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Food And Nutrition

Preparing Curried Okra With Onions

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3 months ago

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Okra is a popular vegetable in many parts of the world. Where okra originated is up for debate, but many believe it came from Africa or South Asia. Okra is an important vegetable in Southern cooking. It was probably brought to the U.S. from Africa in the early 1700s. By 1800, it was a common vegetable across the Southern U.S.

The characteristic “slimy” substance helps to thicken gumbos and other soups, but the texture can be off-putting when okra is cooked in other ways, particularly if the dish contains liquids. There are some ways to reduce the sliminess. Acidic ingredients can help decrease the unpleasant texture. A bit of lemon juice, tamarind, or vinegar can help, or cook the okra with complementary tomatoes. Or try soaking it in a vinegar and water solution, a method that many cooks swear by—for each cup of water, add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. Because the goo in okra interacts with liquids, it is also important to dry the pods thoroughly and cook them quickly (to avoid steam). Fried okra and roasted okra also tend to be less slimy.

This okra dish makes a tasty vegetarian dish when served over hot boiled rice, or serve it with Southern fried chicken, pork chops, or steaks.

Ingredients

Method

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Wash the okra pods and dry them thoroughly. Cut off and discard the tips and stem ends from the okra pods. Cut the okra into 1/2-inch rounds.

  3. Heat the oil in a large heavy nonstick or well-seasoned iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the sliced okra and stir-fry for 10 minutes, stirring and turning frequently to keep it from sticking.

  4. Meanwhile, core the tomato; remove the seeds and dice it. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters; slice thinly. Set aside.

  5. When the okra is beginning to brown, add the diced tomato, sliced onion, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and curry powder, to taste.

  6. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes longer, or until the onions are tender.

  7. Taste and add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

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Food And Nutrition

Preparing Iron Skillet Roast Chicken

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3 months ago

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June 16, 2023

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Whole roasted chicken is often saved for special occasions or holiday meals—it seems like a process to make and can take hours in the oven. Because of its small size and clever cooking method, however, this juicy and delicious chicken is a snap to cook and will be ready in less than an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning inside chicken
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning inside chicken
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Raw chicken

  2. Preheat oven to 450 F. Put a well seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven to heat.

    Chicken with salt

  3. Sprinkle cavity of chicken with salt and pepper.

    Put sauce on chicken

  4. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, onion powder, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil. Rub all over chicken.

    Chicken in pan

  5. Using oven mitts, carefully remove hot skillet from oven. Put chicken in skillet and return to oven. Reduce oven temperature to 400 F.

    Roasted chicken

  6. Roast chicken for about 50 to 60 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer or oven probe registers at least 165 F in the thickest part of a thigh.

    Chicken on a plate

  7. Let chicken stand for about 10 minutes before carving.

    Chicken in dish

Tips

  • The secret to making this chicken is using an everyday cast-iron skillet that you preheat in the oven.
  • If your whole chicken is frozen, it is best to thaw it in the refrigerator; a 4-pound bird will take about 24 hours so you need to plan ahead. If you didn’t remove it from the freezer the night before, you can defrost it in a water bath, but you need to make sure the water stays nice and cold. Place the chicken (still wrapped) in the sink or large container and fill with cold water; change the water every 30 minutes. Thawing takes about 30 minutes for every pound. And although it may seem obvious, there are times this step is overlooked: don’t forget to remove the package of giblets from inside the bird once your chicken is thawed.
  • In order to get the crispiest skin, you need to make sure the chicken is completely dry before adding seasonings and placing in the oven. One way to do this is to remove the wrapping from the chicken the day before and rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry. Then place the chicken in a roasting pan in the refrigerator (without any covering) overnight; this will allow the bird to dry out and eliminate any moisture. (You can do this with turkey as well.)
  • To speed up the cooking time even more, you can spatchcock (butterfly) the chicken, which simply means removing the backbone so the bird will lay flat in the pan. Cut down the cooking time by 15 minutes, checking for doneness after 30 minutes or so.
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Food And Nutrition

Preparing Turkey taco bowls

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3 months ago

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June 16, 2023

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Make your own seasoning for these tasty and affordable turkey taco bowls.

Each serving provides 756 kcal, 51g protein, 55g carbohydrates (of which 15g sugars), 37g fat (of which 7g saturates), 15g fibre and 2.5g salt.

Ingredients

For the Mexican seasoning

  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the taco bowls

  • 500g/1lb 2oz turkey mince (7% fat)
  • 2 tbsp Mexican seasoning (from above)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small onions (red or brown), finely chopped
  • 6 spring onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 peppers (any colour), deseeded and finely chopped
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes, tomato juice drained
  • 400g tin kidney beans, drained
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
  • 180g/6oz lightly salted tortilla chips
  • 4 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche or plain yoghurt
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. To make the Mexican seasoning, mix the ingredients together in a bowl.

  2. Put the turkey mince and Mexican seasoning into a large bowl and mix well with your hands.

  3. Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and cook the onions, spring onions and peppers for 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

  4. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and cook the turkey mince for 4 minutes, or until browned, making sure you break it up as finely as possible with a wooden spoon.

  5. Add the chopped tomatoes, kidney beans and a pinch of salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

  6. Stir in the cooked vegetables and most of the coriander, and simmer for another 2 minutes.

  7. Evenly cover the base of four bowls with the tortilla chips. Divide the turkey mixture between the bowls and top each with a tablespoon of crème fraîche. Sprinkle over the remaining coriander and serve.

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Food And Nutrition

Preparing Dauphinoise potatoes

Published

3 months ago

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June 16, 2023

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These creamy, garlicky dauphinoise potatoes recipe will make a fabulous side dish for any Sunday roast. There isn’t an easier side dish in the world!

Each serving provides 561 kcal, 5g protein, 33g carbohydrates (of which 3g sugars), 45g fat (of which 28g saturates), 3.5g fibre and 0.1g salt.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg/2lb 4oz floury potatoes such as Russet, King Edward, Maris Piper or Desiree, sliced into thin slices, about 3mm/⅛in thick
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 500ml/17½fl oz double cream (you may need a bit extra)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 2.

  2. Place the potato slices and grated garlic in a bowl and season to taste. Pour over the cream and mix well. Pour into a large gratin dish.

  3. Press the potato down with the back of a spoon or your hands so it forms a solid layer. The cream should come to just below the top layer of potato, top up with more double cream if necessary.

  4. Bake for 1-1½ hours, or until the potatoes are completely tender.

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