Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Thickeners, those starches, cums, fats and creams that give creamy mouthfeel, and body to sauces, puddings, ice creams, smoothies, and so many other good foods. They can be any number of starches, fruit meats, veggies, grains, gums, and'/or dairy. Let's explore this vast world. I'll start with veggies.
Most people don't think of vegetables as thickening agents. But here are a few that you might want to consider.
1. Winter squashes - These include Hubbard, butternut, acorn, pumpkin, turban, banana, buttercup, butternut, delicata, Kabocha, sspaghetti, and sweet dumpling, There are others; but these are the important vsrieties. When cooked, mashed, and drained, they are creamy and silky smooth. The flavor is slightly sweet and nutty. The only one of these that I wouldn't use a a thickener is spaghetti squash. If you have any reserves about using these veggies, think of the thickness of a good pupkin or squash soup, or even pumpkin pie, though the egg deffinitely helps thicken the custard threre.
2. Cauliflower - Not many think of cauliflower asa thickener either. After steaming until tender, put this veggie into the blender and puree. The result is a creamy, mild flavored sauce that will go well with so many other foods. It easily accepts seasonings such as thyme, sage, summer savory, salt and pepper, Old Bay, paprika, and others. It can be used to make gravies, or sauces.
3. Cr rots and Parsnips - Steam, roast, microwave, or boil until tender. These naturally sweet veggies can be blended into everything from smoothies, to soups and stew to add rich flavor, and a slightly sweet balance. Ive even used carrot in place of pumpkin in pies ,with excellent results.
4. Potatoes - Potatoes have a mild flavor and are great for adding body to legume soups, such as split pea, bean, and lentil soup. You almost can[t tell they are in the soup. Mashed potatoes can be added to bread and pastry dough to give a silky soft, melt in your mouth texture /
5. Onion - When used properly onion can be blended into soups, stews, chowders, and sauces to add body and flavor. Due to its pronounced flavor, it must be used carefully so as not to overpower other flavors. Also, cooked onion texture can be off-outing to some. To use as a thickener, it should be cooked until soft, pureed, then added to sauces and gravies.
6. Tomato - This fruit is a great thicken that goes so very wall with other ingredients. Meaty pear shaped tomatoes, such as Roma, or San Marsano tomatoes should be used to add body to various sauces from Espangole, to Sauce Tomate, to Bolognaise, to ragu. Tomato can be added to ground beef to make Sloppy Joes, or dooked with basil and onion to make a wonderful toato-basil soup. It can be added to beef stock to make brown sauce, or as an ingredient in Deme Glace,
7. Legumes - This group includes all beans, pulses, peas, and lentils. They are very high in proteins and nutrients, and add a thick and creamy viscosity to foods. Many of the bean families are similar in flavor, and can be interchanged. Others, have a unique flavor all there own, and are best suited to particular recipes. To give you a couple examples of how to use legumes as a thickener, think refried beans, Is that thick enough for you? Ok, not think bean pie. What! Bean Pie! That just sounds wrong. any years ago, a lady sailor who worked in the same shop that I did (when I was a sailoor) brought in a pie that looked and tasted like a good pumpkin pie. The texture was right. the flavor ws right. The color was right. and after I'd enjoyed my piece of pie, she informed me that it was a Jewish recipe for bean pie. I was stunned.l But it opened my eyes. There are many, many recipes that use beans, peas, and lentils as thickeners. And don't forger legumes that are ground into flour, such as chick pea flour.
there are of course other veggies that can be used as thickens, such as cooked sun chokes, cattail roots, dandelion roots, etc. Taro root, jicama, sweet potatoes, yams, and other roots are used in different parts of the world to thicken and flavor foods
Ok, I've touched on veggies used as thickening agents. I;m inviting everyone on DC to contribute. Who wants to take fruits, and how they can be used as thickening agents. Someone else, of many othes can talk about starches, someone else, gums, etc. And remember, dair can include eggs, egg products, separated eggs, milk, dried milk, condensed milk, cream, cultured dairy products such as sour cream, cultured buttermilk, whey, cheese and cheese curds, etc. And then there are thickener combinations where different ingredients work in synergy with other ingredients. Oh, and don't forget sugars, syrups, noney, mollases, etc.
There is a very wide range of substances used to thicken, and enhance textures. I think htis one deserves a sticky, and will be of help to so many. I mean, I've seen people fail miserably when trying to make a simple Bechemel, or veloute, or cheese sauce because they didn't understand the simple processes involved in using basic techniques, and learning how not to break a sauce.
Ok, your turn. Let's tackle this project and create a tome of thickeners.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Most people don't think of vegetables as thickening agents. But here are a few that you might want to consider.
1. Winter squashes - These include Hubbard, butternut, acorn, pumpkin, turban, banana, buttercup, butternut, delicata, Kabocha, sspaghetti, and sweet dumpling, There are others; but these are the important vsrieties. When cooked, mashed, and drained, they are creamy and silky smooth. The flavor is slightly sweet and nutty. The only one of these that I wouldn't use a a thickener is spaghetti squash. If you have any reserves about using these veggies, think of the thickness of a good pupkin or squash soup, or even pumpkin pie, though the egg deffinitely helps thicken the custard threre.
2. Cauliflower - Not many think of cauliflower asa thickener either. After steaming until tender, put this veggie into the blender and puree. The result is a creamy, mild flavored sauce that will go well with so many other foods. It easily accepts seasonings such as thyme, sage, summer savory, salt and pepper, Old Bay, paprika, and others. It can be used to make gravies, or sauces.
3. Cr rots and Parsnips - Steam, roast, microwave, or boil until tender. These naturally sweet veggies can be blended into everything from smoothies, to soups and stew to add rich flavor, and a slightly sweet balance. Ive even used carrot in place of pumpkin in pies ,with excellent results.
4. Potatoes - Potatoes have a mild flavor and are great for adding body to legume soups, such as split pea, bean, and lentil soup. You almost can[t tell they are in the soup. Mashed potatoes can be added to bread and pastry dough to give a silky soft, melt in your mouth texture /
5. Onion - When used properly onion can be blended into soups, stews, chowders, and sauces to add body and flavor. Due to its pronounced flavor, it must be used carefully so as not to overpower other flavors. Also, cooked onion texture can be off-outing to some. To use as a thickener, it should be cooked until soft, pureed, then added to sauces and gravies.
6. Tomato - This fruit is a great thicken that goes so very wall with other ingredients. Meaty pear shaped tomatoes, such as Roma, or San Marsano tomatoes should be used to add body to various sauces from Espangole, to Sauce Tomate, to Bolognaise, to ragu. Tomato can be added to ground beef to make Sloppy Joes, or dooked with basil and onion to make a wonderful toato-basil soup. It can be added to beef stock to make brown sauce, or as an ingredient in Deme Glace,
7. Legumes - This group includes all beans, pulses, peas, and lentils. They are very high in proteins and nutrients, and add a thick and creamy viscosity to foods. Many of the bean families are similar in flavor, and can be interchanged. Others, have a unique flavor all there own, and are best suited to particular recipes. To give you a couple examples of how to use legumes as a thickener, think refried beans, Is that thick enough for you? Ok, not think bean pie. What! Bean Pie! That just sounds wrong. any years ago, a lady sailor who worked in the same shop that I did (when I was a sailoor) brought in a pie that looked and tasted like a good pumpkin pie. The texture was right. the flavor ws right. The color was right. and after I'd enjoyed my piece of pie, she informed me that it was a Jewish recipe for bean pie. I was stunned.l But it opened my eyes. There are many, many recipes that use beans, peas, and lentils as thickeners. And don't forger legumes that are ground into flour, such as chick pea flour.
there are of course other veggies that can be used as thickens, such as cooked sun chokes, cattail roots, dandelion roots, etc. Taro root, jicama, sweet potatoes, yams, and other roots are used in different parts of the world to thicken and flavor foods
Ok, I've touched on veggies used as thickening agents. I;m inviting everyone on DC to contribute. Who wants to take fruits, and how they can be used as thickening agents. Someone else, of many othes can talk about starches, someone else, gums, etc. And remember, dair can include eggs, egg products, separated eggs, milk, dried milk, condensed milk, cream, cultured dairy products such as sour cream, cultured buttermilk, whey, cheese and cheese curds, etc. And then there are thickener combinations where different ingredients work in synergy with other ingredients. Oh, and don't forget sugars, syrups, noney, mollases, etc.
There is a very wide range of substances used to thicken, and enhance textures. I think htis one deserves a sticky, and will be of help to so many. I mean, I've seen people fail miserably when trying to make a simple Bechemel, or veloute, or cheese sauce because they didn't understand the simple processes involved in using basic techniques, and learning how not to break a sauce.
Ok, your turn. Let's tackle this project and create a tome of thickeners.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
