Introducing a new feature for our Cook section:
“Yummy of the Week” is a feature in which I explore new food products, describe them and give them the official “Yummy Seal of Approval” … or not!
If you would like to submit a product for an unbiased tasting, please e-mail
graceann@yummyletter.com.
This week I got to taste an interesting line of snack foods. The name is Sahale Snacks and what makes them unique and tasty, in my opinion, is their bold international, ethnic flavorings.
It seems like everybody does sour cream, cheddar cheese, barbecue, vinegar and salt. But, hold onto your easy chair, what company does South East Asian flavors? Indian? Southwestern?
There is the Valdosta pecans enlivened by black
pepper and orange zest; Socorro macadamia nuts paired with hazelnuts and given a zing from chipolte powder; Soledad almonds with balsamic vinegar and red pepper; and Sing Buri cashews with pineapple, peanuts, flavored with lemongrass and mild Chinese chili.
By far my favorite is the Sing Buri with its exotic South East Asian flavors.
But then Socorro also met the Yummy test. Macadamia nuts coated with spicy chipolte gives these rich nuts the right twist.
Milder in flavor, but just as compelling is Sahale’s Glazed Nuts made from premium tree nuts; they are lightly sweetened, distinctively seasoned, and paired with dried fruits like pomegranates, cranberries and raspberries. These snacks are offered in convenient re-sealable 4 oz. varieties.
I tasted all three: the almonds with cranberries, honey and sea salt; glazed almonds with peanuts, raspberries and strawberries; and the cashews with pomegranate and vanilla.
For me the best of the three was the almonds with cranberries. I could also see using them as a topping for salads.
For this issue of the Yummy letter, I am awarding all of Sahale’s Snacks the Yummy Seal of Approval, with special mention to Sing Buri, Socorro and the glazed almonds.
Sahale Snacks are widely available in fine grocery stores in the Bay Area and online, including on their
Web site.
A Home Recipe from Bibby Gignilliant of Parties that Cook
I love to barbecue oysters in the summer. Just place them flat side down on the grill and be patient until they open up. You can serve them with your favorite barbecue sauce. I love them with a lemon relish.
Barbequed Oysters on the Half Shell with Lemon-herb Relish
(Serves six)
| 1/4 |
cup extra virgin olive oil |
| 2 |
teaspoons lemon zest, preferably Meyer lemon, grated |
2 |
tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
1 |
teaspoon fresh oregano, minced |
2 |
shallots, minced |
| 1 |
tablespoon lemon juice, preferably Meyer lemon |
| 5 |
green olives, such as Picholine, pitted and finely chopped |
| 1/2 |
teaspoon kosher salt |
| 1/4 |
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
| |
Canola oil for brushing grill |
Oysters:
24 fresh oysters, scrubbed
Lemon wedges and herbs for garnish
Method:
Relish: In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, parsley, oregano, shallots, lemon juice, olives, salt and pepper.
Oysters: Heat an outdoor grill (or indoor ridged grill) to very hot. (If using an indoor ridged grill, brush the grill with canola oil). Place oysters, flat side down, on the grill and grill until shells open, about 5-7 minutes. (Be patient as some oysters may be stubborn). Discard any oysters that do not open. Use an oyster knife to detach the oysters from the top (flat) shell. Discard the top shell. Using the oyster knife, cut the muscle attaching the oyster to the bottom rounded shell, but leave the oyster in the shell. Add 1-2 teaspoons of sauce to each. Return to the grill and heat through (1 more minute), until hot. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish the platter with lemon and herbs and serve immediately.
Recipe created by Parties That Cook®
A Home Recipe from GraceAnn Walden
Since I came to California – I think Jerry Brown was governor then – I have discovered many fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before, despite the fact that I am from the Garden State, New Jersey.
As I learned to cook more Asian cuisines, a whole world opened to me. And then there were all the new fruits and vegetables in places like Casa Lucas on 24th Street, High Street in Oakland, or any of the myriad farmers’ markets in the Bay Area.
I was reminded of that recently as I chowed down on some lovely fried yuca in a Cuban-Mexican restaurant in San Jose called El Habanero.
Many years ago, I was in the South Seas Market in San Bruno (612 San Mateo Ave., 650-873-2813), buying some yuca, and two Cuban fellows shared with me the Cuban way of serving it. (In Spanish it’s called yuca con mojo.)
They told me to boil the peeled, cut up yuca until tender, then dress it with lots of butter, minced raw garlic and a squeeze of lime juice. It’s probably not to everyone’s taste, but it’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.
Some people also toss the yuca and all other ingredients lightly while sautéing over medium heat until barely browned, but not too crisp!
This plant is known as yuca in Latin America; elsewhere it is known as cassava or manioc. It is an ancient plant believed to have been cultivated by the Mayans 4,000 years ago.
Another plant, yucca, is a decorative plant, with no edible products. Over and over again, I have seen yuca, the edible tuber, spelled both ways.
Like cilantro, yuca is popular throughout Latin America and Asia. Additionally, yuca is the third largest source of carbohydrates for human food in the world, with Africa its largest center of production. In certain parts of West Africa, a meal wouldn’t be complete without foufou, a paste-like starch made from the flour. Diners grab a bit of it with their fingers and eat it with spicy dishes. The flour is also made into tapioca. Our locally popular bubble tea, from Taiwan originally, contains tapioca balls.
So, it’s a shame that yuca or cassava is not more popular with Americans given that it can be prepared as many ways as potatoes, plus it is slightly higher in Vitamin C than our popular spuds.
Since I have eaten yuca only two ways in restaurants and at home (boiled or fried with garlic sauce) I decided to search my cookbooks for a new twist on yuca.
When that search failed, I turned to the Internet and found a twist on a famous French dish. I remember years ago, dining at Roland Passot’s restaurant, La Folie, where he prepared fish wrapped in “scales” made from thinly sliced potato.
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe from
cd kitchen (a Web site from the Chinet folks).
Note: You really need a mandoline to slice the yuca thin enough (I have one from a Chinatown hardware store that cost $20).
Yuca Crusted Fish
(serves 4)
| 2 |
Yuca |
| 4 |
flounder filets, 6 ounces each (I substituted Pacifc red snapper) |
|
Salt and freshly ground black pepper |
1/2 |
cup good olive oil (divided) |
1/4 |
cup cilantro, chopped |
| 2 |
limes, cut in wedges |
Method:
Cut off and discard the tips of the yuca. Cut in half lengthwise. With a potato peeler, peel yuca. With a paring knife, remove the wooden inner stem from the center.
Place halved yuca in cold water.
Using a mandoline, cut yuca into thin strips.
Lay fish flesh-side up on a sheet of wax paper and season with salt and pepper. Working quickly, press the yuca strips onto both sides of the fish. Pat yuca into position to seal and protect fish; the yuca is glutinous and will adhere.
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Heat half of the olive oil in a large nonstick pan (big enough to fit two filets) over medium heat. Tilt pan away from you so that oil pools on one side. Place thickest end of the fish flesh-side down in the oil.
Return pan to the stove flat and sear fish until yuca is softened and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. With a long spatula, carefully turn each fish and lightly brown other side.
Transfer fish to a baking pan. Repeat the frying of the second two filets.
With all four filets in the pan, place the pan in the oven and bake for 5 to 6 minutes.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Cookbook Review
The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen
“Recipes for the Passionate Cook”
Paula Wolfert
Wiley
$34.95
ISBN 0-471-26288-9
About five years ago, I interviewed Paula Wolfert for “Cook’s Night Out,” a weekly feature that I created for the San Francisco Chronicle Pink Pages.
Because Wolfert doesn’t drive, I picked her up at her home, a sprawling modernistic two-story place snuggled into a woodsy Sonoma hillside. There were two-story windows in the living room, gigantic modern paintings, a zillion cookbooks, and shelves displaying cooking vessels from the Mediterranean.
We had a wonderful time together and immediately bonded. At the end of our meal at one of her favorite lunch spots, the server asked if we were sisters. Laughing, we both said yes.
Since that time, I have explored many of her cookbooks, which are always grounded in the culture and history of her subject.
This book, The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, originally published in 2003, is my favorite. It was her eighth, and what draws me to it is its foundation in slow cooking.
The book concentrates, in part, on tagines, but there are also salads, dips, spreads, and desserts. In my mind it’s a Moroccan word that evokes my mother’s slow-cooked braises. The method is similar; the ingredients couldn’t be more different.
I have made this side dish for years and it’s always a hit with my guests, and me, of course.
Oven-baked Cauliflower with Yogurt-Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
| 1 |
head of cauliflower |
| 2 |
tablespoons white vinegar |
1 |
cup plain yogurt (I use Russian yogurt) |
1/2 |
teaspoon crushed garlic |
|
Salt |
| 3 |
large eggs |
| 6 |
ounces sheep’s milk cheese such as kasseri or Manchego, coarsely grated (In a pinch, I have used a good pecorino) |
| |
Juice of 1/2 a lemon |
| |
Freshly ground pepper |
| 1 |
tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley |
| 1 |
tablespoon breadcrumbs |
| 2 |
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil |
Soak the cauliflower in vinegared water for 5 minutes; rinse and drain. Steam whole until barely tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well on kitchen towels. Chill in the refrigerator, and then cut insto florets with at least 1/2-inch stem attached. Arrange in a single layer in an oiled shallow baking dish.
At least one hour before serving, combine the yogurt, garlic and salt in a small bowl. Stir and reserve at room temperature.
About 35 minutes before serving, transfer an oven rack to the upper shelf and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until well combined. Whisk in the cheese, lemon, pepper, and parsley. Spread the cheese mixture over the cauliflower; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil on top. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Serve hot with yogurt-garlic sauce.
Volume 1 Issue 20 
Nearly 10 years ago I obtained a copy of the Seafood Watch, and as I reviewed restaurants I would check to see how sustainable their choices were. This was 1999, when Seafood Watch was in its infancy; the popular consumer pocket guide evolved from the list of sustainable seafood the Monterey Bay Aquarium developed as part of its 1997–1999 exhibit, "Fishing for Solutions.” I was amazed, at the time, by how many top-notch restaurants (and markets) were oblivious to the many species in danger, proudly featuring Chilean seabass despite the fact it was on track to be extinct within two decades. 
