Makassar, 24 August 2018
- Buttermilk
Pronounce it : buh-ter-mill-k
There are two types of buttermilk. Traditional buttermilk is a thin, cloudy, slightly tart but buttery-tasting liquid that is left after cream is churned to make butter. These days, however, it is more commonly sold as a thick liquid produced commercially by adding an acidifying bacteria – and sometimes flavouring and thickening agents – to milk. This commercial product can be thought of as a gentler, thinner yogurt, with any buttery flavour likely added.
Buttermilk is traditionally a drink, but is more often used in baking now. When used with baking soda, it reacts to form carbon dioxide, thus helping mixtures such as soda bread, rolls, scones and waffles to rise.
It also used as a marinade as the acidity can help to make meat more tender and flavourful. You'll find buttermilk used in this way in some chicken dishes.
Availability
Traditional buttermilk is rarely available. Commercially-produced buttermilk is often stocked in larger branches of most supermarkets.
Choose the best
All buttermilk will continue to ferment to some degree and thus become more acidic, so pay attention to use-by dates.
Store it
Buttermilk should be kept refrigerated and used quickly once opened.
Cook it
When using buttermilk as leavening with baking soda, it’s best to let it come to room temperature before use. This reaction happens immediately so is much faster than baking powder, which works only when heat is present. If the buttermilk is still refrigerated, the dough might set before the reaction has time to work fully and the result will be heavier.
If you cannot get buttermilk for baking, or do not have enough, plain yoghurt works just as well but will give a slightly different flavour.
- Butternut Squash
Pronounce it : buttah-nut skwash
Butternut squash is one of the most popular varieties of winter squash or pumpkins. That is, types that are long keepers rather than short, such as summer's courgettes. All squash are native to the American continent, from north to south, and this variety seems to have been developed there in the 1940s, named because it was thought to be as smooth as butter and tasted nutty. Both observations are true.
Butternuts are recognised by their pale fawn skins and unique shape, rather tube-like at the top, swelling to something more bulbous – although this varies enormously. It has seeds only in the lower portion.
Availability
Butternut squash are harvested in late summer and autumn, but because of their good keeping quality may be found year-round.
Choose the best
Butternuts should always feel heavy for their size. The skin should not be wrinkled and there should be no soft or mouldy patches. A thick upper portion allows you to cut more pieces of an even shape, but irregular pieces look invitingly rustic.
Store it
Butternuts are keepers and last well anywhere that is cool and dark. They can be refrigerated if you have the space. Once cut, butternut should be refrigerated. Beware of a slimy surface or acidic smell if pieces have been stored too long.
Cook it
Butternuts are a boon to the busy cook, adding colour and sweetness to almost any plate.
Only peel when you have smaller more manageable pieces but, if you are roasting or grilling, peeling isn’t necessary. The flesh is dense and can be hard to cut, so care is needed that a knife doesn't slip. The best way to start is to cut through the bottom end of the neck to divide the butternut into two and then, to lay the bottom cut-side down and cut down to the board.
Large or small pieces can be roasted, grilled, microwaved or steamed and won’t fall to pieces.
Roasting or grilling concentrates the flavour and just a little oil or butter will also help caramelise the outside.
Best of all, butternut combines with almost anything else delicious to eat. You can roast pieces Mediterranean-style with tomato, garlic and herbs, then finish with chunks of parmesan; make them Mexican-style with chilli seasoning (NOT chilli powder), oregano and such white cheese as feta; it’s also great roasted with butter, maple syrup, nuts and spices. Add lightly oiled chunks to any selection of vegetables roasted with poultry or meat.
Cooked butternut makes a great mash, just with butter, or with sweet spices too, with garlic and herbs or, cottage-style mixed with almost any proportion of potato you like. It’s fun to serve little mountains into which you have hidden, at the last-minute, a generous pat of chilled butter, with or without garlic and parsley.
Best of all to many is butternut squash soup. But don’t make the mistake of boiling it and then discarding the cooking liquid. Cook in minimal stock, or microwave to concentrate the flavour and then purée, including as much of that liquid as needed, adding whatever extra you prefer – whether melted butter, milk or cream. To finish, you can scatter on toasted nuts with a dribble of maple syrup and cinnamon; crumbled bacon and well-cooked onion rings; stir in fresh mint and grated orange or lemon zest; lime zest with soured cream and chilli seasoning; sumac or za'atar… and so on, almost ad infinitum.
- Cabbage
Pronounce it : ka-badge
The cabbage, or brassica, family is huge, and includes everything from the familiar red, white or green varieties with tightly packed leaves, to cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts as well as pak choi, popular in Asian cookery.
The round, crinkle-leafed Savoy cabbage and the pale, lozenge-shaped Chinese leaf are considered to be two of the best to cook with. The flavour of cabbage varies from type to type, ranging from savoury to gently sweet, but one thing they all have in common is a rank smell if overcooked, so brief cooking is key.
Different varieties of cabbage are available all year round.
All cabbages should look bright, with crisp leaves. Avoid those that feel puffy, whose leaves have holes (an insect might have burrowed its way in) or whose outer leaves have been stripped away, which some retailers do to cabbages that start to loose their freshness. Varieties with tightly packed leaves should feel heavy.
For loose-leaved varieties, remove old or damaged outer leaves, cut the leaves free of the core and slice out any tough central stalks. Rinse if necessary, then chop or slice. For tightly-packaged cabbages, strip the outer leaves in the same way, wash, then slice into quarters, cut out the hard central core on each one, then chop or shred. When cooking red cabbage, add a little vinegar to the water to stop the colour running. Boils in 4-6 minutes; steams in 4-8 minutes; stir fries in 2-4 minutes.
Loose leaved cabbages will keep in a cool, dark place for several days. Tight leaved varieties will last even longer.
Stir fry Savoy cabbage with garlic, ginger and chilli, plus a dash of soy sauce; slice green cabbage with carrots, toasted nuts, raisins and dress with olive oil and lemon juice for a salad; slice white cabbage and add to chopped ripe mango, red onion and walnut pieces, dressed with vinaigrette.
Try Brussels sprout.
Source :
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/buttermilk
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/butternut-squash
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/cabbage
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