Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 43

Austin American-Statesman Life Food Wednesday, January 28, 1998 E3 I1C You don't have to live near the sea to make this delicious, warming Italian Fisherman's Stew. The ingredients you need, including shellfish, fennel and artichoke hearts, are as close as your supermarket. Kalian Fisherman's Stew aiiy price range At All Area Michael's Stores today thru Friday Only! I I II 1 ti I I il mem I I wmm 4 cups water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed teaspoon salt cup small shell pasta, uncooked 1 9-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, quartered pound small shrimp, peeled Yi pound bay scallops 1 pound cod fillet, cubed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped (about lMcups) 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 medium bulb fennel, chopped (about VA cups) 2 14M-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil 1 14M-ounce can low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth In a large kettle, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic and fennel. Cook slowly for about 10 minutes, until vegetables soften and brown.

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, water, lemon juice, dried basil and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover kettle and simmer for 20 minutes. (To cook ahead: At this point you can stop cooking, cool the soup and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before proceeding. Bring it to a boil before continuing the recipe.) Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

When tender, drain and set aside. When the soup has finished simmering, add the pasta, artichoke hearts, peeled shrimp, scallops and pieces of cod. Simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 8 112-cup servings at 225 calories and 3 grams fat each.

r. David CoricVNew Ybrk Times photo Rice cookers all offer a good finished product, but some are more equal than others. From upper left, the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker practically thinks about the individual grains; the Hitachi model produces a somewhat less-perfect rice; and the Microwave Rice Cooker saves counterspace while offering consistency. By Suzanne Hamun The New Ybrk Times 'NEW YORK In Asia, where the average person eats more than 200 pounds of rice a year, a rice cooker is standard equipment But does the average American who eats only 25 pounds of rice a year really need such a specialized appliance? And if so, which one? Dozens of models, from $20 to more than $200, are sold in stores and catalogs. The machines do offer advantages over the stove top.

Without special attention from the cook, even the most basic models cook rice and other grains without bur ning, scorching or drying tftem out; most turn off automatically when the rice is cooked, and some keep the rice warm and moist for hours. All are simple to use; Just put water and grain into a removable pan, shut, the lid and switch it onr The best and at $200, most expensive incorporate microchip technology called fuzzy logic. The term refers to a microchip process that senses when one phase is finished and switches to the next. For rice cookers, this means that time and temperature are monitored and adjusted for different grains. If you use too much water, for example, the machine will cook a little longer or hotter.

Two Japanese companies, Panasonic and Zo-jirushi (pronounced zo-zhee-ROO-she), make fuzzy logic cookers. The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker looks like a space-age incubator. It has a thick, insulated plastic housing and a tightly sealedlid, which allows for more steam and better rice cooking. With no external timer, the machine senses when the grain is done, stops cooking and switches to warming mode, which keeps the rice or other grain hot and moist up to 12 hours. The result is beautifully cooked, fully plumped grains.

In my experiments with short-grain, long-grain, sticky, basmati, black and brown rice, as well as quinoa, farro and wild rice, each became a perfectly cooked batch of succulent, distinct grains. The Neuro Fuzzy Logic has two more features: It can be programmed with For Grace Willms, readers shared the recipe for Tomato Soup from the Magic Time Machine restaurant, which used to be on Riverside Drive. Magic Time Machine Tomato Soup gallon water cup chopped celery 56 cup chopped onion 2 cups tomato paste 2 cans (1 pound each) diced tomatoes with juice 3 tablespoons Worcestershire cous, can be made in a rice cooker. But those that need stirring, like risotto, polenta or oatmeal are best left for the stove top. A midprice model that works successfully is the Hitachi rice cooker, which cooks automatically, shuts off when done and automatically stays warm.

Sources available from (800) 448-2244. Classic cookers like the Hitachi use less steam than the Zojirushi, and produce rice that is a little less than perfect, but they do the job burning or drying it out. Even infrequent rice eaters would find them convenient for a party or a buffet. For those who want well-cooked rice but not a separate appliance, the Microwave Rice Cooker by Progressive International Corp. is a good choice.

The simple plastic pot has a two-layered vented cover to increase steam. Add rice and liquid, snap on the cover, and mi- -crowave: The rice cooks in the same time as on the stove top, but it's fluffy and moist every time. The six-cup size is $13; eight-cup, $15. For sources, (800) 426-7101. Combine water, celery and onion and simmer until tender.

Add remaining ingredients, except bay leaf, and simmer 1 hour. Do not boil. Add bay leaf during last 15 minutes. Remove when soup is finished. Serves 10-12.

a timer to start cooking as long as 13 hours later, and it has settings for "regular," "softer," "harder" and "porridge." At Williams-Sonoma cookware store in the Arboretum Market, the five-cup nonstick Fuzzy Logic cooker is $239. Zojirushi also makes a well-insulated and tightly sealed bucket-shape rice cooker. It cooks and holds rice well but doesn't have fuzzy logic technology The machines come in sizes that indicate how many cups of grain they make. Sources are available from Zojirushi, at Many ordinary cookers, basically lightweight electrified pots that boil rice, are made in Asia and come with instructions that are often confusing. Any ricexooker works best when it is at least two-thirds full (otherwise, the cooked rice turns out less fluffy).

Always rinse rice throughly first by putting it in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water until the water runs clear. This rinses off starch or excess bran, allowing the grains to remain distinct. Almost any grain, or even cous nifies hope and life like lively fish in the water. In addition, there usually are platters of noodles, rice-flour cakes both sweet and savory soups and, of course, rice. Baskets and boxes of Asian markets brim with vegetables that are as familiar as eggplant and as exotic as Chinese okra.

The egg The Recipe Swap column accepts written requests and recipes from readers. Letters should contain name, address and telephone number and be mailed to: Recipe Swap, Austin American-Statesman, RO. Box 670, Austin 78767. If you contribute a recipe from a cookbook or other publication, please tell us what the source was. Recipes in this column are printed as submitted by readers and are not tested by the newspaper Good luck and noodles start Year of the Tiger 23xd Anniversary A mravagasza! Man 31 Feb 1 Sat 19-5 Sun 11-5 Reg Admission $3.

I lift CAN DIES- WW mmwmm. fQb Airport Blvd. Barton Creek Square Mall DowntownOne American Center Highland Hall Lakelioe Mall 38th I Lamar Northcross Mall Round Rock at 1-35 620 San Marcos Factory Outlet CABINETRY 61Cj BuVnet Rd. M-W9-5 302-3700 Thurs. 9-8 to win corlem or sat.

Yt V-- Charlotte Balcomb Lam Knight RidderTribune News Service Rightbite features recipes with less than 30 percent fat for healthful eating. sauce 1 teaspoon Lawry's pinch of herbs 2 tablespoons Lawry's seasoned salt teaspoon white pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 1 bay leaf Cindy Gregory Tiger can be one of discord or harmony, reflected in the powerful animal's alternating stripes. Although this recipe from "Ken Horn's Easy Family Recipes from a Chinese-American Childhood" (Knopf, $27.50) calls for cutting the noodles for ease of eating, they would be left long for a New Year's celebration as a symbol of long life. Large showroom Full Service Kitchen Design and Installation From Remodeling to New Construction European Cabinetry plants are purple and smooth-skinned, and as small and oval as kiwi. But the okra is nothing like the small, green pods that cook up into a gluey mass.

Chinese okra are as large as cucumbers, but with rough, deeply ridged, dull green skin (they're also called pleated squash). They're mild, and their spongy texture absorbs the 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce 3 teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper .7 -2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped scallions for garnish Savory Bean Thread Noodles -4 VA 1 if 2 2-ounce packages dried bean thread (cellophane noodles) 1 tablespoon peanut oil 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic pound ground pork 1 cup homemade chicken stock or reduced-salt canned broth 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry By Nancy Ancrum Knight Ridder Newspapers Noodles forlong life, tangerines for good lucfesomething green for prosperity, something red for happiness and good fortune. The Chinese new year, which begins today, is celebrated with these and many other traditional symbols in the homes and on the plates of Chinese families around the world. Chinese new year traditions are more than 5,000 years old. Because the Chinese calendar is based on a combination of solar and lunar movements, the new year falls on a different date each year.

The Chinese calendar also revolves around an animal-based zodiac. According to legend, Buddha invited all of the animals in the kingdom to celebrate his leave-taking from Earth. Only 12 animals came. To express his gratitude, Buddha named a year of the zodiac after each, in the order of which they arrived: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. Today begins the Year of the Tiger.

Chicken and pork, costly in China, are reserved for special occasions such as the new year and are served steamed or roasted or barbecued in recipes from the warmer regions of southern China. Fish, too, is served: It sig Soak the noodles in a large bowl of warm water for 15 minutes. When they are soft, drain them and discard the water. Cut the noodles into 3-inch lengths, using scissors or a knife. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until it is hot.

Swirl in the peanut oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic and stir-fry quickly for 15 seconds. Add the meat and stir-fry, breaking up it up, for 3 minutes. Pour in the stock, rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook the mixture over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes. Toss in the drained noodles and the sesame oil and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Ladle onto a platter, sprinkle scallions on top, and serve at once with rice. flavors of the foods and spices with which they are cooked. Green vegetables such as napa cabbage or bok choy (also a member of the cabbage family) on the New Year's table represent hopes for a prosperous year; red candy or red-dyed melon seeds signify good luck. It is believed that the Year of the During our Free installation Sale, you get FREE installation when you buy Kitchen Craft cdbinetry. But don't delayl This special sale oer ends soon! I OR GRANITE -irj UP GRADE! Better than 'S? CABINET INSTALL 1 HELD OVER FOR JANUARY ONLV I 1 COUNTERS i 3 '1 i 1 1 'if 1 i i Volkswagen 1998 Golf GL 1998 JcttaGL Ny -Mien.

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