So, should we eat salt or not?

And is it okay with tequila? Questions basically unanswered in this impenetrable press release that just plopped into the old e-mail slot moments ago from the Salt Institute. Yes, there is one. It goes without saying but I have to say it anyway: What? Read on for an excerpt. And put on your thinking caps.

Headline: Salt Institute challenges Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
on lack of science and transparency

Alexandria, VA—The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to retreat from public engagement and transparency as it forms guidelines on population-wide salt reduction based on substandard evidence and science, according to the Salt Institute.   
 
“We had hoped that this Administration would provide transparency, public engagement and solid science as it makes decisions that affect millions of Americans. Unfortunately, the Committee’s meeting this week was held as a webinar, excluding public engagement, and was filled with expert opinion as opposed to evidence-based findings,” said Salt Institute President Dick Hanneman.
 
Previous Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committees made recommendations that were confidently portrayed as evidence-based, yet a short time later were forced to be withdrawn when the published science, as well as the impact of the recommendations, proved the Guidelines to be wrong. Evidence is accumulating about salt much as it did about fat.  The Salt Institute proposes that the Committee will need to step back from its historically restrictive guidance on salt just as scientific advance has already required it to do on guidelines for fat.
 
(And they talk about transparency?)

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Women behaving healthfully

A new study by Better Homes and Gardens reveals ... wait for it ... women are eating better today than they did two years ago. Or at least that's what the 2,100 women surveyed said. I am not totally surprised given all the ink these days about foods that are good for you/foods that are not.

Some of the findings:

- About half the women are preparing more veggies and salads now than they did five years ago.

- More than half are paying attention to portion control.

- Nearly 70 percent are reading nutritional labels on packages and recipes. First looking at calories, then ft, then sugar, then sodium.

- Just more than 60 percent base their decisions on that nutritional data, opting for another, more healthful product if they don't like the numbers.

- Nearly a third are serving more grains with another quarter upping their preparation of beans and soups/stews. They are serving fewer breads and desserts,

Good news all the way around, don't you think?

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What to do with that jar of marmalade

I've never been a big fan of orange marmalade. Too bitter for me. And yet, I always seem to have a jar in my refrigerator. What's up with that? This recipe will remedy that strange relic I see every time I open the fridge door.

This morning I've stumbled upon a salmon recipe that calls for marmalade (Seville orange to be exact but I think I'll sub what I've got). Orange-Glaze Salmon marries sweet with heat with Cajun seasoning. Make Seasoned Fried Potatoes to go with and I'd say that's a pretty good Thursday night meal.

Orange-Glaze Salmon
3 tablespoons Cajun spice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon lime juice
Serve with lime wedges

Combine Cajun spice, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Rub over all surfaces of fillets. Saute fillets in oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and saute an addition 2 to 3 minutes.

Blend marmalade and lime juice; swirl in pan until melted. Carefully turn fish to glaze on all sides. The salmon is done when it begins to flakes when tested with a fork.

Serve with lime wedges.

Source: Cuisine at Home

Seasoned Fried Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Parboil potatoes 5 minutes in 3 quarts of boiling salted water; drain well.

Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and saute 5 minutes without stirrign. Sti and cook another 7 minutes, until golden.

Season with thyme, salt and pepper.

Source: Cuisine at Home

 

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Best burger in Florida is in Miami

Or so says Food Network mag. A sneak peek of the June/July issue shows a list of the best burgers in each state. The frita burger from El Rey De Las Fritas in Little Havana (1821 Calle Ocho) is Florida's winner in the burger wars. There are other places that serve them there but this is the Food Network mag's editors' fave.

If you haven't heard of a frita burger, you probably aren't alone. And you probably aren't Cuban. Basically it's a slider piled high with shoestring potatoes. The patty is sometimes spiked with paprika and there's a secret sauce. I've only had one ever from a colleague who says she's come pretty close to replicating El Rey's frita. It was delicious I'll tell you that, but she's not sharing the recipe.

Read another take of El Rey De Las Fritas at the Blog Beast.

If you're heading to Atlanta, order the Down Low Cheeseburger at Holeman & Finch Public House. When I'm in California this summer I'll for sure eat a double-double at In-N-Out Burger.

Check out the mag for more.

Photo from El Rey Del Los Fritas

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Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Buy a bird and makes this dish from Giada De Laurentiis tonight. It's a rich splurge for sure, with the 8 egg yolks. Thank you very much, Food Network. (Save the whites for a tightening facial.) I know 8 yolks sounds like a lot -- and it is when it comes to cracking and separating -- but remember this dish feeds 6. Or is supposed to. 

Make a green salad and take a long walk after dinner. That should make you feel a little less guilty.

Chicken Carbonara
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper, salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
 
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large, wide serving bowl. Sprinkle with the walnuts and lemon zest and serve.

Serves 6.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis

Photo by Scott Keeler, St. Petersburg Times

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Who taught you to cook?

I learned the basics from watching my mom, but really taught myself a lot from some basic cookbooks, mostly Betty Crocker and Sunset books. I cooked for friends (guys) in college and that showed me how much fun it is to feed people. Especially when the food is good.

And then there was that adventurous boyfriend who was game for anything on a plate: rabbit, quail, pheasant, anything with wings, basically.

Then I got married (to someone else) and had a son. Now I am really good at chicken fingers, chicken salad and chicken fajitas.

What's your story?

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New cookbooks: Step-by-step from above

From today's cookbook booty: Cooking from Above: Classics and Cooking From Above: Italian. These are clever books that provide a "top down" view of the cooking process. It allows the reader/cook to see step-by-step how the dishes are made, all photographed straight down on the ingredients.

I sort of like it and I sort of don't. I can see how it's helpful for a novice cook to see the pan and bowl sizes and how big some of the ingredients are, especially things like slices of bread, potatoes, garlic cloves and shallots. Great to see, also, how the dishes look while cooking and when cooked. Very cool for a visual learner.

There are 60 to 80 recipes in each book and they appear very Euro/British. Fresh sardines, broiled tomatoes, lots of Indian recipes, you know, stuff like that. Both writers, Keda Black and Laura Zavan, are French. I suspect that the widespread appeal in the states for these books will be limited because of the recipes. They aren't really anything you can't get in a lot of places. That said, I like the format a lot and think it is a classy model for other books.

Here's a recipe from Classics. According to Black: "This sauce is good for pasta and as a pizza topping. It is delicious served with sliced eggplant cooked on the grills. Add 2/3 cup coconut milk and a pinch of saffron threads for an excellent stock in which cook fish or prawns." Sounds like dinner tonight.

Cherry Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed and finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound cherry tomatoes
2 thyme sprigs and/or 4 basil stalks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon butter (optional)

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Soften the garlic and onion for 5 minutes; do not allow them to color. Add the tomatoes, the thyme and/or basil, and salt and pepper, sugar (sugar tempers a bit of the tomatoes' acid). Mix well then let cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes over a low-medium heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the little bit of butter, which will make the sauce richer.

Makes enough sauce for pasta for 4.

Source: Cooking from Above: Classics by Keda Black (Hamlyn)

Food Network launches new Web site for younger, hipper viewers

 
The Food Network attracts lots of 20something, and younger viewers, with shows like Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives, Bobby Flay's Throwdowns, Ace of Cakes, Iron Chef and all of those challenges, cakes and otherwise. Doesn't everybody love to see those skyscraper cakes teetering as they're moved to the judging tables? Do you secretly hope for a disaster? Anyhoo . . .

Now the network is reaching out to its younger viewers with a new Web site: Food2.com. This ain't your mother's Food Network site (which as you know is infuriatingly slow). Lots of videos and invitations to Twitter and join them on Facebook. Plenty of photos and super short items. All very Twitter-like.

I watched a couple videos and found them fun even though I am way out of the demographic. You'll see Kelsey from the Next Food Network Star and Spike from Top Chef. There is also a how-to series from food blogger Adam Roberts of The Amateur Gourmet.

Serious cooks probably won't get much out of the silliness but for those kids who never saw anyone make a quesadilla at home, there's much to learn. Kraft ads figure prominently so you know that big food conglomerate sees a market.

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FDA warns about salmonella in alfalfa sprouts

Be careful about eating raw alfalfa sprouts right now. Cases of salmonella have been linked to sprouts in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia.

According to the FDA, the contamination appears to be in the seeds themselves so washing the alfalfa sprouts won't likely do any good.

Add this to a long list of stories about contaminated food in the last year. Spinach, scallions, peanuts, etc., have all had their tainted time in the sun. Congress is considering setting up a separate agency to oversee food safety. The FDA has complained it doesn't have the budget or people to adequately police our food supply. Clearly, though, we really need the oversight.

I doubt the alfalfa sprout contamination will get too many people up in arms, though. It's not like peanuts that go into a lot of food that children eat. Personally, I've never been a big fan of the alfalfa sprout. Too hairy. I always pick them off my salads and sandwiches. I like the bean sprout so much better.

That said, the state of our raw food supply seems precarious. I worry though, that we are getting desensitized to all the contamination trouble.

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Your weekly menu planner

Here's your Monday to Friday menu lineup! Make two out five and feel immensely proud of yourself.

Monday: Penne for your thoughts
Make Caprese Penne with nearly the same ingredients as the ubiquitous salad. Cook the totally tubular pasta, drain it and drizzle with olive oil and a bit of butter. Add chunks of fresh mootz, minced garlic, grape tomatoes and ribbons of basil. The residual heat will slightly melt the cheese and bring out the tomatoes’ sweetness. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with a salad or as a side dish for grilled anything.

Next Tuesday: Cinco celebration
Salute the mighty-but-tiny Mexican army that defeated French forces in the Battle of Puebla with margaritas and tacos. Practice this week for next by making your own tacos or buy one of those kits and follow the directions. Sure, it’s cheating, but time isn’t on your side on this busy Tuesday. Doesn’t someone have a science project due?

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
Chicken and Rice Soup is a quick fix dump-soup for hump day. Bring 2 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water to a boil and add 1 cup of rice and carrot and celery slices. While rice and veggies cook, shred chicken. Add chicken to broth along with a few shakes of dried tarragon or Italian seasoning. Bake biscuits (we like Sister Schubert’s; look for them in the frozen food aisle) and toss a green salad.

Thursday: Stir it fast
An easy Beef Vegetable Stir Fry starts with a pound of skirt steak cut into thin strips. Heat oil in a skillet and add strips to hot pan. Let cook for about five minutes, stirring. Stir in a 1-pound bag of frozen veggies (whatever mixture you like as long as it’s not succotash) plus a 1/2 cup of bottled teriyaki sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook another five minutes. Serve with rice.

Friday: Chicken crunch
Chinese Chicken & Noodle Salad (recipe below) may be a lot of chopping for a Friday night, so the editors at Cooking Light offer these tips: “Refrigerate the vegetables, toasted noodle mixture, chicken and dressing in separate containers for up to 1 day. Toss together just before serving.” No excuses.

Chinese Chicken & Noodle Salad
1 (3-ounce) package low-fat ramen-noodle soup mix
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
11/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
3 slices fresh ginger,  each 1/4-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
5 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
5 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 scallions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble ramen noodles onto a large rimmed baking sheet (discard seasoning packet or save for another use). Add almonds, sesame seeds and canola oil; toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir, then bake until the noodles are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan with water to cover. Add ginger and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until no longer pink in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board to cool. Using forks, shred into bite-sized pieces. (Discard the poaching liquid.)

Meanwhile, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved.

Just before serving, combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Add the toasted noodle mixture and the dressing; mix well.

Serves 4.

Source: Eating Well

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