Food Chain

It was merely a matter of time before
cookbook authors and publishers jumped on the green bandwagon. After
all, 12 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, or 14,160 pounds of
carbon dioxide per household, result from growing, preparing and
shipping food. Being a locavore, or consumer of locally grown foods,
remains important, but how we cook is just as vital as what we cook.

A new book to the rescue! Cooking Green: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen the New Green Basics Way
by Kate Heyhoe (DaCapo Press, Cambridge, Mass.; 272 pages;
$17.95/softcover) seeks to educate the masses on shrinking your
“cookprint.” And while Heyhoe is the founding editor of
www.globarlgourmet.com and www.new

greenbasics.com, she knows her cooking as well. She is a James Beard
Award finalist, the most coveted plaudit for chefs, and author of eight
food-related books.

Through cooking strategies, water
conservation tips and guides to low-carbon cookware, appliances and
foods, Heyhoe has created a kitchen-based action plan. Even better, 50
recipes will save money, time and energy, which is the whole point of
green. 

Indeed, Hayhoe takes the locavore
concept one step further, by introducing the term “ecovore.” Her
definition, as printed in the book, is, “An ecovore eats foods that are
raised and grown in harmony with the environment, currently and for the
foreseeable future, locally and globally.” Still, she argues, being a
vegan is not the same thing as being an ecovore. The definition of
ecovore is one of fluidity. It demands a series of judgment calls based
on conditions at the time and place of purchase. This season’s salmon
may be sustainable, she writes, but next year it may not. And what
casts a carbon footprint last week may not be an issue tomorrow.

And so, just like remodeling your home
or purchasing a car, going green with foodstuffs is all about choices.
But keep in mind the following mantra: eat food, not too much, mostly
plants, to which the author adds, mostly local, mostly organic and
mostly fuel- and water-conserving.

Man, it used to be so much easier,
didn’t it!? But if we want a planet that our grandchildren can grow
crops on and drink water from, it’s vital that we make wise choices
now.

Since we all eat, the kitchen is a place where impact can be felt immediately.

Here are a few recipes from the book
that try to put preaching into practice. Each recipe has a Green Meter,
which identifies the areas where each green recipe registers on the
low-impact scale. The meter also helps cooks gauge how long the dish
takes to make, ways to adapt it, when its ingredients are in peak
season and any special conveniences.         

Maple Mustard Salmon 

With Crispy Skin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 6-ounce salmon fillets with skin, patted dry

2 tablespoons maple syrup

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon minced chives (optional)

Heat a large heavy skillet over
medium-high heat until very hot. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom
of the pan and give it a few seconds to heat up. Place the salmon on
the oil, skin-side down. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the
skin is crisp, about 5 minutes. Cover the pan but leave the lid
slightly ajar for steam to escape. Remove from the heat and let rest 3
to 5 minutes until the salmon is cooked through but still slightly
rare. Stir the maple syrup and mustard together until combined. Drizzle
the sauce over the serving plate and add the salmon, skin-side up.
Garnish with sea salt, pepper and chives, and serve. Makes 4 servings.                  

Fluffy Garlic-Ricotta Potatoes

2 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes

Salt

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup half-and-half

15 ounces ricotta cheese

Place the potatoes and about 2 teaspoons
salt in a medium pot and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and
bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat and simmer about 10
minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, until potatoes are
very tender when pierced with a skewer (20 to 30 minutes). Scoop out a
half cup of cooking water for later use. Drain the potatoes and water
from the pot. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Saute the
garlic until soft but not brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from
the heat and return the potatoes to the pot. Break up with a potato
masher, then gradually mash in water. The potatoes should be light and
fluffy. Add salt to taste, reheat if necessary and serve. Make 6
servings.