What Did I do Right to Deserve This Treat?
Last night my wife prepared my favorite dish, normally served only on special occasion. It is the Dungeness Crab Omelet with shredded cabbage and sweet Vidalia Onions from Hawaii. Today is not my birthday or some other special occasion. But I was surprise my wife serve me a Dungeness Crab Omelet The dish was delicious.
The last time I tasted this dish was last year, but the crab was from the Maryland crabs known also as the blue crabs. So, I asked my wife of 55 years what did I do to deserve this treat. She said nothing, it was just there was a sale of Dungeness crabs claw and legs and I just feel like cooking your favorite dish.
Preparing the dish is simple. The hardest part is to remove the crab meat from the claws and legs. The cabbage is shredded (1 bowl) and sauteed with the onions in olive oil until partially cooked. An equivalent amount of crab meat is added to the shredded cabbage and onions and cooked in olive oil until the cabbage is fully cooked . The crab and cabbage patty mix is added to beaten eggs with a small amount of corn starch. The patty is then fried in olive oil until the egg is cooked. The omelet is served with Picante Sauce (Hot or Mild) with steam rice.
My wife's other recipe is the use of cube potatoes or bean sprouts instead of the shredded cabbage. Try it and let me know if it is good. Be prepare to pay a high price for either shelled or unshelled Dungeness or Maryland Crabs meat. Crab meat here in US is not cheap, compared to the Philippines. During the Dungeness Crab season here in the West Coast, a pound of Dungeness crab will cost from $6.99 to $17.99 per pound. The average weight of one Dungeness crab is about 1.5 to 2.5 lbs.
Do you know the difference between the Dungeness and Maryland Crabs. The Maryland crabs, also known as blue crabs are much smaller in size and very similar to the Philippine crabs in appearance and taste. The Dungeness crabs are big and are caught here in the San Francisco Bay area and northward up to Alaska. The Maryland crabs are from the Chesapeake Bay of Northern Maryland and Virginia.
The Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister (formerly Cancer magister), is a species of crab that inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms on the west coast of North America. It typically grows to 20 cm (7.9 in) across the carapace and is a popular seafood. Its common name comes from the port of Dungeness, Washington. The crabs is a special attraction to tourists in the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf during the Crab Season. The season for the San Francisco Bay starts in the second Tuesday of November.
This site is the venue of my collection of special and ordinary Philippine and American dishes. For the last 55 years, My wife, Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague had been the boss in the Kitchen. However, when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2013, I have to take over her cooking duties. I have been enjoying cooking and this proves that one is never too old to learn new things in life.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Fruits and Vegetables in Season in Northern California
I was shopping the other day at our Farmers Market and also at Sprouts Store specializing on fresh produce ( fruits and vegetables) grown locally. There must be at least 100 items you can purchase, but the products that are in season can be yours at bargain prices. I observed that prices here in Sprouts is oftentimes cheaper than in the local Farmer's market except in one or two products.
As most of you probably know California grows about 80% of all fruits and vegetables in the U.S.,so California seasons are, in some ways, the national seasons. Several products are imported from Mexico, Chile, Australia and other countries( bananas, mangoes, papayas etc...)
The following is list of fruits and vegetables arrange alphabetically for your reference and information. The one mark with asterisk are now in season here in Northern California. The list has about 145 items and more than half are in season right now. The list do not include the numerous varieties available for several fruits (apples, oranges, persimmons, grapes etc..) listed here.
Apples, late summer through fall (cold storage until spring)*
Apricots, late spring through early summer
Artichokes, spring and again early fall*
Arugula, available year-round but best in spring and fall*
Asparagus, spring
Avocados, classically summer, but now harvested year-round*
Basil, summer
Beets, year-round*
Belgian Endive, available year-round but best in fall and winter*
Black berrries, summer
Blueberries, summer
Boysenberries, early summer
Broccoli, year-round but best in fall and winter*
Broccoli raab, fall through spring*
Brussels sprouts, late fall and winter*
Cabbage, best in late fall and winter but available year-round*
Cantaloupes, late summer
Cardoons, winter and early spring
Carrots, year-round*
Cauliflower, best in fall and winter but available year-round*
Celeriac/celery root, fall and winter*
Celery, best in fall and winter but available year-round*
Chard, summer and fall*
Cherries, late spring and summer
Chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), fresh in summer (dried year-round)*
Chicories, fall and winter*
Chiles, summer
Clementines, winter*
Collard greens, year-round*
Corn, summer
Cucumbers, summer
Edamame, fall*
Eggplant, summer and early fall*
Escarole, fall and winter*
Fava beans, spring
Fennel, fall through spring
Fiddleheads, spring
Figs, summer and fall*
Garlic, summer and fall (stored year-round)*
Gooseberries, summer
Garlic scapes/green garlic, spring
Grapefruit, winter and spring
Grapes, late summer and early fall*
Green almonds, spring
Green beans, summer and early fall*
Green onions, spring through fall*
Horseradish, fall and winter*
Huckleberries, late summer and early fall*
Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes, fall and winter*
Kale, best in fall and winter*
Kiwis, winter and into spring
Kohlrabi, late fall through spring
Kumquats, late winter and spring
Leeks, fall through spring
Lemongrass, summer and fall*
Lemons, winter and spring
Lettuce, available year-round nationally but best in spring
Limes, late summer and fall*
Mandarins, winter*
Mangos, summer
Marionberries, summer
Melons, summer and early fall*
Mint, year-round*
Morels, spring
Mushrooms (cultivated), year-round*
Mushrooms (wild), spring through fall*
Nectarines, summer
Nettles, spring
New Potatoes, spring
Okra, late summer and early fall*
Onions, spring through fall (stored in winter)*
Oranges (Navel), winter and spring
Oranges (Valencia), spring and summer
Oregano, year-round*
Parsley, year-round*
Parsnips, fall through spring
Peaches, summer
Pears, fall*
Pea greens, spring
Peas and pea pods, spring and early summer
Peppers (sweet), summer and early fall*
Persimmons, fall and early winter*
Plums & pluots, summer
Pomegranates, fall*
Pommelos, winter
Potatoes, late summer through fall but available from storage year-round*
Pumpkins, fall*
Quinces, fall*
Radicchio, late summer through early spring
Radishes, spring through fall*
Radishes (daikon, watermelon, other large varieties), fall and winter*
Rapini, fall through spring
Raspberries, summer
Rhubarb, spring and early summer
Rosemary, year-round*
Rutabagas, fall and winter*
Sage, year-round
Salsify, fall and winter*
Scallions, spring through fall
Shallots, summer and fall (from storage through winter)
Shelling beans, summer and early fall*
Snap peas/snow peas/pea pods, spring
Sorrel, year-round*
Spinach, year-round*
Spring Onions, spring
Squash (summer), summer
Squash (winter), fall and winter*
Stinging Nettles, spring
Strawberries, spring and summer
Sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes, fall and winter*
Sweet Onions, spring and summer
Sweet potatoes, fall and winter*
Tangerines, winter*
Thyme, year-round*
Tomatillos, late summer
Tomatoes, summer
Turnips, fall through spring
Watercress, year-round*
Watermelons, summer
Winter Squash, fall and winter*
Zucchini, summer
Zucchini Blossoms, summer
The five products that I like that is not in this list are taro roots, baby bok choy(chinese cabbage), bananas, papayas and Jicama (Mexican turnips or singkamas in Tagalog).
Reference: http://localfoods.about.com/od/searchbyregion/a/CAFruitsVeggies.htm
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Mangoes, Grapefruit and Persimmons
Mangoes, Grapefruits, and persimmons appear to be in season here in Northern California if I based it on the sale prices at the grocery stores. Yesterday I purchased the above three fruits in a store named Sprouts. The store specialized in fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) supposed to be grown locally. I say supposed because some of their offerings are navel oranges from Australia and of course the mangoes were imported from Mexico. The store carried two varieties of mangoes yesterday. The small yellow mangoes were selling for 0.99c each and the medium size red mangoes were on sale for 4 for $5. Regularly the red mangoes are listed in this store at $1.59 each and $2 at regular store here in Northern California such as Safeway and Raleys. I also buy mangoes from Food Max, a discount grocery store specializing in Latino products. Food Max has good supply of fresh fruits as well as vegetables. Food Max is the store that carries taro roots and other oriental vegetables besides the Chinese and Filipino store stores in our area. Speaking of Filipino stores, there are times of the year when you can purchase imported mangoes from the Philippines. Philippine mangoes are better and much more delicious than the Mexican mangoes if you are willing to pay for the higher prices.
Persimmons are only in season around the month of October. I purchased the Hachiya variety at 4 for $5 also yesterday. Most of these are grown locally and a lot of Northern California residents have persimmon trees in their backyard. I used to have two varieties of persimmons in my back yard when we were still residing in Pinole, California in the mid 1980's. I have both the Fuyu and Hachiya varieties.
Fuyu persimmons are distinguished by their "flat" bottoms and squat shape. Fuyus should be more orange then yellow and are at their best when just barely a teensy bit soft. They will ripen after picked, so buying rock-hard fuyus and allowing them to ripen at home can be a good strategy. Fuyus are commonly eaten raw, often sliced and peeled and salads. They can also be roasted to great effect. They have a mild, pumpkin-like flavor.
Hachiya persimmons are mouth-puckeringly tart unless absolutely, supremely ripe. Ripe hachiyas are unbelievably soft - and are often almost liquified into a silky smooth pulp inside. They are elongated and oval shaped. They will ripen once picked, so you can let them soften on the kitchen counter until ready to use. Hachiyas are thought of as "baking" persimmons and are commonly peeled and pureed into a pulp to add to baked goods. They add stable moisture and a mild, pumpkin-like flavor to cakes, puddings, and other treats. I am planning to make pancakes with persimmons sometime next week instead of my standard pancakes with blueberries, banana or strawberries.
The third fruit that I purchased yesterday was the grape fruit. I paid only 0.48c for a medium size fruit. Normally this size of fruit will cost you $1. When I open the fruit this morning for breakfast I was not disappointed. It was juicy, sweet with a hint of tartness and was worth more for the price I paid when it comes to its nutritional value. Grapefruits are not common in the Philippines and also are in season here in Northern California. The grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) is a subtropical citrus tree known for its sour to semi-sweet fruit, an 18th-century hybrid first bred in Barbados. When found, it was named the "forbidden fruit"; and it has also been misidentified with the pomelo or shaddock (C. maxima), one of the parents of this hybrid, the other being sweet orange (C. × sinensis)
One of my philisopies in life is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables to drive the doctor away!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)