Monthly Cooking Thread - June 2019

[kalee]

I am looking for a recipe for low carb eggplant parmesan or rollatini. Anyone have a tried and true recipe to recommend?

[kalee]

I am looking for a recipe for low carb eggplant parmesan or rollatini. Anyone have a tried and true recipe to recommend?

[Liz]

Too bad they closed.......hope they get aother chance to feed the hungry

[Jamestown1630]

I haven’t made this, but it looks like it might work. The problem is finding a way to bread the eggplant. This is one of several I’ve seen that uses almond flour/meal:

https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/low-carb-eggplant-parmesan

(I wish people who do food blogs would put the recipe at the top, so you don’t have to scroll through all the pictures to find it...)

[Liz]

Nice appy---crunchy w/ a hot dip---not carb-friendly, but healthy.
Use leftover cooked g/beans---or just micro a plateful. Or use roasted brussels sprouts.

Crispy Green Beans / Sriracha Aioli

Ing 1/4 cup canola mayo 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk 2 tsp Sriracha tb fresh lime juice 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat panko 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp gar/powder 1/2 tsp ground red pepper 1/8 tsp k/salt 1/2 cup flour 4 lge egg whites, beaten pound leftover steamed green beans

AOLI Combine mayonnaise, buttermilk, Sriracha, and lime juice; cover and chill.

GREEN BEANS Place even layer panko on sheetpan. Bake golden 375 deg 4 min. Transfer panko to shallow dish; cool completely. Add thyme, garlic powder, pepper, and salt; toss well. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg whites in another shallow dish. Dredge half of green beans in flour. Dip in egg whites; dredge in panko mixture. Place beans on a baking sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining beans, flour, egg whites, and panko mixture. Place remaining coated beans on another baking sheet. Bake 375 deg 8 min til crisp.

SERVE with Sriracha Aioli.

[Liz]

This rhubarb/strawberry compote is handy to have in your fridge. Over ice cream,
plain cake (add a dab of sour cream). Or for breakfast......over pancakes or waffles.

Just cook down equal parts strawberries and rhubarb with sugar, lemon juice, and water.

[Jamestown1630]

What does rhubarb by itself taste like?

[Liz]

Very sour——needs lots of sugar to be platable.

Often used w/ strawberries to enhance the flavor.

NOTE: DO NO EAT THE LEAVES-——they are poisonous.

[Jamestown1630]

Yes, I knew about the leaves.

[Liz]

You could also use the compote to make a fast dessert---rhubarb crisp.

Just put the compote in pretty oven bakeware and cover with crumb topping...then bake.

Serve warm w/ whipped cream or ice cream

[Liz]

Eating blueberries every day improves heart health
Medical XPress ^ | May 30, 2019 | University of East Anglia
FR Posted by ConservativeMind

New findings published today show that eating 150g (1 cup) of blueberries daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15 percent. The team set out to see whether eating blueberries had any effect on Metabolic Syndrome—a condition, affecting one-third of westernised adults, which comprises at least three of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, low levels of ‘good cholesterol’ and high levels of triglycerides. “Previous studies have indicated that people who regularly eat blueberries have a reduced risk of developing conditions including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This may be because blueberries are high in naturally occurring compounds called anthocyanins, which are the flavonoids responsible for the red and blue color in fruits.

The team investigated the effects of eating blueberries daily in 138 overweight and obese people, aged between 50 and 75, with Metabolic Syndrome. The six-month study was the longest trial of its kind. They looked at the benefits of eating 150 gram portions (one cup) compared to 75 gram portions (half a cup). The participants consumed the blueberries in freeze-dried form and a placebo group was given a purple-colored alternative made of artificial colors and flavorings. Co-lead, Dr. Peter Curtis, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “We found that eating one cup of blueberries per day resulted in sustained improvements in vascular function and arterial stiffness—making enough of a difference to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by between 12 and 15 percent.

“The simple and attainable message is to consume one cup of blueberries daily to improve cardiovascular health. “Unexpectedly, we found no benefit of a smaller 75 gram (half cup) daily intake of blueberries in this at-risk group.” (Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...

[Jamestown1630]

I think this is one of the components that, along with resveratrol, was supposed to make the moderate intake of red wine heart-healthy.

[Jamestown1630]

The Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook is on sale in Kindle form today:

https://www.amazon.com/Momofuku-Milk-Bar-Christina-Tosi-ebook/dp/B0058Z4NQO?_bbid=12484293&tag=bookbubemail4-20

[Covenantor]

Yup, raw rhubarb is sour/tart tasting. As kids we would grab a stalk, break it above the “heart” dip them in the sugar bowl and munch away. A family friend made exceptional rhubarb rolls with sponge cake(?) lightly dusted with confectioners sugar. Her secret rhubarb fill was summer perfect slightly tart tasting...hard to describe it. Mmmmmm!!

[Jamestown1630]

I’m not ready to pay $5 per pound. But I’ll remember ‘Mmmmmm’ when I find it cheaper somewhere :-)

[Covenantor]

Never had any recipe for rhubarb anything, so I’ve been totally oblivious to prices. Childhood stuff came from our small garden.

That’s more expensive than good ground beef, besides rhubarb and beer don’t get along. ;>)

[Liz]

Actually, if you bought a pound, you’d get quite a bit.

Try to buy just a few stalks at first.......to see if you enjoy it.

[Jamestown1630]

I’ll probably spring for it. The average recipe I see calls for 4 or 5 cups chopped, if you’re using just rhubarb.

[Liz]

Try this refreshing rhubarb lemonade--just cook down diced rhubarb, sugar and water to a syrup.

Strain the syrup into iced lemonade---bottled Simply Lemonade is good. Add a mint leaf.

[Liz]

Cross between a croissant and a muffin; buttery, flaky, fruity pastries.
Perfect for brunch or an indulgent treat. Uses French pastry technque.

Almond Raspberry Muffins

PREP 140g cold unsalted butter, chopped into sugar-cube-sized pieces.

FRENCH PASTRY measure 75ml just-warm water, add/stir/dissolve tsp fast-action yeast. Measure 75ml ice-cold water add tsp lemon juice. Mix 225g strong white flour, sifted, 25g golden caster superfine sugar, 1/2 tsp fine salt, then toss w/ cubes of butter until flour-coated. Splash w/ yeast water and lemon water. W/ round-bladed knife, work quickly to bring to a rough dough with lumps of butter held inside. Shape on floured work surface into squat rectangle without kneading too much, then saran/chill 15 mins in freezer.

Roll in one direction on flour 3 times long as it is wide, or about 45 x 15cm; keep sides straight, top and bottom edges as square as possible. Fold pastry over itself. Fold bottom third up, then top third down, into neat block.

Turn block so that open edge faces right, like a book. Press edges together gently w/ rolling pin. Roll out/fold 3 more times to a smooth dough, w/ streak of butter here and there. If it feels greasy, or becomes springy, cover/chill 10 min. Wrap finished dough; chill an hr. Put dough on floured work surface; half at middle; fridge one half. Roll the other to 30 x 20cm rectangle, then cut 3 strips, each 10cm wide. To create even more layers, fold each piece in half lengthways.

ASSEMBLY Put generous tea Filling at one end, then roll pastry into spiral. Place, cut-edge up, into 6 muffin tin. Loosely saran. Can be chilled overnight. (freeze leftover filling). Proof dough at cool room temp 2 hrs--til pastry fills tin.

Bake 350 deg 20-25 min til risen and deep golden brown; cool a bit on rack.
GARNISH W/ chef’s squeeze bottle filled w/ few tb seedless raspberry jam, push nozzle into middles and squeeze.

SERVE Dusted w/ conf; eat cooled.

FILLING beat 50g ea sweet butter, superfine caster sugar, grnd almonds, tsp flour, droplets almond extract, egg yolk; add pinch salt.

CAN DO AHEAD but warm dough on counter before baking.