A weekly Column by Chef Daniel Orr

Daniel Orr is Executive Chef at Kitchen Stadium, Santorini Restaurant, Famiglia and the Tapas Lounge and Rum bar at CuisinArt Resort & Spa and is working on “A Chef’s Diet” Cookbook and Cooking in Paradise.

ORGANIC FOODS

Chef Daniel Orr

In the past on Anguilla, there was one way to grow food. Farmers grew their crops naturally – there was little alternative. These days that method is called “organic,” and it turns out to be the healthiest way. The term “organic” refers to anything grown or produced without the use of chemicals. Organic fruit and vegetables are grown without pesticides or genetic engineering in soil that has been free of chemical toxins for several years. Organic livestock eat only organically grown feed, and most are allowed to roam outside of a pen, not treated with antibiotics or hormones, and in general, treated humanely. Would you really want to eat anything else?

Unfortunately, many farmers worldwide have become obsessed with creating new hybrids that look perfect and travel well. For heaven’s sake – there are now beautiful corn kernels – that are part pig! The problem is that this manipulation gives us food with drastically reduced flavor and nutritional value. Furthermore, pesticides have been shown to affect the nervous system, cause cancer, and pass on to a baby through mother’s milk. It’s perfectly fine to eat an apple with a few spots that has been grown by a local farmer who respects the land in which he grows food. It is not fine to eat food sprayed with organochlorines such as DDT, or chlorophenoxy herbicides such as 2,4,5-T (which is Agent Orange), to satisfy the chemical lobbies in Washington. That’s just whacked.

Pay close attention to this: in some places in the United States, produce is actually being irradiated with gamma rays to kill their naturally occurring organisms and make the products last longer. Most USDA rules require that only wholesale packaging must state this, so the smaller portions we buy in the grocery store might not reveal that we are purchasing, cooking and eating meats, fruits, vegetables and spices that have been irradiated. Fruits and vegetables have valuable, living enzymes in them. In irradiated foods the enzymes have been killed. Scary! Items that are grown locally or that are marked organic become really desirable, right?

It’s easy to label supporters of organic farming “radicals.” In fact, organic foods have become mainstream. People have educated themselves about the far-reaching consequences of all this manipulation of nature, and want quality food that isn’t contaminated with toxins, and they don’t mind paying a few extra cents for it.
As more and more people learn that food doesn’t have to look perfect to taste good, we will start saving the environment from the toxic residues left by pollutants. Luckily some supermarkets here are selling locally raised fruits and vegetables – this helps us maintain relationships with local farmers and supports their efforts. I wish the local people’s market would become more local (often much of the produce is from off island). Wouldn’t it be great if it became a place where Anguillian producers and farmers could educate people about local, seasonal varieties of produce? I’d love to see more of our chefs creating menus featuring organic, locally grown foods and encouraging people to use organic foods in their own cooking. I grew organic herbs on my rooftop to use in my cooking at my New York City restaurants. Now I’m doing the same in the gardens at CuisinArt Resort & Spa and at home up on Old Ta. Food doesn’t need to be pre-packaged, genetically engineered, sprayed with wax and picked out of season thousands of miles away. Food can be good, organic and unpolluted, and harvested right here at home.

We are all responsible for supporting organic, locally grown or raised foods. We need to support and celebrate those who are keeping alive those old island ways. The time for organic is now. Why would you want to eat anything else?

Organic Ratatouille

This simple recipe is a fun version of a French Provençale classic. You can add whatever organic veggies are in the garden or at the market. It is great served over steamed spaghetti squash (I serve mine right in the shell of the squash) or either hot or cold as a side dish. You’ll also love it in egg white omelettes or as a dip for oven-baked whole wheat pita chips! Remember – recipes are guidelines, so adapt to your own taste. Don’t be afraid of flavor!

¼ cup good olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, whole
1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
5 scallions, roughly chopped
½ cup fresh herbs – whatever is freshest
1 teaspooon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup orange juice
½ bunch fresh Italian parsley, minced
½ bunch fresh cilantro, minced
½ bunch fresh mint, minced
salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan or saucepot heat the oil; add the onion and cook over high heat until it begins to brown. Add the garlic cloves and cook until they begin to soften. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring every few minutes until the cubes are lightly browned on all sides. Then add the tomatoes, scallions, the ½ cup of fresh herbs, sea salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Continue cooking until the moisture evaporates and everything begins to caramelize. Pour in the orange juice and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the largest pieces of eggplant are tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add parsley, cilantro, mint, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

I’d love to hear from you. I am collecting recipes and stories for future articles and books and would love to include your favorite family recipes and food memories from the kitchen, the garden or the sea. You can reach me at dorr@cuisinart.aior stop me on the road if you see the CuisinArt Chef Mobile.

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