Using Stale Bread in Your Cooking
June 16, 2008
Using Stale Bread in Your Cooking
Perhaps the two heel ends of the bread always have a habit of going uneaten in your house, or perhaps you regularly find yourself confronted with whole loaves of stale bread that you simply forgot was there before you opened a new package. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to feel wasteful and throw that bread out! There are many uses for stale bread, and you’ll find that all of them are quite tasty.
First, there are a few general uses which can be addressed right away. If you have small bits, you can put them in the oven at a very low heat to dry them out completely and then the can be ground up, either with a meat grinder, or simply crushed with a rolling pin. This is a great way to make your own breadcrumbs for things like fried scallops or stuffing, without needing to resort to buying from the store. You’ll also find that if you have larger whole pieces, you can cut them into neat squares and dry them into croutons or crackers for soup. They can be a great deal more tasty than regular crackers, and you might find yourself doing this whether the bread is stale or not!
If you have hard, dry pieces of bread, heat up a griddle that has been well buttered and dip the bread into hot salted water before browning it quickly on both sides. This traditional dish is a great remedy for a cold morning when you realize that you only have dry bread in the house and you want to eat something with butter or syrup.
You might also want to make a great side dish or sandwich spread with your stale slices. If your bread happens to be rye bread, put some bacon fat in the frying pan. When it is hot, use it to brown both sides of the bread in question and then put a poached egg on each slice. Between the bacon fat and the egg, the bread will become quite moist again. You can try this dish with ketchup, barbecue sauce, or any other dipping sauce you might like.
If you’ve got a lot of stale bread to work with, consider making the delicious dessert, Brown Betty. Layer stale bread over chopped apples in a greased baking dish, starting with the bread on the bottom. For every layer of apple, add cinnamon and brown sugar, more if the apples are very tart, and put breadcrumbs on the top mixed with some butter. Cook covered at first and then bake for an hour, and you’ll find that this dish is delicious with a gentle covering of cream or ice cream.
As you can see, there are plenty of uses for stale bread, so take some time, and think about how you can use those hard-as-glass slices!
What Does Gluten Have to Do With You?
June 15, 2008
What Does Gluten Have to Do With You?
Gluten is another one of those foods that has gotten a lot of hype in the past few years as being one that you need to avoid at all cost.
Is this true? Even with all of the information that is out there, you still might be a little bit lost as to what gluten is, where it comes from and how it can help you.
It is true that gluten is something that some people should avoid, but when you have a thorough understanding of why, you’ll find that your shopping and cooking decisions are a lot easier.
What is gluten?
Very simply, gluten is a protein that is found in rye, barley and wheat. It is very prevalent in most types of cereal and bread, and for some products, it is essential. For instance, bread rises before it is baked due to the fact that gluten aids the fermentation in the dough, and similarly, gluten will help the bread firm up and ensures that the bread will keep its shape. Gluten also works to make absorbent, though it is also believed to contribute to bread going stale. For many vegetarians, however, this quality is desirable because it mimics certain properties in meat.
What are the risks of eating gluten?
About 1 percent of the population of the United States can be defined, to various degrees, to be sensitive to gluten. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the small bowel, and it is generally caused by an negative and abnormal reaction to gluten. Some allergies are also attributed to this substances, and there is some literature that points to a link between gluten and autism, though this is currently hotly debated. There are also less severe intolerances to gluten. Gluten sensitive individuals may experience a variety of symptoms, including but not limited to rashes, diarrhea and constipation, mood swings, joint paint, stomach pain, etc.
Is it possible to remove gluten from food?
Gluten can be removed from food, but it is important to remember that the label gluten-free will vary from country to country over what it means. For most people who suffer from Celiac disease, the maximum amount of safe gluten in a product stands at about 200 parts per million, or about .02 percent. Conversely, in Australia, the label gluten-free can only be applied to foods that contain less than five parts per million, which is the smallest amount currently detectable. Given the fact that normal wheat flour contains about 12% gluten, it is easy to see where cross-contamination can occur.
What are the general rules for a gluten-free diet?
Generally, a gluten-free diet will remove all pastas, most bread and many convenience and junk foods from your diet. Many people have found that labels are less accurate than they would prefer, because many countries do not require gluten to be listed on labels, so a certain amount of research is necessary.
Browse healthy gluten free recipes here.
What Is Kale?
June 15, 2008
What Is Kale…
… and why would I want to cook with it? This is something that many cooks of all levels of experience ask themselves, but if you do a little bit of investigation, you’ll find that there are plenty of things that you can do with this highly versatile leafy green. When you eat kale, you’re in good company. Kale was the most common green vegetable in Europe until the 1600s, and even before that we’ve had evidence of the cultivation of Kale going back to the fourth century BC in Greece. Kale was a favorite addition to the British Victory Gardens of World War II, and today, people are finding more reasons than ever to add it to their diets. 
If you can go long periods without cooking, you’ve probably had the unpleasant experience of opening up your refrigerator and finding that your vegetables have turned brown and soggy. Luckily, kale freezes very well, and gets a sweeter taste after being exposed to a frost.
If you’ve got fresh kale, especially if you have the very tender shoots, add them into your salads. Some ideas for a kale salad include using roasted nuts, strong peppers and peanuts, all to emphasize the strong, almost smoky taste.
Kale is a green that is eaten around the world, and there are plenty of recipes to choose from. If you like cooked vegetables over raw ones, take a look at the kale recipes from the southern half of Africa, where kale is typically boiled with coconut milk and ground up or powdered peanut before being served on top of rice or a variety of flat breads. This is a great way to enjoy some extremely tasty vegetarian food, if you’re looking to cut back on the meat in your diet.
By contrast, you’ll also find that in Europe, kale is often combined with sliced or ground up meat, especially heavily spiced sausage or ground beef. It is usually combined with potatoes, broth and olive oil and served in such a way that will complement the meat; in this fashion, the meat doesn’t completely obscure the taste of the greens, at it would with a milder vegetable. You’ll also find that kale can be quite tasty if it is chopped up and added to stirfry, something that happens around the globe.
When you are looking to stirfry kale, try adding Japanese shiitake mushrooms to the mix. Remove the kale’s stems and slice the the leaves into large chunks. Heat some oil in your frying pan or wok, and gently fry up the mushrooms, garlic and anything else you think might be tasty. When these ingredients are relatively tender, add kale, and seasons like soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil, and you’ll have a tasty dish in very short order.
Kale is an extremely underrated vegetable, but with a little bit effort, you can see how easily it slips into your diet. Take advantage of this dark green vegetable and integrate it into your daily life!
