What it says about us when we want a cook's recipe but not their humanity - CNN

What it says about us when we want a cook's recipe but not their humanity - CNN
How to Cook Smarter: Easy Recipes and Pandemic Takeaways - The Wall Street Journal
Hot and sour soup and a tangy stew: Ravinder Bhogal's recipes for mussels - The Guardian
The best heart-healthy recipes you should try in 2021 - TODAY

Posted: 05 Mar 2021 08:06 AM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]What it says about us when we want a cook's recipe but not their humanity CNN

How to Cook Smarter: Easy Recipes and Pandemic Takeaways - The Wall Street Journal

Posted: 05 Mar 2021 09:31 AM PST

THE PANDEMIC has pushed us all way out of our comfort zones when it comes to cooking. Over the past year we've had to become better shoppers, waste-reducers, meal-stretchers and cooking-fatigue combatants. Those in the business of growing, butchering, cooking and serving food have grappled with the challenge of putting food on the table at home as well as at work, and they've gained some hard-earned kitchen wisdom. We approached a panel of pros and asked them to share their takeaways, their cooking coping mechanisms, their revised kitchen strategies and the new habits they plan to carry with them post-lockdown.

Molly Baz

Author, 'Cook This Book: Techniques That Teach and Recipes to Repeat' (Los Angeles)

I have adopted some new routines that I'll now always incorporate. I never stocked my freezer before. But now that I'm trying to minimize going to the grocery store, I have a fully stocked freezer. I just wake up in the morning, decide what I'm inspired to make for the day and pull it out. I keep two whole chickens, five pounds of ground beef, six different kinds of sausages and three cuts of steak so that there's a protein for any particular moment.

I also found that keeping tortillas in the pantry at all times is a better option than keeping bread because bread deteriorates really quickly. I buy packs of flour tortillas and they never really go bad. You can bring them back to life quickly by heating them up in a skillet or over a burner.

Connor McGinn

Ceramicist, Connor McGinn Studios (Tarrytown, N.Y.)

I noticed my cabinets at home were filled with mismatched half-chipped plates, despite the fact I make plates for restaurants. So one of the first things I did was bring home a set of plates, because I was cooking and eating there so much. If you can't go to a restaurant, you might as well make it nicer at home. It makes a difference even in getting takeout, to set it up on nice plates.

Over the summer I started foraging and finding spots for mushrooms and ramps and things like that. A great way to get outside.

I have found a peaceful enjoyment spending an inordinate amount of time cooking one meal and enjoying the process of it. I think there's a return to that. Not that everyone wants to make time-consuming meals every day, but in some cases you have nothing but time, and it's nice to devote yourself to that.

Erika Nakamura and Jocelyn Guest

Butcher Girls (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.)

Jocelyn: I've been experimenting with different meat cuts in the Instant Pot. I'll pressure cook a tougher cut, let it cool in the cooking liquid and either slice it for stir-fry or hard-sear it in the pan. I've also been making mayonnaise, jams, butter. And we started a really aggressive herb garden. All of these things reduced trips to the market.

Erika: I started baking bread and it became such a labor of love. You're up at two or three in the morning stretching dough...

Jocelyn: I do not recommend that anyone with a spouse or partner start bread baking—unless you have a conversation with your partner. I'm married to this starter now.

Erika: Yesterday Jocelyn made me empty out my starter collection—basically jars of goo lying around. But she also got me a bread proofer for Valentine's Day.

Eytan Zias

Bladesmith, Steelport Knife Co., The Knife House (Portland, Ore., and Phoenix, Ariz.)

I turned to meat and fish wholesalers. The restaurants shut down and they didn't have anyone to sell to, so I started buying large cuts of meat or whole fish. I got to work on my butchery skills. And I already had a Cryovac machine. I'd buy stuff, portion it and Cryovac it so my neighbors and my staff had full freezers of good meat and fish.

My kids are sushi fans, so my home sushi game has gotten way better. We also got backyard chickens—half for the eggs and half to keep the kids busy.

And we've been doing a lot of trading in the neighborhood. A neighbor got good at baking bread. He didn't have a good bread knife, so I traded him a knife for bread. Sometimes we'd get a text, like, "I made too much salad dressing, who needs it? It's on the front stoop!"

Rōze Traore

Private Chef/Instructor (New York City)

I started cooking outside my comfort zone and doing things I never used to do. I would always just pop into the store, grab my ingredients and then wing it, but the pandemic caused me to get in the habit of meal planning. It made me more organized.

I started shopping online, which I also never used to do because I worried about the quality. But now I'm more comfortable with it. It's been a success. I've been getting good quality and, frankly, it's something that I've enjoyed. It's convenient, straight to my doorstep.

I've learned to understand ingredients a little more and take my time. If I'm not familiar with something, I'll pick up a book and learn more about it, broadening my knowledge and taking deep dives without being intimidated.

Lee Jones

Farmer, The Chef's Garden (Huron, Ohio)

When shelves were bare in grocery stores, it made me realize what a disconnect there is in distribution. Local butchers, bread makers, farmers and gardeners became even more essential for supply.

I'm much more thoughtful about food now in general. My brother and I started this program that promotes healthy eating. It's no dairy, no meat, lots of legumes, leafy greens, vegetables. We've always promoted healthy vegetables, but my brother and I are two fat guys. It was time to practice what we preach. I can't believe the differences I'm feeling.

We are also more thoughtful about how much time we take to eat. We worked harder than ever this year and gave ourselves permission to slow down and recognize how eating was fulfilling us physically and spiritually.

Maia Parish

Sommelier, The Wine Suite (Denver, Colo.)

I realized that there were items that I didn't have access to anymore, so I had to figure out how to make these things. It added variety to my cooking and expanded my knowledge.

I have made Peruvian food and Iranian food. I began to explore other cultures deeply because those were the things I was missing. I've also discovered birria tacos and I'll never eat an Ameritaco again. So now I have all these spice packets and flavor profiles from other countries that I never had on hand before.

I became obsessed with tins—conservas, anything in a tin—it's a great love for me now. It has helped with my Omega-3s. I'm beyond obsessed. It's a problem. But a happy problem.

Steve Sando

Founder, Rancho Gordo Specialty Food (Napa, Calif.)

I realized that a salad doesn't necessarily need to include lettuce. I really hate cleaning lettuce. It's kind of irritating, and lettuce is so temporary. I love using my mandoline and thinly slicing onions, fennel, carrots and celery, and adding something luxurious like beans. I've also been shredding cabbage with a vegetable peeler. Cabbage is great because it lasts so long.

I have eating-by-myself fatigue. Probably the first thing I bought was plastic tubs. I cook extra and give it away.

I could suffer everything else, like not going to the movies, a sporting event, if I could just have friends over for dinner... That's been the hardest part. We all should be getting our houses in order so we can do nothing but have a nonstop party when this is over.

1 Bird, 3 Recipes: How to Get the Most From Your Roast Chicken

Once he embraced meal-planning, chef Rōze Traore enjoyed exploring efficient ways to stretch a meal into more than one dish, giving the ingredients a fresh start each time. Here, Mr. Traore spins a lemony, buttery roast chicken into a za'atar-spiced open-face pita with yogurt and marinated cabbage. And once that chicken is picked clean, the carcass is ready for stock.

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Kim Ramin

Ingredients

1 (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken
3 sticks salted butter
3 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon honey
1 lemon
¼ yellow onion
3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, halved crosswise

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Let chicken and butter sit at room temperature 1 hour. (If necessary, soften butter further in the microwave, 10-15 seconds.)
Make the spiced butter: In a large bowl, combine butter with salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, cardamom, paprika and honey, stirring to blend thoroughly. Pick leaves from 1 sprig thyme and add leaves to softened butter, stirring to fully incorporate.
Remove giblets (if any) from chicken. Use paper towels to thoroughly pat chicken dry. (Completely dry, the skin will crisp beautifully during roasting.)
Halve lemon and squeeze it inside chicken cavity. Stuff lemon halves, onion, garlic, remaining thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs inside cavity.
Truss the chicken: Use butcher's twine to tie the legs together and secure the wings to the breast.
Pat chicken dry once again. Slather soft spiced butter all over chicken until fully covered.
Place whole chicken on a sheet pan with a wire rack set inside. Cover with foil, place in oven and roast 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, pull chicken out of oven, remove foil and carefully drain any melted butter that has collected in the pan, reserving it in a heatproof dish. Change the foil. Return chicken to oven and cook 20 minutes more.
Rotate chicken and cook 20 minutes more. Pull chicken out of oven once more, remove foil, and use a brush to coat entire bird with reserved butter.
Increase heat to 425 degrees. Cook chicken, uncovered, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer reads 155-160 degrees, 25-30 minutes. (Temperature will reach 165 degrees as chicken rests.)
Let chicken rest 15 minutes before serving.

—Adapted from chef Rōze Traore, New York City

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Kim Ramin

Ingredients

1 chicken carcass
1 medium onion, halved
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, sliced into 1-inch pieces, plus leaves from one bunch of celery
Leftover herbs from roasting, such as rosemary and thyme
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan rind (optional)

Directions

Place all ingredients in a 6-quart stockpot. Cover with water (7-8 cups). Set over high heat and bring to a boil.
Once pot is boiling, reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cover and simmer 2 hours.
Turn off heat. Let stock cool. Strain. Portion into quart containers. Refrigerate and/or freeze.

—Adapted from Kathleen Squires

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Kim Ramin

Ingredients

1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped dill
Juice of 1 lemon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 small head purple cabbage
2 tablespoons Champagne or white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Grapeseed oil, for brushing pitas and searing chicken
2 pitas
1 tablespoon za'atar seasoning
Leftover roasted chicken
Salt to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine yogurt, chopped dill, lemon juice and zest, and garlic. Season with salt and whisk until ingredients are fully incorporated.
Cut cabbage in quarters. Use a knife or mandoline to thinly slice cabbage. In a large bowl, toss sliced cabbage with vinegar, salt and olive oil.
Brush grapeseed oil on both sides of pita bread. Season both sides of oiled pita with za'atar.
On the stovetop, preheat a medium skillet over low-medium heat, 1 minute. Place pitas in skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove pan from heat and set pitas aside.
Pull leftover chicken from bones. Wipe pan clean.
Set cleaned pan over medium heat and preheat 2 minutes. Drizzle grapeseed oil in pan and swirl to coat. Add pulled chicken and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
To serve, spread a layer of herb yogurt over each pita and cover with marinated cabbage. Top with seared chicken.

—Adapted from chef Rōze Traore, New York City

To explore and search through all our recipes, check out the new WSJ Recipes page.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

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More in Food & Drink

Hot and sour soup and a tangy stew: Ravinder Bhogal's recipes for mussels - The Guardian

Posted: 05 Mar 2021 11:00 PM PST

In the shellfish popularity stakes, mussels are not as revered as lobsters or oysters, but they do have a loyal fan base – for good reason. British rope-grown varieties are one of the most sustainable sources of food, and are sweet and so plump that they look as if they've been on steroids. What I have always found particularly rewarding about mussels is that they are cheap, easy and quick to cook, as well as versatile enough to work well with flavours from a global larder.

Mussels with kefir, bulgur wheat and soft herbs (pictured above)

This mussel dish has a Turkish inflection – the kefir adds both tang and richness, and can be easily swapped out for yoghurt.

Prep 20 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
4 sticks celery, finely chopped
3 fat garlic cloves , peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp pul biber
2 tbsp dried mint
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1½ litres vegetable or chicken stock
100g bulgur wheat
500g kefir
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp plain flour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

2kg mussels, rinsed and cleaned (discard any with broken shells or open ones that don't close when tapped)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp each chopped mint, chervil or parsley and dill
1 tsp sumac, to finish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then saute the onion and celery until soft but not coloured. Stir in the garlic, pul biber, dried mint and lemon zest, and cook until fragrant. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then scatter in the bulgur wheat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until it's cooked.

In a bowl, whisk the kefir and egg. Add the flour mixture and a ladle of the hot stock, and whisk again to combine. Drop the mussels into the hot stock, cover and cook for three to four minutes, until the mussels have opened up – discard any that do not.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels and keep warm (it doesn't matter if some of the bulgur is mixed in, too). Pour the kefir mix into the stockpot, reduce the heat and mix through until it comes to a simmer, but do not let it boil. Season to taste and scatter over half the herbs.

Take off the heat, return the mussels to the pan, then ladle into serving bowls. Scatter over the remaining herbs and the sumac, and serve.

Mussels, rice and tamarind rasam

Ravinder Bhogal's mussel, rice and tamarind rasam.

Rasam is a deeply spicy and sour broth that, much like a Thai hot-and-sour soup, is designed to make you sweat. It's normally eaten on its own or with a bowl of steamed rice, but the addition of sweet mussels works incredibly well with its fragrant flavours, while the rice gives body to an otherwise thin broth.

Prep 15 min
Infuse 1 hr+
Cook 45 min
Serves 4

1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
15 curry leaves
1 dried chilli, broken
¼ tsp whole peppercorns
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 heaped tbsp rasam powder
1 thumbsized piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very fine matchsticks
1 long red chilli, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
45g tamarind concentrate
20g jaggery, or soft light brown sugar
1 litre water
Sea salt, to taste
100g basmati rice
2kg mussels, rinsed and cleaned (discard any with broken shells or open ones that don't close when tapped)
1 handful freshly chopped coriander
Juice of a lime, to taste

For the rasam powder
1 tbsp ghee, for frying
4 whole dried chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp pigeon peas or channa dal
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns

First make the rasam powder; heat the ghee in a small pan, then add all the other powder ingredients. Saute over a low heat for three to four minutes, set aside to cool, then blend into a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

To make the rasam, melt the ghee in a large saucepan, add the mustard seeds and, once they pop and splutter, sprinkle in the asafoetida, curry leaves and dried chilli.

Tip in the peppercorns, cumin, ginger, chilli and the rasam powder, and stir-fry briefly until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, tamarind, jaggery, water and salt, and bring to a boil. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes, then leave to cool and infuse for at least an hour, but the longer, the better, and preferably overnight. Fine strain, making sure you squeeze the solids against the sieve before discarding.

Bring the strained rasam back to a boil, drop in the rice and cook for 10 minutes, until tender. Drop in the mussels, cover with a tight lid and steam for three to four minutes, until the mussels have opened up (discard any that don't). Finish with the coriander and lime juice to taste, and serve at once.

The best heart-healthy recipes you should try in 2021 - TODAY

Posted: 03 Mar 2021 06:34 AM PST

How often do you think about your heart? Probably not that often, yet it's working hard for us every second of the day. Our heart pumps blood throughout our body, carrying the nutrients and oxygen that our organs rely on. And it also sends the carbon dioxide that we need to get rid of to our lungs. That means without a healthy heart, we're in deep trouble. Unfortunately, heart disease remains the number one killer of men and women in the United States.

The food we eat, the beverages we drink, the air we breathe and the activities we do all have an effect on our ticker. Since we want to keep it in great shape for decades to come, let's take a look at the nutrients that can help us support heart health and the delicious foods we can find them in.

Key Nutrients for Heart Health

Magnesium

Studies have shown a link between deficiency of this mineral and high blood pressure. Folks who don't get enough have elevated markers of inflammation, which can increase your risk of heart disease. You can find magnesium in beets, almonds, spinach, bananas and avocados. Women ages 31 and over need 320mg per day. Men 31 and up require 420mg. Here are some tasty ways to get it:

1. Roasted Beets with Pistachios and Ricotta Salata

Nathan Congleton / TODAY

If you think you don't like beets, it's time to give them another try! Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and their earthy flavor balances well with the crunchy pistachios and the salty ricotta salata cheese in this hearty salad.

2. Beet-Citrus Blast Smoothie

Courtesy of Frances Largeman-Roth, RD

The gorgeous, bright pink hue of this vegan smoothie will help you get energized at any time of day. And the magnesium it contains will help keep your ticker healthy. Plus, the hemp seeds in the recipe have the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids for reducing heart disease risk.

3. Maple-Almond Crunch Bites

TODAY

Perfect as a pre-workout snack or afternoon treat, these date-sweetened bites are loaded with almonds in four forms (almonds, almond butter, almond flour and almond milk) and also contain fiber-rich chia seeds.

4. Fast and Easy Lemon-Crusted Salmon with Garlic Spinach

TODAY

Magnesium-rich spinach pairs up with another heart healthy food—salmon—in this simple weeknight meal.

Potassium

This electrolyte is vital for a healthy heart. Potassium helps balance out sodium levels in the body, which keeps your heart healthy and lowers risk of cardiovascular disease. That's why it's a cornerstone of the top-rated DASH Diet. Luckily, this mineral is abundant in plant foods, which is why nutrition experts are always telling us to eat more fruits and vegetables. You'll reap lots of potassium in bananas, potatoes, milk, orange juice, peaches and winter squash. Women ages 19 and over need 2600mg per day, while men need 3400mg. Here's how to get it:

5. Green Banana Smoothie Bowl

Maya Visnyei

Bananas, Greek yogurt, kale and coconut milk (or any plant milk you like) combine to make this pretty yogurt bowl. The muesli, flax seed and apple toppings contribute fiber, making this a very heart smart way to start your day.

6. Greek Potato Salad

Nathan Congleton

Flavorful and loaded with greens, this potato salad also includes protein from hard-boiled eggs, making it perfect as a main dish salad. It's one of the longevity recipes from "Blue Zones" author Dan Buettner.

Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seed Yogurt Parfait

Frances Largeman-Roth

This unique spin on a yogurt parfait combines two potassium rich foods—butternut squash and yogurt. Plus, you'll get another heart healthy nutrient—niacin—from the pumpkin seeds.

Kelly Harrison

This sweet dessert is the perfect ending to any meal. When you can't find fresh peaches, use frozen. Serve it over vanilla yogurt instead of ice cream to make it even healthier.

9. Double Orange Smoothie

Jenifoto/Getty

Made with a navel orange (nearly always in season from California), plus orange juice, this sipper is loaded with over 500 mg potassium and is a sunny way to start your day.

Folic acid

This B vitamin is essential for heart health, as well as a healthy pregnancy. Folic acid regulates levels of homocysteine--a marker for heart disease—in the blood. Homocysteine damages blood vessel walls and can lead to blood clots. Women and men age 19 and up both need 400 micrograms per day (more is required during pregnancy). You can find folic acid in enriched cereal, pasta, rice and bread, lentils, spinach, edamame and wheat germ. Get your fill of folic acid in these recipes:

10. Orecchiette with Peas, Ricotta and Black Pepper

Stefano Secchi

So springy and easy to make, you'll want to add this to your pasta rotation! Many people are surprised to learn that a serving of enriched semolina pasta has 50% of the daily value for folic acid.

11. Spice-Roasted Carrots with Lentils

Yossy Arefi / Courtesy of Modern Potluck, Clarkson Potter

If you're looking for a hearty vegan main dish, check out this gorgeous dish. Spiced with coriander, cinnamon and cumin, these lentils (part of the pulse family) are delicious and filling and make a perfect dish to meal-prep for the week.

12. Edamame Guacamole

Maya Visnyei

The avocados in this creamy green dip are already good for your heart, but you can bump it up a notch with the addition of edamame. The soybeans add folic acid, as well as fiber to this tangy favorite.

13. Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders

Joy Bauer

Wheat germ blends with whole grain breadcrumbs to create a flavorful and healthy coating for these tasty tenders, which make a great weeknight meal for the whole family.

Niacin

Another B vitamin, niacin is great for your ticker because it helps to increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Women ages 19 and up need 14mg per day, while men require 16 mg. You can get niacin in avocado, peanut butter, green peas, baked potatoes, and pumpkin seeds. Load up on niacin with these dishes:

14. Al's Garlic Avocado Toast

TODAY

Avocado toast lovers rejoice! The creamy fruit is a great source of niacin, and also serves up 4.5g of heart-healthy fiber in half of an avocado.

15. Non-Dairy Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake

Nathan Congleton / TODAY

A childhood fave, creamy peanut butter makes a healthful addition to smoothies and shakes, like this chocolatey version. Pair with an apple, pear or banana for a heart smart afternoon snack.

16. Baked Potato

Getty Images

This steakhouse classic is a great pick for your heart—just skip the butter and keep the skin on. A medium baked potato (265 calories) offers 4mg of niacin to help you meet your daily needs.

17. Roasted Pumpkin Seed Salad Dressing

Frances Largeman-Roth / TODAY

Don't just enjoy these tasty seeds in the fall! Pumpkin seeds offer plenty of niacin and can be used in so many ways, like in this flavorful and easy to make dressing.

Calcium

We usually think about calcium for keeping our bones strong, but it also plays a role in heart health. Calcium, along with potassium and magnesium, helps to regulate blood pressure. And the nutrient also plays a role in weight management, which is smart for your heart. Calcium-rich foods include milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and other dairy products, almonds, fortified orange juice and kale. Enjoy these calcium-rich recipes:

18. Healthy Banana and Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Nathan Congleton / TODAY

Cottage cheese is delicious topped with fresh fruit, but it's also a wonderful addition to these tasty pancakes, adding calcium, as well as protein.

19. The Dr. Is in Smoothie

Frances Largeman-Roth

Start your day with this heart smart, plant-based smoothie that balances the earthy notes of kale and watercress with naturally sweet banana and grapes.

20. Coconut, Cherry and Almond Granola

Vallery Lomas / Courtesy of Vallery Lomas

Granola has gotten a bad rap because store-bought version are often too high in added sugar and oils. But when you make it yourself, you can control what's in it. This one is easy to make and is delicious over yogurt or mixed into high fiber cereal.

Fiber

While it's not a nutrient, fiber is an essential part of the diet, and one that most of us aren't getting enough of. We should be getting 25-34 grams daily, but hectic schedules and processed foods leave us falling short. But fiber's impact on heart health—and overall health--should make us all want to start adding more of it to our diets. Fiber helps us to feel full, improves digestion, boosts gut health and also helps to lower cholesterol. You'll get fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses, and nuts and seeds. Here are some recipes that will help you meet your daily goal: