Reel Chow Blog

Culinary Postings from the Original Gourmet Craft Service Industry Insider

Tag Archives: grape seed oil

Chunky Eggplant Chutney

June 11th, 2012
   
Jenn Egatz
         
1 comment

Reel Chow Original Recipe!This past weekend, Ron, our new puppy, and I took a trip to New Jersey to see an old friend, Johanna Dominguez. We met Johanna five years ago at the scene of some of Ron’s graduate work, Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York during the Summer Writers’ Conference. Ron use to teach one-on-one poetry conferences during the day. I would visit every night for the evening poetry and fiction readings and have dinner and drinks with his fellow literature friends, who soon became my friends.

Those summer evenings are missed, but we’re still in touch with some of the friends we made all those years ago. Johanna Dominguez is one of them. A brilliant poet and outstanding equestrian, Johanna invited us to her New Jersey home for an incredible cookout this past weekend.

Ron and I out in NYC with friends from the Summer Writers Conference. Johanna is between Perry and Ron.

Ron and I out in NYC with friends from the SLC Summer Writers' Conference. Johanna is between Robert Perry Ivey and Ron. ©Reel Chow

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Grape Seed Oil

June 8th, 2012
   
Jenn Egatz
         
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Grape seed oil is cold-pressed from the various types of Vitis vinifera grapes, which are native to the Mediterranean. They can also be found throughout Europe and Asia.

Grape seed oil.

Grape seed oil. ©Reel Chow

This oil is commonly referred to as a vegetable oil, but it’s actually a fruit oil. Grape seed oil has a high smoke index, which means it is best for high-heat cooking, such as roasting, stir-frying, sautéing, deep frying, and similar heat applications.

One of my favorite uses of grape seed oil is to roast different vegetables with it, instead of light extra virgin olive oil. Unlike olive oil, grape seed oil is lighter in texture and in flavor. It does a good job enhancing the natural flavor of the vegetables.

In future posts, I will share my cauliflower recipes with you, which include roasting with grape seed oil. Oh, how tasty that side dish is!

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Dill

May 7th, 2012
   
Jenn Egatz
         
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Reel Chow Original Recipe!One of my favorite vegetables to eat as a side with literally anything is brussel sprouts. For now they are out of season, although if you really are craving brussel sprouts you can find them at most local markets.

Brussel sprouts are low in saturated fat, and very low in cholesterol. It is a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, and rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, potassium and manganese. There are many foods, both natural and processed, with far less nutritional benefits.

Roasted brussel sprouts with dill.

Roasted brussel sprouts with dill. ©Reel Chow

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Beet and Pear Wonton Crisp

April 23rd, 2012
   
Jenn Egatz
         
5 comments

Since the purchase of my juicer, I have a ton of beets in my vegetable crisper; more than what I know what to do with. This weekend, we hosted a dinner party for two very dear friends of ours. I was determined to make an appetizer that included at least one beet, knowing not everyone loves beets.

This was how my Beet and Pear Wonton Crisp was born. I paired the beets with pear, lemon juice, goat cheese and chives on a crispy wonton square.  I was really pleased with the results, and my guests were, too. This beet and pear wonton crisp is a no-fuss recipe. The only cooking is roasting the beet and baking the wonton wrappers. That’s it!

After the verdict came in from our guests, I’m now sure beets can be loved by everyone.

Roasted beet with pear and goat cheese one bite.

Roasted beet with pear and goat cheese one bite. ©Reel Chow

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Vegetable Pizza with Fennel Sauce

April 11th, 2012
   
Jenn Egatz
         
2 comments

Reel Chow Original Recipe!This recipe was inspired by my leftover fennel from the previous post, French Breakfast Radish Crostini. I decided to make a homemade pizza with fennel sauce as the base. By braising it in red wine and vegetable broth, along with a spanish onion and shallot, the flavors really popped. This is now my favorite pizza sauce. It’s perfect for healthy eaters, the lactose intolerant, and folks allergic to nightshades. Oh, yes—how good it is!

After I puréed the braised fennel, I spread it on the pizza dough with a spatula. I topped it with fresh, thin slices of yellow and green zucchini, spinach, eggplant and garlic. After cooking the pizza, I added fresh chopped parsley. The pizza came out delicious and colorful.

Vegetable Pizza with Fennel Sauce.

Vegetable Pizza with Fennel Sauce. ©Reel Chow

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Roasted Greek Potato Salad with Crispy Sage

April 6th, 2012
   
Jenn Egatz
         
1 comment

Reel Chow Original Recipe!My recipe for Roasted Greek Potato Salad with Crispy Sage was born from a potato salad my brother-in-law made last Sunday. His dish had soft boiled small red potatoes and sweet potatoes, with a light mix of Greek yogurt. It was very light and tasty. This inspired me to create my own version. This will jazz up any gathering you might be planning this weekend with some unexpected flavors, not to mention a mouth-feel no one will see coming.

I roasted red and white fingerling potatoes, plus red onion tossed in grape seed oil with a little sea salt and pepper. I then crisped fresh sage in organic coconut oil on high heat. Then came boiling sweet baby peas and added fresh-cut cherry tomatoes to the mix. The organic nonfat Greek yogurt was added in with the roasted potatoes after they cooled down to room temperature. Then I mixed in the remaining ingredients: peas, red onion, cherry tomatoes and crispy sage!

Roasted Greek Potato Salad with Crispy Sage

Roasted Greek Potato Salad with Crispy Sage. ©Reel Chow

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