Lou's Most Excellent Food Facts: Black Pepper

Black pepper is considered the world’s oldest spice and has been traded for centuries, used as currency, and probably was responsible for a few fights here and then.

Numerous health benefits have been attributed to black pepper, such as digestive aids and it being a carminative, which makes you fart. I’m not sure any of these have been clinically validated. What has been validated is that it is carcinogenic, as it contains small amounts of safrole, but you’d probably wind up dying from overconsumption of too much pepper rather than any cancer from it. Safrole is also an active ingredient in MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamin), commonly known as ecstasy.

Some evidence points to black pepper being used to mask the taste of spoiled meat.

“Pepper" derives from the Sanskrit pippali, which refers to the pepper plant Piper longum. Ironically, P. longum does not produce black pepper corns used for eating.

Black pepper corns are the berries from the plant Piper nigrum. The corns are picked and dried in a manner similar to coffee and predominantly come from South Asian countries. White pepper corns are the same as black ones except their outer sheath has been removed. The taste difference is that white corns tend to be a little milder. Pink pepper corns come from a completely different species unrelated to P. nigrum plants (Schinus molle). In the wild vines from P. nigrum can grow to nearly 30 feet but those for commercial production only reach 15.

The P. nigrum plant only bears fruit for about 3 years, typically starting on the 4th year of growth through the 7th.

28.3 grams (1 ounce) of black pepper has 72 calories, 18 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fat, 3.1 grams of protein, and 7.5 grams of fiber. Ounce per ounce, black pepper is more caloric than red meat, which is around 60 calories per ounce.

Chavicine, not piperine, is the active taste ingredient in pepper. When chavicine degrades it turns into piperine. This degradation is caused by…grinding. The I-got-a-C-in-organic-chemistry-here’s-why name for piperine is 1-[5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-oxo-2,4-pentadienyl] piperidine.

Tellicherry is a popular pepper from the southwest coast of India. The pepper garners its name from the municipality of Thalassery, population 100,000. The British built a huge fort in Thalassery in 1708 to protect their interests in pepper and cardamom trading. It still stands today and is protected by the Indian Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act as a historic monument. The fort is also smack-dab in the middle of town which makes protecting it from tourists and developers more challenging than invading ships.

The mummy of Ramesses II (1304-1237 BC) had his nostrils stuffed with black pepper corns. Yes, folks, it was that prized back then considering they chose to use pepper rather than gold.

The sneezing effect from getting black pepper in your nose is due more to the shape of the pepper particle irritating the inner nose lining rather than the presence of piperine.

The “heat” of pepper comes from piperine binding to the cellular nociceptor TRPV1 (transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1), which responds to pain associated acidic conditions and temperatures exceeding 108 F (42 C). The chemical pathway for black pepper heat perception is similar to that of capsaicin, which is the “heat” from Jalapeno’s and other spicy vegetable-based peppers. The gene for encoding for the TRPV1 receptor is also over expressed in cells lining vestibule of the vulva, which triggers the burning feeling associated with, well…this is a food article….

20% of the worlds spice trade is in black pepper. The US is 100% dependent on foreign black pepper, importing nearly 52,000 metric tons annually. India is the largest exporter to the US, followed by Brazil and then Vietnam. New York, Rotterdam, and Singapore are major international centers for pepper trading. The US cannot become black pepper independent but with a little more global warming…perhaps.

Most “black pepper sprays” actually contain no black pepper since it’s not that irritating.

Lou's Most Excellent Kabob Tagliatelle

What started out as an idea for grilled spaghetti turned into this. "This" turned out to be quite good but I'm still going to work on the grilled spaghetti concept too.

On Sunday I made some killer kabobs at my folks' place. Tenderloin, shrimp, scallop, onion, bell pepper, mushroom, and squash. For four people - with an Italian sausage and calamari starter - it was way too much but that's how we do it. Fittingly, mom gave me a bunch of the left overs.

Reheating kabobs is flat-out lousy. The veggies get mushy, the meat over cooks, and it's never as satisfying as them coming right off the grill. Who in their right mind really likes reheated kabobs? Thus: do not look at left over kabobs as left over kabobs but rather the base ingredients for something else.

After four days of not having pasta, I wanted pasta. Friends' comments regarding grilling spaghetti revealed that this wasn't going to work on my grill. My grill basket was pretty rusted out and I was guessing a non-stick surface was more than somewhat necessary. Too much oil would have caused a lot of flare-ups so I decided to just pan fry.

1 pound tagliatelle pasta
Kabob leftovers
Other additions in your fridge (I used salt cured olives and grilled asparagus)
Extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper

Boil the pasta as per directions on the package, minus two minutes. Drain, run under cool water, and then set aside in cool water.

Separate the meat from the veggies in the kabobs. Cut each piece in half, if not quarters, so that each piece is now about the size of a quarter.

Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.

Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat. Add about 3 TBS of olive oil and the garlic all at once, sizzle for about 15 seconds, then dumb the veggies and other add-ins in. Continually toss for about 3 minutes, move to one side of the skillet, and then add the meats to the other side. Saute for about 3 - 5 more minutes to warm up the meats. Combine all and then remove to a clean plate.

Add about 3 TBS of olive oil to the pan and wait for the oil to "shimmer." Once this happens, add the drained pasta all at once, quickly toss, and let sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Toss quickly and sit another 2 minutes. Repeat this for 5 cycles; the pasta should start to brown.

Add in the veggies and toss to mix, cook an additional 3 - 4 minutes. Plate immediately and garnish with shaved Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lou's Most Excellent Grilled Steak Sandwich Tips

I should be arrested for animal cruelty for this one. My poor dog, Bailey, sat patiently in the kitchen the entire time I was making this. While repeatedly telling him "You ain't gettin' any," he didn't seem to notice. There was that slim chance that maybe, just maybe, he'd swipe the thing off the counter and I wouldn't notice.

Nope.

The other day I cooked up some beautiful prime Delmonico's from Wagshal's Market that Pam The Butcher beautifully chose for me, as per directions from LME Steak Tips. We (fortunately for me) didn't finish them all and now I had some beautiful left overs.

I love steak and I love bread so how can I go wrong here? From the crappiest-but-greatest cheesesteaks in Philly at Jim's and Pat's to the gourmand creations with Wagyu beef at Wolfgang Puck's The Source, the combination of meat, bread, and cheese can't be beat.

I'm shooting for the middle here.

Leftover, besides the steaks, were my Steak Mushrooms. Here you go:

15 button mushrooms, stems removed, sliced thin (about ¼ inch)
1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced thin (about 1/8 inch)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 TSP minced parsley
Butter
Salt & pepper

Melt about 2 TBS of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and mushrooms. When mushrooms have sweated most of their liquid - about 8 - 10 minutes pending the size of the pan - add a ½ cup of chicken broth. Simmer until the broth has been reduced, then add the other ½ cup with the parsley and do the same. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the mix rest while you prepare the steak.

Slice the steak - as much as you want - against the grain before cooking it for the sandwich in ¼ inch strips, about 1½ inches long. In a hot pan, add a little olive oil and sear quickly. Like the LME Grilled Chicken Sandwich , you don't want to "cook" the meat but just get it warm again.

Cheese? It's your choosing. I used provolone in the pics here but whatever floats your boat go right ahead with. I'm a big fan of American cheese for steak sandwiches (I know, I know...) because it melts so well. But I had some nice aged Italian provolone in the fridge so I went with that.

Toast your roll. You want a good toasting on the inner crumb to a) give support and b) soak up all the greasy goodness that will otherwise leak out. Mmmmmm....

When the steak is near cooked put your cheese on it and then top with the mushroom/onion mix. Slide the steak onto your toasted bun and top with whatever you want. I just used mayo and a drizzle of Pam's "steak dressing," from what I can gather is olive oil, parsley, thyme, and a few other herbs.

And if you've got a dog...don't you dare share.

Lou's Most Excellent Grilled Chicken Sandwich Tips

A grilled chicken sandwich - done right - is a marvel unto itself. And that's the key: it has to be done right.

Brined chicken is the way to go, period. This way you don't dry it out.

Thin the breasts by filleting them, don't pound. Pounding destroys the tissue and gives it a weird texture. Sure, it tenderizes it but at the expense of making it mushy.

Keep the breast plain - no need to marinate, especially if you're brining.

If using left over chicken, such as what I did in the above picture, reheat it very slowly. On the stove over medium heat is enough. If in the oven do it at ~200F for 30 minutes. You just want to warm it - not recook it.

Lettuce, tomato, mayo. Cheese? I like provolone or Swiss. Bacon? Use it if you've got it. Avocado is grand.

But how to assemble? First, the bread should be toasted since this help maintain its integrity while you're eating it. Then place the chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomato (plus a pinch of salt) and a heavily mayo'ed bun on top. You want the mayo in contact with the tomato to enhance the flavor of both. Secure with big picks (I used porcupine quills above) and cut in half.

Eat it quickly as it has a half-life of 2 minutes. A cold grilled chicken sandwich just doesn't do it.

Suggestions welcomed!

Lou's Most Excellent Soba Chicken

Look! No garlic!

This is an excellent, fast, and light meal that we like to cleanse ourselves with after a week of heavy, greasy eating. What's nice about it is the freshness conveyed while filling you up. While some of the ingredients may not be household staples (mirin), they last a long time in the fridge.

You can grill the chicken breasts (preferred) or sear on a hot skillet.

Also, as this dish is served at room temperature (!) there's no need to rush any of the steps. As such, this is also a great meal on a hot day.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz soba (buckwheat) noodles
1 bunch green onions
10 oz baby spinach leaves
1 medium cucumber
1 TBS toasted sesame seeds
2 TBS mirin
2 TBS soy sauce
1 TSP sesame oil
1 TSP chili oil

Bring a large pot of water - about 4 quarts - to boil.

Cut the tenderloin off the chicken breasts and then filet the breasts length wise.

Finely chop the white ends of the green onions halfway up into the green part and save. Reserve the green parts too.

Peel and quarter the cumber, remove the seeds, and then filet each quarter. Julienne the cucumber into 2 inch, very thin strips.

In a medium bowl mix all the liquid ingredients along with the green ends of the green onions. Remove half the mixture and reserve for later. Marinate the the chicken in the bowl for 5 minutes and then immediately grill or sear. Do not overcook the chicken; once it begins to turn opaque half way around the edge, flip, and cook for an equal amount of time on the other side. Total cook time is about 4 - 5 minutes, pending the thickness of the chicken.

Put the spinach in a large strainer. Boil the noodles for 5 minutes in lightly salted water (about 1 TBS). Slowly pour the noodles over the spinach thereby lightly blanching the spinach. Immediately run cold water over the noodles for about 1 minute to cool them down.

Add the remaining sauce - minus the green onion strips - into a large bowl and toss in the noodles. Dish up noodles (a large soup bowl works best). Slice the chicken into thin strips against the grain and set on top of the noodles. Add as much cucumber and chopped green onions as desired and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Voila....

A nice addition to this dish is Sriracha chili sauce too.

Lou's Most Excellent Cucumber Gin & Tonic

Gin and tonic is that drink that your drunk aunt on your dads side would always get. As the evenings would wear on, the more she asked for them, the more they got diluted down by her daughter-in-law.

No need for a snarky remark about how dirty the house or misbehaved the kids are, right?

Here's an update to the G&T. I was inspired by this from Hendrick's gin : they suggest you garnish the G&T with a cucumber slice.

Why not add the cucumber into it?

Try it: you'll like it. A lot. It becomes our drink of the summer when it's just too damned hot.


2 English (seedless) cucumbers, coarsely peeled, quartered and chopped*
Gin
Tonic
Soda water
Salt

In a blender or food processor, add the cucumber, ½ cup of cold water, and a big pinch of salt. Liquify for about 1½ - 2 minutes. Strain the pulp through a mesh strainer and reserve the juice; discard the pulp. Do not force the pulp through the strainer as you just want the juice.

In you favorite G&T glass fill to the top with ice. Follow these ratios:

1 part gin
1 part cucumber juice
1 part tonic
1 part soda

Stir to mix and serve. The juice will also keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Dot experiment with these ratios too; I find that 2 parts tonic gives that extra fizz but then adds more tonic flavor hence why I add soda. Get the flavor you like and have fun doing it.

*Figure about 1 cucumber for 2 -3 drinks, pending how big you make them.

Lou's Most Excellent Pan Seared Ravioli

While in Whole Foods I called my wife. Putting on a slight exasperated voice, "Honey, I am totally uninspired to cook tonight."

Hoping she'd get the hint and suggest, "Well, why don't we go out and grab some sushi or something?" she then started throwing out ideas. "Nah....doesn't jump at me.....ehhhhhh...." She wasn't giving in.

Foiled, again.

I had some chicken thawing at home that was grill-bound but we needed something else to go with it. Wandering around all the veggies, up and down the packaged and canned sides, nothing was hitting me. Except pasta. I love pasta and Judy does too.

But I needed some kind side to go with it and a big steaming plate of veggies or salad wasn't doing it. Let's combine the pasta and veggies. You know, primavera-ish.

At the end this maybe took less than 20 minutes to make (once I had the water boiling). Two hours prior I was totally uninspired. That evening Judy said, "I'm exhibiting immense self control to not eat more of this."

10 ounce package of fresh four cheese ravioli
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut lengthwise
4 ounce jar of Italian marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped; 2 TBS of juice reserved
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Cook the raviolis according to the manufacturers directions minus 20% of the time (i.e. if it says cook for 2 minutes cook for only about 90 seconds. Drain and quickly add to a large pot of cold water to "cold shock" the pasta. This stops it from cooking so you can continue on later. Leave in the water until ready for use.

In a large non-stick skillet add about 2 TBS of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sizzle for 30 seconds then add the raviolis. Continue to saute the raviolis until they're lightly browned on each side, about 3 - 4 minutes per side. Add another 2 TBS of olive oil and turn the heat up to medium high, add the artichokes + juice and tomatoes. Saute an additional 2 minutes gently tossing constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

In the future, if I had more time, I'd peel the tomatoes (just quick saute them in hot olive oil - the skins peel off easy) as I'm not much a tomato skin fan. A sprinkling of basil and a little feta might complement well too.