Pineapple/ watermelon Summer FRUIT SALSA…really different.

Beautiful to behold, this deliciously different fruit salsa is perfect for the warmer months. Fruit salsa goes well with grilled meats, sandwiches, burgers, pasta and vegetables.  But…it’s  most amazing asset is its nutritional value. This recipe serves four people yet it is almost CALORIE FREE!  25 calories, and .03 grams of fat per serving (if you don’t add the  raspberry vinaigrette)  Plus it is totally GLUTEN FREE, and can become a refreshing CEVICHE by just adding some chopped shrimp.

So many times during the warmer months, we get bored with the same old salads.  Why not add a different sweet and sour twist with watermelon, pineapple, plus a little jalapeno kick to boot.

FRUIT SALSA

                                                                               Calories            Fat       

½ cup pineapple (1/4 “ chop)                      33              .02

½ cup tomato (1/4 “ chop)                            10              .01

½ cup watermelon (1/4 “ chop)                10              .01

½ cup cucumber (1/4 “ chop)                    10              .02

¼  cup diced jalapeno pepper                    12              .02                 

½ cup  chopped green onion tops            5              .01

½  cup  red onions (diced)                           20              .01

½ cup chopped cilantro                                 0              .01

Pinch sea salt                                   Total         100            .11

Vinaigrette                                                       250-350      .00

Add 1 tsp lemon or lime juice, plus 1 TBS raspberry vinegar to bowl, whisk in 2-3 TBS olive oil until thickened.  (3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar)  Don’t add the vinaigrette yet.  Refrigerate for one hour. For the freshest flavor, toss the salsa with a pinch of salt and then the vinegar just before you serve it, or you can add the vinaigrette and let it marinate before serving.

(vinaigrette adds 200 – 300 calories)

 Special Note:  CEVICHE

Try adding chopped shrimp to this salsa and it becomes ceviche, the famous South American dish dating back to the Incas.

 Needless to say, preparing and eating delicious and nutritious foods is not only fun, but really good for your health.

 About the Author:  Wellness Chef Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook, Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years, plus leading culinary tours to their villa in Tuscany. For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try www.cookingwithcordier.com  

When I first started working on this posting for my foodie blog, I thought about several titles.  Confused about gluten? How to have a gluten free lifestyle? or how about Gluten free, Why?  The problem is, today, there is so much confusion about “gluten free” cooking, how do you straighten it all out?  So here is my attempt to reduce some of that confusion for the uninitiated.

 First, what is GLUTEN anyway, and why is it so bad for humans? 

Gluten (from Latin gluten, “glue“) is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. It gives elasticity to dough, helping it to rise and to keep its shape, and often giving the final product a chewy texture.

 It is estimated that over 15% of the U.S. population (or one in seven) have a sensitivity to gluten.  That’s a huge number! Certain  people can develop what is called Celiac Disease.  Celiac disease is a serious disorder.  However, many people may not even know they have a sensitivity to gluten. Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity causes many unpleasant digestive disorders that can wreck havoc on a person’ life, and lead to such medical conditions such as: bloating, diarrhea, gas and flatulence, nausea, acid reflux, constipation,  or other conditions such as depression, autistic behaviors, joint pain, fatigue, infertility, ADD/ADHD, headaches, acne, bruising, night blindness, hair loss, eczema and more.

So how do you guard against this happening to you?  If you are already experiencing some of these conditions, eliminating wheat, barley, and rye products from your diet may be the answer to a healthier “gluten free” life style.  This means leaving out certain foods from your diet (here’s a partial list) Pasta, pizza, crackers, wheat breads, beer, cereal, pretzels, bagels, baked goods, cookies, etc.

Now you say huh?  Are your crazy? What‘s left to eat?  How can I give up bagels, pasta, beer and pizza?  Come on….you could do it.  Years ago, living a “gluten free” lifestyle was pretty difficult because many manufacturers were including “hidden gluten” in many of their products.  Today, there are many “gluten free” products on the market that can help everyone to lead a more normal life. Many manufacturers now include gluten information on their labels.  So check those nutrition labels on the side of every package . 

The question arises, should we be consuming wheat products at all? The fact  is, humans haven’t been consuming wheat, barley or rye for that many years along our total evolutionary timeline.  Our early ancestors didn’t even have these grains until many thousands of years later. For millennia human’s diets consisted of meat, vegetables, fruits and nuts.  I’m not recommending we return to the “stone age” but,  perhaps we could ALL lead a healthier lifestyle and feel better if we eliminated gluten from our diets.

Actually, there are far more foods that don’t contain gluten than do.  Beef, pork, poultry, fish, corn, nuts, seafood, vegetables, potatoes, legumes, eggs, fruit, dairy products and on and on.  Then there are the new “gluten free” products that are substitutes for many of the products on the “no-no” list. Super markets have “gluten free” sections where you can find many of these substitute brands. With a little hunting around, many grains that are gluten free: rice, tapioca, buckwheat, arrowroot, amaranth, quinoa, millet, taro root, and tef can be found.

One of the issues that “gluten freeers”  have to deal with is cross contamination.  If you have a “gluten freeer” in your home it can be tough to prevent cross contamination.  Therefore a little preplanning and care in the kitchen can mean a lot to gluten sensitive individuals. 

Gluten free dishes do not have to be flavorless and boring.  Try to stay away from prepared foods. Preparing foods with fresh ingredients will change your whole culinary experience. Your cooking will taste much better because you are using fresh produce.

Try this gluten free dish and see what I mean.

Green Chili Enchiladas with Lime

Ingredients                                              

8 fresh corn tortillas                                            

1/2 lb ground beef                                                                               

1/2 cup chopped red onion                                                                                

1-2 jalapeno peppers (diced)                                          

1-2  lime (juiced, about 4 TBS)                                            

1 cup grated cheese for inside of tortillas             

1 cup green chili sauce (small can)  

1 toe garlic (minced)                                                 

1/2 cup grated cheese for topping

cilantro or chives for garnish

sea salt

1. Brown ground beef in pan, add onions , garlic  

3. Stir in lime juice, cook one minute, remove from heat & let cool

4. Heat tortillas in microwave for 10 seconds (just to get them flexible)

5. Spread tortilla on cutting board, and place about 2-3 TBS meat mixture in

    lower third closest to you.

6. Add 1 tsp chopped peppers and 2 TBS grated cheese.

7. Roll up tortillas tightly and place in oiled baking dish (seam side down)

8. Pour green chili sauce over surface, then add remaining cheese on top

9. Bake in 350 oven for about 20 minutes or until bubbly or cover with plastic wrap  and micro on med for 2-3 minutes until heated through.

10. Garnish with cilantro  (serves about four people)

To sum up, GLUTEN is a large protein found in wheat, barley and rye that many people have a sensitivity to. By removing this protein from your diet, you can also eliminate numerous digestive disorders from your life.  If you are experiencing  problems with digestion, perhaps you could try living GLUTEN FREE and improve your health by preparing delicious foods with fresh ingredients.

I highly recommend the book Gluten-Free Cooking for Dummies, by Danna Korn, and Connie Sarros.  It will explain in depth the basis for starting a Gluten-Free lifestyle and improving your health for life.

About the Author:  Wellness Chef Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook, Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years, plus leading culinary tours to their villa in Tuscany. For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try www.cookingwithcordier.com  

My friend George Diamond and his lastest book

Losing Weight Doesn’t Mean Bad Tasting Food

Do you think losing weight means eating bland foods?  If you answered “YES” you are not alone.  When I was starting the weight-loss process, I would have answered, “YES” to this question also.  This was one of the hesitations I had with losing weight. I thought I had to start eating healthy, bad tasting and low calorie foods.  This is far from the truth.  Healthy food does not have to taste bad.  Low calorie food does not have to be bland.

A good way to keep from eating bland foods is to add spices to your food for an explosion of flavor that can help satisfy your taste buds.  I have also found that flavorful food will be more satisfying, and therefore, I won’t eat as much.  Additionally, it will keep me from feeling that I was depriving myself of eating good-tasting  foods. 

There are many different spices I like to use. Hot and spicy seasonings, like chilies, curry, chili power, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and / or mustard can add a nice kick to your meal.  These hot spices have been shown to boost metabolism rates.  They will also add an explosion of taste to your meal. 

If these spices are too hot for your palette, you can try others like, garlic power, pepper, oregano, onion power to name a few.

Spices will add a lot of flavor to your meals without having to use a lot of fat and calories.  Once again,  many of the hotter seasonings and spices speed up the digestive system and may help your body burn a few extra calories.  I am certain that Doug will be showing you how to prepare foods that will not only taste great but will be healthy for you.  Always remember to watch your portion sizes. Healthy foods can pack on the weight if eaten in large quanties.

For more information on how to lose weight and keep it off visit.

http://www.DontDietJustThink.com

George A. Diamond

Author of the book: “Don’t Diet! Just Think And Get Thin”

Pickled Green Tomatoes

So it’s the end of the growing season, and you have tons of those little hard green tomatoes still hanging on the vines……to small to make “fried green tomatoes”  but such a waste to throw them away.  What to do?  

Solution….make pickled green tomatoes…..it’s quick and really easy………and people will say “wow….what a great idea”

PICKELED GREEN TOMATOES

2 pounds (hard green tomatoes)

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 serrano pepper

2 bay leaves (optional)

6 toes fresh garlic

1 TBS black pepper corns

Small bunch of fresh dill

2 tsps kosher salt

Makes about two quart jars.

Directions:

Heat canning jars and lids in simmering water for ten minutes.

Wash tomatoes well and pack into sterile jars.

Add garlic, pepper corns, peppers, and dill.

Fill each jar to the top with hot vinegar solution.

Transfer to refrigerator for two days….that’s it!!!!!

About the Author  Part time chef Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook, Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years, plus leading culinary tours to their villa in Tuscany.  For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try  www.cookingwithcordier.com 

The Lobster Boys ……Seafood Parties  for hire

Doug & Dave with their big red lobsta trailer

As the story goes, 20 some years ago Dave Hohlfeldt , Doug Cordier and a group of close friends decided to have a “down home New England Seafood Party”   They all met at a nearby park with their gear and plenty of lobsters, clams, mussels  and shrimp.  Problem was, their method of cooking all this seafood was to employ a Coleman stove!  Needless to say……the water in their lobster pot never boiled……they ended up cooking the lobsters at a nearby friends home. . 

Embarrassed by the failure Dave and Doug, vowed to remedy the situation.  They cut the top off an old beer barrel and purchased their first 180,000 BTU burner.  From this point onward,  Dave and Doug  were now able to cook 35 lobsters at a time…..plus mussels and shrimp!  Seafood season was looking up.

Soon, word spread, Doug and Dave were doing back yard lobster parties for other groups and became know as the ”Lobster Boys”   Soon the Lobster Boys were in high demand for local charities….donating Lobster Parties for schools and private groups.   

“What a terrific party you Lobster Boys put on for me earlier this year!!  You supplied everything –  set up, decorations and of course the most delicious seafood ever!!  I loved you were both part of the party, and especially your “Lobster 101″ class.  All of my guests were particularly impressed, but not as impressed as I was.  They have all told me I have set a new bar for parties.  I can’t wait until I have the second annual Lobster Boys party again!!  Jacquie Lauth, Grosse Pointe Michigan…….

The Lobster Boys master menu always includes:

*Mussels steamed in beer & herbs (with lemon garlic cream dipping sauce) 

*Spicy Monster Shrimp 

*Seafood Chowda/crusty French bread

*Table side prepared Caesar Salad

* Live Maine Lobstas

*Corn, redskin potatoes.  

After twenty plus years of donations, the Lobster Boys have raised between $80 – $90 K for local charities. Today, the Lobster Boys hire out mostly for private corporate parties, wedding receptions, and even Tiger Baseball players.  The Lobster Boys have been featured in many newspaper and magazine articles,  TV cooking shows and most recently a full page spread in the Detroit Free Press.  Now the Lobster Boys are willing to share one of their signature recipes…….SPICY   SHRIMP SAUTE’

Bill King with a platter of Monster Spicy Shrimp

Spicy Shrimp Saute’

                        12 jumbo shrimp (16 -20s, shell on)                                                   

2-3 TBS Tiger Sauce  

2 TBS Crystal Hot sauce          

3 TBS fresh lemon juice

3 TBS minced fresh garlic

¼  cup chopped green onions

¼  cup chopped parsley

3 TBS olive oil

2 TBS butter

3 TBS olive oil          

Instructions

1. In a large pan or wok, heat olive oil to very hot, add butter

2.  Add shrimp and toss rapidly

3. Add garlic and toss

3.  Add Tiger sauce &Crystalsauce

2. Add lemon juice, toss & thicken sauce

4. Stir in green onions

6. Turn onto platter, garnish with parsley

“They bring everything they need to cook with them. Basically, It’s worry free, and the soups are just outstanding”   “The more you have them, the more you look forward to them”    Janice and Lyle Acton, Amber Manufacturing, Frazer, MI

 CONTACT THE LOBSTER BOYS at  313-881-6699, cascomgrp@aol.com

About the Author  Part time chef  Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook, Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years, plus leading culinary tours to their villa in Tuscany.  For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try  www.cookingwithcordier.com 

FUNGI!   Shaggy Mane Mushrooms

FUNGI…….the call that Italians love to sound when they find mushrooms growing in the wild.  

On my way to a board meeting last evening at dusk, I spied a small patch of Shaggy Manes or coprinus comatus  growing along the side of the road on Lake St. Clair, inMichigan.  Early the next morning, I snuck back to the same spot hoping no one else had seen them.  Sure enough, there they were, standing up in the dew of the new day…….lots of them.  I harvested about fifteen mushrooms, cutting them off with my Swiss Army knife….carefully leaving at least half of them to re-spore for the next season.  Like most mushrooms, Shaggys, Lawyer’s Wigs or Inkys do not pop up every year. 

Shappy Manes......just emerging

Through out history, mushrooms have been viewed as being mysterious.  Mushrooms have a large underground root system called the mycelium, the mushroom part is the fruiting body which emerges only when certain conditions occur.  Thus many mushrooms “appear” overnight like magic.  The fruiting bodies contain spores.  These spores spring forth from gills located usually under the cap. Hopefully, these spores will start new mushrooms, and the beat goes on.

When you hear the words WILD MUSHROOMS most people want to run away. Stories of people dying after eating wild mushrooms are certainly true but usually very rare. 

The reason why I love Shaggy Manes is because they are almost foolproof to indentify. The bell shaped cylindrical cap is about four inches high, covered with tan scales, looking much like a British lawyer’s wig.  Shaggy Manes can be found through out the northernUnited States, usually in the fall.  They occur in clusters, or sometimes in “fairy rings”.  Once they emerge, they grow very fast.  You have to harvest them quickly because as soon as they emerge, within hours, they start to spore.  Shaggy Mane mushrooms are also called Inkys for this reason. Literally, Shaggy Manes will become a black mass of inky goo in just hours.  This process is called “deliquesce”  Shaggy Mane ink was actually used for writing during George Washington’s day.  

Shaggys turning into Inkys...through "deliquesce"

Now the best part. The reason why all mushroom hunters get excited about stalking these elusive delicacies.  You get to eat them!  What a treat.The flavor of shaggy manes is very delicate.  All you have to do is lightly sauté them in a little butter and enjoy.  

Shaggys sauted in butter……the best!

About the Author  Part time chef  Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook,       Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years. For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try www.cookingwithcordier.com 

He arrived with his driver at our Bologna hotel at 7:30 am sharp, in a beautiful Mercedes nine passenger van.  The background music in the van is compliments of Dean Martin (who else).  Our first stop is the Parmesan Reggiano factory where we see the fresh milk coming in from the local farms. Alessandro introduces us to the head cheese maker and his nine year old son. We witness the addition of rennin and separation of the curds into giant cheese cloths, and then into forms allowing the cheese to age in specially salted tanks of water.  Next we visit the thermostatically controlled rooms for aging and final testing of the KING of CHEESES.   

Alessandro Martini shows the cutting of the curds

Doug in aging Parmesan Reggiano heaven............

Next, with a supply of REALLY FRESH ricotta, we travel to a beautiful farm and villa  in Modena where we will taste samples of the original Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena.  As the story goes, the owners of this historic villa discovered twelve ancient barrels of balsamic vinegar in the attic when they bought the property in 1947.

Alessandro Martini among the casts of liquid gold Aceto Balsamico

Like liquid gold, they have been producing and marketing this original product ever since. After meeting the owners, we are treated to 10, 25, and 45 year old aceto over our fresh ricotta AND vanilla gelato!  Can life get better than this?…yes it can, and Alessandro will make it possible.

Tasting 45 year old aceto on fresh ricotta!

Next it’s off to visit the Prosciutto di Modena DOP factory where we see the freshly butchered and salted legs of specially selected prime pork. Again , Alessandro escorts us on a very personal and “up close”  experience as the legs of prosciutto go through a process that will take many months of pain staking processing before they are graded and finally attain the highest designation as Prosciutto di Modena DOP.

Bone testing aged Prosciutto di Modena legs.....ready for marketing.

After sampling the delicious sweet and slightly salty delicacy we’re back in the van and headed for a “light lunch” in a little trattoria high in the bucolic hills of Modena.  Many kilometers later of mountain roads we arrive at the ancient farm house.  Alessandro explains that this special trattoria is frequented only by locals, and run by the 89 year old female chef.  I have been sworn not to reveal the name or location of this piece of nirvana.  Our “light lunch”  begins with FOUR exquisite pastas!  Amazing lasagna verde, tortellini that has ruined me forever,  tagliatelle with wild boar sauce and giant spinach stuffed  agnolotti.   Next its coniglio arrosto (roasted rabbit) and more tender chunks of cinghiale (wild boar )   Of course, the meal is accompanied by an endless re-supply of white sparkling wine (Pignoletto) indigenous to the Bologna area .

Close to food /wine comas in secret trattoria in the hills of Bologna........Alessandro Martini

After delicious berries and fresh gelato we are helped back into the Mercedes in a total food/wine coma…to be delivered back to the door of our wonderful boutique Hotel PortoSan Mamolo  http://www.hotel-portasanmamolo.it/en/index.htm   at 4:30 pm.

Our Favorite Bologna Hotel......PORTA SAN MAMOLO

This has been a full eight hour day of FOODIE heaven…..and all because of the greatest food/wine guide in Italy.  So if you are ever  thinking of visiting  Bologna, don’t forget to hire Alessandro to be your guide. www.italiandays.it.   Or e-mail him at info@italiandays.it.    Buon Appetitto! 

About the Author  Part time chef  Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook,       Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years. For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try www.cookingwithcordier.com 

Veal Marsala........Scallopini

Veal Marsala,  Classic

Scaloppine (plural and diminutive of scaloppa – a small scallop, i.e., a thinly sliced cut of meat) (in English usage scaloppini; sometimes scallopini) is an Italian dish consisting of thinly sliced meat (most often veal,) that is dredged in wheat flour, sautéed, then heated and served with a sauce;

Veal scaloppini dishes are the quintessential (fork tender) Italian dishes that one orders in a restaurant (because you know you can’t make them as well at home).  Admit it, Isn’t that true. 

So why can’t you make them at home?  Oh, because they will turn out tough……..that’s probably your answer.  Well, fear not.  All you have to do is know the secret.  Then you can prepare scaloppini dishes like Veal Picatta, Veal Milanese,  or Veal Parmesan just like a pro.   Now the secret…………….it’s cooking time. 

To prepare perfect fork tender scaloppini, first you have to choose the right kind of veal. Veal should be from a calf up to 12 weeks old. The meat should be creamy to light pink.  The darker, the older and tougher the meat   Top round that is thinly sliced across the grain of the muscle is preferred.  The meat also needs to be lightly pounded to flatten and tenderize it. Your butcher can do this for you, but even a butcher can’t cut and tenderize your scaloppini if it’s not the right cut.  

Now that you have the meat.  It’s time to get all your “ducks in a row “  BEFORE you start cooking.  This is called “Mise en place”  a French word (pronounced miz a plas)  it means “everything in it’s place”. Since the cooking time is only a couple minutes, you will need to be organized.  So have all the ingredients cut up, and ready to use.

Now here’s the secret…..lightly season the veal, then lightly dredge them in flour, and quickly place them in the hot pan……….for only two minutes….then flip them over.  Yes, they will look a little under cooked. Not to worry,  do another minute on the other side and transfer them to a warm plate.    Now,  you can return to making the sauce in the pan, and finally slide them back in the pan for a final warming and serve them immediately….and that’s the trick……you friends will say MY MY… HOW TENDER…..LIKE BUTTA…….how did you do this?  Now here’s the recipe………….

Scaloppini  alla Marsala

4 veal scaloppini  (pound with heavy flat mallet)  1. Lightly salt/pepper veal

¾  cup flour                                                                2. Dredge in flour

1 cup sliced wild mushrooms                              3. Quickly brown veal 2 minutes

¼ – ½ cup chopped shallots                                4. Move veal to plate

5-6 TBS unsalted butter                                          5. Add shallots & mushrooms, saute

3- TBS olive oil                                                      6. Add wine/stock (lower the heat)

½ cup Marsala wine                                                7.  Add butter & thyme (off heat)

Fresh thyme leaves                                   8.Return veal to pan…..serve on platter

¼ cup stock

Sea salt/fresh ground black pepper              

 Anoint with oil, dust with parmesan, & parsley

Chuck & Doug on Who's in the Kitchen set

About the Author  Part time chef  Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook,       Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years. For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try www.cookingwithcordier.com 

Simple shrimp & cucumber appetizer

So, how many times have you been asked to bring a “small appetizer”  (antipasta/hors d’oeuvre) to a party?  You start to panic, trying to dream up something that is quick, unique, tasty and won’t cost your last pay check for the ingredients.  Well, here’s one that will make you the hit of the party……….plus (don’t tell anyone)  it’s really simple to prepare.

Shrimp and cucumber hors d’oeuvre

24 medium raw (shell on) shrimp (31-40 size)

1 English cucumber

Spread (acts like glue to hold shrimp on cuc slices)

3 oz cream cheese (4 -5 TBS)

2 TBS mayonnaise

2 TBS melted butter

1 TBS fresh lemon juice

Pinch sea salt

Blend together, refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up

Chopped chives for garnish

1. Cook shrimp in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, refresh in ice water

2. Remove shells, dry shrimp

3. Slice cucumber into 24 slices, dry top side

4. Arrange cucs on platter, spread scant tsp of spread on top

5. Place one shrimp on top of spread

6. Garnish with chopped chives

About the Author  Part time chef  Doug Cordier, is a food writer, TV cook,  Certified Ergonomic Consultant and business man. Doug is the owner of Cascom Group Travel and has been teaching corporate and Italian cooking classes for twenty years.

For more foodie thoughts and recipes, try www.cookingwithcordier.com