Benefits of Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes have always been a staple food in my store cupboard, mainly because if everything else fails I can always make a quick pasta and marinara sauce. They are also the base for many soups, casseroles and sauces, as well as my favorite paella. Use them drained or with the juices, adding different herbs and spices to come up with totally different flavors.

So I was especially excited to read in a recent report presented at the American Dietetic Association's annual expo how beneficial canned tomatoes can be.

People who ate at least one-quarter cup of canned tomatoes had lower levels of C-reactive protein, which is one of the indicators of cardiovascular risk, than those who ate less than that amount. The research also showed that those who ate canned tomatoes had a greater intake of vitamins and nutrients. The study found that those who ate canned tomatoes consumed more of the nutrients that are lacking in many Americans' diets, including fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium, and magnesium. It was also found that those who ate canned tomatoes also consumed less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and added sugars.

As well as being rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene, canned tomatoes are relatively inexpensive, at a time when many consumers are looking for nutritious, cost-conscious meals.

The recipes featured in the Gourmet Fusion store blog often contain canned tomatoes, check out some of the recipes below from our past blogs:

marinara sauce
spaghetti alla puttanesca
rigatoni with chicken
jambalaya
braciole
ossobucco
pizzaiola halibut
ratatouille
paella
marco polo's lobster fra diavolo

Which Olive Oil?

We have all heard that olive oil is good for you, and a healthy choice for use in salad dressings and cooking in general, but the variety available in supermarkets and specialty food stores nowadays can be quite overwhelming. So what are all the different types of oil, and which should you choose?

Spain, southern France, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Portugal, California and Israel all produce superb olive oils, some green and some golden yellow. Young green olives produce green oils such as the ones found in Tuscany, and mature olives produce a golden, buttery flavored oil, like many of those found in southern Italy. There is also a growing trend which subjects olive oil to sophisticated classification with a ticket indicating its origins similar to the DOC classification of many wines. Despite many people thinking that Italy is the largest producer of olive oil, Spain is, in fact, the world's largest producer, most of which comes from huge olive plantations in Andalusia.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This is the most flavorful, and expensive, of olive oil. It is obtained from olives without the use of heat or chemicals, or other extractants. Even though extra virgin olive oil is similarly labeled, the flavor between different brands and different regions still varies greatly. For example, Spanish extra virgin olive oil is generally characterized by a fruity, aromatic quality, whereas the Italian oil has a more pungent flavor, and Portuguese oil has a more intense aroma and flavor. The full quality of its flavor and texture is best appreciated raw, which is why it is recommended for salads and uncooked sauces. Supermarket extra-virgin oil is often relatively inexpensive, and it is worth trying a few to find one with a flavor that you like.

Virgin Olive Oil
This oil is less green and more yellowish in color, is runnier and can be used more generously. It is ideal for salads, mayonnaise and for general cooking purposes, but not for frying, as the flavor is still too strong.

'Pure' Olive Oil
Successive heated pressings of the olives produce oils which are more or less refined and blended, and can be used in all types of cooking. If the oil is of good quality, the flavor will still be distinctive, but bland enough to be used in frying. If you use olive oil frequently in your cooking, why not try one of the oils labeled "light or extra light"? These are ideal for frying and roasting, and do not overwhelm the dish with a strong olive oil flavor. Typically, they are composed of refined olive oils and virgin olive oils, often from more than one country.

Olive oil does not improve with age. If there is a harvesting date on the oil, it should be no older than a year for the best quality, and it should be kept at room temperature in a sealed container. If it is refrigerated, however, white clouds will appear, but will disappear again when the oil is brought back to room temperature, without in any way altering the flavor of the oil.

There is no right or wrong choice with olive oil, it simply depends on which flavor you prefer.

Haggis on Burns Night

At the Gourmet Fusion store we offer a variety of international foods and kitchen products - some of them are well known items, and others are well, more unusual! One of the products we sell both online and in our store is Scottish Haggis in a can. This has been very popular as a gift for a Scottish friend, and even I suspect, as a joke, as I am not sure it really appeals to the American palate!

What is Burns Night and what has it got to do with Haggis? The Burns supper is usually held on or near January 25th, the birthday of the poet, Robert Burns, author of such great poems as "Auld Lang Syne", which is sung at Hogmanay and other New Year celebrations around the world. On Burns Night, Haggis is always eaten, and often it makes grand entrance while someone plays the bagpipes.

Anyone can celebrate Burns Night, but the three main ingredients are the haggis, yellow turnips (rutabaga), and potatoes. The turnips are either boiled and mashed with butter and seasoning, or they may be mixed in equal quantities with boiled potatoes to make an Orkney clapshot.

If you would like to create your own Burns night, Gourmet Fusion offers other Scottish products, including a Scottish Recipes Dish Towel, that has the following recipe on how to make your own haggis (or if you prefer, you can simply buy the can of Stahly Quality Haggis). Either way, it's fun to read about. Believe me, the more you read about it, the more bizarre it sounds. The dinner begins with the Selkirk Grace (also shown on the dish towel).

The Selkirk Grace

Some ha'e meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we ha'e meat, and we can eat,
And sae let the Lord be thankit.

Haggis

Scotland's celebrated dish traditionally eaten at Burns Suppers and St Andrews Night Dinners. Hailed by Burns as the Great Chieftain o'the puddin' race.

Made from sheeps pluck, heart, lights, and liver, cooked then chopped and mixed with suet, oatmeal, and seasonings. Stuffed into sheep's paunch and boiled. Served with Chappit Tatties (mashed potatoes), and Neeps (mashed turnips), accompanied with large drinks of whisky.

Our dish towel also shows more great recipes such as Cloutie Dumpling, Scotch pancakes, Cock-A-Leekie soup, and Tweed Kettle.

Cream Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Strawberries

I was in New York recently for the Fancy Food Show, and we happened to see Paula Deen from the Food Network when we were having dinner at the Blue Fin Restaurant in the W Hotel, Times Square. She breezed through and looked and sounded exactly as she does on TV, smiling and laughing, as she rushed by.

When I got back home, I was browsing through her cookery books in the bookstore and came across one by her two sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen, called "The Deen Brothers Cookbook". In it I found this simple, yet wonderful recipe, which makes use of the abundant strawberries that are so inexpensive at the moment in the stores. They make an elegant looking dessert as part of a buffet, or can be served at a fancy brunch or as part of a cheese tray.

Ingredients

• 32 whole large strawberries, hulled
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Method

1. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut sides down, on a serving platter. Carefully, cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms. Fan the wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.