food and nutrition

By MICHAEL HASTINGS
Winston-Salem Journal
Monday, May 14, 2007

Liz Lazarides White is the daughter of Greek immigrants, but she doesn't cook like most Greek-Americans.

"People tell me that all the time," said White, who recently self-published her own cookbook, "Opa" ($29.95 at www.greekinternetmarket.com).

White was at a market in Winston-Salem, N.C., recently, demonstrating her spanakopita. It's a simplified version, without onions or olive oil and with cottage cheese.

"So many versions are kind of heavy," she said. "The cottage cheese makes it creamier and lighter."

Her version of Greek salad is different, too, with the addition of artichoke hearts, carrots and radishes. She also adds Parmesan cheese, an ingredient that shows up in many of her recipes. "It gives it a nice flavor and texture when all the ingredients are mixed together," she said.

Even the dressing for her salad has a twist. Juice, or broth, from the Calamata (or Kalamata) olives helps flavor the vinaigrette. "Most people throw that broth down the drain," she said. "The broth is so good, why waste it?"

For her baklava, White uses pecans as well as the traditional walnuts. And her syrup incorporates orange juice, cinnamon, vanilla, peach preserves and orange marmalade.

She also likes to grind her nuts finely to help better absorb the syrup.

"I guess I started adding stuff because it always seemed bland," she said.

White, 67, now lives near Greensboro, N.C. But she grew up in Charlotte, where her late father, Thomas Lazarides, owned the Charlotte Waffle Shop in the 1950s.

"I loved being with him in the kitchen because he was such an awesome cook," she said.

The trouble was, more often than not, she was relegated to the dishwasher when she was at the restaurant.

"I begged him and begged him to teach me. He would say, 'These are my recipes, and when I'm gone, they go with me.' And he was dead serious."

Her mother, who she also described as a wonderful cook, proved another dead end for the girl who loved food and desperately wanted to cook. "She wasn't as vocal about it, but she didn't want anyone else in her kitchen."

As a teenager, White even managed to fail home economics. "My home-ec teacher told me I would never learn to cook and would never learn to sew."

That's how she ended up as a young bride who couldn't even boil an egg.

"The first time we went to the grocery store, my husband was picking out all these fresh vegetables and meats, and I was putting them back and getting all cans and frozen things."

White eventually made up for lost time, teaching herself, first with a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, and later with cookbooks put out by Greek churches.

When trying to cook Greek dishes, she relied on her childhood memories. "I remember a lot of what my father did. I remember what it smelled like and what it tasted like, and you can work up a lot from that."

As a mother of five, White had plenty of opportunities to practice her cooking. And she made sure she taught them all how to cook. More recently, she has taught some of her 10 grandchildren.

Her cookbook started with a simple request from family members to write down her recipes. As she began to do that, her son Todd Morris, who works for the printing company ASB Graphics, and his wife, Cami, a graphic designer, urged her to put the recipes into book form.

"My daughter-in-law said she would design it, and Todd would do the marketing."

"Opa" reflects White's experience as a Greek-American, representing a blend of both Greek and American food. The eight chapters start with breads and end with desserts and drinks.

Vasilopita, a sweet Greek yeast bread flavored with orange and cinnamon, is followed by buttermilk biscuits.

White's recipe for Greek salad shares space with recipes for potato salad, tuna salad and frozen congealed cranberry salad.

The Soups and Vegetables chapter includes cream of spinach soup, Greek lemon and egg soup and a Greek take on okra and tomatoes with oregano, feta, Parmesan and a hint of cinnamon.

Other side dishes include spanakopita, macaroni-and-cheese and sweet-potato casserole.

The Appetizers chapter has recipes for such dishes as dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), a feta sandwich spread, and a hot artichoke-and-spinach dip.

Entrees include Greek marinated lamb, chicken breasts stuffed with crab meat, salmon with an artichoke-and-almond cream sauce, moussaka (eggplant casserole) and country-style steak.

Desserts include such Greek treats as galatobouriko (custard-filled phyllo), kourambiethes (butter cookies) and loukoumathes (doughnuts), as well as banana pudding, apple cobbler and coconut cake with lemon filling.

The handful of drinks includes raspberry Burgundy punch and Greek coffee.

Since the book's release in February, White has sold about 500 copies. Many have been sold at book signings at such places as Tobacco USA in Greensboro. Her recipes also have been featured during special dinners at such restaurants as The Acropolis in Greensboro.

White also did catering during the recent spring furniture market in High Point, N.C., working from about 5 a.m. to midnight to feed 50 to 80 people every day for 10 days.

"I have been so busy I haven't had time to go to the library and look up the word 'retirement,' " White said with a laugh.

But, she said, "I'm not the type to sit still."

She seems to be enjoying all the activity, both flattered by and grateful for the attention.

She has come a long way from the girl and young woman who couldn't boil an egg. And she has done it her way, developing her own style of Greek and American cooking.

"I am not a traditional Greek," she said. "A lot of my recipes aren't similar to traditional recipes you'll find in cookbooks because I put my own twist to it.

"It's like when you ask an artist, 'How much green did you use to paint that tree, and how did you do that?' And they'll say, 'I don't know, I just did it and started adding and adding.' I'm not an artist, but that's how I cook."

MY GREEK SALAD

1 large head lettuce

1 large cucumber

1/4 cup sliced radishes

1/2 cup sliced baby carrots

1 large red or sweet onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained well

1 pint grape tomatoes, whole, or 4 medium beefsteak tomatoes, quartered

1 cup chopped scallions

1 1-pound jar Salonika peppers (pepperoncini)

1 cup Kalamata olives (broth reserved)

1 to 1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

DRESSING:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup Kalamata olive broth

Cut lettuce into small pieces. Peel and slice cucumber. Quarter artichoke hearts.

In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables, cheeses and the spices, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine the oils, vinegar, lemon juice and olive broth. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Taste, and add more vinegar and salt and pepper as needed.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

-- Adapted from "Opa" by Liz Lazarides White

GREEK PASTITSIO ME CREMA

A recipe for baked macaroni with a meat filling and cream sauce.

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, divided use

1 small onion, finely chopped

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

3 ounces (half of a 6-ounce can) tomato paste

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cream Sauce (recipe below)

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Add meat and brown. Add tomato paste and a little bit of water (2 to 4 tablespoons). Simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic salt and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer about 5 minutes until flavors are blended.

Melt remaining butter (2 sticks minus 1 tablespoon) and pour over the macaroni. Toss well. Spread half the macaroni in the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch baking pan. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the Parmesan over the macaroni. Then evenly spread all of the meat mixture. Top with remaining macaroni, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on top.

Evenly pour the cream over the casserole and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until cream sauce is slightly browned. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

-- Adapted from "Opa" by Liz Lazarides White

CREAM SAUCE

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

3 cups milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks, beaten

5 tablespoons cornstarch

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in milk, salt, beaten egg yolks and cornstarch. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

SPANAKOPITA

Note that phyllo sheets sold in supermarkets are usually 9 by 12 inches, which fit into either baking pan mentioned below. Some phyllo is sold in sheets that are 18 by 12 inches; these must be cut in half for this recipe. Any remaining phyllo can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept refrigerated for one week, or refrozen for one to two months. Also, ricotta cheese can be substituted for the cottage cheese.

20 sheets frozen phyllo pastry (from a 1-pound box)

1 10-ounce package frozen spinach

2 cups crumbled feta cheese

1 small carton (1 to 1-1/2 cups) cottage cheese

5 eggs, beaten

2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, melted

Thaw phyllo pastry but keep wrapped in a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Thaw spinach completely and squeeze it well to remove liquid.

Mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese and eggs in a bowl, beating well.

Grease bottom and sides of a 10-by-12-inch (or 9-by-13-inch) baking dish with a bit of melted butter.

Take 2 sheets of phyllo and lay them in the dish. Drizzle with melted butter. (Use a teaspoon to drizzle the butter. Or if using a pastry brush, splatter the butter around, but don't saturate the phyllo by brushing every inch of it.) Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo and some more melted butter until 10 sheets of phyllo have been used.

Spread the spinach mixture over the phyllo. Take 2 more sheets of phyllo and lay them over the spinach mixture. Drizzle phyllo with butter. Repeat, using 2 sheets of phyllo and some melted butter each time, until remaining 10 sheets of phyllo have been used. Before drizzling butter over top layer, carefully precut squares of about 2 inches in the pastry; it's not necessary to cut all the way through.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake spanakopita uncovered on middle rack for 40 minutes to an hour, or until browned. Allow to cool slightly, for 10 to 15 minutes, before serving. Do not cover, or else the crust will become soggy.

Note: Spanakopita can be assembled a day ahead of time. Once assembled, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Unbaked spanakopita, well covered in aluminum foil, also can be frozen.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

-- Adapted from "Opa" by Liz Lazarides White

Food Network Kitchens
Monday, May 14, 2007

Onions too hot?

For onions destined to be served raw -- in salads, say, or on sandwiches -- take some of the acrid edge off with the following techniques:

-- Slice or dice onions, depending on intended use, and soak them in ice water for 20 minutes or so. Drain and blot dry. This method has the added benefit of adding crispness to the onions.

-- A quicker alternative is to apply the same technique to onions that we commonly use to extract bitter juices from eggplant, only accelerated. Toss onions with a generous sprinkling of (kosher) salt. Wait a few minutes. Rub salt into onions and then rinse, drain and blot dry.

Balancing dressing:

Bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, dandelion and radicchio, require less acidity from a salad dressing -- they essentially supply their own. Up the oil and/or lower the vinegar content of your dressing accordingly. These same greens also benefit from dressings with a touch of sweetness. Roasted garlic and raw shallot lend their own natural sweetness. Balsamic vinegar and orange juice are two acids with a pronounced sweetness. And, of course, you can always add sweetness with a touch of sugar or a drizzle of honey.

Food Network Kitchens
Monday, May 14, 2007

Q: I am having trouble frosting cakes without having little crumbs ball up on the cake and my spatula. Is there a secret? -- Robert Dorsey, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

A: For a perfectly smooth finish, do what bakers call a "crumb coat." After the cake cools, apply a thin coat of frosting over the entire cake, then place the cake in the fridge to let the frosting set. Then, frost as usual -- the first coat of frosting will keep the crumbs locked in so they won't mar the surface of your cake.

Q: I have a salad-dressing recipe that includes toasted curry powder. I have never toasted a spice. What temperature and for how long would I do this? Why does it need to be toasted? Would that weaken or strengthen the flavor of the curry? -- Connie Farris, Wilson, N.C.

A: Toasting spices both brings out and mellows their flavor. Though you can do it for any dish, it's especially useful for dishes like spice rubs and salad dressings where the spices' flavor is paramount, as the possible acridity of certain spices when raw is replaced by a warm roundness when toasted.

To toast spices, heat a dry skillet (nonstick is ideal for powdered spices; any skillet is fine for whole spices) over medium-high heat and add the spices. Cook, shaking the skillet constantly, until the spices begin to release their aromas. Watch the spices carefully; they do scorch easily. Grind, if necessary, and proceed as usual.

(For more information, visit www.foodnetwork.com or write Ask Food Network c/o Viewer Services Culinary Department, Scripps Networks, PO Box 50970, Knoxville, TN 37950.)

By TOM MENTZER
Scripps Howard News Service
Monday, May 07, 2007

Baking is more than a kitchen technique, it's a science. Ingredients are unforgiving, temperatures must be just so _ even a humid day can spoil that perfect loaf of bread.

So what better way to learn how to bake like a pro than from a textbook? "About Professional Baking: The Essentials" (Thomson Delmar Learning, $54.95) is just that, a culinary class-in-a-book for the home cook.

Rather than offering mindless lists and steps, author Gail Sokol explores the fundamentals of baking. While the "how" is thoroughly explained, she treats the "why" with just as much respect.

Take the section on chocolate-chip cookies, the crisp-vs.-chewy debate. Sokol takes pains to explain various techniques to create your own perfect cookie, including charts with a variety of ways to manipulate the dough.

This book isn't for dabblers. While the volume as a whole is not overly complex and the writing is quite clear, it's definitely geared toward those with a deep interest in baking.

Definitions and explanations of baking techniques feature prominently, with scattered recipes serving more as examples of lessons than stand-alone items. The book is divided into chapters, each tackling a major kitchen concept.

The first seven chapters focus on dough, from breads to cakes to pies. Few stones are left unturned. Sourdough starters and savory breads, croissants and chocolate cakes _ this book covers a lot of ground.

The chapters are wisely formatted, often opening with one or two foundation recipes, then offering ways to use each. And while this isn't an encyclopedia of recipes, those that are included are delicious examples.

The final chapter alone is worth the price of admission: troubleshooting. Sokol provides several pages of "what-if" questions, then offers solutions to fix the immediate problem along with reasons for the dilemma to prevent it from happening again.

This textbook is strong enough to be used in the culinary classroom, but user-friendly enough for the home cook. With a little patience and a lot of practice, anyone can cook like a professional baker.

(Tom Mentzer is a free-lance writer. Contact him at tom.mentzer(at)gmail.com.)

By LYNNE ROSSETTO KASPER
Scripps Howard News Service
Monday, May 07, 2007

Dear Lynne: You talk all the time about hams and pork, which led to a discussion in our cooking club. Why is it safe to eat raw ham like prosciutto and not safe to eat raw pork? _ The Blake Avenue Gourmets

Dear The Blake Avenue Gourmets: "Talk about pork all the time," I hadn't realized.

On to your question. The basic reason why certain hams are safe to eat raw, but raw pork isn't, is salt. (I am sidestepping the issues of contamination of meats from outside sources and from how the animal is raised, as in salmonella and E. coli.) Salt, handled properly, purifies meat.

Prosciutto and lots of other traditional hams are cured with one version or another of the world's oldest preserving method. Salt is rubbed into the leg of pork, or the meat is soaked in a salt brine. As the salt penetrates the meat, it draws the existing moisture out of cells. The moisture that is drawn out is where potentially harmful microbes can thrive.

The next step is that salt replaces the moisture in those cells. With salt's action, any potentially harmful microbes are compromised.

As hams age over months, enzymes go to work on the meat's structure and proteins, tenderizing the meat. An 11-month-old Italian or American ham cured with only salt and air-drying can have a supple, melting quality on the tongue because its proteins are broken down. Not only will the ham be tender, it will be pink.

When ham is first salted, it turns gray. But when those enzymes are given months and months to work in the right temperatures and humidity, the meat goes back to its original rosy-pink color without the aid of other chemicals.

Raw meat has all its original moisture, which helps spoilage begin, along with encouraging the growth of potentially harmful microbes. Over time they break down the meat, producing noxious aromas. Raw meat can be harmful, and if it smells bad, it is bad.

Dear Lynne: My first cheese fondue turned to lumps. This never happens in restaurants. What do they know that I don't? _ Puzzled

Dear Puzzled: You have a lot of comrades with the same problem, because this comes under the category of "the recipe never tells us these things." It's all in the science behind the dish. Here is how I've answered them in the past.

The solution lies in two pieces of science involving starch and acid. Both keep the cheese's protein molecules from bunching together, which is what causes the lumps.

Cornstarch added to the wine called for in most fondue recipes encourages even melting. Lemon juice added to the cheese ensures lasting smoothness.

This recipe illustrates the duo in action. Start the fondue on the stove in a non-reactive metal pot; you can serve, if you'd like, in the classic ceramic pot. A bonus here is a Neufchatel custom of taking up the crust that forms on the pot's bottom _ a crust that gets a splash of wine.

SWISS FONDUE OF TWO CHEESES AND WHITE WINE

Serves 2, multiplies easily.

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

1/2 clove garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine (Swiss Neufchatel or Sauvignon Blanc)

6 ounces Swiss Gruyere cheese, shredded

2 ounces Swiss Appenzeller or Emmenthaler cheese, shredded

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Generous pinch freshly ground nutmeg

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

1/2 baguette of bread, cut into bite-sized pieces

About 3 tablespoons Kirsch or dry white wine

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Generously rub the inside of a 1-1/2-quart enameled or stainless-steel-lined saucepan with garlic. Discard the garlic.

Pour in wine. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the wine to a bubble. Bubble 10 seconds, whisk in the cornstarch and then, off the heat, whisk in the cheeses in 3 additions. Blend in the lemon juice.

Set the pan back over medium to medium-high heat and stir about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is smooth. Season the fondue to taste with nutmeg and pepper. Turn it into a ceramic pot, set it over a low flame in the center of the table and start dunking the bread.

Once the cheese is gone, let a crust form on the pot's bottom. Stir in a splash of Kirsh or wine. Let it heat, and mop up the bits of crust with bread.

(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's weekly national show for people who love to eat. For more information, visit www.splendidtable.org or call 1-800-537-5252.)

By GWEN SCHOEN
Sacramento Bee
Monday, May 07, 2007

Gathering the family for a Sunday brunch to celebrate Mother's Day doesn't have to be complicated for the cook if you select simple recipes and get everyone to pitch in with the prep, serving and cleanup chores.

Ask guests to bring a dish to share and assign jobs to even the youngest helpers. Little ones can fold napkins and put place mats on the table. Older children can help assemble the ingredients for casseroles and salads. Everyone else can help serve beverages and pass snacks.

As for the brunch menu, keep it simple. Casseroles that can be popped into the oven as guests arrive are perfect because they free up your time while they bake, and most can be held at serving temperature for a few minutes if brunch starts a little late.

Fruit salad is another great dish for brunch. Most fruit and dressings can be prepared the night before, then tossed together quickly just before serving. Unless you've got plenty of help, skip making bread and pick up something special at your favorite bakery.

Don't feel obligated to serve dessert after brunch, but if you think your guests will be disappointed, serve a scoop of sherbet with a cookie. Nothing could be easier.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY ROASTED PEPPERS AND FETA CHEESE PIE

Serves 6

One of the easiest brunch dishes you can make is a Bisquick impossible pie. This one, from www.bettycrocker.com, combines feta cheese, roasted peppers and bacon for a Mediterranean-inspired casserole perfect for Mother's Day.

Note: This pie has no crust.

12 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

4 green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

1/3 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers, from 7-ounce jar, drained

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3/4 cup Original Bisquick mix

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon dried basil

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie plate or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine bacon, onions and bell peppers and sprinkle them in the bottom of the pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese over the top. Stir remaining ingredients in medium bowl until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

AVOCADO AND MANGO SALAD

Serves 4

This beautiful salad has a wonderful combination of fresh flavors. The recipe was inspired by one from Bon Appetit magazine.

3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

3 tablespoons minced shallot

4 teaspoons sherry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, coarsely cracked

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 cups spring salad mix

1 large ripe mango, halved, pitted, peeled, sliced

2 small avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, sliced

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or chopped pecans

Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend; gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper. Toss salad mix in large bowl with 1/4 cup dressing. Divide salad among 6 plates. Top with sliced mango and avocado. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Drizzle with any remaining dressing.

GINGERBREAD PANCAKES

Serves 6

This recipe, from "Biscuits, Pancakes and Quick Breads" by Beverly Cox, makes pancakes with a punch. Try serving them with chunky applesauce and melted butter or warm maple syrup.

2 eggs

1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup brewed coffee

2 cups flour

1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt and sugar. Gradually whisk in coffee. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually whisk flour mixture into wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.

Use remaining butter to grease a griddle and heat it until medium-hot. Ladle batter by 1/4-cupfuls onto griddle to make 3- to 4-inch pancakes. When bubbles appear on the top, in about 2 minutes, turn pancakes and cook until browned on other side, about another 2 minutes. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup or top with applesauce.

By JOAN OBRA
Fresno Bee
Monday, May 07, 2007

Spring is a time of fabulous scents, and lemon balm is no exception. With sunshine and warm weather now the norm, this durable plant should have fragrant, lemony leaves for the picking.

"Lemon balm is a member of the mint family," says Craig Pierce, manager of the Miller-Clark Nursery in Sanger, Calif. "It's extremely hardy. Most of the time, it lives year-round."

If you have lemon balm in your back yard, you'll want to cut it back in the fall anyway, "as its root system then remains dormant until spring," Ian Hemphill writes in "The Spice and Herb Bible."

Also be sure that lemon balm isn't growing in full sun, Pierce says. The heat of the sun can make its flavor harsh.

When looking for lemon balm to grow or buy in bunches, be aware that it goes by other names: sweet balm, bee balm, common balm, melissa and balm, Hemphill writes.

At home, bunches of the herb will keep well in a glass of water at room temperature, Pierce says. Be sure to change the water once a week. Snip off pieces of the herb to use in cooking.

Lemon balm can be used in a variety of dishes. About six leaves steeped in warm (not boiling) water will make a nice tea, which is a good flavoring for cake batter, Pierce says. He also submerges lemon-balm sprigs in red- or white-wine vinegar for three weeks, long enough for the herb to transfer its flavor. If you try this at home, be sure the lemon balm is completely covered by vinegar.

Hemphill likes to add it to poultry stuffing and fish. And his daughter, Kate Hemphill, came up with this easy recipe for balm and mascarpone sorbet.

BALM AND MASCARPONE SORBET

Makes 6-8 servings

3/4 cup superfine sugar

1-1/3 cups water

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

1 cup finely chopped fresh balm

1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Dissolve sugar in water over low heat, stirring gently. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Mix mascarpone, balm and lemon juice until well combined, then add sugar syrup. Stir until smooth, then pour into a container and freeze.

Once frozen (3-4 hours), break up and blend in a food processor, then refreeze.

_ "The Spice and Herb Bible," by Ian Hemphill, with recipes by Kate Hemphill (Robert Rose, $24.95)

By MICHAEL HASTINGS
Winston-Salem Journal
Monday, May 07, 2007

"Why not?" may best sum up the reason that Donna Levesque decided to have a Grandma's Greatest Cookie Contest at Independence Village, a community of apartments for seniors, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"When my kids come into the building, they know who the cookie ladies are," said Levesque, executive director of Independence Village.

The recent Grandma's Greatest Cookie Contest garnered 13 entries of mostly classic cookies. They included four sugar cookies and two peanut-butter cookies. Coconut and oatmeal also were popular ingredients.

The contest was judged by me; Dorothy Daidone, a resident of Independence Village; Eddie Schapira, a co-owner of the River Birch Lodge restaurant; and District Court Judge Denise Hartsfield.

"The judge gets to judge something good for a change," Hartsfield quipped before getting down to business.

Quite a few of these cookies neared perfection in several areas. Though most were easy, a few that were more involved, such as the rolled cookies, scored low only in ease of preparation.

Lois Todd managed to take first place even with a difficult rolled cookie, made from her mother's recipe. She won a two-night trip to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., home to Dolly Parton's theme park, Dollywood, and other attractions. Grandma Crissman's Sugar Cookies were beautiful to behold, perfectly round and perfectly browned, with an old-fashioned taste.

"I've been baking these about all my life," Todd said. "They're so good my granddaughter likes to eat the dough before they're even baked."

Todd said she thinks that confectioner's sugar, in place of granulated sugar, gives these thin cookies a better texture. To help roll the dough without sticking, Todd puts a floured dishcloth under the dough.

Jean Schlotfeldt won second place, and a $50 gift certificate and gift basket from River Birch Lodge. Her delicate coconut and oatmeal drop cookies have a delightful crunch.

Schlotfeldt said she based the recipe on one in Country Living magazine.

"But I changed it to butter instead of shortening," she said.

"We use butter in all our cookies," said her husband, Cliff.

Cookies are a constant at the Schlotfeldt home. "Our family would get mad if there weren't any cookies in the cookie jar," Jean Schlotfeldt said.

Margie Marion won third place and a gift basket from The Golden Apple, a specialty food shop in Winston-Salem, for her fragile cookies, made with oatmeal and no flour, spread very thinly in the oven, creating a nearly see-through effect like lace.

Marion has been baking these cookies since 2004, when she clipped the recipe from the Winston-Salem Journal's Recipe Swap Column. (The recipe was sent in by Lucille Moseley of Elkin, who said she had been using it since 1949.)

"I took this to church, and everybody gobbled them up so quickly," she said. "I've been baking them and passing around the recipe ever since."

GRANDMA CRISSMAN'S SUGAR COOKIES

First place by Lois Todd. Be sure to sift the flour before measuring. Todd uses Red Band flour.

1-1/2 sticks margarine, softened

1-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Granulated sugar for sprinkling

Cream margarine and sugar in mixer, beating well until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add vanilla until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and cream of tartar three times. Add to creamed mixture. Beat until combined. Form dough into a ball, cover and chill at least one hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place a clean dishcloth on the work surface and lightly flour the cloth. Place dough on cloth and roll thin, 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch. Cut into circles or other desired shapes.

Carefully transfer cookies to baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. (Will need to bake in several batches.) Bake 7 to 10 minutes or just until brown around the edges. Cool a few minutes on baking sheet, then remove to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 48 cookies.

COCONUT AND OATMEAL DROP COOKIES

Second place by Jean Schlotfeldt.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 large cookie sheets. Cream butter and sugars in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat together. Add vanilla, baking powder and baking soda. Then add the flour. Mix until well combined. Stir in coconut and nuts. Mix in oatmeal.

Drop on greased cookie sheets by the teaspoon, spacing about 1/2 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, just until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 48 cookies.

LACE COOKIES

Third place by Margie Marion.

1 egg

3 cups brown sugar

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans or other nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or no-stick aluminum foil. Drop batter 3/4-teaspoon at a time on baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between each. Cookies will spread to 4 or 5 inches in diameter when baked.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until thin and golden. Check early to make sure they don't overbrown.

Line a wire rack with wax paper. Carefully remove cookies from baking sheet. They will be sticky, and a thin, metal spatula works best. Gently transfer to wax paper on wire rack and let cool.

By KATHIE SMITH
Toledo Blade
Monday, May 07, 2007

One of the traditional sights in Northwest Ohio is of fishermen lined up on the banks of the Maumee River each spring during walleye season. Most local fishermen catch the fish, clean the fish and take it home to cook it. What they can't use right away, they freeze.

When it comes to cooking freshwater fish, especially walleye and perch, contemporary cookbooks rarely include recipes for these favorites. Ditto for catfish. Most often, you'll find these fish on restaurant menus or at a sport-fisherman's table. But recipes are more likely to be shared between cooks than found in cookbooks.

When the fish are cleaned, they are usually dredged in flour or dipped in a batter and deep-fried or pan-fried. Some folks use a simple flour mixture seasoned with salt and pepper or a beer batter for dredging.

Therein lies the variety of coatings, batters and accompaniments that dress up these humble fish.

If you have a taste for spice, try Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Fillets. Each fillet is brushed with original Tabasco brand pepper sauce. Then the fish is pressed into a cornmeal mixture to coat well before pan-frying.

Another option is herb-crusted with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives and 2 tablespoons chopped basil.

Much of the catfish sold in the United States is farm-raised catfish. But sport fishermen around the country catch it in the wild.

In the supermarket, you might see imported catfish from China or other countries. These must be identified with country-of-origin labeling, according to Jason Stemm of the Catfish Institute. "Restaurants are exempt from country-of-origin labeling laws." However, consumers can ask about this at supermarkets and restaurants.

Walleye

Walleye, which can be found fresh or frozen in grocery stores, can be grilled, baked or fried. But it's most likely that regional Midwest cookbooks will offer recipes for this local fish.

Walleye is called the Great Lakes' most prized pan fish. Ohio is not the only Midwest state that loves walleye. It is the state fish of Minnesota. Thus the Almond-Crusted Walleye Sandwich is popular at the Marshall Field's (now Macy's) in Minneapolis, according to "The Marshall Field's Cookbook from Field's Culinary Council" (Book Kitchen, $24.95).

The cookbook advises that to bone a walleye fillet, find the row of pin bones and make two long cuts on either side to create a V-shaped wedge, which you then remove and discard. If walleye is not available, tilapia or trout are a good substitute for a fish sandwich.

In "The Common Grill Cookbook" by chef Craig Common (Sleeping Bear Press, $35), walleye is sauteed and served with citrus butter. The Common Grill is a popular restaurant in Chelsea, Mich., located 15 miles west of Ann Arbor.

Not far away on Interstate 94 in the town of Marshall, Mich., is the landmark restaurant Schuler's. A popular Hazelnut-Crusted Walleye served in the restaurant is also in the "Schuler's" cookbook by Hans Schuler and chef Jonathan Schuler (Huron River Press, $35). The recipe uses the standard breading procedure of flour, egg wash and then breadcrumbs to make the walleye ready to fry. When hazelnuts are not available, you can uses pecans or almonds in the breading. This breading can also be used for trout.

Perch

Most of the perch raised on Ohio's fish farms supplies restaurants and grocery stores as well as churches and other organizations that hold fish fries. Most of the fish farms are in Northeast or central Ohio, according to Geoff Wallat, an aqua-culture specialist at Ohio State University.

In 2003, both commercial fishers of yellow perch in Lake Erie and the aquaculture industry faced competition from imported fish from Turkey and other countries. Although it may be called Turkish yellow perch or European perch, the species is officially called "zander," which Wallat says is more closely related biologically to walleye. There is also an ocean perch, which is a saltwater species unrelated to the freshwater yellow perch.

Research has been conducted on comparing the flavor of the farm-raised yellow perch with three of its main competitors: wild-caught zander, wild-caught ocean perch and wild-caught walleye. When fish is battered and deep-fried, flavor differences are subtle.

But frying is how most people eat the fish. "If you are not routine fish eaters, it may be difficult to distinguish the differences," says Wallat.

Savvy consumers watch the labels for wild, farm-raised and imported fish. When they don't see the information on labels and menus, they are entitled to ask.

Often the imported fish is cheaper. But, imported fish may be raised under different conditions where the quality of the water is unknown. Into this, the laws of supply and demand may determine price.

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH FILLETS

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound catfish fillets

1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons original Tabasco brand pepper sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter, divided

Lemon wedges

Combine cornmeal, flour and salt on large plate. Brush catfish fillets with Tabasco sauce. Press fish into cornmeal mixture to coat well on both sides.

Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add fillets and cook 4 minutes. With spatula, carefully turn fish. Add remaining oil and butter. Cook 4 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with lemon wedges.

4 servings

_ McIlhenny Co.

HAZELNUT-CRUSTED WALLEYE

2 walleye fillets

1/2 cup flour; seasoned with salt and pepper

2 eggs, beaten with a little milk

1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup ground hazelnuts

Clarified butter or vegetable oil for frying

Lemon wedges for garnish

Mix breadcrumbs and hazelnuts together. Prepare fish by dredging it in the flour, dipping it in the egg wash and coating the fillets with the breadcrumb/hazelnut mixture.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and fry the walleye fillets in clarified butter until the crust is a golden brown. Flip the fish and repeat on the other side. The flesh of the fish should be white all the way through, but not dry and flaky. Serve with lemon wedges for garnish.

Serves 2

_ "Schuler's: Fresh Recipes & Warm Memories"

SAUTEED WALLEYE WITH CITRUS BUTTER

4 6-ounce pieces walleye, skinned and cut in half

1 cup milk

Salt to taste

Black Walnut Batter Mix, for dusting (recipe follows)

1 cup vegetable oil

Citrus Butter (recipe follows)

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped for garnish

Rinse walleye and soak in milk for 1 hour. Season fish with salt and dust in Black Walnut Batter Mix. Heat oil in large saute pan. Place fish in pan and cook until golden, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve with warm Citrus Butter and parsley garnish.

For the Black Walnut Batter Mix:

1/2 cup cracker meal

1/2 cup Fry Krisp batter mix

1/2 cup black walnuts, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together.

For the Citrus Butter:

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons orange zest

Place garlic and butter in blender and process until well blended. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in remaining ingredients.

_ "The Common Grill Cookbook"

FLASH-FRIED LAKE PERCH ROLLED IN CORNMEAL

2 pounds lake perch

3 quarts light cooking oil for frying

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups buttermilk

4 cups cornmeal

Cook's note: In the cookbook, the Flash-Fried Lake Perch is seasoned with Spiced Cornmeal and served with Mango Cream, Spicy Coleslaw and Buttermilk Biscuits. Spiced Cornmeal is made with a cornmeal mixed with a mixture of chiles.

Heat oil in electric fryer or heavy pot to 350 degrees. Season perch evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Place buttermilk and cornmeal separately into two shallow dishes. Dip perch first into buttermilk, and then immediately dredge in cornmeal. Shake off excess cornmeal. Flash-fry lake perch until crisp, golden and just cooked through.

4 servings

_"Eve Contemporary Cuisine Methode Traditionnelle"

(Kathie Smith is the Toledo Blade's food editor. Contact her at food@theblade.com.)

Food Network Kitchens
Monday, May 07, 2007

Roasting a fish whole is one of the easiest, most satisfying treatments for many of the most widely available varieties _ branzini, striped bass, dorade, porgy, and snapper.

At the market, pick a fish that looks like it just jumped out of the water _ eyes clear, wet and bulging; skin glistening _ and make sure to have your seller remove the fins and scales for you.

Prepare by cutting a few shallow, parallel incisions on each side of the fish to allow heat to penetrate more easily and keep the fish from curling up. Always brush or rub some oil or melted butter into the skin of the fish. The fat, an efficient conductor of heat, aids in browning, making for crisper, more appetizing skin.

Roast at high heat; the smaller the fish, the higher the heat. Try 400 degrees F for anything between 1 and 2 pounds; 450 degrees for anything smaller.

The general rule is cook 10 minutes per inch of thickness. But you're better off relying on your eyes. When, with a little prompting from a fork, the flesh at its thickest point is just shy of opaque and beginning to flake, whisk the fish out of the oven and onto a platter. It will finish cooking outside the oven.