NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
May 11, 2000
My relationship with lard got off to a good start. Just before Christmas when I was 5 or so, Mom brought out the deep-fat fryer, which amazed me because of the white stuff it held. Not much smell, but the texture ... an ice cream-like consistency I could poke with my finger. This white stuff intrigued me because it wasn't cold. Then Mom turned the fryer on, and I watched transfixed as the white melted into gold. Within minutes, I was eating one of Mom's sugary rosettes.
When I was a little older, I began to sense how comforting our house would become whenever Mom was rendering lard after we'd butchered a pig. It smelled as if Mom was cooking a roast in every room of the house. That smell wrapped around me like a blanket.
And when I was older still, I began to take an interest in the way Mom made her fried chicken. Pretty simple, really. She'd mix together salt, pepper and flour. Dredge pieces of chicken through the seasoned flour and then fry the chicken in about an inch of melted lard. The Colonel couldn't get chicken any crispier than Mom's. (And his gravy didn't even come close, by the way.)
Of course times change, and because words such as "cholesterol" have become part of my vocabulary, I've not fondled lard as much as I used to. But on the occasion when I make pie crust or homemade refried beans, I still need to rely on my old friend to provide a texture or taste that newfangled fats can't match.
As for the chicken I eat these days, though, I admit that I have switched to a more heart-healthy version, and I really don't miss the lard all that much. I just imagine I'm still eating Mom's.
Oven-Fried Chicken
This recipe is a slightly modified version of the original, which came from the Flax Council of Canada.
Yield: 6 servingsIngredients:
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons skim (fat-free) milk
½ cup ground flaxseed
½ cup finely crushed unsalted crackers
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons melted butter (optional)Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine egg and milk. In a shallow container, combine flaxseed, cracker crumbs, pepper, parsley, paprika, chili and garlic powders, and seasoned salt. Dip breasts into egg mixture and then coat with crumb mixture. Place breasts so none touch on a baking sheet that's been sprayed with cooking oil. If desired, drizzle about 1 teaspoon of melted butter over each breast. Bake for 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the largest breast registers 180 F. Do not turn breasts while baking.
What's Your Take on This, Julie?
Here's a lard-free recipe that's crispy and tasty without a lot of fat. A serving of Oven-Fried Chicken (a half breast) contains 240 calories and 10 grams of fat. If you leave out the butter, which is optional to the recipe, you'll lower the calories to 210 and the grams of fat to 6 per serving.
Preparation methods, such as removing the skin from chicken, can greatly affect the calories and fat content of your recipes. Here's a case in point: A half chicken breast roasted without skin contains 140 calories and 3 grams of fat while a half chicken breast roasted with skin contains 193 calories and 8 grams of fat.
The coating for Oven-Fried Chicken contains flaxseed, which is gaining popularity and research backing as a "functional food"--a food that may have health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Researchers have reported that flaxseed may reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer and other conditions. About 40 percent of the weight of flaxseed is from fat, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, but this type of fat may lower our risk for strokes and heart attacks. According to research from the University of Nebraska, laying hens fed a diet including flaxseed can produce eggs with six to eight times the omega-3 fatty acids of traditional eggs, and people can eat two omega eggs per day without increasing their cholesterol levels.
Flaxseed also is a rich source of plant lignans, chemicals that may provide some protection against both breast and colon cancer. Some researchers are also looking at the role of flaxseed in maintaining bone density. Flaxseed is a good source of dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber, which has been shown to decrease blood cholesterol levels and possibly even help manage diabetes by helping control blood glucose levels. The soluble fiber in flaxseed also is effective in relieving constipation, but as when taking in any fiber source, drink plenty of water, too.
Grown primarily in North Dakota and Canada, flaxseed has a nutty taste and can add some crunch to your favorite recipes. Grind the flaxseed in a coffee grinder or food processor and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to six months. Since flaxseed is high in oil, it has the tendency to become rancid after it's been ground. Flaxseed could be added to your morning fruit juice, sprinkled on yogurt or for variety, you might consider replacing part of the oil in a recipe with ground flaxseed (3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed can replace 1 tablespoon of oil).
If you decide to add flaxseed to your diet, how much should you eat? Research has shown that just 1.5 to 3.5 tablespoons of ground flaxseed may provide health benefits, but it's a good idea to start small (less than a teaspoon) in case of rare, but serious, allergies. Up to 50 grams (7 tablespoons) daily have been used in nutrition studies, but safety at higher levels has not been evaluated and a high intake does not appear to have major benefits.
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Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136
Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
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