What is extra-virgin olive oil?
What is extra-virgin olive oil?
Extra-virgin olive oil is the precious unrefined first result of cold-pressing olives to make a fruity liquid that contains less than one percent acid.
Extra-virgin olive oil is the most expensive olive oil variety, and it is best appreciated in salads or as a garnish to give preparations a final flourish. If you are using olive oil to cook, it's fine to use regular olive oil.
Greece is the #1 consumer of olive oil in the world and also the leading producer of extra virgin olive oils, which account for 82 percent of their olive oil production. The U.S. is not a member of the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC), which regulates olive oil standards worldwide, and the IOOC does not recognize the U.S. standards for extra-virgin oil.
There is much controversy in the olive oil world, with accusations of corruption and adulteration smearing consumer confidence and shedding doubt on the purity of so-called virgin olive oil.
What's the difference between white and brown eggs?
What's the difference between white and brown eggs?
Don't judge an egg by its shell. Whether an eggshell is white or brown is determined by the breed of the hen who laid the eggs. It has absolutely nothing to do with taste or nutritional value.
The only time you may want to consider the color of the eggs you're buying is around Easter and Passover time, since white eggs work better for dyeing and decorating purposes.
What is rice wine and how is it different from rice wine vinegar?
What is rice wine and how is it different from rice wine vinegar?
Rice wine is sweet cooking or drinking wine made from fermented rice, such as Chinese Shaoxing and Japanese mirin and sake.
Made from fermented rice -- or in some cases, the dregs of rice wine -- Chinese and Japanese rice "wine" vinegars have a milder, sweeter taste than Western-made vinegars. Even those rice vinegars made from rice may be labeled "rice wine vinegar." Just remember to look for the word "vinegar" when telling rice wine and rice vinegar apart.
Chinese rice vinegar includes the pale variety used in sweet-and-sour dishes; red vinegar made from red yeast rice; and the smoky black vinegar popular in Southern China and used as a condiment. Japanese rice vinegar is pale yellow and is used to flavor sushi rice (with the addition of salt and sugar) and salads. Koreans and Indians also make and use rice wine vinegar.
The flavor of a shallot falls somewhere between red onion and garlic, often without the pungency of either. The shallot's subtle flavor works in soups, stews, sauces, and pretty much anywhere else you'd use an onion or garlic.
To dice a shallot, first cut it in half through the root.
Next, cut the papery end (not the root end) off and discard it. This will make the skin easier to peel away.
Make a series of vertical cuts through the shallot, without cutting all the way through to the end.
Then just rotate the shallot 90 degrees, and slice across the vertical cuts to make a dice.
Escarole is a variety of endive whose leaves are broader, paler and less bitter than other members of the endive family. In taste -- but not color -- it is almost indistinguishable from radicchio.
Like radicchio, kale and chard, escarole is a hearty green that thrives late into the growing season. The heart of an escarole head is less bitter because the leaves haven't gotten as much sunlight. (Some farmers even cultivate these pale leaves by covering the plants and depriving them of sunlight.)
High in folic acid, fiber, and vitamins A and K, escarole can be eaten raw or gently cooked. Try tossing a few escarole leaves into a mild salad, serving some quickly wilted with lemon juice, or stir chopped escarole into soup. A medium head of escarole usually yields about seven cups of torn leaves.
Related Article: Root Source: Escarole (Cookthink)
Related Article: How to prep escarole (Cookthink)
Since its leaves hold their shape well, escarole is one of the easiest greens to prep.
Start by cleaning it: Fill a bowl with cold water and dunk the head of escarole, swishing it around so the water gets in between its leaves and any sand or dirt can sink to the bottom of the bowl.
Pull off and discard any damaged outer leaves.
Let the escarole drain upside down, then put it on a kitchen towel. Cut off and discard its tough bottom stem.
If you want to keep the leaves intact for a salad or braise, just pull the leaves apart at their base. Arrange them on a towel to dry, or spin them dry in a salad spinner.
For stews, sautées and pastas, just chop the leaves crosswise as thick or thin as you like.
what you should know
Escarole is a pale, broad-leafed type of endive.
Delicious and crisp when eaten fresh, this bitter green is also excellent when braised, wilted, grilled or cooked in soups. (Always be sure to give the leaves a thorough washing.)
easy green The Bittman challenge: close your eyes and try to distinguish between escarole and its trendier, more expensive, red-tinted cousin, radicchio.
A+ Escarole is a great source of folic acid, vitamin K and fiber, and when it comes to vitamin A, escarole tops even spinach. One medium head of escarole yields about seven cups of torn leaves.
wintergreen Escarole is a winter green (along with chard, collards, mustards and kale) that thrives late in the growing season. The heart of a head of escarole is less bitter because it's been deprived of sunlight.
what you need
Everyone should own a copy of Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. (Be sure to check out her recipes for escarole torta and escarole and rice soup.)
A brightly colored shallow pan is perfect for quickly sautéing escarole and then bringing the dish right to the table to serve.
Tongs, our favorite kitchen tool, will do right by your escarole, whether hot or cold.
what you do
Juicy, tangy and still slightly crisp, wilted escarole with lemon is simple and soothing.
Escarole's salad possibilities are virtually endless: serve it with chicken and mint; with beets, walnuts, and goat cheese; or with golden raisins and Dijon mustard.
Parmesan and bread crumbs make a richly contrasting topping for braised greens.
Grilling season is coming to a close, but fire it up one last time for some charred escarole.
If you're craving something warming, try escarole soup -- with kale or with sausage.
Find more escarole recipes at Cookthink.com. And if you haven't yet signed up for a free account at Cookthink, do it now!
What's the difference between a sardine and an anchovy?
What's the difference between a sardine and an anchovy?
Though they are both small saltwater fish with soft bones and Mediterranean origins, the sardine and the anchovy are not the same fish.
Sardine is an imprecise term for any number of small, silvery saltwater fish related to the herring and found throughout the world. They tend to travel in large schools close to the water's surface and are harvested fresh in the summer.
In the U.S., sardines are mostly found canned in oil or sauce, salted or smoked. In Europe, larger sardines are also eaten fresh, roasted in the oven or cooked on the grill either whole or in fillets. The name "sardine" may be a reference to the Sardinian coast, where pilchards were one of the first fish to be packed in oil. The sardine is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and is generally considered to be a brain food.
Anchovy refers to a family of small fish found in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Anchovies are sold flat or rolled, filleted and either salt-cured or oil-packed. In Europe, however, marinated fresh anchovies are eaten frequently, available in restaurants and Spanish, Greek and Italian groceries.
Known mostly for their strong flavor (and aroma), anchovies can be soaked in water to remove excess brininess. Anchovies are used in everything from Caesar salad dressing, bagna cauda, Worcestershire sauce and English "gentleman's relish."
Recipe: Radicchio And White Bean Salad With Anchovy Vinaigrette (Cookthink)
Recipe: Italian Green Sauce (Cookthink)
