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KITCHEN TIPS & TECHNIQUES
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KITCHEN TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Food Q & AEatingWell editors answer readers' questions on food topics—from substitutes for exotic ingredients to how to freeze fresh herbsQ: Bagged Produce is easy and convenient, but is it safe to eat right out of the bag? A: Prewashed, ready-to-eat salad kits and their ilk are terrific ways to get us closer to our goals of eating more fruits and vegetables, virtually eliminating prep time. As with any produce, however, eating them raw is never completely risk-free, since it’s the heat of cooking that kills disease-causing bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella. Does that mean you shouldn’t enjoy their convenience? We vote to keep them in your basket.  Foodborne-illness outbreaks caused by produce have been increasing—and lettuce is the vegetable most frequently named, including pre-washed, bagged types. However, “there is no evidence to suggest that washing lettuce or any produce in your own kitchen is any safer than buying it already prewashed,” says Stephen Swanson, M.D., an epidemic intelligence service officer with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The risk of pathogens, he adds, “may even be smaller.” Why? Bagged precut vegetables are washed multiple times in chlorinated water to kill pathogens. Such a washing is often more thorough than the quick rinse typical of your average household kitchen, notes Swanson. “Cross-contamination, where bacteria are transferred from one food to another during food preparation, can also occur in home kitchens.” (Washing the sink, cutting boards, utensils, countertops and your hands with hot soapy water between handling different foods can help prevent this, as well as keeping raw meat and poultry separate from fresh produce; more tips at www.foodsafety.gov.) We believe the many benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables far outweigh the minimal risk of exposure to foodborne pathogens, and so does Swanson. “A diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables is vital to a healthy lifestyle,” he says. “Eat and enjoy the health benefits of fresh produce, whether it’s ready to eat out of the bag, or prepared in your own kitchen.” —Sylvia M. Geiger, M.S., R.D Q: Can you suggest a generally acceptable substitute for sesame oil? A: To replace sesame oil, I would recommend simply using canola oil, knowing that the recipe will still work technically, but you will be giving up the taste of the sesame oil. Q: Is there any alternative I could use that would come close to replicating the flavor of soy sauce?  A: Provided below is a recipe for a soy sauce substitute that can be made ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for months. It can be used as a 1:1 substitute for reduced-sodium soy sauce. You may find that you want to add salt to taste along with the sugar to taste. Wheat-free, Soy-free Soy Sauce Substitute 8 fluid ounces Molasses 3 fluid ounce Balsamic Vinegar Sugar and/or sugar to taste Q: Can you recommend a good source for information on a gluten-free diet? A: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/ Q: Can baked cheesecakes be frozen? A: Cheesecakes freeze extremely well. After baking, cool the cake completely. (It may be worth cooling overnight in the refrigerator to be sure it’s completely cool.) Once cool, remove the springform collar and wrap it tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap. If you’re worried that the plastic wrap will damage the surface of the cake, I recommend freezing the cake slightly before wrapping — it will prevent the plastic from sticking to the surface of the cake. To thaw, let it defrost slowly in the refrigerator. You may find that a bit of condensation forms on the top of the cake, but it can simply be dabbed off with a paper towel. If you plan to add any garnishes, fruit, etc. to the cheesecake, do so just before serving. Q: Just what is a "medium" potato? Some of my recipes call for "3 medium potatoes" or "4 medium potatoes." I'm never quite sure just how much potato I should use in those recipes. Potatoes from our garden or from farmers' markets, even some supermarket potatoes, vary widely in size & shape. Can you tell us how many grams or ounces there would be in a typical "medium" potato? A: We try to leave our vegetable weights unspecific when possible so readers will feel like our recipes are flexible enough to accommodate a range of different weights. When the weight of a vegetable or vegetables really matters for the success of a recipe we are careful to specify. However, I understand how that might be a problem when cooking with farmer’s market and/or fresh garden produce. When we call for a medium potato, we mean a 6- to 8-ounce potato. Q: What exactly is chile-garlic sauce? I have Thai Garlic-Chili Pepper Sauce but don't think that is what is called for in your recipe. A: The product we call for, chile-garlic sauce, is the same as the Thai garlic-chili pepper sauce you have — just two different spellings. It’s commonly used in Asian cooking and adds a spicy, garlic taste with only one ingredient. Q: Can I successfully substitute whole-wheat allpurpose flour for whole-wheat pastry flour? A: Whole-wheat flour has more “gluten-forming potential” than whole-wheat pastry flour and will yield a stickier dough. For delicate baked goods, like scones, we don’t recommend substituting regular whole-wheat flour for the whole-wheat pastry flour. Unfortunately, they are not interchangeable. If you can’t find whole-wheat pastry flour in the supermarket aisle with the rest of the flour, it’s usually found in the natural foods section of large supermarkets. Q: How are the health values of different cooking oils, as well as the different smoke points of each affected when heated too high? More specifically, are the beneficial nutrients of olive oil destroyed when it is heated too high?  A: Extra-virgin olive oil is not generally recommended when cooking over high heat. The concern about the oil breaking down and “changing it’s chemical structure” only comes in when the oil is above 250°F. (Some producers of extra-virgin olive oil say that the smoke point is as high as 425°F.) Q: Can EatingWell recommend a brand of soy milk that tastes the most like cow’s milk? A: We like the brand Silk. Silk’s soy milk is found in the refrigerated dairy section in large supermarkets and in natural foods stores. The taste is very palatable for those unaccustomed to soy milk and the texture is more pleasing than some other brands. Silk makes fortified plain and vanilla soy milk with 4 grams of fat per serving, just above the “low-fat” guideline of 3 grams of fat per serving. Q: When you marinate meat, how much of the oil is actually absorbed by the meat? For instance: a recipe calls for 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and the marinade calls for lime juice in addition to 2 ounces of oil. How does this amount of oil affect the end calorie count? Typically the marinade would be discarded before cooking. Does the chicken actually "absorb" the fat? Is there a difference between different cuts of meat based on leanness?  A: Sylvia Geiger, M.S., R.D., EatingWell’s Nutrition Advisor explains that when meat is marinated, oil or other soluble fats aren’t actually absorbed into the protein, they just cling to the food and coat it. In our nutritional analysis, we only include the amount of fat that coats the protein, not what is discarded. There isn’t a formula we use to figure out the percent of fat that coats the protein, we actually measure the amount left over with every recipe that includes a marinade. Surprisingly little fat coats the protein after marinating. To give you an idea of what’s typical, we marinated 1 pound of flank steak in a 1/2 cup of marinade which included 2 tablespoons canola oil. After an hour of marinating, 1/3 cup of the marinade was left over. Only 1/6 of a cup coated the steak. The 1/6-cup amount was included in our nutritional analysis. Q: What does upper or lower one third of oven mean? There are only 4 rack positions. Is it more clear to mention rack position instead of upper or lower one third of oven? A: Ovens vary in terms of rack positions. Our Kenmore ovens, made for home cooking, have 5 and 6 rack positions. When we call for "the upper third" of the oven, we're asking for the rack to be positioned approximately 6 to 8 inches below the broiler. Our upper most rack is very close to the heat, so we almost always use the "second rack down" when specifying the upper third. If your oven has only 4 racks, I would recommend using the rack that comes closest to 6 to 8 inches from the broiler. Q: What is the difference between golden and brown flax seed? A: We like to use brown flax seeds in the test kitchen because they are more economical than golden flax seeds and readily available in most large supermarkets. We don’t find that there is a significant difference in flavor between the two, but golden flax seeds will yield baked goods that are lighter in color. Here is the difference between golden and brown flax according to the Flax Council of Canada: “No, one flax seed is not better for you than another. Brown flax seeds provide the same nutritional benefits as golden (or yellow) ones. Both brown and golden flax seeds have plenty of lignans and dietary fibre, and both contain more than 50 per cent alpha-linolenic acid. This is an omega-3 fat which offers you health and heart fitness. Q: Is the sugar substitute Splenda an adequate substitute to cook with?  A: We have experimented with Splenda quite a bit while writing our Diabetes Cookbook and have found that one can’t always substitute 100% Splenda Granular (the boxed package) for sugar in all recipes. Splenda Granular works great to sweeten sauces or even fruit pies, but, we’ve discovered that baked goods, such as cakes and cookies are a bit more dry than our preference when made with Splenda Granular. Fortunately, we’ve found that the Splenda Sugar Blend (packaged in a pouch), a mix of sugar and Splenda, works well in baked goods. It can be substituted in recipes (1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for each 1 cup of sugar) and will reduce the calories by half while maintaining some of the baking properties of sugar. Q: Which brand(s) of tuna tested with the lowest mercury and how did their labels read? So many of the labels in my local market use the word "light" in a way that I'm finding it difficult to determine which one is actually "chunk light". A: The terms “light” and “chunk light” or “chunk lite” are used interchangeably. We’ve noticed that the texture can vary according to what it’s called, but they are all lower in mercury than solid white tuna. Q: Are there any adequate substitutes for fish sauce for those of us highly allergic to fish and seafood? A: There is a vegetarian version of fish sauce called nuoc mam chay and there are also vegetarian versions of oyster-flavored sauce that would work as a substitute. Look for these products in an Asian food market. Alternatively, you can try adding soy sauce plus a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of sugar. Q: Why do many EatingWell recipes call for canola oil over other cooking oils? A: We use canola oil because it's low in saturated fat and flavorless. Q: What is a good brand of whole-wheat pastry flour? A: We use three brands of whole-wheat pastry flour: Arrowhead Mills, Bob's Red Mill and Hodgson Mill. All work very well for baking, but I prefer Arrowhead Mills for pie crust because of it's finer texture. Q: Could you recommend an excellent basic cookbook for a young working pre-diabetic mom who would like to learn to cook more healthy meals, using more legumes and presumably less meat? A: EatingWell has just published a cookbook dedicated entirely to diabetes called the EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook. We also recommend Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook: Everyday Meals, Easy as 1-2-3 as a good, basic cookbook for someone learning to cook more healthfully. Q: Is quick-cooking barley the same as “pearl barley”? A: Pearled barley is not the same product as “quick-cooking pearled barley.” Pearled barley takes 35 to 50 minutes to prepare while quick-cooking pearled barley takes only 10 to 12 minutes. It is the same grain, but quick-cooking barley has been milled and partially cooked—similar to instant rice—to reduce the cooking time. Any recipe calling for quick-cooking barley can be made with pearled barley, but the barley cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly. Q: If you're using a convention oven, what should be considered if I want to use my convection model? A: Cooking in a convection oven is not an exact science since the times can vary according to manufacturer and/or what's in the oven. It takes some experimenting, but as a rule, when baking with convection, you can reduce the oven temperature by 25°F and expect the food to be done is less time 20-30% less time. You may also want to consult the owner's manual for your particular oven, it may have more suggestions for successful convection cooking. Q: I grow fresh herbs in the summer to perk up everyday meals, but when I dry them for winter use, some lose their punch. How can I preserve the intense flavor and aroma? A: Before choosing a method of preservation, consider the structure of the herb itself. Tender leaves, such as basil, chives, cilantro, dill, mint and parsley, are better suited to freezing. Blanching them first captures the fresh flavor extraordinarily well. Drop into boiling water for several seconds, then with a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to a bowl of ice water to chill for several seconds more. Blot dry with paper towels. Spread a single layer of the blanched herbs on a wax paper-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic and freeze until solid, about one hour. Transfer to plastic storage bags. Blanched herbs can be frozen for up to four months and can be chopped in their frozen state before being added to soups, stews and sauces. Reserve drying for hardier leaves, such as rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage. A dehydrator is the most efficient way to uniformly dry herbs, or you may simply hang them in bunches from their stems in a dark place for five to ten days, until they are brittle to the touch. To protect the herbs from dust while drying, enclose them in a paper bag with holes punched in it. Store in an airtight jar out of the light, then crumble to release their fragrance before use. Q: Occasionally, I want to make a recipe that calls for buttermilk—but I don‘t keep it on hand because no one in my household drinks it. Can you suggest a substitute? A: Buttermilk enhances many baked goods. If you don't bake often, however, you may hesitate to buy a quart of it for a recipe that requires a cup or less. Instead, for each cup of buttermilk concoct a simple "sour milk" alternative by mixing 2 tablespoons lemon juice into 7/8 cup fresh milk or plain soy milk. Let stand a few minutes before using. Another convenient alternative favored by many experienced bakers is shelf-stable buttermilk powder, which requires only the addition of water. Substitute according to package directions, but for added calcium and body, use low-fat milk rather than water. (SACO Cultured Buttermilk Blend can be found at supermarkets; King Arthur Flour's buttermilk powder is available from The Baker's Catalogue, 800-827-6836, www.bakerscatalogue.com.) Q: I love shrimp, but given their high cholesterol, I've disciplined myself to stay away from these crustaceans for years. Does the latest research release me from my abstinence? A: One of the problems with most high-cholesterol foods is their high content of saturated fat, but shrimp is an exception; it's very low in saturated and total fat. Shrimp and squid are two seafoods with high cholesterol content, but these foods are no longer frowned upon by most nutrition advisors. Current thinking is that foods high in cholesterol don't raise cholesterol levels in the body nearly as much as foods high in saturated fats. If you have high cholesterol, diabetes or cardiovascular disease and want to keep your dietary-cholesterol intake low, shrimp can still be on the menu. A serving of six to eight medium shrimp—a total of 63 milligrams of cholesterol—still leaves you well under the daily limit of 200 milligrams, as recommended by the American Heart Association. Everyone else—with a higher limit of 300 milligrams—can enjoy the same meal relatively guilt-free. « Back |
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