Smoking = TASTE

Being a Chef for the past 10 years I've only just discovered how to smoke food. Well properly that is. Using the right kind of foods given the equipment we have domestically is important to consider too.

Because we can only smoke foods using a small oven were only smoking to flavour the food, not cooking it. You would need to smoke most meat and fish for days in order to cook it right through.

So here are the basic essentials:

• Wood chip. This can be purchased at barbeque's galore in a massive bag for quite cheap. Small size wood chip too i might add.
• A oven.
• Frying pan or skillet.
• Wire wrack or perforated tray. ( tray with small holes in the bottom)

Foods that are awesome to smoke:

• Fish, more so the pink flesh fish, salmon and trout.
• Chicken, the thighs are the best bit as they have a little more fat in them, but smoking a whole chicken is still awesome.
• Raw ham and turkey.
• Duck, even though the skin is quite fatty.
• Tomatoes, yep they rock. However you must blanch them in hot water for 10 seconds, remove the skin, cover with a some salt to draw some moisture out, cure for 1 hour, rinse and then smoke... hmm its a process but they taste so good.

Method:

• Depending on what you intend to smoke, a few pieces of fish or some cut up chicken then i would suggest 1 cup full of wood chip should do the trick. A whole chicken I'd use 3 cups.
• So all that's required is you basically need to cook the wood chip in a pan until it all turns black and starts smoking. Quickly place in the oven with your ingredients on top of the wrack, close the door and smoke for 20 minutes. Bigger amounts of food require a little extra time and wood chip.
• Once the food is smoked we then must cook it. Cook the item how you normally would and enjoy.

Smoking adds such a flavour hit and variety. Especially a dish that you love and have ritually.

Shopping time

Lets start at the beginning of healthy eating. First and foremost our ingredients and where they come from. Shopping should be to some degree enjoyable and easy if we try other avenues away from Coles and Safeway.

Markets and local Farmers Markets are the best way to not only find fresher and healthier fruits and veggies, but you're also supporting local businesses in the process.

Travel to the Vic, Prahran, or South Melbourne markets and just notice the difference between the produce. Notice the colour, texture, size and smell of everything. This is what we should be eating. Food should not be shipped interstate in refrigerated trucks. Not only does refrigerating fruit and vegetables lower the nutritional value , it alters taste as well. So stop doing it. Granted some fruits don't last more than a few days in warmer conditions like some berries. So eat them within 2 days.

Start leaving you're goodies in a cool, dry place. Close to ground level but somewhere that has wind flow. Also avoid using plastic bags as well, especially when not refrigerating, heat builds up in the bag and the contents will sweat. (Herbs can be left in a pot with a little water at the bottom)

I recently travelled to Eastern Europe in July, I went to Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia. I was blown away and at first very apprehensive about the fruit and veg suppliers over there. There are no huge food Conglomerates , and literally everyone bought from independant farmers in small market places, NOTHING was refrigerated and it was the best tasting produce I've probably ever had.

All the big markets are open Mondays,Wednesdays,Thursdays and Saturdays. If your serious about what goes into you're body you will make time to shop at the right places.


Here's where to go:

• Vic Market http://www.qvm.com.au/
• Prahran http://www.prahranmarket.com.au/
• South Melbourne http://www.southmelbournemarket.com.au/
• Richmond Farmers Market www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Markets/GleadellSt.asp

So go forth and start your quest for healthier eating.