The 60-Second Food Schmooze

We’ve been researching some interesting ways to cut back on salt. Foods are loaded with crazy amounts of salt to make us crave it, but it’s hurting our health. Consumer Reports says a great red pasta sauce substitute is grated lemon zest, basil and chives instead of sodium-blasted store-bought stuff. Put fennel seeds and sage on pork. Make a dry spice rub for steaks. More lemon zest and lemon thyme on fish. Use delicious herbs and spices instead of salt.

Photo: Pixabay.com

There isn’t a dish I can think of (except cereal) that won’t be made crazy-delicious by being topped with a sprinkling of crispy shallots. David Tanis (author of Market Cooking) says to put a cup of vegetable oil in a pan with 3 shallots, sliced thin. Cook them on medium heat, stirring and watching them carefully for 15 minutes. When they’re golden brown, set them aside and dry them with a paper towel. Keep the crispy shallots in a jar by the stove and toss them into vegetables, beef, poultry, and fish. I would put these on an old boot and eat them—that’s how good they are.

Photo: Seacoast Eat Local/Flickr, creative commons

The post Crispy Fried Shallots Make a Delicious Topping appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.

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There isn’t a dish I can think of (except cereal) that won’t be made crazy-delicious by being topped with a sprinkling of crispy shallots. David Tanis (author of Market Cooking) says to put a cup of vegetable oil in a pan with 3 shallots, sliced thin. Cook them on medium heat, stirring and watching them carefully for 15 minutes. When they’re golden brown, set them aside and dry them with a paper towel. Keep the crispy shallots in a jar by the stove and toss them into vegetables, beef, poultry, and fish. I would put these on an old boot and eat them—that’s how good they are.

Photo: Seacoast Eat Local/Flickr, creative commons

Here’s a chef’s secret that you can use at home. Professional chefs keep homemade flavored salt by the stove and use it to spark up everything. Here’s how to make your own cumin salt, though you can make other flavored salts too, including coriander and fennel salt.

Pour some cumin seeds from your local health food store (cheaper!) into a dry fry pan and toast them, watching carefully not to burn them. When they’re fragrant, remove them, let them cool, and grind them in a coffee grinder. Mix them with a flaky sea salt and sprinkle it on vegetables, fish, pork, and beef before you cook it. The flavored salt makes everything better.

Photo: Pixabay

The post Make Your Own Cumin Salt, Or Any Flavored Salt appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.

Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s a chef’s secret that you can use at home. Professional chefs keep homemade flavored salt by the stove and use it to spark up everything. Here’s how to make your own cumin salt, though you can make other flavored salts too, including coriander and fennel salt.

Pour some cumin seeds from your local health food store (cheaper!) into a dry fry pan and toast them, watching carefully not to burn them. When they’re fragrant, remove them, let them cool, and grind them in a coffee grinder. Mix them with a flaky sea salt and sprinkle it on vegetables, fish, pork, and beef before you cook it. The flavored salt makes everything better.

Photo: Pixabay

Here’s a chef’s secret that you can use at home. Professional chefs keep homemade flavored salt by the stove and use it to spark up everything. Here’s how to make your own cumin salt, though you can make other flavored salts too, including coriander and fennel salt.

Pour some cumin seeds from your local health food store (cheaper!) into a dry fry pan and toast them, watching carefully not to burn them. When they’re fragrant, remove them, let them cool, and grind them in a coffee grinder. Mix them with a flaky sea salt and sprinkle it on vegetables, fish, pork, and beef before you cook it. The flavored salt makes everything better.

Photo: Pixabay

All you need is one pat of Balsamic butter to make your steak or burger swoon-worthy. Let a half stick of butter soften to room temperature in a bowl, then use a fork to mix in salt, pepper, and a tablespoon each of balsamic vinegar and diced shallots. Cover and refrigerate or freeze it until you need a dollop.

Photo: Pixabay.com

The post Balsamic Butter For Steaks & Burgers appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.

Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All you need is one pat of Balsamic butter to make your steak or burger swoon-worthy. Let a half stick of butter soften to room temperature in a bowl, then use a fork to mix in salt, pepper, and a tablespoon each of balsamic vinegar and diced shallots. Cover and refrigerate or freeze it until you need a dollop.

Photo: Pixabay.com

I like quinoa as a higher protein power carb. Buy a pound of ground chicken and mix it with a half-cup of cooked quinoa, an egg, minced garlic, a couple of glugs of Frank’s hot sauce, and grated Parmesan cheese. Form the mixture into little meatballs and fry them in a little olive oil until they turn from pink to brown. Everybody loves these Buffalo chicken meatballs.

Photo: christine kaelin/Flickr, creative commons

The post Buffalo Quinoa & Ground Chicken Meatballs appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.

Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I like quinoa as a higher protein power carb. Buy a pound of ground chicken and mix it with a half-cup of cooked quinoa, an egg, minced garlic, a couple of glugs of Frank’s hot sauce, and grated Parmesan cheese. Form the mixture into little meatballs and fry them in a little olive oil until they turn from pink to brown. Everybody loves these Buffalo chicken meatballs.

Photo: christine kaelin/Flickr, creative commons