Released April 1, 2009
MANHATTAN, Kan. – A Kansas State University professor’s challenge has prompted three students to earn high marks in a national recipe contest – and an all-expense-paid trip.
The professor is Fadi Aramouni, who is based in K-State’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. Aramouni specializes in food systems and new product development; his challenge to the students stems from an e-mail announcement for an “Ultimate Snack-Off Recipe Contest.”
The K-State students – Elyse Buckley, a sophomore from Chanute, Kan.; Kathryn Goddard, a sophomore from Ellsworth, Kan., and Erin Harbacek, a junior from Abilene, Kan. – are acquainted with Aramouni through their work-study employment hours in the food science department.
Buckley and Harbacek are majoring in food science, and Goddard, a journalism major, also has become interested in food science while successfully managing Celiac Disease, an intolerance to wheat gluten.
“The contest, which was sponsored by the Almond Board of California and timed to please football fans, proved a good match for the students, who,” said Aramouni, “each seem to enjoy game days with their sports-loving brothers and male friends.”
“The girls have observed what their male counterparts order,” said Aramouni, who encouraged the students, but let them do the work.
After an initial brain-storming session, the students zeroed in on a protein-based snack that would allow them to incorporate the sponsor’s product: almonds.
In trying to mimic appetizers such as chicken strips, which Goddard described as “hearty things guys like,” the students chose catfish, a moderately-priced protein that is relatively low in cost and readily available. And, given the intended audience, the budding food scientists also decided to add beer to the ingredient list.
“Our next step was to study batter recipes,” said Harbacek, who grew up working in her family’s restaurant in Abilene.
“While batter recipes typically contain similar ingredients, we played with the spices and ultimately combined Cajun seasonings with flavors (oregano and garlic, for example) that are readily associated with Italian cuisine,” said Buckley, who traveled in Europe as a K-State student attending a summer educational program in France last summer.
During the recipe development process, the students worked together and independently to prepare the recipe several times before submitting it to the contest, Aramouni said.
Their exchanges of ideas generated creativity and a real sense of new product development similar to commercial product development, he said.
Their recipe – Almond Beer Battered Catfish – claimed one of three runners-up positions in the national snack contest. While they didn’t win the $10,000 football contest prize package, Aramouni arranged for the students to attend the Fancy Food Show (which focuses on new food products) in San Francisco, earlier this year to learn more about career opportunities in food science and new food product development.
More information about training for careers in food science at Kansas State University is available by contacting Aramouni at 785-532-1668 or faramouni@ksu.edu.
Recipe: Almond Beer Battered Catfish
1/2 cup almond flour*
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 Tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed dry oregano leaves
3/4 cup room-temperature beer
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups chopped almonds
Vegetable oil, for frying
1-1/4 pound small Catfish nuggets (1/4-lb.-pieces)
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, baking powder, paprika, white and red pepper, salt and oregano.
Whisk in beer and egg until smooth.
Cover (with plastic wrap) and refrigerate batter for one to two hours. (Prepare sauce at this time, if necessary.)
In deep skillet, pour vegetable oil to the depth of two to three inches; heat to 375 degrees F.
Remove batter from refrigerator; uncover and stir batter; then, slowly fold in catfish nuggets.
Roll battered fish in chopped almonds, covering all sides generously.
Fry the fish for 3-4 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Fish may be fried in batches, if necessary.
Using tongs, transfer the fish from the pan to a plate with paper towels to reduce excess oil before serving hot with tartar sauce and/or Cajun almond catfish sauce.
Makes five appetizer servings.
- The winning recipe calls for almond flour, which is made from ground blanched almonds. The product is available in specialty sections of some markets and from Internet suppliers.
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http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/News/story/gameday_snack040109.aspx
Contacts: Fadi Aramouni, aramouni@ksu.edu, 785-532-1668
Nancy Peterson, nancyp@ksu.edu
