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12/15/2024

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Through Dec. 23, 2024, 11am-7pm
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12/04/2024

Two adorable pygmy hippos pitted against each other in cuteness contest
By Brian Melley
The Associated Press
AR cartoon by Jonathan Hill
www.asianreporter.com/stories/national/2024/12-moodeng.htm
December 2, 2024

LONDON — The Edinburgh Zoo last month launched a cuteness contest between Haggis, its newborn pygmy hippo, and Moo Deng, the adorable mini hippopotamus that became a viral sensation at a Thailand zoo this summer.
“Moo Deng? Who deng?” the Scottish zoo playfully posted on the social media platform X as it introduced its infant hippo to the world.
The smack talk pitted two critters with more in common than just being females calves of the same endangered species. They’re also named for meat products that don’t typically carry cute connotations.
Haggis, the national dish of Scotland that is the butt of many jokes, is made in a sheep’s stomach filled with spiced and diced innards. Moo deng is a type of meatball that means “bouncy pork” in Thai.
Moo Deng, a pudgy, pink-cheeked pygmy hippo, quickly became a social media star about two months after being born at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in July. Videos of her went viral and she was the source of endless memes.
The Thai zoo planned to copyright and trademark the hippo’s name and capitalize on its fame by making shirts, pants, and other merchandise to support its operations.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is also looking to cash in on its prize pygmy with a drawing promising the winner a “unique pygmy hippo experience” to meet Haggis and her parents, Gloria and Otto. Tickets are 5 British pounds ($6.50) and the zoo raised more than half its 15,000 pound ($19,500) target in a day.
“Prepare to fall in love with wee Haggis,” the zoo said. “With her playful nature, Haggis will show you why the world has fallen in love with pygmy hippos!”
There are only an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 pygmy hippopotamuses in the wild in West Africa, where it is threatened by poaching and loss of habitat.
Edinburgh Zoo visitors have not yet been able to see Haggis, who was born October 30, because the hippo house was closed during the first month of her development.
After using Moo Deng’s fame to draw attention to Haggis, the zoo apologized for creating a rivalry.
“We were wrong to pit Haggis and Moo Deng against each other,” the zoo said in a later post. “There is space in this world for two beautiful pygmy hippo divas and we should celebrate them all.”

Photo credit:
PRIZED PYGMY HIPPO. Baby hippo Moo Deng and her mother Jona are seen at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, in these September 19, 2024 file photos. (AP Photos/Sakchai Lalit, File)

12/04/2024

A fresh pumpkin becomes comfort food in this Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
By Katie Workman
The Associated Press
www.asianreporter.com/food/2024/12-pumpkin.htm
December 2, 2024

While I cook with butternut squash and other winter squashes all the time, when I think about cooking with pumpkin, I picture a can of purée.
But using fresh pumpkin is just another take on cooking with hard-shelled, cold-weather squash. There is more to those pumpkins than jack-o’-lanterns that were waiting to be carved!
Few people can resist a creamy, rich stovetop mac and cheese. This one has a bonus dose of color, texture, and nutrition thanks to roasted pumpkin and onions, blended right into the pasta. It’s total fall comfort food.
And if you’re trying to get more vegetables into the rotation, this might be a nice solution. The pumpkin becomes tender and sweet in the oven, and the onion also caramelizes and adds lovely flavor to the dish. The sweetness of the cooked pumpkin and onion works beautifully against the tangy goat cheese and nutty Parmesan in the sauce.
Pick the right pumpkin
Make sure you are starting with a pumpkin that is meant for cooking, not carving. Many pumpkins, especially the larger ones, have flesh that is stringy and watery, and don’t make for such a great eating or baking experience. You know you are on the right track if you see pumpkins labelled “pie pumpkin” or “sugar pumpkin,” which are denser, sweeter, and have a lower water content.
Look for varieties like Cinderella, Baby Bear, Baby Pam, New England Pie Pumpkin, Long Pie or Nantucket Pie, Fairy Tale, and the white Lumina pumpkin. Other than the white varieties, the flesh will usually be a rich orange color and have a smooth texture. Pick a pumpkin somewhere around 4 to 7 pounds. Some good cooking varieties run smaller or larger; this is just an average. A few dings or dents don’t matter; just make sure your pumpkin is very hard, without any soft spots.
The trickiest part of cooking with pumpkin is cutting it. For this recipe, you need to remove the skin, or “peel” the pumpkin. The shell can be very thick and hard, so take your time and use a sharp chef’s knife.
Carefully cut the pumpkin in half through the stem and clean out the seeds and fibrous gunk using a sharp spoon or an ice cream scoop. Use a spoon with sharp edges, such as a metal spoon, to scrape out all of the pulpy stringy insides, including the seeds.
Place each pumpkin half cut-side down on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice off two flat panels from the shell, one slice removing the root end, and one slice removing the stem end.
Sit the pumpkin upright on one of these newly flat sides and slowly, carefully working your way around, slice off the skin of the pumpkin, following the pumpkin’s shape as best you can. You will lose a bit of the flesh as you go, there’s no way around that. Then the peeled pumpkin flesh will be ready to be cubed for roasting with some onions and sage.
The sauce for this mac and cheese uses some of the pasta cooking water, which will be salted. Therefore, be conservative about adding any more salt until you taste the sauce, since the Parmesan will also add some saltiness and you don’t want to overdo it. After all of the ingredients are blended with the sauce, taste, and see if you want to add more salt.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. The pasta may get a bit dry in the fridge, so think about adding a little more cream, milk, or even water to the pasta when you reheat it over low heat in a saucepan.

Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook. She blogs at themom100.com.

* * *
Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Serves 8

1 medium sugar pumpkin about 4 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (see above for instructions on peeling and cubing the pumpkin)
2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons torn fresh sage leaves or 1 tablespoon crumbled dried sage
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound dried pasta shells (small or medium), or other small pasta shape
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups crumbled goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Place the pumpkin, onion, and sage on a rimmed baking sheet, then drizzle the olive oil over it and toss everything, then spread it out in a single layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for about 35 minutes until the pumpkin and onions are tender and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta.
Place ¾ cup of the cooking water and the cream back in the pasta cooking pot and heat over medium-high heat just until little bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Whisk in the Parmesan and the goat cheese until the cheeses are melted. Season with pepper.
Return the pasta to the pan and stir until coated with the sauce. Add the cooked pumpkin and onions to the pan and toss to combine. Add the rest of the cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Taste to see if it needs additional salt. Serve hot.

* * *
Photo credit:
PUMPKIN TWIST. Pictured is a bowl of Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese. (Cheyenne Cohen via AP)

12/04/2024

Mark Bittman’s recipe for a gooey, melty, kid-friendly grilled cheese sandwich
By The Associated Press
www.asianreporter.com/food/2024/12-cheese.htm
December 2, 2024

* * *
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Makes: 1 sandwich
Time: 5 minutes

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 slices any bread (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/3 cup grated (or 1 or 2 slices) melting cheese (like cheddar, Jack, or Swiss; about 1 ounce)

Put an 8” skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter or oil. Make a sandwich with the bread and cheese. Try to keep the cheese in an even layer not too close to the crusts of the bread.
When the butter melts or the oil is hot, put the sandwich in the skillet. Set a small plate on top of the bread and weigh it down with cans or a heavy pot. Adjust the heat so the butter or oil sizzles without burning.
Cook until the bottom of the bread smells like toast and is lightly browned and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Take all the stuff off the sandwich, slip a spatula underneath, lift it off the pan, and turn it over.
Swoosh the sandwich around in the pan to sop up all the butter or oil. If you want the sandwich even flatter, pile the plate and cans back on. The other side will also take 2 to 3 minutes to brown. Use the spatula to transfer the sandwich to a plate. Wait a minute for the cheese to cool and set, then dig in.

Eat with:
Pickles, raw vegetable sticks, salad, a creamy tomato soup, or chips.

Variations:
Grilled Chocolate Sandwich
Like dessert. Instead of the cheese, use 1 small chocolate bar between the bread. Your choice what kind, but I like mine pretty dark.

Inside-Out Grilled Cheese Sandwich
That’s right. Crisp cheese on the outside, bread on the inside. You’ll need a nonstick skillet for this. Use one piece of bread and twice as much cheese. Don’t put butter or oil in the pan or use the plates and weights. Scatter half the cheese in the bottom of the pan, top with the bread slice, and scatter the rest of the cheese on top. Put the pan over medium heat and cook without touching anything until the cheese bubbles and melts and turns brown, 3 to 5 minutes. It should be crisp enough to slip a spatula underneath and turn it over. Cook the second side the same way. When the sandwich is ready, tip the pan so the extra fat pours away from the bread before lifting it out with the spatula.

Cheese Toast
This time the sandwich is open. You can use any of the cheeses listed in the recipe or try grated Parmesan. Turn on the broiler to the highest setting (or use a toaster oven) and put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Keep the bread dry at first and put both slices on a baking sheet (or the pan for the toaster oven) and move the pan under the heat. Watch it until the top is toasted as dark as you like. Remove the pan, using tongs to turn the bread, then put a pat of butter on each uncooked side or drizzle with half the oil. Top the slices with the cheese and put the pan back under the heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly or brown as you want it.

Reprinted with permission from How to Cook Everything Kids, by Mark Bittman (copyright) 2024. Published by Harvest, a division of HarperCollins. Photos (copyright) Ghazalle Badiozamani.

Photo credit:
GOOEY GRILLED GOODNESS. Pictured is a grilled cheese sandwich from Mark Bittman’s book, How to Cook Everything Kids. (Ghazalle Badiozamani via AP)

12/04/2024

Cook like a grandmother with The League of Kitchens Cookbook
By Mark Kennedy
AP Entertainment Writer
www.asianreporter.com/reviews/2024/12-24-league.htm
December 2, 2024

NEW YORK — When Lisa Kyung Gross first tried to re-create the Korean dishes her grandmother made when she was a child, none of it tasted as good. Things were always slightly off.
“I realized that so often there are little nuances, tricks, and detailed tips that are left out of cookbooks and internet videos,” she says. “Often there are sensory-based cues, like ‘When it sounds like this, do this’ or ‘When it feels like this, do this.’”
Kyung Gross craved the face-to-face interaction with an elder expert that improves a dish in subtle ways — like is the onion supposed to be sliced root-to-tip or along the equator? When does the lid go back on a pot?
“When you learn from a person, it’s just so much richer because you get more of the personal and cultural context of the recipe,” says Kyung Gross, the daughter of a Korean immigrant and a Jewish New Yorker.
She was so convinced that everyone should learn dishes from an elder that she went on to found The League of Kitchens in 2014, a network of culinary workshops hosted by immigrant home cooks either online or at the instructor’s home.
This fall, the League takes the next step of releasing a cookbook with 75 family recipes representing dishes from Mexico, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ukraine, Greece, Afghanistan, India, Argentina, Japan, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, India, and Nepal.
There are instructions for dishes ranging from a Slavic cold borscht, to a Middle Eastern fava bean dish, a Bangladeshi winter omelet to an African peanut butter stew with chicken and vegetables, and a Mexican tomato soup with pasta.
“Different recipes require a different amount of time, but nothing is hard. This is all everyday home cooking,” says Kyung Gross, who has made everything in the book and has gotten raves at home, including from her two girls, 7 and 10.
The recipes in The League of Kitchens Cookbook aren’t fancy dishes with hard-to-get ingredients. The point was to celebrate the homey, so-called “peasant food” that real people eat every day. The Afghan instructor was stunned that her dish of eggs, tomato, garlic, chili, and mint was even going to be codified. “Everyone knows that,” she said. To which Kyung Gross gently replied: “No you don’t unless you’re Afghan.”
The cookbook has meticulously assembled ingredients and instructions, walking readers carefully through each step, repeating amounts, specifying the exact dice, and careful about when pot lids are taken off and replaced. It stands in contrast to so many cookbooks that are heavily condensed.
“There’s a kind of trend right now in cookbooks where the cookbook writer or the chef says, ‘I’m leaving it loose because I want you to trust your instincts and I want you to learn.’ That’s great if you know what you’re doing,” says Kyung Gross.
“It sounds good, but often it’s sort of frustrating for the home cooks. I want our recipes to turn out tasting like our instructor’s food. Then, when you know what it’s supposed to turn out like, then go wild.”
Jacqueline Quirk, who helped edit the book for Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins, used it to connect with her Persian background, making rice tahdig, which leaves the rice crispy at the bottom.
“I think everyone can find something in here that is at least a flavor that resonates with home for them. It really covers a lot of bases in that sense,” Quirk says.
To craft the recipes from the 14 chosen instructors, Kyung Gross would do a Zoom cooking lesson with each of them. They would make the dish and measure everything, even using a ruler if necessary.
“Because I was cooking live with them, I would notice those things like, ‘Did you just turn down the flame? OK, you have to note that,’” she says. “We really wanted to capture in very minor detail all of those measurements.”
Food writer and co-author Rachel Wharton would then watch the videos over and over and write down the recipes, which would then be sent to Kyung Gross to cook again, sending any questions back to the instructor until the final dish got the green light.
Kyung Gross regrets that she never got the chance to learn dishes alongside her grand- mother and, in many ways, her cooking network and new cookbook have been created in the elder woman’s honor.
“Whenever I’d want to help her in the kitchen, she would always say, ‘Don’t worry about cooking. You should go study. Studying is more important,’” recalls Kyung Gross, who earned a master’s degree from Tufts University and a bachelor’s from Yale University.
“She really wanted me to have professional opportunities that she didn’t have … And, in her mind, she equated cooking with being stuck in the kitchen.”
The League of Kitchens teaches students to create a dish — and any supporting or associated side dishes or sauces — while also managing to humanize the immigrant experience, face-to-face.
“When you go into someone’s home, and particularly when you’re a guest in their home, there is a space for a kind of intimate, interpersonal connection that’s so hard to find otherwise,” says Kyung Gross.
“Every one of our classes starts with people feeling sort of awkward, uncomfortable because they’ve just knocked on a stranger’s door and maybe gone to a neighborhood they’ve never been to before,” she says. “And at the end, everyone is hugging. People are exchanging phone numbers. They feel like instructors are their new favorite aunt.”

Photo credit:
ELDER EXPERTS. Pictured is The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods and Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World, by Lisa Kyung Gross. (Harvest via AP)

12/03/2024

The Asian Reporter - December 2, 2024

11/28/2024

Ditch the cloying casserole for tahini-roasted sweet potatoes with za’atar
By Christopher Kimball
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street
www.asianreporter.com
November 27, 2024

The classic American-style sweet potato casserole is a Thanksgiving staple. It’s also sweet enough to be dessert. With added sugar and a finishing layer of broiled marshmallows, it can be a cloying dish that obscures the natural flavor of sweet potatoes.
In this recipe from our cookbook Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year, we use two Middle Eastern pantry staples to boost the flavor of sweet potatoes. First, we coat the potato wedges with nutty tahini, cornstarch, and za’atar, a seed and spice blend known for its balance of tangy, savory, earthy, and herbal notes.
The cornstarch helps bind the fatty tahini and gives the sweet potatoes a crisp exterior. We roast the wedges until golden brown and meltingly tender. For the finishing sauce, more tahini and za’atar are stirred into creamy yogurt, with lime juice for a refreshing tang. For garnishes, you have many options, including bright ground sumac, spicy-sweet Aleppo pepper, chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or a combination of all three.

Editor’s note: To view additional recipes, visit .

* * *
Tahini-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Za’atar
Start to finish: 50 minutes (20 minutes active)
Servings: 4

⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons tahini, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon za’atar, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1- to 1½-inch wedges
¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lime zest or lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice

Heat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit with a rack in the lower-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a small bowl, whisk together the ⅓ cup tahini and oil; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon za’atar, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Pour in the tahini mixture and rub the mixture into the potatoes; reserve the small bowl. Distribute in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast until the potatoes are lightly browned on the bottom, about 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet about halfway through. Remove from the oven and, using a thin metal spatula, flip each wedge. Roast until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets no resistance, about another 15 minutes, once again flipping the wedges and rotating the sheet halfway through.
Meanwhile, in the reserved bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lime zest and juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons tahini, the remaining 1 teaspoon za’atar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to a platter. Serve with the yogurt-lime sauce.

Optional garnish: Ground sumac or Aleppo pepper or chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or a combination.

* * *
Photo caption:
Pictured is a bowl of Tahini-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Za’atar served with a yogurt-lime sauce. (Milk Street via AP)

11/27/2024

Sweet-tart cranberries and candied ginger make this buckle the perfect holiday treat
By Christopher Kimball
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street
www.asianreporter.com
November 27, 2024

A buckle is a fruit-studded cake with a buttery crumb topping; it’s a great breakfast treat, an excellent midday sweet alongside tea or coffee, or a casual, not-too-heavy after-dinner dessert.
In this recipe from our cookbook Milk Street Bakes, we give our version holiday appeal with pops of sweet-tart cranberries, finely chopped crystalized ginger, and ground cinnamon.
Instead of making an entirely separate crumb topping, we streamline the process by using a food processor to make a coarse flour-sugar-butter base that we then divide, pulsing almonds, brown sugar, and a bit more butter into one portion to make the streusel topping. The rest of the base is gently combined by hand with the wet ingredients. Sour cream adds moisture and tang without rendering the batter too wet. We also add candied ginger, which lends peppery-spicy notes to complement the cranberries.
Don’t forget to thaw the cranberries if using frozen. If the fruits are freezer-cold, they will cause the batter to stiffen, which will make mixing difficult.
Bake until the topping is golden brown, then let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes to help the crumb set and ensure it slices cleanly. The finished buckle is decadent, yet surprisingly light. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Covered tightly, leftovers keep for up to three days at room temperature.

Editor’s note: To view additional recipes, visit .

* * *
Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle
Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes (30 minutes active), plus cooling
Servings: 12

390 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
214 grams (1 cup) white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon table salt
170 grams (12 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons cold salted butter,
cut into ½-inch cubes, reserved separately
42 grams (3 tablespoons) packed dark brown sugar
31 grams (⅓ cup) sliced almonds
3 large eggs
240 grams (1 cup) sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12-ounce bag fresh or thawed frozen cranberries (3 cups)
68 grams (½ cup) finely chopped crystallized ginger
Powdered sugar, to serve (optional)

Heat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9” x13” baking pan with cooking spray, dust evenly with flour, then tap out the excess.
In a food processor, combine the flour, white sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until well combined, 6 to 8 pulses. Scatter the 12 tablespoons butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 20 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl, then measure out 165 grams (1 cup) of the mixture and return it to the food processor. To the food processor, add the brown sugar, almonds, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then pulse until the mixture begins to clump and resembles wet sand, about 20 pulses; transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Pour into the large bowl of flour-butter mixture and fold the batter with a silicone spatula until only a few streaks of flour remain. Add the cranberries and crystallized ginger, then fold until evenly distributed; the batter will be thick. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer.
Using your hands, squeeze the almond-flour mixture into rough ½-inch clumps, then scatter evenly over the batter in the pan. Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.

* * *
Photo caption:
Pictured is Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle. (Milk Street via AP)

11/27/2024

Elevate Thanksgiving leftovers with a Turkey Reuben Sandwich

By Katie Workman
The Associated Press
www.asianreporter.com
November 27, 2024

I have a confession. I like the Thanksgiving leftovers better than the holiday feast.
The Thanksgiving meal is a family favorite, and I love all of the foods. But what makes me even happier is opening the fridge the next morning and foraging for a slice of apple pie or some leftover roasted Brussels sprouts, and especially pulling out this, that, and the other to make a masterpiece of a turkey sandwich.
A classic Reuben sandwich is made with corned beef, Russian or Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread. But this version made with turkey hits all of the notes and is one of the best uses of post-Thanksgiving leftover turkey that I can think of. It’s far above a plain old (possibly dry) turkey sandwich with a bit of mustard and mayo between two slices of cold bread.
A quick version of sauerkraut is what makes this sandwich spectacular (and a Reuben!). I like to sliver my cabbage very thin for slaws and krauts, and I go for Napa or Savoy cabbage, which is a bit lighter in texture than green head cabbage. My recipe calls for apple cider, apple vinegar, and a bit of beer (and hey, that open beer shouldn’t go to waste – a perfect pairing for this sandwich.)
Then, a dump-and-stir Russian dressing, Swiss cheese or Gruyere, and rye bread are the clinchers. With the turkey, griddle the whole thing up, and remember that you can make this sandwich any time of the year with leftover turkey or even sliced turkey from the deli.
Do you have some good leftover sides, like Brussels sprouts or roasted vegetables, from the Thanksgiving meal? Pile them into bowls, and a sandwich meal becomes a feast.
Double or triple this recipe as needed. Extra sauerkraut and Russian dressing can be kept in tightly sealed containers in the fridge for up to one week. (Make some hot dogs or sausages later in the week to use up the leftover sauerkraut.)

Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook. She blogs at themom100.com.

* * *
Turkey Reuben Sandwiches
Makes 4 sandwiches

For the quick sauerkraut:
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
4 cups thinly slivered Napa or Savoy cabbage
1 yellow onion (halved and very thinly sliced)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup apple cider
¼ cup beer

For the Russian dressing
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon relish
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

For the sandwiches
8 slices rye bread
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
8 fairly thick slices roast turkey (same size as the bread)

Make the sauerkraut:
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage, onions, and salt, and sauté for 5 minutes, until slightly wilted. Stir in the mustard seeds, then add the cider vinegar, cider, and beer, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat to keep at a simmer and cook until the cabbage is fairly tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Make the Russian dressing:
While the cabbage is cooking, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, onion, relish, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Build the sandwiches:
Spread one side of each slice of bread with the softened butter. Place 4 bread slices on a cutting board, buttered side down. Spread the slices with the Russian dressing, about 1 tablespoon on each. Spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of well-drained sauerkraut onto each piece. Top with two slices of turkey, then 1/4 of the gruyere cheese. Place the remaining bread on top to finish the sandwiches, making sure the buttered side faces up.

Griddle the sandwiches:
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches (you will probably have to cook them two at a time), and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until the outside is nicely browned, and the cheese has melted.

Serve: Cut in half and serve hot.

* * *
Photo caption:
A Turkey Reuben Sandwich is a great option for using leftover Thanksgiving turkey. (Katie Workman via AP, File)

11/27/2024

Do not wash your turkey and other Thanksgiving tips to keep your food safe
By Jonel Aleccia
AP Health Writer
www.asianreporter.com
November 27, 2024

Ready or not, the holidays are here. It’s a time when many Americans accustomed to preparing simple meals find themselves responsible for safely serving multi-dish feasts.
It’s no easy task. Outbreaks of some types of food poisoning tend to rise in November and December, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tainted turkey, undercooked stuffing, and germ-laced gravy from holiday buffets have all led to past illnesses — and even deaths — CDC investigators have found.
It can be tricky for occasional cooks to prepare big meals in a way that avoids the common hazards that can make people sick, said Donald Schaffner, a food science expert at Rutgers University.
“Cooking takes longer with big masses of food. Cooling takes longer with big masses of food,” said Schaffner, who co-hosts the food-safety podcast “Risky or Not?”
Together with podcast co-host Benjamin Chapman, a food scientist at North Carolina State University, Schaffner outlined common ways to keep holiday meals both festive and safe.

PREPARE THE TURKEY
Nearly 90% of U.S. hosts plan to serve turkey on Thanksgiving this year, according to the turkey producer Butterball.
But raw turkey can harbor illness-causing bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, and other germs. It must be handled safely to prevent those bugs from contaminating refrigerator surfaces, sinks, and kitchen counters.
A frozen bird must be thawed first. There are several accepted methods, including in the refrigerator, in the microwave, or in cold running water, Schaffner said.
“All of these methods pose risks,” he cautioned.
A frozen turkey needs about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of weight to thaw in a refrigerator, according to the Agriculture Department. If you use a microwave or the cold water method, the bird must be cooked immediately. For details about safe turkey handling, check out the thawing and cooking calculators created by the USDA.
www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/happy-thanksgiving
And don’t wash the turkey. It’s a bad idea to rinse it in the sink, even though many cooks still insist on the practice, often out of habit, said Chapman.
“Anything that hits that surface and generates spray is going to basically spread contamination around your kitchen,” he said.
Instead, pat the turkey dry with paper towels and toss them, or use a kitchen towel and disinfect it in the laundry.

WHAT ABOUT ROASTING?
Turkey needs to reach a cooked temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving. The best way to tell if it’s cooked is to use a tip-sensitive digital thermometer inserted in the innermost section of the thigh, not touching the bone.
Don’t rely on the plastic pop-up thermometers stuck in some commercial turkeys. Chapman’s past research shows that those buttons can activate well before the bird is actually done.
At the same time, don’t determine doneness by relying on signs such as golden-brown skin, whether the meat is no longer pink, or whether the juices run clear.
“None of those are great indicators of temperature,” Chapman said.

SIDE DISHES & LEFTOVERS
How you handle the rest of the meal — mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, or yams — is just as important as the main dish. It’s crucial to avoid the so-called danger zone of temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where bacteria can easily grow.
The key is to keep hot foods piping hot and cold foods cold — and to refrigerate everything promptly, Schaffner said.
“The recommendation is that you get those leftovers into the refrigerator within two hours of when they came off of the stove,” he said.
Make sure to refrigerate dense foods like sliced turkey, cooked sweet potatoes, or gravy in shallow containers to help them cool down fast. Schaffner’s recent research showed that foods cooled in containers at a depth of no more than 2 inches posed little risk of growing dangerous germs.

KEEP IT CLEAN
One key way to avoid food poisoning is through scrupulous cleaning in the kitchen.
Wash your hands before preparing food and after touching raw poultry. Use separate cutting boards, knives, and other utensils when handling raw meat and fresh foods such as vegetables and salads.
Pay close attention to any surface that may be contaminated. It’s important to clean first with soap and water and then sanitize with a disinfectant — a two-step process.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for content.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Food from a Thanksgiving dinner should be prepared with food safety in mind to help prevent food poisoning. Pictured is a turkey and vegetable side from Martha & Marley Spoon in New York. (AP Photo/Bree Fowler, File)

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