Domestic dilemmas

Don’t be daunted by that diva demeanour – Friday’s very own chef, Silvena Rowe, is happy to answer all your kitchen queries

Fresh fruit and veg always seem to go off so quickly here. Any tips for keeping them fresh?

Ensuring that your fruits and vegetables are stored properly will make them last longer and stay fresher. Some fruit and vegetables should be kept in a fridge, others in a cool place (more on this later), while herbs and leaves will need to be wrapped in damp kitchen paper and stored separately.

I use breathable produce bags that allow the contents to absorb air and moisture.

If you wash your fruits and vegetables, then dry them properly before storing them.

Something else to bear in mind; did you know that some fruits and vegetables produce a gas called ethylene as they ripen, and that this can prematurely ripen other food around them? Keep ethylene-sensitive foods such as apples, broccoli, leafy greens and watermelon away from ethylene-producing foods such as bananas, cantaloupes, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines and tomatoes. Here’s a guide to how to store some popular produce:

Bananas, nectarines and other soft fruits: best kept at room temperature.

Grapes: wash, dry and refrigerate.

Mushrooms: Do not wash as they absorb water like a sponge. Refrigerate in an air-tight container.

Berries: Wash, pat-dry and place in a single layer on a paper towel in an open container. Keep refrigerated.

Salad leaves: Wash, dry and wrap in a damp cloth. Keep refrigerated.

I’ve got to cook a meal for a nut-allergic, gluten-intolerant pescetarian (fish-eating vegetarian) who doesn’t like anything “too fishy” and I have no idea where to start. Please help!

Make sure that what you prepare is cooked in an environment completely free from nuts. So ensure that your work surface and the cooking range are thoroughly cleaned. For glutenfree preparations, use nongluten flour (there are many options in the market available in stores).

As far as fish is concerned, use monkfish as this is one of the least fishy-smelling fish. Dover sole is also good. Ensure that your fish is absolutely fresh.

As an example of a menu, I suggest quinoa salad with roasted baby beets, sweet red peppers and cherries for starters; herb-crusted roasted monk fish with herb hollandaise sauce and sautéed potatoes and olives for the main course; and roasted figs flavoured with orange-blossom water and orange sabayon or custard for dessert.

● Do you have a question for Silvena? Email her at Friday@gulfnews.com. Please write ‘Domestic Diva’ in the subject line of your email.