Day 22: March 15, 2015: Chestnuts Cooked 4 Different Ways - Κάστανα Μαγειρεμένα με 4 Διαφορετικούς Τρόπους

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose…"  It may not be the Christmas season, but the weather outside is still frightful, and the fire inside is delightful, so why not have roasted chestnuts?

We were at at small, independent grocery store, and found they were selling this bag of chestnuts for $1.35 Canadian per pound (454 g).  That seemed like a great price, and it was something we had not had during this winter break, so we bought a bag.  There are many things one can make with chestnuts, and many different ways to eat them, and we thought we would try a few ways here today. 

What prompted us to try preparing chestnuts using several different methods is that while reading how various people prepared chestnuts, these following methods came up most frequently:

a) boiling them in water

b) roasting them in the oven as is

c) roasting them in the oven with an "X-shaped" cut

d) microwaving them

So, we approached the task one afternoon to see how each method fared.

As one can see, chestnuts usually have a flat side.

A cracked, uncooked chestnut.

Chestnuts are called "Kastana" in Greek (in fact, the origin of the word "chestnut" is the ancient Greek word "kastanea").  They are not actually nuts but fruit that fall from the chestnut tree. When you are looking at a chestnut, you may notice that there is one side of the nut (fruit) that is flat.  The other side is rounded and shapely.  (see photo above)  The nuts are smooth and even coloured and have a thick skin around the sweet and creamy centres.

These nuts can be eaten as they are, boiled, roasted, or as part of a recipe.  With each cooking method, the texture of the creamy centre changes slightly, and the amount of sweetness is heightened to a different degree.  We thought we would try four of the most common ways of preparing chestnuts without using a fire or fireplace.

Our first method was to boil the chestnuts.  We put a small pot of water on the stove, and turned on the heat to boil the water.  The heat setting was high, but it does take a while for the water to heat to boiling.  So, while the water was coming to temperature, we added a few chestnuts.  Be careful not to drop the nuts into the water from too high so the hot water does not splash you.  We learned this the hard way!

The water will come up to a boil, and let the chestnuts boil for 20 minutes.  The shells will turn a bit darker in colour, the water will change colour, and you will be pleased with the result of the nuts.  When you look at the pot, you may realize that this is the same thing that people  used for hair dye/hair colour a long time ago!  Then, when the nuts have cooled enough to touch, slice the skin to peel them and enjoy.  The centres will have a consistent hue, and have a soft, almost creamy texture.

Next, we thought we would try the oven method.  We had read directions that included slitting the skins or not slitting the skins.  We did not know what the right answer was, so we tried both.

First, we drew the line on the parchment paper, so we knew the difference between the two, and so you would know the difference between the cut and uncut chestnuts.  We did not know how much the cuts would show, and wanted to make sure we kept it straight.  Using a permanent marker and parchment paper, it was easy to label what we were doing.  

Using a serrated knife, we sliced into the skin twice -- one time from the tip to the tail, and the other slice across the width of the nut.  We then laid the sliced chestnut with the flat side down on the pan, the cross facing up. 

We baked the chestnuts at 400º F (about 200º C) for 20 minutes.  When the chestnuts came out of the oven, the house smelled amazing!  That scent lingered for about thirty minutes.  Then, looking at the cooked products, we were glad that the nuts were labeled (see below).  The chestnuts that were not sliced before baking still cracked open.  The openings were not as drastic as the ones from the cut chestnuts, but they were opening enough to peel the skin off and get into the sweet centre.   However, in the final product after baking, the taste of the baked middle had no difference in flavour or texture to us between these two baked chestnuts.  

The baked chestnuts tasted rather different from the boiled ones!  The boiled chestnuts were softer and creamier, whereas the baked chestnuts were sweet, but a bit dry.  Both were good, but now, we wanted to try the fast way to make chestnuts.

Some of the uncut chestnuts "exploded" during the roasting process!

Our last method of cooking chestnuts is to microwave them.  It may sound wrong since nobody thinks about  "chestnuts roasting in the microwave…" but this was fast and easy.  We put the chestnuts on a microwave safe plate and thought how easy this seemed, perhaps we were missing something.  We put the first batch into the microwave for 3 minutes on high.  At the two minute mark, the chestnuts started to explode -- literally!  If you want to know how long it takes to clean your microwave, then please follow that method.  

Otherwise, follow this method:  This time, we cut the chestnuts.  Using the same method as we did for the baked ones, we used a serrated knife and cut the shape of the cross into the round side of the chestnut.  Then, we placed the chestnuts on a microwave safe plate, we also covered them with a microwave lid.  Nobody wants to clean the microwave two times in a row.  We set the power to high, and cooked the chestnuts for 2 minutes.  

This was not really enough, so we put the chestnuts back in the microwave for another minute.  Three minutes seemed right, but we had to try four minutes, too. So, we did, but we found that was too much.  With each added minute, the texture inside the chestnut changed.  Three minutes age us the perfect sweetness and creaminess, with a little bit of dryness, too.  Four minutes was just dry.  It was hard to appreciate the flavour beyond the dry, crumbly texture.  And, the two minute microwaved chestnut just didn't seem ready -- like eating a half baked cake.

Our microwave is a few years old, so we think that the results would be different with a newer microwave and higher power, but this is what we found.  We liked the 3-minute microwaved method almost as much as we liked the boiled chestnuts.  The oven- baked chestnuts were fine, but the others were a bit sweeter and a little creamier.

We tried all these methods and then summarized them onto one page for you.  We know what we liked and why, but would love to know which method or methods you tried and you liked. If you have other ways that you enjoy chestnuts, please let us know so we, too, can try that, too.  It doesn't have to be winter or Christmas to enjoy this creamy, healthy treat.

"Does not the gratitude of the dog put to shame any man who is ungrateful to his benefactors?"
Saint Basil (330-379 A.D.)

Source of quote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/saintbasil540761.html#jrVGCau3e5ep5Ygu.99

Day 21: March 14, 2015: Lupina Beans - Αλατισμένα Λούπινα

Lupini beans are part of the pea family.  They are eaten like a snack.  Members of our family had this as the only protein on the table during many a day during the "Katohi" (the Nazi occupation during World War 2).  Now, lupine beans (or "lupina" in Greek) are eaten any time as a crunchy, salty and very nutritious snack; they are available all year, since they are often found preserved in a brine solution, like an olive or a salty pickle would be.  They do not taste like pickles, but it seems that they are a tasty treat!

Unusual for a legume, lupina have no starch, are about 40% protein and a nutritionally rich food. Caution is advised for anyone wanting to consume bitter lupine (commonly used as livestock fodder) which have not been processed properly as alkaloid poisoning can occur. Also, in the European Union, it is required to indicate lupini beans on the label of food as there is some concern for cross-peanut allergy similarities (the lupini beans are related to the peanut).

We hope we haven't scared you with this point; tens of millions of people eat this delicious snack; if you have a legume allergy or a peanut allergy specifically, please don't eat lupine! For all other readers, please read on!

Lupini beans are referred to as Lupina (Λούπινα, lupino is the singular and lupina is the plural form) in Greek.  They are a neat little snack pod that can be left at room temperature because of the high salt content.  If you look at the label's ingredients list (above), you can see that the beans, water, and salt are the main ingredients.  The citric acid is a preservative to keep the food fresh in the jar.  Citric acid can be used to add or provide a sour flavour, but these beans are not sour, so the citric acid appears to be only a preservative.

Please note that once the container (jar or shrink-wrapped plastic bag) is opened, the lupina need to be refrigerated as they can become mouldy within a couple of days on the counter.

When we eat Lupina, we wash off the brining liquid (salt water).  We do that for the fact that it is too salty, and by rinsing the beans, we can appreciate the bean itself.  They have a thick skin around the bean that needs to be peeled off (mind you, husband, as well as many people I know, like munching on the skin as well.  The skin is where most of the saltiness is held, and once that skin is peeled away, the mild, not salty legume is left.

We started by opening the jar, and taking some of the Lupina out of the brine.  They are yellowish, and look like very flat, roundish legumes. Some of the beans will have popped out of their skins, and that's okay because we have to peel them to eat anyway.

There are two different ways to rinse away the brine solution.  Your first choice is that you can rinse the Lupina under cool water.  Running water  is fine if you have a small amount and you know the water will reach all the beans.  If you are rinsing a larger quantity, and you want to make sure the beans will be edible and not overly salty, then it may be best to put them in a bowl full of fresh cool water, and allowing the lupina to sit in clear water for about 30 minutes.  This will make sure to remove much of the saltiness from the beans.

Once the lupina have been rinsed and drained of any rinsing water, it is time to pop open these little treasures and try one (or several) for yourself.  The best way to do this is to pick up one bean and give it a squeeze.  The bean will shoot out of the skin, and likely will zip across the room.  If you are a little talented, you can squeeze the skin directly pointing into your mouth, and catch the bean as it pops out.

Another choice is to make a small cut in the skin, and then pull out the bean from its wrapping.  Similar to peeling a banana, it is a slower method of cleaning the beans, but does not lead to Lupina all over the floor!

Discard the skins.  They are edible but many people I know don't eat them , as they can be extremely salty.  You can enjoy these as a snack, as part of breakfast, or as a protein pick me up in the middle of the day.  They are a great social snack to have with friends, and are appropriate any time of year, fasting and non-fasting periods alike.  If we get really adventurous, we may try to make some other dish with Lupina, but, for now, they are a lovely snack just as they are.

First crack the outer skin to create an opening...

The inside part of the lupino bean needs a bit of a squeeze to come out.

Not everyone separates the outer skin from the inside bean. Some eat the entire lupina beans one at a time - whole!

“To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.” 

Abraham Lincoln

Source of quote: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/203743-to-ease-another-s-heartache-is-to-forget-one-s-own

Day 20: March 13, 2015: Fast and Easy Marinated Baby Octopus with Green Olives and Pepperocini - Γρήγορο και Εύκολο Μικρό Χταποδάκι Ξυδάτο με Πράσινες Ελιές και Πράσινες Πιπεριές

The final product, created from start to finish in under 15 minutes. Nutritious, delicious, inexpensive and very easy to make. 

We have marinated a variety of foods including calamari, seafood mix, and octopus. But, with 25 days of fasting left, we needed this staple food to be easier to make. This recipe is inspired by something that we saw at the fish monger.

We go shopping at the fish monger to see what kind of new products arrive from Greece, to get inspired with something new to make, and to purchase various seafood items that we are allowed to have right now. We go there other times of year, too, but it just happens that it is now Great Lent and we shopped at the fish monger.

We like to look at the variety of products in the store. At this particular market, there is an entire section dedicated to products made in-house. We can just imagine the Yiayiades in the back kitchen making the seafood salads and the taramasalata! But, this was really the inspiration.

We were looking at the salads, wondering if there was something there that we would like to change our variety of seafood salads that we make regularly. We came upon a small container, 10 ounces, that had baby octopus, olives, hot peppers, and some carrots. As we read the ingredients, the list seems like one we would have created with oil, vinegar, lemon, olives, pepperoncini, and carrots. We have talked about using Italian salad dressing as the marinade for seafood, and about using lemon instead of vinegar. Ad, when we looked more closely, we saw that the fish monger had used mostly oil, with a small amount of vinegar resting on the bottom of the container.

Well, this 10-ounce package seemed to be everything we were thinking about. We stopped ourselves from buying this small container because for 10 ounces, the store was asking *$8.99, and we thought that was pricey for what we were getting.

That day, we bought the baby octopus, frozen in small packages. We bought two packages -- one to use now, and one to keep int he freezer for next time. These packages were on sale at a price of 2 for $6.00 (or something), which seemed cheaper than $9 for 10 ounces (about 300 g).



So, could we replicate the expensive baby octopus salad? We think we did. With a little creativity, and a little research, we found that copying the fish monger was surprisingly easy.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

1 10-ounce package baby octopus (approximately 300 g)
5-6 olives, pitted and chopped
3 pimentos (pickled pepper strips)
2-5 hot peppers
1-2 TBSP shredded carrots (optional)
Brine from the olives

dried oregano, as needed
salt, as needed
oil, as needed
red wine vinegar, as needed



As we have in the past, we are going to cook the baby octopus.  These packages where the baby octopus are all frozen together into a block are easy to use, but not always easy to cook.  Sometimes it helps to beak the brick in half and to cook it in two chunks.  To cook the octopus, boil some water.  Drop the octopus into the boiling water.  Be careful not to splash when dropping the octopus.  Boil the octopus for 5 minutes, uncovered.  The octopus will turn a deep purple/brown colour, and the water will too.  After 5 minutes, drain the water off the octopus, and rinse them in cool water.  The purple/brown skin may start to flake off, and that is fine.  It may be something that you want to rub off all together, just for appearances.  It is your choice.  We left ours as they were, purple skin and all, right out of the pot.

Make sure the octopus has been cleaned.  If need be, cut the head and remove the eye of the octopus.  It is hard and will ruin the end result of your final salad.

Then, cut the octopus into bite sized pieces.  You may choose to leave baby octopus in its whole form, which gives a lovely presentation.  Or, if you cut the octopus, make the pieces bite sized.

Once all the pieces are cut, sprinkle some salt over all the octopus.  We used about 1 teaspoon of salt for the 10 ounces of octopus.  This seems like a good guideline.  Of course, it is adjustable based on you taste for salt.

Then, add two pinches of oregano.  Depending on how much you like oregano, yo may want to add more or less.  Two pinches seemed like enough to taste, but not enough to take over the flavour.

Now, it is time to add about two teaspoons of brine from the olives, the oil, and the vinegar.  Add enough liquid to cover the octopus, but not enough that the octopus is swimming in the oil and vinegar. 

Now, it is time to add the olives, pimento, carrots, and hot peppers.  By using the existing mix of olives and peppers, we saved a lot of chopping of different vegetables.  This is a super easy way to enhance the salad if you don't have a lot of produce on hand.

Mix all the ingredients together.  If you have the time, allow the salad to marinade for a minimum of 3 hours.  If you do not have the time to do that, serve the salad with a  squirt of lemon juice and some crusty bread for a meal or an appetizer.  Then write to us and tell us how it turned out.

"Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger."

(From the book The Sayings Of The Desert Fathers, pg. 153)