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Wednesday, October 24, 2001
Outside the box

CHILI COOK-OFF, FESTIVAL IS FREE THIS WEEKEND
   The competition is expected to be as hot as the food at Saturday's 7th annual Family Festival Chili Cook-Off. Stop by AMF Satatoga Lanes at Saratoga and Ayers starting at 10 a.m. to sample contenders for The "Best Dawggone Chili."
   The two-day festival also includes a Miss Chili Pepper Costume Contest on Saturday and a bowling tournament on Sunday.
   Admission is free. For more information, call 882-1686.
   LOCAL ARTIST ILLUSTRATES HOME-STYLE COOKBOOK
   Local artist Judi Slingerland and San Antonio author Kristin Lyle will be signing copies of their book, "Sweetheart, poach me an egg," from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Sister Sue's, 517 Everhart Rd.
   The home-style cookbook offers tips and tidbits alongside each recipe.
   For more information, call 854-8484.
   - Compiled by staff writer Leanne Libby

   Ask Food Network Kitcens
   Q: I am thinking of hosting a '50s diner dinner party. I definitely want to serve salisbury steak - do you have any ideas for side dishes that would fit the theme?
   - MARILYN IN MINNEAPOLIS.
   A: What a great idea! Mashed potatoes, string beans, carrots and peas, cole slaw, and potato salad are good, classic choices. Corn salad uses fresh corn and red and yellow peppers and is very easy to make. If you feel ambitious, and have a deep-fat fryer, try homemade onion rings. Mac and cheese has old-fashioned comfort food written all over it. And don't forget dessert: rice pudding, berry pie a la mode or lemon meringue.
   Q: I'm a relatively new cook and my first experience with sea scallops was a disaster. I really love scallops when they have a golden crust on the outside and are nice and meltingly soft inside. I tried to saute them and my pan just filled up with water and the scallops got boiled instead of fried. No chance for a golden crust. What went wrong?
   - FRUSTRATED IN PHILO, CALIF.
   A: Scallops are harvested from boats that stay out at sea for as many as 10 days at a time. Two problems for the fisherman arise as a result. Scallops spoil quickly and they dehydrate just as fast. One solution fishermen use is to soak the scallops in water containing a chemical called sodium tripolyphosphate. The problem is once you get them home and start to saute scallops treated this way, the water runs out and floods the pan.
   There are some things you can do to avoid this problem. First of all, avoid buying treated scallops. How can you recognize them in the store? Avoid scallops that are pure white and shiny and seem to merge together in one large blob. Scallops that have not been given the tripolyphosphate treatment vary in color from white to ivory to pinkish orange, and they remain separate from each other. You also may be able to find flash frozen scallops that were frozen minutes after harvest at sea.
   In any event, when you cook questionable scallops, be sure they are completely dry before they hit the pan. Make sure the oil in your pan is hot so the scallops will sear right away and get that crust you want. Another thing you can do is dip each end in flour just before you saute them. Don't put any flour on the sides of the scallop because it won't get cooked.
   If you like the crust as much as I do, try slicing the scallops in half horizontally and dusting each side of each half with flour before cooking. You'll get twice as much crust.

   Cheese, please
   Cheese lovers around the world revere authentic Italian Parmesan cheese - Parmigiano-Reggiano - as the king of cheese. This superior cheese is always welcome grated over pastas, shaved over salads or simply broken into shards and enjoyed.
   - Scripps Howard News Service




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