Monthly Archives: May 2012

Snotty Cactus

Posted on by
6

Don’t let the title of this entry fool you, I’m not saying that cactus is stuck up.  I’m saying that when you eat it, it tastes like it’s squishing mucus onto your tongue.  Apparently people don’t mind the sensation in places where cactus actually grows.

When I saw cactus paddles in the very fancy new Loblaws grocery store in the renovated Maple Leaf Gardens (where our dear hockey team used to play, in case you’re not local) I knew I had to take them home and figure out how to cook them.  Just seeing them made me feel like I was a few degrees closer to Wil E Coyote.

I was a little concerned about how to get rid of the spines, but this website explained that it was very simple and straightforward to peel them off using a regular veggie peeler.  Also, I had a backup plan, because my son had just gotten a sliver and I learned that the best way to remove anything very small and shard-shaped is to soak it in plain white vinegar.  That piece of info has very little to do with cooking, but it was such a valuable life’s lesson that I couldn’t miss an opportunity to share it with you.  Slicing the spines and “eyes,” off the cactus was actually very uneventful in the end, so you can save my bonus info for a run-in with a baby porcupine or something (not really).

Anyway, back to cooking.  I cut the edges and ends from the paddles as the site above suggested, until I was left with what looked like two green beaver’s tails.  I sliced these into bite-sized pieces, and it was at this point that they began to ooze. 

 I rinsed (and rinsed and rinsed) the clear snot from the cactus, and then sautéed it in olive oil for about 10 minutes, because I had read that more “babas,” or sticky liquid, would be released upon cooking, and I wanted to get rid of as much of it as I could before adding it to my beef stew, the recipe I had chosen to showcase my new veggie.  After sautéing, I rinsed the diced cactus in a colander again.  Then I cooked a fairly typical beef stew, based on this recipe:

Beef and Cactus (Nopales) Stew

  • 2Tbsp olive oil
  • 2lb stewing beef, cubed
  • 2 med onions, diced
  • 2 cactus pads, prepared as above
  • 1 14oz can tomatoes, diced
  • 1 14oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4Tbsp chili powder
  • 900mL beef stock
  • 3Tbsp flour

 

 

Directions:  Heat olive oil in stewing pot over med-high heat.  Add onions and cook 2 minutes.  Add beef and brown it, then sprinkle with flour and cook for another minute.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cover, stirring occasionally, for an hour or more.

 Results: 

Can you already guess how I felt about cactus?  The stew tasted as expected (traditional), but I couldn’t get past the mucus-y squish of the cactus pieces.  The flavour was nice, though, tasting a little like green pepper.  I was surprised that my husband finished his entire bowl without complaint, although he said he wouldn’t go out of his way to eat cactus again. 

 Rating:  3 Gags.  After I had already cooked this dish I read that boiling cactus with a pinch of baking soda would remove most of the babas.  If only I had the courage to cook it again.

 FYI:  Apparently cactus is a good hangover remedy, calming the stomach, rehydrating the body, and improving liver function.  Maybe it is worth a second look after all.

 

Get cosy with goji

Posted on by
Reply

Whenever I’m in a health food store, the goji berries flirt with me.  They peek at me through their nicely branded heavy little zip lock bags, and they look delicious, small and rose pink.  They’re always by the cash for easy access.  But then I pick up a bag, look at the price, and put them back because they’re out of my league.

Hot gojis

Because I have a world famous blog now, though (I just had a reader from India respond this week and I’m still getting over the excitement), I picked up some pricey goji berries because I decided that my readers deserve that kind of financial investment.  They were $6.99 for 113g, which looks like about 4-5 small dried handfuls.  I took a deep breath, handed over my Visa, and prepared to call the credit card company to ask them for an increase to my limit.

As with many other items on my credit card, goji berries come from China.  They’re sold in dried form, because the fresh berries are very delicate, even having to be shaken from the plants to be harvested so that they’re not handled much.

Loose gojis

Their health benefits seem to be extensive, although Wikipedia says that there isn’t much scientific evidence to back marketing claims, so take the hype with a grain of salt (using an idiom specifically to be helpful with my global readership’s English because my ESL students used to ask for them).  Many claim that they improve vision, libido, endurance, that they calm the nervous system, help the kidneys and liver, and boost the immune system.  They contain 18 types of amino acids, 21 minerals, more betacarotene than carrots, antioxidants, an anti-inflammatory, lots of Vitamin C, and Vitamins B1, B6 & E.  

After trying the dried ones, I thought to myself, “Yeah they’re healthy and all, but they get stuck in your teeth.”  They’re not juicy when dried like raisins, but they’re tolerable if you do believe in the health benefits – slightly sweet with a bitter aftertaste.

I searched for recipes to try them in and was disappointed by all of the super healthy ones.  I had to google for quite some time to find one that might taste good.  I really wish healthy people would raise the bar (idiom – you’re welcome) for flavour rather than swearing that their recipes are delicious when they’re not.  Anyway, I finally found a great recipe here that also happens to be healthy.  Here is my version of it, which includes cilantro:

Goji Guacamole

  • 1 fresh mango, peeled and diced
  • 1 fresh avocado, peeled and diced (squeeze it when you’re at the store.  Should be dark in colour and give slightly when you squeeze it.  If it’s bright green, leave it on your counter for a few days until it darkens)
  • 1 small handful of goji berries, rehydrated
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Your favourite tortilla chips

 Directions:  Prepare gojis by boiling enough water to cover them in a bowl, letting them sit in it for about 10 minutes.  Drain and let cool.  Mix mango and avocado.  Add gojis, cilantro, and then lime juice.  Don’t prepare too far in advance of eating because avocado may brown, although lime juice will help to prolong the green.

 Results:  Delicious!  I served this to my infamous crew of cousins and everyone loved it without exception.  The guac was fresh-tasting and mango sweet with a gentle tangy berry burst of goji, and none of the bitterness that came through with the dried berries was evident.  And the colours were so delightful I might use one of the photos for my banner shot!  This will definitely be a repeat recipe for me.

 Rating:  4 Yums.  I will always keep some dried gojis in my pantry for this guac and to keep my longevity and virility in check. 

 

 

Nailing Quail

Posted on by
Reply

When I was at the mystery meat section of my No Frills grocery store the other day, I sorted my way past the sheep’s heads and beef face (wish I was kidding) to find something much more normal, but that I had never cooked.  The title of this entry has probably already given you a hint about the little packet of birds that I found that looked like miniscule chickens.  I couldn’t pass up the bargain, happily throwing six quails for only $8 into my cart.  I’m nothing if not frugal.

 This should be a quick entry, because cooking quail is very straightforward.  My experience has taught me that birds are birds when you’re cooking, pretty much.  If it’s a big one, like a turkey, cook it for a long time.  If it’s little, like a quail, cook it for a short time.  And in general, stuffing a bird is a good thing, but your mind will never stop thinking about where your hand is while you’re doing it.  That’s just the way cooking a bird goes.

 Here are a few of my raw quails, just hanging out:

 

I used this recipe from epicurious.com for my quails, because I’m always partial to goat cheese, rosemary, and bacon, and there wasn’t much more to this than that.  Here are the details, and what it looked like:

Bacon-wrapped Quail Stuffed with Goat Cheese

  • 6 quail, rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
  • 8 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
  • 12 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 12 strips thick-cut bacon

 

 

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bacon-Wrapped-Quail-Stuffed-with-Goat-Cheese-236319#ixzz1v5r26CgD

Results:  If you enjoy the dark meat of a bird, a quail is probably something you would like, because even the breast tastes as though it were the thigh of another bird you may be more familiar with.  And it’s not greasy like duck.  I was glad that the epicurious website encouraged guests to pick up the birds and eat them with your hands, because that made my dinner more adventurous and also more practical – it would have been hard to get enough meat to fill bellies using a normal knife and fork (estimate 3 per person if your guests are big eaters).  I would recommend quails as an economical way to present something different from the every-day. 

Sorry, their legs look a little rude in the picture because I didn’t have any twine. 

The goat cheese and bacon in this recipe also complimented the birds very well, and I was able to prepare everything very quickly.  I did, however, have to extend the suggested cooking time.  Follow the same rules of doneness that you would with the dark meat of another bird – put it back in if you pull something back and see anything remotely bloody.  Apologies to vegetarians, that even sounds gross to me, but if you cook birds regularly you’ll get the picture immediately.

Rating:  Two Yums.  Would serve as a nice change for dinner guests who are sick of steak and chicken and aren’t into fish.

Bitter Melon (aka Karela) Sure Is

Posted on by
15

When I go to parties, or talk to someone about my blog (where I cook quirky fruits or meats, in case you’re new) one of the questions they often ask is, “is there anything that was totally disgusting that you couldn’t eat?”  Until now, I’ve said, “Not really.”  However, Indian Bitter Melon, or Karela, although attractive…

 

…forced my tongue to spit it out immediately.

 When I read about how to prepare it, I began to have a mental image of hundreds of thousands of Indian mothers sitting across tables from their kids in a standoff over these pretty little warty veggies that look like acne ridden pickles (not to be confused with the Chinese version which is more like a faded dehydrated English cucumber).  Many recipes included warnings about the extremely bitter taste, saying that it’s something you need to get used to, but that it’s worth it for the health benefits, which seem to be awe inspiring.  I’ll type out how this website describes them, just in case you’re too lazy to open a new window, because I want to help all of those mothers present their arguments:

“This odd-looking fruit is rich in iron, vitamins, phosphorous and fiber. It has more beta carotene than broccoli, more calcium than spinach and more potassium than banana. Not only that, it can fight off tumor and malaria, and treat dyspepsia and constipation. Although requiring more studies and scientific proof, bitter melon may be used to inhibit cancer and HIV infection.

In some parts of the world, bitter melon is used to treat chickenpox, measles, herpes simplex, dysentery, fever, painful menstruation, burns, scabies and other skin problems.”

Is this the miracle food that can cure all disease?  It might be, but I still won’t eat it again, unless I can somehow cut my tongue out or eat it intravenously.   Maybe I could choke it down if I had herpes or scabies, but luckily I’m in pretty good shape right now. 

Here’s how I prepared it, which was based on a recipe I found where a mother said her young daughter was willing to eat it deep fried.  I might write back to that mother suggesting she take her daughter for a psychological evaluation.

Fried Indian Bitter Melon

(serves 3, if they’ll eat it.  To save money, reduce by 10x and you’ll still make enough for everyone)

  • 4-5 Indian karela, sliced into rounds
  • 6Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3Tbsp curry powder

Directions:  Soak sliced karela in heavily salted water for at least one hour to help remove bitterness (I did this, but it sure didn’t work.  What would it have tated like if I hadn’t??).  Rinse.  Heat oil over med-high heat for a few minutes.  Add karela and cook approx 8 minutes, until it begins to look crispy, stirring it a few times.  Add curry powder.

Results

I think you’ve guessed already.  It burned my tongue with bitterness that lingered even after I’d spit it out, almost like how a hot pepper burns for a long time afterward.  I take comfort in the fact that probably even that brief exposure to the karela passed some nutrition through to my bloodstream.  My friend said it tasted like rust.  My husband didn’t eat more than one piece, but he didn’t spit it out, which shocked me.  He must have a higher tolerance for suffering than I thought (no comments from the peanut gallery please).

Rating:  4 gags, which I see as a challenge now.  If I ever see it on an Indian restaurant menu I’ll order it for sure to see whether I like it when it’s prepared properly, but I’m quite confident I’ll still be adding it to my no-eat list, along with hard boiled eggs and yellow mustard, both of which could be desserts by comparison.

Roo on the Barbie

Posted on by
Reply

I think my family members were all reluctant to try this week’s dangerous food.  It had been in my freezer for some time before I gathered my courage and thawed it today.  When my husband found out what we would be eating, he stayed late at work, and then when he finally came home, he said we were going out to eat.  As much as I hate turning down a meal cooked by someone else, I told him dinner was 10 minutes from being ready, so we were doing it.  He unenthusiastically called dibs on the pouch.

 Because I had read ahead of time that kangaroo meat was lean, I marinated it, because I had learned from cooking ostrich that lean meats might come across as untasty.  I thawed my “diced kangaroo,” which I found at my favourite meat store, Black Angus Fine Meats and Game, and dunked it all into the following recipe from one of my top cookbooks, “Weber’s Real Grilling,” for 7 hours.  That cookbook knows all there is to know about meat and I use it very regularly.

 Bourbon Marinade

  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 Directions:  Whisk  the whole mess together.  Put it in a plastic bag with meat and remove air, and put that in a bowl in the fridge for a good stint. 

 I searched for some legit kangaroo recipes, but didn’t find anything I liked.  I decided it looked like a red meat, and so thought I should treat it like one.  I googled, “best steak sandwich ever,” and found a recipe for a good one, here (although I made a major substitution of a hopper for a mooer):

 Kangaroo Steak Sandwich

(I only served 2, but is easily scalable)

 Sandwich

  • Enough kangaroo meat to fill two major sandwiches.  Mine was labelled “diced kangaroo,” which I wouldn’t recommend if you have another choice of cut
  • Onions, thinly sliced (recipe says to caramelize, which would have been delicious, but I didn’t have time)
  • Tomato, thinly sliced
  • Mixed greens
  • 2 medium length crusty buns.  I chose one multigrain and one sourdough
  • Garlic crème

Garlic Crème (aka garlic mayo)

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • 1C vegetable oil, or other light tasting oil.  Canola is healthier, but I didn’t have any

Directions: 

1.  Prepare sandwich ingredients first, because meat will not take long to grill. 

2.  Prepare Garlic Crème:  Combine egg yolks, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor.  Add drops of oil with processor running, until mixture begins to thicken.  Then add remaining oil in a constant stream.  Crème will be very thick upon completion. 

3.  Grill kangaroo:  Remove kangaroo from marinade and place on pre-heated barbeque grill.  Because my pieces were small, I cooked them for only a few minutes a side to get them to medium-rare.  Here is a pic:

4.  Assemble sandwiches, slicing kangaroo if necessary

 Results: 

 What is it with game meats and gristle?  Do we prefer cows, pigs, chickens and lambs because over hundreds of years those were the least chewy of the meats?  Or did all of the game meat butchers just flunk regular butcher school and start hacking away at the exotic meats because no one else would pay them?

 As you can tell, cooking kangaroo wasn’t highly successful.  Just like when I cooked alligator, most pieces of meat I tried were very hard to chew.  The odd piece was tender, and the marinade was appropriate for the meat, which gave me glimpses of potential greatness.  My husband thought the sandwich was okay, and it was a good sign that he didn’t go to the fridge for something else, but based on the meat I used, I would not attempt to cook this recipe again. 

 I would cook the sandwich as a steak one, however.  The garlic crème was fantastic, and although it was unhealthy, I could easily have indulged myself and licked the bowl.  Try it yourself, and use it on everything that would marry well with creamy garlic, as long as you’re not a soap opera star who needs to kiss people a lot.

Rating:  Kangaroo was nothing to hop about (2 gags).  Sandwich would be great if made with steak as the recipe called for (2 yums).  Garlic crème was the best condiment I’ve had in a long time (4 yums).