Innholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2024 i Food Network Magazine

Citrus to the Rescue It’s still cold and flu season, so load up on citrus! Research shows that consuming oranges, grapefruit and other foods that are high in vitamin C may help strengthen your immune system and shorten both the length and severity of a cold. Stay healthy with the citrus salad on page 85. SOURCE: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE Dream Date Instead of the usual chocolates, give your valentine the white chocolate–dipped dates on page 76. A recent study suggests that eating antioxidant-packed dates can reduce total cholesterol while boosting levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind). SOURCE: NUTRIENTS Hot Stuff The jalapeño burgers on page 42 could help you live longer: Scientists analyzed the health records of thousands of people and found that those who ate chile…

You always know that Mardi Gras season has arrived in New Orleans when people start lining up at bakeries. “It’s like vampires awakening!” says Liz Williams, founder of the city’s Southern Food & Beverage Museum. “They’re hungry for king cake, which is only made this time of year.” Shops often double their staff to supply parties, offices and classrooms with the traditional dessert. The cake dates back to ancient Rome, when it was served with a fava bean hidden inside; whoever found the bean became king for a day. Today’s versions are made with trinkets called fèves (French for “fava beans”)—if there’s one in your slice, you’ll have good luck, and you’re expected to bring the king cake next time!…

Louisiana Style Tabasco pioneered this vinegary sauce in 1868; Frank’s RedHot (the best-selling hot sauce) and Crystal are similar. Gochujang This paste-like condiment originated in Korea and gets its earthy, spicy flavor from red chiles, sticky rice and fermented soybeans. Chili Crisp Pepper flakes and bits of fried onion and garlic give this trendy spicy oil from China its crisp texture. Sambal Oelek A sambal is a spicy Indonesian paste; oelek is the classic kind made with ground red chiles, salt and vinegar. Mexican Style This sauce is also called salsa picante and typically features Mexican red peppers such as arbol, jalapeño and pequin. Harissa The name comes from the word harasa, which means “to mash” in Arabic. Some versions include warm spices like cumin and coriander. Sriracha This Thai…

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE Salvador Molly’s, Portland, OR Participants in the restaurant’s annual February fundraiser gobble rounds of habanero cheese fritters. The last person standing is crowned the King or Queen of Heat—with an actual crown. 4 HORSEMEN BURGER Chunky’s Burgers & More, San Antonio Eat a burger topped with jalapeño, serrano and ghost peppers, plus habanero hot sauce, within 25 minutes to land your photo on the Wall of Flame. BAYOU BEAST Bayou Hot Wings, New Orleans If you down 10 wings smothered in super-hot sauce (it has scorpion peppers!) within 5 minutes, you’ll earn a T-shirt…and bragging rights. DOUGHNUTS OF DEATH TN Hot Sauce Expo, Nashville The most popular event at this November expo involves doughnuts filled with Carolina Reaper pepper jelly. The first contestant to finish three…

BROWNIE CHUNK COOKIES ACTIVE: 30 min l TOTAL: 1 hr 15 min (plus cooling) l MAKES: about 16 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup packed light brown sugar ¾ cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2½ cups cubed fudgy brownies (about ½-inch cubes) 1. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. 2. Combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour…

When my sister and I were little, my parents would occasionally take us to Wendy’s for the kids’ meal, under one condition: We had to get a side salad. I hated salad, but the Wendy’s salad bar was a revelation. It was my first encounter with a toppings bar—and probably the only time I was allowed to make unsupervised dinner choices. I’d start with approximately three leaves of iceberg lettuce and then pile on an assortment of chow mein noodles, croutons and grated parmesan. Maybe some bacon bits too, depending on my mood. At the Wendy’s salad bar, I controlled my own destiny, and it was thrilling. I’m not alone in this feeling—everyone loves a toppings bar. Entire franchises were built upon this premise: Subway, Pinkberry, Chipotle. The toppings are…

Q: What’s up with the colors? A: In 1892, Mardi Gras parade organizers chose the theme “Symbolism of Colors” and used purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power. Ever since, these have been the official colors. Q: What flavor is king cake? A: It typically tastes like a cross between a cinnamon roll and coffee cake. Bakeries now offer fillings like cream cheese, nuts or fruit, and even savory versions made with smoked sausage or crawfish. Q: Why the plastic baby? A: Babies have become the most popular fève baked into the cakes, thanks to McKenzie’s Pastry Shoppes. In the 1940s, bakers there started slipping inch-tall porcelain dolls (used by potters to test kilns for hot spots) into cakes!…

1. True or false: Hot sauce was used in Aztec times as a punishment. 2. A chile pepper’s heat is measured on which scale? A. Rankine B. Kelvin C. Scoville 3. Which singer sang “I got hot sauce in my bag”? A. Lady Gaga B. Beyoncé C. Jason Derulo 4. True or false: A chile pepper has more vitamin C than an orange. 5. The world record for downing a bottle of hot sauce is… A. 3 minutes B. 95 seconds C. 8.6 seconds 6. True or false: Hot sauce can cause ulcers. 7. Is a chile pepper a fruit or vegetable? A. Fruit B. Vegetable 8. Which country produces the most chile peppers? A. Mexico B. Brazil C. China 9. Which band’s logo is this? A. Red Hot Chili…

“It’s all about the perfect balance of tang and heat! I make a Texas mule with tequila, ginger beer, ginger-infused simple syrup and a splash of Texas Pete.” —Kardea Brown “I sometimes put hot sauce in peanut butter and jelly sandos or add it to pancake batter—it’s great with maple syrup and butter.” —Michael Symon “I love hot sauce with fruit. A little dab on mango sorbet is awesome!” —Jet Tila “Whenever I make mac and cheese, I put a few shakes of hot sauce in there to give it zestiness.” —Anne Burrell “Heat brings out fruity and floral notes. I love to put it on an ice-cold salted pear or apple.” —Alex Guarnaschelli “Hot sauce should complement, not overwhelm. I put it on eggs, fatty pork products and roasted…

Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year for wing lovers—almost 1.5 billion chicken wings are consumed during the big game. We’re going all in this year and making them for dessert too: These look-alikes are actually cake balls! Serve them with a whipped cream dip and some candy celery for the full effect. Check out the simple how-to. BUFFALO WING CAKE BALLS ACTIVE: 45 min TOTAL: 1 hr 45 min (plus cooling) MAKES: 16 Cooking spray 1 15- to 16-ounce box chocolate cake mix (plus required ingredients) 1 cup cream cheese frosting ½ cup heavy cream 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar ¼ cup mini marshmallows 6 to 8 green sour twists or licorice pieces, 1 finely chopped and the rest cut into 3-inch pieces Red…

i’ve tried many different recipes for Chicken in a Pot (it seems as though everyone has a version!), but they often end up tasting like chicken soup instead of a delicious and satisfying dinner. One day I noticed that Nigella Lawson had a recipe where she browned the chicken first rather than just boiling it, giving it extra flavor, and then she added orzo to the stock. The starch in the pasta gave the sauce a lot of body. I played around with the recipe, adding some saffron, and came up with this version. It’s a perfect midwinter meal that’s the ultimate comfort food. And best of all, you can make it ahead! CHICKEN IN A POT WITH ORZO ACTIVE: 35 min l TOTAL: 2 hr 10 min l SERVES:…

What food trend would you like to start?…

if your food friends seem fired up these days, it might be because they’re eating an extraordinary amount of hot sauce. Americans consumed more than ever during the past year, and we’re headed into peak sauce season now: Sales jump 45 percent during the week of the Super Bowl, according to Instacart. Things likely won’t cool down anytime soon. Experts predict the hot sauce market will grow from $3 billion to $5 billion in the next six years. TikTokers have fueled the fire by drizzling hot sauce on mashed potatoes, pickles, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Oreos, and food producers have raced to create hotter and hotter peppers for those who dare. Last summer, Pepper X dethroned the Carolina Reaper as the spiciest variety on earth, paving the way for even…

1 Your brain’s fire alarm goes off. Mouths have pain receptors that are activated by capsaicin, a compound in chile peppers, says David Julius, PhD, a physiologist who won a Nobel Prize for research on heat sensation and pain. Those receptors signal your brain that you’ve ingested something hot. 2 Your body thinks it’s on fire. Your brain has alerted all systems of the heat situation. Your skin might flush, your eyes may get watery and your nose could run in an attempt to expel the capsaicin. 3 You start to cool down. “This happens mostly through sweating, which sheds heat,” says Julius. As the perspiration evaporates, it cools your skin. People who are into spicy food are most likely to describe themselves as creative, confident and adventurous. SOURCE: ONEPOLL…

STEAK-MUSHROOM NOODLE STIR-FRY ACTIVE: 35 min l TOTAL: 35 min l SERVES: 4 1 5- to 6-ounce package cellophane noodles ⅓ cup soy sauce 5 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 clove garlic, minced ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar 12 ounces skirt steak, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch-thick pieces 1 onion, cut into ¼-inch wedges Kosher salt 10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced 1 cup shredded carrots (from about 3 carrots) 1 10-ounce package baby spinach 1. Soak the noodles in hot water to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and snip into long pieces with kitchen shears. 2. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sesame oil, the garlic, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Put the steak in another…

SHEET-PAN ROASTED GNOCCHI AND VEGETABLES ACTIVE: 30 min l TOTAL: 40 min l SERVES: 4 1 pound broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets, stalks peeled and chopped 1 16- to 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes 1 shallot, thinly sliced 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cups fresh parsley, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled 1. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 450°. Combine the broccoli, gnocchi, tomatoes, shallot, 4 cloves garlic and 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and toss. Carefully spread the…

Let’s hear it for… HOMEMADE HUMMUS If you’re eating hummus as a snack, storebought is great, but if you’re turning it into a meal, like the hummus bowl on page 83, a homemade version is well worth the effort! All you need are a few ingredients: chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Make sure you keep the liquid from your can of chickpeas—it’s the key to a creamy consistency! Good Gear You might be tempted to steam veggies in the microwave but a steamer basket is a better way to go: The veggies come out perfectly crisp-tender. A collapsible steamer like this one is a good choice: It adjusts to different-size pots and doubles as a colander. We also use it for fish, like the salmon on…