Text 17273, 171 rader
Skriven 2014-09-22 23:24:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av RUTH HAFFLY
Ärende: odd food & eaters 987
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 RH> i'm trying to stay fairly low carb, pushing the vegetables and
 RH> proteins (but not a lot of meat) but not totally ignoring starches and
 RH> fruits.

That sounds like a good plan; mine is similar but reverses
the roles of meat and vegetables. It is based largely on
what tastes good at the moment, which might be risky, given
that I've acquired a sweet tooth, but it seems to be more
or less working.

 Watching the total carb numbers, allowing limited simple
 RH> sugars, etc, has allowed me to drop the insulin and several sizes in
 RH> clothing. Had to get some new stuff this spring that would stay up
 RH> without major belting in.

During my high fat low carb year, this year, I've lost
an inch around the middle. Most of my pants require a
belt now, but I don't have a belt, so I've gone to
this ridiculous posture where I walk around holding my
trou up with my thumb around a belt loop. I think I
might ought to buy a belt.

 ML> major forbidden food, oddly, was rou si (pork floss),
 ML> supposedly because it was available only from Asia and
 ML> not processed to the standards required over here.
 ML> Eventually the opportunity came up, and I tried it, but
 ML> I didn't jump up and down waiting for it, and I still
 ML> don't. It is essentially an umami bomb, and if it's in
 ML> front of me, I'll eat however much is available, as
 ML> speedily as possible, but otherwise, eh, I'll wait for
 RH> It sounds interesting--what makes it so good?

As I said, it's an umami bomb. It's got soy and sugar, the
soy providing salt and glutamate; its processing - slow
cooking and then drying and shredding - breaks down protein
even more to give more flavor; and there's the possibility
of added glutamate in the form of fish extract or even
crystal MSG. I never said it was good - just exceedingly
moreish.

 ML> and then I forgot about it altogether. Not like me to
 ML> pass up the opportunity to compare two types of anything,
 ML> much less one I really like, but there it was.
 RH> And we missed the opportunity to try it. Oh well, there were a lot of
 RH> other interesting things to try. Never had duck confit before so that
 RH> was a first, as well as most of the chorizos.
 
I was talking with Ian recently, and he has recently discovered
a steaming technique that preserves the flavor of the confit
while sparing the eater most of the effect of the salt. I had
in fact overconcentrated the flavor of the confit and the salt
both, which made it less than a stellar experience. Availability
of a large quantity of (say) potatoes would have helped.

 RH> I know someone who's been very sedentary all his life, basically a
 RH> hermit since getting out on his own, and is now paying for it with
 RH> major health issues.

My point was that I know people who have been sedentary all
their lives who have done fine. It's possible that their
"good genes" might have made them healthy into their 80s and
90s rather than their 70s and 80s, but that is unclear.

My father, for example, made it to 89 and might well have
lived past 90 but for some medical misunderstanding, and
after his 30s he never got a full night's sleep or a lick
of exercise. Or, oddly, for some decades, much medical care,
despite it being free for him. Uncontrolled heart disease
and diabetes from 50 and no consequence until past 80.

I dread that kind of longevity.

 RH> Some do, some don't. But if you never see a doctor even semi
 RH> regularly, you're not being confronted with issues that may be
 RH> reversible---if you take action to do so.

I suppose those with health bugaboos in their family past
might well benefit from regular medical scrutiny.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Gratin
cat: main, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian
Serves: 6

Tomato sauce
1 Tb olive oil
1 sm onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
42 oz (1 1/2 cn) diced tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 ts fine grain sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Gratin
2 lg eggplants (1 lb each)
3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
4 Tb almond meal
1 Tb olive oil

Roast Eggplant
Preheat the oven to 450F (220C).

Cut the stem and calyx off the eggplant, and cut the
body lengthwise in half.

Line a baking sheet with foil, and brush the foil
with olive oil.

Place the eggplant on the foil, cut side down. Place
in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 min.

Remove from the oven when skin starts to shrivel, the
edges and cut surface are browned, and the eggplant
has softened but not collapsed. Use a spatula to
detach from the foil if the eggplant is sticking.

Place the eggplant halves cut side down on a rack set
over a baking sheet, or in a colander. Allow to cool
and drain for at least 15 min.

Tomato sauce
In the meantime make the tomato sauce. Heat the
olive oil in a large (preferably nonstick) skillet
over medium-high heat, add onion, and saute until
translucent, about 5 min.

Add garlic and stir 1 min until fragrant, then add
diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and basil.

When it starts to bubble, turn down the heat to
medium-low and cook, stirring every so often, until
the tomatoes have cooked down and are beginning to
stick to the pan, about 25 min. Remove the basil
sprigs and set aside.

Assemble gratin
Preheat oven to 400F (200C).

In a small bowl combine 1/4 c Parmesan with the
almond meal. Set aside.

Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Spread 1/2 c tomato sauce over the bottom of the
dish.

Slice the roasted eggplant about 1/4" thick, and
set an even layer of slices over the tomato sauce.
Season with salt and pepper. Spoon a layer of
sauce over the eggplant, and sprinkle with basil
and Parmesan.

Repeat the layers one or two more times (depending
on the shape of your baking dish and the size of
your eggplant), ending with a layer of tomato
sauce topped with the Parmesan and almond meal
mixture you set aside.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 min until
bubbling and browned on the top.

Remove for the heat allow to sit for at least
10 min before serving.

Serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold
(the latter being my favorite way!)

Adapted from The New York Times 09/02/2008
theironyou.com via Linda Schneider

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