Consuming
Thoughts
by
Fay Strickler
Penn State Extension Home
Economist For Berks Co.
If you pick up most any mag
azine at the newsstand you'll see
articles about the return to
"American Style or Regional
American Cooking." In the arti
cles you'll probably notice that
potatoes are featured and you'll
find recipes for garlic mashed
potatoes, herbed potatoes or
even sweet potato oven fries.
America's favorite vegetable
is easier than ever to prepare
and enjoy when preparation
time is reduced by using a*
microwave oven. Many of the
potato recipes encourage the
cook to partially prepare or
microboil the potatoes in the
microwave oven.
Cooking potatoes, and other
vegetables, in the microwave not
only saves time but valuable
nutrients as well. Microwave
ovens cook foods in less time,
protecting heat sensitive vita
mins and preserving more of the
natural moisture in foods. One
of the heat and moisture sensi
tive nutrients found in potatoes
is vitamin C. Other nutrients
include thiamin, folacin, vita
min Bg, potassium, iron and
complex carbohydrates. One
medium sized potato provides
50% of the recommended daily
allowance of vitamin C, 15% of
vitamin Bg, and iodine and 8%
of thiamin, iron and copper-a
nutritional bonanza for only 110
calories.
Try to cook potatoes with
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their skins on if possible. That's
a good way to conserve their
nutrients. If you must peel
them,- keep the parings as thin
as possible.
Potatoes retain nutrients bet
ter if cooked whole. They may
be halved, sliced or diced if
shorter cooking time is required.
To keep cut potatoes from turn
ing dark, dip them in cold water
to which a little lemon juice or
ascorbic acid has been added.
Don't soak them: soaking pota
toes too long can result in unnec
essary vitamin loss.
Microbaking potatoes is done
at most every household but
microbroiling is not very com
mon. To microboil potatoes;
Scrub and slice a 6-ounce potato
1/8 inch thick. Place in a
microwave dish. Add 1 table
spoon of water and cover with
plastic wrap. Microwave on
high for 4-5 minutes. Let stand
2minutes. For cubed potatoes,
scrub and cut a 6-ounce potato
into 1-inch cubes. Place in
microwave dish. Add 1 table
spoon water and cover with plas
tic wrap. Microwave on high for
5-7 minutes. Let stand 2 min
utes. This method is quick and
easy and is the base for a variety
of toppings.
For low/no calorie toppers try
toasted sesame seeds, salsa,
dijon or spicy mustard, oil-free
salad dressing, whipped butter
and poppy seeds, a spoonful of
(717)393-5807
UNIVERSITY PARK (Center
Co.) - In the modern American
kitchen, the refrigerator is
where consumers store most of
their produce. But not every
food item can chill, say two pro-*
duce specialists in Penn State's
College of Agriculture Sciences.
"Anything that ripens after
it's harvested shouldn't be put in
the refrigerator," says Peter
Ferretti, professor of vegetable
crops. "That includes tomatoes,
unripe pears, and all melons
except watermelon. Chilling
stewed tomatoes and a bit of
grated cheese, chive-spiked
yogurt or mock sour cream (cot
tage cheese and lemon juice
whipped in the blender.)
Here is a low-fat low-calorie
recipe that features potatoes
and other veggies in this "Fresh
Vegetable Quilt"
Fresh Vegetable Quilt
2 tablespoons margarine
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
dash pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 medium potatoes, cubes
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 quart mixed fresh vegetables
(broccoli, cauliflower, sliced
zuchinni)
paprika
Combine margarine, onion,
garlic, salt, pepper and broth in
a 9"x13" microwave dish.
Microwave on high for 11/2 min
utes. Add vegetables; stir to
coat. Cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high for 12 min
utes, stirring every 4 minutes to
redistribute vegetables. Let
stand covered for 2-3 minutes
before serving. Serves 6.
Calories 150, fat 3.5 g., sodium
350 mg. fiber 5 g.
Refri
geration Isn’t Always Cool
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Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, January 31, 1998-B5
temperatures below 55 degrees
Fahrenheit retard ripening."
Ferretti says some fruits and
vegetables should not be chilled
at all, while other types of pro
duce can be refrigerated with a
few easy precautions.
Tomatoes: tomato will lose its
aroma and flavor after just 40
minutes in the refrigerator.
Store tomatoes in a warn, dry
area. Vine-ripened tomatoes can
be stored this way for up to two
weeks. Depending on how fast
you want them to ripen, store
tomatoes on a counter or on top
of the refrigerator, out of sun
light. The warmer temperatures
on top of a refrigerator will
make a tomato ripen faster.
Store tomatoes so none are
touching, especially if produce
has cracks or lesions. "ITie best
place to store tomatoes is an
aerated basket that allows plen
ty of air flow."
Cucumbers. While sensitive
to cold, cucumbers must be
refrigerated because they lose
moisture rapidly even when
they are lightly waxed.
Prolonged exposure to cold,
however gives cucumbers pitted,
mushy spots. Eggplant is affect
ed in similar fashion. Store them
m a paper bag in the refrigera
tor crisper drawer.
Potatoes and sweet potatoes:
When potatoes are refrigerated,
their starch turns to sugar,
Gerretti explains. While this
condition can be reversed by
removing the potatoes from the
refrigerator, they will still retain
some sugar, which caused them
to brown when fried. Potatoes
should be kept in a dark place
slightly cooler than the normal
temperature of the home, such
as in a cool cupboard, in the
basement wine cellar or storage
area, or near the inside wall in a
garage. In extremely cold condi-
V
tions, covering the potatoes with
a blanket or burlap will provide
protection.
Tropical fruits: Any tropical
fruit, such as bananas, mangos,
papayas and others, should
never be refrigerated. Only chill
bananas if you don’t want them
to ripen anymore. The skins also
will nearly turn black-the inside
flesh can still be normal white.
They can also be chilled or even
frozen prior to cooking or for a
special popsicle-like dessert.
Citrus fruits: For oranges,
lemons, limes and grapefruits,
refrigeration is a good way to
preserve quality. Citrus fruits do
not ripen further after harvest.
Winter squash or melons;
winter squash should only be
refrigerated after cooking, and
melons should be refrigerated
only after being cut open. These
items maintain their best aroma
and flavor at room temperature.
When storing produce, make
liberal use of the crisper draw
ers. In most recently manufac
tured refrigerators, the crisper
drawers can be somewhat
adjusted for temperature and
humidity. Store fruits and veg
etables in paper or plastic bags
with holes to slightly increase
temperature and humidity.
"Fruits and vegetables should
never be stored against the back
wall of a refrigerator," Ferretti
warns. "The rear wall is the
coldest area of any refrigerator
and chilling injury or light
freezing may occur."
If produce becomes frozen,
Ferretti recommends handling
the produce carefully. "When a
celery or cabbage is frozen the
cells are particularly sensitive to
touch. Damage and bruising will
occur unless they are allowed to
thaw slowly with very little han
dling," he says.