Best Recipes

Homemade Root Beer

2009-09-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Drinks | Beer | Homemade Root Beer

INGREDIENTS

6 cups white sugar
3 1/3 gallons cold water
1 (2 ounce) bottle root beer extract
4 pounds dry ice

DIRECTIONS

In a large cooler, mix together the sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Stir in the root beer extract. Carefully place the dry ice into the cooler, and cover loosely with the lid. Do not secure the lid, as pressure may build up.
Let the mixture brew for about an hour before serving. Leftover root beer can be stored in one gallon milk jugs.

It is very easy, ice cold and yummy. Use a large insulated drink cooler to brew it in, and everyone can help themselves using the spigot. This is best to do outdoors or place the cooler in the kitchen sink as it brews. Dry ice can be dangerous. Be sure to use gloves when handling.

Spring Lime Tea Cookies

2009-09-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

Spring Lime Tea Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 2 teaspoons lime juice
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 teaspoons lime zest
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 tablespoons lime juice
* 1/4 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine the 2 teaspoons of lime juice with the milk, let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the lime zest and milk mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, blend into the creamed mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, stir together the remaining lime juice and sugar. Brush onto cooled cookies.

French wine - Macon wine

2009-09-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

Macon wine

Mâcon's white wine is light and dry, easy to drink and simple (appellation Mâcon Controlée). It tastes of almond, hazelnut, white flowers.

Mâcon also produces a red wine, fruity and light. Mâcon Supérieur comes from the same area but contains more alcohol, which is why one call it "supérieur" (appellation Mâcon Supérieur Controlée).

Mâcon Villages wines come from the same areas, are produced with the same technics, but are even better (appellation Mâcon Villages Controlée, white wine only).

Macon wines - classement appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)

Aze
Berze la Ville
Berze le Chatel
Bissy la Maconnaise
Burgy
Bussieres
Chaintres
Chanes
Chardonnay
Charnay les Macon
Chasselas
Chevagny les Chevrieres
Clesse
Creches sur Saone
Cruzilles
Davaye
Fuisse
Grevilly
Hurigny
Ige
La Chapelle de Guinchay
La Roche Vineuse
Leynes
Loche
Lugny
Milly Lamartine
Montbellet
Peronne
Pierreclos
Prisse
Pruzilly
Romaneches Thorins
Saint-Amour Bellevue
Saint-Gengoux de Scisse
Saint-Symphorien d'Ancelles
Saint-Verand
Sologny
Solutre Pouilly
Uchizy
Vergisson
Verze
Vinzelles
Vire
Macon Superieur
Macon Villages

Toby Leigh recipe: Kentish pudding pie

2009-03-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

'Also known as Folkestone pudding pie or Kent Lent pie, this is an adaptation of a classic dish that uses raisins soaked in sherry. You can make it more seasonal by serving it with poached quince or roasted plums.’

Serves eight.

For the filling

* 1 litre (1¾ pints) whole milk

* 1 vanilla pod

* zest of 1 lemon

* zest of 1 orange

* pinch of nutmeg

* 300g (10½oz) arborio rice

* 50g (1¾oz) butter, cut into six pieces

* 150g (5½oz) caster sugar

* 200g (7oz) raisins soaked in sweet sherry for as long as possible, preferably overnight

For the pastry

* 180g (6oz) flour, plus extra for the tin

* 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar

* 120g (4oz) unsalted butter cut into small dice, plus extra for the tin

* 2 egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg

* 1 tbsp milk

Heat the milk in a saucepan and cut the vanilla pod lengthways. Scrape its contents into the milk and add the pod as well. Stir in the lemon and orange zest and a small pinch of nutmeg, then bring to a light simmer, taking care that the contents do not boil over. Stir in the rice and simmer for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from catching on the bottom of the pan. When it is just past the al dente stage, take the pan off the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the butter and sugar gently.

To make the pastry, put the flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and rub together using the fingertips to produce a fine texture without lumps. (This can be done in a food processor.) Beat the egg yolks with 2 tbsp cold water and pour into a well in the middle of the mixture. Gently mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon to make a dough. Form into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for an hour.

Butter and flour the inside of a tart tin that is 22cm (9in) wide and 3cm (1 inch) deep. Roll out the pastry on a floured board until it is 30cm (12in) across. Carefully place the pastry into the tin, making sure that it fits snugly and comes just above the sides of the tin. Check that there are no holes in it. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Line the pastry case with either foil or greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and bake for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Remove the tin from the oven and take out the beans and paper before returning the case to the oven for a further five minutes to finish cooking.

Beat the whole egg and milk together and brush this over the interior of the case as soon as you remove it from the oven. Drain the raisins, put them in the pastry case, then cover with the rice mixture and allow the tart to cool. If you like you can brush the top lightly with warm marmalade when set.

St David's Day recipes: Cockle and smoked bacon pie

2009-03-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

Cockle and smoked bacon pie

Serves 2

35g (1oz) butter

225g (8oz) smoked bacon

Half clove garlic, chopped fine

1 onion, chopped

50g (1¾oz) plain flour

1 egg yolk

500g (17½oz) fresh cockles cooked, cooled (reserve the cooking liquid)

2 tbsp (¼oz) spring onions

Puff pastry

1. Melt butter in a pan, add the bacon, onion and garlic and sauté until caramelised.

2. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring all the time. Slowly pour in the liquid from the cockles bit by bit until all incorporated and you have a thickened, smooth sauce. Leave to cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Then leave to cool.

3. Add the shelled cockles and spring onions.

4. Put this mixture into two deep soup bowls then cut a puff pastry ring to fit the lip of the chosen bowls.

5. Brush with egg yolk, then cut out a disc of puff pastry to fit as a lid. Brush with egg yolk and make a little hole in the middle of the pastry lid.

6. Cook in oven for 25 minutes at 170C until the pastry is golden brown and has properly risen.

7. Serve with hot crusty bread such as sourdough

By Nigel Godwin

St David's Day recipes: Monmouth pudding

2009-03-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

Serves 4

For the cooked fruit:

175g (6oz) seasonal fruit (apples, rhubarb, pears)

75g (2½oz) caster sugar

For the main pudding:

25g (1oz) butter

75g (2½oz) caster sugar

The zest of 1 lemon

475ml (16½fl oz) buttermilk

195g (6½oz) fresh breadcrumbs

3 eggs, separated

1. One hour before, or the night before, cook the fruit in a pan with the sugar at a very low heat (100C).

2. Preheat your oven to 170C/gas mark 3 and butter four individual ramekins.

3. Put butter, lemon zest, 25g (1oz) of sugar and the buttermilk in a saucepan and heat to a simmer.

4. Add the breadcrumbs, remove from the heat and leave to absorb for 10 minutes.

5. Mix the egg yolks into the breadcrumb mixture then pour into the four bowls. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until set.

6. Remove the ramekins from the oven and place a layer of the cooked and cooled fruit over the cooked mixture.

7. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold in the remaining sugar.

8. Pipe the egg white in peaks over the fruit then return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes at 170C until the egg white has a golden brown colour.

9. Serve straight away with vanilla ice cream.

10 of the best beers

2009-03-01T05:59:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Ray's top 10 beers

The only New Year's resolution that I've managed to keep is to drink more beer. Not more in terms of quantity, but more in terms of variety.

Given the nature of my job I drink far more wine than beer, but sometimes only a pint will do. The trouble is that I'm not as adventurous as I should be. Instinctively I will opt for a soothing Guinness or a cold, crisp Asahi. Shepherd Neame's Bishops Finger is an old favourite and Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted a new one, but I really should broaden my horizons.

After all, beers are so varied. They range in colour from white to pale yellow, from brown to black. They can be 0 per cent volume or 25 per cent and, if I was being mischievous, I would point out that wine relies on just grapes and (sometimes) oak for flavour, whereas beer gets its taste from a variety of cereals such as wheat and barley as well as dozens of varieties of hop.

The texture of beer can vary dramatically too, from cold fizzy lagers, to warm spicy bitters and creamy stouts and porters. And most go surprisingly well with food. The other evening my friend Sion produced a spectacular feast of smoked trout blinis, watercress soup, game terrine, steak and kidney pie, English cheeses and sticky toffee pudding. We matched each course with several different beers served in sensibly-sized wine glasses and not once did we crave the grape. A lie-down, yes.

These 10 quirky beers were huge hits at the dinner.

MY TOP 10 BEERS

1. Beewyched Honey’d Ale, 5%vol, England (£1.57 per 50cl; Morrison, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose). From Wychwood brewery in Oxfordshire (pictured) – the UK’s largest brewer of organic beers – a crisp, refreshing, citrusy brew. Made with Fairtrade honey from Chile, Fairtrade sugar from Malawi and Challenger hops from England, it’s gently honeyed rather than sweet, with hugely appealing notes of dried fruit. Try it with treacle pudding.

2. Lindemans Framboise, 2.5%vol, Belgium (£1.63-£2.05 per 37.5cl; Asda, Booths, Waitrose). The classic Lambic fruit beer, spontaneously fermented then matured in oak with the addition of raspberry. Refreshingly light in alcohol, it’s clean, crisp and delicate, yet it also has a subtle richness backed by fine acidity. It cries out for an accompanying chocolate mousse or – dare I say it? – Black Forest gateau.

3. Floris Passion Fruit, 3.6%vol, Belgium (£1.65 per 33cl; www.beermerchants.com 01622 710339). Not the most butch of beers and not one I’d like to be caught drinking by the chaps, but strangely tasty nonetheless. A wheat beer with added passion fruit juice, it’s reminiscent of New Zealand sauvignon blanc on nose and palate, and full of ripe tropical fruit and tangy, zesty acidity.

4. Ruddles Rhubarb Ale, 4.7%vol, England (£1.76 per 50cl; Tesco). I’m not a great fan of rhubarb but I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one time ‘Best Beer’ in the Tesco Beer Challenge. More a summer beer than a winter one, it still has the typical hoppy Ruddles character, but with a bitter-sweet twist and blast of vanilla. It’s subtle, though, rather than overpowering and it goes particularly well with mature cheddar cheese.

5. Triple Karmeliet, 8.4%vol, Belgium (£1.79 per 33cl; Waitrose). Although this is hardly what you might call a session beer, nothing about it hits you too hard, despite its high level of alcohol. A three grain beer (wheat, barley and oats) with a secondary fermentation in bottle, it was recently voted ‘Best Ale’ at the World Beer Awards. Crisp yet creamy, delicate yet full-bodied, it’s a great match for watercress soup.

6. Innis & Gunn Blonde Lightly Oaked Beer, 6%vol, Scotland, (£1.59 per 33cl; Sainsbury’s). Innis & Gunn make cracking brews and their occasional rum cask-matured beer is an all-time favourite (it should be back in Sainsbury’s for Father’s Day in June). This is delicious too: refreshing and fruity with both citrus and vanilla on the palate. Best drunk on its own as a sharpener, it also goes beautifully with moules et frites.

7. Schlenkerla Rauchbier, 5.1%vol, Germany (£2.09-£2.75 per 50cl; www.onlyfinebeer.co.uk, www.beerhere.co.uk, www.beersofeurope.co.uk). This positively reeks of smoke and is quite unlike anything I’ve had before. It’s deliciously creamy, though, with a touch of sweetness and a nice bitter finish. The other night we drank it alongside smoked trout blinis and the success of the combination stunned us all.

8. Bacchus Kriek, 5.8%vol, Belgium (£2.39 per 37.5; Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco). I had my doubts about this, causing as it did a sudden flashback of sucking Tunes and Spangles as a child (remember them?), but it slipped down remarkably easily. Fermented cherry juice is added to Belgian brown ale to give a wonderful fresh cherry aroma and flavour which gently fades to leave a full, beery finish. Try it alongside squares of dark chocolate.

9. Brew Dog Paradox Isle of Arran, 10%vol, Scotland (£3.99 per 33cl; Oddbins, Sainsbury’s) Golly, this is good! An acquired taste, maybe, but one that I acquired in seconds. An imperial stout matured in barrels from the Isle of Arran whisky distillery, it’s deep, dark black/brown, rich and full-flavoured, with coffee, chocolate, spice and treacle on the palate. We served it in brandy balloons as a digestif at the end of dinner.

10. Deus, 11.5%vol, Belgium (£12.15 per 75cl; Waitrose). This is a remarkable brew, made in Belgium but treated like champagne with champagne yeast and a secondary fermentation in bottle. It’s also presented in a champagne bottle complete with cork stopper and is sold for a champagne price. But serve it well-chilled in elegant flutes as an aperitif and it suddenly doesn’t seem so pricey, nor so alcoholic. Smooth, creamy and slightly bitter, it’s a great start to a meal.

By Jonathan Ray

5-year-old chef starts Portland TV cooking show

2009-02-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

By age 3, Julian Kreusser was making "secret potions" out of food. He woke up early to scramble eggs while his parents slept. He invented "toasted olives" (green ones) for a neighborhood snack. For the record, they were a success.

At age 4, he saw a cooking show on Oregon Public Broadcasting and thought, "I should be doing that."

He can't reach the counter without a stool, and sometimes he has to ask his mom the name of an ingredient.

But at age 5, Chef Julian has his own TV show. "Big Kitchen with Food" airs frequently on Portland Community Media.

The blue-eyed blond is home-schooled, or rather, unschooled. That's a brand of home schooling that has the kids direct their learning. If Julian wants to learn how trees grow, he does. If he wants to learn which ingredients make the best cake, he does.

"So everything I see, I can learn about," Julian says.

"Big Kitchen" offers a chance for math and science lessons, but his parents say those are just a byproduct. Mostly, they want him to listen to his heart.

"It's great that he gets to do what he wants to do," says his mom, Kristen McKee. "We want him to do what's in his heart, to follow his interests."

Filming is a family project. Julian's 2 1/2-year-old sister, Eva, works the lights, mostly turning them on and off. His mom, a librarian, directs and sometimes shoots footage. His dad, a producer for the community station, runs the camera and editing software.

His dad's connection helped get the show on the air, but Julian came up with the concept. "We are just enablers," says his dad, Ben Kreusser.

The recipes -- and the theme song -- are Julian's own, but sometimes he needs a little direction.

Episode 2 opens like this:

"Today on the 'Big Kitchen with Food,' we're making chocolate chip zucchini muffins, and we'll use ... um," he says, holding up a bottle of vanilla and turning to whisper to his mom, somewhere off camera, "What is this?"

He can use a knife, but he prefers using the food processor he bought at an estate sale. In Episode 2, he pushed fat zucchini into the food processor.

"Look! It pulverized one out," he says, looking at the food processor with a furrowed brow.

He's learning by experience. Cast-iron skillets don't make good scrambled eggs. Corn cakes need baking soda. But mostly, he just has an innate sense of what will taste good.

A spaghetti sauce he created for his first episode is the best his mother has ever eaten, she says. And a persimmon smoothie he created still has them talking.

Viewers love him, says Portland Community Media executive director Sylvia McDaniel. The station wants to include more young people in its shows and Julian was a particularly good find, she says.

"It even has potential to be a national program," she says. "It's a wonderful show. We're just thrilled. He actually understands what he's doing. He's not just following orders."

But recipes don't always work out how the young chef imagines. He wanted to make Christmas cookies with a twist, for instance. The family had a box of clementines. He decided to mix their juice with a gingerbread man recipe. The concoction -- Yummy Yummy Citrus Boys -- will be featured on the third episode of "Big Kitchen," but Julian says it's not his best.

"I did like them at first," he says. "But then I pushed a bunch of cookies into my mouth, and I didn't like them. It was kind of yucky, really."

Next on his agenda: an on-location spot at his grandparents' home in Michigan.

"It's funny, my grandpa doesn't know how to make fried eggs," he says. "I'm going to show him how."

by Casey Parks, The Oregonian

Ratatouille

2009-02-15T05:32:00.001-08:00

Recipe from Marianne Knuts of Pierre, La.

6 TS cooking oil (or olive oil)
3 onions ½ pound eggplant (you can skip if you don't care for eggplant)
½ pound zucchini
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 pounds of tomatoes or 2 cans whole tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
Thyme (a teaspoon)
Basil (a teaspoon)
Salt
Pepper

Chop onions and cook them in oil until they have a delicious golden color. Add eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers all washed and cut in small pieces. Add the tomatoes (if you wish to use fresh tomatoes, peal them and remove the seeds). Add garlic, salt, pepper and thyme. Let it cook for an hour on low flame. Stir up once in a while. This is a great dish you can serve with steak and French fries or with a barbecue. You can also eat it cold. This dish is very popular in south of France(ratatouille niçoise) or in Italy where it's called "peperonata". Bon Appétit!

Mozzarella Salad Caprese

2009-02-15T05:28:00.001-08:00

* 2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (about 4 large), sliced Â¼ inch thick
* 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced Â¼ inch thick
* Â¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
* Â¼ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* fine sea salt to taste
* freshly ground black pepper to taste

Arrange tomato and mozzarella slices and basil leaves, on a large plate or platter. Sprinkle salad with oregano. Drizzle with oil & vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Crab Cakes

2009-02-15T05:25:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Vince Sarna of Mountainside, N.J.

Ingredients:

* 1 1-lb can lump crab meat( pick through to remove shells )
* 3 oz minced onion
* 2 oz minced celery
* 2 oz minced red pepper
* 1 tblsp chopped parsley
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tblsp Dijon mustard
* 1 cup bread crumbs ( I use PANKO bread crumbs )
* juice of ½ lemon
* 2 oz white wine
* 1 egg beaten
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
* salt and pepper to taste
* paprika ( for dusting crab cakes before baking ) melted butter
* Opyional: 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced

Directions

In a non-stick pan add two tbsp butter. Sauté the onion, red pepper and celery until translucent, remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the crab, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, beaten egg and baking powder. Mix together.

When mixed thoroughly add the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly.

Grease/spray a cookie sheet or baking pan and set the oven at 375 degrees.

Spoon on in approximately 3 oz portions leaving space between each cake as these will expand in the oven. Dust with paprika and drizzle melted butter over each crab cake.

Bake for about 20 minutes until browned.

NOTE: you can also place this on Portabello mushroom

Really Rich Cream of Crab Soup

2009-02-14T04:22:00.000-08:00

RECIPE FOR VALENTINES

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 1-oz. pkg. dry Hollandaise sauce mix
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. celery seeds
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. cooking sherry
• 1 lb. Maryland crab meat

Preparation Instructions:

In medium bowl, blend flour, Hollandaise sauce mix, and dry mustard with two cups of half-and-half. Melt butter over medium heat in a 4-quart saucepan. Slowly add above mixture to melted butter, stirring constantly to ensure smooth consistency. As mixture begins to thicken, add remaining half-and-half, Old Bay seasoning, celery seeds, and whipping cream. Heat to simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, add crab meat and sherry. Stir gently until heated through, and serve. Top each bowl with freshly ground pepper to taste.

Recipe: Chocolate Whoopie Pies

2009-02-13T05:50:00.000-08:00

For the Cookies:

½ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

For the Filling:

1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/3 cups Marshmallow Fluff or marshmallow cream
¼ teaspoon table salt dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) two baking sheets.
To make cookies: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, brown sugar, and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl stir the vanilla into the milk. Alternate adding dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the shortening mixture, beating until smooth. Drop stiff batter by the ¼-cupful onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 15 minutes, until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and transfer to the rack to cool completely.
To make filling: In a medium-sized bowl beat all the filling ingredients together.
To assemble: Spread half of the cookies with the filling, using about ¼ cup for each. Top with remaining cookies. For best storage, wrap each pie individually.

Yield: 7 or 8 large whoopie pies
Source: King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion

Recipe: Golden Waffles

2009-02-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

Golden Waffles

Vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, separated
1½ cups milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Butter
Maple syrup

Brush a waffle iron lightly with vegetable oil and preheat. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, milk, and melted butter with fork. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the milk mixture. Mix with a spoon just until moistened.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula. Pour about ½ cup batter (or according to manufacturer’s recommendations) onto the hot iron and spread it with the back of spoon to within ¼-inch of the grid’s edge. Close the lid and bake 4 minutes, until golden brown with crisp edges. Remove waffle with a fork and put on a plate. Serve hot with toppings if desired and continue making waffles until all the batter is used.

Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Good Home Cookbook

Recipe: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-02-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

2 pounds chicken breast, raw
12 cups water
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup onions, diced
½ cup carrots, diced
2 cups egg noodles, short noodles or acini di pepe
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons salt
Wash chicken and place in large pot with water. Bring to a boil and cook. Remove chicken and cut in small pieces. Return to pot. Add diced celery, onion, and carrots. Bring to a boil and simmer for two hours. Skim top if necessary. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Add salt and pepper.
Yield: 8 servings
Source: Adapted from Kids Approved Lunch Menu, Monroe, MI

Recipe: Spiced Oven Fries

2009-02-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

3 large all-purpose potatoes, scrubbed, each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Set oven rack on upper level and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Combine oil and spices in a large bowl. Add potato wedges and toss to coat. Spread potatoes on prepared baking sheet, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the potatoes, and roast 20 minutes. Loosen and turn potatoes, roasting until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Yield: 4 servings
Source: Moylan/Kimmel, Toledo

Pastry Cream

2009-02-13T05:41:00.000-08:00

1 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon butter

Combine milk, vanilla, and ¼ cup sugar in a saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. In a bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until thick. Sprinkle flour and cornstarch into mixture and continue beating until well-mixed. Beat half the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Return it to the remaining hot milk and bring to a boil very quickly, whisking to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool. Rub top of creme with butter to prevent a skin from forming. Cover with plastic wrap and cool completely.

Yield: 1 cup
Source: Colleen Demsey, Manhattan’s Restaurant

Poached pear baked on puff pastry is a perfect Valentine

2009-02-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

Colleen Demsey with Poire de Vin a la Normandy (poached pear cooked in wine and fanned out) on a heart-shaped plate.

Poire de Vin a la Normanderful Valendy is a wontine's Day dessert.

For those who don't speak French, it's simply a beautiful poached pear cooked in wine (port wine in this case), which is then baked on puff pastry.

I discovered this when it was served at the French Wine Dinner held at Manhattan's restaurant in November. Pastry chef Colleen Demsey made 65 of these ever-so delicious confections for that sold-out dinner extraordinaire.

She uses wonderfully fresh ingredients for this dessert, but all the extra steps she used also helped make it memorable.

"I've always loved cooking and baking," says Mrs. Demsey, who attended Monroe Community College Culinary School. "Through the years I take recipes that are time-consuming and learn how to make them. I like to create my own things, too."

After the Christmas rush and the New Year's parties, she and I sat down in January and talked about this recipe. What I discovered, and you will too, is that you can make this in your own kitchen with a little extra care and time. It's a dessert that can be made ahead, whether you celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday, Saturday, or whenever.

To "decompose" a recipe, simply take it in stages. In this case, there's a pastry cream, a poached pear, and puff pastry.

First, the puff pastry: Purchase a box of puff pastry to make six poached pears.

"I do a lot of puff pastry," Mrs. Demsey says about baking desserts for the restaurant. She uses puff pastry for turnovers, petit four appetizers, and savory cheese hors d'oeuvres for the restaurant's catered events, as well as for desserts with apple and pear fillings.

To replicate Mrs. Demsey's Poire de Vin a la Normandy, use a pear-shaped cookie cutter. "My daughter found that in New York, where she lives," says Mrs. Demsey. She suggests New York Cake and Bakery at 212-675-CAKE or www.nycake.com. The copper cookie cutter is $9.99.

Puff pastry should be baked on parchment paper.

So those are three ingredients and/or pieces of equipment that are needed: puff pastry, a pear cookie cutter (if you don't have that, cut the two sheets of puff pastry in six rectangles), and parchment paper.

Pastry cream

Creme patissiere ("KREHM pah-tee-see-EHR") is the French term for pastry cream, a thick, flour-based egg custard used for tarts and cakes and to fill cream puffs, eclairs and napoleons.

"The secret to pastry cream is to heat the milk first (with sugar and vanilla)," says Mrs. Demsey. "Then mix the (beaten) egg yolks and remaining sugar separately, adding the milk mixture slowly. This is a tempering process otherwise the milk will curdle and separate."

It takes only 15 to 20 minutes to make this step. It can be made as much as a couple days ahead.

When Kay Lynne Schaller tested this part of the recipe for the Blade, she said it was so easy and delicious. She wondered why she didn't make this more often. The ingredients are inexpensive and it's quick to make. It can also be used when making a fresh berry tart or strawberries and cake.

Poached pears

Mrs. Demsey recommends Bartlett pears for poaching. "They should be light green to yellow, but not overly ripe," she says.

Peel and core the pear leaving the stem intact. Core the pear with a melon baller from the bottom of the pear.

Three pears make six desserts. In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the poaching liquid. For Mrs. Demsey's recipe, it's ruby port wine, water, sugar, orange juice and spices. Once the liquid comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat and add the pears, cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the pears can be easily pierced with a knife or cake tester. "You don't want them mushy or real firm," she says.

Remove the pears from the liquid. Cover and chill until cool. Set aside the liquid to reduce later. When the pears are cool to the touch, slice each pear in half and cut out the stem. Then make four to six slices from 1/4 inch from the top to the bottom allowing the pear to fan out.

To assemble

Once the puff pastry is cut into pear shapes, put a tablespoon of the pastry cream in the middle. Lay the fanned pear on top of the pastry cream face down. Brush the puff pastry (but not the pear) that is exposed with egg water wash.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes in 375-degree oven until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Reduce the remaining poaching liquid by boiling for 15 minutes. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of the pear.

This dessert can be made early and reheated in the oven for a few minutes.

Recipes like this are unforgettable for Valentine's Day.

But, if chocolate is your taste, I've also included the recipe for the romantic dessert Chocolate Souffle for Two from Come One, Come All by Lee Svitak Dean (Minnesota Historical Press, $29.95).

Whichever dessert you serve, simply say "Je t'aime": I love you.

By KATHIE SMITH

Plantain and Goat Cheese Gorditas

2009-02-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

These crispy, cheese-stuffed bites are the kind of Mexican comfort food chef Sue Torres cooks. “You can stuff the mashed plantains with lots of fun things, like chorizo, beans or shrimp,” she says. The key to their success is finding ultraripe plantains, “so black and soft and sweet that you think you should throw them out.” As with bananas, underripe plantains ripen more quickly when placed in a paper bag.

Ingredients

1. 4 very ripe (almost black), unpeeled soft plantains, rinsed (2 1/4 pounds)
2. 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
3. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
4. 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
5. 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
6. Spicy Tomato Sauce, Pickled Red Onions and sour cream, for serving

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the plantains and cook over moderately high heat until the skins split and the plantains are very tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Peel the plantains. Transfer them to a bowl and mash well. Stir in the bread crumbs and salt and let cool.

2. Line a platter with plastic wrap. Form the plantain dough into 12 portions and roll into balls. Poke a hole in the center of each ball and fill it with 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese. Seal the holes and reroll the dough into balls. Set the gorditas on the platter.

3. In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 350°. Add the gorditas and fry until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Serve the gorditas with the Spicy Tomato Sauce, Pickled Red Onions and sour cream.

Make Ahead

The gorditas can be prepared through Step 2, covered and then refrigerated overnight. Return to room temperature before frying.

SERVINGS: 12 gorditas

Recipe by Sue Torres.

Focaccia-Stuffed Squab with Bean Stew

2009-02-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1. 2/3 cup dried cannellini beans
2. 5 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4. 1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5. 1 celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6. 1 garlic clove, minced
7. 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
8. 1 small red bell pepper
9. 4 ounces green beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
10. Salt and freshly ground pepper
11. 2 cups 1/2-inch-cubed plain focaccia
12. 2 squab—neck and wing tips removed, livers reserved
13. 1 medium shallot, minced
14. 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
15. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the cannellini beans with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans.

2. In the same saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the cannellini beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, roast the red pepper directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler until charred all over. Let cool slightly, then discard the charred skin, stem and seeds. Cut the pepper into 1/2-inch dice. Add the green beans to the cannellini beans and simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted red pepper and season with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat the oven to 375°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the focaccia with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Bake for 7 minutes, or until crisp; let cool. Leave the oven on.

5. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil. Season the squab livers with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Add the shallot and cook over low heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Finely dice the livers and add them to the focaccia along with the shallot. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper.

6. Stuff the squab with the focaccia. Rub the butter all over the squab and season with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the squab, breast side up. Roast the squab in the upper third of the oven for about 20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the breast registers 130° for medium-rare. Transfer the squab to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Mound the stuffing from each bird onto each plate. Carve the breast halves and whole legs and transfer to the plates. Spoon the bean stew alongside and serve.

by Celestino Drago

Prosciutto-Cheese Piadina and Butternut Squash–Pecorino Piadina

2009-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

DOUGH

1. 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3. 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4. 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
5. 3/4 cup water

FILLINGS

1. One 3-pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
2. 1/2 pound thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 2-by- 1/4-inch matchsticks
3. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 4 ounces shaved pecorino cheese
6. 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
7. 1/2 pound stracchino or robiola cheese, sliced
8. 2 cups baby arugula.

Directions

1. Make the dough: In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the baking soda and salt. Add the shortening and beat at low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually beat in the water on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the fillings: Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium roasting pan, toss the butternut squash with the sliced pancetta, the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots and the pancetta is browned.

3. On an unfloured surface, roll out each piece of dough to an 8-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet. Cook the piadina one or two at a time over moderate heat, turning once, until lightly charred in spots and no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl and cover with foil to keep warm while you cook the rest.

4. Arrange the piadina on a work surface. Top 4 of the piadina with the butternut squash–pancetta mixture and shaved pecorino and fold to close. Top the other 4 with the prosciutto, stracchino cheese and arugula. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and fold to close. Serve the piadina immediately, either whole or cut into wedges.

by Nate Appleman

How To Make Cream of Mushroom Soup

2009-02-10T06:49:00.001-08:00

Cream of mushroom soup is delicious and comforting. Homemade soup is much better than the canned variety. It is very easy to make, and requires just a few ingredients. Here's how to make cream of mushroom soup.

Step 1:

Ingredient and supplies:

* 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
* 3 cups whole milk
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 4 green onions, thinly sliced
* Salt and white pepper, to taste
* Parsley, for garnish (optional)
* 1 cup water
* Small saucepan
* Medium saucepan
* Strainer
* Skillet or frying pan
* Large spoon

Step 2:

Prepare the mushrooms. Cut off the stems of the mushrooms and peel them. Cook the stems and peels in a small saucepan with one cup of water for 15 minutes. When done cooking, strain and set the liquid aside. Although you can use plain water and skip this step, the mushroom-infused water will deepen the mushroom flavor of this soup.

Step 3:

Cook the mushrooms in butter. Chop the mushrooms. Then place the butter and chopped mushrooms in a frying pan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4:

Add other ingredients. Place the cooked mushrooms in a saucepan over medium heat. Save a few slices for garnishing the bowls, if you'd like. Next, add the flour, blending it in with the mushroom and butter mixture. Then add the mushroom liquid from the stems and peelings, as well as 3 cups of milk. Do not substitute milk with less fat, or your soup will not be as creamy or thick, and it will not have the rich taste you are after. Now add the green onion slices, saving a few for garnishing the bowls. Finally, add salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.

Step 5:

Enjoy! Cream of mushroom soup is best served warm, with bread or croutons. If you want a creamier soup, place the entire mixture in a blender to puree before serving. Many people prefer their cream of mushroom soup this way, without any pieces of mushroom. Garnish with a few slices of mushroom or green onion, or a sprinkle of parsley, if you'd like.
This recipe is very easy, and it will become one of your favorite soups to make on cold winter evenings or anytime you need comfort food. This rich, creamy soup will beat the canned variety any day. It can also be used in any recipe calling for cream of mushroom soup, but remember that most canned varieties are condensed versions.

Salvadoran Tamales

2009-02-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

Salvadoran tamales (wrapped in banana leaves)

Salvadoran Tamales (Tamales Salvadoreños)

Total Servings: 70 tamales
Serving: 1 or 2 tamales

The number of servings may look huge, but tamales are something to share with relatives, friends, co-workers, and club or church members, or sold in a fundraiser.

For lesser quantities, except for the salty-water brine for the steamer, reduce ingredients and steaming time proportionally. Tamales can be served at breakfast, lunch or supper.

This kind of tamales -with some variants- is found in what was former Mayan territory, that is, in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Southern Mexico (Veracruz, Yucatan, and Chiapas). Their common trait is that they are wrapped in banana leaves rather than in the corn husks used in most Mexican tamales. Banana leaves give tamales a richer and tastier flavor. For even more taste, tamales in this recipe are embellished with non-native garnishes such as capers, olives and garbanzos.

Some ingredients such as achiote and large Spanish capers, as well as utensils such as the double-decker steamer, can be found in Salvadoran or Mexican grocery stores.

Making tamales may look laborious and complicated, but it's a fun and unique experience that the entire family can participate into and enjoy. As a matter of fact, an assembly line approach is the best way to make tamales.

Furthermore, parents and children can enjoy a family quality time of togetherness while nipping and snacking on the garnishings.

Moreover, children can learn from parents a little culinary anthropology from the diverse ingredients in the tamales, where the "old" and "new" worlds melt in a harmonious and tasty convergence.

The following paragraphs give detailed lists of utensils, ingredients, and instructions that empower even the novice to excel as a master chef in the culinary art of making Salvadoran Tamales.

1- UTENSILS
1.1- Large double decker steamer
1.2- Large cooking spoon
1.3- Large (3 gallon) mixing bowl to prepare masa (corn batter)
1.4- Large stainless steel pot to cook recaudo (meat stew)
1.5- Large flat surface to layout ingredients & garnishings and wrap up tamales
1.6- Mortar, to make pumpkin seed paste
1.7- Spacy flat tamal-preparation surface such as top of counter or nook

2- INGREDIENTS
The ingredients encompass (1) meat and recaudo (stew), (2) corn-flour masa (batter), (3) garnishings, (4) wrappings and (5) the steam to cook the tamales. Those ingredients are detailed next:

2.1- Meat and Recaudo (Stew)
4 Pounds of meat (beef sirloin, pork roast, chiken or duck), diced into 1/2" cu. in. chunks, or shredded 1.5" long
4 Cubes of beef broth
1 Head of garlic, minced
1 Large onion, minced
3 Large bay leaves, whole
1/8 Teaspoon of dried oregano, chipped
1/8 Teaspoon of dried thyme, chipped
1/8 Teaspoon of dried basil, chipped
3 Large tomatoes
6 Cups of water
1 Teaspoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of spiced achiote
1 Tablespoon of cocoa, unrefined
1 Bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 Tablespoon of coriander, powder
1/2 cup of shelled pumpkin seed, made paste in mortar

2.2- Corn-Flour Masa (Batter)
1 Package (4.4 lb.) of MASECA corn flour (Some tortillerias such as the one in the Tropicana food store in east San Jose sell fresh masa, corn dough that is; you will need only 1 pint of water. Get 20 pounds of fresh masa)
3 Cups of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Cup of garlic powder
1/2 Cup of onion powder
12 Cubes of chicken broth
1 Gallon of water (1 pint if using fresh masa. See above.)
1 Tablespoon of salt

2.3- Garnishings
1 Cup of capers
2 Cups of pitted, pimento stuffed green olives
2 cups of pre-cooked (canned), shelled garbanzo beans
3 Large potatoes, boiled or microwaved and cut into 1/4 in. wide, 3 in. long strips
2 Large red bell pepper, shredded into 1/8 in. wide, 2 in. long stripes
1 Large green bell pepper, shredded into 1/8 in. wide, 2 in. long stripes
10 Large garlic teeth, minced

2.4- Wrappings
2 Bags of frozen, pre-cooked banana leaves, defrosted and thoroughly washed, cut into 12 in. X 12 in. squares
3 Rolls of aluminum foil (25 sq. ft. or 8 1/2 yards X 12 in.) cut into 12 in. X 12 in. squares

2.5- Steam
2 Gallons of water
4 Tablespoons of salt

3- INSTRUCTIONS
3.1- Meat and Recaudo (prepared first, on the eve)
3.1.1- Carefully decant all ingredients at once in boiling water, stir vigorously until mixed and cover it until brought back to a boil.
3.1.2- Lower heat to simmer temperature. Simmer for 3 hours stirring every 15 minutes or less to avoid sticking to the bottom and burning.
3.1.3- Let it rest overnight tightly covered.
3.1.4- Next day, using simmer temperature, bring it to boil, and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or less to avoid sticking to the bottom and burning.
3.1.5- Let it rest tightly covered until it cools down from hot to warm.

3.2- Wrappings(prepared second, on the day tamales are cooked)
3.2.1- Place the wrappings also at arm's length on tamal-preparation surface.

3.3- Garnishings (prepared third, on the day tamales are cooked)
3.3.1- Place garnishings seprate, preferable in partitioned tray if available. If not available, use small flat platters and place at arm's length on tamal-preparation surface.

3.4- Masa (Batter, prepared fourth tamales are cooked)
3.4.1- Mix all ingredients in large bowl until masa (batter) acquires an even texture. When ready masa should feel about three times thicker than pancake batter. Add more water if necessary. Add salt as needed to fit your taste and diet.

3.5- Tamal Making and Steaming
3.5.1- Lay out aluminum foil square on tamal-preparation surface.
3.5.2- Lay out banana leave square on top of aluminum foil square.
3.5.3- Pour a heaping cooking-spoon of masa on center of banana leave.
3.5.4- Making a depression in center of masa, pour three full table spoons of recaudo on center of masa.
3.5.5- Place meat cube at center of depression on batter/recaudo.
3.5.6- Sprinkle 4 to 5 capers on top of batter/recaudo.
3.5.7- Toss in 2 olives on top of batter/recaudo.
3.5.8- Toss in 3 to 4 garbanzos on top of batter/recaudo.
3.5.9- Toss in 1 potato dice on top of batter/recaudo.
3.5.10- Toss in 1 stripe of red pepper on top of batter/recaudo.
3.5.11- Toss in 1 stripe of green pepper on top of batter/recaudo.
3.5.12- Toss in a pinch of minced fresh garlic on top of batter/recaudo.

NOTE: At this point, except for the wrapping, a tamal has been put together.

3.5.13- Wrap up tamal on four sides with banana leave avoiding any leakage as much as possible.
3.5.14- Wrap up tamal on four sides with aluminum foil, making sure to seal off the seams of foil to further avoid leakage.

NOTE: At this point a tamal has been put together thoroughly.

3.5.15- Accommodate a batch of half of the tamales in each of the steamer decks in interleaved layers, in such a way that steam circulation is allowed.
3.5.16- Bring salty water brine in steamer bowl to a boil.
3.5.17- Stack the two decks on top of steamer bowl.
3.5.18- Steam for a total of 4 hours, making sure you carefully trade deck places every hour so that steaming is even. ( First hour deck A goese under deck B, reverse positions every hour.)

3.6- Tamal Served directly from the Steamer
3.6.1- Tamales can be served at breakfast, lunch or supper. Accompany tamales with hot chocolate or coffee at breakfast, or cold ale or lager at lunch or supper. Enjoy!

3.7- Freezing the Tamales (Read defrosting first, please)
3.7.1- Let tamales cool down to room temperature.
3.7.2- Pack in sealed plastic bags. Make sure that tamales have cooled before placing them in plastic bags to avoid a heated plastic bag emitting fumes tat would permeate the tamale, spoiling its delicate aroma and flavor.
3.7.3- Freeze them.

3.8- Defrosting and Serving Tamales
3.8.1- Defrosting tamales may prove tricky. If heated wrong, tamales may get sandy, chewy, or crunchy. The best result is obtained if tamales are let thaw at room temperature.
3.8.2- Once thawed, discard aluminum foil wrap and, still wrapped in banana leave wrap tamal in polyurethane foil ("Saran wrap"), then microwave tamal for 2 1/2 minutes at high temperature.

Chilli cheese toast

2008-12-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 12
Cheese cubes - 3
Pasteurised butter - 100 gms
Green chillies - 3
Salt - Little
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Apply little butter to bread slices.
2. Chop green chillies into thin round pieces.
3. Grate cheese using a fine cheese grater.
4. Mix all the other ingredients together, for filling except bread.
5. Keep little of the filling in between two slices of bread.
6. Press and toast using a sandwich toaster. (Both sides till brown)
7. Serve with ketchup or mint chutney.

Variation :

Little worcestershire sauce can be sprinkled to the filling when mixing together.

How cabbage helps inhibit cancer

2008-12-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON: Eating vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage are known to prevent breast cancer. But the mechanism by which the active substances in these vegetables inhibit cancer cellproliferation was unknown - until now.

Leslie Wilson, professor of biochemistry at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Mary Ann Jordan, adjunct professor in molecular, cellular and developmental biology, have shown how the healing power of these vegetables works at the cellular level.

"Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, can be protected against by eating cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and near relatives of cabbage such as broccoli and cauliflower," said co-author Olga Azarenko, a graduate student at UCSB.

"These vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates which we believe to be responsible for the cancer-preventive and anti-carcinogenic activities in these vegetables. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount of the isothiocyanates.

"Our paper focuses on the anti-cancer activity of one of these compounds, called sulforaphane, or SFN," Azarenko added. "It has already been shown to reduce the incidence and rate of chemically induced mammary tumours in animals. It inhibits the growth of cultured human breast cancer cells, leading to cell death."

The paper was published in this month's journal Carcinogenesis. Azarenko made the surprising discovery that SFN inhibits the proliferation of human tumour cells by a mechanism similar to the way that the anti-cancer drugs taxol and vincristine inhibit cell division during mitosis.

Mitosis is the process in which the duplicated DNA in the form of chromosomes is accurately distributed to the two daughter cells when a cell divides, said an UCSB statement.

"SFN may be an effective cancer preventive agent because it inhibits the proliferation and kills precancerous cells," said Wilson. It is also possible that it could be used as an addition to taxol and other similar drugs to increase effective killing of tumour cells without increased toxicity.