Something different: kale salad. Photo
courtesy Galli Restaurant | New York City.

You may have enjoyed a plate of sautéed kale, but how about a raw kale salad?

It’s new, different and full of antioxidants and fiber. And there are different varieties beyond the curly kale found in supermarkets. See the different types of kale and check farmers markets for them.

This recipe from Galli Restaurant in New York City inspired us:

KALE SALAD

Ingredients

Asian Kale Salad Recipe. You can make an Asian kale salad with a vinaigrette of 2.5 parts olive oil, .5 part sesame oil and 1 part rice wine vinegar, plus some optional Asian ingredients: baby corn, bean sprouts, bok choy, red bell pepper, toasted sesame seeds, water chestnuts, etc.

Tuscan Kale Salad Recipe. For a Tuscan kale salad, make a vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves and optional red pepper flakes, plus grated pecorino toscano, asiago or Parmesan cheese. It’s like a kale Caesar salad.

You can add chickpeas, currants and anything else that appeals to you. Italians like to garnish with fresh bread crumbs.

More kale-friendly ingredients:

 
Let us know your favorite combination.

KALE NUTRITION

Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, says Web MD (here’s the whole article). It belongs to the Brassica family that includes the anti-carcinogen cruciferous vegetables—broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, and mustard greens, among others.

Curly kale. Photo by Rasbak | Wikimedia.

One cup of kale contains just 36 calories but provides 5 grams of fiber and 15% of the RDA of calcium and vitamin B6, 40% RDA of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C and 1,020% of vitamin K. It’s also a good source of copper, iron, manganese and phosphorus and potassium.

See how many times a month you can add kale to your table.

Fingerling potatoes are perhaps the most
elegant spud you can serve. Photo courtesy
PotatoGoodness.com.

If you like grilled potatoes, try these elegant grilled fingerlings with “spud rub” dip. Use the spud rub to season the potatoes and anything else you’re grilling; then stir it into the dipping sauce and serve the grilled fingerlings on a platter alongside a bowl of spud rub bip.

GRILLED FINGERLING POTATOES RECIPE

Ingredients

For The Spud Rub

 
For The Spud Rub Dip

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all spud rub ingredients in a glass jar; close the lid and shake to blend. Store at room temperature.

2. PREPARE a medium-hot fire in your grill. Place the potatoes in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with spud rub. Toss to coat.

3. PLACE the potatoes on the grill rack or in grill basket directly over the heat and close the grill lid. After 3 to 4 minutes, open the lid and toss the potatoes or turn the basket. Close the lid again and repeat the process for 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Makes 4 side dish servings.

SPUD RUB DIP RECIPE

1. COMBINE combine 1/2 cup prepared buttermilk or ranch-style dressing and 2 teaspoons spud rub in small bowl. Stir to blend.

2. REFRIGERATE until ready to serve.

See the different types of potatoes in our Potato Glossary.

Find more delicious potato recipes at PotatoGoodness.com.

Mango caprese salad. Photo courtesy
Murray’s Cheese Bar | New York City.

So many people we know—ourselves included—are fans of the Caprese salad. So simple but so delicious, the salad comprises slices of tomato and mozzarella with fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It’s named after the Italian island of Capri, where it was widely popularized in the 1950s following its “discovery” by tourists to the beautiful isle.

It will be another month or more before lush, seasonal tomatoes make the Caprese a thing of glory. So in the interim, try a Mango Caprese, an inspiration of Murray’s Cheese Bar in New York City.

Just substitute sliced mangoes for the tomatoes.

MORE CAPRESE SALAD RECIPE IDEAS

Do you make or eat these foods?

Caesar salad. Photo courtesy McCormick.com.

What these delicious dishes have in common: All are traditionally made with raw eggs that remain uncooked in the finished recipe.

Then there are undercooked recipes with egg, such as over easy eggs, sunny side up eggs, Eggs Benedict or other dish with hollandaise sauce, and other lightly cooked egg sauces and custards.

If you make or eat them, you fall into one of three groups: the group that ignores the risk of salmonella poisoning from raw eggs; the group that cooks the eggs or uses liquid egg products, which alters the taste of the recipe; or the third, best, group, which uses pasteurized eggs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend eating eggs that are raw or undercooked. But it states that “In-shell pasteurized eggs may be used safely without cooking.”

PASTEURIZED EGGS

Pasteurized eggs undergo an all-natural pasteurization process that kills harmful bacteria without altering the consistency or texture of the eggs: They look and act just like raw eggs while eliminating the risk of salmonella. Unlike processed egg liquids, they deliver the fresh, wholesome flavor and quality of raw eggs.

So you can enjoy the brownie batter, cookie dough and other raw egg foods with the gusto they deserve. That’s certainly worth going the extra step to bring home pasteurized eggs.

If your grocer does not carry them, ask the manager to bring them in. Learn more at SafeEggs.com.

The “P” is for pasteurized. Photo courtesy
Davidsons.

HANDLING RAW EGGS

The USDA requires a safe-handling advisory statement on all packages of raw shell eggs* that are not pasteurized to destroy salmonella:

“SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.”

The USDA further advises: “Use pasteurized eggs or egg products when preparing recipes that call for using eggs raw or undercooked.”

Pasteurized eggs do not need to carry this warning because they eliminate the risk of salmonella.

*Shell eggs are eggs sold in the shell, as opposed to packages of de-shelled eggs that can be purchased by foodservice, where professionals are trained in safe handling.

Eggs are an economical, enjoyable food; but raw eggs, as has been noted, can be a source of salmonella poisoning.

Raw eggs, undercooked eggs, or foods containing them are the leading cause of salmonella foodborne illness in the U.S. today, responsible for 4 out of 5 salmonella infections.

And it’s not just obvious recipes like Caesar salad: Over a four-year period, 17 outbreaks and more than 500 illnesses in the U.S. were traced to salmonella bacteria in homemade ice cream, according to the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has estimated that annually 2.2 million eggs are contaminated with salmonella. They warn that “everyone is at risk for egg-associated salmonellosis.” Tthe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend eating eggs that are raw or undercooked.

The CDC created a report identifying the 10 riskiest foods regulated by the FDA. Raw eggs were #2, following leafy greens. Here’s the full report.

FOOD TRIVIA: BLOOD SPOTS IN EGGS

Occasionally, a small blood spot will appear in an egg yolk. This actually indicates an extremely fresh egg. It is not a fertile egg, but rather a ruptured capillary that appears on the yolk surface during the egg formation.

These eggs are safe to eat and the blood spot can be removed with a knife if you are concerned about the appearance.

Discover all the different types of eggs in our Egg Glossary.

Bacon cupcakes, bacon potato chips, bacon melon balls, candied bacon, bacon lattes—these were just some of the treats enjoyed by participants in last year’s iAdventure festival in New York City.

On Sunday, June 23rd, iAdventure.com Bacon Bash II will take place at Bowlmor Times Square. Join the party to sample bacon-inspired libations and treats and bring home some baco-licious souvenirs. Your bacon cravings will be satisfied by Bare Burger, House of ‘Que, Baconery, Bacon Bites and others with bacon preparations from the sweet to the savory!

Tickets are $35 for 1 draft beer and à la carte food; $45 for 5 Bacon Tastes and 1 draft beer, and $85 for two tickets with 10 Bacon Tastes and 2 draft beers!

You must be 21+ to attend. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit iAdventure.com.

Until then, check out our:

Candied bacon and bacon lattes from iAdventure.com Bacon Bash I.

Add beer to your homemade barbecue sauce. Photo by EasyBuy4U | IST.

Spell it barbecue, barbeque or BBQ: May is National Barbecue Month.

Here’s a delicious homemade beer barbecue sauce from Samuel Adams. You don’t have to be a beer drinker to enjoy it: The malt and hops provide a subtle lift in flavor and complexity that everyone can appreciate.

BEER BARBECUE SAUCE RECIPE

Ingredients

Preparation

1. HEAT all ingredients in a large sauce pan; stir and cover.

2. REDUCE by half and simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. STRAIN and serve with your favorite grilled meat or poultry.
 
BEER VARIATIONS

You don’t have to use lager; any beer you have on hand will work well, although a more mild wheat beer will have a different impact on the sauce than a hoppy IPA.

Personally, we’re in the IPA camp. If you barbecue a lot, try different types of beer in the sauce. You may find that what you like to cook with differs from what you like to drink.

Add a bottle to the sauce, then drink the rest with your barbecue. Scattered in front pf the beer are the barley and hops used to make it. Photo courtesy Samuel Adams.

The type of cream is up to you. Photo ©
Jacek Kadaj | Fotolia.

Today is National Strawberries And Cream Day, a classic English dessert. The ingredients are as simple as can be. And if you use just a dab of cream, whipped cream or fat-free sour cream, it’s also so healthful that it’s recommended by the Mayo Clinic (third recipe below).

One cup of strawberries has just 55 calories, 0g fat or cholesterol, 3g dietary fiber and 7g natural fruit sugar. Strawberries are a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese and vitamin C, and are a good source of folate and potassium.

CLASSIC STRAWBERRIES & CREAM RECIPE

Ingredients

 
*Our personal favorite is sour cream with a bit of brown sugar.

1. HULL, wash, dry and halve the strawberries.

2. SPRINKLE with a bit of superfine or table sugar, or noncaloric sweetener, unless the berries are perfectly sweet and need no additional help.

3. TOP with cream. Serve.

VARIATIONS

Add a special touch to half and half or heavy cream. Before pouring it over the strawberries, add some rosewater, orange flower water, essence of jasmine or liqueur to your cream. Alternatively, you can infuse lavender in the cream two hours or overnight, and strain out the lavender before using the cream.

Here are some flavored whipped cream recipes: bourbon, five spice, lavender, salted caramel and more.

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM U.K. RECIPE

In the U.K., the strawberries are allowed to marinate. Try this recipe:

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MIX water and 1/2 of the sugar.

Strawberry fields forever. Photo by Rachael Wong | Pics4Learning.com.

3. PLACE the strawberries into the bowl of sugar water. Soak for 5 minutes. Drain.

4. LAYER strawberries with cream in individual cups.

Here’s a guilt-free recipe from the Mayo Clinic:
 

MAYO CLINIC STRAWBERRIES & CREAM RECIPE

Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. WHISK together the sour cream, brown sugar and liqueur in a small bowl.

2. COMBINE the halved strawberries and sour cream mixture in a large bowl. Stir gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

3. SCOOP the strawberries into 6 colorful bowls or chilled sherbet glasses. Garnish with whole strawberries and serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY TRIVIA

Don’t wash raw poultry, meat or seafood. Photo courtesy Chicken.org.au.

Recently we received a pitch for a line of food cleaning sprays that purport to eliminate harmful bacteria. “Outdoor cooking leads to more trips to the hospital because of the improper handling of meats and veggies while grilling,” it advised. “Many of us take meat out of the packaging and put it right on the grill without doing anything but seasoning it. This can lead to salmonella poisoning, food poisoning and much more if you are not properly handling your beef, chicken and fish.”

The company went on to promote its “all-natural, organic, earth and consumer green, meat and fish cleaner to ensure that your meal is clean and free of anything that can make you sick.”

We decided to drill down on this claim, and came across this information from the USDA Food Inspection and Safety Service. Their recommendation: don’t wash or rinse the proteins.

Not only is there no scientific evidence to support grandma’s practice of washing the raw proteins; The U.S. Department of Agriculture cautions against it due to potential cross contamination.

WASHING FISH, MEAT & POULTRY

Washing raw fish, seafood, poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended, says the USDA. The bacteria in the juices can be spread to other foods, utensils and surfaces. This potential cross-contamination is the opposite of making your meat or poultry safe.

Why? Some of the bacteria are so tightly attached to the flesh that you could not remove them no matter how many times you washed the food. Other types of bacteria can be easily washed off and splashed onto the surfaces of your kitchen: counter, faucet, utensils and so forth.

Failure to clean these contaminated areas and items can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling or grilling) to the proper temperature kills all the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary.

Using a food thermometer is the only sure way of knowing if your food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy foodborne bacteria. Cook all raw beef and veal steaks, roasts, and chops to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F (or higher) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

SOAKING MEAT & POULTRY

What about soaking poultry in salt water (brining)? The USDA advises that this is a personal preference and serves no purpose for food safety. If you choose to soak poultry, preventing cross-contamination when soaking and removing the poultry from the water is essential. Meat or poultry should be kept in the refrigerator while soaking.

What about washing or soaking pork products?

Some people soak country ham, bacon, or salt pork because they think it reduces the sodium or salt enough to allow these products to be eaten on a sodium-restricted diet.

However, says the USDA, very little salt is removed by washing, rinsing or soaking a meat product and the practice is not recommended.

WASHING EGGS

Do not wash eggs before storing them. Washing is a routine part of commercial egg processing and the eggs do not need to be washed again.

Don’t rinse pork products, either. Photo courtesy RipeNRawOrganics.com.au.

WASHING PRODUCE

Before eating or preparing fresh fruits and vegetables, wash the produce under cold running tap water to remove any lingering dirt and pesticides. This reduces bacteria that may be present. If there is a firm surface, such as on apples or potatoes, the surface can be scrubbed with a brush.

Do not wash fruits and vegetables with detergent or soap. You could ingest residues from soap or detergent absorbed on the produce.

When preparing fruits and vegetables, cut away any damaged or bruised areas because bacteria that cause illness can thrive in those places. Immediately refrigerate any fresh-cut items such as salad or fruit for best quality and food safety.

HOW TO AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATION

“As easy as pie” refers to eating the pie, not
baking it. Photo courtesy Harry and David.

As a follow up to last month’s list of 12 popular food phrases (idoms*), food phrases we have five more, courtesy of Dictionary.com.

1. Apples And Oranges

Apples and oranges refers to two incommensurable items, i.e. a comparison of things that cannot be compared. Though they are both fruits, apples and oranges are separated by color, taste, juiciness, uses and so forth.

The idiom first appeared as apples and oysters in John Ray’s 1670 “Handbook Of Proverbs.” Equivalent terms exist in many languages, from “grandmothers and toads” in Serbian to “love and the eye of an axe” in Argentine Spanish.
 

*An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, such as “kick the bucket” or “hang one’s head.’”

2. As Easy As Pie

It’s not so easy to make a pie, but anyone can eat one. “As easy as pie” is an idiom used to describe a task or experience as pleasurable and simple—like the act of consuming a pie, not the more difficult task of baking one.

According to Wikipedia, the phrase was used in 1910 by Zane Grey in “The Young Forester” and in 1913 “The Saturday Evening Post.” It is probably a development of the phrase “like eating pie,” first recorded in “Sporting Life” in 1886. The phrase is often interchanged with “piece of cake,” which shares the same connotation.

3. Cup Of Tea

Popularized in British Edwardian slang, “cup of tea” originally referred to something pleasant or agreeable. The negative usage, as in “not my cup of tea,” arose during World War II as a more polite way to say that you didn’t like something.

“You don’t say someone gives you a pain in the neck,” explained journalist Alister Cooke in his 1944 Letter from America. “You just remark, he’s not my cup of tea.’”

4. In A Nutshell

“In a nutshell” refers to a short description, or a story told in no more words than can physically fit in the shell of a nut.

The ancient Roman encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder claimed that a copy of Homer’s “The Iliad” existed that was small enough to fit inside a walnut shell. Almost 2,000 years later, in the early 1700s, the Bishop of Avranches in France tested Pliny’s theory by writing out the epic in tiny handwriting on a walnut-sized piece of paper.

Lo and behold, it fit!

5. Walking on Eggshells

This phrase means taking great care not to upset someone. It is thought to have originated in politics: Diplomats were described as having the remarkable ability to tread so lightly around difficult situations, as though they were walking on eggshells.

It’s true: “The Iliad” does fit in a nutshell! Photo by J. Eltovski | Morguefile.

In a nutshell, we hope you go bananas for food idioms. Whether or not they’re your cup of tea, these terms are easy as pie to use and they’ll make you the big cheese of any conversation!

So go ahead and spill the beans—it’s just like apples and oranges.

Grilled shrimp with a green salad. Photo
courtesy Haru Restaurant | New York City.

Shrimp salad loaded with mayonnaise: not good for you. Grilled shrimp with a vinaigrette-dressed salad or the grilled shrimp salad recipe below: A better idea. Other low-calorie shrimp dishes include ceviche; the classic shrimp cocktail or its update, the shrimp Martini (recipe below); or a lightly-dressed shrimp Caesar salad. Think Eat This, Not That.

Americans eat four pounds of shrimp a year—and it might be much higher if the tasty little swimmers were more affordable!

Shrimp may be small in size, but they’re huge in taste and health appeal. This little crustacean ranks as the #1 selling seafood in America. High in protein, low in carbohydrates and an abundant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, shrimp are a good-for-you food. We obtained these shrimp health notes from SeaPak, a producer of frozen shrimp products.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SHRIMP

Nutrition. A four-ounce serving of shrimp provides a whopping 23.7 grams of protein, which is 47% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA); nearly 40% of the RDA of vitamin D; and nearly 30% of the RDA of vitamin B12. Shrimp is also very high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid, and selenium, which induces the repair process in damaged cells and inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells.

Omega-3s. Studies show that shrimp and other seafoods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can improve cardio-vascular health and lower the incidence of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that people include these protective oils in their diets by eating at least two servings of seafood per week.

Cholesterol-Friendly. Shrimp doesn’t deserve its old bad rap for high cholesterol. A study at Rockefeller University Hospital, co-sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health, confirmed in 1996 that the cholesterol content of shrimp should not be a concern. The research results revealed that a shrimp diet raises levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and decreases levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol (lowering LDL in the bloodstream significantly reduces susceptibility to heart disease).

Ingredients For 4 Servings

This recipe is served in oversized Martini glasses (about 10 ounces), but you can substitute another dish or goblet.

 
For The Salsa

 
Garnishes

A shrimp cocktail has a cocktail sauce garnish. But fill the same glass with anything else, and you’ve got a Shrimp Martini. This photo shows diced avocado substituting for the diced bell peppers in the recipe. Photo courtesy California Raisins.

1. POACH shrimp in 2 quarts salted water until cooked through (3 minutes). Remove and chill in ice water.

2. MIX all salsa ingredients; season with salt and pepper.

3. DIVIDE salsa evenly among the glasses. Arrange 4 shrimp per glass. Garnish each with olive and lime slice. Place 1 glass on each plate and serve with a ramekin of cocktail sauce.
 
Source: Ocean Garden Products, Inc. and Chef Lou Imbesi, Catelli Ristorante, Voorhees, NJ, via EatShrimp.com.

GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. CUT the peppers in thin slices, grill shrimp 4 to 5 minutes.

2. MIX with remaining ingredients in a stainless bowl. Season with salt.

3. DIVIDE into two portions; garnish with onion slice and serve.

Source: Ocean Garden Products and Chef Marino Tavares, Ferreira Café Restaurant, Montreal, Quebec, via EatShrimp.com.