Chef Daniel Angerer's Blog

APPLE SHOPPING - LET YOUR NOSE GUIDE YOU – the blog

ere you go ... 

Pick up a fresh local apple at the farmer’s market and take a big sniff. Depending on the apple the aroma you’ll experience is a treat. A scent of natural spiciness and honeysuckle might hit your nostrils. Fresh apples at the farmer’s market make you realize that Fall has arrived. In contrast, the average apple buying experience in supermarket leaves much to be desired.  The supermarket apples might look beautiful because they’re rinsed with water and waxed for protection but they won’t have that fresh apple scent or taste. Smelling such a waxy apple might reveal a cardboard like dull smell or nothing at all.

I have great memories of a well known restaurant that had rows of apples lined up on shelves in the foyer – it was a treat for the senses to arrive amidst the  mesmerizing scent which put a hectic day in perspective  and encouraged a  beautiful evening to begin…

From the garden of eatin’
The variety of apples at our local farmer’s market is splendid. Some apples are good for eating out of hand where others make a good match for cooking. It always made sense to me to mix-up apples that have different flavor when it comes to baking or cooking. Here is a rundown on the apples at the market currently:

- Braeburn are perfect for eating out of the hand.

- Winesap apples have good acidity which is makes for a delicious taste when eating them raw but they are not a good fit for cooking as they seem to lose their punch.

- A golden delicious apple has a beautiful nose but a rather boring flavor - it’s ideal for cooking because it becomes naturally creamy when cooked.

- Tart Granny Smith apples or Gravenstein apples are terrific when tartness is needed in recipes such as pies and Strudel.  

- Honeycrip apples are one of my favorite fresh eating apples -  they’re juicy and full flavored.  

- Cortland apples are a rather good match when grated into a carrot salad.

- Mutsu are rich and full flavored and have a dense texture.

- Empire apples are naturally creamy and juicy and ideal for raw consumption

- Fuji are almost too sweet and have a yellowish apple flesh and makes a mean apple sauce.

- McIntosh is a mild sweet apple - more of a filler than a star fruit.

- Northern Spy apples are hard and juicy with a tart flavor profile. These apples have thin skin and are therefore ideal for kiddos.

- Rome apples are good for baking in pies since they hold their shape and still keep a noticeable texture when cooked.

- Macoun apples are a delicious all around

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”
Apples are high in Vitamin C and are a rich source of antioxidants. Good timing as the fall brings the cold and flu season.  I recommend leaving the skin on the apples (when eating raw) because most of their fiber content is located in the skin which helps digestion and may therefore reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Chef’s Note: Ever wonder how many pounds of fresh apples are in a pie (9-inch diameter)?

ANWSER: 2 pounds 

FALL CROPS – the blog

Cool nights with no frost and warm, sunny days push veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli and spaghetti squash ahead, and soon if not yet, they’ll pop up at the farmer’s market. Fall season is moving in strong! I have had a busy schedule the past two weeks and was on the road pretty early which made me realize what farmers mean about cool nights – you definitely need a sweater.  I am particularly excited that local Brussels sprouts are scheduled to arrive at the farmer’s stands in about two weeks.

Tender greens
Many of the newly arriving vegetables are not at peak size yet and hence require less cooking time since they have an immaculate tenderness. Cauliflower has a silkiness to it when shaved thinly with a mandolin, broccoli is less cabbagey tasting, and Spaghetti squash cut in a julienne shape, a/k/a fine strip-cut, has a savory sweetness to it.  A simple vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar, citrus juice and an extra virgin type of oil such as olive or pumpkin seed with a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper is sufficient and perfectly suitable. If you like nuts I suggest tossing pine nut or pistachios or crushed walnuts into the mix which adds textural punch and flavor.

Vegetable crudo
I like to combine raw “vegetable crudo” dishes with grains such as buckwheat, farro, quinoa, amaranth and other to make it a satisfying entrée. Technically quinoa and amaranth are not grains because they’re not in the grass family but we cook them and eat them like grains. If you’re a definite meat eater I can assure you such grain and raw veggie dishes impress.

Broccoli & Quinoa
(recipe yields four entrée sized portions)
1 cup quinoa
1 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon celery seeds1½ pounds broccoli
2 large lemons, juiced
½ teaspoon sea salt
freshly cracked pepper from the mill
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

1. Combine quinoa, water and celery seeds in a gallon-sized pot and bring to boil on high heat setting. Continue to cook quinoa on low heat setting, covered with a tight fitting lid for 25 minutes. Spread cooked quinoa thinly on a cookie sheet pan to cool on the kitchen counter.
2. Rinse broccoli with water and cut thinly with a mandolin or knife.
3. In a bowl mix lemon juice salt and pepper with a wire whisk then add olive oil slowly, continuously whisking.
4. Toss broccoli and the lemon dressing mixture and let sit for 5 minutes. Add cooled quinoa and parsley and toss to mix.

Chef’s Note: You know quinoa is cooked when the germ - a small thread - divides from the individual quinoa seed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHERE DOES SALT COME FROM – the blog

Salt comes from two places – the sea and the earth.  Salt mineral deposits may be found in water under ground a/k/a brine, or in rock formation which is mined – they are the source for every day table salt. The brine salt gets pumped to the surface and solar evaporated until it crystallizes. Typically table salt is heavily processed for purifying purposes and has synthetic additives to prevent clumping. In addition, most table salt has iodine added which is an essential nutrient that does not occur naturally yet is essential for the balance of the human body cells. Iodine helps to prevent metabolic imbalance.



(saltwater evaporating under sun)
 
Which salt scores high
Table salt and sea salt have pretty much the same amount of sodium chloride by volume. Sea salt tends to have many more nutrients than ordinary table salt and can be used more sparingly because of its high salinity. Sea salt is more expensive to harvest hence the heftier price tag.

Types of salt
Kosher salt is one of the most utilized because its coarse texture enables it to sprinkle nicely onto food. In my opinion Kosher salt is a good everyday salt without any additives and I use it for meat and poultry. For seafood I prefer sea salt, which underlines the oceanic natural flavor.

(lavender salt, red beet salt, rosemary salt, fennel salt, basil salt) 

So many salts to choose from …
There are many different salts available especially in gourmet stores – it blows my mind how expensive certain salts are, but granted the selection of salt is a critical decision in making a dish shine.

Celtic salt is often used as a finishing salt – meaning to sprinkle a pinch over fine dishes such as foie gras or preparations of delicate raw fish. This sea salt is hand-harvested with wooden rake-like tools from ocean marshes in Brittany (Guérande). It is grey in color and moist. Many people love it because of its uniqueness: a combination of sunlight, heat and a particular wind from the ocean make it exquisite. It is hand-harvested at just the right time when the “fleur de sel” which is the uppermost crystalline layer of that salt is dry enough to be harvested – truly unique.
Other common sea salt is simply distilled from sea water and has fine coarse texture. It’s a less expensive version of Celtic salt. Remember, such sea salt is nutritionally much better than mineral salt since it contains traces of minerals.
Himalayan salt is hand-mined salt found deep within the untouched Himalayan mountains -- it is said to be the purest salt on earth because the sea beds were covered with volcanic lava and hence it has been protected from pollution. Often it is pink or black in color and truly stands out.
Other flavored salts are interesting such as smoked salt, espresso sea salt, chipotle salt, green tea salt, red wine salt and garlic salt. Such salts are used often for spice rubs but are not really worth their price tag in my opinion. Certainly they make a nice gifts though.

Salt Intake
Excessive salt intake can be harmful to health for older people and those having having high blood pressure. The recommended daily consumption should not be over 2300 milligrams for the average adult.  After the age of 50 the suggested amount is more like 1500 milligrams per day. 

Chef’s note: In case you are wondering, sour salt is often used in the pickling world, and is not a salt but mostly citric acid.  It acts as a preservative in the pickle jar. It preserves the color of the pickled fruit or vegetable and does not make a cloudy brining liquid.

 

WHERE DOES SALT COME FROM – the blog

Salt comes from two places – the sea and the earth.  Salt mineral deposits may be found in water under ground a/k/a brine, or in rock formation which is mined – they are the source for every day table salt. The brine salt gets pumped to the surface and solar evaporated until it crystallizes. Typically table salt is heavily processed for purifying purposes and has synthetic additives to prevent clumping. In addition, most table salt has iodine added which is an essential nutrient that does not occur naturally yet is essential for the balance of the human body cells. Iodine helps to prevent metabolic imbalance.

Which salt scores high
Table salt and sea salt have pretty much the same amount of sodium chloride by volume. Sea salt tends to have many more nutrients than ordinary table salt and can be used more sparingly because of its high salinity. Sea salt is more expensive to harvest hence the heftier price tag.

Types of salt
Kosher salt is one of the most utilized because its coarse texture enables it to sprinkle nicely onto food. In my opinion Kosher salt is a good everyday salt without any additives and I use it for meat and poultry. For seafood I prefer sea salt, which underlines the oceanic natural flavor.

So many salts to choose from …
There are many different salts available especially in gourmet stores – it blows my mind how expensive certain salts are, but granted the selection of salt is a critical decision in making a dish shine.

Celtic salt is often used as a finishing salt – meaning to sprinkle a pinch over fine dishes such as foie gras or preparations of delicate raw fish. This sea salt is hand-harvested with wooden rake-like tools from ocean marshes in Brittany (Guérande). It is grey in color and moist. Many people love it because of its uniqueness: a combination of sunlight, heat and a particular wind from the ocean make it exquisite. It is hand-harvested at just the right time when the “fleur de sel” which is the uppermost crystalline layer of that salt is dry enough to be harvested – truly unique.
Other common sea salt is simply distilled from sea water and has fine coarse texture. It’s a less expensive version of Celtic salt. Remember, such sea salt is nutritionally much better than mineral salt since it contains traces of minerals.
Himalayan salt is hand-mined salt found deep within the untouched Himalayan mountains -- it is said to be the purest salt on earth because the sea beds were covered with volcanic lava and hence it has been protected from pollution. Often it is pink or black in color and truly stands out.
Other flavored salts are interesting such as smoked salt, espresso sea salt, chipotle salt, green tea salt, red wine salt and garlic salt. Such salts are used often for spice rubs but are not really worth their price tag in my opinion. Certainly they make a nice gifts though.

Salt Intake
Excessive salt intake can be harmful to health for older people and those having having high blood pressure. The recommended daily consumption should not be over 2300 milligrams for the average adult.  After the age of 50 the suggested amount is more like 1500 milligrams per day. 

Chef’s note: In case you are wondering, sour salt is often used in the pickling world, and is not a salt but mostly citric acid.  It acts as a preservative in the pickle jar. It preserves the color of the pickled fruit or vegetable and does not make a cloudy brining liquid.