July 23, 2015 – Inspiralized Veggies

“Zoodles and Other Spiralized Innovations!”

INTRO TEXT   

Spiralizing is the latest trend in food preparation, and for good reason! Today’s spiralizing gadgets work better than ever! You’ll be inspired by the updated vegetable dishes that spiralizing creates. In this issue, we get you started with three great recipes: Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad, Lemon Garlic Broccoli with Bacon, and Thai Drunken Zucchini Noodles with Pork. 

MAIN BODY:

Why Spiralize?
There are many reasons to become a spiralizer in the kitchen! Spiral cutting techniques applied to fruits and vegetables allow you to:
(1) Create dishes with interesting shapes and textures.
(2) Inspire more vegetable enjoyment with tastier preparation.
(3) Cook vegetables more quickly due to the greater surface area.
(4) Reduce waste by using the entire vegetable such as broccoli stalks.
(5) Substitute healthier “vegetable noodles” for traditional pasta.
(6) Produce delicious flavors with fresh, local ingredients.
(7) Achieve easy results with new modern spiralizers. 

What to Spiralize?
Many vegetables and foods are candidates for spiralizing. Choose foods that are firm, avoid juicy items and foods with tough or hard seeds.

Zucchini is the perfect starter vegetable for beginning spiralizers. And, it just happens to be zucchini season. When zucchini is cut in spiral fashion, they’re affectionately known as “zoodles.” We’re not sure if this naming convention works uniformly with other vegetables (squoodles? caroodles? beetoodles?), but despite naming conundrums, it’s worth trying a variety of items to find your favorite spiralized foods.) 
Apples, zucchini, broccoli, summer squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, jicama, cucumbers, autumn squashes, cabbage, onions, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, or whatever inspires you!

Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad  A great summertime salad, you’ll love the antipasto flavors featured in this recipe. While the title has  “pasta” in the name, the only noodle in sight is a “zoodle.” Just in time for the peak of zucchini season, spiralizers turn the ubiquitous vegetable into fettucini-like shapes that eagerly soak up the vinaigrette dressing. Accompanied by artichoke hearts, tomatoes, red onions, black olives, and cubes of cheese and salami, the zoodles rock this dish to delicious perfection!

Recipe Notes:
(1) Double, triple, or even quadruple the tomatoes – they’re in season now, too!
(2) Use a handheld mandoline to obtain paper-thin slices of onion.
(3) Adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking – we like a little heat and doubled the amount.

Reprinted with permission from Inspiralized, Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals by Ali Maffucci. Copyright 2015. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York, NY. All rights reserved. 
How To Spiralize

There are many brands and models of spiralizers. They generally fall into one of two categories:  (1) pencil sharpener-style or (2) crank-style.

Step 1 – Prepare the vegetable or fruit by washing peeling and trimming as needed.  Step 2 -- Cut the ends of the vegetable perpendicularly to the length of the vegetable to create flat ends for affixing to the cutting tool.

For pencil sharpener-style spiralizers:
Step 3 – Choose the spiralizer end with the desired cutting blade. Insert the vegetable and turn to cut. Or, hold the vegetable firmly and rotate the cutting tool; whichever way is easier for you.

For crank-style spiralizers:
Step 3 – Choose the desired blade and insert into the cutting platform. Position the prepped vegetable at the center of the cutting end. Holding the vegetable level, draw in the crank end and impale on the “teeth.” Crank slowly with firm, even pressure.

Tips & Techniques for Spiralizing:
(1) Choose foods that lend themselves to spiralizing – firm flesh, tender skin, not too juicy.
(2) Avoid foods with tough seeds in the center or foods with hollow centers.
(3) Cut the ends to create a flat bottom; this helps to keep the vegetable straight as it approaches the blade.
(4) Practice the technique – don’t be discouraged if at first you don’t succeed; it won’t take long to master the process and become a pro at spiralizing.
(5) Rinse the spiralizer blade immediately after using for easy cleaning; the blades are razor sharp – take care while washing; let air dry for safety.

Lemon Garlic Broccoli with Bacon  Super quick, and super delicious! In just a few minutes, broccoli becomes the best dish on the table! Cut and divide the florets, then spiralize the entire broccoli stalk. It’s a great way to reduce waste and put whole broccoli to use. After a simple steam, the broccoli (“brocoodles?”, “broccaghetti?”) are sauteed with a little olive, garlic, lemon, and red pepper flakes. The finished dish is topped with crumbled bacon and grated Parmesan cheese. Broccoli never tasted so good!

Recipe Notes:
(1) Bake the bacon instead of pan-frying. Using the entire package of bacon bake in a 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes – perfect crispy bacon every time! Crumble and keep the extra bacon in the freezer for a salad topping, or another helping of this broccoli dish on another day. (2) Reduce the number of cooking pans: use a broad-based saute pan to both steam and saute the broccoli – only one pan to clean!
(3) Experiment with other hard cheeses such as Romano or Asiago, or fresher, salty cheeses such as cotija or feta.

Reprinted with permission from Inspiralized, Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals by Ali Maffucci. Copyright 2015. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York, NY. All rights reserved. 

Vegetable Tools:

GEFU SPIRELLI SPIRAL SLICER
A pencil sharpener-style of spiralizer, this gadget features two different cutting blades for two different sizes.

PADERNO SPIRALIZER
A crank-style of spiralizers, it features multiple cutting blades that produce ribbons and different “noodle” sizes.

KYOCERA HANDHELD SLICER
For flat, paper-thin slices of foods, it’s hard to be this handheld slicer. It’s especially perfect for onions.

PREPWORKS ZIP SLICER
With a single zip, small round foods are halved. Great for cherry tomatoes, olives, or grapes.

WUSTHOF 3.5” PARING KNIFE
It’s an essential kitchen knife to have especially during the summer. Choose one that is comfortable and sharp!

WUSTHOF SERRATED PARING KNIFE
Tomatoes, peaches and other soft-skinned fruit need the help of a serrated blade. It grabs and cuts without crushing.

WUSTHOF 8” VEGETABLE RIDGE KNIFE
This uniquely designed knife features a ridge and holes in the blade. Cut foods won’t stick; makes for faster prep!

Thai Drunken Zucchini Noodles with Pork  When the urge strikes for Asian food flavors, it’s ok to indulge in this lower calorie version thanks to the spiralized zucchini. The zoodles in this recipe are more like flat pappardelle, or ribbon-like shapes. Thanks to easily accessible sauces, the desirable flavors that typify Asian dishes are easily whisked together. A few aromatics are added to the browned pork, the ribboned zucchini softened, and the dish is complete in short order. Fabulous flavor!

Reprinted with permission from Inspiralized, Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals by Ali Maffucci. Copyright 2015. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Recipe Notes: (1) Mix two batches of the sauce storing one for a later date. With the sauce “pre-mixed,” another dish is halfway done.
(2) Buy a full pound of the ground pork and brown. Remove and freeze half for another day.
(3) Try this recipe with cabbage, or spaghetti ribbons of turnip. 

COOKBOOK REVIEW:

INSPIRALIZED Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals by Ali Maffucci. Copyright 2015. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York, NY. 
It’s one thing to acquire a new gadget, it’s another to put it to work to the extent that you’re compelled to say, “I don’t know how I lived without it!” This cookbook inspires the spiralizing gadgets to greatness. While there are many great reasons to use a spiralizer, in this cookbook, the author promotes the perspective that by cutting vegetables in new and creative ways they become more interesting, versatile, and tasty. This naturally results in more vegetables eaten, and healthier meals placed on the table. Ms. Maffucci approaches spiralizing with infectious enthusiasm. Spiraled inspiration is applied to everyday dishes as additions and/or healthy substitutions. She claims, and we have now personally verified, that not a bit of flavor or enjoyment is lost in translation. The cookbook guides the beginner through the technique of spiralizing, then unleashes the new skill on Breakfasts, Snacks & Sides, Soups, Stews & Salads, Sandwiches, Wraps & More, Casseroles, Rice Dishes, Pastas & Noodles and even Desserts. You will definitely become inspiralized with this book in hand!