simple salad and peas with pearl onions. As for the ‘finale’, Valentine’s day seems to almost demand chocolate. Here is a classic Chocolate mousse, which fortunately can be made ahead and stored cold until serving. This recipe is for 4 servings,

                                                Chocolate mousse

            In a heavy small sauce pan combine 1/8 cup strong coffee with 2 large squares of semi-sweet chocolate. Heat until melted, but do not allow to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in 3 tsp. sugar, stirring until melted. Add a total of 4 egg yolks, one at a time stirring thoroughly each time. Turn mixture into a serving bowl. In another bowl beat 5 egg whites until soft peaks form and then beat in 2 tsp. sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture thoroughly, divide in tall serving dishes and chill. Serve with a strawberry or couple of raspberries on top.

            Happy Valentine’s Day!

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

SOUTHWESTERN FLAVORS

Southwestern Flavors

            Consider winter as a spectator sport, Some of us actually do.  I realize this is not likely to occur to anyone driving a snowplow at night under blizzard conditions.  Nor is it likely to occur to someone engaged in zigzagging down a ski slope. But, anyone outdoors on a clear winter’s day is likely to notice the crisp sparkle and etched outlines of everything around them.

            On the other hand, slipping and sliding on the drive or trying to unlock a frozen car door with numb fingers obliterates the most magnificent view. No, I’m not going to grouse about those things, since the Humble Farmer has done already a much better job, with his longer years of experience, than I could ever aspire to achieve.

            Having moved to Maine from Arizona quite a few years ago, I find this dichotomy of feelings still puzzles me. However, winter living in Maine requires some ingenuity as one gets older and more housebound by the weather. Short of taking a winter vacation to some warmer latitude, the kitchen can create an imaginary winter oasis.  Southwestern flavors are likely to wake one up from those winter shivers.

            Still, this being the Northeast, hearts of palm are not likely to sound reasonable for the table in a major way. Thus, blending the local and seasonal fare with new flavors can achieve much toward our goal. Even better, when the product is hearty, nourishing as a main meal, easy on the waistline and can be reheated for several servings.  Unlike beans, lentils cook in half an hour without pre-soaking.

                                    Southwestern lentil stew

            Rinse and pick over 1 cup dried French green lentils. Sautè 1 chopped medium onion in 1 Tblsp. olive oil  in a 3 quart pot for 5 minutes, add 1-2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp chopped ginger, 1 tsp. oregano, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 chopped stalk of celery and continue for another minute. Stir in 2 cups water and 3 cups beef broth. Bring to boil, then add the lentils, 1 chopped carrot, 1 (14 oz) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and 1 dried Ancho chile. Cut in bite size pieces 1-2 oz. of country ham flavoring pieces and add to the pot.  Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes stirring a couple of times. Remove the chile, scraping to remove the pulp for the soup, discard the rind and stem. Adjust salt and pepper seasonings and add ½ cup red wine (optional) and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and crusty bread. Substitute vegetable broth and a dried chipotle pepper for beef broth and the ham to give strong and smoky flavor when making a vegetarian version of this dish.

            Barbecued and pulled pork come to mind for Southern menus. But flavorful Southwestern rubs for meat can enhance both pork chops and a pork roast.

                                    Savory Southwestern Pork Chops

            Lightly season 4 pork chops with Southwestern flavor rub, salt and pepper. Brown pork chops in a little vegetable oil in a large skillet. Top with ½ cup chopped onions. Mix together: 1 cup canned  plum tomatoes, broken apart with a fork with 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, ¼ tsp. chili powder, small pinch of red pepper flakes and 1 tsp, sugar. Pour tomato mixture over the chops, cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour, turning the chops occasionally, until the chops are tender.                              

            Pork tenderloin has become a popular cut for a lean and quick pork roast. A more flavorful cut is the pork shoulder or but roast. This meat is succulent and  extra fat can be easily trimmed after roasting. It is quite easy to prepare before it goes in the oven and requires no tending while roasting.

                                    Southwestern roasted pork shoulder

            Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wipe a 4 ½ lb boneless pork shoulder roast, rub on all sides with Southwestern seasoning, salt and some pepper to taste.  Score the fat cap with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern and insert some cloves in the scored fat. Thickly slice 2 large onions, layer in a baking pan or shallow casserole with sides and pour in ½ cup water. Place the seasoned meat on top of the onions. Place pan in the oven and immediately turn the temperature to 350 degrees. Roast for 2 hours and 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set for 15 minutes before carving. The onions can be turned into a savory gravy with some flour, water and some red wine. Serve with cut up sweet potatoes roasted with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and garlic sautéed kale.

            Your feet may still be cold with our North Eastern winter, but your palate will think it has gone on vacation.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

LIGHTEN UP!

Beautiful new beginnings.......
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Lighten Up!

Unless you are one of those rare people with incredible will power, come January 1 you are likely feeling some guilt about all those holiday indulgences. It also would be nice to have once more a comfortable relationship with your scale each morning. The obvious solution is to ‘lighten up’ both figuratively and in the actual sense.

Our daylight time is  in the upswing, but according to the 2016 Farmer’s Almanac we only gain 48 minutes of daylight in the month of January.  At the same time winter has finally arrived in Maine this year with properly low temperatures and the first significant snowfall ending 2015.

This is hardly is the time to encourage us to ‘lighten up’ by going to lighter meals of cool salads. The body naturally desires warm substantial fare to chase away the winter chill, but not all such meals need to be heavy or smothered with rich sauces. It is possible to achieve meals that satisfy our cravings for substance by providing substantial flavors without the substantial calories.

Clear vegetable soups and tomato based soups are always tasty when prepared with generous portions of herbs. My favorite quick soup that actually can be prepared in 20 minutes, is low calorie and will chase away the chill admirably.

                        Quick tomato – cabbage (rice) soup

Heat together: 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth with 2 cups tomato juice and 1 tsp. any strong flavored herb seasoning blend. Stir in 2 cups shredded cabbage and continue to cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Serve hot. If you have leftover cooked rice, you can substitute that for the cabbage and cook only 5 minutes.

                        Broiled fish

Broiled, rather than fried fish comes to mind as a light source of protein. Alas, unless grilled on a campfire it  tends to be rather ‘blah’. However, both salmon and white fish like haddock and cod, basted with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil, mixed with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and couple of teaspoons of white wine vinegar, a bit of salt and pepper can become a very tasting offering when broiled for 9 to 10 minutes.

Roast chicken can be ‘light’ if not smothered with gravy. Grilled chicken is wonderful in its season, but most of us do not like standing over an outdoor grill in a snow-bank. However, other flavorful effects can be achieved with oven ‘fried’ chicken, which is much less caloric than fried chicken, but still provides that delectable crunch.

            Oven fried chicken with Gruyère

This can be prepared with 3 bone-in skinless half chicken breasts (~12 oz. each) or 5-6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs. In a shallow bowl mix: ¼ cup spicy brown mustard, 1 Tblsp. herb seasoning mix, 2 Tblsp. light sour cream, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. lemon-pepper (optional). On another plate stir together 3 cups cornflake cereal, lightly crushed with ¼ cup shredded Gruyère cheese (or Parmesan). Coat the chicken pieces with the flavored paste, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet lightly coated with butter flavor cooking spray and lightly spray the chicken on top with the same spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour until chicken is golden brown. Serve warm.

If your sweet tooth is about to go in ‘withdrawal’ after the delights of the holiday season, there are simple fruit desserts that do not require much sugar and have a negligible fat content. My two favorites require very little effort.

                        Oven poached pears with cranberries

In a 1 quart pan stir together: ½ cup white wine, ¾ cups sugar, ½ tsp. fresh grated ginger, ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp. ground cloves, 2 Tblsp. cider vinegar. Heat to just boiling with stirring to dissolve the sugar. Thinly pare 4 Bosc pears, halve and scoop out the core. Thinly slice 1 lemon, discarding the ends.  Lay pears in a 1-2 inch deep 2 qt. baking dish, spread the lemon slices among them. Scatter 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries on top. If using dried cranberries, first steam them briefly to reconstitute. Pour the sauce over everything.  Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

                        Roasted honey pineapple

Peel and quarter a golden pineapple. Cut each quarter in 3 long wedges. In the microwave heat ½ cup orange juice with 2 Tblsp. honey and 1 Tblsp. lemon juice.  Pour over pineapple in a shallow dish and marinate for 30 minutes, basting occasionally. Preheat oven to 450 degrees on roast. Drain pineapple, spread single layer on a parchment lined shallow pan and roast for 10 minutes. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with a bit more honey.

Starting the New Year ‘light’ should prove to be quite delicious.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)