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FRUIT
TO GO!
Nature and health... to eat
NUTS DRIED FRUIT
Information Health benefits Nutritional values Facts Recipes
Innovative technology
Respect for tradition
To my children To my grandchildren
The healthy properties of fresh fruit have been well known for a long time and over the last few years scientific research has focussed on nuts to demonstrate their potentially numerous beneficial effects on human wellbeing. As a precious source of energy, antioxidants, vitamins, poly-unsaturated fats and much more, nuts and dried fruits are increasingly becoming an essential ingredient of daily nutrition. I am proud and happy to lead a company that was founded nearly 90 years ago. Together with my collaborators we have continually been working for an improvement in the quality of our products and services and have achieved important results. A sense of tradition, good organisation, progressive development strategies and above all respect for the consumer are the secret of the growth of our company which today is able to satisfy even the most demanding of customers throughout the world. Pino Calcagni
September 2009
Index Fruit Apricot . ............................................... pg 7 Pineapple ......................................... pg 9 Banana ............................................... pg 15 Cherry .................................................. pg 19 Coconut .............................................. pg 21 Date ....................................................... pg 23 Fig ........................................................... pg 25 Apple .................................................... pg 31 Cranberry .......................................... pg 33 Pear . ...................................................... pg 43 Prune .................................................... pg 49 Sultana ............................................... pg 51
Every nut, fruit or seed has a specific colour code: This allows to easily find the relative section.
Seeds
Nuts Cashew ............................................... pg 11 Peanut ................................................. pg 13 Chestnut ............................................ pg 17 Macadamia ..................................... pg 27 Almond . ............................................. pg 29 Hazelnut ...................................... pg 35 Walnut . ............................................... pg 37 Brazil Nut .......................................... pg 39 Pecan .................................................... pg 41 Pinenut ............................................... pg 45 Pistachio ............................................ pg 47
Cumin seed .......................... pg 53 Sunflower seed ................. pg 55 Poppy seed ........................... pg 57 Sesame seed ....................... pg 59 Pumpkin seed .................... pg 61
Please find the index of recipes next page
Recipes Creamy ice cream ............................................. pg Bavarian fruit cake .......................................... pg Sweet sauce .......................................................... pg Hawaiian cake . ................................................... pg Pirate’s dessert . .................................................. pg Two-Tone aspic ................................................... pg Oriental turkey ................................................... pg Salad of Joy ........................................................... pg Aromatic sweets ............................................... pg Spiced fish .............................................................. pg Chicken of the East .......................................... pg Holiday cookies .................................................. pg Baked bananas . ................................................. pg Banana bread ...................................................... pg Banana flambé .................................................. pg Stuffed turkey ..................................................... pg Farmer’s tagliatelle noodles .................... pg Autumn marmalade . .................................... pg Bavarian summer cake ................................ pg Red quayle ............................................................. pg Cooked cherries . ................................................ pg Ricotta Cobbler . ................................................. pg Stuffed cake .......................................................... pg Coco-Choc cake .................................................. pg Oasis Roast ............................................................. pg Sweet ravioli . ....................................................... pg Desert chutney ................................................... pg Turkish fried cakes ........................................... pg Filet Gratin ............................................................. pg Sweet sandwiches . ......................................... pg Australian brittle .............................................. pg Cream cake ............................................................ pg Exotic broccoli ..................................................... pg Almond kisses ..................................................... pg Crispy filet . ............................................................. pg Lima bean and almond pound cake ..... pg Covered cobbler ................................................. pg Foie Gras with reinette apple ................. pg Classic strudel ...................................................... pg Happy rice . ............................................................. pg Roast in sauce ..................................................... pg Dessert Borealis ................................................. pg
8 8 8 10 10 10 12 12 12 14 14 14 16 16 16 18 18 18 20 20 20 22 22 22 24 24 24 26 26 26 28 28 28 30 30 30 32 32 32 34 34 34
Piedmont Custard ............................................ pg 36 Farm tagliolini . ................................................... pg 36 Dressed seabream ........................................... pg 36 Italian-Belgian salad...................................... pg 38 Walnut pesto ....................................................... pg 38 Glazed soufflé . .................................................... pg 38 Brazilian shish kabob .................................... pg 40 Bahia chicken ...................................................... pg 40 Copacabana cake .............................................. pg 40 American rice . ..................................................... pg 42 Texas pizza ............................................................. pg 42 U.S.A. brownies . ................................................ pg 42 Delicate cream .................................................... pg 44 Tender heart cake ............................................ pg 44 Tasty slices . ............................................................ pg 44 Vegetarian meat rolls ................................... pg 46 Stuffed game hen ............................................ pg 46 Sardine hors-d’oeuvres ............................... pg 46 Red, white and green pasta .................... pg 48 Sicilian sweets .................................................... pg 48 Fried toast . ............................................................. pg 48 California ham rolls ........................................ pg 50 Black turkey .......................................................... pg 50 Aromatic rice ........................................................ pg 50 Corinthian biscuits . ......................................... pg 52 Turkish tartar ....................................................... pg 52 Sultan’s cake ......................................................... pg 52 Carrot cream ......................................................... pg 54 Vesuvius cake . ..................................................... pg 54 All grain bread .................................................... pg 54 Olympus sauce ................................................... pg 56 Clinzia cake ............................................................ pg 56 Chinese patè ......................................................... pg 56 Pumpkin bread .................................................. pg 58 Hill-and-Sea rice ............................................... pg 58 Duck roll ................................................................... pg 58 Seed sandwiches .............................................. pg 60 Coloured custard ............................................... pg 60 Lebanese humus .............................................. pg 60 Emilia chips ........................................................... pg 62 Fantasy pesto . ..................................................... pg 62 Goat cheese avocado .................................... pg 62
Apricot Prunus armeniaca
The apricot tree belongs to the Rosacea family also known as Prunoideae & Prunus genus. It is a medium size tree and generally grows 5-7 metres high with heart shaped thin, smooth leaves and pinkish white flowers. The fruits are egg-shaped with various skin colours according to the variety, from clear yellow to intense orange and with a tender juicy pulp. The apricot tree prefers a temperate climate but it is also common and cultivated in colder areas. The tree is sensitive to strong winds and as it is early flowering, a subsequent freeze can cause major damage to the flower and fruit production.
Health benefits Apricots contain Magnesium and carotene, help relieve stress and are helpful in detoxification diets. Apricots contain many minerals and in particular potassium, but also magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium and fluoride. They also supply vitamins A
(beta-carotene), PP, and in lesser quantity C and B. Naturally rich in fibre they also contain citric, malic, oxalic and tartaric acid. Thanks to its contribution in protein, calcium, potassium and vitamins, this fruit has an appreciable nutritional and dietetic
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED APRICOTS
Energy
158 kcal 674 kj
Proteins
4g
Saturated fat
--- g
Monounsaturated fat
--- g
Polyunsaturated fat
0,05 g
Carbohydrates
36,5 g 6,3 g
Selenium
5 mcg
Phosphorus
82 mg
Magnesium
43 mg
Sodium
14 mg
Potassium
1380 mg
Vitamin A
545 mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,14 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Anti-stress Detoxifying High energy
• Haci Haliloglu • Hasan Bey • Soganci • Kaba Asi The apricot tree originated from China, where it is mentioned in the Bible dated 2200 B.C. According to an old legend, apricots were amongst the gifts brought to Bethlehem by one of the three Wise Men. The Arabians distributed the fruit throughout the Mediterranean area and in fact the Italian name “albicocco” and the Spanish “albaricoque” stem from “el-barqùq”. Ripe apricots are a sweet, appetising and filling fruit. Dried apricots, which are available all year round, are a very good alternative to the fresh fruit as they contain the same vitamin and mineral content. Turkey is one of the world’s major dried apricot producers and the production area is in the city of Smyrna.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
Varieties
value. It is indicated in states of nervousness, insomnia, psychophysical asthenia and convalescence. The daily addition of dried apricots to the diet provides a beneficial supply of energy, minerals and vitamins.
7
Apricot Delights... Creamy ice cream
Ingredients:
300 g of fresh apricots 300 g of sugar whipped cream as needed
Preparation:
Put the sugar on a burner with 1/2 litre of water and boil the syrup for 2-3 minutes. Pass the pulp of the apricots through a sieve, mix it with the cold syrup and add the whipped cream. Pour everything into a large bowl and place it in the freezer. Serve in small cups.
Bavarian fruit cake
Ingredients: 150 g of melt chocolate 10 g of butter 100 g of dried apricots 2 eggs
50 g of sugar 2 sheets of gelatine 2 tenths of a litre of whipped cream almond oil for the mould
Preparation:
Put the apricots in a bowl of hot water for roughly 20 minutes so that they can expand. Place the sheets of gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften them up. Melt the chocolate and the butter. Separate the egg yokes from the whites and beat the whites to a fluff. Beat the yokes together with the sugar, melt the gelatine over a low flame and add it to the mix. Pour the melted chocolate, butter and egg whites into the bowl as well. Whip the cream and add it to the mix. Cut the apricots into small pieces, include them with the other ingredients and mix delicately. Coat a mould with the almond oil and pour in the mix, letting it sit for 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Sweet sauce
Ingredients: 250 g of ripe apricots 150 g of sugar 2 tenths of a litre of water a stick of vanilla
Recipes
Preparation:
Dissolve the sugar in the water and let it cook for 10 minutes. Blend the apricots and place them in a bowl, together with the syrup made from the sugar and vanilla. Cook over a medium flame, stirring continuously, until the sauce is fairly thick. Use it in the quantity desired, hot or cold, on sweets and ice cream.
Pineapple Ananas sativus
This bushy plant belongs to the Bromiliaceae family. The tree can grow from 50-100 cm high and has a short trunk with long leaves. The fruit can be found growing on the upper part of the trunk and is described as being like a big pine cone with small tuft leaves. It is cultivated in all the tropical regions and in the Asiatic southeast (Costa D’Avorio, Costa Rica, Kenya, South Africa, Philippines, Thailand & Taiwan) for food, ornamental purposes and fibres.
Health benefits The therapeutic benefits of pineapple are due to the presence of Bromelain. Two proteolytic enzymes of this type are found in pineapple: these are proteins capable of breaking down other proteins into amino acids. The first one is extracted from the fruit, and the second from the stalk. Today, the pharmaceutical industry use mostly the enzyme extracted
from the stalk because it is found in higher concentration there, but the benefits of both origins are the same. Bromelain is found in anti-inflammatory treatments, particularly in cases of soft tissue inflammation following trauma. Bromelain also has an anti-thrombotic and hypotensive cure and is able to dissolve atherosclerotic plates. If
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED PINEAPPLE
Energy
253 kcal 1059 kj
Proteins
0,1 g
Saturated fat
0,02 g
Monounsaturated fat
0,03 g
Polyunsaturated fat
0,05 g
Carbohydrates
66,40 g
Fibre Selenium
0,4 g 0,7 mcg 3 mg
Magnesium
6 mg
Sodium
42 mg
Potassium
43 mg
Vitamin A
17 mcg
Vitamin E
0,01 mg
Vitamin B6
0,03 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Anti-inflaming Purifying Diuretic
Varieties
• Cayenne Lisse • Smooth Cayenne • QueenVictoria • Extra Sweet Pineapples are thought to be native of South Brazil and Paraguay, but are also grown in the American Tropics as found by Christopher Columbus who arrived at Guadalupe in 1943 during his second voyage. Pineapples were called “anana” by the natives who cultivated them, “Indian pine cones” from Spanish explorers and “royal pine cones” by Europeans. In 1660 pineapples arrived in England and have been cultivated in greenhouses from 1720. Today it is one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world.
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Interesting facts
Phosphorus
you consume pineapple there are dietary benefits such as accelerated metabolism. It is also possible to reduce water retention and help intestinal disorders.
9
Pineapple Delights... Hawaiian Cake
Ingredients: 100 g of flour 100 g of butter 150 g of sugar 3 egg yolks 1 tablespoon of yeast for sweets 450 g of sliced canned pineapple
Preparation:
Coat a baking pan shaped like a large doughnut with butter and sprinkle the sugar on the bottom. Cut the pineapple slices in half and place them in the sugar. Mix the remaining sugar and the butter in a bowl until they form a cream, then add the beaten eggs and continue mixing. Include the pineapple juice, the flour and the yeast and stir energetically. Pour the mix into the pan, on top of the pineapple slices, and place in the oven at 180° for 40 minutes. Remove from the cake from the oven and let it cool. Turn the cake over and place it on a serving plate.
Pirate’s Dessert
Ingredients: A medium-size pineapple 4 tablespoons of sugar A glass of rum 3 eggs 170 g of butter 4 tablespoons of ground almond
Preparation:
Cut the pineapple into thin slices and let it soak for an hour in the rum. Make a cream by beating the egg yolks together with the butter, the sugar and the rum left over, stirring it gently on the stove until it starts to thicken. Pour drops of rum on the pineapple slices, lay them out in a cup, pour the cream on top lukewarm and decorate the surface with the ground almonds. Serve cold.
Two-Tone Aspic
Ingredients: ½ litre of pineapple juice 15 g of gelatine for cakes and sweets The juice of 2 lemons 100 g of carrots cut in thin slices
300 g of diced pineapple pulp 30 g of raisins some lettuce leaves
Recipes
Preparation:
Prepare the gelatine according to the instructions and melt in the warmed pineapple juice, stirring briskly. Add the lemon juice and leave the mix to cook until it condenses. Add the carrots, the pineapple pulp and the raisins to the gelatine mix, then pour the mix into a pudding mould and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Turn the mould over on a plate garnished with lettuce leaves.
Cashew
Anacardium occidentale L. Cashew nuts originate from Northern Brazil. The cashew nut was primarily grown in Central and Southern Africa but now also cultivated in South-East Asian countries thanks to the favourable climate and soil conditions. It provides two fruits: the apple of the cashew and the nut of the cashew. The second one is the real fruit with a smooth shell and an edible white seed inside.
Rich in protein Low cholesterol Anti-stress Health benefits
Nutritional Values for 100g -
CASHEW NUTS
Energy
598 kcal 2314 kj
Proteins
18,22 g
Saturated fat
7,78 g
Monounsaturated fat
23,7 g
Polyunsaturated fat
7,85 g
Carbohydrates
30,19 g
Fibre
19,9 mcg
Phosphorus
593 mg
Magnesium
292 mg
Sodium
12 mg
Potassium
660 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12
The Portuguese introduced cashews to India in the XVI century and today India and East Africa are the major producers. In India, cashews are still considered very invigorating and an aphrodisiac. In Ayurvedic medicine, parts of the cashew fruit are used as a serum against snake bite poison. You can extract oil from the fruit which has important properties used in the restoration of old furniture or wooden pieces of art. The oils are also used in alcohol and vinegar. It is also possible to obtain permanent ink from the shell. Cashew juices are used as a strong repellent against moths and also used in medicine for its highly caustic power. It is possible to obtain rubber and liquid used in varnishes from the plant. The Italian plant name comes from the shape of the fruit as it is similar to the shape of the heart.
Interesting facts
Selenium
3,3 g
Cashew nuts contain a high percentage of monounsaturated fat, folic acid, vitamin B1 and B2, and also magnesium, calcium and potassium which are beneficial to the nervous system. Cashew nuts are rich in protein and plant sterols which help reduce the absorption of cholesterol. Cashew nuts grown in tropical areas contain selenium due to the mineral content of the soil.
--- mg 0,42 mcg
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11
Cashew Delights... Oriental Turkey
Ingredients: 300 g of turkey, 2 cc of potato yeast 100 g of carrots, 100 g of celery 1 onion, 1 garlic clove 3 or 4 green peppers 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 30 g of cashews 1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of chopped leek 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley 125 ml of chicken broth 2 tablespoons of Nuoc Nam 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, plus salt and ground pepper at the quantity required a few coriander leaves
Preparation:
Cut the turkey into cubes and coat it in the potato yeast. Wash the carrots and the celery and cut them in sticks. Slice the peppers in two and remove the stems, the seeds and the white skins before cutting the pulp into strips. Brown the onion and the ground garlic in a pan and them put aside. Place the turkey in the same pan and cook it over a brisk flame. Cook the carrots and the celery, adding the onion and the garlic before pouring in the broth, the Nuoc Nam and the soy sauce and leaving the mix to cook for 15 minutes. Next add the cashews and finish cooking with another 8 minutes on the stove. Include the chopped leek and serve with Basmati rice and some coriander leaves.
Salad of Joy
Ingredients: 1 sprig of lettuce 200 g of Emmenthal cheese 30 g of unsalted cashews 1 tablespoon of mustard 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds 1 small grated shallot
1 tablespoon of sugar extra-virgin olive oil balsamic vinegar oven-toasted bread cubes
Preparation:
Wash the lettuce and cut it into pieces. Add the cheese after cutting it with a large-hole grater, plus the cashews and the shallot. Season with the other ingredients.
Aromatic Sweets
Ingredients: 400 g of cashews 200 g of sugar 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract 3 egg whites
150 g of fresh bread crumbs as much butter as needed 300 ml of orange-flower syrup as much glazing sugar as needed
Recipes
Preparation: Heat the oven to 180째. Blend the cashews, together with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add the rest of the sugar and the orange-flower syrup. Beat the egg whites in a bowl before including them in the blender mix, together with the bread crumbs, and blend the mix until smooth and uniform. Lay the mix out on a working surface and roll it into balls. Coat two oven pans with butter and place the balls inside. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow them to cool off and sprinkle with glazing sugar
Peanut Arachis hypogaea
Peanuts are the seeds of a small grassy plant belonging to the Fabaceae family (or Leguminosae). The plant originated from Brazil and was found in Peruvian settlements dated back to 800 BC. It is now cultivated throughout the world. The fruit is made up of two cotyledons and a relatively big embryo. It is small and yellow with the ovary sustained by a shank that after fertilisation lengthens and turns downwards towards the ground. The fruits are then buried a few inches under the ground where they complete their development.
Health benefits From a nutritional point, peanuts enjoy several interesting characteristics. They have excellent protein content and a good amino acid profile (they are among the products richest in arginin). Peanuts are rich in minerals such as zinc, magnesium,
potassium, phosphorus, manganese and copper. Their fibre and vitamin E content is particularly high. They are also a good source of polyphenols and in particular resveratrol, a potent antioxidant substance.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
PEANUTS
Energy
563 kcal 2337 kj
Proteins
25,6 g
Saturated fat
8,7 g
Monounsaturated fat
22 g
Polyunsaturated fat
13,1 g
Carbohydrates
12,5 g 6,2 g
Selenium
3 mcg
Phosphorus
430 mg
Magnesium
210 mg
Sodium
2 mg
Potassium
670 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
10 mg
Vitamin B6
0,59 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Anti-oxidant Rich in protein Mineralising
• Texas, Virginia, Runner, Spanish (USA) • Hsuji, Hebei, Henan (China) • Queen Victoria • Runner Spanish (Argentina) • Virginia Bunch (Egypt) • Giant (Israel) The Peanut is from Brazil and it is an old fruit. It was found in Peruvian settlements in 800 B.C. The Portuguese introduced them into Eastern Africa and the Spanish into the Philippines. From Africa they were carried to the United States by slave traffic. Introduced into Europe by the Spanish, peanuts were grown mainly in Spain and Italy. China, United States, India and Argentina are today the main producers of peanuts in the world. They have been used for livestock forage for a long time. During the Second World War they provided precious oil and food for human consumption. In the USA peanut butter is very popular, whereas in Europe roasted peanuts are more common.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
Varieties
13
Peanut Delights... Spiced Fish
Ingredients: 500 g of filet of fresh perch 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 cup of chopped baby onions 1 clove of peeled or ground garlic 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger 1 tablespoon of white flour 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped
citron 1 teaspoon of ground cumin 1 teaspoon of ground coriander 1 ground hot pepper 3-4 tablespoons of Satay sauce 1/2 cup of ground peanuts
Preparazione:
Mettere l’olio, i cipollotti, l’aglio e lo zenzero in un piatto resistente alle alte temperature. Cuocere scoperto per 2-3 minuti. Aggiungere mescolando la farina, la citronella, il cumino, il coriandolo, il peperoncino e la salsa satay. Amalgamare bene. Aggiungere il pesce e cuocere scoperto per 8-10 minuti. Cospargere di arachidi.
Chicken of the East
Ingredients: 400 g of chicken breast 1 tablespoon of dry sherry 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 piece of ginger, 1 hot pepper ½ cup of peanuts 1 cup of bamboo shoots
1 red pepper and 1 green pepper 1 average size onion ½ cup of broth 2 teaspoons of potato starch extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Cut the onion and the peppers into thin slices and, if necessary, shell and peel the peanuts. Cut the chicken into small pieces and marinate it for half an hour in a bowl with a tablespoon of soy sauce, a tablespoon of cherry and the ginger, mixing thoroughly. Burnish the peanuts in an ample quantity of olive oil for one minute, together with the hot pepper and then put them aside. Eliminate a little bit of the oil and, in what is left, start burnishing the onion, together with the bamboo shots and the peppers. After a minute, put them aside and brown the marinated chicken for approximately 2 minutes. Pour the browned onion, peppers and shoots into the pan, together with the broth, a teaspoon of soy sauce and the potato starch, stirring until the mix is well blended. Add the peanuts and all the rest, stirring briskly, and take to the table to serve.
Holiday Cookies
Recipes
Ingredients: 300 g of flour, 150 g of sugar 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder 2 teaspoons of yeast 1 packet of vanilla a pinch of salt
150 g of peeled and ground peanuts 120 g of softened butter 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of rum glazing sugar in the quantity desired
Preparation:
Stir the butter and the sugar into a foam, adding the egg while continuing to mix, followed by the flour, the yeast and the cacao, after sifting all three together, plus the salt, the vanilla and the peanuts, and add the rum to create a batter. Mix until the batter is smooth and uniform. Roll balls with roughly the diameter of a walnut, laying them out on a pan lined with oven paper and flattening them with the back of a fork. Bake the cookies for approximately 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 160°. Give them a chance to cool and sprinkle with glazing sugar.
Banana
Musa acuminata Colla The Banana tree originated from southern oriental Asia. It is cultivated in Central America, Tropical Africa and the Philippines. It is the 4th most cultivated fruit in the world. The Banana tree can only bear its fruit in a tropical climate. However, it can also be grown in mild, sunny weather but must be protected from the wind. The name banana is related to the elongated fruit which develops in a bunch. Bananas are used in Indian food and desserts and they can be eaten raw or cooked. Bananas may also be cut and dried and eaten as a type of chip. Dried bananas are also ground into banana flour.
Health benefits Eat Bananas to sleep well! Twenty percent of Europeans suffer from sleep related problems and they do not know that food influences the quality of sleep by stimulating or inhibiting hormones and neurotransmitters. Bananas contain melatonin and their prolonged consumption can help improve sleep. This tropical fruit is
rich in potassium and low in sodium making it perfect to fight high blood pressure. Bananas contain in addition tryptophan, a type of protein that the body transforms into serotonin which is a substance that induces relaxation, improves the mood and in general makes you feel happy.
Anti-hypertension Anti-depressive Relaxing
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED BANANA
Energy Proteins
312 kcal 1327 kj 4g
Saturated fat
0,3 g
Monounsaturated fat
0,3 g
Polyunsaturated fat
0,3 g
Carbohydrates
71,8 g
Fibre
3,6 g 3,3 mcg
Phosphorus
92,2 mg
Magnesium
112 mg
Sodium
3,3 mg
Potassium
1317 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
0,9 mg
Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12
1 mg
Over 200 varieties of banana are known today but only some of them are suitable to be dried: - Williams , Valery, Hamakua, Cavendish, Grand Nain, Chinese (Thailand, Philippines)
The Banana tree was imported into Africa by the Arabs and they arrived in Central America thanks to the Spanish bishop Tomaso de Barlanga who planted them in Santo Domingo. In South America they were distributed by the Portuguese. The 16th century Florentine merchant Francis Carletti described the banana tree as ‘the islands of Green Head’. The Portuguese still enjoy shelter of the banana plant in the rainy season as the leaves are big and very green and provide perfect cover from the rain. The fruit on the trees grow from a stem in bunches and in an upwards direction towards the palm. They are as big as cucumbers, and commonly called ‘Bananas’.
Interesting facts
Selenium
Varieties
The word banana comes from Arabic which means “finger”. The Europeans described the banana as “Fruit with a rose scent”.
--- mcg
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15
Banana Delights ... Baked Bananas
Ingredients: 4 large, ripe bananas 4 teaspoons of butter 2 teaspoons of sugar 2 tablespoons of water a pinch of cinnamon
Preparation:
Peel the bananas for three quarters of their length, leaving the rest of the peel attached to the fruit. Coat an oven pan with butter and place the bananas inside of it, side by side. Butter them, sprinkle with the sugar and the water and add a dusting of the cinnamon. Bake them in an oven heated to 180°C for 20 minutes.
Banana Bread
Ingredients: 240 g of flour 120 g of sugar 1 lemon 3 large, very mature bananas 60 g of walnut kernels
2 eggs 100 g of soft butter 2 teaspoons of yeast for sweets 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate as much salt as desired
Preparation:
Sift the flour, together with the yeast and the bicarbonate. Cut the walnut kernels into large pieces. Put the butter into a bowl and, after cutting it in pieces, add the sugar, a pinch of salt and the grated lemon rind, stirring with a wooden spoon for roughly ten minutes, until the mix expands and becomes foamy. Mash the bananas into a pulp with a fork. Add in the beaten eggs and the chopped walnuts. Pour roughly a third of the flour into the bowl, together with the butter, mix briskly and add a third of the banana mush too. Continue stirring and alternate adding one tablespoon of flour and one of banana. Coat the inside of a plum cake mould with butter and flour and pour in the mix, making sure it is level. Put the mould in an oven preheated to 180° for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Banana flambè
Recipes
Ingredients: 6 bananas 80 g of butter 1 lemon as much orange juice as desired
6 teaspoons of sugar Cointreau Calvados
Preparation:
Grate the lemon rind and squeeze the lemon, peeling the bananas and soaking them in the lemon juice. Put the butter in a pan, together with the grated lemon rind and the sugar. Stir over the stove until the mix starts to take on a caramel consistency, adding the leftover lemon juice, a couple of tablespoons of orange juice and a sprinkling of Cointreau. Place the bananas in the pan and cook them, gently turning them over for two or three minutes. Increase the flame, pour Calvados over the bananas, flambé and serve right away, with whipped cream on the side.
Chestnut Castanea sativa
The European chestnut is a deciduous tree belonging to the family of Fagaceae which originates from Western Europe. It grows in the Mediterranean area, in a region that extends from the Iberian peninsula to the Caucasian regions near the Black Sea. In Europe this plant is widespread in the western countries: Portugal, Spain, France, England, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia; in the southern countries of Bosnia and Montenegro and in most regions of Albania, Macedonia and Greece; and in the western regions of Turkey and northern Turkey along the Black Sea up to the Caucasus.
Rich in fibre High Energy Anti-stress
Health benefits The chestnut is a fruit that meets the increasing popularity of traditional and natural foods because its cultivation does not necessitate the use of phytochemicals, complying fully with the requirements of organic agriculture. Unlike most fleshy fruits (apples, peaches etc…) their water
Nutritional Values for 100g -
Varieties
CHESTNUTS
Energy Proteins Saturated fat Monounsaturated fat
170 kcal 719 kj 2g 0,5 g 1g
Polyunsaturated fat
1,1 g
Carbohydrates
36,6 g
Fibre
4,1 g --- mcg
Phosphorus
74 mg
Magnesium
33 mg
Sodium
11 mg
Potassium
500 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
1,2 mg
Vitamin B6
0,34 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
• Marrons • Chestnuts • Euro-japanese hybrids • Japanese
Having lived in the mountains for a long time, man has based his whole existence on the chestnut plant: where there was a chestnuts tree, there was man and vice versa. There was a symbiotic relationship between man and the tree which was considered an essential life support. In the past “the bread tree”, as the chestnut plant was called due its importance in country lore, was cultivated to feed and heat people, to treat injures, and to tan animal skins. The fruit has been used since ancient times to produce meal; this use is currently not common and is limited to the production of regional sweets. Consumption of whole chestnuts is now very widespread indeed, particularly during the autumn months, along with the industrial production of marmalades and marron glace. Legend says that queen Johanna, wife of Johan II of Aragon, with all the Court of more that one hundred horses, guides and servants, found refuge under an ancient chestnut tree while sheltering from rain during a storm.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
There are 4 different groups of varieties:
content is relatively low at around 50% in fresh product. Because of its high sugar content the fruit’s calorific properties are helpful in cases of physical and mental lack of strength and for sportsmen and individuals subject to stress. Due to their sugar content chestnuts are recommended as an alternative for children who are allergic to cow’s milk or who are lactose intolerant. Chestnut flour is used as a source of carbohydrate as a replacement in the preparation of desserts and dough for individuals who are intolerant to cereals. The fibre content is considered very important for healthy gut motility; for balanced micro flora, and for the reduction of high cholesterol. It is recommended in diets to prevent gastrointestinal disturbances by accelerating the transit of substances in the intestinal tract.
17
Chestnut Delights... Stuffed Turkey
Ingredients: 1 entire turkey, 300 g of sausage 400 g of chopped meat 15 chestnuts, 2 eggs and 2 apples 50 g of Parmesan cheese 10 dried prunes 200 g of bacon
1 glass of dry white wine salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of potato starch
Preparation:
Mix the chopped meat, the sausage taken apart and combined with the eggs, the grated Parmesan cheese, the salt, the pepper and the nutmeg. Add half the bacon diced in cubes, plus the pitted prunes, the diced apples, the boiled chestnuts without their skins and the internal parts of the turkey cut into pieces. Pour a little wine into the mix and use it to stuff the turkey. Sew the opening closed with cooking twine. Brown the bacon together with some sage and rosemary. Start broiling the stuffed and salted Turkey. Wet it with a glass of dry white wine and continue cooking for at least two hours over a low flame, in a covered pan, wetting it from time to time with water, in addition to the cooking stock. When the turkey is done, take off the twine and put it on a plate. Add a tablespoon of potato yeast to the gravy, pour a little on the turkey and place the rest in a gravy holder.
Farmer’s Tagliatelle Noodles
Ingredients: 350 g of sweet chestnut flour 200 g of wheat flour 2 entire eggs as much salt as desired
Preparation:
Mix the two types of flour while dry. Then add some lukewarm water, the eggs and salt to make a dough that can be kneaded and rolled. Roll out a flat sheet of dough and cut mediumsize tagliatelle noodles using a pasta machine (or by hand). Cook in an abundant quantity of salted water, draining off the water while the noodles are still firm, and bring them to the table on a serving plate, topped with creamy ricotta cheese plus a sprinkling of the Parmesan variety.
Autumn Marmalade
Ingredients: 1.5 kg of fresh chestnuts 1 lemon 1 orange
800 g of sugar (white or brown) 2 sticks of vanilla 1 small glass of rum
Recipes
Preparation:
Cut a slice in the chestnut peels and boil the chestnuts for an hour in an abundant quantity of water, together with the lemon rind and the orange peel. Put the sugar in a large pot, together with two tenths of a litre of water and the vanilla, and boil for 10 minutes. Peel the chestnuts, taking off their inner skin as well. Then cut them into small chunks and pass them through a potato masher, adding the sugar syrup to the resulting purĂŠe. Cook the entire mix over a low flame for half an hour, stirring well. Take out the vanilla sticks, add the rum and mix again. Pour the hot marmalade into jars, let it cool and then close the jars. Sterilise for 30 minutes.
Cherry Prunus avium
The cherry tree, also called “bird cherry or wild cherry” is a fruit tree originating from the Middle East belonging to the Rosaceae family, genus Prunus. Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus are two wild cherry species that are at the origin of the cultivated cherry. From a cultural point of view there are three important species: Prunus avium, the sweet cherry very common in Italy; Prunus cerasus, the sour cherry common in North Europe; Prunus mahaleb, known as megaleppo or S.Lucia, a cherry with small white inedible flowers and small yellow or red fruit which are sometimes very dark.
Health benefits As recently discovered at Michigan State University, cherries have similar properties to aspirin. The study showed that a diet with a high content of cherries and cherry products can significantly reduce the risk of strokes and vascular diseases. The additional analgesic
attributes of cherries are derived from anthocyanins, the chlorine salts that give the fruit its red / orange colour and behave like aspirin, without the negative side effects of the medicine. Cherries have a positive effect on hypertension; they are mildly laxative
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED CHERRIES
Energy
310 kcal 1295 kj
Proteins
6,2 g
Saturated fat
0,4 g
Monounsaturated fat
0,5 g
Polyunsaturated fat
0,6 g
Carbohydrates
65,6 g
Fibre
9,9 g
Selenium
--- mcg
Phosphorus
93 mg
Magnesium
55,8 mg 18,6 mg
Potassium
1072 mg
Vitamin A
--- mg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,3 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Painkiller Cardio-protective Diuretic
• Durone precoce Celeste • Durone di Vignola • Durone di Cesena • Durone giallo • Ferrovia • Bigarreaux • Giorgia • Early Ivory
The cherry tree has been very common in Europe since ancient times; in fact cherry stones have been found in stilt-house village excavations of the Neolithic period in the foothills of the Alps. Today they are found all over the temperate area of the five continents. The attributes of this fruit have been discussed for centuries and are controversial: in central Europe it is thought to protect the fields against people with evil intent; in Japan it is a symbol of sensuality and femininity.
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Interesting facts
Sodium
Varieties
and diuretic; are rich in vitamins A and C, in potassium, calcium and iron.
19
Cherry Delights... Bavarian Summer Cake
Ingredients:
250 g of yogurt cream (not skimmed) 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 lemon 1/4 litre of fresh cream 1/2 stick of vanilla 50 g of lavender honey 2 carnation cloves 10 g of gelatine sheets 200 g of cherries Preparation: Place the gelatine sheets in a bowl, cover them with cold water and leave them to soften. Heat the honey over a low flame until it turns liquid. Drain the water off the gelatine sheets, squeeze them and combine them with the honey, stirring until they dissolve and make a perfect mix. Add the yogurt cream and leave everything to cool off, stirring from time to time. Whip the cream to a dense consistency and delicately it to the mix. Wet a rectangular mould with cold water and pour the mix inside, sealing the mould with cellophane and letting the cake sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours to firm up. An hour before serving, pit the cherries and combine them with the sugar, the cinnamon, the carnation cloves and the juice of half a lemon. Cook the fruit for 10 minutes while stirring, then eliminate the cinnamon and the carnation cloves. Place the cake mould in boiling water, remove the cake from the mould, cut it into slices and serve it together with the cherry sauce, which can be either cold or hot, as you prefer.
Red Quayle
Ingredients: 4 quail 400 g of cherries 100 ml of cherry liqueur 1 tablespoon of sugar
4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons of dried chive salt added to taste
Preparation:
Place the quails in a casserole pan, together with the olive oil and the onion stalks, browning the birds on every side. Soak them with the cherry liqueur, cooking over a lively flame until the liquid is partially evaporated. Then salt and add approximately 200 ml of lukewarm water. Bring to a boil, lower the flame and continue cooking in a covered pot for approximately 20-25 minutes, turning the quail from time to time, so that they cook on all sides. At this point, add the cherries and continue cooking with the cover off the pot, until a dense sauce has formed. A minute before turning off the flame, add the sugar and mix briskly. Serve the quail right away, together with the cooked cherries.
Cooked Cherries
Ingredients: 1 Kg of ripe cherries 6 tablespoons of sugar 1 stick of cinnamon
1 lemon rind 1 glass of red wine 1 glass of water
Recipes
Preparation: Place the cherries in a pan, preferably earthenware, together with the sugar, the cinnamon and the lemon, and pour the red wine and the water on top of them. Stir them carefully with a wooden spoon and cook them for an hour, with a cover on the pot, over a moderate flame. Turn off the flame and let the cherries cool in their syrup before distributing them in small cups and serving them at the table.
Coconut Cocos nucifera
The coconut palm originated in the Oriental tropical regions. It now grows in the continent of Asia (India, Ceylon, Indonesia); in central and South America (Mexico, Brazil), and Africa which is the main producer - the key regions being Mozambique, Tanzania, and Ghana. The name “nucifera” in Latin, means nut holder. The coconut palm belongs to the Arecaceae (Palmae) family. It is a long lasting plant which can live to more than 100 years. It has a single trunk, 20-30m high, with a smooth, grey bark, marked by the scarring of the old leaves.
Health benefits The coconut is rich in potassium so ideal in the summer for restoring lost minerals. It is also rich in proteins and fats. Coconut milk does not appeal to some because of its cloudy appearance, however, it is very sweet; rich in sugars, minerals and vitamins, particularly C and B, and contains easy to assimilate
proteins. It is an ideal drink for teeth and bones and is useful in the treatment of urinary tract disorders, constipation, nausea, fatigue, nervousness and general weakness. The coconut is also high in nutrients and ideal for frail people as it helps weight gain.
Varieties
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED COCONUT
Energy
Multivitamin Mineralising Rich in protein
604 kcal 2492 kj
Proteins
5,6 g
Saturated fat
53,4 g
Monounsaturated fat
3,5 g
Polyunsaturated fat
1,5 g
Carbohydrates
6,4 g 13,7 g
Selenium
12 mcg
Phosphorus
160 mg
Magnesium
90 mg
Sodium
28 mg
Potassium
660 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
1,26 mg
Vitamin B6
0,09 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
The whole of the coconut is used; the fruit and the outer parts. The pulp is rich in fats and coco oil which can be extracted and used in both the food industry and the cosmetic industry (soap). The leaves are used to make baskets and to cover shelters. The sugar sap is used to make an alcoholic drink called Toddy or palm wine. In the Tropics coconuts are used at weddings. They are scattered on the floor to ward off evil spirits. A coconut given as a gift during a wedding ceremony is still considered to bring good luck. As the fruit has the same shape as a human skull, it was offered to the gods in place of human heads. Folk law says that if you spin a nut for an ill person, if it stops facing towards the East the person will recover, to the West they will die! In Nepal the coconut is a symbol of fertility. The plant was considered a symbol of a god and the fruit was put in a jar with water to invoke the gods’ benevolence. In traditional Indian and Nepali medicine the burnt bark is used as an antiseptic. The flowers of the coconut palm have astringent properties and its juice is used to treat gonorrhoea. The root is used as a drug for liver disorders and diarrhoea. Coconut oil is used extensively in the cosmetics industry to maintain smooth healthy skin.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
• Desavali, • Gangabondam, • Godavari Ganga (Thailand, Philippines)
21
Coconut Delights... Ricotta Cobbler
Ingredients: 1 fine pastry dough rolled out 150 g of grated, dehydrated coconut 1 packet of vanilla yeast 60 g of sugar
150 g of ricotta cheese 2 eggs 50 g of yellow raisins 1 small glass of white rum
Preparation:
Cover 100 g of the grated coconut with the milk and leave it to soften. Roll out the pastry dough and place it in a pie tin measuring 24 cm in diameter, together with the paper in which it came wrapped. Prick holes in the bottom of the dough, cover it with oven paper and cook it in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove the paper without turning off the oven. Break the eggs in a bowl, add the sugar and mix with an electric beater until a smooth cream is produced, adding the ricotta by tablespoons while still beating and then finishing off with the rum. Pour the softened coconut into a sifter, pressing it with the back of a spoon to mix it with the ricotta cream. Add the raisins, stir well and pour the cream onto the dough, cooking the cobbler in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the cobbler from the oven, sprinkle the leftover coconut on the cream and cook for 5 more minutes.
Stuffed Cake
Ingredients: 5 eggs 250 g of sugar 100 g of type 00 flour 50 g of bitter cocoa 150 g of coconut flour 1 packet of vanilla yeast
100 g of extra-virgin olive oil 100 g of milk, salt at quantity desired 1 jar of Nutella fudge spread for filling and decoration
Preparazione:
Sbattere le uova con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina,il cocco, il lievito, il cacao e un pizzico di sale, alternando il latte con l’olio. Cuocere a 160° per circa 40 minuti, lasciar raffreddare e dividere in due dischi, farcire con la Nutella, lasciandone un poco per la copertura. Chiudere , spalmarvi sopra la Nutella lasciata da parte, Spolverare con la farina di cocco.
Recipes
Coco-Choc Cake
Ingredients: 250 g of flour 100 g of melt chocolate 30 g of powdered chocolate 80 g + 2 tablespoons of grated coconut 4 tablespoons of milk 15 cl of olive oil, 3 eggs
100 g of brown sugar 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract 1/2 packet of yeast, salt in the quantity desired 20 g of butter for the mould
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grate the chocolate. Mix the flour and the yeast in a bowl and add a pinch of salt. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and put the whites aside. Whip the sugar and the yolks with an egg beater. Pour in the olive oil, then the salt and mix everything together. Add the vanilla, the milk, the 80 g of grated coconut, the powdered chocolate and the grated chocolate. Place a pinch of salt in the egg whites and whip them before delicately adding them to the mix, but without losing the whipped state, and pouring everything into a cake mould coated with butter. Sprinkle on the 2 tablespoons of coconut and place in the oven. After 10 minutes lower the temperature to 150° and leave to cook for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a grill to cool.
Date
Phoenix dactylifera The date palm, has a straight, rough trunk and can reach 20 metres high.. It produces dark-coloured cylindrical fruits that grow in thick bunches weighing up to 15 kg. Each tree produces up to 270 kg of dates per year. Most of the dates are dried in the sun to increase the concentration of sugars. This makes the dates sweeter, and enables them to be preserved longer so they can be available all year round.
Health benefits Dates contain magnesium and potassium which have calming properties and are therefore recommended in the case of nervous tension. Dates are included in all high carbohydrate diets because of their energy boosting properties. They are useful in cases of mental fatigue and physical weakness; suitable for teenagers, for pregnant and breast feeding women, and for the non-
diabetic elderly to help prevent osteoporosis. They provide very little protein so are well suited in low protein diets.
• Deglet Nour, Allig, Khouat, Kenta, Barhi (Tunisia) • Medjoul, Halawi, Deglet Nour (Israel) • Medjoul, Halawi, Zahidi (California) • Mosafati, Zahidi (Iran)
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED DATES
Energy
270 kcal 1151 kj
Proteins
3,3 g
Saturated fat
0,1 g
Monounsaturated fat
0,1 g --- g
Carbohydrates
68 g 4g
Selenium
--- mcg
Phosphorus
82 mg
Magnesium
73 mg
Sodium
57 mg
Potassium
890 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,24 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
The date palm has been cultivated for 4000 years in the region of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers but it was only in the Middle Ages that the date palm became widespread when the Arabs brought it to the warm southern and eastern regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Later on, thanks to the Spanish conquerors, it reached America. In the Middle East this plant is still revered by local people for its many uses: the fruit feeds nomadic people during their journeys across the desert and are known as “nectar of the desert”; its leaves are used to build huts, baskets, ropes, hats and mats. Fermented sap from the plant is known as “palm nectar”. The date palm is rich in symbolic meanings: for the Egyptians it was a symbol of fertility; for the Greeks it represented a source of luck and prosperity; the ancient Romans used to give a palm branch to the most skilled actors, to charioteers and to gladiators; for the Christians the palm leaves are still a symbol of peace. Legend has it that the Emperor Augustus liked dates very much and that the first date palm grown in Rome originated from a seed thrown from the Emperor’s table.
Interesting facts
Polyunsaturated fat Fibre
Varieties
Hypo-protein Anti-stress High energy
The pollination of the date palm flowers takes place naturally, thanks to the wind and insects; however, to increase productivity, in modern commercial plantations the pollination is done manually with special instruments used to pick the pollen from the male plants and scatter it over the female ones. This method enables a male plant to pollinate more than 50 female plants. Even though the dates’ natural habitat is in Africa and the eastern countries, the biggest producer of dates in the world is now California, where intensive farming economically exploits the high productivity of these plants in warm climates.
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23
Date Delights... Oasis Roast
Ingredients: 1 chicken weighing 1400 Kg 6 dates 120 g of onion 50 cl. of chicken broth 100 g of celery 4 tablespoons of olive oil
250 g of tomato ground parsley to taste 3 cups of boiled rice salt, pepper, pimento to taste spicy paprika to taste
Preparation:
Cut the chicken into pieces and uniformly spread on the salt, the paprika, the pimento and the pepper, having mixed them in advance. Chop the peeled onions, the garlic clove and the celery and brown everything in a pan with olive oil, at a moderate heat, for 5 minutes. Add the pieces of chicken and sauté them over a vigorous flame on each side, until they are golden brown. Scald the tomatoes in boiling water for an instant or two, peel them, remove the seeds and cut the pulp into strips, placing it in the pan with the meat. Remove the pits from the dates, cut the pulp into strips and combine it with the meat. Cook at a moderate heat for 15 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour the broth and continue cooking in the oven (200°) for 20 minutes. Then add the rice and the parsley and cook for another 20-30 minutes, until done.
Sweet Ravioli
Ingredients: 16 dates 20 g of flour 4 tablespoons of sugar 1 egg 20 g of softened butter
1 packet of vanilla flavoured sugar ½ tablespoon of cinnamon a few drops of milk olive oil for frying
Preparation:
Open the dates and remove the pits. Mix the flour with the sugar, add an entire egg, plus the butter in pieces, and then mix in the milk to make a firm, compact dough. Next, roll out the dough in a thin sheet, cutting it into disks measuring 4 cm in diameter and placing a date at the centre of each disk; fold back the dough, making a ravioli in the shape of a half moon, and press along the edges to seal it shut. Heat the olive oil and brown the stuffed raviolis. Sprinkle with the vanilla-flavoured sugar and the cinnamon mixed together. Serve hot.
Desert Chutney
Ingredients: 500 g of dates 30 g of hot green pepper 15 g of green ginger 2 garlic cloves
1 cup of vinegar ½ cup of sugar salt to taste
Recipes
Preparation: Remove the pits from the dates and grind up the pulp, together with the hot pepper, the ginger, the garlic and a bit of vinegar. Prepare a syrup with the leftover vinegar and the sugar, turning the sugar into caramel. Add the ground mix and season with salt. Place on the stove and cook until the sauce becomes dense. Leave it to cool off and serve cold. The sauce can be tasted alone, on crackers and finger sandwiches, or as a part of other dishes.
Fig
Ficus carica The fig tree belongs to the family Moraceae, genus Ficus, species Ficus carica which is divided into two sub-species: Ficus carica sativa (domestic fig) and Ficus carica caprificus (Capri fig or wild fig). It is a drought-resistant plant that grows in the same areas as grape-vines, olive and citrus trees. It does not survive temperatures below 10°C and is damaged by stagnant water and cold, deep soils rich in organic matter.
Mineralising High energy Multivitamin
Health benefits Figs contain iron and calcium and they are a significant source of fibre and have a regulating effect on the intestine. Figs are rich in vitamins and contain vitamin A and vitamin C, iron, potassium and fibre, all this in even greater amount in the dried form. The organoleptic, energetic and nutritional properties found in the fresh fig are notably
increased in the drying of the fig as a result of the concentration process.
Varieties
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED FIGS
Energy
209 kcal 889 kj
Proteins
3,3 g
Saturated fat
--- g
Monounsaturated fat
--- g
Polyunsaturated fat Fibre
--- g 48,6 g 6,9 g
Selenium
--- mcg
Phosphorus
82 mg
Magnesium
73 mg
Sodium
57 mg
Potassium
890 mg
Vitamin A
59 mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,24 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
While escaping from Zeus who was pursuing him, Titan Sykeus (from syke, fig), was saved by his mother Ge (Earth) who changed him into a fig tree. Known in Egypt under the name “teb” and in Palestine by the Jewish name “teenah”, the fig is mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey and by the Greek lyrical poet Archilochus. It was brought to Rome by the Phoenix and the legend says that Romulus and Remus were fed from a she-wolf under a fig tree. The fig is the only tree that does not blossom and legend says its fruits have no odour because Judas hanged himself on a fig tree. There are two opposing legends; one says that sleeping under a fig tree brings good luck; the other says that a witch will appear in a dream with a knife in her hand and ask the sleeper how he wants to be hurt; if he replies that he wants to be cut by the knife’s blade he will die, if he replies that he wants to be hit with the knife’s handle he will receive good luck. As a symbol of knowledge and truth, the fig is a sacred fruit to the Hindus and Buddhists. The fig was one of the first plants to be cultivated by man. Its fruit, when eaten, “gives benefits to blood, thought, speech and friendship”. In India the astringent bark is used to treat toothache. An ancient herbal therapy suggests covering the head with fig leaves every day that the spring moon is waxing to receive clarity of mind and strength of body. In green magic, figs leaves are used to treat infertility; during the period of the waxing moon, infertile couples used to take two figs leaves and place one under the wife’s pillow and the other under the husband’s pillow in the hope that the wife would become pregnant. Under a fig tree it is easy to find treasure. Dreaming of figs means imminent captivity.
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Interesting facts
Carbohydrates
• Dottato, Bianco del Cilento (Italy) • Sanlop, Black Mission, Kadota, Calimyrna (Turkey) • Smyrne (Greece)
25
Fig Delights ... Turkish Fried Cakes
Ingredients: 20 dried figs 60 g of toasted almonds 20 g of pine seeds 25 g of raisins 150 g of flour
1/2 small glass of rum sunflower oil to taste 1 tablespoon of sesame seed oil
Preparation:
Mix the sesame seed oil with a little water in a bowl and gradually dissolve the flour inside; mix until a smooth batter is formed. Soak the raisins in rum for a half hour. Drain off the rum and combine the raisins with the almonds and pine seeds ground up previously. Mix with care, making sure all the ingredients have blended in. Cut the upper portions of the figs and fill them with the mix before dipping them in the batter. Heat a pan holding an abundant quantity of olive oil and, once the oil is boiling, place the figs in the pan long enough for them to turn golden. Move them right away to absorbent paper and serve them hot.
Filet Gratin
Ingredients: 5 beef filet steaks 150 g of finely ground walnuts 400 g of sugar 1 small glass of grappa liqueur
500 g of dark figs cut into four parts each salt and pepper to taste extra-virgin olive oil to sprinkle on the filet steaks
Preparation:
After washing the figs well, place them in a pan, together with 300 g of sugar. Broil the fruit over a moderate flame; once the sugar has melted and begun to “bind�, wet the figs with the grappa liqueur and leave them on the fire until they form a gravy. Burnish both sides of the filet steaks over a high flame, seasoning them with salt and pepper and removing them from the pan while still extra rare. Arrange the steaks in a pan, basting them with the leftover sugar dissolved in water to produce a fairly dense liquid. Coat the steaks with the ground walnut and burnish them for a few minutes in the oven. Remove the steaks from the oven and serve them on plates, together with the cooled gravy taken from the refrigerator.
Sweet Sandwiches
Ingredients: 1 kg of flour 10 g of olive oil and sunflower seed oil 100 g of sugar or honey 1 tablespoon of salt 20 g of beer yeast
a pinch of cinnamon, water at the desired quantity 150 g of dried figs chopped into pieces 150 g of shelled walnuts chopped into pieces
Recipes
Preparation: Combine all the ingredients and mix the dough well. When done, it should be soft and stretchable. Roll it into balls of 100 g each. Let the balls rise in a pan whose bottom has been coated with flour. Once they have risen, cook in the oven for 20 minutes at an average temperature.
Macadamia
Macadamia integrifolia, Macadamia tetraphylla These are the fruit of a tropical tree and are called Macadamia Nut or Nut of Queensland. The tree reaches a height of between 6 - 40 metres and produces white-pink hermaphroditic flowers. Just two species produce fruits that are commercially relevant: Macadamia “integrifolia”, cultivated in tropical countries like Hawaii. Macadamia “tetraphilla”, grown in subtropical and temperate countries like South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The macadamia nut is composed of a kernel encased within a dark and strong shell. The flavour is similar to coconut.
Health benefits Macadamias contain up to 88% monounsaturated fats that help reduce the level of cholesterol. Rich in oleic acid, their fat composition is similar to that of olive oil. Macadamias contain protein, fibre, folic acid, calcium and potassium.
Varieties
Nutritional Values for 100g -
MACADAMIA NUTS
Energy
718 kcal 3004 kj
Proteins
7,9 g
Saturated fat
12,1 g
Monounsaturated fat
58,8 g
Polyunsaturated fat
1,5 g
Carbohydrates
5,2 g
Fibre
Rich in fibre Low cholesterol High energy
• Dorado, Keaau, Keauhou, Waimanalo (Hawaii, South Africa, Central Africa) • Beaumont, Elimback (Australia)
8,6 g 3,6 mcg
Phosphorus
188 mg
Magnesium
130 mg
Sodium
5,0 mg
Potassium
368 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
0,5 mg
Vitamin B6
0,3 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Macadamia nuts are native to Australia, discovered by Allan Cunningham in 1828. Cultivation started in 1890.The macadamia was introduced into Hawaii at the beginning of 20th century, further developing the existing species and its commercial availability. In Australia, commercial production for international trade began in 1960, primarily in New South Wales and Queensland. Nowadays, USA (Hawaii) and Australia are the major growers. But these nuts are also grown in Africa (Kenya, Malawi and South Africa), Costa Rica and Guatemala.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
27
Macadamia Delights... Australian Brittle
Ingredients: 600 g of macadamia nuts 300 g of sugar 100 g of water
Preparation: Place the macadamia nuts and the sugar in a bowl made of copper and steel, followed by the water. Place the bowl on an electric stove and begin stirring with a ladle made of heat-resistant plastic. First the water will evaporate, and then the sugar will crystallise, completely covering the nuts. After roughly ten minutes the sugar will turn a blondish yellow colour, the outward sign of the transformation into caramel. This is the moment when the utmost care must be taken, swiftly stirring the crunchy mix to keep the portion in contact with the bottom of the pan from burning. Once it is ready, lay the macadamia brittle on a steel pan and leave it to cool off.
Cream Cake
Ingredients: 1 cup of dry ground-up cookies 1/4 cup of ground macadamia nuts 100 g of butter, 4 eggs 3 tablespoons of sugar
600 g of Philadelphia cheese 3/4 cup of sugar 3 tablespoons of potato starch 2 cups of mango pulp
Preparation:
Prepare the base of the pie by bringing together all the ingredients and placing them in a pie tin lightly coated with butter and then left to sit in the refrigerator. Whip the cheese separately, until it becomes creamy. Add the sugar and the eggs, the potato starch and the mango pulp. Remove the pie tin from the refrigerator and add the cream. Cook in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 100 degrees and leave the pie inside the oven for an hour. Turn off the oven and let the pie cool for 10 minutes with the oven door open. Keep in the refrigerator for at least a day. Serve the pie together with 3-4 slices of mango.
Exotic Broccoli
Ingredients: 800 g of broccoli 200 ml of vegetable broth 50 ml of sweet rice alcohol 7 tablespoons of soy sauce
50 g of macadamia nuts 50 g of peanuts 4 tablespoons of brown sugar
Recipes
Preparation:
Clean the broccoli and cut them into pieces. Heat the broth, the rice alcohol and 4 tablespoons of soy sauce in a Wok. Pour the broccoli in and cook them for 8-10 minutes. Grind the macadamia nuts and the peanuts into fairly large pieces and caramel coat them with sugar in a pan. Serve the broccoli sprinkled with the caramel coated nuts and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce.
Almond
Amygdalus communis L. The almond is grown in the Mediterranean area and the United States. In Italy it is more common in the southern regions. The three species are: bitter; sweet with a hard shell, and sweet with a soft shell. The tree is relatively small with a height of around 6 to 8 metres The trunk and branches have brown or grey bark. The flower and stem buds are pointed at first, then become more rounded and are set onto many branches in small bunches.. The trees are deciduous and have tapered leaves with a serrated edge and long veins. Flowering is always uncertain, and how well the tree flowers depends on a number of factors including the variety of the tree and the weather. The fruit is oval with a green, hairy, fleshy external covering. The shell is woody and it is the seed (the almond) which is the edible part. In acid soil the cultivated almond tree forms an elaborate root architecture which reaches notable depth and expansion.
Health Benefits Almonds are an excellent source of good “fats”; a recent study has shown that their regular consumption reduces levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. They contain magnesium and vitamin E and, at 12%, they have the highest fibre content of all nuts. Like all foods that contain fat, their consumption must be carefully controlled. They are rich in
unsaturated fats, vitamin A, B, and E, proteins, glycosides, minerals, starch, potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium. The sweet almond is the one most frequently used in recipes. They are widely used in desserts such as the famous sugar-coated almonds; nougat; a large variety of almond paste desserts; and in drinks such as amaretto and orzata. Energy-giving,
Nutritional Values for 100g -
ALMONDS
Energy
612 kcal 2536 kj
Proteins
21,1 g
Saturated fat
4,4 g
Monounsaturated fat
38,2 g
Polyunsaturated fat
10,5 g
Carbohydrates
6,9 g 7,49 g
Selenium
2 mcg
Phosphorus
550 mg
Magnesium
270 mg
Sodium
14 mg
Potassium
780 mg
Vitamin A
--- mg
Vitamin E
24 mg
Vitamin B6
0,2 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Low cholesterol Varieties Multivitamin Rich in fibre • Avola • Fellamasa • Tuono • Carmel • Non Pareil • Marconas • Larguetas • Ferragnes
The pharmacological and food usage of the plant goes back to ancient Rome, where the fruit was mentioned in Plinios operas of the first century B.C. The ancient Greek narrated that the princess Fillide met Acamante, Teseo’s son, and then left his kingdom for a journey to Troy. The two young people had fallen in love but Acamante was forced to continue his trip to Troy. The princess waited and after ten years of war he did not return and she died from worry and waiting. The goddess Athene was moved by this story and decided to turn Fillide into a splendid almond tree. In reality Acamante was not dead and when he knew what had happened he embraced the tree and flowers came out instead of leaves. This embrace continues every year when the flowers of the almond tree announce Spring.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
laxative and cleansing properties are attributed to almonds: some of the oldest remedies are almond milk prescribed for revitalizing the intestine and the bladder, and for cough relief. In certain natural medicines almonds are considered to be an antidepressant. Combined with acid fruits like orange juice, they make a cocktail for boosting the immune system.
29
Almond Delights... Almond Kisses
Ingredients: 150 g of peeled almonds 100 g of glazing sugar 2 tablespoons of bitter cocoa powder
1-2 tablespoons of rum or orange liqueur (as desired) melt chocolate for the coating
Preparation:
Grind up the almonds in a blender, together with the glazing sugar. Add the cocoa and the liqueur until the resulting mix is fairly compact. Roll balls from the mix and dip them in the melt chocolate. Roll the kisses on a sheet of oven paper sprinkled with glazing sugar and bitter cocoa powder. Once they have hardened, place them in little cups of tin.
Crispy Filet
Ingredients: 800 g of filet of pork 2 glasses of milk 50 g of shelled almonds 1 small onion
30 g of butter 1 glass of dry white wine salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Wrap the meat around slices of almond, tying it well. Season with salt and pepper and burnish all around with butter. Wet the meat with the wine, allowing the liquid to evaporate, then add the onion cut into slices. Mix well for a few seconds and pour on the milk. Cook in a covered pan over a moderate flame, turning the meat over frequently to keep it from sticking. When the meat is tender, drain off the liquid, slice it, pass the gravy through a sieve and use it for seasoning.
Lima Bean and Almond Pound Cake
Ingredients: 150 g of lime beans, boiled and peeled 120 g of peeled almonds 120 g of butter, 120 g of flour 120 g of glazing sugar
25 g of corn flour 3 eggs, salt to taste 1 packet of yeast powder butter and flour for the mould
Recipes
Preparation:
Put the almonds and the corn flour in a blender. Grind the almonds into powder and add the glazing sugar and the lima beans. After including the softened butter, knead the dough at length, combining it with the eggs, the flour, 1/3 a packet of powdered yeast and a pinch of salt. Place the dough in a round pound cake mould (18 cm in diameter) coated with butter and flour. Place in the oven at 190째C for approximately 40 minutes. Remove the pound cake from the oven and leave it to cool. Serve it with glazing sugar.
Apple Malus pumila
The apple is a pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. The tree is small and deciduous, reaching 3 to 12 metres tall, with a broad, often densely twiggy crown. The tree originated from Central Asia, where its wild ancestor is still found today and there are more than 7,500 varieties. An apple is a pome fruit (false fruit).
Health benefits The apple can be defined as a versatile drug. It contains minerals and micronutrients (potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, iodine, zinc, manganese and selenium). Among the organic acids found in apples maleic acid plays an essential role in transforming components into energy. Tannic acid has an astringent action; galaturonic acid helps to balance the bacterial
flora. It’s a resource of vitamins such as A, C and those of group B. The presence of flavinoids reinforces the walls of blood vessels. Rich in pectin, a soluble fibre that limits the absorption of sugar into the blood stream, it also reduces cholesterol and promotes good digestion. Diuretic and blood purgative, the apple disinfects the intestine and helps eliminate certain carcinogenic substances.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
Varieties
DRIED APPLES
Energy
243 kcal 1017 kj
Proteins
0,9 g
Saturated fat
0,1 g
Monounsaturated fat
--- g 0,1 g
Carbohydrates
57,2 g
Selenium
8,7 g 1,3 mcg
Phosphorus
38 mg
Magnesium
16 mg
Sodium
87 mg
Potassium
450 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
0,5 mg
Vitamin B6
0,1 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
The most suitable for drying are: • Morgenduft , Husk Sweet (of Italian origin) The apple is the seduction queen. Its reputation has been passed on not only from the biblical tradition but from mythology as well, particularly between Greeks. The Greek goddess of discord, Eris, became disgruntled after she was excluded from the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. In retaliation, she tossed a golden apple inscribed Kalliste, sometimes translated Kallisti, ‘For the most beautiful one’, into the wedding party. Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Paris of Troy was appointed to select the recipient. After being bribed by both Hera and Athena, Aphrodite tempted him with the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. He awarded the apple to Aphrodite, thus indirectly causing the Trojan War.
Interesting facts
Polyunsaturated fat Fibre
Multivitamin Anti-oxidant Diuretic
Gods of ancient Egypt received baskets full of apples as a gift. Even for the Irochesi, North American Indians considered very powerful at that time, the apple tree was considered the centre of the sky. An apple that fell on Isaac Newton’s head inspired him to formulate his theory of gravity.
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31
Apple Delights... Covered Cobbler
Ingredients: For the crust: 200 g of flour 120 g of butter 80 g of sugar 1 entire egg
For the filling: 3 tablespoons of apricot marmalade 300 g of dried apple slices
Preparation:
Roll 2/3 of the dough for the crust on a working surface dusted with flour and cover the cobbler mould with the dough. Use the back of a spoon to spread the marmalade on the bottom of the mould. Distribute the apple slices in the marmalade. Roll the leftover dough and cover the apples. Press firmly along the edges to join the two layers of dough and cut off any excess portion. Cut some slits in the dough covering with a knife so that some of the steam can escape during the cooking. Bake in an oven preheated to 170째/180째 for roughly 50 minutes.
Foie Gras with reinette apples
Ingredients: 4 slices of goose foie gras (80 g) 500 g of apple slices 40 g of butter flour, salt and pepper to taste
4 cl of apple liqueur 12 cl of chicken broth 1/2 lemon 4 truffle slices (optional)
Preparation:
Melt the butter in a pan. Add the apple slices and leave them to burnish over a low flame for 15 minutes. Coat the slices of foie gras with flour and season them with salt and pepper. Brown them a minute on each side in the pan. Lay out the apples on four plates and place the slices of foie gras in their midst. Keep warm. De-ice the liqueur, add the broth and boil it for nine minutes. Pour the sauce on the foie gras, sprinkle on a bit of lemon, garnish with the truffle slices and serve hot.
Classic Strudel
Ingredients: 1 kg of RENETTE (CHECK) apples 150 g of type 00 flour 50 g of butter, 1 egg, 1 yolk 2 tablespoons of grated bread
40 g of pine seeds, glazing sugar 50 g of caster sugar 50 g of raisins cinnamon 1 tablespoon of peach marmalade
Recipes
Preparation:
Put the raisins in a bowl and soak them in lukewarm water for 10 minutes. Drain them, squeeze them and put them aside. Pour the flour, the egg and the butter in a bowl and mix. Place the mix on a working surface and knead until an extremely elastic dough is formed. Roll the dough into a ball and leave it to sit in a hot place, in a covered container, for 30 minutes. Peel the apples, cut them into pieces and put them in a bowl, together with the sugar, the cinnamon, the grated bread, the pine seeds and the tablespoon of marmalade. Mix everything together. Roll the dough with a rolling pin, place the mix on top of it and seal the edges of the dough. Brush the egg yolk on the dough. Cover a pan with oven paper, place the strudel on top and cook for 25 minutes in an oven heated to 180째. When done, sprinkle on the glazing sugar.
Cranberry Vaccinium myrtillus L.
The cranberry is a prolific plant from the northern hemisphere, belongs to the Ericaceae family which includes 130 different species. It originated from northern Europe and was distributed to other parts of the world with similar land and climate characteristics (Canada, U.S.A.) The Cranberry bush is between 20 and 40cm high with angular branches, flowering in May with white and pink flowers that produce the fruit in singles or bunches. These are then harvested between July – August. The Red Cranberries have an acid and bitter taste that overwhelms its sweetness.
Health benefits Cranberries contain many organic acids (malic, citric etc…) these are considered good for the digestive system. The berries also contain many sugars, tannins, pectins, antioxidants and vitamins E and C plus amounts of vitamin B. The powerful tannins in the Cranberry are
called proanthocyanidins or PACs. These are nature’s natural agents that can help maintain health, as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, by acting on certain harmful bacteria in the body.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED CRANBERRIES
Energy
308 kcal 1289 kj
Proteins
0,07 g
Saturated fat
0,10 g
Monounsaturated fat
0,19 g
Polyunsaturated fat
0,66 g
Carbohydrates
82,36 g
Fibre Selenium
5,7 g 0,50 mcg 8 mg
Magnesium
5 mg
Sodium
3 mg
Potassium
40 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
1,07 mg
Vitamin B6
0,04 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Digestive Anti-oxidant Disinfectant Varieties • Vaccinium myrtillus (black cranberry) • Vaccinium vitis idaea (red cranberry) • Vaccinium corymbosum (giant cranberry used in food processing)
The Cranberry was used by Discoride a Greek Doctor (chief physician to the Roman Army in the 2nd century) as a cure for dysentery. The Romans use to dye slaves clothes with the berry juice of the Cranberry to make them more noticeable. Roman noblewomen used to bath in a concoction of berry leaves and water to promote skin softness. According to the Nordic Scandinavian tradition, the cranberry was considered a good luck charm.
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Interesting facts
Phosphorus
33
Cranberry Delights... Happy Rice
Ingredients: 320 g of rice 240 g of dried raspberries 40 g of butter 1 glass of liquid cream
1 glass of white wine 1 small onion meat broth in the quantity desired parmesan cheese to taste
Preparation:
Cut the onion into small pieces and burnish it in a casserole dish, together with the butter. Combine the rice and cook until toasted. Wet with the wine and add 90 g of the dried raspberries, diluting with the broth and bringing to a boil. Coat the rice with the cream and, after mixing well, serve. Garnish the rice by spreading the leftover raspberries on top and serve the dish together with grated Parmesan cheese.
Roast in Sauce
Ingredients: 1 de-boned pork thigh 2 lemons 2 tablespoons of honey 2 tablespoons of red raspberries 4 garlic cloves
green pepper grains sage, laurel, rosemary salt and pepper extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Rub the garlic on the pork. Add the salt and pepper, flavouring with aromatic herbs. Place the pork inside a pan, add the olive oil and burnish the meat. Squeeze the lemons and dissolve the honey in the juice. Cover the pan and brown the meat some more. From time to time check to see how it is cooking, until it is done. Place the meat on a plate and cut it. Filter the gravy, put it back on the stove to heat it up and, just before turning off the burner, add the raspberries. Pour on this sauce and enjoy.
Dessert Borealis
Recipes
Ingredients: 400 g of raspberries 2 tablespoons of sugar 400 ml of milk 1 tablespoon of flour 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla flavoured sugar
Preparation:
Pour the raspberries into a pan and sprinkle them with a tablespoon of sugar. Dilute the flour in a bit of cold milk. Add the leftover sugar and the milk, mix well with a wooden spoon and pour into a bowl. Slowing bring to a boil, mixing continuously and in the same direction. Let the sauce boil for a few seconds and, once it is fairly thick, add the vanillaflavoured sugar. Leave it to cool, putting it in the refrigerator for an hour. Serve the raspberries and cream separately.
Hazelnut Corylus avellana
The hazelnut originates from the Asiatic region (Mesopotamia) and is no more than 5/6 metres tall with a maximum diameter of 4 metres. Then tree has a bush-like appearance with a thin and slender stem and brown/grey bark.
Anti-oxidant Low cholesterol Cardio-tonic
Health benefits Hazelnuts are the nuts that contain the most vitamin E. They are an excellent source of phytosterols, substances believed to be important in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This was confirmed in a recent study that demonstrated that regular consumption
of hazelnuts can reduce LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They contain vitamin B1, B2 and provitamin A.
Varieties
Nutritional Values for 100g -
HAZELNUTS
Energy
650 kcal 2685 kj
Proteins
14,1 g
Saturated fat
4,7 g
Monounsaturated fat
50 g
Polyunsaturated fat
5,9 g
Carbohydrates
6g 6,5 g
Selenium
2 mcg
Phosphorus
300 mg
Magnesium
160 mg
Sodium Potassium
6 mg 730 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
24,9 mg
Vitamin B6
0,6 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
The hazelnut tree is mentioned in several legends and ancient stories since the Roman age when the leaf was used as the last rights. According to Christian legend, lightning cannot strike the hazelnut tree thanks to the Madonna grace who found shelter during a storm. During the Roman age a hazelnut tree was given as a present to wish happiness.In Germany and France it was considered a symbol of fertility and given to young brides. You can produce carbon (to draw with) from the trees wood and this powder mixed with sulphur makes fireworks.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
• Mortarella • Tonda di Giffoni • Tonda Napoli • Tonda Gentile Romana • Tonda Gentile delle Langhe • Lunga S. Giovanni • Tonda Sicilia (Italy) • Karafindik, Mincane, Tombul, Palaz, Fosa (Turkey) • Barcelona, Ennis (Oregon – USA) • Negreta, Tarragona (Spain) • Fertil de Coutard (France)
35
Hazelnut Delights... Piedmont Custard
Ingredients: 150 g of water 40 g of caster sugar 2 egg yolks 2 vanilla buds
120 g of Piedmont hazel nuts 1 lt of cream for whipping 90 g of acacia honey
Preparation: Prepare the syrup with the water, the vanilla, the honey and the sugar, cooking it until dense and then pouring it on the egg yolks. Continue beating the syrup after taking it off the stove, until it cools, and then add the hazel nuts, already ground up, together with a bit of custard base. Include the cream as the last ingredient, fill the moulds and refrigerate. Empty the moulds on plates and garnish with chocolate sticks arranged in a spoke pattern. Decorate with a sprig of currant, a blackberry and a slice of caramel coated lemon on which a few hazel nuts have been arrayed. Sprinkle on pistachio grains and, as a finishing touch, place a decoration in blown sugar atop the sweet.
Farm Tagliolini
Ingredients: 300 g of flour, 6 eggs 100 g of hazel nuts, shelled and skinned 3 tablespoons of white wine 500 g of Finferli mushrooms 30 g of smoked bacon
rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley 2 shallots, salt and pepper to taste extra-virgin olive oil 10 ground and toasted hazel nuts
Preparation:
Toast the hazel nuts in a non-stick pan for 2 minutes, then powder them in a blender. Sift the flour, arrange it in a mound and place the egg yolks, the wine, the salt and the hazel nut powder in the centre. Mix the ingredients well, forming a dough. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in aluminium foil and place it in the refrigerator for half an hour. Meanwhile clean the mushrooms and chop them into large pieces, together with the bacon. Clean the leeks and grind them up, along with the aromatic herbs. Flavour them with the olive oil for two minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook in a covered pan, with salt and pepper, for two minutes. Take off the cover and continue cooking for five more minutes. Take the dough and roll it out by hand, or with a pasta machine, and cut the tagliolini. Boil the pasta, taking it out of the water while still firm, and season with the mushroom sauce. Serve with the hazel nuts as decoration.
Dressed Seabream
Ingredients: 150 g of filet of pike per person 150 g of finely grated hazel nuts 100 g of grated bread 1 glass of dry white wine
extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste thyme, marjoram to taste
Recipes
Preparation:
Take the filet of pike, cover them in a coating made by mixing the grated bread and the hazel nuts and lay them out in a pan, together with a few drops of olive oil. Add salt and pepper, plus thyme and marjoram to taste. Sprinkle on the place in the oven for approximately 10 minutes, at 180째, and serve with a side dish of vegetables.
Walnut Juglans regia L.
Walnut trees belong to the Juglans regia L. family. These trees can live up to 100 years old and 30 metres tall. They have a huge, straight trunk with ash-coloured bark. Walnut trees prefer to grown on hilly ground and do not like a dry climate. Walnut trees are grown throughout the world. The main growing countries are: United States of America (California), Italy (Campania) Chile and France.
Health benefits Walnuts contain good cholesterol, useful in fighting free radicals. The fatty acids that compose them are efficient in reducing cholesterol levels. Walnuts are considered an important antioxidant thanks to their vitamin E content. They help to prevent aging, some types of cancer and cardiovascular disorders. They supply a considerable amount of
vitamin B1 and B6 that help muscles and the brain work better and also minerals such as copper, zinc, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
Varieties
Nutritional Values for 100g -
WALNUTS
Energy
688 kcal 2837 kj 14,7 g
Saturated fat
5,6 g
Monounsaturated fat
12,4 g
Polyunsaturated fat
47,5 g
Carbohydrates
3,3 g
Fibre
3,5 g
Selenium
3 mcg
Phosphorus
380 mg
Magnesium
160 mg 7 mg
Potassium
450 mg
Vitamin A
000 mcg
Vitamin E
3,83 mg
Vitamin B6
0,67 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
• Noce di Sorrento, Malizia (Italy) • Hartley, Chandler, Howard, Serr e California Type (California) • Noix de Grenoble, Noix du Perigord, Lara (France) • Chandler, Franquette, Serr, California type (Chile)
The walnut is a fruit with a very long history and tradition. The walnut tree has been cultivated by the oldest European and Eastern civilisations. The first growing area is thought to be between Carpazi and India. The walnut has been mentioned by Greeks and Romans who later referred to it as Juglans . Greeks and Romans both found this fruit a symbol of fertility and it was given out during wedding ceremonies. The same mythology says that the Walnut was known even by the gods and it is said that Jupiter used it during Mount Olympus banquets. These nuts were considered a symbol of luck. Due to this the Romans threw these nuts at the bridegrooms. In Sicily this tradition still carries on today in a city called Modica. It is not suggested to sleep under a nut tree because it is possible to wake up with a headache! If the walnut tree roots enter a stall where livestock live, the animals will die because the roots contain a toxic substance.
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Interesting facts
Proteins
Sodium
Anti-inflaming Anti-oxidant Cardio-tonic
37
Walnut Delights... Italian-Belgian Salad
Ingredients: 60 g of mozzarella cheese 1 pear 2 heads of Belgian lettuce 10 walnut kernels extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Clean and cut the lettuce. Cut the pear and the mozzarella cheese into chunks. Chop up the walnut kernels and collect all these ingredients in a bowl. Flavour with a pinch of salt and a rivulet of extra-virgin olive oil.
Walnut Pesto
Ingredients: 180 g of tagliatelle noodles 30 g of Pecorino Romano cheese 60 g of shelled walnuts 1 garlic clove
1 sprig of marjoram salt to taste extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Toast the walnuts. Grind them in a blender, adding the garlic. Next add the marjoram leaves and the Pecorino Romano cheese. Dilute the entire mix with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Blend it all and set it to rest. Cook the pasta. Heat up the walnut pesto. Dilute it with the waster used to cook the pasta. Drain the water from the tagliatelle, season them with the pesto and serve.
Glazed SoufflĂŠ
Ingredients: 5 eggs, 3/4 cup of sugar 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons of rum
2 cups of cream flakes of melt chocolate chopped almonds (optional)
Recipes
Preparation:
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl, together with the sugar, until the resulting mix is light and smooth. Add the walnuts and the rum. Stir and pour the cream, using a wooden spoon. Whip the egg whites, delicately adding them to the mix. Coat 6 moulds with butter and pour the mix inside. Leave in the freezer for 2 hours. Sprinkle with the chocolate and the almonds before serving.
Brazil Nuts Berthollettia excelsa
Brazil nuts “castaňa de Amazzonia” are the seed of “castanheira” a huge evergreen tree that is grown in spontaneous conditions in the Amazonian Rain Forest (Guyana and Venezuela). Some trees are higher than 60 metres and 40 metres in diameter, giving 500 kg of fruit each harvest. The fruit is similar to coconuts but thicker and stronger and made of a woody shell that could contain 16 to 24 seeds. During the maturing stage the fruit could weigh between 2 - 3 kilograms and has two transformations. The external part becomes stronger, woody and brown while the inner part is covered by a woody protection that becomes the shell of each single nut. The fruit is now divided into many segments of triangular shape similar to the orange.
Health benefits The Brazil nut is one of the most complete plant foods. It is a product of high nutritional value that can be included in the daily diet, because it contains a protein “excelsina” also called “plant meat”. It’s also rich in selenium which
in addition to being the vital regulator of the cellular DNA repair process is involved in numerous processes among which: metabolism of sugar, fats, protein, carbohydrates, and the production of sex hormones. It improves the function of
Nutritional Values for 100g -
BRAZIL NUTS
Energy
682 kcal 2813 kj
Proteins
14,1 g
Saturated fat
16,4 g
Monounsaturated fat
25,8 g
Polyunsaturated fat
23 g
Carbohydrates
3,1 g
Fibre
4,3 g 254 mcg
Phosphorus
590 mg
Magnesium
410 mg
Sodium Potassium
3 mg 660 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
7,18 mg
Vitamin B6
0,31 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Nutrient Anti-oxidant Rich in protein Natives of the Amazon Forest are the only ones capable to harvest the Brazil nut crop. This is because they are the only ones able to go into the forest and come out unhurt. The Caboclo inhabitants of the Amazon Forest open the pods manually with the help of a Macete, this then divides the Brazil nut seeds or ‘Parà Nuts’ from the woody shell. The wood from the pods can be burnt or as organic compost. In Brazilian tradition they say that Brazil nuts are a symbol of fertility and also of forest power. From the fruit it is also possible to obtain a juice that you can normally drink after fermentation. The plant is also utilised in other fields e.g. it is possible to draw an indelible ink from the shells, you can draw gum and a lactiferous liquid that is used as a base for paint.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
the thyroid, of the brain, of the nervous system, and helps in reducing sprains.
39
Brazil Nut Delights... Brazilian Shish kabob
Ingredients: 1 Kg of pork round 6 Brazil nuts 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds 2 garlic cloves, 1 onion 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
4 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of pepper 1 pinch of hot pepper 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
The pork round must be lean and de-boned, the Brazil nuts shelled. Cut the meat into chunks and grind up the Brazil nuts. Dice the garlic and slice the onion. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, except for the olive oil. Add the pieces of meat, mix well and leave them to marinate for at least two hours, turning them over every now and then. Turn on the oven grill and place the meat on shish kabob sticks. Coat the oven grill with olive oil and place the shish kabob sticks inside. Grill the meat for fifteen minutes, turning it over frequently. When the meat is done, bring the grill closer to the heat source. When the shish kabob are well roasted, serve them together with a salad of lettuce and avocado seasoned with lemon.
Bahia Chicken
Ingredients: 200 g of chicken breasts 100 g of packaged bamboo 70 g of Brazil nuts 1 teaspoon of ground onion 1 tablespoon of saké
2 tablespoons of chicken broth 1 tablespoon of potato starch 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 slice of ginger peanut seed oil
Preparation:
Cut the chicken and the bamboo into chunks. Sauté the Brazil nuts in oil that is not too boiling, until they turn golden brown. Heat up the oil in a pan (a Chinese wok would be ideal), placing the onion and the ginger inside, along with the chicken and the bamboo, and sauté for a few minutes over a lively flame. Next add the potato starch dissolved in the chicken broth and the soy sauce, cook for another couple of minutes and put in the Brazil nuts and the saké. Mix everything together and serve hot.
Copacabana Cake
Ingredients: 250 g of butter 300 g of brown sugar 400 g of flour 200 g of chopped Brazil nuts
2 glasses of milk 6 eggs, 100 g of cocoa 1 packet of yeast 1 tablespoon of apple vinegar
Recipes
Preparation:
Boil the milk, let it cool to lukewarm and then pour in the vinegar. Add the butter and the sugar, until the mix is creamy, and then include the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring vigorously. Slowly mix in the flour, having sifted it with the cocoa and the yeast, and add the milk as well. Now include the egg whites, already whipped, and the ground Brazil nuts in the mix, pouring it into a pan coated with butter and cooking for 45 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°.
Pecan Nuts Carya illinoensis
The Pecan Tree belongs to the Juglandaceae family. It originates from the eastern part of the USA. The tree is grown in all northern parts of the American continent, Brazil, Australia, Israel and South Africa. The fruit shape is found in variable forms but normally egg-shaped. The appearance is smooth and has a dark brown colour. The fruit is covered in a light red skin and is found inside the shell and it has a similar taste to Walnuts.
Health benefits The pecan nut kernel contains between 65% - 70% oil; of which 73% are composed of monounsaturated fatty acids and 17% polyunsaturated linoleic fatty acid. The oleic acids are the same found in olive oil. The pecan nut is an
exceptional source of monounsaturated fatty acid and antioxidants which benefit the heart.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
PECAN NUTS
Energy
689 kcal 2843 kj
Cardio-tonic Anti-oxidant High energy
Proteins
9,2 g
Saturated fat
5,7 g
Monounsaturated fat
42,5 g
Polyunsaturated fat
18,7 g
Varieties
Carbohydrates
5,8 g
The principal varieties are:
Fibre
4,7 g 12 mcg
Phosphorus
310 mg
Magnesium
130 mg
Sodium Potassium
1 mg 520 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
4,34 mg
Vitamin B6
0,19 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
• Stuart, Desiderable, Burton, Wickita (USA) • Ukalinga, Desiree, Burton (South Africa) • Kiowa, Wikita, Shoshoni (Italy) Pecan Nuts are used for confectionary, ice-cream and for the famous Pecanpie from the Southern parts of the United States. In 1906 the Texas Governor, James Stephen Hogg, elected the Pecan Tree a symbol of the Texas State. Pecan wood is very strong and before the invention of plastics was the main material used to make skis. It is possible to extract edible oil from the Pecan seed that is then used in the medical field.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
41
Pecan Delights... American Rice
Ingredients: 320 g of white rice 40 g of shelled pecans 2 white turnips a celery stalk half an onion
grated Parmesan cheese as needed approximately 1 litre of broth brandy, butter as needed
Preparation:
Trim and wash the celery (putting the more tender leaves aside) and the radishes and dice them. Dissolve a knob of butter in a casserole dish, add the celery, the radishes and the chopped onion and brown the mix. Next include the rice, toasting it and pouring on a small glass of brandy; let the brandy evaporate and pour on a ladle of boiling broth. Once the broth has soaked in, add more until the rice is done. Halfway through the cooking, add the chopped pecan nuts. When the rice kernels are still firm, add another knob of butter, the Parmesan cheese and the chopped celery leaves, stir, cover the dish and leave to stew.
Texas Pizza
Ingredients: 3 chicken thighs, 2 diced onions 200 g of pizza dough 1 carrot diced in large pieces 6 grains of black pepper 1 sprig of thyme, 1 laurel leaf
75 g of shelled pecan nuts 1 ground garlic clove a pinch of pepper, paprika and salt 1/2 a sweet red pepper cut in rings
Preparation:
Place the chicken thighs in a casserole dish and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, than lower the flame and stew for approximately 15-20 minutes before leaving to cool. Heat the oven to 220째. Coat an oven pan with olive oil, roll out the pizza dough and leave it to rise for awhile. Filter the chicken broth in a bowl and put it aside. Cut the chicken into pieces, removing the skin. Blend the nuts into small pieces, adding the onion, the garlic, the pepper, the paprika and the salt. Add 15 cl of broth as well and blend until the resulting sauce is smooth. Spread the sauce on the pizza and cook for roughly 10-15 minutes. Spread the pieces of chicken on the pizza and lay a pepper ring on top, placing the pizza back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
U.S.A. Brownies
Recipes
Ingredients: 180 g of shelled pecans 250 g of melt chocolate for topping 150 g of chocolate at 70% cocoa 200 g of butter
3 eggs, salt 200 g of sugar , 75 g of flour 1 level teaspoon of yeast
Preparation:
Break the chocolate for the topping into pieces, put it in a bowl with the butter and, after setting aside half a tablespoon for later, place the bowl in a bath of water at a low boil, let the chocolate melt completely, mix it and leave it to cool off. Stir the eggs and the sugar with an electric beater until they are foamy, pour in a rivulet of chocolate and continue mixing, combining the sifted flour with the yeast and a pinch of salt, along with 120 grams of the pecans ground into large pieces, plus the chocolate fragments, and mix all the ingredients together. Line a 30 x 20 cm baking pan with vegetable paper, coat the paper with the butter set aside earlier, pour in the mix, level it with a spatula and decorate the surface with the nut kernels. Cook the batter in an oven preheated to 180째C for 40 minutes, until the hot, slightly moist brownie mix is firm enough to hold a toothpick. Leave the brownies to cool off completely, cut them into individual squares and serve.
The pear Pyrus Communis
The pear plant, belonging to the family of Rosaceae, grows abundantly in the forests of Europe and has been cultivated since the Stone Ages in many varieties. Pear trees are predominantly found in a temperate climate and can be damaged by excessive winter cold as well as hot conditions. The tree has very deep roots, growing to as much as twenty metres high, with egg-shaped leaves and flowers gathered into groups that develop from fruit-bearing buds located at the end of the branches. Pears grow in many different shapes, sizes, colours and tastes depending on variety, of which there are more than 5000 around the world. The ancestor of the modern pear comes from the southern regions of Europe and from those of western Asia.
Health benefits Pears possess few calories and are rich in insoluble fibre. They contain a small amount of potassium. They have a relatively high satiety index and are recommended as a snack or at the end of a light meal. The pear is appreciated for its vitamin A and C content as
well as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium content. In pharmacology it is said that the pear helps maintain a healthy thyroid thanks to its iodine content.
Multivitamin Thirst-quenching Rich in fibre
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED PEARS
Energy
262 kcal 1096 kj
Proteins
1,87 g
Saturated fat
0,03 g
Monounsaturated fat
0,13 g
Polyunsaturated fat
0,15 g
Carbohydrates
69,7 g
Fibre Selenium
7,15 g 0,2 mcg 59 mg
Magnesium
33 mg
Sodium
6 mg
Potassium
533 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
0,1 mg
Vitamin B6
0,1 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
The principal varieties are: • Williams (South Africa, Argentina) • Abate Fetel, Conference, Decana del Comizio, Kaiser, Max Red Barlett, William (Italy) Pears were probably introduced into the Latin area via the Danube. Cato, orator, writer and consul of Rome, mentions the pear two centuries before Christ, quoting a few known varieties, while Plinio, Roman historian and scientist, at the beginning of the Vulgar era, lists no less than 200 different varieties. The cultivation of the pear in Europe is an ancient practice; in 1475 it represented the most widespread and valued culture although it was practiced only by nobles and churchmen. In the gardens of monasteries different varieties of pears were cultivated and crossed to obtain tastier fruits. Production was, however, prior to the development of new transport technologies often restricted to local markets due to difficulties of storage and delivery of the fruit.
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Interesting facts
Phosphorus
Varieties
43
Pear Delights... Delicate Cream
Ingredients: 400 g of spinach 4 dried pears 2 tablespoons of tenderised raisins 4 carnation cloves toasted pine seeds
some grains of black pepper as much red wine as desired chips of Parmesan cheese salt to taste
Preparation:
Cook the dried pears for a few minutes in the red wine, together with 4 carnation cloves and the pepper grains. Cook the spinach using steam or a small quantity of water and, once the water has been drained away, blend it together with a pear, placing the resulting mix in a bowl and adding salt, plus the raisins. Serve with lightly toasted pine seeds, Parmesan cheese and the leftover pears.
Tender Heart Cake
Ingredients: 180 g of flour, 70 g of butter 125 g of pear yogurt 200 g of sugar 3 eggs, 50 g of almonds 1 large pear, 1 package of yeast 1 pinch of salt
Decoration: 600 g of cream red food colouring flowers made of sugar 50 g of glazing sugar
Preparation:
Beat the eggs with the sugar until a yellowish, foamy sauce is produced. Grind up the almonds and mix them with the eggs, beating in the yogurt too. Add the butter, after cutting it into shavings, plus the salt. Sift the flour on top of this mix, together with the yeast. Complete the mix with the ground pulp of the pear. Pour the mix into a heart-shaped mould already lined with oven paper that has been wet and carefully drained. Cook for approximately 60 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Whip the cream, adding the glazing sugar and the food colouring. Decorate the cake with the cream and the flowers made of sugar.
Tasty Slices
Ingredients: 200 g of gorgonzola cheese 50 g of mascarpone cheese 1 tablespoon of port 3 ripe pears
1 lemon ground parsley salt and pepper to taste
Recipes
Preparation:
But the gorgonzola cheese into pieces and blend it. Add the mascarpone cheese, the parsley and the port and blend for a couple of minutes, producing a creamy mix. Flavour with salt and pepper. Cut the pears into four sections each, without removing the peels, soak them in the lemon juice and arrange them on a serving plate. Garnish the pear slices with the cheese mix, creating, with the help of a “pastry chef’s pouch”, small spirals. Decorate with tufts of parsley.
Pine nut Pinus pinea
This Evergreen tree reaches a height of up to 30 metres. The foliage is like a dark green umbrella. The bark is reddish brown in colour, leaves are long needles (pine-needles) that are normally in bundles of two and the cones are big and round. The pine tree is grown on sandy ground and arid slopes, typical of the Mediterranean area. The most famous pine forests in Europe are:Migliarini S. Rossore, Ravenna and Grosseto.
Health benefits Pine nuts are rich in proteins, calories, vitamins, minerals and fibres. They contain plant proteins that help fight atherosclerosis. They have a high content of unsaturated fat, predominantly polyunsaturated rather than monounsaturated.
Their consumption helps to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and potentiates the activity of the central nervous system. Pine nuts also supply vitamin B, folic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
PINE NUTS
Energy
688 kcal 2840 kj
Proteins
14 g
Saturated fat
4,6 g
Monounsaturated fat
19,9 g
Polyunsaturated fat
41,1 g
Carbohydrates Fibre
4g 1,9 g --- mcg
Phosphorus
650 mg
Magnesium
270 mg
Sodium Potassium
1 mg 780 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
13,65 mg
Vitamin B6
0,24 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
• Pinus pinea (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey) • Pinus chinensis, Red pine, Snow pine (China) • Snow pine (China, Russia, Siberia, Manchuria, North Korea) • Cedar nut (Russia)
The Mediterranean pine has been cultivated since ancient times. It was linked to the worship of the God, Pan. A myth recounts how the nymph Pitys, after having chosen Pan over the suitor Borea, was thrown down a ravine by the latter in a fit of jealous rage. Taking pity on her, Gea, the earth mother, then transformed her corpse into a pine. In Japan, the pine tree is a symbol of immortality and its wood is utilised in the building of Shinto temples and also for ritual instruments. The plant is also a symbol of vital force, fertility and good luck. Arabs claim the pine nuts have aphrodisiac powers and are also a valid remedy for all pulmonary illnesses.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
Multivitamin Mineralising Varieties Rich in protein
45
Pine Nut Delights... Vegetarian Meat Rolls
Ingredients: 300 g of eggplant 150 g of zucchini 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 50 g of raisins
40 g of pine seeds 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove chives, salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Soak the raisins in warm water. Wash and clean the peppers and cut the tops off the zucchini. Slice both vegetables into thin strips. Take the skin off the eggplant and cut it into thin strips, placing the strips on a tray and seasoning them with a rivulet of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Grill the strips on both sides, using a very hot cast-iron cooking plate. Brown the garlic clove with some olive oil in a pan, adding the peppers and the zucchini and cooking for 3-4 minutes over a high flame. Season with salt and pepper and add the pine seeds and the raisins, after draining off the water. Take the vegetables from the pan and spread them on the eggplant strips before rolling the strips around the fill. Serve the rolls with the leftover vegetables and decorate with the chopped baby onion grass.
Stuffed Game Hen
Ingredients: 1 game hen weighing 3 kg, 200 g of chestnuts 200 g of pork sausages 100 g of lean ground pork 2 entire eggs, 25 g of pine seeds 30 g of raisins 5 walnut kernels, 5 pieces of sliced bread
1/2 glass of white wine 3 garlic cloves, 1 onion milk in the quantity needed, nutmeg to taste parsley, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Stuffing for the game hen: Burnish the ground meat, the sausage and the onion in some olive oil. Add the wine and let it evaporate away. Boil the chestnuts for 10 minutes, drain off the water, peel them and grind them up. Mix the two eggs, the raisins soaked in the water, the walnuts, the nutmeg and the pine seeds. Add the sliced bread, after soaking it in the milk, together with salt, pepper and parsley. Stuff the game hen and sew up the opening. Put it in a casserole dish coated with olive oil, basting the game hen with olive oil as well. Add the rosemary and the garlic cloves. Place in an oven heated to 220° and cook for 15 minutes. From time to time, baste the bird with the cooking stock. Serve the game hen along with the stuffing, already removed from inside the bird, using the cooking stock as gravy.
Ingredients:
16 sardines (at roughly 50 g each) Sardine g of onion Hors-d’Oeuvres 500 100 g of type 00 flour 1/2 glass of white-wine vinegar 1/2 litre of white wine
30 g of pine seeds, 50 g of raisins 2 laurel leaves rosemary, salt and pepper to taste extra-virgin olive oil
Recipes
Preparation:
Clean the onion, cut it into thin, disk-shaped pieces and place them in a non-stick pan with olive oil and 1/2 a cup of lukewarm water, browning the onions for 5 minutes. Add the pine seeds, the raisins, the laurel and the rosemary and burnish for another couple of minutes. Pour in the vinegar and white wine, add salt and pepper and cook at a low boil for 10 minutes. Clean the sardines, washing them, drying them with a cloth and coating them with flour. Heat the olive oil in a pan with a high edge, drop the sardines inside and fry them for 8 minutes. Drain off the oil, dry the sardines, season them with salt and place them in a bowl. Cover them completely with the boiling marinate, put a cover on the bowel and let them sit for at least a day. Serve them at room temperature with slices of traditional Italian bread.
Pistachio Prunus Armeniaca
The pistachio is a shrub with a knotty twisted trunk and short-lived foliage. Each leaf is composed of 3-5 little leaves with an elliptic circular shape and a dark colour. The species is dioicus: there are masculine and feminine plants. Reproduction starts from the seed, with a spring germination and the strength to grow full yields when the plant reaches the age of five or six years old. The fruits are drupes, fleshy with a single seed inside covered by a hard and resistant shell.
Health benefits Pistachios are a source of protein, vitamins and minerals essential for health. Thanks to their low level of saturated fats they are an ideal snack for a healthy diet and can contribute to reducing cholesterol levels. Pistachios are rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium and
essential amino acids. They are an ideal choice for those following a low calorie diet because they satiate rapidly without depositing many calories.
Varieties
Nutritional Values for 100g -
PISTACHIOS
Energy
570 kcal 2366 kj
Proteins
20,6 g
Saturated fat
5,4 g
Monounsaturated fat
23,3 g
Polyunsaturated fat
13,4 g
Carbohydrates
28 g 10,3 g
Selenium
7 mcg
Phosphorus
490 mg
Magnesium
121 mg 1 mg
Potassium
1025 mg
Vitamin A
28 mcg
Vitamin E
2,3 mg
Vitamin B6
1,7 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
• Green Sicilian pistachio – Bronte (Italy) • Kalle ghouchi, Momtaz, Akbari, Shasti, Badami, Fandoghi (Iran) • Kerman, Peters (California) • Aegina (Greece) • Antep (Turkey) Pistachios were recognised in ancient Hebrew times as an important fruit. The plant was introduced by the Romans into Italy but only in Sicily did it find a suitable habitat. In fact, trees grown on the volcanic rock of the slopes of Mount Etna created a pistachio that is one of the best in the world for its quality, colour, aroma and taste. In the late middle ages the Arabs further developed the production process and the Latin names of the plants and fruit derive directly from Arabic language. Legend narrates that lovers, for luck, used to meet at night under pistachio plants bathed in moonlight. Iranian pistachio are widely considered to be the best in the world thanks to their unequalled flavour. Thanks to the perfect synthesis of traditional and modern methods of cultivation, the Iranian pistachio flavour is intense, whilst maintaining all of it’s natural nutrients.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
Sodium
Multivitamin Rich in protein Mineralising
47
Pistachio Delights... Red, White and Green Pasta
Ingredients: 500 g of pennette noodles 250 g of cream 50 g of finely ground pistachios 50 g of pistachios ground in large pieces
50 g of cooked ham or bacon 1 onion 50 g of butter
Preparation:
Cut the onion and the ham and broil them in the butter. Mix the cream with the finely ground pistachios and combine them with the broiled ingredients. Cook the noodles in abundant quantity of boiling water, removing them while still firm and flavouring with the sauce already prepared. Serve the pasta hot, sprinkling the leftover pistachios on each portion.
Sicilian Sweets
Ingredients: 20 g of pistachios 150 g of sweet almonds 6 eggs as much butter as needed 1 lemon 150 g of sugar
Preparation:
Use a mortar to grind the pistachios and the almonds, shelled and skinned, adding the sugar a bit at a time. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and add them to the mix of the almonds, pistachios and sugar. Also include a little grated lemon rind, plus two whipped egg whites. Pour the batter into moulds for sweets and cook in the oven, at a low heat, for roughly 40 minutes.
Fried Toast
Ingredients: 8 pieces of sweet sliced bread 50 g of ground pistachios 50 g of grated chocolate 1 egg, 20 g of honey milk and butter at the quantity needed
nutmeg to taste grated bread at the quantity needed glazing sugar at the quantity needed
Recipes
Preparation:
Place 1/2 teaspoon of ground pistachios and 1/2 teaspoon of grated chocolate on 4 slices of bread. Cover the slices with the other 4 and press well. Coat the sandwiches with the whipped egg, the nutmeg, the milk and the honey. Squeeze them lightly and coat them with the grated bread. Fry the sandwiches in butter, using an ample quantity of butter. Cook on both sides, drying off the excess butter with absorbent paper, and serve them with a dusting of glazing sugar and pistachios.
Prune
Prunus domesticus The plum tree (Rosaceae family, Prunoideae species, genus Prunus), currently represented by numerous botanic species, some from Europe and others from the Americas, actually originated in Asia from just one species. Nowadays the plum is cultivated worldwide, but the only variety grown specifically for drying originates from France and is now also grown for this purpose in California, Chile and the Balkans. With fruit designated for drying, it is harvested late and all collected at the same time.
Health benefits Today the inclusion of dried prunes in the daily diet is recommended to prevent osteoporosis; this is based on the result of a recent study conducted at the Oklahoma State University in the USA. Including dried prunes in the diet leads to a statistically significant increase in incidences of bone formation (in particular, IGF-I, alkaline bone
phosphates), while the indicators of bone loss were unchanged. The reason for this exceptional effect of prunes has a name: isoflavonoids, a group of non steroidal vegetable hormones in which prunes are particularly rich. According to these studies it is the isoflavonoids that protect bones from free radicals and oxidation. In addition, dried
Anti-oxidant Mineralising Laxative
Nutritional Values for 100g -
DRIED PRUNES
Energy
141 kcal 601 kj 2,5 g
Saturated fat
--- g
Monounsaturated fat
--- g
Polyunsaturated fat
--- g
Carbohydrates
34 g
Fibre
5,7 g
Selenium
3 mcg
Phosphorus
73 mg
Magnesium
24 mg
Sodium
11 mg
Potassium
760 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,2 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Varieties • Agen (France) • Santa Clara (USA)
Romans were well aware of the best properties of dried prunes: that they are both a diuretic and a laxative due to the presence of acids and cellulose. Discorides, a Greek Doctor and Botanist, confirmed that dried prunes from Syria had the opposite effect. This created a confusion that persisted for some time until solved by Galeno, (another Greek Doctor), Arab Doctors and Herbalists from the Middle Ages who all agreed and confirmed the ‘liberating’ virtue of prunes. In the distant past these trees were mainly grown in Syria and Damascus but then, later, Knights returning from the first Crusade brought them to Europe, specifically France in 1148.
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Interesting facts
Proteins
prunes contain minerals essential to bone health such as calcium and selenium.
49
Prune Delights... California Ham Rolls
Ingredients: 32 dried and pitted prunes 16 slices of speck ham 6 tablespoons of olive oil
Preparation:
Cut each slice of speck ham in half and wrap them around the prunes. Set the rolls fast with toothpicks and place them in a pan holding oil you have already heated up. SautĂŠ the ham rolls in the pan until the speck ham isacrispy, place them on absorbent paper to catch the runoff oil and serve.
Black Turkey
Ingredients: 500 grams of roast turkey 15 dry prunes 1 glass of dry white wine 2 shallots 1 carrot
the quantity of vegetable broth desired 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil salt to taste
Preparation:
Take the two leeks and the carrot, cut into very small pieces, and brown them in two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, then burnish the roast turkey in this mix and add 8 dried and pitted prunes. Pour on white wine and raise the flame to evaporate it off. Cook the roast in covered pan over a moderate flame, turning it a number of times and, if necessary, adding more broth. When the turkey is cooked, add the rest of the prunes and leave the pan to cool. Cut the meat into slices. Warm the roast in the and bring it to the table on a serving plate, together with the prunes, using the cooking stock, after blending it, as a gravy.
Aromatic Rice
Ingredients: 6 pitted prunes 2 golden apples 300 g of rice 1 onion, 30 g of butter
1/2 glass of white wine 1/2 litre of vegetable broth 150 g of sausage, baby onion grass 1 teaspoon of curry, salt to taste
Recipes
Preparation:
Chop the onion and brown it in a frying pan with butter. Pour in the rice and toast it. Wet the rice with the wine and add the sausage. Place the curry in the broth. Continue cooking the rice for 10/15 minutes, soaking it with the broth while continuing to stir. Cut the apples into chunks, split the prunes in half and add them to the rice, together with the leftover broth. Mix and continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Garnish with the baby onion grass.
Sultana Vitis vinifera
The grape vine is an adaptable plant that grows well in a very dry climate; heavy rain can damage the harvest. The grape (also known as a berry) is the fruit of the plant. Grapes are small and grow in large bunches. They are light in colour (yellow, golden yellow or green) in the case of green grapes, or dark in colour (pink, purple, or black). Grapes are mainly used for wine production, known as wine grapes, but also for edible use as fresh and dried grapes. Any kind of grape which has undergone a drying process is called a raisin, while sultanas are the result of drying only certain varieties. Sultanas are prepared from specific fresh grapes eliminating most of the water content. Some of the most prolific producers of dried grapes are Greece, Asia, Spain, Italy, California and Chile.
Health benefits Each grape provides vitamins B1, B2, niacin and vitamin C, as well as minerals magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and iodine, and a complex of bioactive substances (polyphenols) that contribute in the regulating of
cardiac function and digestion. The best known property of grapes is undoubtedly resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that lowers blood sugar.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
SULTANA RAISINS
Energy
272 kcal 1159 kj
Proteins
2,1 g
Saturated fat
--- g
Monounsaturated fat
--- g
Polyunsaturated fat Carbohydrates
--- g 69,3 g 2,3 g
Selenium
8 mcg
Phosphorus
76 mg
Magnesium
35 mg
Sodium
60 mg
Potassium
1020 mg
Vitamin A
12 mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,25 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Varieties • Sultana raisin (Turkey) • Currants (Greece) • Smyrne raisin (Turkey) • Malaga raisin (Spain) • Zibibbo raisin (Italy, Chile) The ancients had high regard for the sultanas energy-giving properties. Grapes represent one of the best known fruit along with figs, and it was considered the most important dried fruit. The Greeks gave the particular name, stafis to hydrated grapes, and Galen of Pergamum, a celebrated doctor who lived from 129 to c200 AD, commented that at that time it was beneficial to feed exclusively on figs and sultanas with bread. When Noah restarted working the land after the global flood as described in The Bible book of Genesis, it is told that he planted wine grapes first of all. As part of a religious sacrifice seeking favour from the gods, Nebucadnezer of Babylon added wine to animal blood. The Romans had a cult of sacred life which Horatio called sacra vitis. It was common in Rome to pour wine on a cultivated field for purification and to make it more fertile.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
Cardio-tonic Anti-oxidant Digestive
51
Raisin Delights... Corinthian Biscuits
Ingredients: 400 g of ricotta 180 g of sugar 70 g of potato starch 60 g of raisins
50 g of butter 3 eggs glazing sugar for garnishing
Preparation:
Mix the ricotta cheese with the sugar, add the 3 egg yolks and the butter, which should be very soft. Mix in the egg whites, after beating them with a tablespoon of sugar, plus the potato starch. Divide the batter up into 12 moulds (7 cm in diameter) coated with butter and place the raisins on top. Place in the oven at 180°C for 13 minutes and serve lukewarm, with strawberries and glazing sugar as garnishing.
Turkish Tartar
Ingredients: 500 g of veal 75 g of peeled white almonds 75 g of raisins 100 g of pistachios
soy sauce to taste green tea salt, pepper and parsley to taste
Preparation:
Finely grind up the veal, then chop up the almonds and the raisins and add them to the meat, together with the soy sauce. Salt and pepper the mix. Prepare the meatballs and roll them in the coarsely ground pistachios. Place the meatballs on plates already sprinkled with chopped parsley and serve with the soy sauce, diluted with the green tea.
Sultan’s Cake
Ingredients: 1 healthy kg of apples (Golden Delicious) 1 lemon, 30 g of pine seeds 50 g of raisins, 70 g of sugar 50 g of melted butter
Batter: 120 g of sugar, 130 g of flour 100 g of butter, 2 eggs 1 teaspoon of yeast for sweets salt to taste, milk at the quantity needed
Recipes
Preparation:
Peel the apples and rub them with the lemon to keep them from going brown. Beat 120 g of sugar, together with all the parts of the eggs, in a bowl. Next add the flour, plus a pinch of salt, the yeast and 100 g of melted butter. Finally, dilute the batter with a little milk, so that it becomes fairly soft. Next take a pie tin, coat it well with butter, followed by flour, and pour in the batter. Place the apples, after cutting them into fairly thin slices, on top of the batter, together with the pine seeds and the raisins. Pour on top 70 g of sugar and 50 g of melted butter. Put the entire preparation in a hot oven for at least 3/4 hour.
Cumin Seed Cuminum cyminum L.
Cumin is an annual herbaceous dwarf plant native of the eastern Mediterranean region and North Africa and widely cultivated in the Middle East, India, Malta, China and Italy (Sicily). It produces very small oval fruits which are harvested when they start to change colour, then matured and dried in small paper bags hung in an airy place. The plants grow to a maximum of 30 cm; their stem is composed of many branches, with minute oval leaves and small umbrella shaped white and pink flowers. The cumin plant grows abundantly in sunny and well drained conditions.
Health benefits Cumin seeds are an effective stimulant. They also contain beneficial digestive properties, stimulating the appetite and relieving flatulence. It has antiseptic and spasm reduction properties. Cumin essential oil is excellent in treating cellulite.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
CUMIN SEEDS
Energy
375 kcal 1569 kj
Proteins
17,8 g
Saturated fat
1,5 g
Monounsaturated fat
14 g
Polyunsaturated fat
3,3 g
Carbohydrates
33,7 g
Fibre
10,5 g 5,2 mcg
Phosphorus
499 mg
Magnesium
366 mg
Sodium
168 mg
Potassium
1788 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
3,33 mg
Vitamin B6
0,435 mg
Vitamin B12
The cumin seed or black grain, (known as ‘habbe sauda’ in Arab countries), was known and loved by the ancient Egyptians: amphora filled with cumin oil were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen which illustrates the importance then placed upon this oil. Ancient Romans and Greeks used cumin medicinally as an aid to digestion, and in cosmetics to create a wan, pale, pallid complexion. The Romans also ground cumin seeds into a paste for spreading on bread. Today cumin is used extensively in North African, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Interesting facts
Selenium
Stimulating Digestive Anti-spasmodic
In Morocco the characteristic aroma of cumin drifts through the air around the stalls in which spicy meat kebabs are grilled.
--- mcg
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53
Cumin Seed Delights... Ingredients:
Carrot Cream
1 kg of carrots 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds 1/2 tablespoon of sugar 200 ml of cooking cream
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil the quantity of baby onion grass necessary salt to taste
Preparation:
Line a pie tin with oven paper and lay out the first circle of pie dough. Lay thin strips of mozzarella and ham on top, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with the second circle of pie dough. Beat the egg yolks, together with a pinch of salt, and spread this on the surface of the pie dough. Sprinkle on cumin seeds. Place in a tepid oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.
Vesuvius Cake
Ingredients: 2 sheets of pie dough 2 mozzarella cheeses 250 g of cooked ham 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds 2 eggs salt and pepper to flavour
Preparation:
Line a pie tin with oven paper and lay out the first circle of pie dough. Lay thin strips of mozzarella and ham on top, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with the second circle of pie dough. Beat the egg yolks, together with a pinch of salt, and spread this on the surface of the pie dough. Sprinkle on cumin seeds. Place in a tepid oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.
All Grain Bread
Ingredients: 470 g of white bread flour 100 g of rye flour 1 teaspoon of beer yeast
2 tablespoons of chicory malt 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds 360 g of water, salt to taste
Recipes
Preparation: Yeast: Mix 120 g of white flour together with the rye flour, ½ teaspoon yeast, the malt and the water, until a dough is produced Combine the rest of the flour with the yeast, the cumin and the salt in a bowl. Distribute this mix on the yeast preparation and cover it. Leave it to rise for 3 hours. Knead well and form a ball, coating it with oil and letting it rise for 2 hours. Knead the dough again and let it rise for 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 230°. Shape the bread loaf and leave it to rise for an hour. Cut a couple of slits on the top and put it in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 200° and continue cooking for a half hour. Take out of the oven.
Sunflower Seed Heliantus annuus
Sunflowers’ belong to the family ‘Asteraceae’ and are an annual herbaceous plant with a big flower head. The common Italian name comes from the fact that the flower head is rotating during day following the sun. This is named as heliotropism. The flower head is made up of different parts. The outer florets can be yellow, brown, orange or of other colours and are sterile. The florets inside the circular head are called disc florets. The florets within the sunflower’s cluster are arranged in a spiral pattern. Typically each floret is positioned toward the next producing a pattern of interconnecting spirals. The disc florets mature into what are traditionally called sunflower seeds, but are actually the fruit of the plant. The inedible husk is the fruit wall and the true seeds lie within the kernel. Sunflower stems can grow as high as 1.5-2m. The leaves (which vary in number but generally 12-40 leaves) are big, long and simple and their form changes according to the position along the stem.
Health benefits Sunflower seeds are a good source of Vitamin B1, B2, E, D, magnesium (anti-stress mineral), iron and contain many micro nutrients such as cobalt, manganese, zinc and copper. They also have a high linoleic acid content, one of the precursors of essential fatty acids. One can add the presence of phenols, active
substances with recognised preventive properties in degenerative diseases, in particular tumours and arteriosclerosis. Sunflower seeds are important in official pharmacology containing many recognised anti fever and diuretic components.
Anti-stress Multivitamin Diuretic
Nutritional Values for 100g -
SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Energy
581 kcal 2410 kj
Proteins
19,8 g
Saturated fat
4,5 g
Monounsaturated fat
9,8 g
Polyunsaturated fat
31,0 g
Carbohydrates
18,6 g
Fibre
6g 49 mcg
Phosphorus
640 mg
Magnesium
390 mg
Sodium Potassium
3 mg 710 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
37,8 mg
Vitamin B6
--- mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Varieties The principle varieties are: • Mammoth Russian • Double Dandy
• Giant Grey Striped • Ring of Fire (U.S.A.)
The sunflower is native to America where the plant has been grown since 1000 BC. Francisco Pizzarro found that the Incas were worshipping the sunflower as a god representing the sun. At the beginning of the XVI century the gold and natural seeds were imported into Europe. Helianthus is the Greek name of the sunflower. In Greek mythology it is said that the water-nymph Clythie fell in love with Apollo. She gazed at the sun in the morning, and as the sun moved during the day she looked at no other object until sunset. Because of this her face turned constantly toward him and after nine days her face became a sunflower. For this reason the name Turn-sole existed long before Sunflowers were brought to Europe. It is clear that this myth (mentioned in the Metamorphosis of Ovid) is referring to the heliotrope. The sunflower is the symbol of Kansas State (U.S.A.) and one of the symbols of the city of Kitakyushu (Japan).
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Interesting facts
Selenium
55
Sunflower Seed Delights... Olympus Sauce
Ingredients: 1 teacup of sunflower seeds ½ cup of sunflower seed oil salt to taste ½ lemon
1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion 1 Reinette apple 1 teaspoon of marjoram leaves
Preparation:
Lightly toast the sunflower seeds, place them in a blender and turn them into a cream. Add the sunflower seed oil and the olive oil, plus the lemon juice, the onion and the apple, and season with salt to taste. Mix some more and slowly add the marjoram.
Clinzia Cake
Ingredients: 180 g of white flour 100 g of whole-wheat flour 100 g of butter 100 g of beer yeast
125 g of milk 2 eggs, 1 yolk 4 tablespoons of brown sugar 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
Preparation:
Mix the white flour with the whole-wheat flour and form a mound, pouring into the centre the melted butter, both parts of the eggs, the brown sugar and the lukewarm milk, with the yeast dissolved inside the milk. Knead the dough well and at length. Place the dough in a mould lined with oven paper. Beat the egg yolk together with a tablespoon of water and spread it on the surface of the cake, sprinkling sunflower seeds on the top. Cover the mould with a cloth and leave the cake to rise in a lukewarm spot for roughly an hour. Bake for 40 minutes in an oven heated to 180°. Serve the cake cold or lukewarm.
Chinese Patè
Ingredients: 100 g of soft tofu 80 g of sunflower seeds already shelled 100 g of carrots 200 g of cherry tomatoes
10 g of extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons of wheat germ Dill, paprika, salt and pepper to taste
Recipes
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the pulp with a scoop, sprinkle salt on the insides and leave them to sit for 10 minutes. Cut the carrots into pieces and boil them for 10 minutes. Use a blender to grind 50 g of sunflower seeds into a fine powder, add the tofu, cut into chunks, the olive oil and the wheat germ. Blend until the ingredients produce a uniform mix, then add the carrots and blend some more. Pour the mix into a bowl, adding the leftover sunflower seeds, without grinding them, plus the ground dill, the paprika, the salt and pepper and mix well. Use a spoon to fill the tomatoes with the pate’ and place them in the refrigerator for at least twenty minutes to cool. Serve the dish cold, accompanied with raw vegetables and finger sandwiches.
Poppy Seed Papaver rhoeas
The poppy is an annual herbaceous plant native to Turkey but also found across Europe and Asia. Commonly named Corn Poppy or Papaver rhoeas it differs from the Papaver somniferum, which is a plant grown mainly to produce opium and contains several narcotic alkaloids including morphine and codeine. The plants stem is hairy and straight and grows to 80 cm. The plant is topped with a red flower and has a black spot in the middle (in the somniferum variety the flower colour can change from white to violet). Papaver (a genus of the poppy) grows in fields between rows of grain and also along hedges. These flower between June and August and the plant leaves are large with jagged edges. The fruit pods hold very small black seeds.
Health benefits The capsule contains alkaloids that can be exploited for their mild sedative properties. They are used in paediatrics and are consumed with other herbs in tea infusions to relieve coughs.
Sedative Rich in protein
Nutritional Values for 100g -
POPPY SEEDS
Energy
533 kcal 2231 kj
Proteins
18 g
Saturated fat
4,9 g
Monounsaturated fat
6,3 g
Polyunsaturated fat
30,8 g
Carbohydrates
13,7 g 10 g
Selenium
1,6 mcg
Phosphorus
849 mg
Magnesium
331 mg
Sodium
21 mg
Potassium
849 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
1,1 mg
Vitamin B6
0,4 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
In Britain and North America the poppy is used to remember people killed during World War I and other wars. In Britain, weeks before Armistice Day, many people wear poppies as a mark of respect for the fallen. The same tradition seems to come from way back in history. Genghis Khan, who was the leader and emperor of Mongolia, always carried poppy petals and seeds with his army which were then spread over the battle fields after the battle had been won. This was to remember that people had died with honour and the colour of the petal showed that a battle had taken place.
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Interesting facts
Fibre
The name of this plant originates from the Latin word “papaver”. It may also come from the Celtic word “papa” which means children’s food and shows the mixing of poppy seeds with baby food to prevent childhood disease. Other naturalists believe that the word “papa” on the other hand means thick latex because of the sap in the plant which was certainly used during ancient medicine.
57
Poppy Seed Delights... Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients: 500 g of pumpkin already cleaned 200 g of Manitoba flour 1 packet of dry yeast 400 ml of water
1 ½ tablespoons of salt butter for the pan in the quantity required 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds
Preparation:
Cut the pumpkin into pieces and cook in the oven at 180 or approximately ½ hour. Blend the ingredients into a pure’ and add the flours mixed with the yeast, gradually mixing in the water as well: the result should be creamy, smooth and uniform. Season with salt at the end. Coat the pan with butter and sprinkle on the poppy seeds before pouring in the mix (fill a little more than ¾ of the way), covering the top of the mix with poppy seeds as well and baking it in the oven at 200 for 1 hour (start with the oven still cold), with the mould placed in the lower portion of the oven. When the bread is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool off completely before slicing.
Hill and Sea Rice
Ingredients: 180 g of carnaroli rice 200 g of champignon mushrooms 75 g of smoked salmon 1 onion 1 litre of vegetable broth extra-virgin olive oil
hot pepper, parsley the quantity of poppy seeds needed Martini Bianco in the quantity needed butter in the quantity needed Parmesan cheese to taste
Preparation:
Chop the onion into fine pieces and burnish it, together with the olive oil and the hot pepper. Add the mushrooms cut into chunks and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice, toast it and douse the mix in the Martini. Cook slowly in the vegetable broth. When done (after roughly 20 minutes), pour the rice onto a serving plate and add the salmon, cut into pieces, and the parsley. Cream a modest amount of butter and Parmesan cheese and finally sprinkle with poppy seeds toasted in a non-stick pan for a few minutes before serving.
Duck Roll
Ingredients: 300 g of flour, 100 g of butter 2 tablespoons of milk 30 g of beer yeast 60 g of sugar, 2 egg yolks
For the filling: 100 g of poppy seeds 1 baked apple, 300 ml of milk 2 tablespoons of sugar
Recipes
Preparation:
Dissolve the yeast in a cup with a small amount of lukewarm milk, plus a pinch of sugar and a little bit of flour. Put the rest of the flour in a bowl, together with the butter, after letting it soften, the sugar, the egg yolks and a pinch of salt. Add the yeast, beat well and leave to rise in a warm place. Grind up the poppy seeds, boil them in the milk for 30 minutes and add the sugar and the baked apple. Stir well, producing a thick cream. Once the volume of the double has doubled, used a rolling pin to spread it, but not too thinly, on a working surface sprinkled with flour. Cover the dough with the filling and roll it up on itself, sealing the edges well. Next put the roll in a mould coated with butter and put it in an oven heated to 200° for 15 minutes. Finish baking by turning off the oven and leaving the roll inside for another 30 minutes.
Sesame Seed Sesamum indicum
The Sesame plant can reach a metre in height. The fruits look like small caps with oval and flat seeds inside and are used for the production of good quality oil. Native from India but are also now grown in the tropical and subtropical areas of Asia and Africa and a small quantity in Sicily. From processing the seed you can get: - an oil which is used as a base for all varieties of seed oils and margarines - tahini, a paste of ground sesame seeds used in cooking - Halva or tahini mixed with sugar and aroma - Gomashio, a dry condiment made of crushed and grilled sesame seeds and sea salt.
Health benefits They are excellent for the replenishing of blood plates, for the spleen, the nervous system and musculature. They help the healing of skin burns. The use in children’s diets give exceptional results especially in the cases where growth is below the norm.
Sesame seeds contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicates, iron and vitamins B, E, T and D. In fact, they are a vitamin and mineral pill used for growth and to maintain perfect health.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
SESAME SEEDS
Energy
598 kcal 2740 kj
Proteins
18,2 g
Saturated fat
8,3 g
Monounsaturated fat
21,7 g
Polyunsaturated fat
25,5 g
Carbohydrates
0,9 g
Fibre
7,9 g 000 mcg
Phosphorus
720 mg
Magnesium
370 mg
Sodium
20 mg
Potassium
570 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
2,53 mg
Vitamin B6
0,75 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Varieties • Thillarani • Magwee Brown Used as a flavouring agent in Mediterranean cuisine and especially in Sicilian cuisine, they also create the base of many different food preparations. In eastern countries they consider this seed a stimulant and nutrient for the nervous system and it is recommended in convalescence or in periods of intense mental work. The uses in food and cuisine are similar to other seeds. When roasting you have to do this gently and gradually to avoid bitterness. It is then better to simply crush the sesame seeds in a mortar just before use in order to better retain the smells and tastes. It is not suggested to buy them already crushed because the active ingredients are easily lost during the process. Preparing the seeds is easy and they are a delicious condiment for salads and vegetables. To get the best out of the seeds it is suggested a portion of ½ a tea-spoon per day is eaten.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
Mineralising Multivitamin Tonic
59
Sesame Seed Delights... Seed Sandwiches
Ingredients: 500 g of type 00 flour 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon of salt ½ cube of beer yeast ½ teaspoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds 1 cup of café au lait 300 ml of lukewarm water to make the dough
Preparation:
Pour the flour into a bowl, adding the salt and the olive oil. Place the lukewarm water in a smaller bowl, dissolving the yeast and the sugar inside. Add the flour to this mix, producing a light, smooth batter. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the batter rise for roughly an hour and a half. Now roll the pasta into a large number of balls and arrange them on a pan lined with oven paper, keeping a certain distance between them and leaving them to rise for another half hour. Spread milk on the balls at room temperature and sprinkle them with the sesame and poppy seeds. Place in an oven preheated to 180° for 15 minutes.
Coloured Custard
Ingredients: 1 kg of squash, 2 leeks 1 grainy potato as much fresh ginger as necessary 1 garlic clove
a small hot pepper a tuft of parsley 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds extra-virgin olive oil Salt to taste
Preparation:
Remove the seeds from the squash, together with all the skin. Dry it and cut it into small pieces. Clean the leeks and potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Brown the garlic with the olive oil and the hot pepper, adding the leeks, plus a generous amount of fresh ginger, and mix until all the ingredients have blended together. Next include the potato, the squash and the parsley, cover with 6 tenths of a litre of lukewarm water and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Blend with an immersion mixer and serve with lukewarm cream, after sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds.
Lebanese Humus
Ingredients: 1 cup of cooked chickpeas a small amount of the water used to cook the chickpeas 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds ½ garlic clove
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of lemon juice ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds 1 tuft of parsley, sale to taste
Recipes
Preparation:
Blend the chickpeas and the other ingredients in a mixer set at the top speed, adding the cooking water a little bit at a time, until a velvety cream is produced. Perfect as an hors-d’oeuvres sauce served with raw vegetables or spread on bread.
Pumpkin Seed Cucurbita maxima
Pumpkin belongs to the plant family ‘cucurbitaceae’ which includes many varieties with different shapes and colours and grows like a vine. The plant is native of America and imported into Europe together with potatoes and tomatoes. The oldest evidence of pumpkin-related seeds being found was in Mexico and dated back to between 7000 and 5500 B.C. In America the pumpkin has long been used as a good digestive aid. The first American colonists learnt from the natives to grow pumpkins and then use them as a medicine to cure illnesses.
Health benefits Traditionally they are known for their de-worming properties. Pumpkin seeds contain cucurbitina, a substance that helps detach parasites from the intestinal wall, and it seems to have an interesting effect on prostate diseases including tumours. The presence of magnesium, vitamin E, selenium and linoleic acid contributes to
improve the muscle tone of the bladder. Their prolonged consumption prevents the problems caused by the enlargement of the prostate that affects men generally when they are older. Less rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids than sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds have a similar composition in vitamins and minerals but a higher protein content.
Nutritional Values for 100g -
PUMPKIN SEEDS
Energy
541 kcal 2264 kj
Proteins
24,5 g
Saturated fat
8,67 g
Monounsaturated fat
14,26 g
Polyunsaturated fat
20,9 g
Carbohydrates
17,8 g
Fibre
3,9 g 5,6 mcg
Phosphorus
1174 mg
Magnesium
535 mg
Sodium
18 mg
Potassium
807 mg
Vitamin A
--- mcg
Vitamin E
--- mg
Vitamin B6
0,22 mg
Vitamin B12
--- mcg
Purifying Mineralising Rich in protein Varieties • Gleisdorfer (Styria - Austria) • Dark Green (China) • Cucurbita maxima (Italy) The Pumpkin has been around since ancient times and has always been a very popular food. Pumpkin seeds have great vitality. They should be planted in spring and then the vine flowers quickly grow and during summer produce fruit in abundance. Pumpkin is used extensively in cooking. In addition to the flesh, flowers and seeds are commonly eaten when salted. It is a vegetable used in thousands of recipes. Red oil is produced from the seeds and used in traditional cuisine and also for cosmetics. In Britain and North America pumpkins are commonly carved into decorative lanterns during Halloween to repel ghosts and witches.
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Interesting facts
Selenium
Their use in cooking is similar. The preventive and/or curative dose suggested is two to three spoonfuls a day.
61
Pumpkin Seed Delights... Ingredients:
Emilia Chips
250 g of flour 50 g of pumpkin seeds 10 g of beer yeast 150 g of water 20 g of grated Parmesan cheese salt
Preparation: Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of lukewarm water. Make a batter from the flour, the rest of the water and the pumpkin seeds, including the dissolved yeast. Add the salt, cover the dough and leave it to rise. Roll it into a thin sheet on a working surface coated with flour, form the tiles with a cutting wheel, arrange them on a pan lined with oven paper, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and cook in an oven heated to 200° for 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and leave them to cool off.
Fantasy Pesto
Ingredients: 70 g of pumpkin seeds a handful of pine seeds 60 g of Parmesan cheese 1 garlic clove as much parsley as needed
20 leaves of fresh mint as much extra-virgin olive oil as needed the rind of 1 lemon sale and pepper
Preparation:
Toast the pumpkin seeds and the pine seeds in a non-stick pan and then let them cool off. Put all the ingredients in a mixer and grind them into fine pieces, gradually adding the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ideal as a dressing for pasta.
Recipes
Goat Cheese Avocado
Ingredients: 2 avocados 4 goat cheeses 1 lemon 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
1 tuft of radicchio 8 stuffed green olives 4 tablespoons of extras-virgin olive oil season with salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Mix the goat cheeses in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Cut the cleaned radicchio into small strips and arrange them on four individual plates, seasoning with two tablespoons of olive oil. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, take two slices of the lemon and squeeze the juice on the avocados. Fill the avocado’s pit hole with the goat cheese. Lay the avocado halves on a bed of radicchio and sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds. Garnish with slices from the rest of the lemon and with the olives cut into disks. Serve as an hors-d’oeuvre.
Progetto grafico e impaginazione:
Valentina TUBARO
28, Rue Saint-Pierre B-7140 Morlanwelz-Mariemont 0032 64 22 17 84 E-mail : environnement.graphique@gmail.com