Why do ( we ) humans have to cook our Foods

Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

Why do ( we ) humans have to cook our  Foods

We actually don't have to cook our food and there are many meat dishes such as sushi and steak tartar, which are served raw. In general, however, food is cooked for health concerns. For instance there are several types of parasites and pathogenic bacteria that can be transmitted to humans by eating uncooked or poorly cooked meat. By cooking the meat properly, these organisms are killed. For most of us, these infections might make our lives a little unpleasant, but would probably not kill us. However, because such a high concern in modern western society is focused on quality of life, we choose to do whatever is necessary to limit any unnecessary unpleasant.

Some temperature to prevent some diseases

Use a fridge thermometer to check the temperature of your fridge regularly. The coldest part of the fridge should be between 0 deg C and  5  C

You could use a probe thermometer to check if food is being

Kept hot (above 63 deg C) or cold (below 8 deg C). Make sure you always clean the thermometer thoroughly every time you use it, before and after putting it in the food.

 

 

 

Hot foods

Hot foods must be stored above 63 deg C to prevent the excessive growth of bacteria. Hot foods can be kept below this temperature for a maximum of two hours before being used, returned to above 63 deg C or chilled.

 

Chilled storage of foods

Some foods need to be kept chilled to keep them safe, for example food with a ‘use by’ date, food that you have cooked and won’t serve immediately, or other ready-to-eat food such as prepared salads. If these foods are not properly chilled, bacteria can grow and make people ill.

Smile and Be Sweet

“The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto

Pan fried fish and Sause

 Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

Pan fried fish

When you have beautiful, fresher than fresh fish or Seafood such as  snapper, it’s tempting to cook it with nothing but a bit of butter and lemon .Sometimes, though, it’s nice to do something a little fancier  and if you’re entertaining, and this recipe is perfect. The fish is still the star of the show, but I’ve added a few lovely fresh flavours to take it from an everyday dish to something special. It’s quick and easy to prepare just don’t overcook the fish; the quality of the dish relies on it. This goes perfectly with any fish and a fresh green salad, or green beans in winter.

Classic Pan Sauce for Fish

4 tbsp flour

4 tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil

225  ml. white wine

225 ml. fish stock

  Salt to taste

1 lemon

Method

1.       When you have finished pan-frying your fish or seafood, add 4 more tablespoons of whatever butter or oil to the fish scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

2.       Turn the heat to medium-low and sprinkle in the flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Let this cook, stirring often, until it turns light brown; you are making a roux. It is very important not to burn this.

3.       When the roux is light brown, add the wine. Mix well and scrape any browned bits off the bottom with the wooden spoon.

4.       It may thicken up quite a bit immediately, so add the fish stock and mix well. Bring this to a boil over high heat.

5.       Season with Pop's Seasoning  ready to serve over fish or seafood  may squeeze lemon

To the sauce you may add almonds to make Lake Trout (or any other fish) allemande

Maybe used as a warm dip for fish cakes or crab cakes

 

Smile and Be Sweet

“The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto

 

 

 

WHY DO WE USE HERBS AND SPICES

Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

WHY DO WE USE HERBS AND SPICES

Food is always better when properly seasoned. You'll enjoy cooking a lot more once you've mastered the herb and spice basics. The food will taste better, smell better, and impress your friends—family-co-workers and pets.

1. Wake up your taste buds, cooking with herbs and spices will enhance the flavour of healthy foods without adding fat, salt, sugar, or calories.

2. Herbs and spices contribute bright colour, savoury taste and sensational aroma.

Tips for using herbs and spices:

Avoid overwhelming a dish with too many seasonings, and never use two very strong herbs together. Instead, season with one strong flavour, and one milder flavour to complement the food.

      When cooking, add dried herbs early in the process, but use fresh herbs at the end for optimum  flavour.

Add herbs and spices to cold dishes several hours before serving to allow the flavours to blend.

Fresh leaves should be chopped very finely. Exposing a greater number of surface cuts will allow the food to absorb more of the herb’s flavour.

When necessary, a mortar and pestle can be kept in the kitchen to powder dry herbs.

If doubling a recipe, you may not need to double the herbs. Use just 50% or less

How to store herbs and spices: 
Proper storage is essential to retaining the flavour of herbs and spices.

Dried herbs and spices should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place. Storing right next to the stove, although convenient for cooking, is not the best location, because heat, air, and bright light destroy flavour.

Store dry herbs and spices in tightly covered containers.

Date dry herbs and spices when you buy them. Try to use them within 6 months for best results

If you can’t smell the aroma of an herb when you rub it between your fingers, then it is time for a new supply.

Treat fresh herbs like a bouquet of flowers: Snip the stems, stand the herbs in a glass of water, and refrigerate.

To increase shelf life, freeze or dry fresh herbs. To freeze fresh herbs, wash and pat dry. Remove the leaves from the stems and store the leaves in a freezer bag. They can also be chopped and frozen in ice cube trays and then stored in a freezer bag. 

Guide to using Herbs and Spices

Basil - Italian foods (especially tomatoes, pasta, chicken, fish and shellfish)

Bay leaf - Bean or meat stews and soups

Caraway - Cooked vegetables such as beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, turnips and winter squash

Chervil - French cuisine, fish, shellfish, chicken, peas, green beans, tomatoes and salad greens

Chili powder - Bean or meat stews and soups

Chives - Sauces, soups, baked potatoes, salads, omelets, pasta, seafood and meat

Cilantro- Mexican, Latin American and Asian cuisine; Rice, beans, fish, shellfish, poultry, vegetables, salsas and salads

Cumin - Curried vegetables, poultry, fish and beans

Curry - Indian or southeast Asian cuisine; Lamb or meat-based dishes and soups

Dill (fresh) - Seafood, chicken, yogurt, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes and beets

Dill (seeds) - Rice and fish dishes

Ginger (dried) - Ginger (dried)

Mace - Baked goods, fruit dishes, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower

Marjoram - Tomato-based dishes, fish, meat, poultry, eggs and vegetables

Oregano - Italian and Greek cuisine; Meat and poultry dishes

Paprika - Spanish dishes, potatoes, soups, stews, baked fish and salad dressings

Rosemary - Mushrooms, roasted potatoes, stuffing, ripe melon, poultry and meats (especially grilled)

Sage - Poultry stuffing, chicken, duck, pork, eggplant, and bean stews and soups

Tarragon - Chicken, veal, fish, shellfish, eggs, salad dressings, tomatoes, mushrooms and carrots

Thyme - Fish, shellfish, poultry, tomatoes, beans, eggplant, mushrooms, potatoes, and summer squash

Turmeric - Indian cuisine; Ads color and taste to potatoes and light-colored vegetables

P.S. It is a long-standing myth that spicy food exacerbates ulcers and other stomach ailments. But research shows hot chili peppers actually protect the stomach lining and may prevent the gastric damage associated with anti-inflammatory painkillers. They are high in nutrients such as calcium plus vitamins A and C, and there’s some evidence that hot chilies can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, help prevent diabetes and boost metabolism. They may also have some ability to prevent disease

 

Smile and Be Sweet

“The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto

 

Chicken – Vegetable Soup with Quinoa and bacon

Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

Chicken – Vegetable Soup with Quinoa and bacon 

(Serves 4 to 6)

4 bacon slices
300 ml. chopped onion
300 ml. diced butternut squash
200 ml chopped carrot
1 teaspoon salt

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 chicken breast skinless, boneless cut into small cubes

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,

1 ½ lt Chicken Stock

2 bay leaves
200 ml. uncooked quinoa, rinsed

6 cups uncooked chopped kale
150 ml. corn fresh or frozen

2 teaspoons thyme leaves 

Herbed Croutons

Method

1. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, butternut squash, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the drippings in the pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Remove the mixture from pan.

3. Add the chicken to the pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until the chicken is browned and done. Stir in the vegetable mixture, add chicken Stock bay leaves, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil.

4. Add the quinoa to the pan; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the kale, corn and thyme to the pan; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with bacon and (croutons)

 Smile and Be Sweet

“The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto

Thanksgiving menu idea

 Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

Thanksgiving Hearty vegetable Soup (serves 6 to 8)

50 ml. Butter

250 gr. onions small diced

150 gr.carrots small diced

150 gr. Celery small diced

100 gr. turnips small diced

½ cabbage small chopped

100 gr.tomatoes fresh or can small diced

100 gr parsnips small diced

Salt and pepper to taste

100 gr. Frozen peas (optional)

11/2 lit vegetable Stock

Method

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat

Add all the vegetables (except the peas) sweat the vegetable in the butter until they are half cooked not brown.

Add the stock and bring to a boil and skin carefully .

Simmer until the vegetable are tender.

Season and add the peas if desired

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese

Stuffed Roast Turkey with Cranberry Stuffing

Fresh Cranberry Turkey Stuffing

225 gr butter

     3 medium celery stalks chopped

    1 large opinion chopped

    12 slices of soft bread cubed

   250 gr of fresh cranberry or 150 gr dry cranberry

 45 gr of fresh chopped sage or (30 ml.  dry)

   30 gr of fresh thyme or (5 ml dry)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

 In a medium sauce pa

n melt butter over medium heat .Cook celery and onions stirring often until onions are tender add cranberries .Stir about half of the cubed bread .Place in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredient .

When thoroughly mixed stuff the turkey

If cooking the stuffing separately

Place in a grease roasting pan or casserole dish 13x9x2 in the over for about 30 minutes cover and 15 minutes uncovered

COOKING A TURKEY WITH STUFFING

If you decide to cook your stuffing in your turkey, follow these simple steps to prepare and cook it properly.

Prepare your stuffing using only cooked ingredients. Use sautéed vegetables, cooked meats pasteurized egg products, not raw eggs.

Place the prepared stuffing in the turkey just before roasting. Stuffing the night before could cause food-borne illness.

Stuff both the neck and body cavities of a completely thawed turkey; don’t pack stuffing too tightly, as it may cause uneven cooking.

When preparing a whole turkey for the oven, return the legs to the original tucked position if they were untucked for stuffing. Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. (Tucking the wings helps to stabilize the turkey in the pan and while carving.)

Stuffing should be 165°F in the center when done.

 Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Dessert Sauce (8 servings)

INGREDIENTS

500 ml Whipping cream 35 %

500 ml. whole milk

200 gr. brown sugar

5 ml. ground cinnamon

5 ml.salt

5 ml vanilla

9 large egg yolks

800 gr Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

200 gr pecans, chopped and toasted (other nuts may be substituted)

1 medium loaf  bread (preferably stale), cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

CARAMEL DESSERT SAUCE:

200 gr. sugar

125 gr . butter

125 bbuttermilk

15 ml . corn syrup

5 ml baking soda

5 ml. vanilla extract

3 ml. ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 190 C. Grease a 22 x 32 cm baking dish with cooking spray or butter. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, brown, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and egg yolks and set aside. 

Add the cubed apples, pecans and cubed bread to the prepared baking and toss to combine. Pour the custard over the bread and apple pieces. Carefully toss to coat, making sure that the cubed bread is submerged in the custard, and let stand to allow the bread to soak up the custard, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Bake until the center has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle Caramel Dessert Sauce over the bread pudding. Serve with extra sauce and vanilla ice cream.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, buttermilk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and slowly add the baking (it will foam up), followed by the vanilla and cinnamon. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm.

Smile and Be Sweet

“The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto