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dishBy JANET K. KEELER © St. Petersburg Times, published February 28, 2001 deconstructingexplanations from the inside out fennelFennel, also known as sweet fennel or finocchio, is an aromatic plant that has feathery foliage and celerylike stems. The part of this winter vegetable used for cooking is the bulbous bottom where the stems overlap. It has a slight licorice smell and taste, and is sometimes mistakenly labeled "sweet anise." (Anise is another plant altogether and is a member of the parsley family.) Fennel was first cultivated in the Mediterranean and is a common ingredient in Italian and Greek cooking. Fennel can be eaten raw in a salad if thinly sliced. It is better cooked, sometimes used as a base on which to steam fish or roasted with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. To use fennel, remove the steams and feathery fronds and discard the outer layer of the bulb if it is tough. (The stems and leaves can be used to flavor or garnish soups or fish.) Cut away any discolored areas. Cut the bulb lengthwise and remove the thick core. Gently separate the layers with your hands and rinse well to remove grit. Use as directed in recipe. To store, refrigerate, tightly wrapped in plastic, for up to five days. Fennel has no fat and is virtually calorie free because it is more than 90 percent water. It is rich in vitamin C and is a source of calcium and phosphorus. this web site cooksThe numbers tell a big story here: 10,000 food and cooking links; 22,000-plus recipes; 28 message boards; 9,900 copycat recipes. The Kitchen Link, "your guide to what's cooking on the Net," is a smorgasbord of food and news with a little humanity (click on disaster and hunger relief) and retail thrown in. A daily menu gives suggestions for tonight's meals and another link takes visitors to lists and lists of food safety news and recalls. constant comment"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." -- Actor and comedian Groucho Marx cooking classWhen adding any pesto to cooked pasta, save three to four tablespoons of the water used to cook the pasta and toss it with the pasta and pesto. This keeps the pesto from separating and helps it to better coat the noodles. the subway guyJared Fogle, the man who lost 245 pounds on a diet of Subway sandwiches and now does TV commercials for the chain, will visit two bay area Subways this week to sign autographs and let people look him over. Fogle will be at the Subway at 4690 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park, from 1 to 2 p.m. on Thursday. From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, he will be at the Subway at 6055 W Waters Ave., Tampa. more from tupperwareThe Round Sandwich Keeper from the king of storage containers is meant to tote lunchtime fare made from rolls, bagels or English muffins. The latched top includes a recessed area that holds a Tupperware Smidget to carry condiments or dressing. How convenient. Price is $13.75 for two, one red, one blue. what we likeAccording to the March issue of Bon Appetit, Americans are as enamored of pizza as they have always been, naming it the No. 1 takeout food. Other findings in the fourth annual reader poll:
ceviche, everyone?Ceviche, the marinated fish dish that has been popular for the last decade in South Florida using conch, is now hot, hot, hot in New York City. St. Petersburg cookbook author Joyce LaFray tells us that Chicama, the newest Manhattan restaurant from chef Douglas Rodriguez of Patria, offers more than 10 ceviches. Among them is a flounder version and a Chilean salmon ceviche accented with mint, mustard and orange.
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
