Good Taste

Taste Columnist

With St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon, thoughts usually turn to green. Everyone is sco uring their closets for green clothes and green jewelry to wear. “Kiss Me I’m Irish” and “Irish for a Day” buttons appear out of nowhere. Then come the thoughts of green food.

Breakfast could be fun if you add a drop of green food coloring to your pancake batter and serve green pancakes! Or what about green cream cheese for your morning bagel? Pack lunches with green bread (usually available during the week preceding St. Pat’s Day.) Or better yet, have a nice green salad or a bowl of pea soup.

But, when dinner time rolls around, thoughts usually turn to corned beef and cabbage. Although this dish did not originate in Ireland, it has become an important part of Irish-American culture, especially in relation to St. Patrick’s Day. It became popular in America when Irish immigrants substituted corned beef instead of pork in the traditional dish of bacon and cabbage (usually Canadian style bacon or ham) because it was a cheaper way to make it.

In the United States and Canada, corned beef comes in two forms: a cut of beef (most often brisket) that is cured or pickled in a seasoned brine, or canned, pre-cooked beef. Corned beef is prepared by seasoning a cut of beef with salt, spices and natural meat juices. Large grains of salt, known as corns were used to season the beef, thus the name corned beef.

Corned beef can be purchased ready to eat, in delicatessens and is the key ingredient in the infamous Reuben sandwich – corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. (I make them on pumpernickel and they are fabulous!) Corned beef hash is a favorite for breakfast too, served with eggs. (I like to put corned beef hash in muffin tins, make an indentation and put in an egg and bake – Yum!) And did you know that smoked corned beef …

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Taste Columnist

Do you buy fresh garlic? Ten years ago I didn’t, I’m part of the fresh garlic explosion in the typical American household!

The common garlic, which is part of the onion family, has a pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens with cooking. Its closest relatives are the onion, shallot, leek and chive. A bulb of garlic (root) is divided into numerous fleshly sections called cloves. They are used for cooking and for medical purposes. The leaves, stems, and flowers of the plant are also edible and are usually eaten when immature. The papery layers of skin on the cloves of garlic are not usually eaten.

Historically, garlic has been used as a food and for medical purposes for thousands of years in many different cultures. Dating back over 6,000 years, it is thought to be a native plant of Central Asia. Historians believe it was cultivated long before records were written down and was used as a frequent seasoning in the Mediterranean region, Asia, Africa and Europe. There are references to garlic in the Bible, and it was regarded as a crucial and sacred herb. Some historians claim King Tut was buried with bulbs of garlic in his tomb.

Garlic was valued and was in some areas used as a currency. In folklore, it repelled vampires, protected people from evil, and protected engaged maidens and pregnant women. In some cultures it was believed to have aphrodisiacal powers.

In the United States garlic was used in ethnic dishes in working-class families. Around 1925 its use increased, and it became a popular seasoning. Once called the Italian perfume, today Americans consume more …

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Taste Columnist

The name of the game is less mess, less time in the kitchen, and more time with the family! Yes, the faster you can put a meal on the table and get the cleanup done, the more time you have to pursue other activities.

The first one-dish meal was probably prepared hundreds of years ago when most all cooking was done in a pot over an open fire. Whatever game or fish that had been caught and whichever wild vegetables were to be found were all dumped into the pot and cooked. It was probably eaten by hand too.

Today we still make one-dish meals, but we have progressed to using slow cookers, microwaves, convection ovens, grills and the good old stove top! Meals can be made using fresh ingredients, frozen ingredients or leftovers. They can be made to feed a crowd or feed a few and range from simple (such as soups) to elaborate (lasagna or stroganoff).

Most, but not all, combine meat, vegetables and pasta or rice. Casseroles, macaroni and cheese and pot pies top the list of favorite one-dish meals.

Remember, too, that “already prepared” ingredients save a lot of time. Ukura’s roasted chickens are a great item to have on hand. Using precooked chicken cuts down on your time immensely, and you do not have to worry about whether the meat is cooked through. You can also purchase other pre-cooked meats from the deli. Minute rice is also a great time saver. One-dish meals are a great way to use leftovers, too, which cuts down on having to clean out the refrigerator!

One-dish meals have become so popular that …

For the rest of this story, including recipes, tips and more, pick up this week's Voyageur Press.