Monday 26 May 2014

This Changes Everything: Honey on Pizza

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Photo credit: Jill Futter

Savory and sweet were meant to be together: Chocolate and pretzels.Peanut butter and jelly. And now, honey and pizza. After all, cheese and honey complement one another on a cheese plate—why wouldn’t they on pizza?

Emily, a new pizzeria in Brooklyn, has found success with two pies drizzled liberally with wildflower honey. “The Colony” (a red pizza laced with mozzarella, pepperoni, pickled chili, and honey) and “The Emily” (a white pie topped with mozzarella, pistachios, a truffle-laced cheese called sottocenere, and honey) are respectively the first and third-most popular of the restaurant’s nearly-20-pizza menu, which co-owner Emily Hyland attributes to the sweet ingredient.

Hyland encourages experimenting with the combo, though she suggests carefully considering a pizza’s other ingredients before lobbing a bunch of honey atop them.

"I don’t think honey is necessarily going to go with everything," she said. For instance, she "wouldn’t pair it with things that are also very sweet, like fig paste, because the honey would be overkill." But don’t be afraid to add honey to a pie topped with "salty meats" or "anything spicy," because the contrast is so winning. Drizzle the honey after the pizza is cooked, otherwise the dough may get soggy.

Southern Classic: Fried Green Tomatoes

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Like many of the South’s most revered dishes, fried green tomatoes are deeply rooted in rural life. And for chef Kevin Callaghan, of Acme Food & Beverage Co. in Carrboro, North Carolina, his first taste came straight from the farm. “Growing up, I was by far the youngest of seventeen grandchildren,” he says. “My mother’s parents were retired and lived on a farm in South Carolina. The strong rural legacy and the embedded fear left over from the Depression made this a working farm: corn, tomatoes, melons, strawberries, peanuts, sweet potatoes, okra, squash, onions, pole beans. They farmed the land together, and my grandmother spent hours ‘putting up’ pickles and preserves that filled their pantry. It was from this world that I first tasted fried green tomatoes.”

Photographs by Johnny Autry

Green tomatoes are nothing more than garden-variety tomatoes plucked before they ripen. Because most farmers have several plantings of tomatoes, staggered to lengthen the season and to protect against accidental destruction, a lot of green tomatoes can be harvested throughout the growing season. “Green tomatoes tend to be the same size, a little larger than a tennis ball,” says the chef. “Pick ones on the larger side that show absolutely no shriveling. The skin should be very tight. And you want green and not yellow. Since you use the heart of the tomato and not the top or bottom, you’ll typically get three one-third- to half-inch slices from each.”
After the tomatoes are washed and dredged (dipped in batter and breaded), they’re ready for the fire. Along with salt and pepper, Callaghan likes to use a little garlic powder and onion powder in the breading. The dry spices frame the flavor of the tomatoes nicely and won’t burn at the high heat.

In a perfect world, Callaghan says, there would be plenty of pork fat in the pan for frying. “Flavor is the gift of poverty. Protein was never the centerpiece of a meal; the vegetables were. And fried tomatoes, or fried anything, was a way to get fat into the diet.” Even without pork fat, you’ll still get a flavor bump by mixing butter and oil for the cooking fat. In any case, there should be enough in the pan to float the tomatoes so they aren’t touching the bottom of the pan, which can dislodge the breading. After bringing the fat to its initial temperature of 350ºF, the heat is reduced to stabilize the temperature. But the more you fry, the more the temperature of the oil goes down, so there will be some adjustment.

Don’t be tempted to eat them right away after cooking. The tomatoes will be hot inside due to the water trapped within. Instead take this time to stack up one of Callaghan’s signature BL-GREEN-Ts. Toast one side of the bread, turn some chopped greens such as arugula, basil, or tarragon into Duke’s mayo, and use a good smokehouse bacon. The sandwich has become so popular at Acme, the chef says, that one of his regular brunch customers got a tattoo of it. “Bloody Marys and bacon fat do strange things to people, I guess.”

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients
4 to 6 green tomatoes, sliced

Wash
2 cups buttermilk (old-fashioned whole buttermilk that still has fat in it) mixed with 2 large eggs

Dredge
2 cups White Lily (self-rising) flour mixed with 1 cup stone-ground (medium) cornmeal, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. onion powder, generous pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups canola oil mixed with
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
(or 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup butter, and 1 cup pork fat)

Preparation

Place sliced tomatoes in colander. Salt lightly, and let sit for about 5 minutes to help draw out moisture. Rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.

Working one at a time, completely coat each tomato slice in the wash and then in the dredge, gently shaking off excess.

In a cast-iron skillet over high heat, bring butter and canola oil to 350ºF (use a candy thermometer). Reduce heat to stabilize. Working 3 slices at a time, fry the tomatoes until golden brown, turning only once (about 3 to 4 minutes total cooking time). Use a spatula to flip the tomatoes away from you so you don’t get splashed. Transfer each batch to drain on brown paper bags.

3 Southern-Style Potato Salads

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Summer barbecues and picnics aren’t complete without a tasty helping of potato salad. Try one of these variations on a Southern classic for Memorial Day weekend.

Tasty Potato Salad Recipes

Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Bragging rights for this flavor-packed, perfectly balanced favorite (from Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook) go to Blair Hobbs of Oxford, Mississippi.

Ingredients
5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
4 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1 tablespoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 cup sweet salad cube pickles, drained
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 to 2 tsp. celery salt
4 drops of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation

1. Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover 20 minutes or until tender; drain and cool 15 minutes. Peel potatoes, and place in a large bowl. Add eggs, and chop mixture into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with salt; toss to coat.

2. Stir together mayonnaise and next 13 ingredients; gently stir into potato mixture. Sprinkle with paprika; add black pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 2 days.

Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Big Daddy’s Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad

Grilling the potatoes in an easy-to-fold aluminum foil packet adds a subtle note of smoky flavor–plus it makes cleanup a breeze.

Ingredients
3 pounds baby red potatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preparation
1. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Place potatoes in a single layer in center of a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring up foil sides over potatoes; double fold top and side edges to seal, making 1 large packet.

2. Grill potatoes, in foil packet, covered with grill lid, 15 minutes on each side. Remove packet from grill. Carefully open packet, using tongs, and let potatoes cool 5 minutes.

3. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Stir in onion, blue cheese, and bacon.

*Balsamic vinegar may be substituted but will darken the color of the dressing.

Veggie Potato Salad

This healthy, “all-in-one” side dish features potato salad with the addition of garden-fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, radishes, and green beans.

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise with olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup steamed, cut fresh green beans
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Bring potatoes and salted water to cover to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat, and simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with vinegar and oil, and toss gently. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

2. Whisk together buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Stir in carrots and next 6 ingredients; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon buttermilk mixture over potato mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours before serving.

Note: We tested with Kraft Reduced-Fat Mayonnaise with Olive Oil.

Saw-wielding man attacks Japan girl group AKB48

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Saw-wielding man attacks Japan girl group AKB48

AKB48 member Rina Kawaei during the group's concert at the Yokohama stadium June 8, 2013

Tokyo (AFP) - Two teenage members of Japanese girl group AKB48 were in hospital Monday after being attacked by a man wielding a saw at one of the band's regular meet-the-fans events, managers said.

Reports said the attack came after a mini-concert early Sunday afternoon as fans were lining up to shake hands with performers inside booths.Rina Kawaei, 19, and Anna Iriyama, 18, both suffered broken bones in their right hands and received cuts on their arms and heads from the 50-centimetre (20-inch) saw at the event in Iwate in northern Japan.

Kawaei and Iriyama were in the same booth when a man in the queue suddenly produced a saw, the Yomiuri daily said.

Fans told Japanese media they heard a shriek, apparently from one of the young women, saying "Stop it!"

Some of the 100 or so staff and security guards pounced on the attacker and held him until police arrived, reports said. A member of staff was also hurt in the melee.

One fan described how Kawaei was covered in blood when she was taken away by medics to a waiting ambulance.

Both girls were expected to be discharged from hospital on Tuesday, the band's management said.

Organisers said scheduled events in Tokyo and central Japan were being postponed.

A 24-year-old man, identified as unemployed Satoru Umeta, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said.

The suspect told police "I attempted to kill people" and "I didn't care whom", Jiji Press reported, citing unnamed police sources.

- Televised extravaganza -

AKB48 is part talent show, part pop act -- a venture in which a pool of more than 100 girls and young women compete for a spot in the limelight with each new catchy but formulaic hit.

The group -- one of the most successful acts of all time in monetary terms -- is built on their accessibility to their legions of fans. They appear at regular events all over the country to shake hands and pose for pictures, as well as on social networking sites.

Fans are given around seven seconds to pose with their idols, the Yomiuri reported Monday, before they are moved along.

Members must strive constantly for popularity if they wish to retain their spot, and girls who contravene strict rules -- such as having boyfriends -- are punished by being dropped back into the general talent pool.

Line-up changes often sound the death-knell for musical acts. But the frequent rotation of AKB's members is key to keeping them at the top of their game in Japan's fickle pop scene.

Fans are currently voting for the girl they want to lead the collective for the next year, using ballot slips only available with the purchase of their newest single. The results will be announced in a nationally televised extravaganza on June 7.

There was a mixture of anger and anguish among fans after the attack, with some questioning why their idols were not better protected.

"What were the organisers doing?" demanded a 21-year-old student.

"I pray that the three people will be in good health again soon... and the two group members will show us soon they are in good shape," wrote another fan on an Internet forum, who said his name was "Yamasan".

"I also hope for a strengthening of security checks such as by introducing a metal detector," he said.

A 17-year-old who visited the group's theatre in Tokyo's busy Akihabara district -- from which are derived the letters AKB -- told the Yomiuri: "I'm very worried about my favourite member who was hurt."

"I don't understand why anyone would do such a thing," he said.

Violent crime is rare in Japan. Carrying a blade without reason -- even a pair of scissors, a box-cutter or a survival knife -- is banned, while possession of guns is strictly limited to licensed hunters.

Mexican man, once world's heaviest, dies at 48

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MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — A Mexican man once listed as the world's heaviest human being died Monday at the age of 48.

Manuel "Meme" Uribe, 42, shows how he exercises from his bed during an interview in Monterrey, Mexico. Uribe, once listed as the world's heaviest human being, has died at the age of 48. His death was confirmed Monday, May 26, 2014 by an official of the health department of Nuevo Leon state in Mexico. Doctors have not yet certified the cause of death. (AP Photo/Monica Rueda, File)

Manuel Uribe had slimmed down to about 867 pounds, well below his then-record peak weight of 1,230 pounds, which was certified in 2006 as a Guinness World Record.

Uribe's death was confirmed by an official of the health department of Nuevo Leon state, where the city of Monterrey is located.

Uribe had been confined to his bed in Monterrey for years, unable to walk on his own.

The official, who was not authorized to be quoted by name, said Uribe had been taken to the hospital on May 2 because of an abnormal heartbeat.

He had to be taken to the hospital with a crane by emergency and civil defense workers.

Doctors have not yet certified the cause of death. In addition to the cardiac condition, Uribe was also believed to have suffered from liver problems.

Uribe married Claudia Solis in 2008, and the wedding was one of the few times he left his home in recent years.

Uribe was a chubby kid, weighing more than 250 pounds as an adolescent. Starting in 1992, he said, his weight began ballooning further.

Since the summer of 2002, Uribe had been bedridden, relying on his mother and friends to feed and clean him.