By JANET K. KEELER from staff and wire reports
Published October 1, 2003
Apple for cider
Coconut
Dessert kits
30-Minute Meals for Dummies
Bamboo cutting mat
Gratin (GRAH-tn) is a French cooking term that refers to baked dishes that have a crisp top, most notably potatoes au gratin. The term, however, is often misunderstood. Many people believe that dishes described as "au gratin" must have either bread crumbs or cheese on top to produce the crunchy top. Not so.
A simple potato gratin can be made by mixing thinly sliced, peeled potatoes with cream, salt and pepper and then layering in a shallow dish. If baked uncovered in a hot oven, about 400 degrees, a crust will form. It is more likely, though, that a gratin dish will be topped with cheese, bread crumbs, cracker crumbs or finely chopped nuts.
The word dates to the 16th century, when gratin referred to the part of a cooked dish which stuck to the pot or pan and had to be scraped off (gratte), according to The Penguin Companion to Food (Penguin, 1999).
This microwave recipe for a two-potato gratin is from Bon Appetit magazine and its basic principles can be translated to other main ingredients such as onions and seafood. Other cheeses can be used.
Peel and thinly slice 11/4 pounds of russet potatoes and 1 pound of sweet potatoes. Arrange half of russets in an 8- by 8-inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary over all and then top with half of sweet potatoes. Sprinkle more rosemary and salt and pepper. Repeat two more layers. Pour 11/2 cups whipping cream over all. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until potatoes are tender, about 18 minutes. Sprinkle 1 cup grated Swiss and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan over potatoes. Microwave on high another 3 minutes. Cool for 10.
There may not be a chill in the air here but it is October and our thoughts turn to changing seasons anyway. Apple cider is one of the traditional tastes of autumn, especially when enjoyed with a doughnut. Cider comes either fresh-expressed, sometimes called sweet, or fermented, which is called hard cider and provides a little buzz. More history, more facts on this site.
Cooking class
Paper or plastic? Mushrooms should take the paper route, because when stored in plastic bags they get slimy. If your produce department only supplies plastic bags, transfer them to a bowl and cover with a paper towel before refrigerating.
Speedy strategy
The "Dummies" books continue to narrow their focus, and one of the latest is 30-Minute Meals for Dummies (Wiley, $20). Written by syndicated food columnist Bev Bennett, this cookbook is tailor-made for the time-strapped rookie interested in eating well. In addition to a variety of recipes, a boatload of basic information - complete with step-by-step graphics - is offered in the typically refreshing "Dummies" manner.
Go coconuts
Asian food stores are great sources for coconut. The coconut not only is shredded, but it is also unsweetened, a variety that few supermarkets carry anymore. In addition, most of the coconut in Asian stores is frozen rather than packaged or canned, which means it has a fresher flavor.
Dessert in a box
Snubbing the low-carb trend, Betty Crocker has introduced a line of baked fruit dessert kits that include a can of Comstock sweetened fruit and pouch of topping mix. Flavors are Southern-Style Peach Cobbler, Classic Cherry Cobbler and Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp. Bake time is approximately 30 minutes and the suggested price is $3.79.
A cunning board
Totally Bamboo makes a line of kitchen and serving products made from the grass that keeps on growing - a renewable resource that's as hard as wood. The face of the "Tonga" cutting board is end grain, which makes it look more like a place mat. It's $59 and just one of many bamboo cutting boards, not dishwasher safe, which range from $8 to $195 on the Web site, www.totallybamboo.com or call 818 505-0159. Light and dark hues are available.
Crack some walnuts
A free 18-page recipe booklet with a selection of 20 recipes using walnuts, plus plenty of information and tips about the nuts, is available from the Walnut Marketing Board. The recipes come with nutrition analysis and color photos. The "Mega Menu" booklet is available by calling toll-free 1-800-758-2100; by writing to: Walnut Marketing Board: Mega Menu, 847 Sansome St., Suite 100, San Francisco CA 94111; or on the Web at www.walnuts.org
