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PrintTable Talk with Judy Allen
Food rules, the product of 2010 and a nod to the Irish.
The Emerald Isle
In honor of our Green Issue, as well as March’s love of all things Irish, I had to share this herby cocktail.
Place ice cubes in a glass along with 2 to 3 thin slices of cucumber; 1/4 lime, squeezed; and a few torn mint leaves. Add 1 1/2 ounces vodka or gin (I prefer the herbal tang of gin) and top with your favorite tart lemonade to taste. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and serve. Serves 1.
Worth reading
A magazine focusing on “green” would not be complete without a mention of Michael Pollan, America’s leader in the sustainable food movement. His books tackle everything from historical eating to how we should really be eating. “Eat Food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” That’s his mantra, plain and simple, and it’s one that I’m trying to live by. Pollan’s new book is a little more on the playful side. “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual” is exactly as the title says — a list of simple and sensible rules for eating, culled from various cultures and traditions. For example, don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food, and don’t eat cereal that changes the color of the milk. The book is broken down into 3 sections: (1)What should I eat? (Eat food) (2)What kind of food should I eat? (Mostly plants) and (3)How should I eat? (Not too much). Sound familiar? Each section includes 20 or so rules from which you can pick and choose in order to eat a healthy diet. This is a quick read — only about 70 pages long — that will stick with you for a long time.
The product of 2010
Apparently agave is not just for tequila anymore — I can’t seem to read any food magazine these days that doesn’t mention agave nectar. This sweet liquid from the agave lily may be the “it” sweetener, if not the “it” product of 2010. Agave nectar has the same amount of calories as honey — about 60 per tablespoon — but is a bit less viscous. Besides the plain nectar, agave — an ancient succulent related to aloe — is showing up in products that typically call for sugar — cereal, baked goods and ketchup, to name a few. Agave nectar comes in a range of grades, similar to those of maple syrup: light, amber and dark. I like to stir a bit of the amber variety into my morning tea.
It’s not St. Patty’s Day without cabbage!
This is my way of slipping one more “green” recipe into the issue. In honor of St. Patty’s Day, we’ve got to get some cabbage on the table. Colcannon is a classic Irish veggie side combining creamy mashed potatoes with boiled cabbage.
Peel and quarter 4 large baking potatoes. Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl, mash and set aside. Meanwhile, bring another saucepan of water to a boil. Shred a half head of green cabbage, add to boiling water and cook for 10 minutes; drain and set aside. Heat 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet and add cabbage and 1/2 cup chopped green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mashed potatoes and stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup warm milk and 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley. Season well with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
Have a question, recipe or tip you would like to share? Know of a great home cook in Tulsa? Had a great meal somewhere that you want to tell everyone about? I would love to hear from you. Send me an e-mail: contactus@tulsapeople.com.
