NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
February 3, 2000
Despite having had a relationship that now spans beyond a quarter century, I can still picture, quite vividly, the first Valentine's Day meal that my wife Nicki and I "cooked" before we were married: New York strip steaks, oven-browned fries (from a package), cheese tostadas, black olives and store-bought apple pie.
That conglomeration was the result of consensus, a teaming of a few of our favorite foods. I relented on my having green olives for the occasion due to young love. Back then, I ate ebony ovals Nicki-style--that is, with a dousing of salt. Now I actually prefer the black orbs sans the salt.
Proving perhaps that ours is a match made while in the kitchen, Nicki and I have come to claim many of the same foods as favorites. Having never before tasted hominy before knowing me, Nicki now requests this kin to corn more often than I do. And she's as eager as I am when a pot of "white beans" is bubbling in the oven, emitting a house-filling aroma of onions, celery and bacon.
Through the years (as we've aged like a fine wine), Nicki and I have perpetuated a culinary crush on tostadas dating back to our teens, although we've advanced beyond our melted-cheese stage because we don't want all the fat the cheese contains to be growing on us, literally. The adapted recipe that follows combines many of our favorites, all served on a tostada shell.
Picadillo Tostadas
The original version of this recipe appeared in the December 1990 issue of Gourmet magazine.
Yield: 16 tostadasIngredients:
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds ground pork
1/3 cups raisins, chopped
1½ cups tomato sauce
½ cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
16 tostada shells
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1½ cups chopped red onionProcedure:
In a large heavy skillet cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the pork and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the pork is well done. Pour off any excess fat and add the raisins, tomato sauce, olives, cinnamon and cloves. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is thickened. Meanwhile, arrange the tostada shells in one layer on platters, divide the picadillo among the shells, and top each with slightly less than 1/3 cup lettuce and slightly more than 1 tablespoon onion. Serve immediately.
What's Your Take on This, Julie?
Food takes on many meanings throughout our lifetimes. At its most basic level, food helps sustain life, but food can also sustain the spirit when its form is the candle-topped confection at birthday celebrations, the centerpiece of romantic dinners or the soothing fare of most funerals.
Researchers have shown links between food preferences and emotions. In a study of college students, 30 percent of students reported they would skip eating altogether while 18 percent would head for junk food when they were feeling worried. Those who were feeling love were most likely to prefer meat (28 percent) or vegetables (16 percent). Those who were feeling joy were most likely to prefer dessert (19 percent), meat (19 percent) or vegetables (18 percent).
As a dietitian, of course, the part about vegetables being associated with positive emotions like love and joy is intriguing to me, but I suppose that goes back to Mom's affectionate admonishments to eat your vegetables. Food appeals to the emotions--the heartstrings--and from a nutritional standpoint, food also affects heart health.
Besides including the day to celebrate with your sweetie, February is American Heart Month. Nutritionists recommend a varied diet moderate in fat (particularly saturated fat), with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to get the benefits of the fiber and other plant chemicals they contain.
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, Picadillo Tostadas include a little red (in the form of tomato sauce). Tomatoes have been shown to lower the risk of cancer of the prostate, stomach and colon. The lycopenes found in tomatoes are at least partly responsible for these health benefits. Lycopenes are red-orange pigments that are members the carotenoid family.
You may use either ground pork (which is more traditional for Mexican foods) or ground turkey to lower fat and calorie content. When made with ground pork, each tostada contains 280 calories and 19 grams of fat. When made with lean ground turkey, each tostada contains 150 calories and 7.3 grams of fat. Regardless of your meat selection, be sure to cook it well and drain the excess fat.
Try a little cooking experiment with your sweetie this Valentine's Day. Add a little joy to your menu by including some vegetables (like steamed broccoli) and a moderate amount of chocolate for dessert.
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Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136
Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
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