thegoodfood

Archive for April, 2010

One of the cheaper and more popular types of sushi in the market nowadays is the Inari Sushi. It is made by stuffing sushi rice, and even some vegetables into small pouches of deep fried bean curd or tofu, also more popularly known in its Japanese term as aburage. Instead of the usual Nori seaweed or soybean paper, aburage is used in this sushi. Aburage can either be sold in packets or packaged in cans, and is widely distributed throughout most Japanese specialty stores or supermarkets. This type of sushi is also called by some famous nicknames, like pocket-sushi and brown-bag sushi. But whatever the monikers may be, this type of sushi is easy to make, less expensive, and tastes really good!

Following the simple procedures below can have you making your own Inari sushi in no time.

Inari Sushi Rice Recipes

Ingredients:

4 deep fried tofu pieces, cut into half

2 cups prepared sushi rice

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons Mirin or sweet Japanese cooking wine

1 and ¼ cup Dashi or fish stock

Salt

¼ cup shredded carrots (par-boiled)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (toasted) optional

Pickled ginger (for garnish)

Steps

1. Since the tofu is deep-fried, it is necessary to get rid of the excess oils. Do this by soaking them in boiling water. Cool for a while, and then cut them into half. This makes 8 tofu pouches in all.

2. Combine soy sauce, sugar, dashi and mirin in a small pan. Bring to a boil over slow to medium heat. Add the tofu pockets to the boiling sauce. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, over slow heat, and completely covered. After 20 minutes, turn off heat, and drain the tofu. Squeeze them dry and set aside.

3. Combine sushi rice, carrots, and the toasted sesame seeds.

4. Stuff the rice mixture into the cut tofu, carefully folding over the ends to secure it.

5. Arrange in a plate and garnish with the pickled ginger.

This recipe yields 8 servings of Inari Sushi

Some useful tips:

• Some canned tofu are seasoned and already cut into serving pouches. Therefore, you can do away with the simmering in soy-sauce and mirin mixture. However, boiling the tofu in the sauce is most ideal, as it will ensure more flavor.

• Mirin is a kind of Japanese cooking wine, sort of a sweeter version of the usual sake. The mixture in making this wine usually consists of steamed mochigome rice, shochu (Japanese liquor), and komekoji (rice yeast). These are then fermented to make mirin. There are actually two types of mirin available in the market. Hon mirin contains 14 percent alcohol. Shin mirin has less than 1 percent alcohol, and is therefore more ideal for cooking. Shin Mirin is often bottled and has a yellow gold color. Mirin is also used to prepare seasoning for sushi rice.

• Aburage is often confused with Atsuage. While both are soybean products, and are deep fried, aburage is of the thinner variety. Atsuage is also triangular in shape, thick, and ideal for simmered soups, added in stir fries, or served with soy sauce. Aburage is often shaped into squares and rectangles. This makes the aburage perfect when stuffed with sushi rice and made into Inari Sushi.

• Dashi or fish stock is relatively easy to make. A cup of Katsuobushi or dried fish flakes can be combined with 2-3 cups of water, and then boiled over low heat. Then the fish flakes can be strained to retain the fish stock.

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About the Author:
Want to make sushi at home, sushi that are much better than those in sushibar? Can’t find the detailed guide? Want to see more Pictures of real sushi? Then http://sushicup.com is for you! Sushi Cooking Guide
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Have you ever eaten a Philippine Lechon? Yeah who haven’t? But do you know how the Philippine Lechon came to Philippines in the first place, or how Philippine Lechon came to be? Well here’s a little information or history about the famous Philippine Lechon.

The Lechon in Philippine Lechon is a Spanish word for suckling pig. A suckling pig is a young pig that has only fed on its mother’s milk. The piglet is killed between the ages of two to six weeks and traditionally roasted. It is usually reserved for special occasions.

Well any way, In the Philippines, it connotes a whole roasted pig, lechón baboy or Philippine Lechon. So if you’re planning on cooking some Philippine Lecheon, the process of Philippine Lecheon involves the whole pig/piglet, chicken, or cattle/calf being slowly roasted over charcoal.

Philippine Lecheon has the similar process as to making the famous Chinese Peking duck or the Balinese Guling celeng (don’t ask me, I don’t know what it is either), or the Western suckling pig, this day-long and arduous method of roasting leaves a crispy skin and very moist meat inside.

Philippine Lechon is often cooked during national festivities (known as fiestas), the holiday season, and other special occasions such as weddings, graduations, birthdays and baptisms, or family get-togethers (bummer!).

The Philippine Lechon is usually the highlight, or the main attraction, and the most popular dish of these events. It is usually served with a liver-based sauce (yum!). However, in some cases, it may be served Chinese style with steamed buns and a sweet plum sauce.

Got you drooling huh? Well you don’t have to wait for some special occasion to eat some of this, if you have the money then go for it! And here’s a convenient way to buy, just go to www.expressregalo.com and find out more about the Philippine Lechon.

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About the Author:
http://www.expressregalo.com
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The food known as pizza today is actually a very Italian food. The very first pizza was created during the 19th Century and is a very recent addition to Italian cuisine. This news may sound surprising considering how simple a culinary invention pizza is: flat bread, tomato sauce, and of course cheese. Although astounding, there lies a fascinating explanation as to why there was such a delay in this food’s invention and it deals with a ubiquitous fruit!

Although pizza is a strictly Italian food, Pizza’s ancestors have their origins deep in Greece. The original ancestors of the Romans migrated from Greece. With the Greeks came the foods that eventually became the common fare of Italians. The breads, herbs, and other foods Italians loved were therefore ripe for becoming pizza. The recipes that predate pizza are ancient; these foods fed men and women for thousands of years. Each ancient comestible recipe is in itself a piece of history.

Is Pizza Italian or American? That is a question many individuals may not know. Perhaps the lack of discernment is a direct result of the relatively young age of this omnipresent, popular dish loved by Americans. Despite America’s love of Pizza, Italians have long held the impressive boast of being the source of one of the world’s favorite foods.

Before the advent of pizza, breads were cooked with herbs and served with meals or as the meal itself. A common bread we use today like this is focaccia bread. Focaccia bread is bread that has its toppings literally cooked in it. Common focaccia bread toppings include cheese, herbs, spices, and vegetables such as fresh olives or sun-dried tomatoes. The ingredients used to make focaccia are quire reminiscent of pizza. The taste of focaccia is certainly amazing, and in Italy, the bread is a popular snack food.

The first to have baked focaccia bread were the early Greeks who migrated to Italy. If these peoples did not, then the Romans most certainly can be credited with the invention. The Romans were quite fond of breads that had toppings baked onto or in them. The Romans of course loved food. The Romans love of food is even evident in what was considered to be a cultural norm: vomiting after meals. The Romans practice of vomiting was not due to a bulimic mindset; rather, vomiting would empty the contents of the stomach and allow the person to eat again immediately.

Each ingredient is thoroughly mixed with the dough and baked to produce a robust, flavorful, and thoroughly enjoyable experience for the pallet. Olive oil is commonly used to garnish the bread.

Aside from Focaccia bread, there are many other types of seasoned breads and flat breads that bear much resemblance early forms of pizza. You will find that the early Greeks, as aforementioned, who colonized Italy can be attributed to planting the proverbial seeds of Italian cuisine. Doing a little research can reveal a interesting history and inform you of the origins of food.

This article really doesn’t do justice to this topic like my website’s comprehensive article on the man who created pizza: Rafael Esposito. The story is both interesting and is a useful piece of trivia. Relating this tid-bit of knowledge at parties or while eating out can be fun for your companions. In addition to discussing the origins of pizza, I go into some detail about how to make pizza. From dough to sauce to cheese to toppings, nearly everything is covered at my site.

To get the full story, check out my website (maybe you’d call it a blog!) dealing with the first pizza maker: Pizza How To. So, if you are wondering if pizza is Italian or American you now know. If you really want the full story, just take a look at my article all about the creator of the first pizza: Pizza How To. Ciao!

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About the Author:
Thanks for stopping by, check out Pizza How To for more information.
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The delicious flavour of seafood is something many strive to taste during their culinary adventures. Not only does seafood form the ingredient of some of the most scrumptious dishes known to man, it also provides great nutritional benefit.

The definition of seafood itself varies depending on which country you are referring to but generally it refers to marine creatures including fish, shellfish and even crustaceans. However in certain countries this definition also extends to various sea plants as well. It is interesting to note that even though there are 32,000 different species of fish only a handful of them are actually consumed including anchovy, salmon, tuna, herring and sardine.

Despite all this the most important ingredient in a fabulous seafood dish is without a doubt the seafood item itself.  The freshness of the item in question plays a major impact and it is for this reason that fresh seafood plays an important role in many restaurants. Because of this fish are kept alive in many restaurants around the world and are killed only once a customer places an order.  The fish industry itself has a prominent segment dedicated to the transportation of fresh fish to international markets. Since most individuals are not willing to kill the fish themselves it can be handy to use the services of a seafood supplier.

Having items delivered under the right conditions can be of the utmost importance. Numerous seafood suppliers can be found who deliver items under strict refrigeration conditions straight to a location of your choosing ensuring its freshness.

It should be noted however that for the home chef, being savy at the local seafood or fish market is still the best route to go as most seafood suppliers only provide wholesale seafood services that revolve around bulk purchases.

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About the Author:
Charuka is the owner of his own web design firm that is based in both Australia and Sri Lanka. He has extensive industry experience both in other firms and in running his own. Charuka also holds a Master of Computing from the University of Western Sydney and is a Bachelor of Information Technology from Charles Stuart University.
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If you are pressed for time, there is a place for Budget Meal Planning in your life.  This saves you time, money and your sanity!  

Maximize the best ground beef recipes

If you make up a double batch of a quick easy ground beef recipe, you have the base of a myriad other meals.  You can transform the leftovers into a Shepherd’s Pie Recipe, Beef Enchilada Recipe or an Easy Eggplant Recipe whereby eggplant is baked and rolled around the ground beef.

A double batch of a Swedish Meatballs Recipe is equally versatile.  You can make leftovers into Albondigas Soup (Meatball Soup) or top them with a Fresh Tomato Sauce to ring the changes.

Double up on Roast Chickens

If you are going to roast one Oven Baked Roast Chicken, you may as well roast two.  One lot of dirty pans and washing up, but  two to three leftover meals. Leftovers make Cajun Chicken Pasta, Easy Chicken Salad, Chicken Pasta Bake and you could even use the carcasses to make the Best Chicken Soup Recipe.

Make the most of Vegetables

Seasonal vegetables are a cheaper option than meat, chicken or fish.  Use vegetables in abundance in a stir-fry,  and then add a tiny bit of finely sliced steak to  make up a warm Thai Beef Salad.  Make a Vegetable Casserole or a Spinach Quiche Recipe – both easy healthy recipes.  And as the weather warms up, meals get lighter: how about a lighter healthier version of a 7 Layer Salad Recipe?

May Meal Planning is now available and offers a wide variety of quick, easy dinner ideas.

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About the Author:
Fiona Lesley has had over 20 years of experience cooking delicious meals for family and friends alike.  A teacher by profession, she brings together her years of time and money-saving tips at www.easy-meal-planning.com
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Here is a healthy old-fashion recipe for Zucchini Lasagne and it is also a good recipe for diabetics since there is no pasta.  Instead of pasta noodles, this recipe is made with layers of zucchini, ground beef, tomato sauce and cheeses.  It is easy to make, delicious and economical.  What a great meal for family dinners, pitch-in meals, church potlucks, etc.  This is a great recipe for summer when zucchini is popular in farmer’s markets and family gardens.  Of course zucchini is also available year-round in our grocery stores and markets.

OLD FASHION ZUCCHINI LASAGNE
 
1 lb lean ground beef
1 can (15-oz) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
4 medium zucchini
1 carton (8-oz) cottage cheese
1/4 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg
2 tbsp flour

In a 10-inch skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is transparent. Drain the beef and onion mixture, return to the skillet; add the tomato sauce, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Slice the zucchini lengthwise in 1/4-inch thick slices. In a small bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the egg. In a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, layer half the zucchini, sprinkle with half the flour. Add half of the cottage cheese-egg mixture, half the meat mixture, and half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the remaining mozzarella. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

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About the Author:
For more of Linda’s old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com
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After a long absence from the American food scene, duck is making a comeback. And why not? Well-prepared duck is tasty and healthy. Both domestic and wild duck are an excellent source of iron and protein. Too, fresh duck is found in many supermarkets and specialty food stores from late spring until early winter (the U.S. government grades ducks from A to C–A being the best), and who doesn’t like to try something other than chicken or beef now and then?

How to buy the bird

When buying duck, be sure to choose a bird with a plump, broad breast and elastic skin. If you buy frozen duck, check that the packaging has no holes that could compromise the quality of the poultry.

The problem with duck

Duck isn’t difficult to prepare—once you know how to do it. The trouble is, very few people (even some chefs in expensive restaurants) know how to cook it properly. Duck is dark, fatty meat. You must cook off as much of the fat as possible to end up with a bird that doesn’t have a tough, chewy skin. (Duck skin should be crispy!)

There are a number of ways people have dealt with this over the years, but let’s focus on the French way.

Cooking duck breast the French way

The first vital step is to prepare the duck for cooking by slicing through the skin and fat. With a sharp knife, press down into the duck’s skin, being careful not to cut through the meat of the bird. The fat is easy to cut, so as soon as you feel some resistance, you’re at the meat. Make a cut about every inch over the surface of the bird; for a more attractive look, use a cross-hatch pattern.

These cuts allow the duck’s fat to drain, which greatly improves the taste and texture of the bird.

Next, you must cook the duck slowly:

Place some oil in a heavy pan and fully preheat on low heat. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Season the duck with pepper and a small amount of salt. (Other seasonings could include cumin, rosemary, fennel, or five spice powder.)

Place the duck, skin side down, in the pan. There shouldn’t be a sizzle. (If there is, remove the duck promptly and allow your pan to cool. Then try reheating the pan on lower heat.)

To prevent the duck from frying in its own fat, drain the fat as needed throughout the cooking process.

In about 15 to 20 minutes, most of the duck fat will be gone. At that time, turn the duck and cook for about 5 to 10 seconds.

Place the duck on an oven rack with a foil-covered cookie sheet beneath it (to catch drips). Roast for 5 to 10 minutes or until a thermometer stuck in the breast reads 160 degrees F.

Allow the duck to rest a few minutes before serving.

Now that you understand how to cook duck well, experiment! Impress your family and friends with a gourmet duck cooking recipe, or try barbecuing or grilling duck breasts, remembering to cut through the skin and fat first, then cook slowly.

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About the Author:
Kristina Seleshanko is a former research librarian for “Gourmet” magazine and the author of 16 books.
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Nowadays, we are wondering why we are seeing Mahi Mahi on so many eating places. One of the big reasons for this is that restaurants are playing a little trick on all of us.

The word Mahi Mahi, comes from Hawaii and it means “Strong Strong” in English. It refers to a fish we all know as the Dolphin. By looking at some reactions of individuals and the idea that you are eating the famed Dolphin known as Flipper, the restaurants changed the name so you won’t get stunned and think they are trying to serve you a piece of that adorable animal.

Many times, Mahi Mahi is hyphenated like Mahi-Mahi and sometimes people use an alternative name which is called “Dorado”. Whatever you want to call it, this is a fish that has both great flavor and the nice, firm texture that most seafood fans prefer.

You can discover the Mahi Mahi swimming in many waters. They are found and most abundantly in the Gulf of Mexico and in the warm Caribbean Sea. So the next time you will go to a eating place and order a Mahi Mahi, you will remember the previous sentence. The Mahi Mahi on your dish is probably caught in of those two waters.

In North America you will find the best selection of Mahi Mahi in mid-spring through mid- to late-summer. But, fresh Mahi Mahi is mostly available throughout the year. You can also find frozen Mahi Mahi fillets all year round.

Mahi Mahi has to look pink or light beige. If this is the case, you have found some fresh fish! Darker meat is certainly safe to eat, but the taste might be too strong for some individuals.

You can steam, poach, fry, bake and grill your fresh Mahi Mahi because it’s a all-around fish. It doesn’t matter which cooking method you want to use but you have to be careful not to overcook it.

Here’s a recipe of my favorite dish:

Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi

Ingredients:

* 2 ounces macadamia nuts
* 4 ounces plain bread crumbs
* 6 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
* 4 ounces butter
* 2 ounces shallots, diced
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 4 ounces pineapple, rough chopped
* 4 ounces papaya, rough chopped
* 4 ounces mango, rough chopped
* 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
* 2 habanero peppers, seeded
* salt and pepper to taste
* white sugar to taste

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a food processor or blender, pulse together macadamia nuts and breadcrumbs until finely ground. Pour nut mixture onto a plate, and coat fish fillets on both sides.
3. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry fillets on both sides until nuts are golden brown. Remove to a baking pan.
4. Add shallots to skillet, and cook until translucent. Stir in chicken stock. Mix in pineapple, papaya, mango, coconut, and habanero peppers. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Simmer until sauce is thick, about 30 minutes. Strain to remove peppers, fruit, and shallots. Reserve sauce in a pan over low heat.
5. Bake mahi mahi in preheated oven about 10 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove fish, and lightly coat with sauce.

If you are looking for more recipes for any kind of fish like, Mahi Mahi, Sea Bass, Catfish, Tilapia, Swordfish, Redfish and many more..please take a look at Baked Fish Recipes. You can also take a look at the following blog, Fried Fish Recipes and Grilled Fish Recipes.

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About the Author:
Tariq Ghazi is a devoted writer.
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Are you tired of the same old chicken casseroles week after week?  Would you like to find a way to get more vegetables that are a little different into your family’s diet?  This Chicken-Cauliflower casserole is just the recipe you need.  The cauliflower combined with chicken, cheese, pimentos, etc will not even seem like they are eating something they might normally turn their noses up to.  This casserole is quick, easy, and brings a little different flavor to the table.  Try it soon.  It just might become a family favorite.  Another good thing about this casserole is that the diabetics in your family or among your group of friends can eat it, too.

CHICKEN-CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped cauliflower

1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion

1/2 cup water

1 cup low-fat milk

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp chicken-flavored bouillon granules

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup shredded low-fat process American cheese

1 cup chopped, cooked chicken

1 jar (4-oz) diced pimento, drained

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium saucepan combine the cauliflower, onion, and water; cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.  Drain well and set aside.

Using the same saucepan, combine the milk, cornstarch, bouillon granules, and salt.  Beat the mixture well with a whisk to blend.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer while stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Add the cheese and stir with the whisk until the cheese melts; remove from the heat.

Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the cauliflower-onion mixture with the chopped cooked chicken and the pimento.  Add the cheese sauce and stir to blend.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.  Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through and starting to bubble.

Enjoy!

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About the Author:
For more of Linda’s recipes and diabetic information, visit her blog at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
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For the importers of quality food the word is almost always used only for dry-cured ham which has not been cooked, in particular from central and northern Italy such as Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele ().

In the data base of Agrelma you can find protected designations of origin in Italy

Prosciutto San Daniele at the Central Market in Florence, Italy

Under the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union (EU), certain well-established meat products including some local prosciutto, are covered by a Protected Designation of Origin and other, less stringent designations of geographical origin for traditional specialties.

A complete list of agricultural products with an EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), or Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG), listed alphabetically by nation, is at the European Agriculture site.

There are two famous types of Italian prosciutto crudo exported abroad: prosciutto di Parma, from Parma, and prosciutto di San Daniele, from the San Daniele del Friuli area, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The prosciutto di Parma has a slightly nutty flavor from the Parmigiano Reggiano whey that is sometimes added to the pigs’ diet. The prosciutto di San Daniele, on the other hand, is darker in color and sweeter in flavor.

The other EU protected designations for prosciutto, each slightly different in color, flavor and texture, are:

Prosciutto di Modena, Italy (PDO)(allows nitrites)
Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo, Italy (PDO)
Prosciutto di Carpegna, near Montefeltro, Italy (PDO)
Prosciutto di Norcia, Italy (PGI)
Prosciutto Toscano, Italy (PDO)
Prosciutto crudo di San Daniele (UD)

In other countries

Air-dried hams are made throughout southern Europe, and most of these traditional products now have some kind of PDO protection :

Bayonne ham, from the French Basque country
Elenski but, made in the town of Elena in Bulgaria
Jamón ibérico, from Spain
Jamón serrano, from Spain
Presunto in Portugal (similar to Jamón serrano)
Pršut, from south-eastern europe :
Dalmatinski Pršut, from Dalmatia in Croatia – may be more or less salty, with darker and drier meat. The town of Drniš is one centre for its production.

Jambon afumat de porc, (Jambon), from Romania

Similar hams are produced in many countries, in many cases imitating others rather than following a long tradition.

Many food importers use then b2b marketplaces to be in contact producers

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About the Author:
Marketing Manager
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