What is an omega-3 fatty acid?
What is an omega-3 fatty acid?
Omega−3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids found in foods such as salmon. They're thought to help reduce circulatory problems, blood pressure and the risk of coronary heart disease.
The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish at least twice a week for just this reason, although there are counter-concerns that high fish consumption will result in toxic levels of mercury.
Some nutritionists also recommend eating tofu and other soybean products, as well as canola oil, walnuts and flaxseed, which contain alpha-linolenic acid, which can be transformed into omega-3 fatty acid in the body.
A croquette is a culinary invention with a cute French name that shows up in cuisines around the world.
Basically, you can make just about anything into a croquette, which essentially consists of a sweet or savory mixture of ingredients bound in a thick sauce, shaped into bite-sized, usually cylindrical pieces, coated with egg and breadcrumbs, fried in oil until crisp and golden, and served hot.
The classic French savory mixture includes minced cooked poultry, game, veal or other meats, mushrooms and Madeira combined with reduced velouté or demi-glace sauce, egg yolks and butter. Other popular ingredients include potatoes, cheese or salt cod. Rice- or custard-based sweet croquettes may be made with things like apricots or chestnuts. Traditionally, croquettes are served with a sauce.
A fritter is a catch-all phrase for a little cake-like morsel of food that's traditionally doused in a batter (or chopped up and combined with batter) and deep-fried.
You can eat fritters as a main course, a side, a dessert or a snack. Fritters can be made from just about any main ingredient, but crab, corn or apples are popular ingredients.
The British are particularly fond of drowning unlikely foodstuffs in batter -- pizza, or Mars bars, for example -- and frying the hell out of them. Fish and chips, no stranger to the deep fat fryer themselves, are often accompanied by additional battered fried fritters that can range from pineapples to peas.
what you should know
Alan Bennett once said that "life is rather like opening a tin of sardines. We are all of us looking for the key."
At the time, he was impersonating a vicar with a high-pitched Yorkshire accent, so don't take it too much to heart.
Still, there is something to that comparison. Like a box of chocolates (only funnier), you never know what you're going to get with "sardines," because that name is used to label any number of small fish belonging the herring family.
crushed tin box Though sardines are available fresh, we mostly find them canned, tightly packed in oil. Speaking of vicars, before the advent of the pull tab top, you needed a church key to get at sardines.
anchovy vs. sardine Though anchovies and sardines are closely related, they're not the same thing. Anchovies have bigger mouths than sardines. And they smell more like the underside of the docks.
brain food While the clean, ocean-metal flavor of sardines is an acquired taste, it's one worth developing. Sardines serve up a massive dose of vitamins and minerals, not to mention heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. (There's even a Sardine Diet.)
cannery canned Though relegated to second-class status these days, there was a point when sardines were among the most popular fish in North America. They were at the heart of the once booming economy of Cannery Row.
what you need
As a children's book, Chris Raschka's Arlene Sardine is a little unsettling. (The titular brisling dies halfway in.) It is, however, a fascinating account of how a sardine ends up in the tin.
To clean fresh sardines (and any other small fish), we like this 3-inch bird's beak paring knife by Calphalon.
Planning on frying your sardines? Grab a stainless steel skimmer to whisk them out of the oil.
Sardines were named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, which has its own unique culinary traditions. Efisio Farris beautifully explores Sardinian cuisine in his new Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey.
what you need
Efisio Farris grew up eating roasted sardines at their simple best. We also love them quickly grilled and then drizzled with oil and herbs.
While we'll gladly fritterize anything that's edible, there's something especially satisfying about these beautifully browned and crispy sardine fritters.
Just because the ice fishing season is over doesn't mean you have to stop loving this hearty breakfast of sardines and eggs on toast. (Morning vodka optional.)
This electric bucatini with fennel, tomatoes and sardines is based on the classic Sicilian pasta con le sarde.
featured recipe Speaking of classic pastas, Susan's Sicilian Sardine And Broccoli Raab Pasta was our favorite of the many recipes submitted for this week's Root Source Challenge. Visit Susan at her blog Food Blogga.
Which fish are considered low in mercury?
Which fish are considered low in mercury?
In general, smaller fish have less mercury than larger fish. The older and larger the fish, the greater the potential for high mercury levels in their bodies. Commercially available fish lower in mercury include the folllowing:
Catfish, Cod, Cran, Flounder/Sole, Haddock, Herring, Lobster, Ocean Perch, Oysters, Rainbow Trout, Farmed Salmon, Wild Salmon, Sardines, Scallops, Shrimp, Spiny Lobster, Tilapia, Trout (farmed).
What's the difference between a fritter and a croquette?
What's the difference between a fritter and a croquette?
Fritters and croquettes are both bite-sized sweet or savory morsels that are deep fried and served hot. You can make fritters and croquettes out of everything from seafood to apples.
Traditionally, a fritter is a piece of food that is dipped in batter before being fried, although many fritter recipes involve chopping up ingredients and mixing them with or without batter into a very soft dough before frying.
A French croquette classically consists of a sweet or savory mixture of ingredients bound in a thick sauce, shaped into bite-sized, usually cylindrical pieces, coated with egg and breadcrumbs and fried in oil until crisp and golden.
