CHAYOTES and PLANTAINS/Cooking Bananas

CHAYOTE (Sechium edule)
Cho-Cho/Christophene/Custard Marrow/Guisquil (wis-kil)

Chayotes and plantains are now available in the produce sections of many supermarkets and specialty fruit stores. If you are unfamiliar with these tropical treasures, I am happy to present them to you. If they are old favorites, here are some background information and new recipes.


There are several varieties of this pear-shaped vegetable. The chayote is native to Mexico but is now also cultivated in most tropical regions.
It is a member of the squash family and contains trailing vines similar to those of the cucumber. The vine produces fruit in a similar fashion on a single long stem. All varieties share a common size and shape, but the skin color ranges from white to bright green with deep ribs. Some chayotes are covered with sharp spikes or thorns. The more common pale green varieties have soft prickles, which are usually removed before they shipped to stores.
The translucent flesh is white to light-green with a flat, cream-colored edible seed.

Due to the high water content and low calorie count, the chayote makes an excellent food for dieters and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Chayotes can be boiled and stuffed with meat or cheese. Cut into small strips, it is especially well suited for stir-frying as it will retain a crisp texture. Steamed and buttered, chayotes also make an excellent side dish. When overcooked they become mushy.

Early British colonists in the Caribbean, longing for a traditional dessert, used chayotes to make a mock apple pie. If left uncooked for an extended period, the chayote will begin to germinate and a sprout will appear.


PLANTAINS/PLÁTANO/BANANE/COOKING BANANA (musa)

Plantains are the largest members of the banana family. They were brought to the Americas from their native India, and have become a staple food in many tropical countries. The large plant, flower and the fruit production are almost identical to that of the banana. The plantain is larger in size but similar in appearance and also becomes golden yellow with black spots when fully ripe.

Green and ripe plantains are used in many dishes. However, unlike the banana, yellow ripe plantains have a light pink flesh and contain more starch and less sugar. They must be cooked and should never be eaten raw, hence the name "cooking banana". Fried ripe plantains make a delicious accompaniment to almost any main dish.

Happy Birthday to the Webmaster!

From me and my helpers at SybilSlaten.com, we hope you have a good day!

Enjoy it and be well.

Easter

Easter is a a Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was affixed by the ancient Council of Nicaea in 325AD to fall on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, between March 22 and April 22. Worldwide observances reflect local traditions but generally include church services, street parades, egg hunts, and the exchange of Easter lilies and chocolate bunnies. As is the case with most holidays and celebrations, special foods are an integral part of the Easter festivities.

Traditional Easter foods have been associated with the holiday in some form since its inception centuries ago. The exchange of eggs and the involvement of the rabbit predates Easter.
Eggs represent rebirth and springtime. The rabbit was the symbol of the pagan Anglo-Saxon goddess Easter; when the Saxons were converted to Christianity, they incorporated their spring festivals with the Easter celebrations.

There are many other edible historical offerings that grace the Easter tables. Hot cross buns and similar sweet cakes and breads are important Easter foods. Hot cross buns are a gift from the British; it was also derived from wheat loaves of the early pagan festivities.
A pastry cross was added when the loaves became associated with the Christian festival.
Growing up in Jamaica, Easter buns were well anticipated during the season. These dense, sweet loaves are packed with dried fruits and spices and are traditionally served with mild New Zealand cheese. Beautifully decorated, they make welcomed Easter gifts.

Many Christian denominations will not consume meat on Good Friday, making fish the preferred main dish. Roasted lamb is the original main dish that dates back to the sacrificial lambs of the Jewish Pesach Passover. Early Christians continued this tradition; however, as Christianity spread all over the world, pork was substituted for lamb in countries where sheep were not cultivated. A roasted ham, fresh or cured, now takes center stage for many Easter Sunday dinners.

All About The Potato

The ubiquitous potato is considered to be the most versatile of all vegetables and is a stable food in cuisines worldwide. This process, however, did not happen overnight; it took almost two hundred years before the humble potato gained such prominence.

The potato (solannum tuberosum) is native to tropical America. The name is derived from the original Amerindian name patata. This root vegetable was extensively cultivated by the Inca people of Peru. It was distributed throughout the tropical regions of the Americas long before Europeans discovered the Western Hemisphere for themselves. The potato was introduced into Europe by the Spanish Conquistador Pizarro as early as 1534, but it did not catch on. Fifty years later in 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh, a British Statesman and Explorer, reintroduced the potato into England, where it was first thought to be poisonous and then regarded as food fit only for the poor.

After the taste for the potato was acquired, its cultivation spread rapidly in Europe.
The potato is one of the most prolific of all carbohydrate-producing crops.
When the Irish discovered its culinary possibilities, and the fact that it flourished in their loamy soil, the potato became an essential part of the Irish diet. From 1845 to 1847, Ireland suffered a disastrous famine resulting from the failure of the potato crop due to blight, a fungus that spread rapidly. It is estimated that by the end of 1848, the population of Ireland was greatly reduced through death by starvation and mass migration of the people, especially to America. In many tropical regions, this vegetable is known as the Irish potato.

There were several hundred varieties known to the Incas, but today only a dozen or so remain. Some varieties are easily identified by their color and size, and the texture when cooked varies from the waxy texture of the pink variety to the powdery consistency of the russet. The rare purple Peruvian has a dark purple skin and flesh and is the most flavorful of all the varieties. The purple potato is commercially available as potato chips. French fries were invented in America and not in France; the name is derived from the shape (sticks) the potato is cut into in a process called Frenching.

The bland flavor of the potato is easily enhanced with the addition of salt, butter, herbs and spices. An average boiled potato (4.8ozs) contains approximately 116 calories and is rich in carbohydrates and vitamins B and C. Store potatoes in a cool dark place to prevent sprouting and the development of solanine, which causes them to turn green and bitter; at such a stage they should be discarded and not eaten.

I will provide a few recipes that shows the versatility of the potato.

The Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is a salute to the Irish; this dish is well suited for the dreary month of March, when comfort food is necessary. Packages containing corned brisket of beef is readily available in most supermarkets at this time of year as we celebrate St Patrick’s Day. The New England Boiled Dinner is an identical dish that dates back to early the arrival of Europeans to America.

ALU TALKARI is a recipe from the Caribbean Island of Trinidad. This savory potato curry can be served as a tasty side dish or as a main dish for vegetarians with Roti (Indian bread) or rice.

I have been asked many times how to make good mashed potatoes. I am passing on this basic recipe.

The Shepherd’s Pie is a basic meat and potato dish, which originated in Great Britain.
The recipe began with the use of ground or leftover lamb and evolved to including the use of ground beef, which is more readily available. This long time favorite is well suited for today’s busy schedule. It can be prepared when there is more time on weekends and kept refrigerated for mid-week dinners. It also makes a great take-along dish.

HEALTH NOTE: Ground beef comes with various forms of fat content;
Regular 80% lean 85% or extra lean 93% the cost is reflected in the fat content.
When preparing regular or lean ground beef, brown the beef and drain off the excess fat
before adding aromatics like onion, garlic, spices and herbs.

New Beginnings

A very good year to all of you.

The Obama inauguration is a moment in history most of us thought we would never live to experience. Our new president and his team are determined to set a new course for our country, and he has called upon us to do our part. With the downturn in the economy most of us are trimming excess spending, looking to purchase higher mileage vehicles and paying more attention to the environment. We are also trimming the fat, not just from our wallets but also from our waistlines. Healthier bodies will reduce healthcare costs and improve our quality of life.

Oprah began the year by opening up to us about her weight gain. She encouraged those of us with the same problem to join her on her quest to once again lose the excess pounds with the help of her personal trainer Bob Green. Like many of you, I have also purchased Bob Green’s new diet book to get helpful tidbits on the foods to avoid, the healthy ones to purchase and new and tasty recipes to prepare. The importance of exercise in helping our bodies burn calories and reach our weight loss goals should not be overlooked.

Despite my bad knees I am returning to my treadmill, which I use in the winter. I plan to walk 30 minutes every other day with a 3 lb weight in hand. I also have an AB Lounge chair which I will use on the days I don’t walk. 

My suggestions:

• If you use a gym, attend regularly.
• Take more time in the produce section of the supermarket or fruit & vegetable store; try to discover new fruits or vegetables to incorporate in your recipes and serve more of them. Read nutrition labels on jars and cans and choose prepared foods with less sodium and fat.
• Revamp your old favorite recipes; replace harmful fats with olive oil if possible; and use more herbs and spices since they add more flavor and no calories.
• Use smoked turkey to flavor southern-style vegetable dishes. Trim the fat from meats or purchase extra lean whenever possible, and remove the skin from chicken before cooking. Prepare meats grilled, or baked, and sauté or stir fry vegetables more often. These cooking methods calls for less or no oil. Reserve calorie-laden dishes like fried chicken, macaroni and cheese or lasagna for those rare and special occasions.
• Include lots of salads with low fat dressing in your diets, and add fruits and nuts to defray monotony.
  

I am sharing my Cabbage soup recipe that was given to me many years ago. I have retooled it over the years, adding more vegetables, herbs and spices, because I like dishes with flavor and zest. It is thick and satisfying and you will not miss the meat. Prepare a large quantity of this soup because it reheats well; you can take it for lunch if you have access to a microwave oven at work.

I will share my progress (or lack of it with you) and would appreciate hearing how you are doing out there.