Marlene Parrish - What Einstein Told His Cook 2

If the oil has an undesirable color it is then bleached, not by Clorox, but by finely divided clays or activated charcoal, which adsorb molecules of pigmented impurities.

If there are any remaining unpleasant odors, the oil is deodorized by steam distillation under vacuum. The vacuum (actually, just a low air pressure) lowers the boiling point of water and hence the temperature of the steam, so that the oil isn’t subjected to a damagingly high temperature. This process also removes any residual pesticides and other chemicals that may have been used on the oil-bearing plants.

Finally, an oil may be “fractionated,” “dewaxed,” or “winterized” by being cooled and having any fat fractions that freeze filtered off, so that the oil won’t get cloudy if stored in a cool location. Note that if you keep your expensive extra-virgin olive oil in the refrigerator to delay rancidity—some experts may disagree, but I believe this does no harm—and it turns cloudy, there is nothing wrong with it. The oil will clear up as the solidified fat components melt again when restored to room temperature.

Is all this processing bad for us? You can call it processing or you can call it purification. “Processing” is a bad word these days in some circles, where any intervention by humans or their technology between nature and nourishment is considered unnatural and probably unsafe. But in the case of seed oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola, and peanut, the pressed or extracted crude oils contain many impurities that would affect the flavor, color, and cooking properties if not removed. These include seed fragments, pesticide residues, trace metals, phosphorus, wax, free fatty acids, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and other pigments and odors. If machinery and chemistry weren’t being used to purify our vegetable oils, I doubt that we would find them palatable or in most cases even edible.

In short, “refined” means “purified.” So what’s bad about that?

But note that olive oil is a unique case. Coming as it does from the flesh, rather than the seeds, of the fruit, it’s pure fruit juice that can be consumed just as it comes from the press. Some of the best extra-virgin olive oils, in fact, are bottled without even being filtered.

THE FOODIE’S FICTIONARY:Palm oil—a bribe

Beignets Soufflés

Virtually any cooking oil can be used for deep-frying, a wonderful cooking method for crisping and browning the outer surfaces of foods while leaving them moist and succulent inside.

The first time Bob realized that deep-frying could be used for desserts and pastries other than doughnuts was as a (relatively) young man visiting friends in Belgium and being treated to fruit beignets—inch-or-so chunks of fruit (almost any kind) dipped in a flour-and-beer batter (ah, that Belgian beer!), deep-fried, and dusted with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

This is the deep-fried dessert to make if you have no fear of frying but a fear of yeast dough. Pâte à choux , or cream-puff dough, is one of the easiest, most risk-free doughs in the pastry cook’s repertoire. But instead of being dropped onto a baking sheet to make cream puffs, this soft dough is dropped into hot fat, where it swells, puffs, and browns.

To serve, pour a pool of fresh or bottled fruit syrup onto a dessert plate and top it with three sugared beignets.

½ cup water

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon orange oil or 1 tablespoon dark rum, optional

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1.Combine the water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball around the spoon. (If a ball does not form almost immediately, place the saucepan over low heat and beat briskly for a few seconds.) Let the dough cool slightly.

2.Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously until the paste is smooth and glossy before adding the second egg. Add the optional flavoring and beat again.

3.Add the oil to a wok, heavy skillet, or deep fryer to a depth of about 1 ½ inches. Heat the oil to 365°F. It’s a good idea to fry just 1 beignet at first to determine the approximate cooking time, so drop in a tablespoon of dough and fry it before you proceed with frying the rest.

4.Working in batches, drop the dough by tablespoons into the hot oil. Fry, turning as needed, until browned on all sides and the center is cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

5.Serve hot, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

MAKES ABOUT 20 GOLF BALL–SIZED BEIGNETS

VARIATION: BAKED BEIGNETS SOUFFLÉS

If you have a fear of frying, you can bake beignets using the same dough.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place large rounded tablespoons of the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the puffs are golden. When the puffs are cool enough to handle, carefully slice off the tops, their lids, and scoop out the unbaked dough at the centers. Let cool on a wire rack.

To serve, fill with ice cream, sweetened whipped cream, or vanilla pudding. Replace the lids and dust the puffs with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

MAKES ABOUT FOURTEEN 2-INCH PUFFS

TRANS FATS TRANS-LATED

I’m confused about trans fats. I recently read that hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, and fractionated oils are considered trans fats. I then bought a tub margarine from our local Whole Foods Market which advertised that it contained no trans fats. However, on closer inspection of the label, I noticed that it contained fractionated oil.

So…here are my questions. Are fractionated oils considered to be trans fats? What is the difference between fractionated and hydrogenated oil? And what does the “partially” add to the mix?

There is a lot of confusion surrounding trans fatty acids or “trans fats.” And may I say, if you will accept the compliment, that your degree of confusion is one of the most thorough that I have seen.

The public’s concern about trans fatty acids was heightened on July 11, 2003, when the FDA issued its final rule on the labeling of foods containing trans fatty acids, to wit: “In this final rule and given the current state of scientific knowledge, the FDA is requiring the mandatory declaration in the nutrition label of the amount of trans fatty acids present in foods, including dietary supplements.” (Note that this new labeling is both “required” and “mandatory.” I wouldn’t be surprised if it were also compulsory and obligatory.) The rule was scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2006, some thirteen years after the Center for Science in the Public Interest first blew the whistle on the dangers of trans fatty acids. It’s good to know that our government agencies are on their toes.

Today, one can hardly walk down the street without hearing people asking one another, “What the heck is a trans fatty acid, anyway?” That’s why I’m here.

Being a mere Ph.D., not an M.D. (“not a real doctor,” as an aunt of mine used to point out at every opportunity), I don’t consider it my shtick to go into the health consequences of ingesting trans fatty acids, except to say that trans fatty acids appear to raise your total blood cholesterol level, raise your LDL or bad cholesterol level, lower your HDL or good cholesterol level, contribute to obesity and diabetes, and according to O.J. are the real killers of his ex-wife.