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FRESH
& HEALTHY
Step-by-Step
to Life
   
We
are delighted to introduce our new book Fresh & Healthy Step-by-Step to Life
by Annette Kesler together with the Heart Foundation of South Africa published
by Lannice Snyman.
In
Fresh
& Healthy Step-by-Step to Life you will find an accessible way of
cooking, not necessarily of the moment, but one that is life enhancing, helping
to ensure an enduring quality of life for you and your family. Heart
healthy topics play their vital part in this book from exercise to medication,
cholesterol management to understanding stress.
 
Fresh
& Healthy offers a sustainable blueprint for life. A clearly defined style of
living that embraces words such as ‘simple’, ’fresh’, ‘substantial’,
‘delicious’ and ‘healthy’.
Cultivate
passion and enthusiasm for food and an understanding of it, and respect for
honest ingredients. To cook well is an admirable skill and remains one of the
most indispensable and practical tools we have in day-to-day living.
Correct
eating nourishes, revitalizes and prolongs our lives; food is our core source of
sustenance. Each recipe in this book has been analyzed by the Heart Foundation,
a ‘not for profit’ organization, actively involved in health promotion, and
has been approved as part of their eating plan. Per serving indications are
given for energy, fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate and fibre content. Shân
Biesman-Simons, Director of Nutrition & Education at the Heart
Foundation introduces heart healthy topics from Good Stress and Bad
Stress to Frequently Asked Questions.
As we are
searching for ways of living (and eating) Fresh & Health Step-by-Step
to Life is a timely publication, a helping hand, that will remain an
invaluable guide for years to come.
SHOWCOOK
takes a bite out of the book.
FROM THE SEA
TO THE PLATE
More people
are enjoying fish than ever before. However, for fish dishes to be truly
pleasurable the fish needs to be pristine, have a pink-tinged colour and a fresh
aroma. Choose fish with care and be adventurous. It pays to find out where the
best fish is to be found, and to explore lesser known varieties; they often
offer excellent value and interesting flavour.
CHOICE
INGREDIENTS
Good quality
olive oil, soft crushed sea salt, mustard powder, mustard seeds, fennel seeds,
white wine, fresh lemon, herbs such as dill, tarragon, basil, bay leaves,
oregano, parsley and fennel. Vegetables that marry well with fish when used as a
base include onions, leeks, and tomatoes. Complementary vegetables to serve with
fish include potatoes and rice, steamed spinach, green beans, broccoli, grilled
tomatoes, young peas, green and white asparagus, and roasted butternut as well
as various vegetable purées.
ESSENTIAL
EQUIPMENT
Heavy-based
grilling pan, non-stick frying pan, stainless steel ovenproof dish (large enough
to hold whole fish fillets; foil can be substituted) and a cooler bag.
VITAL HINTS
When buying
fish, leave the purchase until last and pack it in a cooler bag for the trip
home. Failing this, ask for fish to be packed on ice.
To store fish,
wash under cold running water, place in a large dish, cover with wax paper and
refrigerate. Before cooking, rinse again and pat dry with paper towels.
Only freeze
fish that is absolutely fresh. Freeze in portions and packed airtight. Defrost
in the fridge. Don’t freeze for too long; use as soon as possible.
Rather
undercook than overcook fish. When it’s perfectly cooked, fish peels away from
the bone and retains all its juices. Remember that it continues to firm up as it
stands.
QUICK CHANGES
When buying a
whole fish ask for the head and bones to use as the base for an excellent fish
soup. Nothing needs to be wasted. There are many menu choices other than deep
fried fish! Once you’ve prepared a good grilled or whole baked fish and served
it with a flavourful salsa you’ll never look back.
Whole fish can
be prepared with a dash of dry white wine, a gentle sprinkling of mustard
powder, chopped garlic, a scattering of fresh herbs (lemon thyme or tarragon), a
grating of fresh lemon zest and a little sea salt. Bake covered in light foil at
160°C for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
Grill fillets
on a lightly oiled baking tray, sprinkled with lemon zest, finely chopped
garlic, chilli, a scattering of fresh ginger and dash of olive oil. Grill as
close to the source of heat as possible for 7 to 10 minutes.
Tuna, a versatile fish, is
most often pan-grilled over high heat. However, it’s just as successful
prepared in a gentle oven in medium thick slices. Place in a non-stick pan or on
foil on a baking tray. Add a dash of canola or olive oil, season lightly with
sea salt, then sprinkle with lemon thyme and lemon zest, and a little finely
chopped garlic. Bake at 160°C for about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven; it
will continue to cook for a few minutes longer.
NOTE
FROM THE HEART FOUNDATION
Eating
fish regularly helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oily fish is
rich in omega-3 fatty acids that appear to reduce the incidence of cardiac and
circulatory problems. Fish is an
excellent provider of protein, vitamin B12 and iodine.
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SAFFRON
FISH SOUP
Serves 4
Fragrant and
spicy, this is a memorable soup to add to your collection. Far simpler than a
classic bouillabaisse, this warming and economical fish soup uses mainly fish
trimmings and a profusion of vegetables and spices. Orange-gold threads of
saffron a sprinkling of rice, and a little cumin and white wine add to the
depth of flavour. Chunks of lightly grilled, firm-fleshed fish are added
towards the end of cooking. Just before serving, float garlic toasts in the
soup.
Saffron Fish Soup
250g firm,
white fish fillets
sea salt
olive oil, for brushing the fish
Fish Stock:
2kg fish trimmings (including bones, see Cook’s
Notes)
1,5 litres (6 cups) cold water
1 onion, halved
3 stalks celery (including leaves)
1 carrot, peeled
4 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
Vegetable Base:
30ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 leeks, washed and sliced
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
or 400g can
whole tomatoes, roughly chopped in the juice
5ml (1 teaspoon) sugar
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
grated zest of 1 lemon
30ml (2 tablespoons) risotto rice (arborio rice)
6-8 threads saffron, crushed
2 ml (1/2 tsp) medium-strength curry powder
1 ml (1/4 tsp) chilli paste
1 ml (1/2 tsp) fennel seeds
200 ml (3/4 cup) dry white wine
  
Trim the fish,
salt lightly and brush with olive oil. Place on a baking tray, cover and set
aside in the fridge until ready to grill.
Fish Stock:
Place all the ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to the boil. Cover and
boil rapidly for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then
strain the stock. You should have about 1 litre (4 cups) of stock.
Vegetable Base:
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the
onions and leeks, cover and simmer until limp. Add the tomatoes, sugar, garlic,
carrots, celery, lemon zest, rice, saffron, curry powder, chilli and fennel.
Continue cooking until the vegetables have softened, then add the wine. Cook
uncovered for a minute for two, then cover and cook for a further 25 to 30
minutes.
Add the fish
stock to the vegetables, cover and continue simmering for another hour.
Grill the fish
under the oven griller for 8 to 10 minutes. Break into chunks and add to the hot
soup. When serving, add
one garlic toast to each bowl (see Cook’s Notes).
Energy 1103 kJ
Protein 19.4 g
Total Fat 6.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 44 mg
Carbohydrate 19. 7 g
Fibre 4.7 g
COOK’S NOTES
•
You’ll need: chopping board, cook’s knife, colander, heavy-based
stock pot, strainer, large saucepan, wooden spoon, ladle, baking tray, lifter.
•
Fish Stock:
use a variety of fish trimmings and include some that have a deep, distinctive
flavour. Ask your fish shop for fish trimmings and either use them immediately
or freeze them, well protected, until you’re ready to prepare the stock. Keep
stock for short periods and thaw covered in the fridge. Wash trimmings
thoroughly in up to three changes of cold water. Fish stock, unlike those made
with meat or poultry, should be cooked rapidly for only 25 to 30 minutes, then
cooled and strained. 
•
Garlic Toasts: roast a whole bulb of garlic in the oven at 180°C for 40
minutes until softened. Press out each garlic clove into a bowl, add a pinch of
sea salt and mix until creamy. Spread onto 6 to 8 slices of French bread and
toast under a grill until crisp and golden brown.
•
Saffron has always been one of the most rare and expensive spices. The
fine stigmas of the purple crocus are carefully gathered by hand, then dried
(very time consuming). Fortunately only a few threads are needed to add a
distinctive rich orange-gold colouring and pungency. Buy threads rather than
powdered saffron. See that they are packed airtight and refrigerate, and they
will last for many months.
•
When buying canned tomatoes, look for those that are packed in water and
salt without spices and herbs, which add their own pervasive flavour. Italian
whole peeled tomatoes are preferable.
•
When a recipe calls for wine, boil uncovered for minute or two before
adding it, to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
•
Only use fresh garlic cloves. Pre-crushed and powdered garlic will never
be as effective as cloves that have been freshly peeled and chopped.
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Shân Biesman-Simons
on FACTS
ABOUT FATS
Dietary fats are the most concentrated
source of energy. Certain fats are needed for development and growth, for
protection of organs and for healthy skin and membranes. Fats are also necessary
for regulating the body’s metabolism. The perception that the diet should be fat free is incorrect.
However, eating too many fats and oils
of any kind may prove harmful to your body (especially potential weight gain),
but excluding them completely from your diet will deprive you of essential
nutrients.
The body
needs fat to be healthy, but in moderation and the correct proportions of the
different types of fat.
Fats
and oils contain many different fatty acids, which affect the body in different
ways. These fatty acids are divided into saturated and unsaturated fats.
Saturated fats:
These fats
are generally from animal sources and are solid at room temperature. These are
dangerous fats as they can increase blood cholesterol, especially “bad”
(LDL) cholesterol, leading to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
They occur in butter, cream, full cream milk products, fatty meats, hard
cheeses, chicken skin, coconut and palm oils and processed meats.
♥
Keep meat portions small
♥
Choose leaner cuts of meat
♥
Remove all visible fat from meat and the skin from chicken before cooking
♥
Use low fat or fat free instead of full cream dairy products
♥
Eat more chicken and fish and less red meat
Unsaturated fats:
These are
healthy fats that can help to lower your cholesterol.
Monounsaturated
Fats: found in olive and canola oils, avocado, nuts and peanut butter.
Polyunsaturated
Fats: In most vegetable oils, some nuts, soft margarines and oily fish.
There
are two families of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet, omega-6 fatty acids
(mainly in plant oils) and omega-3 fatty acids (in fatty fish, but also in
smaller quantities in legumes, canola and green leafy vegetables).
The
body is not able to manufacture
either of these fatty acid groups. They are therefore classified as essential
fatty acids.
Omega-3
fatty acids lower triglycerides and have a beneficial effect on blood clotting.
Use fish oil supplements only under the supervision of a dietician or medical
doctor.
Good
dietary sources are fatty fish such as salmon, snoek, sardines, pilchards,
anchovies, kippers, galjoen, mullet, mackerel, trout and herring.
Trans fatty acids:
These are
types of saturated fats that occur when vegetable oils are hydrogenated, such as
in hard margarines. These fats are artery clogging and can contribute strongly
to heart disease. They are also found in all commercially made baked products
such as cakes, biscuits, doughnuts, pies, pastries and chips. It’s wise to use
plant oils instead of lard or cooking fat and choose margarine low in trans
fats.
Rather choose products that contain monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats, but remember to have a variety of different types of fats
and keep the total fat content of your diet low.
Photography
by Franz Lauinger
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