GLOBE ARTICHOKE - VEGETABLE QUEEN OF THE MED. HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES: GREEK ARTICHOKE RECIPE

GLOBE ARTICHOKE, CYNARA SCOLYMUS

There is some confusion in the names of the globe artichoke and the Jerusalem artichoke (arabee), the latter being an edible tuber, and the former a member of the thistle family, related to the cardoon and the milk-thistle. The botanical name “skolymus” means thistle in Greek. It has its origins in the Mediterranean region and is used in both Greek and Italian cuisine. It is fiddly to eat and prepare, although worth buying on the stem as this can be used in salads. In most countries, however, the stem is removed before sale. If you do manage to get a whole fresh plant, use the stems but discard the leaves as they are bitter. The leaves on the head of the artichoke are what are referred to on recipes.

  The plant can grow to 5 feet tall, and normally are around 3 feet high. They can be harvested in spring but are not available in winter months if they are grown in gardens.

  The globe artichoke was used in ancient Greece and Rome as food and medicine as it was thought to be liver protective and modern medical studies have borne this out. It arrived in Britain during the 16^th century and was grown in monastery gardens, although the Brits have not really adopted this vegetable in a big way. This may have changed since artichoke hearts can now be bought canned and frozen, making them more accessible.

The globe artichoke comes before the flower which is a huge, glorious thistle flower, so the artichoke we eat is the bud of the plant. If you don’t want to eat the artichoke whole, you can use the hearts as in the recipe below, and take the leaves off the globe, boil them for about 5 minutes and let them cool to use in a salad. Before boiling them, snip off the top of each leaf which might be thorny. You can also add the leaves to soups and stews.

  Stems should be par-boiled or blanched before eating, although they can be eaten raw and are good when drizzled with olive oil.

  The leaf extracts and extracts from the stems contain cynarin, which has been found to help lower blood cholesterol levels and to improve the functioning of the liver and gall bladder. This can help in the early stages of late onset diabetes.

  The globe of the artichoke is high in fibre and contains vitamins C and K, folate and some of the B-complex ones, as well as the minerals copper, magnesium and manganese. It also contains flavonoids and phenolic acids such as luteolin, and inulin which increases the body’s ability to absorb calcium and magnesium, regulates blood glucose levels and reduces cholesterol.

  Traditionally artichokes have been used to treat many ailments and have been shown to be effective against rheumatism. Dioscorides, in the first century AD recommended the mashed roots as a deodorant.

  Other uses have been for jaundice, loss of appetite, indigestion, flatulence, stomach pains, nervous complaints, oedema (they have diuretic properties), nausea, constipation, gallstones and liver problems.

  I love them in lemon sauce as prepared in Greece, and below is an adaptation of a Greek recipe which just needs the hearts, so canned or frozen hearts can be used. In Italy globe artichokes may be served alone with a sauce, or the hearts can be found in risottos or on pizzas, but they are especially good grilled with a selection of other fresh seasonal vegetables.

ARTICHOKE HEARTS AND VEGETABLES IN LEMON SAUCE

Ingredients

10 artichoke hearts

10 small shallots

1 lb small new potatoes, scrubbed

4-6 medium carrots, scrapped and sliced

250 gr fresh peas in pod, shelled

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 large onions, peeled and sliced

1 handful fresh dill, snipped

½ pint chicken stock (recipe)

¼ pint white wine

¼ pint fresh lemon juice

2 tbsps flour

olive oil

Method

Heat oil in a pan and fry the whole shallots, onions and garlic for 5 minutes, then add the sliced carrots, and potatoes, and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Add the flour and stir well, then slowly while still stirring, add the chicken stock and white wine.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour.

Now add the artichoke hearts, peas, dill, lemon juice and seasoning.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Serve hot or cold.

You can add more olive oil to this dish when you add the stock, if you want to.

Serve with fresh crusty bread or garlic bread.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

PECAN: THE ALL - AMERICAN NUT: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF PECANS: BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH PECANS RECIPE

PECANS, CARYA ILLINOINENSIS

As the Latinized form of the name Illinois suggests, pecans were first ‘discovered’ by European traders in that state, who named them Illinois nuts. They must have been planted there by the Native Americans who were eating them at least 8,000 years ago in the area of what is now Texas, according to archaeological evidence. They originated in the Mississippi river basin   Pecan nuts are a valuable source of protein and contain vitamins A, E and B-complex ones along with the minerals copper, zinc, potassium, iron, calcium, manganese and phosphorous. They have antioxidant properties, and contain good fats such as oleic acid. They are members of the hickory genus and members of the walnut family, Juglanaceae. In fact they can be substituted for walnuts in most recipes and vice versa.

  The name ‘pecan’ came from the Algonquin word pecane which describes the qualities of the nut and shell; ‘nut so hard that it requires a stone to crack’. The pecan trees are slow-growing that may begin to produce seeds (pecan nuts) after 6 years, but it may take longer. The nuts, which are technically seeds, take 6 – 9 months to ripen on the tree, and are obvious when the leaves fall in autumn. Then you will get a good crop of nuts one year followed by a much smaller harvest the following year. The trees attract butterflies and the nuts are avidly taken by gray squirrels, opossums, raccoons and other animals if people don’t get to them first. The pecan tree is the state tree of Texas.

   Thomas Jefferson planted pecans at Monticello and gave some to George Washington. The trees planted by these two presidents are now the oldest ones in Mount Vernon. The trees can grow up to 180 feet high and have spreading crowns of up to 120 feet, so providing as much shade as the bohar or banyan tree in the Indian subcontinent. The trees flower in April through to May with male catkins and female flowers on the same tree.

Pecans are now grown in Spain, Egypt, Israel, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, France, Australia and South Africa. Varieties of the pecan tree have all been named after Native American tribes, as after all the nuts were a staple for them in the past.

  Native Americans used a decoction of the bark of the pecan tree as a remedy for TB, and an infusion of the leaves and bark was used for dysentery and diarrhoea and externally for skin problems. The pulped leaves were put onto fungal infections such as ringworm to get rid of them. Charcoal from the tree was used to smoke meats. Milk can be made from the seeds and used to thicken soup, or to flavour corn cakes etc. Oil is extracted from the seeds and can be used on salads or in cooking in the same way as walnut or sesame oil.

  Research on lab animals has shown that pecans and the tree have properties which may reduce the risks or some neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and may also reduce the risks of heart disease and cancer, but more extensive research is needed into the properties of the tree and the nuts.

  The wood from the pecan can be made into furniture, as it has much the same qualities as hickory wood and it can also be used for paneling and veneer. Perhaps the most famous use for pecans is pecan pie, which is made in many homes at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Pecan pie is as American as apple pie, but not as well-known in the rest of the world. However you can do a lot of things with pecans, such as adding them to biscuits, bread and cakes. Interestingly the first written Pecan Pie recipe dates back only to 1925, so perhaps it is a relative newcomer to US cuisine.

  The recipe below cam be made with blue cheese, such as a Blue Gloucester, Cheshire, or Roquefort and also could be made with Feta. I use Blue Stilton because I enjoy the taste of a really good one.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH PECANS

Ingredients

2 kg butternut squash, halved, seeds removed,

   and cut into 1 inch cubes

3 tbsps olive oil

6 sprigs thyme (½ tsps dried) or ajwain

6 sprigs oregano (½ tsps dried)

4 oz pecans, crushed or chopped
4 oz Blue Stilton, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 7 / 220° C / 425°F.

Put the squash in one layer on a greased oven proof tray and sprinkle the leaves from the herb sprigs over it, season and drizzle with the olive oil.

Put in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until the squash is tender.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl, add the pecans and cheese and stir well to mix.

Serve with roast chicken or as a vegetarian dish with fresh crusty bread.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

TRUFFLES - THE MOST EXPENSIVE FUNGI - FOOD FOR WELL- BEING: CHAMPAGNE RISOTTO WITH TRUFFLES

BLACK AND WHITE TRUFFLES, TARTUFO, TUBERACEAE FAMILY

There’s still a certain mystique surrounding truffles, despite the fact that they can now be grown and produced commercially. They are the most expensive fungus, with the black truffle commanding higher prices that the white variety. In Italy they are sold in pieces as well as whole, so you don’t have to spend a fortune on them to impress guests. There are truffle oils which have the truffle flavour, but many do not contain anything of the truffle itself. For centuries they have been regarded as one of the finer things of life and have been used as an aphrodisiac, but they do not have any health benefits apart from the fact that they contain amino acids and minerals such as potassium, manganese and calcium, among others.

White truffles

  In the US where they are now produced, they have an affinity with pecan trees, and in Europe they are found under oaks, beech, birch and hazel trees, although they are also associated to a lesser extent with the willow, pine and poplar. They have always been expensive to buy, but the European peasantry had easy access to these delightful edible fungi.

  The truffle was banned by the church in the Middle Ages, presumably because it was regarded as an aphrodisiac which incited people to lewd behaviour. It was a favourite food of both Catherine de Medici and Lucrezia Borgia during the Renaissance, allegedly.

  The ancient Egyptians were eating truffles around 3000 BC and they were a favourite with the Pharaoh Cheops. By the first century AD the Romans were eating the Terfez or desert truffle and importing them from Libya (which was less arid in antiquity), Carthage and the Greek island of Lesbos (Mytilene). Famous Roman writers such as Dioscorides (writing in the first century AD) thought they were tuberous roots, while those of a less scientific frame of mind such as the satirist Juvenal thought that they grew because of thunder and rain. In the 4^th century BC Theophrastus stated that their genesis was a mystery, while Plutarch though they came from lightning, the warmth of the earth and water in the soil.

  There are summer truffles, Tuber aestivum and winter ones such as Tuber uncinatum; the most sought after one is Tuber macrosporum the black truffle.

  According to the Hadith Sahih Mohammed believed that they were the manna of “the people of Moses” and the juice from them was good for the eyes. They were known in the Arab world, as they were harvested in the mountain regions of Armenia and Turkey.

  Truffles came into their own in Europe in the 17^th century, when Europeans abandoned heavily spiced food and turned to herbs and other flavourings which did not have to be imported. However in the market places they were only affordable by the wealthy.

  In the past people relied on truffle-hunting pigs to find their truffles and these were muzzled in 15^th century Italy to prevent the sow eating the prized fungus (after all they were greedy pigs), which is not visible as they live underground. Now dogs are used, as they get rewarded for their finds with things they prefer to eat. The female pig finds them because they smell like the pheromone contained in a boar’s saliva. They certainly do have a pungent aroma, but not having smelled a boar’s saliva, I couldn’t comment.

  Truffles are exported from China (Tuber sinensis or indica) but these are considered inferior to the French and Italian truffles; they are cheaper. In Italy there are truffle festivals in summer and late autumn and these are well worth a visit, as they serve wonderful truffle delights at these affairs.

  The recipe below, is simple but very tasty, and can be made with white wine instead of champagne and basmati rice instead of Arborio (risotto rice) if you can’t find the Arborio variety.

  Truffles may not have any health benefits, but their aroma and taste give you a psychological boost and a general feeling of well-being.

CHAMPAGNE RISOTTO WITH TRUFFLES

Ingredients

1 truffle, black or white, or small slivers

1 cup Arborio rice

½  bottle champagne

freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, finely slivered

1 small onion, finely sliced

salt to taste

olive oil for frying

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Method

Soak the rice for 10-20 mins then strain and discard the water.

Fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes, and then add the rice to the pan and stir well to coat in the oil.

Now pour in the champagne and a little water and add the slivers of truffle, salt and pepper.

Cook for 15 or 20 mins until most of the champagne has been soaked up by the rice.

Leave for 5 minutes before serving with the Parmesan cheese.

This is good as a starter or with roast chicken.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS SAFEDA TREE? EUCALYPTUS TREE - MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES: HOW TO MAKE EUCALYPTUS LEAVES TISANE

EUCALYPTUS TREES, SAFEDA IN URDU

There are around seven hundred species of eucalyptus trees, which have their origins in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. They are a fast-growing species that can withstand drought because their deep roots can take up underground water. This hardy species of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) have now spread around the world to the Mediterranean region, North Africa, the Indian subcontinent and to the US among other places. As members of the myrtle family they are related to cloves, allspice and guava (amrood).

  The tree that predominates in Greece and Pakistan is Eucalyptus camaldulensis and this is the one featured in this post. The medicinal oil comes from E. globulus or the Blue Gum, which gets its Latin name because it resembles a globe-shaped button that was popular in France towards the end of the 19^th century when the tree was given its botanical name. Flowers on different species may be single ones or bloom in clusters which are on the whole without stalks, or which have tiny ones. Be careful as the bark of some species of eucalyptus can cause dermatitis.

  In Australia koalas like to eat leaves from these trees, and can consume between 2½ to 3 pounds a day. Eucalyptus honey is prized as is the oil which is obtained from the leaves and tops of branches. The tree also yields timber which is durable and strong and can be used as fuel. However care should be taken not to burn freshly cut branches as the wood and seeds emit sparks that can easily start a fire and burn you if you are too close.

  Some species are on the threatened list in their native Australia and are under threat in Pakistan where they are believed to be destroying native plants by depleting the ground of water. Originally trees were imported and planted to help reduce flood waters, and because they are fast-growing and give plenty of shade; also they are able to withstand adverse weather conditions. In the province of Punjab they line the roads and fields, but they are being cut down to be replaced by native trees such as the kikar (Acacia nilotica), neem (Azadirachta indica), and kachnar (Bauhinia variegata) trees. 

The planting of eucalyptus tree in Pakistan began in the 1960s and gathered pace in the early 1990s when aid was received for reforestation from USAID. Now they are being blamed for consuming “underground water unnecessarily” by a Pakistani spokesman for the IUCN, the world conservation union. They were also described as “environmentally unfriendly” in 2006 by a spokesman from the Environmental Protection Department of Punjab province.

  However they are useful in the match-stick making industry and in the process of tobacco curing, as 200,000 are felled annually for those industries.

  In some countries where planting began earlier, the trees deep roots were welcomed as they could dry marshy land which was a breeding ground for malaria bearing mosquitoes, so the trees had their uses. In Pakistan the leaves are gathered and hung close to a baby or young child to protect him/her from diseases and to keep insects away.

  Most people have resorted to menthol and eucalyptus lozenges when they have blocked sinuses, a cold, cough or sore throat, and the tisane made from the chopped leaves given below can be used for the same purposes. However if you have asthma don’t touch eucalyptus as it can bring on an attack. The tisane can also help to reduce fevers.

  The oil from eucalyptus is traditionally used to treat diabetes, and medical research is proving that this may be a correct treatment, although more research needs to be done before it is proved conclusively. Eucalyptus oil can be used for arthritis, to get rid of boils and sores, heal and clean wounds and to repel insects. It is rich in cineole which is a powerful antiseptic that kills the bacteria that cause bad breath (halitosis). It is also effectively used as smelling salts if someone faints.

  The leaves contain tannins which have astringent qualities, and which can reduce inflammation, and flavonoids such as quercetin, which has strong antioxidant properties.

  In 19^th century British hospitals, eucalyptus oil was used to thoroughly clean some medical items, as it has anti-bacterial qualities.

  The Aborigines, the native Australians, used the eucalyptus trees to make boats, boomerangs and spears. They also used it medicinally, using ointments made from it to heal wounds and to cure fungal infections such as ringworm.

  Eucalyptus has many uses, but is often not a good imported species as is so often the case.

TISANE OF EUCALYPTUS LEAVES

Ingredients

½ tsp chopped fresh eucalyptus leaves

1 cup boiling water

a few sprigs of mint

Method

Pour the boiling water over the leaves and leave to steep for 10-15 minutes before straining and drinking.

Drink a cup three times a day for colds, sinus obstructions, coughs, sore throats (also a gargle and wash for skin problems), fevers and flu.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).