Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Cigalas con Ajoblanco y Trufa de verano (Esp)

(Cigalas)


Un plato fresco y veraniego que une sabores muy distintos: el ajoblanco de la cocina tradicional andaluza, las cigalas, con todo el sabor del mar y las trufas que le dan un aroma y un contrapunto muy especial.

(Ajo)


Salicornia Salad (Engl)

(Salicornia)



It is a fresh emerald green vegetable that has a wonderfully salty flavor and a refreshing crisp and crunchy texture.





(Salicornia Salad)



Ingredients:


■A bunch of salicornia
■A lemon
■5-6 cloves of garlic
■Half glass of olive oil



Venetian Spritz (Engl)



 

Ingredients:




1 part Prosecco
1 part Aperol (medium sweet) OR Select (less sweet) OR Campari or San Bitter
1 part seltzer/sparkling water (it helps if you can blast it into the glass)

Combine the above with
a little ice,
an olive, and
a slice of orange / lemon / respectively, according to your choice of aperitif mixer.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Vietnam (Engl)

Exploring Vietnam Part 1

Travel with Mai Pham, a chef, cookbook author and Vietnamese food authority, through the street-food stalls of Hanoi and the floating markets of the Mekong.

 (Floating Market)




Vietnam: North to South Part 3

Vietnam extends nearly 1,000 miles from north to south, but measures just 30 miles across at its narrowest. Coffee plantations thrive in the cool central highlands, and banana trees grow in the tropical south.



Vietnamese Southern Home Cooking Part 4

Join Mai Pham to visit her grandmother and aunt in the village of Quoi Son.



Vietnam: Coconut Part 5

Fresh coconut is one of the mainstays of the market. Young coconut is sweet and juicy and vendors shave it on the spot for use in salads or for a quick snack.



Vietnam: Rice Part 6

Rice is the country's most important crop. Vietnam is the world's second-largest rice exporter after Thailand.



Vietnam - Saigon Part 7

Ingredients and cooks from all over the country converge on Vietnam's largest city, Saigon.



Vietnamese Po Bho (Engl) (Link)

http://www.ciaprochef.com/WCA3/vietnam-07.html

Banh Mi Sandwich (Engl) (Link)

http://www.ciaprochef.com/WCA3/vietnam-01.html

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Malcolm Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce (Engl+ Subtitles)

Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry's pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce -- and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.

The Price of Happiness (Engl) + Subtitles

Can happiness be bought? To find out, author Benjamin Wallace sampled the world's most expensive products, including a bottle of 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc, 8 ounces of Kobe beef and the fabled (notorious) Kopi Luwak coffee. His critique may surprise you.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Melons (Engl)

Melon Sorbet (Engl)





Summer Melons (Engl)

Learn how to choose melons and how to prepare Summer Melon Salad with Prosciutto.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Fisch ist aus (DE)

Von vollen Netzen und leeren Meeren - Lange Zeit galten die Meere als eine unerschöpfliche Quelle für Fisch und Meeresfrüchte. Doch heute halten immer mehr Fischarten dem Druck der Überfischung nicht mehr stand und drohen, aus den Ozeanen zu verschwinden. Die Fangquoten und -verbote reichen nicht mehr aus, um die gefährdeten Bestände erneut aufzubauen.

1/4



2/4



3/4



4/4

The Culinary Institute of America Podcasts (Engl)

Octopus Salad (Engl) Insalata di Polpo (IT) (Link)





(Engl)

Ingredients for 4:

2 Kg (70.54 oz) Octopus, Cleaned and Boiled
1 ½ Kilo (52.91) Potatoes peeled and cut into medium dice
2 Stalks of Celery and 3 Carrots cut into Julienne
150 gr (5.29 oz) Black Pitted Olives
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
Juice of 3 Lemons
Parsley, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Salt

(IT)

Ingredienti per 4 persone:

2 Kg Polpo fresco
1 Chilo e ½ di patate
150 gr Olive nere denocciolate
3 Carote tagliate a Julienne
2 Coste di sedano tagliate a julienne
1 Cucchiaio aceto bianco
Succo di 3 limoni
Prezzemolo tritato
Olio extra vergine di oliva
Sale, pepe nero

(Link)

http://www.italianfoodnet.com/ita/video/octopus-salad

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Riso Venere, Asparagi e Salampatata (IT)






Nato nella Pianura Padana, è stato battezzato con il nome della dea dell'amore. Brevettato dalla SA.PI.SE., ha il chicco color ebano. Scoperto da un ibridatore cinese, profuma in modo naturale ed è adatto per accompagnare pesci, crostacei e carni.
E' una nuova varietà di riso integrale. Il chicco è nero in modo naturale perché il pericarpo, la pellicola più esterna, ha il colore dell'ebano. Frutto della ricerca della SA.PI.SE., Venere è nato nella Pianura Padana, ma ha una doppia origine esotica. Non solo perché è stato messo a punto da un ibridatore cinese, Dott. Wang Xue Ren, che da più di dieci anni vive e lavora nel vercellese, il cuore della risicoltura italiana, ma anche perché è stato ottenuto da una razza sperimentale messa a disposizione dall'I.R.R.I. (Istituto Internazionale dei Ricerca sul Riso) che ha sede nelle Filippine e che è il più importante ente per la conservazione delle varietà di riso del mondo.
La sua pelle nera dipende dal fatto che Venere è un riso integrale. Proprio per questo richiede una cottura di circa 40 minuti. C'è anche una versione parboiled che è più veloce da cucinare, perché è pronta in 18 minuti.
Ma la sua caratteristica principale non è solo quella di essere scuro. Infatti è un riso profumato, con un sentore di pane appena sfornato, tipico di altri risi orientali, come il Basmati o il Siam Patna. L'aroma lo si percepisce già annusando da vicino i chicchi crudi e diventa più incisivo con il calore, durante la cottura.

Rettich und Radieschen (DE) (Link)

(Radieschen)


(Rettich)


"Das Antibiotikum vom Bauern" - so wird der Meerrettich in der Volksheilkunde genannt. Und das mit Recht. Das gilt auch für seine saften Verwandten Rettich und Radieschen.

http://www3.ndr.de/sendungen/visite/visit102_format-ms256.html

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Peanut Hoisin Sauce & Goi Cuon (Engl)

(Salad Rolls with Peanut Hoisin dipping Sauce)


Preparing Goi Cuon or Salad Rolls (Engl)




Vietnamese Salad Rolls (Goi Cuon) Recipe

SND Note: Poached shrimp and pork are the traditional proteins used in goi cuon, but can be substituted with grilled meats or tofu. Different herbs can be added, such as basil and Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), choose your favorite ones. The rolls are best when served within a couple hours after rolling. Don't wait too long or refrigerate them as the rice paper will dry out and become tough.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt
1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound pork tenderloin
8 ounces thin rice vermicelli noodles
1 head butter lettuce, washed and ribs removed
1 bunch fresh mint leaves
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, removed from stems
1 English cucumber or seeded regular cucumber, thinly sliced
16-20 garlic chives or Chinese chives
1 package rice paper (banh trang)

Directions:

1) Fill a small saucepan half full of water, add salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, reduce heat to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Do not discard water. Remove the shrimp with slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

2) Trim fat from pork and return water to a boil. Reduce heat and poach pork in water at a low simmer, about 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Remove pork and set aside to cool. Reserve light stock to make peanut Hoisin sauce.

3) Follow package directions and cook rice vermicelli noodles.

4) Lay shrimp flat and cut in half horizontally. Cut tenderloin in half lengthwise. Then cut across the grain to create thin slices of pork. Set shrimp and pork aside.

5) Fill a medium bowl with warm water and quickly dip and spin a piece of rice paper into water; make sure to wet the entire piece. Lay it down on a cutting board. Place a lettuce leaf at the lower end of the rice paper. Add rice noodles, pork, mint, cucumber and cilantro evenly across the rice paper. [See the slideshow for pictures of the rolling process.]

6) Roll the rice paper over the filling and tuck it underneath. Add shrimp with the sliced side facing up. Fold the sides inwards and add a chive over shrimp with 1 inch sticking outside of a folded side. Continue rolling while keeping tension on the rice paper for a tight roll. The roll will seal itself.

7) Repeat steps 5 and 6 until shrimp and pork are finished off. Serve with peanut Hoisin dipping sauce.

Makes 16-18 rolls to serve 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Spicy Peanut Hoisin Dipping Sauce Recipe (Nuoc Leo)

SND Note: This sauce is not the traditional Vietnamese peanut sauce (nuoc leo) made with liver. It's a simplified version using peanut butter. Whole soybean sauce is intact soybeans fermented in salt, water and sugar. It has a salty, sour taste. If you can't find it, substitute a little salt to taste. The sauce is on the thick side with a consistency of a dense Dijon mustard when cooled.

Ingredients:

1 cup light shrimp and pork stock (from step 2 of goi cuon recipe) or water
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon thick soy sauce
1 teaspoon whole soybean sauce, crushed
3 tablespoons of Hoisin sauce
4-6 tablespoons crunchy or creamy peanut butter (natural or organic)
2-3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or diced chilies to taste
1 ounce dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1) In a small sauce pan, add light stock and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

2) Add thick soy sauce, crushed soybean sauce, Hoisin sauce, 4 tablespoons peanut butter and chili garlic sauce. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved and the sauce thickens. Add additional peanut butter until desired thickness is obtained. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish sauce with chopped peanuts.

Makes almost 2 cups of sauce


Link to a Slideshow of the recipe:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundaynitedinner/sets/72157603906750627/show/

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Stevia: An All Natural Herbal Sweetener (Engl)

(Stevia)


Stevia is becoming popular as an alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are associated with many health problems. Stevia is completely natural, and it doesn't add calories, which could help with the obesity epidemic. Mark Blumenthal with the American Botanical Council tells us about Stevia.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Raviolis Chinois frits aux Crevettes (FR)

Ristorante Don Alfonso 1890 (Engl) (IT)

(Frittura di Paranza, calamari, gamberi e verdure
con maionese alla barbabietola)


"Don Alfonso 1890" (Engl)

Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi (Saint Agatha on the Two Gulfs), between Sorrento and Positano, is the small capital of the Sorrentine Peninsula, and acts as a divide between the Gulf of Naples and the Gulf of Salerno. It is in this town that Don Alfonso 1890 welcomes travelers and gourmet connoisseurs into the hotel and restaurant, in order to share the haute cuisine, culture, land, sea, and delicious produce of one of the most beautiful places in Italy and in the world.

"Don Alfonso 1890" (IT)

Al centro della Penisola Sorrentina, a Sant’Agata sui due Golfi, si trova questo incantevole ristorante di Livia e Alfonso Iaccarino, che appartengono alla omonima famiglia di albergatori da ben quattro generazioni. La grande curiosità li ha spinti a studiare i tremila anni di storia del vino e del cibo del Sud attraverso i testi dell’antica Università Agraria di Portici. Hanno imparato a non accettare per scontato tutto ciò che è stato tramandato e, avendo girato il mondo da sempre, hanno cercato di conoscere i popoli, i territori dove essi vivono, l’attività economica e le radici anche attraverso l’alimentazione, i mercati di frutta, di pesce, di carne, i vigneti, luoghi dove pulsa la vita di tutti.
La Campania è una terra molto fertile e ricca di minerali per la coltre piroclastica creata dalle varie eruzioni del Vesuvio; la cucina del “Don Alfonso” nasce per l’amore e la difesa di queste cose, di questo patrimonio, e ogni sforzo è teso alla diffusione di questi sentimenti, anche nella presentazione di un piatto o di un vino.
Dal 1990 Livia e Alfonso Iaccarino hanno creato l’azienda agricola “Le Peracciole” che è parte integrante del ristorante. Da lì provengono l’olio extra vergine di oliva, le erbe officinali, gli ortaggi e la frutta dai colori e profumi difficili da dimenticare. In una cantina antichissima, scavata nel tufo, riposano i vini più prestigiosi del mondo.
Ricerca e amore, oltre a materie prime di qualità eccelsa, sono il tratto dominante della cucina che Alfonso Jaccarino, egregiamente affiancato dai due figli Ernesto e Mario, propone nel suo ristorante. In poche parole una cucina mediterranea, moderna, ordinata, leggera, irradiante onestà.

Un giorno al "Don Alfonso 1890" (Engl) (IT)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

What is Kohlrabi (Engl)





Meet a Kohlrabi and find out a bit of information about them.
This video is purely entertaining with a bit of information placed in there.

Focaccia for Dessert? (Engl)



Executive chef Craig Kominiak at Ecce Panis Bakery in New York City visits Julia Child in her kitchen. Kominiak bakes focaccia, testing the elasticity of the dough by stretching it to see the "window." He creates a sandwich with the baked focaccia. Baked with fruit and topped with sugar, focaccia can be also used as a dessert or a breakfast item.


Sunday, July 4, 2010

IRRI: Rice Science for a Better World

People depend on rice for food and employment. These people are the poorest of the poor. They earn less than a dollar a day. Rice is life for millions of the world's poor. Have you ever wondered how people grow rice?

By 2025, the world will have 3.9 billion rice consumers. And, farmers will have to produce more rice using vital resources—land and water—that are becoming scarcer and scarcer. With climate change already damaging the planet at an alarming pace, can poor farmers continue to feed the world with rice, sustainably and safely? Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute, or IRRI, think they can. For nearly 50 years, IRRI and its partners have used high-quality science to develop new technologies to help the world's rice growers.

By introducing modern science and farming technologies to the rice fields of Asia, IRRI and its partners around the world are helping farmers produce more rice.

IRRI freely shares improved varieties and better crop management and postharvest techniques to reduce losses with its partners around the world. However, rice prices skyrocketed in early 2008. Many factors brought about this rice crisis.

Population growth is outstripping production. We are consuming more than we can produce. Rapid economic growth in large countries has increased demand for cereals, for both consumption and livestock production.

Demand is higher from countries in Africa and the Middle East, where rice is becoming increasingly popular.

Public investment in agricultural research, development, and infrastructure has declined. Productive rice land is being converted for housing and industrial development. The increase in oil prices has made farming inputs more expensive. Natural disasters—flooding, drought, and typhoons—have been catastrophic. Global temperatures are rising. And, re-occurring pest outbreaks have made it much harder to produce more rice.

But, there is still hope and there are solutions. Rapid advances in science and technology present exciting possibilities that could revolutionize rice farming. IRRI and its partners are now working to ensure that rice crops can adapt to rising temperature, flooding, salinization, and drought; and, to reduce rice farming's impact on the environment by helping farmers optimize fertilizer and pesticide use, and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields.

In the coming years, IRRI and its partners will, through precison-breeding, 1) create new varieties that have higher yield potential and excellent grain quality, and can better withstand stresses such as diseases, insects, flooding, drought, heat, and salinity; 2) create varieties that are more nutritious, such as Golden Rice; 3) accelerate the introduction and adoption of existing higher-yielding rice varieties; 4) deliver better soil, water, and crop management technologies to help farmers exploit existing yield gaps so they can have better income and consumers can have better access to affordable rice; 5) continue to design crop management systems that improve rice farming's profitability and reduce drudgery while protecting the environment; 6) and accelerate the delivery of new postharvest technologies -- for drying, milling, and storage -- to reduce losses, which are often around 15%.

Today, IRRI and its partners have new tools at their fingertips that help accelerate research on the world's thousands of rice varieties, stored in IRRI's International Rice Genebank, so scientists can tap into the vast reservoir of knowledge they contain.

They are developing a new generation of rice scientists, and professional extension workers for both the public and private sector, and they are using modern tools to manage information.

Scientist must also work on new frontiers such as developing rice with more efficient photosynthesis known as C4 rice that will produce higher yields with increased use efficiency of water and nitrogen fertilizer. This will take many years of hard work -- and investments in this must start now.

But IRRI cannot do this alone.

In the near term, urgent actions from national governments, international agencies, the private sector, and private philanthropists are needed.

These would provide better support for rapidly exploiting technological opportunities for increasing rice yields and policy reforms to improve poor peoples food supply.

New public-private sector partnerships must be designed for creating new knowledge and bringing new seeds and new management technologies faster to millions of rice farmers in Asia and Africa.

Sustainable rice production can be revitalized, but there are no silver bullets.

Blueberry Tart with Lemon Cream (Engl)



Fresh blueberries and a lemon whipped cream make these tarts something special!

Thursday, July 1, 2010