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Noteworthy Nibbles - Oct. 21-27, 2008

YumSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:00:02 -0700

This week's events have left me curious: Exactly what activities does one partake in at a Pig Stein? Or a Yambilee? If you have attended these in the past, I'd love to know. Will anyone be at the James Beard Foundation's Taste America in Las Vegas?

If you know something we've left out, please leave a message in the comments below!

Las Vegas, NV: Rising Stars Las Vegas - Oct. 21
Torrance, CA: Oktoberfest at Alpine Village - Oct. 21-26
San Francisco, CA: Joy of Sake San Francisco - Oct. 23
Atlanta, GA: Celebrity Chef Tour Atlanta - Oct. 23
Portland, ME: Harvest on the Harbor - Oct. 23-25
Mountain View, AR: Arkansas Bean Fest - Oct. 23-25
Kohler, WI: Kohler Food & Wine Experience - Oct. 23-26
Opelousas, LA: Louisiana Yambilee - Oct. 23-26
Las Vegas, NV: The James Beard Foundation's Taste America Las Vegas - Oct. 24-26

To see the rest, read more.

Lynchburg, TN: Jack Daniel's Invitational Barbecue - Oct. 25
Keene, NH: Pumpkin Festival - Oct. 25
Orlando, FL: Central Florida VegFest - Oct. 25
Lexington, NC: The Barbecue Festival - Oct. 25
Kitty Hawk, NC: Pig Stein 2008 - Oct. 25
Powhatan, VA: Festival of the Grape - Oct. 25
Fredericksburg, TX: Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival - Oct. 25
New York, NY: Feast With Famous Faces - Oct. 27

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Burning Question: What's the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:00:35 -0700

While they're often used interchangeably here in the United States, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. In fact, the two are not even distantly related to one another!

Sweet potatoes originate from South America, and come in two different kinds: a pale-skinned variety, which has a thin yellow skin and a crumbly flesh similar to a baking potato, and a darker-skinned variety, which is often confused with the yam. The darker-skinned potato has a thicker, dark orange skin and a moist, soft interior.

Yams, which originated in Africa, are naturally sweeter than sweet potatoes and have a higher moisture content. The skin of a yam, while also dark brown, is dull in color and rough in texture compared to a dark-skinned sweet potato.

The tuberous two are easily confused because they do truly have many similarities. Both are in season from October through March, and can be prepared using the same methods, including baking, steaming, deep-frying, and microwaving. And, of course, both taste insanely delicious with brown sugar and marshmallows!

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Enjoy a Kwanzaa Feast

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 06:15:31 -0800

Although Kwanzaa is relatively new as far as holidays go - it was created in 1966 - the foods used to celebrate it are based on old traditions. The final feast of the holiday - the Karamu - showcases fruits and vegetables that symbolize the past and current growth of African culture. Old family meals are often served in order to share them with the next generation. Some of the great dishes that can be found on the Karamu table include Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, African Squash and Yams, and Fruits with Honey-Lime Sauce. To learn the recipes for these traditional family favorites, read more

Fresh Fruit with Honey-Lime Sauce
From Better Homes and Gardens

2 cups cut-up fresh pineapple
3 kiwifruit, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
1 medium papaya, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 medium banana, sliced
1/4 of a small watermelon, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 recipe Honey-Lime Sauce (see below)

Arrange pineapple, kiwi fruit, papaya, banana, and watermelon on 6 small plates.
Sprinkle with lime juice.
Spoon Honey-Lime Sauce over each serving.
Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.

Honey-Lime Sauce
In a medium mixing bowl stir together one 8-ounce container low-fat vanilla yogurt, 4 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel, and 1 tablespoon lime juice.

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
From ChefMom.com

1 cup olive oil
1 cup flour
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 cups minced celery
2 cups minced onion
1 cup minced green bell pepper
1 cup minced red pepper
1 cup minced green onion
2 quarts chicken stock
4-5 cans diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 cloves
1/2 tsp hot sauce
2-3 lbs smoked sausage or andouille if you prefer
3 lbs chicken

In a large stock pot (preferably at least 8 quarts) add your chicken and add just enough water to cover the chicken. Add some salt, pepper, garlic powder to give chicken little extra flavor.

Cook until chicken falls from bone, remove from pot and cut into uniform pieces, add back to pot.

In large heavy skillet (I use cast iron chicken fryer), heat oil and flour over medium high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Cook approximately 10 min until it has turned a caramel color. (Some people prefer a darker roux, if so just continue cooking until desired color is achieved.)

To the roux, add all the vegetables and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add by large spoonfuls to the stockpot, stirring after each addition.

Once the roux has been added, then add your tomates, if using frozen just put them in frozen - they'll cook down. If you use diced tomates, crush them as you add them. Slice smoked sausage into 1/4 rounds and add to pot.

Allow this mixture to simmer for about an hour, and you'll have a hearty meal. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes it makes a terrific meal.

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African Squash And Yams
From theholidayspot.com

1 sm Onion; chopped, pared & cut into 1" pieces
2 tbs Oil
1 c Coconut Milk
1 lb Hubbard squash; pared and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
2 medium size Yams or sweet potatoes
1/4 ts Ground cloves
Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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Yummy Link: Maple-Glazed Gingered Yams

YumSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:13:33 -0800

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner is eating the lovely sweet yams. This year I might try this recipe for maple-glazed gingered yams. They look so tasty! - Ladle and Whisk

Thanksgiving Tip: Calculate How Much Food You'll Need

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:42:21 -0800

For an elaborate meal like Thanksgiving, it's crucial to consider how much food you'll serve. Too little, and you'll leave guests wishing they could gobble up more; too much, and you'll wind up with Thanksgiving leftovers for weeks. To make sure your food doesn't go to waste, take time to do some adequate planning. A few pointers, when you read more.

Burning Question: Does Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:00:58 -0800

This age-old claim is both fact as well as fiction. Turkey does contain tryptophan, an amino acid that often converts to serotonin, a sleep-regulating neurotransmitter. But in order to truly experience the side effects of tryptophan, one would need to eat copious amounts of turkey on an empty stomach.

Tryptophan can be found to some degree in red meat, eggs, fish, poultry - virtually every animal product. And in reality, few people eat solely turkey at a Thanksgiving meal. Most of us also eat massive quantities of sides, such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, and yams. These carbohydrate-heavy foods trigger the pancreas to produce insulin, which blocks energy. Combine this "food-coma" effect with a few too many glasses of wine and football on the couch, and you're in for quite a sleepy night, turkey or no turkey.

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Sweet Potato Casserole Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:30:20 -0800

For Thanksgiving, sweet potato casserole is a surefire winner: those who don't eat vegetables and kids who won't eat yams will happily sink their forks into this delicious casserole. While the toppings vary based on the recipe, the concept is the same: creamy, puréed, sugar-tinged sweet potatoes with nuts, glaze, or marshmallows on top. These two variations are similar, but the expert version, with its nutty topping, requires an extra step and a food processor. To see both recipes, read more.

Beginner Sweet Potato Casserole
From Taste of Home

Ingredients

Casserole:
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 pounds (about 4 cups) sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
Topping:
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla extract and sugar.
Spread into a greased 1-1/2-qt. casserole.
For topping, combine all ingredients and sprinkle over potatoes.
Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Expert Sweet Potato Casserole
From Saveur

Ingredients

4 lbs. sweet potatoes
1⁄2 cup evaporated milk
1⁄2 cup sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. ground allspice
2 eggs, beaten
3⁄4 cup roasted salted cashews
1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups mini marshmallows

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Place sweet potatoes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; bake until soft, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Let cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Peel potatoes; pass them through a food mill into a bowl.
Whisk in evaporated milk, sugar, 4 tablespoons of the butter, vanilla extract, salt, allspice, and eggs. Transfer to a 2-quart oval baking dish.
In a food processor, pulse together cashews, brown sugar, flour, and remaining 2 tbsp. of butter until coarsely ground.
Crumble cashew mixture over half of casserole; top other half with marshmallows.
Bake until marshmallows are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Serves 8 to 10.

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In Season: Kale

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:00:33 -0800

It's a shame that so many varieties of kale wind up as garnish on a plate, because the truth is, this dark, tender green tastes divine. Unlike iceberg lettuce, this sweet relative of cabbage happens to be loaded with nourishing nutrients. While the leaves are often available year-round, the peak of kale's season is in the Fall and Winter, so right now it is abundant at the market. To find out what to look for in kale, read more.

Fresh kale will have a deep green hue and moist, hardy stems.
Avoid leaves that are wilted, browned, or have small holes in them. The kale should be displayed in a cool environment, as it does not react well to heat.
Take the time to select smaller leaves; they are younger and will be more tender.
Store refrigerated, wrapped with a damp paper towel in a plastic bag, for no more than several days. When ready to use, soak in water to rid of sand or dirt.

Some preparation ideas:

Boil and mash with potatoes to make colcannon.
Sauté or boil, then serve on crusty bread with an egg on top.
Serve sautéed on top of baked yams with a dollop of sour cream.
Heat kale with carrots, onions, and zucchini; stir in canned tomatoes and beans and simmer for a hearty stew.

Are you a fan of kale? If so, how do you enjoy it?

Talking Top Chef With Padma and Tom

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:35:11 -0700

As you probably know, the next season of Top Chef starts this Wednesday, Mar. 12. The contestants look - if I can borrow a word from Project Runway - fierce and the competition should be exciting.

We recently had the opportunity - along with a large group of other folks - to sit down and chat with Padma and Chef Tom. They talked about the talent during this season, their interaction with past contestants, the producers, and their food pet peeves. To find out what they had to say, read more.

On why they come back each year:

Padma: Well I’ve been doing it for three seasons, but I just love food. You know again, we’re surrounded by people talking shop and, you know, I’m the kind of girl that talks about dinner as I’m finishing up lunch.

So it’s the perfect job for me.

Tom: You know, for me the show is - sort of means something in the industry now. And what really keeps me going is I kind of treat the contestants as if they were working for me in my kitchen. And sometimes I’m harsh because I’m harsh on the cooks in my kitchen. And there are other times that I’m very encouraging. . . And so, you know, part of being a chef is teaching. And so I get a lot of gratitude out of, you know, meeting these young chefs who I probably wouldn’t know and seeing what they’re doing.

On keeping in touch with the contestants:

Padma: I run into Ilan and I run into Sam because they’re in New York. So once in awhile I’ll see them and, you know, it’s always nice to see them.

Tom: Well I run into - you know, Sam, I actually brought him down to Florida to do something. It was - we were cooking for the Naples Wine and Food Auction, and I brought him down to be one of the feature chefs down there. Actually, Harold was on that trip, too along with two other chefs that are friends of mine.

On their food pet peeves:

Padma: Tom doesn’t like skins on bell pepper.

Tom: But I’ll eat that. I will not eat okra. I hate it. That and grated mountain yams for the same reason - slimy.

Padma: It’s not slimy when I make okra. I fry okra.

Tom: I don’t care who makes it. You can fry it. You can do whatever you want with it. You can keep it. All the okra lovers out there, there’s just more for them because I don’t want it.

Padma: Yeah. I don’t like raw onions. It’s too pungent for me. I don’t mind, you know, little tiny bit of something but I really am not into raw onions - not on my burger, not on my salads, not on anything.

On the Top Chef producers:

Tom: You know, the one great thing I think about, at least I think for the integrity of the show is - and I know there’s a little disclaimer on the credits, but the producers so far - and I don’t expect they will - have never got involved with who stays or who goes.

They’re there when we’re deliberating because they have to be. They’re shooting it. They also need to know because they have to set cameras and stuff like that when we, you know, announce the winner or loser.

But they, at times, have said are you sure that’s the right person? And we’re like yes, and we’re sure it’s the right person. But they have never influenced our decision.

And most people will not accept that at all. They’ll just say no, this is all predetermined, someone figures it out and that’s it. And it’s not the case.

So there you have it. Be sure to tune in on Wednesday for the season premiere!

Photos courtesy of Bravo.

Top Chef News Roundup - Season 3 is coming up!

YumSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 11:08:00 -0700

There's a bunch of Top Chef related news going on right now - timed to go with the new season I'm sure - so I thought I'd just save some time and post them all at once, here we go!

First of all, Top Chef Season 1 winner, Harold Dieterle, opened up his restaurant Perilla this weekend. His grand opening is tonight - I want to try the Okinawa Yam Dumplings and Spicy Duck Meatballs...
Good ol' Padma (TC host) is heating things up in the current issue of Maxim magazine.
Don't forget, you can chat with Marcel (TC 2) Vigneron tonight at 7pm PT.
Remember how I said to set your tivos on June 13? Well, you better make that June 6. Bravo has a mystery Episode 300, entitled "4 Star All Star" - the first number usually means the season number so what does this sneaky 4 star all star title mean?

Bravo's launching a new site called TopChefOnline.com - they're hoping it will be a year-round destination for TC fans. It will also contain a web show called "Miami Spice" featuring Elia Aboumrad (TC2).
And finally (for now), several of our fave TC faces - Judge Tom Collichio, host Padma Lakshmi, former host Katie Lee Joel, TC 2 winner Ilan Hall and guest judge Ted Allen) - were out last night at the Bon Appetit Magazine & James Beard Foundation's Chef's Night Out. I always wonder if Katie & Padma talk to one another...

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Source: They Cook. We Dish.
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