Cardiologist Notes
Welcome to The Cooking Cardiologist Blog! I write about health, food and cooking from my perspective as a cardiologist (as you can imagine, there’s a lot to know). If you don’t see something you’re interested to know, please ask!
Use These Tools to Make Savory Meals – While Eliminating Fat
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January 27, 2012
In this country, we are hard on our food.
We want it fast, fried or flame-broiled. Outside of America, such as in Europe, cooking techniques are gentler and focus on maintaining the inherent qualities of the ingredients in a recipe. Poaching, slow cooking, steaming, baking and simmering are commonly-used techniques that preserve both the flavor and health benefits of food, and are easily to employ, given the right tools. I often say that we should eat with awareness, but more importantly, we should cook with attentiveness.
Focusing on meal preparation ensures you end up with a quality meal. The right texture, distinct flavors and aromas can be built into any meal using many of the tools featured in the video segment below.
Below you will find a description of a few of my favorite cooking gadgets, which are specifically designed to improve cooking efficiency, ultimately reducing prep time, to create bold-tasting, heart-healthy meals.
Induction Cooker
An induction cooker uses an induction coil to heat the surface of a ferromagnetic pan. In essence, using a induction cooker is like cooking with magnetic waves. The burner itself is flameless and using a cooker of this type means only the pan heats up.
Compared to a conventional electric burner, induction cooking is faster and more efficient. The temperature control is precise and the pan’s temperature is constantly monitored by the unit. My favorite is the portable Fagor Digital Portable Induction Burner, which is available at Sur la Table. Because the unit produces magnetic waves, anyone with an electronic pacemaker/defibrillator should avoid using one of these in their home, as the cook top may attract the unit.
Non Stick Cookware
Surface pan technology is constantly being researched, refined and improved. The type of pan surface you select allows you to use heat more efficiently and retain flavors more effectively.
My recommendation is to select a pan that is Teflon free, as Teflon will begin to flake off with increased usage over time and can be harmful if ingested. My favorite is the Aeternum Baialetti, which has a ceramic coating, but does not use PFOA or Teflon (PTFE), which means it is manufactured sustainably and is gentle on the environment.