Confetti Bean Salad can feed a crowd

Posted on May 30, 2012 by bilrob

Confetti Bean Salad can feed a crowd

As I used a wooden spoon to mix up a big bowl full of bright-colored ingredients for bean salad, I thought of what my mom would say if she was with me. “This is the cat’s meow.” She would say that when something impressed her with its ease and convenience.

When I attended a meeting hosted by my friend, Pat, a couple of weeks ago, she served a bean salad which was inspired by something similar she’d eaten at The Village Fish Market in Punta Gorda, Fla.

She emailed a list of the ingredients she had tossed together. No measurements were included. That’s part of the appeal of Confetti Bean Salad. You can do your own thing, adding more or less of any of the beans or vegetables.

If you haven’t tried edamame (eh-dah-MAH-may) yet, you will enjoy the buttery, nutty flavor and crisp texture of this soy bean that looks like a little lima bean. Edamame contains all of the amino acids essential for human health, making it a complete protein and a good meat alternative. Most grocery stores carry shelled edamame in their freezer cases. Purchasing edamame in the pod will add a lot of prep time to this bean salad. Edamame must always be cooked for a few minutes before it can be eaten.

The beans and vegetables can be mixed up a few days before you plan to serve the salad and stored in the refrigerator. Early in the day you plan to eat Confetti Bean Salad, toss it all up with some Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette and put it back in the refrigerator so the salad ingredients can soak up the Asian flavors. Pat uses a purchased bottle of sesame soy ginger dressing. It takes just minutes to mix up your own Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette. You’ll know exactly what’s in it and if you have any left over, it makes a tasty marinade for chicken, pork or tofu.

Grape tomatoes and dried cranberries get mixed into the salad just before serving.

If my dad was around to see the huge bowl of Confetti Bean Salad, I know what he would say. “Whoa, that’s enough to feed an army.” He said that often. My mom’s motto in the kitchen was “Better to make too much than not enough.”

The healthful salad won’t feed an army, but it will feed a crowd at summer picnics, family reunions and wedding showers.

Pull out the biggest bowl you can find and make space in your refrigerator. Pour yourself a glass of iced tea or lemonade and sip as you chop vegetables and drain a few cans of beans and corn. Shake up a jar of homemade Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette. You’ll wind up with a meal of protein, fiber, antioxidants and lots of vitamins with plenty to share. Easy.

Confetti Bean Salad really is the cat’s meow.

Confetti Bean Salad
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen, shelled edamame
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of a yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of an orange bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 cup chopped jicama
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
1 cup chopped seedless (English) cucumber
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Cook shelled edamame according to directions on package. Place in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except for dried cranberries, tomatoes and Vinaigrette. Cover bowl and refrigerate. Four to eight hours before serving, add enough Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette to lightly coat salad ingredients, tossing gently. Return covered salad to refrigerator. Just before serving, add tomatoes and dried cranberries. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Makes enough to feed a crowd.

Recipe adapted from Pat Sanford’s original concoction.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
5 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey

Put all ingredients into a large jar and shake until honey dissolves and ingredients are well blended. Store in refrigerator. Shake before using. Makes about 1 cup.

Tips from the cook

–If you don’t have room for a large mixing bowl in your refrigerator, the undressed salad can be stored in a 1 gallon zip-top plastic bag.

–You decide whether or not to include the jalapeno seeds in the salad. I taste a bit of jalapeno to see how much heat it has and then decide whether or not to use the seeds.

–The original ingredient list included chopped apple. I used sweet, juicy and crunchy chopped jicama instead.

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Elevate your salad to a main course

Posted on May 29, 2012 by bilrob

Elevate your salad to a main course

Let’s face it. Many of us think of a salad as that bowl of greens you distastefully peck at when you’d much rather have a hearty meal. But the two needn’t be different categories: The salad can well be that hearty, wholesome meal that contains a balance of all nutrients (proteins, vegetables, fat, carbohydrates); tastes (astringent, bitter, sweet, salt, pungent, sour); textures; and colours. There’s a science—and art—to constructing the perfect salad.

The building

Building a salad comes in three easy steps, says Mumbai-based food blogger Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal: Lay the foundation (with some leaves), build it up (with vegetables, proteins, or carbohydrates), and dress it up (with a dressing and some additional ingredients like nuts). The “foundation”, says Ghildiyal, is the body of your salad (half to three-quarters of your salad) and should ideally be two parts assorted leafy greens and two parts other vegetables. The building-up process is more versatile: You can either top up the green base with some more vegetables (tomato, cucumber, onion, spring onion, carrot, radish, blanched beans, cauliflower, peppers, mushroom, olives, capers, broccoli, the list is almost endless) or add some carbohydrates like potatoes, couscous, rice or pasta. This is also where you add proteins like beans, paneer (cottage cheese), meats/seafood and cheese.

The dressing comes third. Make sure you don’t go overboard with creamy, calorific dressing; rather, opt for thinner ones like olive oil, and vinaigrette dressings (these comprise oil and vinegar and are accented with ingredients like herbs, spices, garlic and shallots). In this last step you can also sprinkle nuts such as walnuts, almonds, peanuts), or roasted seeds like sesame or sunflower, anything that sets off the overall taste of the salad either in texture or taste. “Cooked fresh sweetcorn add a wonderful crunch; plump berries are very pleasing for that touch of tart sweetness in an otherwise savoury salad,” says Ghildiyal.

But within the basic rules of salad formation, it’s important to know which ingredient is a better option than another. Mumbai-based nutritionist, chef and author of the recently launched The Beauty Diet, Shonali Sabherwal, says she always looks at what an ingredient brings to the salad. The greens top her list—“they are rich in chlorophyll, they contain protein, fibre, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and they help clean the digestive system with their enzymes.” When it comes to carbs she sticks mainly to “supergrains” like brown rice, quinoa or even amaranth (or rajgira) to make a salad. “Quinoa and amaranth bring in a higher protein quotient than meat, and brown rice with veggies is loaded with complex carbohydrates and provides you with great fibre and sustained blood sugar for the day as well,” she says. For sweetness, she adds a fruit, while nuts (walnuts or almonds) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin or flax) bring in the good fats, omega-3 and some fibre. “Sometimes I even do bean salad using chickpea or sprouted moong (green gram) or black beans or even soybeans—which adds extra protein to a meal,” Sabherwal says.

The balancing

Most traditional salads have been balanced, complete meals, says Devraj Halder, executive assistant manager, food and beverages, The Suryaa New Delhi. The Italian Caesar salad comes with lettuce, onions, capers, string beans (vegetables); chicken (protein), croutons (carbohydrates), dressing (either Caeser or a healthier, lemon-olive oil, which is the fat).

Rojak Buah: This Malaysian salad combines the flavours of fruits with shrimp, lemon and chilli.

Greek salad comes with bell peppers, olives, feta cheese (proteins and fat), and pita bread (carbs); and some versions of Russian salad have cured meat, eggs, Ukrainian bread, and preserved vegetables. In India, says Halder, there is the koshimbir from Tamil Nadu, which is made with soaked moong dal (green gram), cucumber, tomatoes, lemon juice, onions and some grated coconut. Lebanese fattoush comes with parsley (a large amount, which forms the green leafy body of the salad), broken wheat and lemon juice, he adds.

Then come to balance of flavours. According to Ayurveda, the balance of the different tastes or “rasas” is the best way to optimize nutrition in a meal, says Vishal Atreya, executive sous chef, The Imperial, New Delhi. The four tastes are: salt, sour, bitter and sweet. Examples of salt sources are table salt or rock salt, sea salt, even cured meats/fish; sour is lemon, vinegar, tomatoes; sugar is honey, fruits such as banana or mango, maple syrup, raisins, prunes and dates. The Japanese recognize a fifth flavour in their cuisine called umami, which is a combination of astringent and pungent, says Atreya. Examples of astringent are onions, garlic, mustard, methi (fenugreek) and celery. Yasai Sarada, a Japanese salad, blends all the five flavours—with fresh lettuce, vinegar dressing, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and toasted sesame seeds. There’s also the Yakiniku which combines grilled chicken with teriyaki sauce, onions, lettuce and toga rashi, a type of Japanese paprika. The Malaysian Rojak Buah combines the sweet tang of fruits like green apple, raw mango, plum with chillies and shrimp paste.

We’re leaving you with recipes which tick all the boxes: from balancing nutrients to balancing the rasas.

Brown Rice Salad with Veggies

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups cooked brown rice (long grain or short grain)

3 cups boiling water

1 small onion, diced

6 green beans, cut diagonally

1 cup cabbage, finely chopped

1 cup carrot, cubed

4 tbsp sunflower seeds

For the dressing

(makes 1 1/2 cups)

2 small garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 pinches of sea salt

1-3 Madras onions (shallots), chopped

1/3 cup lime juice

Freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Add the beans, carrots and onion to boiling water, make sure they do not over-boil and remain crisp. Remove and keep aside. In the same water, add cabbage and blanch it for a minute. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients in a small blender, except olive oil. Slowly pour olive oil from the top while still whisking the ingredients. This will make your dressing creamy. Now mix the rice, the vegetables and the dressing. Put the sunflower seeds on top and serve.

—Shonali Sabherwal

Asian Pear Salad with Mixed Greens, Blue Cheese and Candied Pecan Nuts

Serves 2

Ingredients

100g mixed salad greens

20g pecan nuts (substitute with walnuts)

20ml honey

25ml maple syrup (natural)

5g blackcurrants

10g blue cheese

50g Asian pears, sliced

120ml pear juice

20ml lemon juice

5g salt

30ml olive oil

Method

Clean and wash the lettuce leaves and keep aside. Mix honey and maple syrup and cook gently. Add pecans to this mixture and cook for 1 minute. Spread on grease-proof paper and allow to cool. Reduce the pear juice to one-third and make vinaigrette by adding lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Add the blackcurrants to the vinaigrette. Mix the lettuce leaves with sliced pears and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle with blue cheese and the pear vinaigrette and nuts. Serve chilled.

—Vishal Atreya, The Imperial, New Delhi.

Yakiniku

Serves 2

Ingredients

Zen of goodness: The Japanese Yakiniku with grilled chicken, onions and lettuce.

200g grilled chicken

100g mixed greens

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 stalks green onions, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil, for stir-frying

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing

3/4 cup teriyaki sauce

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Chilli paste, to taste

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Japanese sake

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

Mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a saucepan on low heat until boiling.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a stir-fry pan at low-medium heat. Add green bell pepper; stir-fry for 2 minutes, set aside on a plate. Add the chicken, stir-fry for 2 minutes on each side. Add onion, leeks and the bell pepper into the pan. Sprinkle green onion and toasted sesame seeds to finish. Now toss this with the dressing, create a base with the fresh greens, and serve.

—Devraj Halder, executive assistant manager, food and beverages, The Suryaa New Delhi.

[email protected]

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Red Onions, Bag Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria

Posted on May 26, 2012 by bilrob

FOOD SAFETY ALERT – LISTERIA

Red Onions, Bag Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria

The Kane County Health Department sent a press release Monday to keep residents up to date on possible contaminations of red onions and bag salads distributed in the area.

Gills Onions, LLC of Oxnard, CA over the weekend initiated a voluntary recall of 2,360 pounds of diced red onions with lot code 51RDA1A2119 and use-by-dates May 14, 15 and 17, 2012 because it may be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The product is beyond its use-by-date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall, and no other Gills Onions product is affected by this recall. Anyone who has the recalled product in their possession should discard it.

River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC of Salinas, CA, also announced over the weekend that it is voluntarily recalling retail and foodservice bagged salads because they have the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Retail salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Farm Stand, Hy-Vee, Marketside, Shurfresh, and The Farmer’s Market. Foodservice salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide, including Illinois, under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Cross Valley, Fresh n Easy, Promark, and Sysco.

The recalled retail and foodservice salad bags have either “Best By” code dates between 12MAY2012 and 22MAY2012 or Julian dates between 116 and 125. The code date is typically located in the upper right hand corner of the bags.

There have been NO reported illnesses associated with this recall. Consumers who have purchased this product should not consume it and are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can contact River Ranch at their 24-hour customer service center at 1-800-762-7708.

The recalled diced red onions were distributed directly from Gills Onions to retailers in Canada and retailers and foodservice distributors in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Arkansas, Ohio, Tennessee, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida.

The recalled product was sold at retail and packaged in a 7-ounce clear plastic clamshell, labeled Gills Onions with the May 17, 2012, use-by-date and the lot code 51RDA1A2119 stamped on the UPC label. The UPC number in Canada is 643550 00045 0 and the UPC number in the United States is 643550 00041 2.

However, since this number can also be on other products, you can refer to the lot code in order to identify the recalled product. Product sold to foodservice customers was packaged in 5-pound clear plastic bags, identified as Gills Onions Diced Red Onions, and stamped with an expiration date of May 14 or 15, 2012. The lot code 51RDA1A2119 is also stamped on both the bag and box.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

This voluntary recall was initiated as a result of a routine and random test directed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Consumers with questions may contact Gills Onions at 1-800-348-2255. Please visit the website at www.gillsonions.com for updates.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department

Bill & Sheila’s Food Safety – Bacterial Infections – listeria

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A Grilled Salad Adds Healthy Flavor To Outdoor Dining

Posted on May 25, 2012 by bilrob

A Grilled Salad Adds Healthy Flavor To Outdoor Dining

It’s grilling season and I’m looking forward to a lot of burgers, brats, steaks, and more coming hot off my grill. But, I also enjoy experimenting on the grill and trying some some lighter fare as well. I was recently in Tiburon, California, and my friend, Azi Najafi, prepared a very tasty grilled salad for dinner one evening. Her salad had a combination of greens, including radicchio and baby lettuce. I’m actually a big fan of romaine lettuce, so I decided to vary the recipe a bit. If you read my note at the end of this recipe, though, you’ll see there are a lot of options you can explore when you make for one of your summer salad meals.

3 lg Romain Hearts, I purchase the three pack, about 18oz size
1 can Large Artichokes Hearts, I purchased the 6-8 count size, 14oz size
1/2 of a bunch of Asparagus (about 9 oz), medium thickness, cut into 1″ pieces
3 Green Onions, chopped
1 cu Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tbl Olive Oil
4 oz Shaved Parmiggiano-Reggiano

Dressing

1 tbl Shallots, finelly minced
1 tbl Dijon Mustard
1 tbl Lemon Juice
zest of 1 Lemon
2-3 tbl Olive Oil
Salt Pepper, to taste

Prepare your grill so that the surface is very hot. Because temperatures vary greatly with grills, the times below are meant to be more of guide. Monitor everything closely.

Slice the Romain lengthwise. The root end should keep the leaves together. Brush the cut surface with some of the olive oil. Place the cut side down on the grill and char the surface of the romaine for about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to keep it on the grill too long or the leaves will wilt. You want a nice crunch to most of the lettuce. Once removed from the grill, set the romaine aside.

Slice the artichokes in half and place them in a bowl. Add the asparagus, green onions and tomatoes. Pour the remaining olive oil over vegetables and toss to combine. Place a grilling pan or mesh screen on the grill and add the vegetables. Grill the vegetables until they are just tender and have a slight char, about 2-3 minutes, tossing while grilling. Remove from the grill and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Slice off the root end of the romaine leaves and discard. Roughly chop the rest of the leaves crosswise and add to the other vegetables.

Meanwhile, place shallots, mustard, lemon juice and zest in a medium sized bowl. Whisk together the ingredients while slowly pouring 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the mixture. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss to combine, check for seasoning, and then top with shaved parmesan to serve.

This recipe makes a great vegetarian appetizer or first course. You can vary the greens a bit with endive, radicchio, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce or a combination of any of them. Experiment and you’ll get a different flavor each time.

For an entree salad, you can grill one chicken breast per serving, thinly slice it after grilling and add it to the salad. Croutons make a nice touch as well.

Thanks again to Azi Najafi for this great recipe. It’ll become a permanent part of my summer dining.

If you have any comments or questions, please send me an email at [email protected] or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

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Rice salads for summer

Posted on May 25, 2012 by bilrob

Rice salads for summer

I’m always a bit amused when friends elsewhere groan about the great unpacking of the next season’s clothes. Our clothes don’t vary much season to season here in Northern California. You’re a tourist if you don’t pack a sweatshirt or sweater any time you travel near the coast, yet my kids wear shorts to school year-round.

The changing of the seasons sneaks up on you here, but the days do lengthen, and we find ourselves migrating outside more and more. One day last weekend, my family simply didn’t come inside. Afternoon rolled into a pleasant evening, so we grilled, grabbed some plastic picnic ware and lingered until the stars came out.

Slowly but surely, summer is coming — and there’s a shift in how we eat. We want recipes that travel well, dishes that appeal in warmer weather and prepare-ahead foods that free us for fun; a number of you sent rice salad recipes that deliver on all those fronts.

Plates regular Ro Taylor relies on several rice salads to relieve the tedium of the usual summer side dishes. “They are a great change from potato and macaroni salad and can accompany anything from hot dogs to barbecue chicken or tri-tip,” she says.

Taylor’s Mexican rice salad includes all sorts of goodies — diced tomatoes, kidney beans, green bell peppers, red onions and sliced black olives — with a zippy dressing that uses green taco sauce. You also can doctor the recipe to add other Mexican flavors you enjoy, such as cumin,

cilantro or minced jalapeños.

Lisa Scott-Ponce, another longtime Plates regular, sent her favorite wild rice salad. “This is a wonderful rice salad,” she says. “The recipe was given to me years ago by Julie Plank, and it’s great for luncheons and potlucks, especially during warm weather. It can be made in advance, too.”

Cooked wild rice is tossed with celery, pineapple, grapes and chicken breasts, then combined with a dressing of mayonnaise and apricot-pineapple preserves. Add chopped cashews for crunch right before serving, but I also like Scott-Ponce’s suggestion of substituting sliced or chopped almonds.

Finally, Taylor and several other Plates readers sent a community cookbook standby, a Rice-A-Roni salad that includes the chicken-flavored pilaf, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, green onions and celery. Combine mayonnaise with the marinade from the artichoke hearts to make the dressing.

“If I’m out shopping in a new town, I always look for their local cookbook or the local church cookbook,” says Dona Dickie, of Livermore. “You know the ones: They are spiral-bound and were generally put together for a fundraising event. I have a big collection and often peruse them when I need something that sounds comforting.”

Dickie’s version of the Rice-A-Roni salad came from a Cambria cookbook and includes a can of diced water chestnuts. Barbara Nielsen, of Dublin, includes chopped green peppers and a teaspoon of curry powder in her Rice-A-Roni salad.

“You can eliminate and/or add other ingredients,” she says. “I have prepared this recipe without the green pepper and added chunks of cooked chicken. Be creative!”

But don’t tinker with one ingredient, Carole Korp cautions. “The Cara Mia brand of marinated artichokes is important, as their marinade makes a really good-tasting dressing,” Korp says.

Request line

The book club is ready for our next great recipe test session. We’re looking for your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Many of you have already sent in recipes, but if you haven’t yet, now’s the time. (And if you prefer a certain brand of chocolate chips or butter, let us know that, too.)
Contact Kim Boatman at [email protected]. Find recent Home Plates recipes online at www.mercurynews.com/home-plates.

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Salad - Frisée and Herb Salade au Chapon

Posted on May 24, 2012 by bilrob

Frisée and Herb Salade au Chapon

Provided by: KitchenDaily Editors

Salad – Frisée and Herb Salade au Chapon

Props to my cousin Mark for inspiring me to create my own salade au chapon, a recipe he discovered in the British cookery writer Elizabeth David’s book, French Provincial Cooking. David explains that the recipe is great for those who like garlic but don’t want to “swallow whole hunks of the bulb.” She rubs raw garlic on toasted bread (the chapon), which is tossed with the salad and then eaten at the end of the meal. My variation on the salad adds a mix of fresh herbs, a lemony dressing and a refashioned garlic technique. Gently poaching the garlic in oil softens both the bite and the bulb, and gives the oil a subtle garlic flavor. For the bread, I like a thick slice of miche, a rustic, slightly honeyed sourdough with a dense chewy crumb, dark crust and mild tang. Any good-quality country-style bread can be substituted. I grill the bread on a cast-iron griddle, but it can also be toasted.

Recipe courtesy of Salads: Beyond the Bowl: Extraordinary Recipes for Everyday Eating by Mindy Fox. Published by Kyle Books, 2012.

Make the base for the dressing: In a medium bowl, stir together the lemon
juice, shallot, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and a generous pinch of pepper.
Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil and garlic
and gently heat over very low heat until the oil is fragrant and the garlic is
softened, about 5 minutes (tilt the pan, if necessary, to keep the garlic cloves
submerged in the oil, and remove the pan from the heat from time to time to
keep the garlic from coloring). Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
Put the grilled bread on a large plate and drizzle with the infused oil from the
saucepan, then spread the garlic cloves on top. Tear the frisée into bite-sized
pieces and combine in a bowl with the spinach, herbs and radishes.
While whisking the reserved lemon juice mixture, add the 1/4 cup very good
oil in a slow and steady stream. Vigorously whisk to emulsify, then drizzle
the dressing over the salad. Toss the salad to combine. Season with several
pinches of flaky coarse sea salt and toss once more. Divide the salad among
4 serving plates. Tuck the breads among the greens.
Garlic-Poaching Primer oaching garlic in oil is best done in a tiny 1/2-quart saucepan. If you don’t have
one, I recommend adding this little size to your cookware collection. It is useful
for heating up sauces or scalding milk for café con leche. You can also tilt a larger
saucepan or skillet to the side while gently heating the mixture, keeping the garlic
submerged in the oil.

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Listeria - River Ranch recalls salads, some sold at Giant Eagle

Posted on May 21, 2012 by bilrob

FOOD SAFETY ALERT

Listeria – River Ranch recalls salads, some sold at Giant Eagle

Yet again, we bring you another food safety alert for Listeria. This time it is in salads. We have only just issued a listeria alert for onions in Canada. What is going on? It seems that every day we receive alerts and product recalls for milk, cheese, salads, onions ect. The food safety rules are quite clear on how to handle and store food correctly. Why is it that so many businesses let their products to become contaminated with listeria, salmonella, e-coli and worse.

We are very conscious of the food safety regulations – especially in the UK, USA and Canada. We have a very high visitor base in these countries. We will continue to relay these alerts whenever we are notified of a recall of goods or suspected contamination. We cannot stress strongly enough, the need for care and attention when handling food. If you are unsure about how to handle food safely, then you should visit our section on Food Safety at Giant Eagle carries affected River Ranch product under its The Farmers Market brand, and also uses the lettuce for its deli sandwich rings.

To date, there have been no reported cases of illness.

Upon notification from the manufacturer, Giant Eagle immediately initiated the removal of affected product from store shelves, and is in the process of contacting customers who previously purchased the product with instructions on its disposal.

River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC of Salinas, CA is initiating a voluntary recall of retail and foodservice bagged salads, because they have the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes following routine random retail salad finished product tests conducted in the marketplace by the Food Drug Administration.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Foodservice salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Cross Valley, Fresh n Easy, Promark, and Sysco. The recalled retail and foodservice salad bags have either “Best By” code dates between 12MAY2012 – 22MAY2012 or Julian dates between 116 – 125.

The code date is typically located in the upper right hand corner of the bags. See attached list for the specific salad products, size, package type, UPC codes and states of distribution.

No other products, brands or code dates aside from those listed below are affected by this recall.

There have been NO reported illnesses associated with this recall.

We are working closely with the Food Drug Administration and California Department of Public Health.

Consumers who have purchased this product should not consume it and are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions can contact River Ranch at their 24-hour customer service center at 1-800-762-7708.

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Gills onions and Compliments salads recalled in Listeria scare

Posted on May 21, 2012 by bilrob

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING – LISTERIA

Gills onions and Compliments salads recalled in Listeria scare

Yet again we have to relay a public health warning issued by the Canadian FIA for food contaminated with listeria This time the listeria alert is not in milk or cheese – but in onions.

OTTAWA—The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced recalls of Gills brand Fresh Diced Red Onions and Compliments brand salads because of possible Listeria contamination.

The onions were sold in 198-gram packages with a best-before date of May 17, 2012 (UPC 6 43550 00045 0, and lot code 51RDA1A2119).

They were sold in Ontario and possibly elsewhere in Canada, but so far there have been no reports linking them to any illnesses.

The agency also announced the recall of a number of Compliments brand salads, distributed by Sobeys Inc.

They included Compliments Garden Supreme (UPC 68820 10627), Compliments Simply Romaine (UPC 68820 10870), Compliments Harvest Romaine (UPC 68820 10871), Compliments American Blend (UPC 68820 10095), Compliments Coleslaw (UPC 68820 10097) Compliments Garden Salad (UPC 68820 12152) and Compliments Garden Salad (UPC 68820 12153).

The products were distributed nationally, except in Quebec, but no illnesses associated with them have been reported.

Food contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can cause listeriosis, a food-borne illness. Listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.

Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

Bill & Sheila’s Food Safety – Bacterial Infections -Listeria

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Chicken Salad

Posted on May 18, 2012 by bilrob

Chicken Salad

With summer around the corner I start looking for something different to serve for dinner; dishes to take the place of hearty, cool weather stews and casseroles.

My family likes main-course salads beefed up with protein of some kind, which in our case is often chicken. The problem is everyone likes their chicken salad a little different, so I needed a basic recipe I could adjust based on who I was serving. Sure finding a recipe with this flexibility might prove frustrating, but I was up for the challenge.

Chicken Salad Supreme

2½ cups diced poached chicken breasts

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup seedless grapes, red or green, cut in half

2 tablespoons minced parsley

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup sliced toasted almonds

Combine chicken, celery, grapes and parsley in large bowl.

In another bowl. whip the heavy cream to soft peaks; gently fold in the mayonnaise into whipped cream. Add to chicken mixture and stir gently. Add salt and almonds and stir gently. Garnish with additional almonds and chopped parsley.

Serves six.

I started my search on the Internet and discovered the general idea of chicken salad, pieces of chicken mixed with a variety of spices and tied together by a binding substance, has been around a long time. The Chinese deserve the credit for being the first to serve a variation of what we know today, but it is Liam Gray of Town Meats in Wakefield, Rhode Island, who,in 1863 combined leftover chicken with mayonnaise, spices and grapes to create the iconic American version. It was such a hit that the meat market became a deli and operated until just a few years ago.

The first recipe I stumbled upon dated from the 19th century and called for shredded chicken, chopped celery and filberts held together with either an oil and vinegar or sweet mayonnaise-like dressing. Intriguing, but not really what I had in mind.

Further research unearthed salads with an Asian twist containing grilled meat, almonds and mandarin oranges tossed with a sesame dressing and others that started with store-bought rotisserie chicken and mayonnaise. While these recipes sounded good they had distinctive flavor profiles, not the “blank canvas” I sought.

My search lead me back to my own recipe box and the Chicken Salad Supreme a friend shared with me many years ago. This tried-and-true recipe features diced, poached chicken, the crunch of celery and almonds and a burst of sweetness from seedless grapes and it fit my needs perfectly.

You may think this sounds like that old-time chicken salad, but the dressing sets it apart from the rest. Whipped cream combined with mayonnaise creates a light, silky dressing that holds it all together. This dressing and the tender poached chicken create the perfect base to build upon.

The best part about this recipe is that I can easily change out ingredients, adding pecans or walnuts for those who don’t like almonds or tossing in dried cranberries, diced apples or mandarin oranges instead of grapes. The key is selecting ingredients with different textures, as well as a touch of sweetness.

Consider serving the salad in a pineapple half, or tucked into a flaky croissant. Or simply enjoy it on a bed of lettuce with a slice of melon and roll on the side.

So far my family enjoys this salad any way I serve it, and I hope yours will too.

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the Daily Herald’s 2011 Cook of the Week Challenge.

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Craft a Heart-Healthy Salad in Honor of Mediterranean Diet Month

Posted on May 11, 2012 by bilrob

Craft a Heart-Healthy Salad in Honor of Mediterranean Diet Month

We might not be able to make it to Greece or Southern Italy anytime soon, but we can bring the cuisine to us by celebrating Mediterranean Diet Month in our own kitchens. The healthy benefits of the Mediterranean diet are touted by numerous studies, and for good reason: it promotes heart health, good vision, and weight control, to name a few. An easy way to get the Mediterranean diet into your own life is by dressing up an everyday salad with elements of this regional cuisine.

Mediterranean diet
Nuts, legumes, and seeds: The next time you are debating salad toppings, consider a handful of walnuts, a serving of chickpeas, or a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. The protein, fiber, and healthy fats contained in these small bites will help keep you full and energized throughout the day. Even better, center your entire salad around a legume, like this chickpea, almond, and goat cheese salad.

Mediterranean diet
Fresh vegetables: You’ll be hard-pressed to find any Mediterranean meal served without a good helping of vegetables. Foods like greens, eggplant, zucchini, artichokes, tomatoes, and cucumbers are popular choices, which is why YumSugar’s recipe for a warm mushroom and artichoke salad is a natural choice.

Learn more ways to make your salad Mediterranean after the break!

Mediterranean diet Whole grains: Whether it’s farro, brown rice, or spelt, add heart-healthy whole grains to your next salad. Nutrient-dense whole grains provide a hearty dose of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Need some inspiration? Try this recipe for a cooling spelt salad with veggies.

Olive oil: Whether it’s a main dish, roasted vegetables, or a bowl of pasta, olive oil is everywhere in the Mediterranean diet. Containing good-for-you monounsaturated fats, olive oil is also rich in antioxidants. To reap the most in healthy benefits, choose high-quality cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil that hasn’t been heated — exactly what you’ll find in this simple recipe for olive oil and red wine vinegar salad dressing.

Fish: What’s a salad without a little extra protein? The Mediterranean diet takes the focus off of beef and onto fish. Full of omega-3s, iron, and calcium, this tuna and farro salad recipe is a perfect combo of everything good about the Mediterranean diet.

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