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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Cooking With Fats And Oils

Fat is found in both plant and animal foods, and is practically always used as a food in combination with other things.

The cooking of food in fat is a favorite method with many people because of the flavor which is developed, but the frying of food is more common than it should be, even though by proper care food may be cooked in fat without becoming grease soaked. Food which is soaked in fat is more slowly and less easily digested. Harm may come from overheating fat in the cooking, for heat causes fat to decompose into substances which are irritating to the digestive tract. Fats vary not only in the melting point but in the temperature at which they decompose by heat. Generally speaking, oils may be heated to a higher temperature without decomposing than the solid fats, and consequently they make a very desirable medium for cooking. The cooking oils usually cost less than the solid fats, and, due to higher point of decomposition, may be used a greater number of times. Deep-fat frying has some advantages over frying in a small amount of fat, since the object to be cooked is immediately immersed in it and a protective coat is formed against the absorption of fat. Care should be taken in cooking in a large quantity of fat because it is flammable and accidents may occur. Articles, such as potatoes, which contain a large amount of water will cause the fat to sputter, due to the expansion of the water to steam, and such articles should be added slowly.

Macadamia oil has become very popular in Modern Australian cuisine. It is an excellent frying oil due to its high heat capacity. Several properties of macadamia oil are particularly important for use as an edible oil:
It contains up to 85% monounsaturated fats,
has an unrefrigerated shelf life of one to two years, and
a smoke point of 410°F.

Olive oil can substitute for margarine or butter in a 3:4 ratio for most recipes. In other words, if your recipe calls for 1 cup of margarine or butter, you can substitute 3/4 cup Olive oil. Do not make this substitution if you plan on cooking the recipe at 400°F or higher. The olive oil will start to smoke at these high temperatures and will make your food have a metallic taste.

Peanut oil is most commonly used when frying foods, particularly french fries and chicken.
It is often used in Chinese, South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine
Peanut oil is appreciated for its high smoke point relative to many other cooking oils.
Refined 450°F Unrefined 320°F

Coconut oil is commonly used in cooking, especially when frying. In communities where coconut oil is widely used in cooking, the unrefined oil is the one most commonly used. Coconut oil is commonly used to flavor many South Asian curries. Relative to other cooking oils, it creates minimal harmful byproducts when heated. Cononut oil is good for salads. It has a high content of fatty acids, that are good for the immune system, and the type of fat that gives you
energy, not the kind that makes you fat.
Smoke Point Refined 450°F Unrefined 350°F

Canola oil is low in saturated fat, is high in monounsaturated fat, and has a beneficial omega-3 fatty acid profile; it has well established heart health benefits and is recognized by many health professional organizations including the American Dietetic Association, and American Heart Association, among others.
Smoke Point Canola Oil, Refined 400°F


Garlic croutons

4 slices day-old French bread, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Makes enough croutons for 4 servings of salad.

1. Pour the olive oil into a shallow bowl over the garlic and let it soak. Soaking it longer will yield more garlic flavor
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Strain the olive oil into a pan and fry the bread cubes in it, tossing to coat with oil.
4. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and garnish with salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy and dry.


TROPICAL PASTA

4 oz. uncooked vermicelli
1 medium red bell pepper cut into 2 x 1/4" strips
1 small mango, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. peanut oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 cup cocktail peanuts, chopped

Cook and drain vermicelli per package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain. Toss vermicelli and remaining ingredients except peanuts. Sprinkle with peanuts

Coconut Dessert Saute

2 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 mangoes, peeled and cubed (optional)
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed
2 oranges, peeled and cubed
3 tbsp coconut oil
¼ cup white Grape Juice
½ tsp ground coriander

In a wok or large skillet, saute all ingredients until thick texture occurs. Serve over vanilla ice cream. Garnish with fresh raspberries and orange zest.

Panamanian Apple Cake

2 cups of your favorite Apples peeled and sliced
1 cup of Sugar
2/3 cup of canola oil
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour - unsifted
1/2 cup nuts - optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. hand mix all ingredients together and spread in pan.
2. Bake for 50 minutes or until nicely brown.
3. This is wonderful warm, with some nice vanilla ice cream or real whipped cream.

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I am a retired father and grandfather. I am retired from TRW Kelsey Hayes after 37 years of service. I enjoy collecting recipes,cooking,playing guitar and playing golf as a hobby.