Nuts forcoconuts
Judging by the number of coconut products in supermarkets these days — beyond the flaked coconut your granny used in macaroons and ambrosia — we've gone a bit nuts for this fruit.
That's right: The hairy brown ovoid is not a true nut but the stone of a drupe, which makes it related to peaches and plums.
Just check supermarket refrigerator cases, where cartons of coconut milks, creamers and spreads share space with cultured coconut products (think yogurts and kefirs). Or shelves, where cans of coconut milk, jars of coconut oil and coconut spray-oils nudge bags of shredded and flaked coconut. Or in freezers, where coconut milk desserts sit next to ice creams.
And depending on your coconut crush, there's coconut tequila, vodka and beer, plus plain and flavored coconut waters based on the thin opaque juice found inside the fruit.
Of course, cooks in Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean have long used coconut milk (made by simmering coconut meat with water, then straining) and coconut oil (pressed from the meat) to enrich dishes in the same way cooks elsewhere might use cream or butter.
Some newer products are coconut creatures of a different sort. Canned coconut milk used in a Thai curry, for example, is not the same as coconut milks found in grocery refrigerated cases.
Which means it's important to know what you're buying (check ingredient and nutrition labels carefully), then don't assume coconut products will work like similar dairy products in cooking.
Consider refrigerated cartons of coconut milk.
“The coconut milk in the can is the one that tastes so delicious,” says registered dietitian Andrea Giancoli, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “You're not going to get that deep coconutty flavor, taste and texture with refrigerated coconut milks.”
A look at the ingredient label will tell you why.
“If you've never tried these coconut milks that are in the dairy case, it is not the same natural coconut milk that you extract from the (meat of) the coconut, which is super high in fat, super high in calories — 550 calories for 1 cup — and it's very thick,” Giancoli says. “So what they've done with some of these coconut milks that are in the dairy section is they've watered them down a lot. So they have a lot fewer calories and a lot less fat.”
Still, Giancoli says the refrigerated milks work for smoothies and in cereals, and in mashed sweet potatoes it would be divine. And when she uses canned coconut milk in vegetable, meat and many traditional Asian dishes, she opts for the lower-calorie light version.
She's a fan of coconut oil, spreading it on such fish as salmon or whitefish, so as it cooks, it makes fish even moister.
Solid at room temperature, coconut oil has a high smoking point that makes it good for frying and sauteing.
“With coconut oil, you're adding a really nice coconut flavor to your food,” adds the Los Angeles-based nutrition and health writer.
Those cultured coconut milk products similar to yogurts will add a hint of coconut layered with fruit into a parfait, she says. But don't expect their nutrition to equal dairy products.
“Coconut, itself, is all fat with very, very little protein. So you're not going to be getting naturally occurring carbohydrates or naturally occurring protein, or maybe a tiny, tiny bit of protein,” Giancoli says.
Prep: 15 minutesCook: 35 minutesMakes: 8 servings½ cup golden or dark raisins¼ cup light rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract plus 1/4 cup water3 cups water1 cup arborio rice, rinsed until water runs clear1 stick cinnamon, 3 inches long1 teaspoon vanilla¾ cup sweetened condensed skim milk1 cup light coconut milk2 to 4 tablespoons light-brown sugar1 teaspoon each: grated orange zest, grated lemon zestPinch of salt½ cup toasted shredded unsweetened dried coconutCombine raisins and rum (or rum extract and water) in a small bowl; let soak, 15 minutes.In a large saucepan over high heat, combine water, rice, cinnamon stick and vanilla. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer, covered, until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes.Stir in condensed and coconut milks. Add raisins and their liquid. Simmer, covered, until rice is very soft, 10 minutes.Stir in brown sugar, citrus zests and salt. Cook, 5 minutes. Add more sugar if desired.Cool pudding to room temperature. Discard cinnamon stick. Spoon into serving bowls or martini glasses. Refrigerate until cold. To serve, garnish with toasted coconut.Adapted from “Steven Raichlen's Healthy Latin Cooking” (Rodale Press).
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 35 minutes Makes: 4 servings2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon fresh lime juice¼ teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon pepper1 pound orange roughy or tilapia, in 1-inch cubes1 cup each, chopped: onion, green bell pepper1 tablespoon minced garlic1 jalapeno, seeded, finely chopped1 can (14½ ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained¾ cup unsweetened canned coconut milk8 ounces medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish2 cups hot cooked riceStir together 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lime juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add fish; toss to coat. Set aside.Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, green pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Cook and stir until onion is tender, 4 minutes.Stir in tomatoes and coconut milk; heat to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.Stir in shrimp, the fish mixture and cilantro; return to boiling over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until fish just flakes easily with a fork and shrimp turns opaque, 5 minutes.Season to taste. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with more cilantro.Developed by the Chicago Tribune test kitchen’s Corrine Kozlak.
