KITCHiN CULTURE

Pulled Pork Carnitas

2012-01-09T20:21:00.005-05:00

Tired of the same old Tacos out of a box? Your slow cooker can put a succulent signature on Mexican Fiesta night! If you've had a taco in Mexico, you know that almost nothing compares to the beautiful smell of toasted corn, slow cooked meat and the zesty sauces to accompany all this Latin love. It's too bad that it's really difficult to find a Mexican restaurant that will serve you the sort of side- of- the- street goodness that you find there.
But now you can make a fabulous pork carnita at home. You can always top them with sour cream and cheese, but I prefer the freshness of homemade guacamole, salsa and fresh cilantro. Here's how to have it all...

You want to find a pork shoulder roast. Luckily, they're super cheap and a 5 lb one shouldn't cost you more than $10. You know that piece of meat that you've seen on sale and wondered: With all that fat and bone, how would you ever eat that thing? THAT'S a pork shoulder. Get one of these, pull out your slow cooker and you're halfway to moist, fall apart meat that melts in your mouth and fits ever so well in it's corn cradle.

Just a note about your tortillas... please don't use those boxed taco shells. Grab some fresh corn tortillas at your local Latin supermarket. In Toronto, I like to get them at La Tortilleria, or Perola's Latin Foods in Kensington Market. If you get them from La Tortilleria, they will be hot and steamy. I like to lightly toast them on each side before serving them wrapped in a towel or a tortilla warmer. If you're not eating them that day, you'll want to separate them and let them cool for about half an hour, otherwise they'll stick together and be impossible to peel apart, after the half hour, gather them together and re-wrap them in the paper with a damp cloth on the outside. This way, they will keep for almost a week in your fridge.

Ingredients:

1 4-5 lb Pork Shoulder Roast
2 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp dried Mexican oregano (regular will suffice in a pinch)
2 jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped

-Cut the onion in quarters and set aside
-mix all spices and garlic together and rub some on the outside of the meat
-In a frying pan, sear the meat on all sides
-Turn slow cooker on to low
-add the seared roast, the rest of the spice mix and the chicken broth.
-Pop the onion on top of the meat.
-Cover slow cooker and cook for 10 hours.

Serve with freshly chopped cilantro, diced onions, guacamole and the simple salsa below:

1 can of Jalapenos
1 small tomato, or 10 cherry tomatoes
fresh cilantro
-Whiz in food processor

Pasta Perfection

2011-12-27T21:30:00.002-05:00

Pasta is the perfect vehicle for flavour, vegetables, cheese and just about anything that sits next to it. Although it would seem easy to make a big bowl of noodles, there are a couple of things you should remember when cooking them.

1) ALWAYS SALT YOUR WATER and salt it well. Think of the saltiness of sea water. You must do this just before the water begins to boil. As your pasta cooks, the noodles will absorb the saltiness from the boiling water and your pasta will taste much better. If you forget to salt the water your noodles will taste like cardboard.

2) ADD SOME PASTA WATER TO YOUR SAUCE. When your pasta is just about done, Add 1/3 of a cup of the starchy pasta water to your sauce before you add the noodles. The starch will hold the sauce together and help the flavours to blend. It will also remove the need to add extra oil to the dish.

3) ALWAYS COOK YOUR PASTA AL DENTE. This means that when you bite into a strand or a piece of the noodle, it is easy to chew but sticks just slightly to your teeth. By the time you drain the noodles and add the sauce, it will be the prefect done-ness. Because let's face it... mush pasta is just depressing.

HAPPY NOODLING!!

Pumpkin Soup

2011-10-30T15:33:00.005-04:00

Your pumpkin gave his noble life for your jack-o-lantern, so the least you could do is to make something delicious from his guts. How about some warm and spicy pumpkin soup? It's packed with fiber and goes well as a starter with almost any autumn meal, especially roast pork, beef, lamb or turkey.

You health conscious readers may wince at the use of 35% cream but it tastes wonderful and imparts a velvety texture. If you want to lighten it up, use homo milk, but water or skim milk are just not options here. You want the soup to have a round warmness to it and the cream really helps with this.

Ingredients
1 tbsp of butter
1 1/2 cups of pumpkin (or a can of unsweetened pumpkin)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp of freshly grated ginger root
2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice (alternately, you can grind cloves, cinnamon, mace, and ginger and use this)
1tbsp of freshly grated nutmeg
cayenne pepper (optional, but it does enhance the flavour. I use at least 2 teaspoons, but as little or an much as you want won't ruin the soup in any way).
2 tbsp of freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup of 35% cream
1 tbsp of brown sugar

If using canned pumpkin:
-In a soup pot, fry the onions in butter. When they are translucent, add the pumpkin and all other ingredients except for the cream. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the soup for 1/2 hour.
-Immerse a hand blender in the mixture and puree until smooth.
-Add the cream and bring the heat back up to serve the soup hot.

If using fresh pumpkin:
-Separate the seeds from the guts and scrape the sides of the pumpkin until the flesh pulls away.
-You'll do everything the same, but when you add the pumpkin, you'll have to cook it for an hour or so on the broth and spices until the pumpkin is very soft. At this point, you may have to add a little extra liquid as some of it will have evaporated.
-Puree with hand blender.
-Add cream... and serve hot.

** Garnish with toasted pumpkin seed and creme fraiche!

Poached Cod in Red Curry Broth with Stir Fry Vegetables

2011-10-10T20:05:00.003-04:00

Sick of Turkey? Looking for something fresh that still satisfies the need for comfort food and a warm soup-like dish? Then give this light and simple dish a try.

Ingredients:
2 large fillets of wild cod or other white fish of your choice.
1 can of coconut milk
2 tbsp of Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup of sliced bamboo shoots
2 cups of green beans, cut in half
1/2 small red onion
1 zucchini, julienned
1 sweet red chili (if you can't find this, use a red bell pepper)
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro and 1 chopped green onion for garnish.
1 tsp of oil for cooking

-In a wok, add oil and stir fry vegetables with thai curry paste until just tender.
-Add coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil.
-Slide fish in the pan until immersed in the liquid.
-Turn heat off and cook fish in the hot broth and the residual heat from the burner.
-Cooking time for fish will vary, but you'll know when the middle of the fish pulls apart slightly when you poke it.
-With a spatula, transfer fish to a shallow serving bowl and cover with the coconut broth and vegetables.
-Garnish with cilantro and green onion.

Roasted Tomato and Pistachio Pesto

2011-09-12T20:23:00.007-04:00

What am I gonna do with a basket of Roma tomatoes that are sporting dark spots and about to be chucked in the garbage if they're not used in 24 hours?

Oven Roasted Tomato Pesto!

Hmm.... what else have I got left over? A lemon on the verge of slow fruit death, a bag of pistachios, half a head of garlic... yes, this is shaping up quite well...

I'll be honest, I abhor sun dried tomatoes. If anything in the culinary world says 'throwback' like those leathery pieces of Olive Garden trash, I'd like to know what it is. Never been a fan. Oven-dried tomatoes, however, are mellow, slightly sweet and concentrated without the cloying chewiness of the aforementioned raisin.

Once roasted you can put these tomatoes on a salad, pizza, in pasta, or.... make a pesto. Here's how:

Ingredients:

10 tomatoes, cut in quarters

4 cloves of garlic, grated

1/2 cup of shelled pistachios

1 tbsp dried Herbs Du Provence

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 tbsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp of salt

Preheat oven to 300 F

Cut tomatoes in quarters and put in a colander with 1 tsp of the salt, dried herbs and a bit of the garlic. Toss together.

Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on baking sheets and roast for 2 hours.

In a food processor, combine tomatoes with all remaining ingredients.

If not using immediately, top with a layer of olive oil and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Make sure that there is always a layer of olive oil to preserve the pesto if you're putting it back in the fridge for any length of time.

Great ideas are:

(Pictured Here) Penne with artichokes, proscuitto and goat cheese

Spaghetttini with black olives, chopped rapini and parmesan

On a thin pizza crust with buffalo mozzarella and arugula

....post any additional ideas you have :)

Lime Leaf Fish Patties with Sweet Cucumber Relish

2011-08-28T12:43:00.005-04:00

I first had these fish patties at Spicy Thai, the restaurant in St. Catharines, Ontario that used to be my mecca for beautiful and traditional Thai food. The former owner, Bao Ling was always so good to us when we came for dinner. She and her husband have since sold the place and it's under new ownership, but I hope they still make these.

Although not the exact recipe, I've managed to make some delicious little morsels that taste almost identical to the original. The bright and assertive lime leaf is the shining jewel of this appetizer. Look for fresh lime leaves at your local Asian grocer. The sweet, fresh cucumber relish is the prefect little swim for these fragrant and delicious bites.

I promise that these will disappear off the plate. You might want to nibble on a few for yourself to make sure you get your fair share. Even non-fish lovers will gobble them up! Guaranteed.

Ingredients:

- 2 filets of mild white fish such as cod, tilapia or sole.

- 1 tbsp of thai red curry paste

- 1 scallion

- 4 fresh kaffir lime leaves

-1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

- 1 egg, beaten

- 4 tbsp peanut or grapeseed oil for frying

-In a food processor whiz up all ingredients.

- Heat oil in a large skillet and form processed ingredients into balls, flattening them when they are in the pan.

- Cook on each side until golden brown and drain on paper towel, cut in half and serve with Cucumber Relish (below).

Cucumber Relish

1/4 of an english cucumber, finely diced

1 tsp of fish sauce

2 tbsp of sugar

1/4 cup of hot water

1 small shallot, diced

-Stir together all ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Serve with patties

Serves 4, but you'll want to make more...

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Risotto

2011-08-27T08:51:00.006-04:00

Risotto aside, I love the combination of Mushroom and Truffle. The earthiness makes it a Sensual comfort food for the soul. Ingredients are almost all from the pantry so it's easy to make any time of year and a great option for vegetarians.

Ingredients:

1 cup short grain arborrio rice

1/4 cup of butter

2 shallots, chopped

2 gloves of garlic, smashed

1/2 cup of dried mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, or morelles)

2 tsp of salt

2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 bottle of white wine

4 cups of boiling water

1/2 cup of shaved Reggiano Parmagiano

t tbsp of white truffle oil

- Rinse mushrooms in lukewarm water and drain.

-Boil 4 cups of water and cover the mushrooms with it. Let them soak for at least 20 minutes.

- You'll be using the soaking water for your mushroom stock, so when you've strained the mushooms, save the liquid and strain it through a fine sieve of cheesecloth to remove any residual grit.

- Use half the butter in a deep sided skillet and heat on high.

- Add shallots and rice, tossing until rice is slightly toasted.

- Add salt, pepper and garlic.

- Continue to mix constantly alternately adding mushroom stock and white wine to cook the rice down into a creamy risotto.

- Add in the mushrooms and cook until the rice is soft between your teeth and a creamy sauce has begun. This process takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.

-Stir in the remaining butter and half the cheese.

- Garnish with a drizzle of truffle oil and the rest of the parmesan and enjoy immediately.

Serves 4.

Veal Marsala with Smashed Garlic Potatoes

2011-08-23T09:25:00.007-04:00

This isn't really a fresh summer dish, but it's great for those rainy evenings when you can't barbecue. The marsala imparts a sweet vanilla-esque flavour. I like to finish it with just a touch of cream.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of veal cutlets (thinly sliced, scallopini style)

1 lb of cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup of flour

1 tbsp of dijon mustard

1/2 cup of marsala wine

1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped.

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 shallot chopped

1/4 cup of heavy cream

2 tbsp of butter

salt and pepper

olive oil for frying

In a ziploc bag, add flour, salt and pepper. Shake veal in the bag to coat with flour and place in a hot pan with olive oil and cook each piece just until browned on each side. Remove each piece from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add butter and fry shallots and mushrooms until golden brown.

Add Marsala and cream and cook down for 10 minutes on high until the sauce thickens.

Add half the rosemary and place the veal back in the pan with the sauce and mushrooms.

Turn heat to low and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

Serve on tip of Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and garnish with remaining Rosemary

Smashed Potatoes:

2 lbs of red potatoes with the skin left on

1/4 cup of cream

2 tbs of butter

salt and pepper

1 clove of garlic, roasted

Roast garlic in oven at 375 until soft (usually 30-45 min)

cut potatoes with skin on and boil until soft

Drain and add cream, butter, salt and pepper

Squeeze soft cloves of garlic onto the potatoes and smash all ingredients together with a potato masher.

Sexy Asian Slaw

2011-08-16T21:31:00.005-04:00

What makes this Slaw "sexy", you might ask? Well, it's a sensual journey of texture and flavour that works in almost any season. You could even toss in some grilled shrimp and serve over vermicelli noodles for an entire meal that's ready to go. The dressing was a departure for me as I've never used coconut milk to round out a cold dish, but it adds phenomenal flavour and a slight creaminess that coats the slaw without becoming too gooey or sticky. Ideal for outdoor dining, a light dinner accompaniment or to take to a potluck.

Ingredients:
2 cups of raw red cabbage thinly sliced
2 cups baby arugula leaves
1 red pepper julienned
1/2 can of hearts of palm (julienned)
1/2 cup of chopped pistachios

(Dressing: all whizzed together in a small food processor or with hand blender)
1/3 cup of lite coconut milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp of fish sauce
2 tbsp of chopped fresh ginger
2 green onions
1 small red chili
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1 tsp sesame oil

Pour dressing over veggies and lightly toss. Serve with barbecued meats, fish, toss in shrimp or tofu and or noodles!

Codfish Cakes

2011-08-07T20:43:00.006-04:00

I whipped this recipe out for brunch today and it was a hit. Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) make these yummy fishcakes extra crispy. It's easy to prepare these ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven. When friends arrive you can poach off a few eggs and make a quick tossed salad for a light and delicious meal.

Ingredients:
1 cup of salt cod (soaked overnight to remove most of the salt)
3 medium potatoes boiled and mashed
2 green onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 eggs, beaten (one for coating cakes the other for adding to the potato and cod)
1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp of olive oil for frying.

-Chop cod and mix well with potatoes, onions, garlic and seasonings.
-Roll into balls about 3 inches wide and dip in egg.
-Roll in panko and flatten into cakes. This recipe should make about 8 cakes.
-Heat olive oil in a non stick pan and fry until golden brown on each side.
-Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Serving ideas:
-As pictured above with poached eggs and a green salad with wedges of lemon.
-With sauteed greens and cherry tomatoes
-Make smaller balls and serve them as cocktail appetizers with spicy mayonnaise and sparkling wine.
-alongside coleslaw and beans with rice
-

Cucumber, Feta and Fresh Mint Salad

2011-08-02T22:37:00.005-04:00

On a hot summer night it's easy to cool off with this super- chill salad. Perfect with a juicy steak off the barbecue, grilled shrimp or fish. It's even great to snack on by itself straight out of the fridge.

1 large English Cucumber cut into cubes
1/2 cup of crumbled feta
3 tbsp of freshly chopped mint leaves
1 lemon (zested and juiced)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Toss and Serve for 4.

Pad Thai- It's not really about Ketchup!

2011-06-28T00:05:00.008-04:00

I get asked for this recipe often, but wince as I write out the work 'ketchup' in the ingredients. I always feel the need to defend my use of it and reassure people that I'm not that ghetto.

I hate ketchup. I hate it when old men at my work ask for ketchup with their smoked salmon omelette. There really is no fighting these plebeians. The sauce for this Pad Thai is one of the only places that I incorporate the condiment of the common folk. The main reason I use it at all, is because I don't like those gloopy tomato-based pad thai sauces. This sounds counter-intuitive, I know... but I don't use a whole lot of it and Ketchup has built in sugar, where a tin of tomato paste does not. Plus, who ever uses that whole tin of tomato paste, anyway? It just saves a bit of time. But don't go getting all ghetto on me... this is a fairly traditional recipe that yields a very authentic, very yummy, fresh and multi textured Pad Thai. Simultaneously crunchy, savoury and tangy with zero gloop. Really.

Also, it may seem counter intuitive that I've waxed on so much about ketchup since it really is not one of the main ingredients in this recipe. I really am just feeling defensive for other reasons that have little to do with ketchup. But I digress...

Sauce:
1/3 cup of crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp cup of ketchup
1/4 cup of fish sauce
1/4 cup of lime juice
1 tbsp of cane sugar
2 tbsp of tamarind paste
2 tbsp of peanut oil
1 tbsp of dried red chili flakes (optional or more to taste)

Whisk together all ingredients over low heat and set aside.

Noodles
1 pkg of rice stick noodles (thicker than vermicelli)
1 egg, beaten
1 medium red pepper, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
3 shallots, thinly sliced or 1 small red onion
1 lb of extra firm tofu
1 lb or peeled prawns or sliced chicken breast

For garnish:
2 limes, cut into wedges
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro chopped
1 cup of bean sprouts
3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup of crushed peanuts

peanut oil for frying

Soak noodles in hot (not boiling water) until they soften. Drain and set aside.

Fry tofu and or shrimp and chicken in a large wok pan in 2 tbsp of peanut oil until chicken is browned and/or shrimp are pink.

Add vegetables.

Toss well and cook quickly on high heat turn heat down and add the egg, scrambling it into the rest of the ingredients

Add noodles and sauce.

Stir fry until all ingredients are incorporated and the sauce has coated all the noodles.

Top with crunchy bean sprouts, peanuts, fresh lime and cilantro.

Yum.

Asian Steak and Vermicelli Salad

2011-05-04T18:56:00.003-04:00

With warmer weather on it's way, this super cool steak and noodle salad will ignite the senses.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs lb of flank steak

1 pkg vermicelli noodles

3/4 cup of fish sauce

1/3 cup of fresh lime juice

1/4 cup of sugar

1 clove garlic, grated

1 generous knob of fresh ginger, grated

3 small red chilies, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

1/3 cup of fresh cilantro chopped

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced

Mix together fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. This will be both the marinade for the steak and the dressing for the salad, itself.

Add half of the mixture to a ziploc bag with the ginger, garlic and chilies. Add steak and marinate in the fridge while you prepare the other ingredients.

Boil water and add noodles. cook for 1 minute and drain under cold water.

In a large bowl, place noodles and coat them with the remaining dressing, red pepper, cucumber and red onion. Toss well.

Grill steak until rare. Often just searing it on both sides is fine.

Let steak stand for 5 minutes and cut against the grain into thin strips.

Arrange the steak strips in a fan shape on the top of the salad and garnish with mint, cilantro and peanuts.

Serve with a cold beer or Gewurtztraminer.

Serves 4

St. Paddy's Hangover Soup

2011-03-16T21:57:00.006-04:00

You got right pissed on St. Paddy's Day, did ya? You awake on March the 18th with a splitting headache, and you stagger to the kitchen. Hell, you're probably still drunk, aren't you? And you smell like a lush's grave.

You're met with a ghastly mess of leftover corned beef, cabbage, half empty cans of Guinness and maybe there's even a little bit of whisky left in the bottle. The thought of cleaning up this soddin' mess is unthinkable. The only solution to your half drunken dilemma is clear: throw it all in the pot and make some soup.

Here's a loose recipe. Obviously, at this point, you're not into measurements, but it's impossible to screw this up. Even if your too hung to eat it now, it stores well in the freezer. If a few of the ingredients are missing, it will still taste good.

Ingredients:

-Leftover corned beef (if you were too sauced to throw out the water you boiled it in, there are no worries. Use the old beef water for stock. If you already chucked the beef water. Use tap water. However much you like is fine.)

-Some water-- wait, I already said that.

-Leftover cabbage

-A tin of something that has a tomato on the front.

-lots of pepper

-some salt

-However much Guinness you have leftover.

-If you haven't used that whisky for a hair of the dog, throw that in, too.

-What herbs ya got in the cupboard? Dill? okay, chuck that in.

-Something else you want to include? Potatoes? Sprouts? Bacon? Send it for a swim in the pot.

Boil, turn the heat down and go back to bed until the disgraceful bundle y'are is sober.

Bhartha (Roasted Eggplant Curry)

2011-02-19T10:52:00.006-05:00

I confess: I'm not an eggplant enthusiast. But when it's cooked properly, eggplant is one of the sweetest, creamiest and most delicious vehicles for spice and flavour. This Indian side dish is a perfect example. You can even roast the eggplants whole on the barbecue, if you like. This will impart a smokier flavour to the bhartha

4 large eggplants, whole

3 cloves of garlic crushed

2 tsp of garam masala

2 tsp of black mustard seeds

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground ginger

3 tbsp grated ginger

1 tin tomato paste

3 tbsp ghee or olive oil

Preheat oven to 450F.

Prick eggplants and place them, whole on a baking sheet.

Roast until blackened and burned on the outside. (you can't really overcook these unless you leave them in overnight. Cooking time will wary depending on the size and moisture content of the eggplant. Normally a few hours will suffice. I like to let the roast in the oven while I cook something else on the stove.)

Remove eggplants and allow to cool.

Scrape the inside of eggplant into a bowl and set aside.

Heat ghee or oil and add mustard seeds to a pot that has a tight lid. When mustard seeds are mostly popped, add onion and cook until caramelized.

Add spices and all other ingredients.

Cook for 45 minutes to allow flavours to marry.

Serves 4 with rice, naan or paratha.

Tuna and Chick Pea Pasta with Garlic and Rosemary Infusion

2011-02-10T23:32:00.004-05:00

This spaghetti dinner is quick, light and wonderful for any season. Perfectly acceptable as a midweek meal for guests or a satisfying dinner for one (leftovers for lunch) it also pairs well with a glass of wine ;)

Spaghetti

2 Tbsp of capers

1 can of chick peas

2 tbsp of freshly chopped rosemary

1 can of tuna packed in olive oil

3 tbsp of olive oil

2 cups of baby spinach

2 cloves of garlic, mashed.

In a pan, add olive oil and warm all ingredients except for spinach over love heat to infuse flavours.

Boil pasta until al dente and drain all but a little bit of the water.

Add pasta, reserved water and spinach to the pan and toss until pasta is coated.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Tofu Stew- Korean Style

2011-02-09T19:57:00.004-05:00

Inspired by the lovely tofu stew I used to order at San Restaurant on Queen West, this is a sure fire winter warm up for a cold night like this!

Ingredients:

4 cups of vegetable stock

3 tbsp of Gochujang (spicy Korean Chili Paste)

1 cup of water

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 cups of babybok choy, cleaned and leaved

2 cups bean sprouts

3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1 lb of medium todu, crumbled

1tbsp oil

Heat oil in the bottom of a soup pot and add onions. Cook until translucent.

Add Gochujang, vegetable stock and water.

Bring to a rapid boil.

Add all other ingredients but save the green onion and bean sprouts for the top.

Serve hot on a cold night.

Red Hot Chicken Paprikash with Vinegared Potatoes

2011-01-31T21:07:00.006-05:00

My grandfather was Hungarian and I remember him making this dish. My mother continued the tradition and I was always excited to sit down to this simple spicy and traditional delight. I've modified the recipe a bit since the one I was raised on called for whole pieces of chicken. While I AM down with the medieval on-the-bone thing, I think the boneless chicken makes it a little more practical.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 tbsp of Hungarian Paprika

1tsp of cayene pepper

1tsp of smoked paprika

1 large onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. of Tomato Paste

2 bay leaves

1 tsp black pepper

1 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp of white vinegar

5 large white potatoes

salt to taste.

-Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion and spices. Cook until translucent.

-Add chicken and brown.

-Add chicken stock,tomato paste, 1 tsp of the vinegar and reduce heat to low.

Cook covered for 1/2 hr.

-Turn heat up and cook uncovered for a final 1/2 hour.

Potatoes:

-Peel and boil five large White Potatoes cut into quarters.

-When fork tender, drain and toss with remaining 2 tbsp of white vinegar and salt.

-Serve along side paprikash.

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Black Garlic

2011-01-10T19:51:00.006-05:00

Mushroom soup is a wonderful and earthy starter to any meal or simply served on it's own for a light lunch. Black garlic is a relatively new product in stores that has a flavour akin to balsamic vinegar reduction or molasses. It's really just fermented garlic but it's dark sweetness blends well with the mushroom.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of butter

2 tbsp of fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 tbsp of dried thyme)

1 tbsp salt

5 cloves of black garlic

1/2 tbsp of freshly ground black pepper

2 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms

1/4 cup of dried porcini mushrooms

3 cups of mushroom stock (to be made from soaked porcinis)

2 cups of whole milk or cream

Cover dried porcini mushrooms in 3 cups boiling water and let rest until mushrooms soften. The longer you wait, the stronger your stock will be.

Slice cremini mushrooms and sautee in butter and thyme.

Mash black garlic cloves with the back of a kitchen knife and add to pot with salt and pepper.

When mushrooms have browned slightly, add the porcinis and the liquid they have been soaking in (this is your mushroom stock).

With a hand blender, whiz the mixture until most of the mushrooms are pureed.

Add cream or milk.

Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Serves 4-6

for more information on Black Garlic visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_garlic_(food)

Curried Lamb Chops with Spinach Pine Nuts and Pomegranate

2011-01-09T19:27:00.004-05:00

Need a dinner for guests that quick, delicious and impressive? Try this spicy rack of lamb recipe on for size. The actual cooking time is only about 20 minutes with 5 minutes to put it all together.

In this picture, I've used Pomegranate molasses, but you could easily use a smattering of seeds and juice for a lovely colour contrast. The flavour will be less intense, but more fresh and tart. Either way, the spicy and sweet is a nice backdrop for the already flavourful canvas of the lamb.

Ingredients:

4 racks of Lamb

Spice marinade:

4 tbsp of mild curry powder

1 tbsp of white vinegar

2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

Olive oil for sauteeing.

Spinach side:

2 bags of fresh spinach, washed, chopped and drained.

1.4 cup of toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup of pomegranate molasses to drizzle on top or 1 fresh pomegranate seeded and squeezed.

salt and pepper to taste

Mix marinade in a small bowl and slather on lamb racks. Preferably, you'll do this the night before, but it's perfectly fine to do it a la minute. The meat won't have quite as much flavour, but it will still be delicious.

Toast your pine nuts in a pan until golden brown. Add 2 tsp of olive oil and sautee spinach until tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400F

Arrange lamb racks on a baking sheet, fat side up and roast gently for 15 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and broil until the outside crisps. If you do this for another 10 minutes and let it stand for 5, you'll have your meat at about medium depending on your oven. For med rare, broil for 5.

After the lamb has rested for 5 minutes, during which time it will continue to cook a little, slice between the bones and straight down with a carving knife, cutting the lamb into chops. Press spinach into a ramekin or small bowl and turn on to plate to make a neat dome. Arrange chops around the spinach and drizzle with pomegranate.

Serves 4-6

***Tip: To get the seeds out of the pomegranate, cut it in half and thwack the back of it with a wooden spoon. The seeds will pop right out into whatever container you have waiting for them. When most of the seeds are out, you can squeeze for the juice.

Roast Duck with Cherry Orange Glaze

2010-12-28T22:25:00.006-05:00

I'm so over turkey and cranberry sauce. Duck is where it's at and with this rich fruity reduction that stands up well to the fat and flavour of duck, it rocks the house for a fabulous Christmas Dinner or New Year's Feast. The glaze is served in it's own bowl and spooned over the sliced duck as you would cranberry sauce.

The ducks are pretty simple:

Salt the skin and cavity of two 5 lb ducks
Stuff with half an orange
4 bay leaves
1 onion

Roast duck for the first hour at 400 F and then reduce to 300F and cook for an additional hour and a half.

Cherry Orange Glaze

1 cup of cherry juice
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 cup of ruby port
1 Orange (Juiced and sliced with slices to simmer in reduction)
1/2 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks

3 cardamom pods

2 star anise

Simmer on high heat until liquid reduced by 1/3. Then continue to simmer on very low heat for an additional hour.

Potato Latkes with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream

2010-12-26T15:50:00.005-05:00

Delicious make ahead brunch solution. As long as you make the latkes ahead of time, it's just a few moments of assembly to a fabulous little dish to go with your mimosa or caesar!

Ingredients:

2 cups of mashed potato
1/3 cup of flour
1 egg
2 scallions chopped
olive oil for cooking

Mix well together until the consistency becomes that of cookie dough an you can make round balls of potato in your hand without too much sticking.
Grease a frying pan with olive oil and place potato pancakes, flattening them on each side as they are cooking.

When golden brown remove from pan and stack.

Top with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream ( I also used a little truffle oil!)

Also try with a poached egg on top!

Makes appprox 20 med sized latkes. Leftovers can be stored in airtight freezer bags and kept for up to 3 months in the freezer. To defrost simply thaw and toast.

Quick Salad of Chili and Chick Pea

2010-08-19T19:23:00.006-04:00

This salad is almost as easy as opening a can of beans. If you can master that, you can make this. It's great for picnics, barbecues, potlucks or to keep in the fridge for a great after workout snack that's full of fiber and protein. Its also ideal as a light starter salad with a warm Indian meal and works well along side grilled meats like lamb, chicken or beef. If the chili is too hot for your liking, substitute it with some chopped red bell pepper.

2 cans of chick peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 chopped seeded red chili
1 clove of garlic smashed and finely chopped

Mix.

Relax.

Serve.

Quick Sautee of Edamame with Ginger, Garlic and Prawns

2010-08-16T20:45:00.003-04:00

Super fast, delicious, healthy and easy. This dish can also be served with a side of brown rice or with soba noodles covered in the dressing from the post below.

Ingredients:

1 lb of shelled tiger prawns
2 cups of shelled Edamame or Soybeans (you gan buy them frozen and pre shelled at the grocery store)
2 tbsp of sesame oil
2 tbsp of soya sauce
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 clove of garlic, bashed and thrown in whole
1 cup mushrooms (shitake, oyster or regular button)

Heat a wok or skillet to high and combine all ingredients at once, tossing well and maintaining motion in the pan. When shrimp are pink, remove and serve.

Japanese Power Bowl

2010-08-08T19:23:00.006-04:00

This Japanese dish is full of instant vegetarian energy. Really! And it tastes amazing, too. I like to serve it warm, but its perfectly good at room temperature as a side dish to any Japanese meal or a delicious take to work noodle salad that it ideal before or after your workout or as a great protein pick me up.

Soba noodles, which are made with buckwheat, have double the amount of protein found in white or brown rice, contain the same antioxidants found in green tea and red wine and have been shown to benefit overall heart health and metabolism. Paired with Tofu, Shitake Mushrooms, vegetables and a savoury Tahini-Soy "pesto" you have a recipe for one delicious and power-packed dish.

Although the version shown here is made with tofu, there's no problem substituting grilled chicken breast, sliced beef or even shrimp to this versatile recipe.

Ingredients:

8 oz Soba noodles
1/2 pkg extra firm tofu
7 large shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
four handfuls of baby spinach
1 lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped)
2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
1/3 cup of soya sauce (or tamari *)
1 tbsp sesame oil

Boil noodles for approx 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a small food processor or with a wire wisk and a mixing bowl, mix together tahini, sesame oil, soya sauce, garlic, ginger and lemon juice. This is your sauce (or pesto).

In a skillet heat a bit of sesame oil and gently fry the tofu with the shitake mushrooms. Shake some additional soya sauce (approx 1 tbsp) into skillet while cooking.

Turn off heat and add bell pepper, half of the sliced green onion and gently wilt the spinach.

Add all components into a big bowl and toss. Garnish with reserved green onion and serve.

Serves 2 as a main and 4 as an appetizer.

* Since buckwheat noodles are free of wheat gluten, this recipe can me made using tamari, which is very close to soya sauce, but contains no wheat.

Haloumi with Grilled Vegetables

2010-06-26T21:31:00.007-04:00

Looking for a new twist on a summer antipasto platter? Why not give Haloumi a try? This lovely cheese is reminiscent of mozzarella, and it's salty flavour, high melting temperature and ability to absorb flavours from surrounding ingredients make it ideal to throw in the barbecue and grill with eggplant and peppers. Look for Haloumi (sometimes sold under the name of Haloom) in the cheese section of a fine grocery store. In Ontario, you can find it at most Loblaws, Zehrs or Fortinos stores.

Ingredients:
2 pkgs Haloumi, Sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 meduim eggplants
1 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped
6 small red and yellow peppers
salt and pepper to taste

-Mix chopped garlic and olive oil in a small dish
-Throw pepers, whole on grill and char until slightly soft
-Cut Eggplant lengthwise and brush both sides with garlic and olive oil
-Grill Until you can see the flesh of the eggplant begin to bubble slightly
-Grill Haloumi until grill marks appear on each side and the cheese begins to soften just slightly.
-Arrange on a platter and serve with your favourite pesto (check out the sauces and pesto section here on KItchen Culture).

This platter serves 6-8 and is prefect for sharing on a hot summer night followed by grilled lamb, steak or chicken.

Strawberry Shortcake

2010-06-26T21:16:00.006-04:00

A dessert that lets the natural beauty of fresh summer berries and cream play centre stage against a structured shortcake. Seasonal and Sensational!

Shortcake:

2 2/3 cup of Bisquick
1/2 cup of milk
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sugar

Mix all ingredients together and press into a square baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 400F

Cut in six equal parts, then cut each square biscuit in half.

Layer biscuit bottom with fresh berries, whipped cream and cover with top half of biscuit. Tp with more whipped cream and berries.

2 pints fresh strawberries
1 cup of whipping cream (whipped = double the amount)

Powdered sugar for garnish.

You can add sugar to the cream if you like a sweeter shortcake. I prefer it without.

Cool Salad Rolls

2010-05-29T17:11:00.006-04:00

These rice paper wraps are perfect to make ahead for hot nights when you don't feel like turning on the oven. I make lots in advance and snack on them throughout the week. They're also great for appetizers at barbecues or to take along on a picnic. The wrappers can be found in most good grocery stores or in Asian markets. The fillings here are traditional to Vietnamese cuisine, but you can get creative and add anything from avocado and mango, to shredded duck and mint.

Ingredients:
1/4 pkg asian rice stick noodle (soaked in warm water until soft then drained and seasoned with fish sauce and lime juice)
10 rice paper wrappers
2 carrots peeled into strips with vegetable peeler
1 lb of cooked medium shrimp
10 large basil leaves
fresh cilantro
10 leaves of fresh lettuce

In a bowl of warm water, soak the rice paper until it becomes pliable

Lay flat on a cutting board and on the end closest to you lay the lettuce, topped with the basil and all other ingredients.

Roll the paper, as you would a burrito and tuck the edges in before closing.

Sore in an airtight container so that the rice papers don't dry out.

Cut in half and serve with Hoisin or Peanut Sauce.

Baccalau

2010-04-27T09:18:00.005-04:00

There are many versions of this traditional Portuguese Salt Cod dish, varying from a fish cake to a tomato based stew. This version bears more of a likeness to a casserole and emerges as a pot of creamy, comforting goodness. It's easy to make ahead and pop in the oven when guests arrive. The cod must be soaked in water for at least 24 hours and the water must be changed at least twice to remove most of the salt. Sliced boiled eggs are sometimes added to this dish as garnish as well as the olives and cheese but I didn't have any hanging around. By all means, add them if you like.

I lb salt cod (soaked overnight)
5 large white potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
3 cloves of crushed garlic
3 medium white onions, sliced
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
2 cups of full fat milk
3 bay leaves
handful of pitted black olives
1/3 cup of grated cheese (manchego or parmesan are favourites of mine)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F

Par boil the potatoes in salted water and slice them like thick potato chips

Drain the cod and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes until soft.

In a large pot Fry onions, garlic and bay leaf until soft. Remove and set aside.

in a medium saucepan, toast the flour and add the butter, stirring to make a roux. When the mixture begins to ball together, add the milk, stirring constantly to make a creamy sauce.

Add the nutmeg and adjust the salt and pepper.

Mix together the creamy white sauce and the cod.

Layer the potato rounds in the bottom of the large pot, then alternate with the cod followed by the potatoes until the final layer is a third layer of potatoes on the top.

Sprinkle cheese and olives.

Cover and cook for approx. 1 1/2 hour until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Braised Short Ribs

2010-04-27T09:00:00.005-04:00

Mmmm...sticky, fall off the bone short ribs braised in tamarind, ginger and beer! This recipe yields a sauce with a slightly aromatic and rich dish.

1 1/2 lbs of Beef Short Ribs
1 bottle/can of beer (I like Guinness or a dark ale, but anything will work in a pinch)
2 tbsp of dried orange peel (fresh will work as well)
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
2 star anise
3 cups of sliced cabbage
1 small onion, sliced
oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Sear the ribs in a skilled until they are browned on all sides and remove from pan

In the same pan, fry the all other ingredients in a little oil and add the bottle of beer

Add ribs to the middle of the pan, cover, and reduce heat to minimum.

Cook for 3 hours.

Capellini with Fresh Basil and Ricotta

2010-03-01T15:38:00.006-05:00

My sister-in-law, Gabriella, gave me this recipe. It is soft and creamy, but not as high in fat as a cream sauce. The bright punch of fresh sweet basil is a nice contrast to the neutral palate of the pasta and cheese. Use a good olive oil for this, because you'll notice the difference.

Ingredients:
Capellini (Angel Hair Pasta)
1/2 cup of fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup of freshly chopped basil
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup of toasted pine nuts
reserve pasta water
freshly cracked black pepper and salt to taste

-Boil salted water and cook pasta for approximately 3 minutes.

-Drain pasta and toss in a bowl with cheese, basil and toasted pine nuts.

- Add approx 1/8 cup of pasta water, toss and finish with extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper.

Thanks, Gabe!

Wasabi Pea-Crusted Scallops in Miso Shitake Broth

2010-02-28T20:26:00.006-05:00

Today I was in detox. Not as severe as Betty Ford--but merely a departure from late nights, wine, work and various other toxins that may (somehow?) enter the body. I began by spending the afternoon at Iyashi, an amazing Japanese Hot Rock Spa here in Toronto that is better than any massage I've ever had. At $49 a pop in it's the best deal in town and on top of detoxifying your system, it makes your hair and skin look great, burns up to 2300 calories per 60 minute session and is excellent for helping with sports injuries or muscle and joint problems. Not to mention how supremely chilled out you feel afterwards.

Check it out for yourself at www.iyashibedrockspa.com

After my treatment and a long walk I was craving a simple Japanese dinner. This recipe came to mind. It can be served as an appetizer, with one scallop per person, or as a main with three scallops for each. The ratios here are for the appetizer version. It was light, healthy and delicate. The perfect dinner for a relaxing day.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of crushed wasabi peas
3 large sea scallops
1 cup of whole shitake mushroms
2 tbsp of miso paste
1 tsp of sesame oil
3 cups water

- Lightly fry the mushrooms in a little sesame oil until golden brown and then add the miso and water. Reduce this mixture to intensify the flavour of the broth before beginning with the scallops.

- Crush wasabi peas in food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and roll with a rolling pin until they reach a rubbly texture. Place rushed peas on a flat plate.

- Press the scallops into the crushed peas so that both sides are coated.

- Heat a little oil in a skillet on high heat and sear the scallops on both sides until golden brown.

- Reduce heat and continue to cook scallops until they are no longer wobbly in the center when poked.

- Arrange mushrooms on plate and top with a scallop. Drizzle with broth.

Now, some green tea and a hot bath!

Four Reasons to Have THIS in Your Pantry!

2010-02-09T20:16:00.008-05:00

It's Tuesday night and you've just returned home from the gym, starving and craving some power food. Alas, you forgot to pick up fresh groceries and must now rummage the cupboards for something healthy, yummy and easy. If you have a tin of Callipo Tuna in Olive Oil, you're off to a good start.

I love this stuff because it's far more rich and flavourful than tuna in water and because they've packed it in Olive Oil, it's much healthier other fishes in oil. I can even snack on it straight out of the can! It's a pantry must for making everything from pastas, antipasto, tacos, sandwiches and salads.

Here's how...

Spaghetti From a Can (Well...not really, but most of the ingredients are canned or may be hanging around your kitchen.)

Spaghetti
Chick Peas
Garlic
Lemon
Tuna

-Cook and drain spaghetti.

-Toss with 1 cup of chick peas, can of Callipo Tuna, Garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Ideally, this is healthier if you have some greens on hand. I love to throw baby Arugula in with the mix and it wilts just a little bit with the warmth of the spaghetti, but I did say that this was from a can and instant gratification is the goal here, so you can even use garlic powder if you absolutely have to and I won't come and spank you...this time.

Or, give these ones a whirl:

Tuna on Greens with Vegetables

Omit the spaghetti and mix the tuna with the lemon, garlic and a bit of extra olive oil, and fresh black pepper. Place the tuna mixture over the greens and add some cherry tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, crunchy cauliflower, peppers or capers and add those chickpeas in for extra protein. Finish it with a last squeeze of lemon.

And don't forget the old standby-- your favourite...

Tuna Sandwich

1 Can Callipo Tuna In Oil (drained)
1 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tbsp chopped fresh capers
1/2 tsp of Keen's hot mustard powder
a squeeze of lemon

Mix well and serve on toasted bread. I like sourdough because it's sturdy enough to withstand the mixture without going soggy. In this recipe, I think it's a good idea to drain the tuna. The oil tends to make the mixture a bit too runny on top of the mayo and lemon. If you don't like capers, sub chopped dill pickles.

Tuna Tacos

3 fresh corn tortillas
1/4 cup of diced onion
half an avocado, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped and seeded
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 fresh lime
1 can of Callipo Tuna In Olive Oil

Warm tortillas for 20 seconds in the microwave or toast lightly in a dry frying pan.
Drain the tuna, fill shells with desired amount of above ingredients and enjoy!

This recipe serves 1, for additional persons, double the recipe.

Mediterranean Antipasto

2 Grilled Zucchini
1 Grilled Eggplant
1 Clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Cracked Black Pepper
1 Can of Callipo Tuna in Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Serve on:
Crusty baguette or grilled baguette.

- Slice Vegetables lengthwise place on a foil lined baking sheet.
- On both sides, brush with oil and sprinkle with black pepper.
- Roast vegetables for 20-30 minuted, until slightly crispy at the edges.
- Sprinkle vegetables with salt.
- When vegetables are cooled, toss all remaining ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Serve on hot grilled bread

This is a great recipe for cooler weather that can easily be served alongside a lasagna, or with a hearty pasta. It's also great for barbecue season served with grilled fish or chicken.

Thinking in Themes

2009-11-29T14:13:00.004-05:00

It's been a year since I decided to begin writing a cookbook. I had expected to be finished much sooner, but as all journeys in life, there are detours. Kitchen Culture and Jenny Likes It emerged as two fun forks in the road. But the book is my focal point and finding a theme was becoming so much work that I wasn't enjoying the cooking process as much. I felt as though I was stuffing all of my culinary whims into a little box and agonizing over the label to put on it. This went against every creative impulse that keeps me passionate about food. Then, a few months ago, I gave myself permission to forget about a theme and just enjoy myself in the kitchen. It proved to be much easier for me to work from inspiration than within a framework. Through this process, I learned that sometimes a framework-- the connective matter that gives focus and context, is underlying in everything and often emerges when you stand back and examine all of your inspiration.

When I started this blog, the name 'Kitchen Culture' meant something to me. It represented not only the way in which food inspires us in our daily lives, or the culture of food itself, but also the way in which we use techniques, ingredients and flavour combinations from other cultures to ignite our creativity in the kitchen. This is what I want to present:

Kitchen Culture:

A basic entry level to intermediate cookbook featuring chapters for each culture that I'll be bringing to your kitchen, enabling you to create an authentic three course meal for guests including a choice of three starters, three main and two desserts. Each chapter will begin with a light informational bit about the history of the cuisine. In addition, a pantry checklist will be provided so that you're familiar with all of the important spices, flavours and ingredients that are needed for preparing your delicious and authentic dinner.

Featured Chapters, to begin with, will include:

Indian
Thai
Mexican
Japanese
French
Italian
Chinese

And possibly a few others that happen to make an appearance in my kitchen a long the way and are delicious enough to be book-worthy.

I think it will prove to be a book that is approachable, inspiring and also a practical guide for entertaining.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

2009-11-09T15:13:00.004-05:00

While in Scotland, I enjoyed many traditional meals. The least of which was certainly not the Haggis with 'Neeps and Tatties that I drowned with a wee dram o' scotch. I also fell in love with the delicious Fish and Chips from the Kebab shop we stopped at in Inverness. But if I had to pick one thing that "sticks" out in my mind when I think of Scotland, it's Sticky Toffee Pudding. The Scots are known for having an incurable sweet tooth and this dessert does everything to satisfy it. The dark, treacle- laden, gooey sponge of sweetness is crowned with a golden river of toffee sauce made with butter, brown sugar and cream.

Savoured in front of a roaring fireplace, this is the ultimate in sopping- sweet comfort for the soul.

Jenny Likes It: launching a new blog for restaurant reviews.

2009-09-09T09:54:00.007-04:00

I've decided to keep Kitchen Culture to chronicle my own cooking shenanigans, but I'm launching my restaurant reviews at:

www.jennylikesit.blogspot.com

Check it out for a preview and make sure to sign up as a follower, as I'll need rants and raves from other diners.

-J

Yountville

2009-08-29T14:50:00.002-04:00

Crispy Sweetbreads and Pork Belly!

Early Morning at Thomas George Estates Guest House

2009-08-27T11:10:00.007-04:00

It's 8 am at Thoms George Estates Winery here in The Russian River Valley of California's Wine Country. I sip my much needed coffee as the fog rolls across the vineyards in front of our guest house. I am soaked with fond memories of my childhood in Niagara. The once peaceful morning laden with sounds of barking dogs and chirping birds is broken up by the rumbling of trucks on their way up the hill for today's Pinot Noir harvest.

Jeremy, once a restauranteur and wine rep back in Canada moved down here a little over a year ago to start up the operation. We arrived yesterday afternoon for a tasting and Jeremy showed us around the property. It's lovely and the reason I'm sitting out in the vineyard is because he arranged for myself and a friend to stay at the fabulous guest house on their property. Many thanks to him for his hospitality. I'm hoping to encourage our wine rep at the Club to carry some of his wines. I think the members would enjoy them.

The fog is lifting now and we'll be up to the vineyards to check out the harvest and then off to Napa.

Just as an aside, I'd like to be writing more often while I'm here, but it's hard to find the time to sit down and get to it in a timely manner. I'll try to be a little more diligent as I prefer to post in the moment. It's never just a vacation for me.

http://www.thomasgeorgeestates.com/

Swan for Oysters and Seafood

2009-08-25T21:37:00.012-04:00

I was implored to come to this little gem on Polk St. I was also warned that I'd have to get there early, that it would be crowded and that it was the only place to go in San Francisco for the real deal in seafood.
I arrive just before five pm (they close at 5:30) to find that my advisors were right on all counts: there is indeed, a lineup. I wait impatiently as inside, chalices of shrimp cocktail and crab float by, placed beside fresh oysters that look like gleaming pools of heaven. The servers/bartenders/oyster shuckers hurry between glasses of wine, bowls of steaming chowder and takeout orders from customers who linger behind the barstools eagerly awaiting their fresh fish or seafood. The old '50's style diner decor is punched up with nothing more than vases of fresh irises on the bar. Everything else remains true and untouched. This is perfection, not pretension. That's what I came here for.

The crowd is rowdy and I suspect that more than a few of them ave been drinking since well before noon. I find out that the woman two seats away is celebrating her birthday. She claims to be younger than forty (she's full of shit. I guess her at at least fifty) and she and her friend slur sexual innuendoes at the fresh- faced and innocent twenty three year old behind the counter. He promises to meet them for a drink after he goes to some thing for his aunt tonight (right, pal.)

Jealous of the attention this young buck is receiving, one of the older men behind the counter chimes in with a timely witticism. "Hey, in your thirites, you're a puma, in your forties, you're a cougar and in your fifties your a jaguar!"

I've heard this before, but it makes me smile to hear it recounted by this guy, his hands dripping with oyster liquor.

The two drunk cougars concur hour grateful they are to still be pumas and clink their glasses of Cabernet in celebratory inebriation.

My oysters arrive, and as promised, are fabulous. I'm also pleased to find that the horseradish is hot enough to bring tears to my eyes. One of the drunk cougars tries some, too and a chorus of painful wails ensues. I laugh silently as my clam chowder arrives. It is hot, salty and brimming with the flavour of fresh clam, laced with tender chunks of potato. So delicious. So classic.

I order a prawn cocktail as I finish my glass of chardonnay and the latest apron clad shucker asks me if I would like another. I'm driving, so I decline. He frowns, but then brightens, pulling an almost empty bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from the ice- filled bus pan on the counter. "You can have the rest of this for free! " he beams.

"Okay."

My prawns are pink, plump and delicious. I dress them with cocktail sauce and some more of that kick ass horseradish. Drunky pants cougar bleats about wanting to take a bottle of the stuff home with her. Part of me wants to tell her to shut up, but really, she's sort of adding to the atmosphere.

I drain my glass and feel happy to have made it here in time. The place is closing and the waiters are stacking the stools on the bar and telling a few latecomers who just walked in that they are closed, but they can get them some take out. If you really want a true San Francisco seafood experience, do yourself a favour and visit Swan. It's uncompromised-old school -San Fran- seafood- bliss.

New Twist on a Warm Cobb (ish) Salad

2009-08-22T07:39:00.006-04:00

The traditional Cobb Salad cold use a little help. It's been along time sine the Brown Derby began serving it up and even longer since it graced the menu of any decent restaurant it it's true form. I DO, on occasion, enjoy making a variation of my own. This one is softer. I've used sauteed pea shoots, toasted walnuts, and a softly poached egg nestled in a Champagne-dijon reduction. A re-vamp for an old classic that needs pizzaz.

Kitchen Culture in San Francisco

2009-08-22T07:10:00.004-04:00

What drives me is simple: Food. Let's face it, it drives us all, since without it, we'd die. But when considering what city to visit on my vacation this summer, I needed no further prodding that to think about the food in San Francisco.

On the plane back from Europe last December, my heart and belly longing for the dearly missed food delights of Italy, I was planning my next vacation. After deciding to write a cookbook I knew that I'd be visiting a destination where the food inspired me. Thailand was up there, Vietnam could be tacked on to the end of that trip... and what of all this culinary tom-foolery happening in Australia? That might be the perfect nightcap for my next adventure!

However, somewhere closer to home beckoned. I had made fast friends with a girl in Venice. She was from San Francisco and had invited me to visit her there. Coupled with the fact that my roommate from University lives there, and the delightful food and drink in the valleys of Napa and Sonoma--not to mention fresh oysters and chowder at Fisherman's Wharf, I was convinced that San Fran was the place to spend my accumulated Aeroplan miles.

So I booked it. For Monday.

And I'll be updating you on all the delights the city of San Francisco and the surrounding area have to offer!

French Bistro Fare at Home: Liver and Onions with Petit Pois and Roast Potatoes

2009-08-05T20:38:00.008-04:00

With a nice French Red and some Edith Piaf...you won't have to travel anywhere for an intimate bistro dinner!

1 lb Calf's Liver
1/4 cup flour
1 small onion
2 tbsp butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Fry onion and rosemary in 1 tbsp of butter on medium heat until onions are translucent.

Dredge Liver in flour and fry in same pan as the onions.

when the underside is crispy, turn the liver and cook for 3 more minutes.

Remove liver from pan.

To make sauce:
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp cream
pinch freshly cracked black pepper
a few glugs of the red wine you'll be drinking for dinner.

With the onions still in the pan, add the other tbsp. of butter and and all other ingredients. Reduce to make a thick sauce. Serve over liver.

The C-word

2009-08-04T21:55:00.013-04:00

Should there be any confusion, I shall do my best to clarify: I am not the c-word. And you have a dirty mind for even thinking that I meant that. I am a waitress. No, I don't sit at home all day cooking, drinking wine and devising recipes. I do have a job. Okay, let's set aside that ugly w-word for a moment, as it is, truthfully, a word and the sort of profession that conjures up images of Flo's Diner: pink smock-like uniforms with a lacy little puff in the breast pocket, haggard women who are tired of telling you that "The specials are a hot turkey sandwich with fries and coleslaw, Chicken fried steak and buttered peas and mashed potatoes how about a nice slice of pie to finish that all off, Sugar?"

The modern, politically correct, gender neutral and preferred term is server.

"Your server will be be right with you."

"Your server would be delighted to tell you the specials this evening."

or...

"I will be sure to tell your server that you wish to change your order from the filet mignon well done to the crispy half duck, forty five minutes after you have ordered AND that you're in a rush and that your blood sugar is low." (and you can be sure that your server, upon relating this heinous request to the kitchen, will be slit open, gutted and filleted by the chef, himself.)

Which brings me back to the c-word.

Please don't call me the "c" word. I am not the chef. In fact, to most chefs I am the most hated of all floor staff: The server who cooks and enjoys cooking but would never be able to hack it behind the line, preferring to wax poetic about all the wonderful things she made at home in her leisure time. This infuriates the chef, who is chained to his kitchen, and must cook for a living, abiding incidents of food being sent back, people saying that it's too spicy, to well done... "why does my fish have a head on it?". I won't cook for any other reward other than pure pleasure. The chef does not have this luxury and he loathes me for it. I have never been to cooking school and been verbally abused by my mentors, who make Gordon Ramsay look like a baby deer sucking milk from his mother's teat; I have never spent humid summers working 14 hour shifts that leave me sweaty, smelly, singed and reeking of fish and onions; I have also never cultivated any sort of heat resistance on my fingers that may protect me from squealing when picking up a too-hot dinner plate-- let alone forcing my hand through a flaming grill.

However, I must tip my tray to them. I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for their hard work, creativity and the ability to make things happen-- and make them happen yesterday. I don't know if I could do it. And if it weren't for them, there would be no tips for me. Not to mention that I've learned all the culinary basics by simply watching chefs at the better places I've worked at. In the end, most of them think I'm okay: I'm the server who understands the importance of getting the food off the line when it's hot instead of flirting with the bartender whilst a skin forms atop his hollandaise, I know what every ingredient on the plate is and how it was prepared, and at the end of the day, they know that I care about the culture of what it is they do.

So let me end on those two c-words: care and culture, because with the understanding of these two practices, and respect for the labours of others we are able to understand one another, make this world spin around and get the food to your table.

Scallop Ceviche with Avocado and Peruvian Blue Potatoes

2009-08-04T20:57:00.007-04:00

Ingredients:

1 lb large Sea Scallops
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 small white onion, finely sliced.
small handful of torn cilantro leaves.
2 avocados
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 lb on peruvian blue potatoes, boilled, sliced and skinned.

Cut scallops horizontally in thirds so that they look like thinner, flatter scallops.

Place in the bottom of the airtight container you'll be using to marinate them.

Pour lime juice over scallops and top with onion, garlic, cilantro and salt.

Put lid on container and shake well.

The juice from the limes should cover the scallops completely.

Marinate scallops for at least 6 hours, turning gently once during the process.

Slice potatoes in coin shaped rounds (the skins will peel away easily).

Cut and pit the avocado, slicing vertical strips about 1/4 inch thick.

Toss the ceviche in a non reactive bowl with all other ingredients save the avocado.

Arrange ceviche and garnish in a martini glass with avocado and fresh lime.

Serves 6-8

Duck Fat Grilled Cheese: Part Two

2009-08-04T18:59:00.007-04:00

I only made half a sandwich of this one, just to try it out: Cambozola and Italian Strawberry Balsamic Preserve. I actually wanted to use fresh figs, but, as per usual, it was storming today and my shopping destinations were limited. Loblaws fit the bill. I craved something sweet-ish with the Cambozola, so I searched my fridge, emerging with the Strawberry Balsamic Jam. I am never imposed to improv; especially in the kitchen.

It was pretty delicious. The contrast of the runny, creamy blue against the intensely flavoured preserve was delightful indeed.

But, alas, I only made half...now I have to wait for dinner.

Pasta of Escargot and Herbs in White Wine and Cream

2009-07-30T19:30:00.007-04:00

Here's a little marriage of French and Italian for you. Fresh snails are not easy to find, but I discovered these no name brand canned ones to be quite tender and delicious. Just tell everyone that you learned how to schuck snails and you were at it all afternoon. Although, I'm not sure what the term for shelling a snail is. I'll have to look that one up.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
Linguine or any other long semolina noodle
1 small can of snails
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 clove of garlic
1 small shallot, chopped
1 tbsp each of fresh oregano, sage, parsley, tarragon, chopped
2 tbsp chopped chive

salt and pepper to taste.

While pasta is cooking...

On Med hi heat sautee garlic and shallot in butter.

Add snails and sautee for 2-3 minutes.

Add white wine and wait for it to reduce a little.

Add cream and reduce until sauce thickens.

Add half of the fresh herbs and save the rest to finish the dish.

When pasta is ALMOST al dente, remove from water and transfer to the saucepan.

Add a little of the pasta water and simmer all ingredients together until the sauce thickens a little more.

Add salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with remaining fresh herbs on top.

Serves 2

How to enjoy truffle-infused products 101

2009-07-30T16:15:00.010-04:00

I will be adding to this list periodically so please check back for more inspiration.

Truffle Butter:
Scrambled eggs.
Grilled sandwiches or paninis
Roasted potatoes.
On grilled portobellos.
Under the skin of chicken before you roast it.
As a topping for burgers or steak.

Truffle Oil:
Over Pastas or Risottos (especially those made with mushroom or seafood).
On popcorn with parmesan.
Mashed potatoes.
Drizzled on soup.
Over roasted root vegetables such as parsnips, turnip and carrot.
Over escargot, serve with clarified butter and grilled bread.
On a Mushroom or Roasted Cauliflower soup

Truffle Honey:
Alongside a nice blue cheese
Dripped on hot roasted chicken and mashed potatoes
On crab cakes
In a dressing with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and fresh tarragon over a bibb lettuce salad

Linguine with Truffled Lobster, Sea Asparagus, Fresh Dill and Parmesan

2009-07-28T21:41:00.008-04:00

In order to do justice to the sea asparagus, I had to add the lobster. It only seemed right that these tender twigs had some flesh next to them. This beautiful marine vegetable reminds me of a salty green bean. It's native to the west coast of Canada and harvested on Vancouver Island this time each year. Soak in cold water for a few hours to remove some of the saltiness before cooking. This really is an inviting seafood pasta that is paradoxically rich as well as light in flavour. I love a good food paradox; it forces the mind as well las the senses into a heightened state of identification, separation and union, ultimately resulting in complimentary bliss.
We have an Australian wine at my work that I know would pair well with this. Penely Chardonnay, I think it's 2007, is a still butter-coloured pool of fermented grapes with undertones of rich truffle and earth- quite uncommon for a Chardonnay, but borders on exquisite when served with luscious seafood or mushroom dishes.

Ingredients:

Linguine
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of Sea Asparagus, soaked in water for at least an hour to remove excess saltiness
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp truffle oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup of lobster meat
shaved reggiano parmaggiano to garnish

Boil pasta ( I always hate having to type this, as you hope common sense would dictate as such, but I am bound by the constraints of recipe writing).

In a skillet, heat olive oil and add garlic.

Add Sea Asparagus and gently sautee until tender

Add lobster.

When the pasta is al dente, take a 3 tbsp. of the pasta water and add to the pan.

Drain the pasta and toss in the pan.

Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with reggiano and fesh dill.

Drizzle with truffle oil.

Creme Fraiche (No cheating this time)

2009-07-27T20:03:00.008-04:00

This is a lesson in patience. I have none-- at least when it comes to food. I want what I want, when I want it, and I want ALL of it! This mixture of Whipping Cream and Buttermilk needs roughly 24 hours to thicken. Last week's Chilled Mint and Pea soup featured a fast version made with sour cream. In a pinch you can make it happen, but today I shall brush up on my virtue in spite of my gluttony.

P.S. (Friday July 31, 2009)

Last night I spooned some of the creme fraiche over the Blueberry Buttermilk Bread Pudding that I had made the other day...'Twas divine...just another quick idea for you and the pic is posted here.

Blueberry Buttermilk Bread Pudding

2009-07-27T18:03:00.004-04:00

Yes, I'm making something low fat. I've replaced the cream with 1.5% fat buttermilk. ( I was making real creme fraiche and had to use up the container of buttermilk I bought).

8 slices of white bread
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of buttermilk
1 cup of fresh blueberries
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325F,

Tear bread in chunks and place in a baking dish with deep sides.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together, buttermilk, blueberries, sugar, eggs, nutmeg and salt.

Pour mixture over the bread and stir gently in the baking dish.

Find an oven safe dish that is not quite as tall as the pudding dish. Place the pudding in this bowl and fill the bowl underneath it with water 2/3 of the way up the pudding. This is called a bain marie (water bath) and will help the pudding to remain moist.

Bake for 1.5 hours. Remove and spoon with Blueberry Sauce:

1 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup of water.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 1/2 hour.

Pour over warm pudding and savour...

Orgasmic Duck Fat Grilled Cheese

2009-07-27T13:10:00.008-04:00

Soft white bread smothered in duck fat, stuffed with Applewood smoked cheddar and truffle butter, fried in yet, some more duck fat.

Was I inspired by:

A) The 9 1/2 Weeks food scene that I posted here?

B ) The river of wine I enjoyed last night that left me with a nearly incurable case of greasy hangover foodlust?

C) The fortuitous presence of duck fat in my fridge that led to this explosion of crispy, oozing, cheezy, truffled sex on a plate?

D) The Facebook group I recently joined called Duck Fat Grilled Cheese?

E) All of the above?

If you chose E, you are, of course, correct!

You may not have all these ingredients on hand, but should you find yourself in the position *cough* to make this loverly snack you will probably come. At the very least, it cured my hangover.

Gooseberry Compote

2009-07-26T13:33:00.004-04:00

My grandmother used to have gooseberries in the backyard. I remember them being really sour, but delicious when cooked. This compote is wonderfully seasonal and makes a nice addition to almost anything from Vanilla Ice Cream to Roasted Duck Breast.

Ingredients:

1 Pint of Gooseberries (pick off the little stems, if there are any).
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
3 whole star anise
6 green cardamom pods
1 stick of cinnamon

Bring all ingredients to a boil and then turn the heat to low and simmer for half an hour.

Lobster Pannacotta, Take 1.

2009-07-26T10:03:00.007-04:00

Earlier this week, I was having a bit of a food chat with one of the chefs at my work. He was recounting a particular meal he had had at a restaurant and noted that the menu featured a lobster pannacotta. I think it's safe to say that we both broke out in goosebumps at the thought of this. Pannacotta is one of my favourite desserts to make...especially with Vanilla and Rosewater, but the prospect of making a savoury pannacotta was an exciting one, indeed. Particularly because I've been playing around with cold dishes this week.
The real fun in Pannacotta, which, in Italian simply means 'cooked cream', lies in the gelatin. If you use too much, the result is a rubbery tower of cream, with the texture of boxed jell-o. You don't want this.
What you do want is a soft pillow, so delicate that it barely holds it's form, imparting the richness of the cream infused with whatever flavour you choose to give it. To do this, you have to play with your gelatin, seeing how little you can get away with, whilst coaxing the set product into standing on it's own as a mold. I got a little cocky and wound up with the Truffled Lobster Bisque that you see here. The tangles on top are sauteed Sea Asparagus.

Although I was disappointed with my first attempt, I walked out of the kitchen having learned something from my experiment. And that really is what cooking is all about in the first place. Experimenting. Sometimes we start off with great ideas. Sometimes these ideas work. When they don't, it's important to remember that you can always salvage something from what seems to be a mess. In this case, I made a roux and added the "pannacotta" to it, some fresh dill and suddenly I've taken the culinary road less traveled.

Many of life's lessons are best learned in the kitchen.

I will get that Lobster Pannacotta right and it's going to be delicious.

Chilled Soup Of Pea and Mint with Lime Creme Fraiche and Pea Shoots

2009-07-22T21:20:00.008-04:00

Chill out with this super sexy green soup. The flavours are delicate and fresh; perfect for a make ahead summer dinner and amazing with grilled fish and a crisp, grassy Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
5 cups of sweet green peas
5 cups of chicken stock
5 green onions, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 cup of loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 cup of 18% cream and
1 cup of yogurt
1 tbsp sugar

Heat butter and gently fry green onion and garlic.

Add peas and cook until tender.

Add cream and bring to a boil.

Remove pan from heat and add mint and half of the chicken stock.

In a blender, puree the mixture until smooth

Strain the mixture through a sieve and return the remaining pea skins to the blender with the rest of the stock.

Puree again until smooth and add to the rest of the soup.

Add yogurt and chill for at least an hour.

Lime Creme Fraiche
(cheating due to impatience)

1/3 cup sour cream
zest and juice of one lime

Garnish with Lime Creme Fraiche and Fresh Pea Shoots.

Chicken Liver Pate

2009-07-21T09:50:00.010-04:00

There is nothing quite as satisfying than sitting down do a plate of rich, livery homemade pate with some warm toast points and a glass of wine. There is something so, luxurious and divine in each bite of sinfully smooth goodness that I feel positively alive with decadence. Each little nibble leaves me giggling with glee as I tipple my vino. Commercial pates are fine if you're in a hurry, but I reserve great dislike for that terrible gelatinous layer that does nothing more than wobble on my knife eventually falling on to the floor before ever reaching the cracker (which is okay, since I feed that icky layer to my cat, anyway.)

Making your own pate allows you to control the consistency as well as the amount of liquor that you add and I must admit that I enjoy mine on the boozy side. I like to use Cognac, but its a bit expensive to buy just for cooking and since I am not a fan of quaffing it, there's little sense in wasting the money. I find that a nice brandy does the job quite well and the difference, at the end of the day, is almost undetectable.

This recipe makes, in my opinion, a spectacular pate.

1 lb chicken livers, cleaned and sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
1/2 cup of butter ( half of this will be clarified for the topping. The other half will be used for the livers.)
2 tbsp. chopped tarragon
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup of brandy
salt and pepper to taste

In a small pot, heat the 1/4 cup of butter until milk solids rise. Skim off the white solids and set aside the clarified butter until you are ready to pot the pate.

In a skillet, on medium high heat, melt the butter and add the shallot and garlic. Fry until soft.

Add the livers and the tarragon and bay leaves. Cook for approximately 7 minutes.

Add the brandy and sautee for another 4 minutes.

Add a generous amount of cracked black pepper and a little salt.

Remove bay leaves.

Transfer mixture to a food processor and whiz until smooth, adding salt gradually until is it seasoned to your liking.

Pour mixture into a large ceramic bowl and top with butter. Chill before serving.

*You can also make two or three smaller pates and save them for up to a week in the fridge.

Serve with crackers or toast points.

Entire recipe served 6-8 ppl.

Beef Tenderloin and Cumin Roasted Corn Salsa

2009-07-20T22:30:00.006-04:00

I made this Southwestern influenced dish for dinner tonight, courtesy of last night's BBQ leftovers. Originally, I was going to make a Thai Beef Salad, but I got lazy and didn't feel like doing the chopping. This fragrant and juicy item is easily made fresh, with the loin hot off the grill, but is equally delish and quick the next day. Warm cumin embraces the aromatic corn and is brightened by the tang of lime juice and cilantro. The peppery beef is the perfect spicy pick for this. You could use chicken, but I won't get into my views on commercial poultry. Aside from that, I find chicken to be painfully beige (both literally and figuratively) next to all the other wonderful things that are available for us to indulge in.
I didn't even warm the beef,--i want it to be rare and stay rare which is ideal for summer weather as well as entertaining because it can be assembled ahead of time and placed in the fridge until guests arrive.

Attitude. a dish best served cold. Or was that Revenge?

Do it. Do it now.

The basics:

Roll Tenderloins in Salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Grill until rare. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Place Olive oil on a plate with salt and cumin. Roll the corn in the oil and grill until slightly blackened. (You can use raw corn or pre-cooked leftover corn.)

Cumin Roasted Corn and Tequila Salsa:

When corn has cooled, hold lengthwise and scrape kernels from the cob with a sharp-ish knife.

Add:

1 tomato
1 jalepeno, seeded and minced
1 tomato, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp cumin
juice of one fresh lime
1/2 small onion chopped, or one green onion, chooped
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper.
1 oz tequila.

Mix well in a bowl.

Arrange salsa in the middle of the bowl and fan strips of tenderloin around the outside of the plate.

Garnish with fresh lime and cilantro.

Vegan Polenta Pizzas

2009-07-20T19:57:00.006-04:00

This weekend my family had a barbecue in their sprawling backyard along the Welland Canal. The weather, like many days we have endured so far this summer, was supposed to be gray and rainy. But happily, the sun shone and we all got a bit of a sunburn, had a few cocktails and spent some long over due time together. My Uncle John has recently adopted a gluten free, vegan diet. This posed a few challenges for the menu since almost all of us are meat eaters who like it rare, and as such, a BBQ, for us usually includes some dripping meat.

So what to make? My mother had a roll of pre- made polenta on hand, which is gluten free. What could be better than Polenta Pizzas!? Normally, I would have made my own polenta and pressed the mixture into the pan and baked it with a smothering of toppings, but being that it was already rolled, it would have been hard to press the pre-fab corn meal rounds together. I sliced it in small rounds and topped it with roasted vegan goodness. Note: you need lots of garlic! Both my uncles enjoyed these yummy bites and even us savage carnivores ate them!

1 pkg of pre made polenta
1 clove of garlic
1 medium eggplant
2 red bell pepper
1 small spanish onion
2 tbs fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbp Olive oil.
1/4 cup of soy cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F

Place vegetables, whole on a baking sheet covered lightly in olive oil. Roast until all vegetables are soft.

Place peppers in a ziploc bag until cooled and then remove skins. (the ziploc bag will make it easier to take the skins off).

Roughly chop all vegetables and add fresh rosemary and olive oil, salt and pepper.

Squeeze garlic cloves from their skin and mash with vegetable mixture.

Slice polenta in rounds approx 1 inch thick and arrange on baking tray.

Top with vegetable mixture and crumbled soy cheese.

Turn heat down to 350F and bake for 25 minutes or until the polenta looks golden at the edges.

2009-07-18T11:25:00.010-04:00

Thanks to Wes, for sourcing out the pickled Cascabellas (which I learned are different from the cascabels I mentioned earlier on my blog.) and mailing them to me! I arrived home yesterday to find a little package in front of my door. First of all, let me just say how amazing it is to receive REAL MAIL. Parcels are exciting to begin with, but even better when they contain food (especially of the spicy variety). I tore into it to find a container of lovely golden peppers that were rich and spicy. Absolutely delicious and amazing. What a guy! Thank you, Wesley!

Fish and Vegetables

2009-07-16T09:04:00.005-04:00

Although I often wax poetic about the flavour giving qualities of butter and it's sweet creamy texture, fattening creams and pates (stay tuned as I have a great chicken liver one for you!), I do like to partake of a more healthful diet on occasion. Fish is the perfect place to start. Unlike many meats like chicken and pork that beg for a marinade, it needs very little to bring out it's natural flavours. Often times just a quick flash of pepper and salt, some olive oil and lemon is all you need for a lovely bit of protein that is both healthy and tastes delicious. There's also something about fish that I find indulgent as opposed to restrained. Perhaps this is because many people don't cook a lot of fish at home or perceive it to be expensive, when really, it is quick and relatively economical depending on the type of fish you purchase. For instance, sushi grade tuna will run you a lot more than will a nice fresh piece of pickerel.

Speaking of Pickerel, it's pictured above. I needed a healthy dinner with lots of veggies so I used the salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon method from above and sauteed some fresh veggies (starting the sautee process with the firmest vegetables first, and finishing with the softer ones so that everything was lightly cooked and still al dente). I used a little lemon, olive oil, and some pomegranate molassses to sweeten things up a bit. The fresh herb component was mainly some fresh sage, basil and parsley from my herb pot.

This simple method for fish will allow the delicate flavours to shine through. Of course there are more complicated methods, but really, why bother? Fish, to me, is it's very own brand of perfection and messing with that can be a great crime, indeed.

White Sangria

2009-07-14T08:54:00.010-04:00

I'm, going to make a variation on the traditional base of red wine, opting instead for a Pinot Grigio and blessing it with fresh cherries, pineapple and peaches.

I have begun the process of soaking the fruit in wine. Judging by the colour of my fingers after splitting the cherries, this may very well look more like RED sangria when all is said and done..and drunk...

After a few hours of soaking, I'll be ready to impart some tasting notes.

...later

After experimenting with different effervescent beverages, I decided that my favourite incarnation was the following and I may still play with the measurements, but a cocktail really is up to the individual. I mean, really...if it's self served in a pitcher on the table, do you think there will be leftovers? You'll need a big pitcher to mix it all together:

1 cup freshly chopped pineapple
1/2 peach
1 cup of pitted cherries
1 litre of white wine. (I used a Pinot Grigio, but whatever white you like is fine.)
2 cups of Prosecco of other sparkling wine
1 can of 7 up.

Stir vigorously, and pour into a wine or cocktail glass garnished with a fresh slice of pineapple.

I'm really pleased with the way this turned out. I don't want to add any more sugar than what naturally leaks out from the fruit and the small ratio of 7 Up. I think this cocktail should remain fresh and only slightly sweet. I'm convinced it's a killer patio drink. Now I have to find a patio and test this theory.

Peaches and Cream

2009-07-13T18:41:00.003-04:00

This is an old family recipe that I remember my Grandmother making for us. Not a single summer of growing up went by without this fresh, creamy dessert. When I eat it, I am transported to Niagara Peach Country, where I grew up over the hot summers; june bugs vibrating in the evening, fireflies whizzing about, looking like galaxies unto themselves... riding my bike to the pool each afternoon to splash, swim and bake in the sun like a crab on the beach. My first boyfriend had a job sorting peaches and used to select the most juicy and delicious ones, bringing them home for me to eat. Peach kisses were the nicest...

The reason I love this so much is the sour cream. Now, I'm sure that you're partially horrified at this and you may even have exclaimed "SOUR CREAM?" out loud whilst reading, but I promise you that sour cream is an important part of the flavour balance here. Fat, sticky peaches bathed in their own liquor and a smattering of brown sugar, nestled beneath a blanket of smooth tangy cream, finished off with a dusting of freshly ground cinnamon. This is the perfect dessert for a backyard barbecue on a hot summer night. Aside from being a desert that a child could prepare (and believe me, I did) it requires no oven. In fact, it's not really cooking at all!

Give it a whirl...

8 large peaches, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 500 m tub of sour cream
freshly ground cinnamon for garnish

Slice peaches, leaving the fuzz on and toss in a large bowl with brown sugar.

Transfer to a decorative serving bowl and top with sour cream.

Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

Store in the fridge for at least 2 hours, giving the peaches a chance to release their juices.

Serves 4-6

Deviled Eggs with Wild Leek Pesto

2009-07-13T06:10:00.005-04:00

I ended up taking this photo before I had deviled the eggs (i.e., added mayonnaise to the yolk and returned it to it's white cradle).

Yet one more use for pesto!

Fresh!

2009-06-22T18:54:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favourite times of year to cook. Produce is plentiful, colourful and fresh and what you cook changes to accommodate the hot days that you'd rather leave your oven off. I love making meal-size salads with fresh avocados, smoked trout and capers. Strawberries can be a sweet addition to baby greens with an aged balsamic vinaigrette, goat cheese and toasted pecans.
I'll be even happier when fresh tomatoes are ready and I can have a garden fresh helping of them with fresh basil and some buffalo mozzarella, lightly torn and sprinkled with a peppery extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper. With a little Vino Verde and you're all set for a light dinner on the patio.
We'll get to barbecuing later...

Cascabel Chili Paste

2009-06-02T22:46:00.005-04:00

Encouraged my my friend Wes, to try the Cascabel Pepper, I found myself shoveling a dried bunch of them into a bag at Perola's Latin Food Market today. I had yet to try the mild pepper with the rich, heady backbone. I wanted a sauce that would display the unique flavour of this pepper so I opted for a simple chili paste that can be easily made in a food processor with minimal ingredients. It's fairly standard and I think it would work well with just about any dried chili you could find.

Ingredients:

7 dried cascabel chilies, stems pulled off
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white vinegar

Whiz all together in a food processor until it forms a rubbly paste with seeds still visible.

I am so excited to try this on something. It's too late to eat now...almost 11 pm, but I have the feeling that this would be stellar on scrambled eggs, as a topping for my poblano chile soup, on a steak or as an addition to any meat marinade. I might even make a rich chicken stew with this. More to come...

Naga Jolokia: The Hottest Chile In The World

2009-06-02T21:01:00.006-04:00

I finally got my hands on some of these today in dried form. These hot babies measure anywhere from 855,000 - 1,041,427 on the scoville scale which makes it roughly 208.29 times hotter than a jalepeno. The pepper is native to India and has been used to induce sweating in the hot climate, as a medicinal balm (don't ask me how this would work), and even more unlikely is its use as a digestive aid! I'm not afraid to eat them but to be honest, the fear lies in handling them. I scooped them up at the market today and four hours later, after washing my hands three times, I still felt a powerful tingle if I touched my fingers to my lips. Break out the rubber gloves and goggles...Jenny's going in!

Update to follow...

Lily Pasta...Wychwood inspire me!

2009-05-31T20:46:00.013-04:00

I've lived at Bathurst and St. Clair for over four years and I'm embarrassed to tell you that this Saturday was the first time I had been to The Wychwood Barns Farmer's Market. This organically themed farmer's market made me wish I had done this local small scale- market thing sooner. I usually frequent Kensington since I travel by bicycle and around the corner hardly seems as challenging of a workout as getting back home up the Casa Loma hill with your basket full of vegetables and your backpack weighing you down with things that your basket wouldn't hold. So I set out on a little stroll...

As I made my way along St. Clair, turning at Christie, I was taken with the lovely May morning, I thought nothing could be better. I reconsidered when I reached the market with the the stalls lined up out doors canopied with white tents. This place was a little journey to organic land! Thankfully, there was a free trade cafe to purchase my much needed morning cup of java. Delighted with the dark roast and the scent of awakening, I found that fresh seasonal things were abound from fiddleheads, rhubarb and asparagus to fresh duck eggs and wild leeks. I came across a guy selling chocolate made from cacao trees in the rain forest. One of his offerings was a chocolate spiked with chili pepper. Come on, you know that I bought some of this! There were venison sausages, locally caught smoked fish, lovely raw sheep's milk cheeses and bountiful amounts of freshly foraged mushrooms.

I was inspired to make a Rhubarb and Lemon Balm crumble with Oat and Walnut topping. It's in the oven as I write this. I just got up to to take a look and it's getting all brown on top and the rhubarb is bubbling in a sticky gentle rose colour at the sides of the pan. I opted for cardamom as an aromatic hoping that it would lend the same warmth that cinnamon does to an apple crumble, but a brighter tone to compliment the tanginess of the rhubarb.

Those Wild Leeks made their way into my favourite pesto yet. Pat Crocker introduced me to wild leeks, and when I saw them at the market, I had to give them a try. A cross between green onions and garlic, and a member of the lily family, they made a nice basis for my pesto. I began with:

1/2 lb of wild leeks, cleaned and trimmed
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste

It tasted good, but I wanted something to add a bit more zing. If I had a lemon on hand, I would have incorporated some juice and zest. Sadly, the only lemons available in my kitchen were shriveled and hard. I tossed them in the garbage and continued my search for something that was more unique and slightly acidic. At the back of one of my cupboards, I found a little bottle of ice wine vinegar. Unsure as to whether or not this addition would overwhlem or add too much acidity or sweetness to the pesto, poured a half a teaspoon full into a dish, a dab of pesto on top of that and mixed it all up. Much to my joy, I found that this was the exact balance that I had been looking for. For a cup and a half of pesto, I added just 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vinegar and it proved to be the right blend of ingredients to really pump up this pesto and give it a distinctive flavour. I also liked that the ice wine vinegar was semi-local. I felt like it furthered the authenticity of the recipe.

I'm considering my options for this pesto. I love the versatility of a sauce like this and I'm certain that it would be divine on spaghetti with some more toasted pine nuts and a dusting of pecorino cheese; beautiful in an omelette; a sauce for chicken with some sauteed mushrooms; it might even make a great pizza sauce!

I was so enthused by all the goodness at the Wychwood market, and when it comes right down to it, the best way to shop is by seeing what's fresh, what you like, and build your menu from there. Half the fun of cooking is considering the possibilities before you even get back into the kitchen, matching the food to your mood and creating something that was born from inspiration.

Next Day...

Lily Pasta:

Because both the Asparagus and the Wild Leeks are part of the Lily family.

1 fistful of Bucatini
2 tablespoons of Wild Leek Pesto (recipe above)
1/2 lb asparagus, stems trimmed and each spear cut into thirds on the diagonal
2 tbsp toasted Pine Nuts
1/8 cup finely grated Parmagiano Reggiano
Fresh Black Pepper

Heat a pan on med hi and toast the pine nuts until they become golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Boil salted water in a large pot and blanch the asparagus spears (approx. 2 minutes)

Remove asparagus and add the bucatini to the same water.

Boil bucatini, drain and toss with the pesto, cheese and toasted pine nuts and finish with cracked black pepper.

I sat down this evening to this! Seasonal, delicious and well paired with a grassy Sauvignon Blanc.

Red Hot

2009-05-25T21:50:00.005-04:00

I'm once again dealing with the idea of focus and perspective for this cookbook. I find myself inspired by so many things on a continual basis that it's difficult to pin down one type of cuisine that I want to write about or cook consistently-and being that variety is the spice of life-why should I?
There is one tonal element that seems to throng loudly throughout almost all of my recipes. That is: HEAT! It's a fact that I am hot food freak. Co workers are simultaneously sickened and amazed at the mountain of dried chilies that I will add to my pasta before eating it without a flinch. Friends marvel with concern as well as glee when I order chicken wings "beyond suicide" at the pub. It's not that I lack taste buds, but rather that I am, as anyone who is obsessed with spicy food knows, addicted to the pain, the glory and sinus clearing benefits that an infernal meal delivers.
We are like members of a secret cult, and we're fiercely competitive with one another. Friendships have been instantly made upon the discovery that another person entered a chili pepper eating contest. Countless groups dedicated to the ingestion of nearly lethally hot peppers exist worldwide, so that members may culminate and put their pride and reputations on the line. I know this because I am one of these crazy people.

And I'm freaking proud of it.

So, I am writing this book no only for myself, but for all those who crave some spice in their life. Thai, Mexican, Indian, and Italian are all special favourites of mine and I'm hell bent on sharing some recipes that would blow the mind of a fire eater--just for kicks, but could also be modified to suit less adventurous palates.

Spicy food is sexy, racy and filled with risk and temptation. With all of these scintillating attributes, what's not to love?

photo ©2009 blackbaa photography

Masala Mushrooms

2009-05-19T17:40:00.005-04:00

Ingredients

30 white mushrooms (stems removed)
1 pkg cream cheese
1 lb of ground pork
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tbsp ground fenugreek
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp mango powder
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp canola oil
salt to taste.
Chopped cilantro for garnish.

Preheat oven to 400F

Brush mushrooms clean and remove the stems. If the hole in the mushroom is not large enough to stuff easily, trim the sides and bottom to make it larger.

On Medium high heat, fry the onion in the canola oil and add the spices. Fry gently for a couple of minutes.

Add the pork and cook through completely.

remove pan from heat and stir in the beaten egg and the cream cheese to the warm mixture.

Let cool and spoon mixture into mushroom caps, packing down firmly.

Place mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the mushroom is soft and cooked and the tops are browned.

Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Women's Culinary Network Potluck Dinner

2009-05-19T08:47:00.009-04:00

I've taken a bit of a hiatus from writing for the past few weeks. I've still been cooking when I've had the time, however, this month my full time job has been keeping me more than busy. Part time work is still flowing in, and between bike rides, birthdays and joining a soccer league, I haven't had as much time as I would like to sit down and be productive at the computer. Excuses excuses... During times like this, where I feel myself lagging behind in my creative pursuits, it helps to make time for some networking. I did just that, last week at the Women's Culinary Network Annual Potluck Dinner.

I was invited by one of the members, Pat Crocker, whom I have affectionately adopted as my mentor. Pat is a fabulously fun and talented woman who is offering me heaps of great advice on cookbook writing, photography and networking. She's the author of several "Bibles" on Vegetarian Cooking, Juicing and Herbs.

Pat made a delish Wild Leek Couscous Loaf accompanied by her lovely pomegranate jelly. You can find the recipe for this healthy and delicious dish on her blog, which I've linked on the sidebar of my home page, along with her website Riversong Herbals. As her guest, I was not obliged to bring anything, but I made some of my Curried Stuffed Mushrooms and they went over well. Between all the talented women who contributed a dish, there was a virtual feast of delicious things to be had. I went a little overboard forgetting about dessert. As usual, I found room to sample more.

Pat was a lovely host and introduced me to so many food savvy colleagues of hers. I'm hoping to see them all again at the next 'do and meet with Pat soon to chat about our blogs, her thoughts on recipes and bask in her herbal expertise. Maybe she'll give me a sneak peek at the two books she's working on this summer!

Pat, thanks again. You're the best! And thanks to all the lovely ladies who gave me such a warm welcome and fed not only my belly, but my creativity as well!

Hot Artichoke Dip with Parmesan and Lemon

2009-05-03T11:59:00.007-04:00

I made this crowd pleasing dip for a clothing trade that a friend of mine hosted this week. Served warm with flatbreads or tortilla chips, it's guaranteed to be a hit.

2 pkgs of light Cream Cheese brought to room temperature
2 cans of artichoke hearts
1 cup of grated Parmesan
1 head of roasted garlic
2 raw cloves of garlic
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 large lemon zest and juice
1 tbsp white pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat your oven to 350F

Reserve half of the paremsan cheese for the top.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and whiz until well mixed.

Pour mixture into an oven safe casserole dish and top with reserved cheese.

Bake for 35 min.

If you're not ready to serve it right away, you can turn the oven down to 200F and leave it to keep warm.

Serve with Pita, Tortilla Chips or Flatbreads.

Serves Approximately 12 people.

Curried Spring Eggs

2009-05-03T11:20:00.006-04:00

When the blossoms burst and the sunshine takes over for the relentless rain, we know that the climax of spring is here. Along with the mild weather our diets often turn to lighter fare and seasonal ingredients. A sunny Sunday brunch is always a great way to show off some of spring's newest offerings. These eggs offer a fresh pop of flavour with crunchy asparagus, assertive cilantro and mild spring onions set aglow with whisper of indian spice.

4 stalks of asparagus, blanched and sliced on the diagonal into 3 inch pieces
6 large eggs
2 tbsp of cream (can use milk, if preferred)
1 raw green onion sliced lengthwise in very thin strips
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp chopped cliantro
1 tbsp butter

To blanch the asparagus boil salted water and cook the asapragus in it for roughly 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk together eggs, cream, curry powder until all ingredients are combined and the whites and the yolks of the eggs are no longer separate.

In a frying pan, melt the butter in medium hi heat and toss in the green onion strips. Allow them to soften a bit.

Add the egg mixture and scramble together.

Serve and garnish with cilantro on multi grain toast, setting the asparagus crosswise over the top. The picture above is done with shavings of parmaggiano reggiano and the curry was not used. This option can also be utilized if curry is not your thing.

* for extra pizzaz and a bit of indian flare, you can toast and serve on naan bread or a toasted paratha!

Butter Chicken

2009-04-23T09:45:00.007-04:00

Butter Chicken

2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
2 tbsp tandoori masala or paste
1 container of full fat yogurt
2 tbs crushed garlic
3 tbs crushed ginger
2 tbsp garam masala
1 /4 lb of butter
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tbsp sugar
1.4 cup of cashew or almond butter
2 tins of tomato paste
1 cup of heavy cream.
Fresh cilantro for garnish aroma and flavour

Place half the garlic an ginger in a bowl with half of the garam masala, tandoori masala, chicken and yogurt.

Marinate overnight.

Fry the dry spices in a little oil

Add the chicken, but not the yogurt.

Brown the chicken and set aside.

In the same saucepan add the tomatoes, as well as the rest of the remaining ingredients except for the cream and butter, which will be added gradually, later on.

Cook until flavours begin to mix an you can smell the aromas of the spices.

Add the browned chicken and simmer on Medium heat until the chicken is cooked through.

Graudually add the cream and butter until you have a smooth sauce with tender morsels of chicken.

Garnish with the fresh cilantro.

Serve with Basmati rice or Naan

Coconut, Coconut, Coconut

2009-04-13T20:06:00.007-04:00

Recently, I found myself in a favourite Pho restaurant on Dundas Street craving a steaming bowl of Vietnamese Pho Soup with rare beef and brisket, slippery rice noodles, and fresh smattering of bean sprout, basil and tart lime. But what to drink with this warm, brothy bowl of goodies? I craved contrast, something cooling, smooth and creamy. My eyes searched the menu in yearning, eventually reaching what seemed to be the desired destiny at the "Coconut Shake". But would it deliver?

It delivered. Oh. Did. It. Deliver.

As I slurped my soup and rescued the noodles and beef from it's spicy abyss, I alternately sipped this perfect chilled accompaniment through it's blue striped bendy straw. So rich and delicious was this frosty treat, that a strange and unfamiliar feeling crept in; an often unfelt emotion for an unapologetic glutton like myself. Was this... no...It could not be..was I not above this sort of warped food hating thought...but ohhh..was this too good to be true....was it--could it be... FOOD GUILT? How much coconut milk, coconut cream and ice cream was in this thing? It was sin in a glass! Surely the devil himself had made this for me.

When I approached the counter to pay for my satanic feast for the senses, I beseeched the owner to tell me what was in the shake.

It's contents left me gaping in disbelief:

Frozen Young Coconut Flesh (which is fiber-rich)
Sugar
Ice
SKIM MILK!!!

Every angel in heaven broke through the clouds and sang in a blissful chorus and the sun shone through in a stream of light, beaming upon this lovely vietnamese woman. She was not feeding me coconut milk, ice cream, or whipped, frozen lard (not that I have qualms about consuming any of the aforementioned ingredients, but hopefully they would be served to me individually and on differing occasions), but a lovely indulgence complete with fiber!

Just to be sure I tried it at home in my blender and sure enough, it was the very bliss that I had remembered. I am now thinking...rum? This is not my recipe, tis true. But this is how inspiration works and I will, to be sure, play with this rudimentary, nonetheless orgasmic, mixture and add a few elements that will make it unique. Play with it yourself and comment with your outcomes. Stay tuned...

Asian Dumplings

2009-04-13T19:43:00.004-04:00

There are many ways to make them and even more varied methods of consuming them, but a simple dumpling recipe is something that rewards you when you pop it's flavourful compactness into your mouth and "mmmmmmm" as you chew.

A good recipe for simple chinese dumplings is:

200 grams ground pork (or chicken or beef)
1 egg
2 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 small knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp white pepper
30 wonton skins

1 bowl of water for sealing the dumplings

Whiz all ingredients in a food processor and spoon into the middle of dumpling wrapper. Dip a pastry brush in the water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Gather the sides at the top and pinch to form a basket shape.

Steam in a bamboo steamer for 5 minutes.

You can dip them in your favourite hot sauce or mix together some soy sauce and sesame oil with a bit of sugar, and ginger for a nice light flavour. I like to drizzle with just a little extra sesame oil.

You also have the option of folding them into triangles and serving them in a soup. Spicy chicken broth with bok choy is delicious.

Or you can pan fry them in a little peanut oil and serve them crispy with a dip of honey, soy and dijon.

Currently, I am experimenting with a shrimp and coconut ravioli, using one wonton skin on the bottom and another on the top, sealing the edges and creating a little square parcel. I want to serve them in a fashion akin to traditional ravioli, but in a thai curry sauce with bamboo and bean sprouts. I've made the ravioli and frozen them. I'll need some guinea pigs to try this recipe out for me. Any takers?

photo ©2009 blackbaa photography

Channa Masala (Chick Pea Curry)

2009-04-05T19:17:00.010-04:00

Totally vegetarian, easily modified for vegans, loads of protein, delicious, healthy and just plain yum. I use Channa Masala, a boxed mixture of Indian spices that are perfect for the chickpeas, instead of the individual spices. It's much faster and if you're going to the Indian Market to pick up all these spices separately, you're going to spend a lot more money.

Ingredients:

1 can of chick peas

4 tbsp channa masala

1 tbsp chili powder

1 fresh tomato diced (or 1 cup of canned diced tomatoes)

1 clove garlic chopped

2 tbsp fresh grated ginger root

1/4 cup plain yogurt

3 tbsp canola oil

salt.

Heat oil in pan and fry spices gently until they foam a bit.

Add garlic and ginger.

Add tomatoes.

Add chickpeas and simmer for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked down and incorporated into the sauce.

Add yogurt.

Salt to taste.

Serve with Naan, Basmati Rice, or Paratha.

*To make a vegan version, omit the yogurt and add an extra tomato to the cooking process. It will not be as creamy, but will sill have great flavour.
photo ©2009 blackbaa photography

Bombay Potatoes

2009-04-04T11:08:00.006-04:00

Wonderfully easy to make, these delicious golden spuds are a beautiful addition to any South Indian Meal. They are also a nice side dish with meat curries. If you've ever had Dosa, which are Indian lentil crepes, stuffed with various fillings, you'll recognize these potatoes as the inside goodness from Masala Dosa. I also love to eat these with hot chili pickle and methi paratha, an Indian flatbread made with fenugreek leaves. Both can be bought at your local indian grocery store.

Ingredients:

4 large white potatoes, skins on, chopped in large chunks.

1 tbsp black mustard seeds

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp turmeric

salt

vegetable oil

Boil the potato chunks in salted water until fork tender.

Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil and add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, cover with lid until popping almost ends.

Add onion slices and fry until translucent.

Add turmeric and potatoes.

Fry until the turmeric's yellow colour has covered all of the potatoes.

Adjust salt to taste.

P.S. If you're not digging the carbs, you can add some cumin seeds to the frying process and sub the potatoes for cauliflower!

Little Seeds

2009-04-04T09:32:00.007-04:00

Growing up In Niagara on the Lake in the 1980's, there was little opportunity for me to try any foods that were adventurous or multicultural. I lived, as did my friends, in a meat and potatoes household; pork chops, steak, chicken thighs with some sort of starch and frozen vegetables was a typical meal. This is not to say that my mother was a bad cook---far from it-- Her lasagna is to die for and being of Polish and Hungarian background, she makes a mean Chicken Paprikash--not to mention the best Chocolate Chip Cookies on earth! I learned all my cooking basics from watching her over the years. She worked full time, cooked for a family and cleaned the house. She had a lot on her plate, so it wasn't surprising that what was on ours, was tasty and well balanced, but never exotic.

Enter the university years.

My first roommate, Anita, was East Indian and descended from a long line of fabulous Indian cooks. In white bread Niagara, where the ethnic population bordered on zero, I had little opportunity to make an Indian friend, let alone find myself with the the immense fortune and privilege to view the cooking processes in the kitchen and eat fresh Indian food for dinner.

I remember the first dish that Anita made me: Fried Cabbage with Mustard Seeds and Urid Dal.

"What are those little seeds?", I asked, pointing at the black specks that looked, to me, like poppy seeds, and next to them little beige ones that were larger and flat.

"The black ones" she explained, "Are mustard seeds. And the beige ones are Urid Dal. The Urid dal is like a lentil."

She cooked he mustard seeds like popcorn; frying them in oil and waiting for them to pop. At which point, she covered the pot until the popping was done. The she added the urid dal and fried them until they were golden brown.

"But be careful," she warned, "Because if they burn, the flavour is awful, so you want to throw the cabbage in right when they brown to stop them from cooking".

She added the cabbage with a bit of salt and a small green chile split down the middle and tossed it around in the pan until it was tender. This was my first Indian dish. The mustard seeds were smoky and slightly bitter, a nice compliment to the cabbage while the toasted urid dal imparted a contrasting nutty flavour. The dish was utterly simple and unfathomably wonderful to a small town girl like me, who could, at that point, barely boil rice and had never ventured beyond munching some Chinese takeout for a dose of culinary multiculturalism.

What developed was an obsession that found me putting the "little seeds", as I called them, on everything. My favourite concoction that sent Anita into her trademark hysterics of laughter and put her on the phone to her mother to no doubt, tell the tale of my bastardization of Indian cuisine, was the perfect food for a starving student, providing some cheap protein and loads of taste: Spaghetti with Little Seeds.

Needless to say, we ate a lot of those seeds on many things that year. When I moved back to Niagara for the summer, I returned with the friendship of one of the most fun-loving, wonderfully candid and good hearted people I've ever had the fortune of meeting, a new culinary perspective and two jars of little seeds.

Thai Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Shrimp

2009-03-31T08:30:00.007-04:00

Glass Noodles are lovely transparent threads made from moong beans. Also known as Bean Thread Noodles or Cellophane Noodles, they're a great way to add extra protein to vegetarian diets and a nice alternative to rice noodles. This is one of my favourite dishes to have at a Thai restaurant and you may find it listed as Pad Woon Sen on the menu. These noodles are not saucy and saturated. This dish is fresh and colourful and can also be served cold for a picnic or a great take- to- work- lunch. It's also delicious as a straightforward vegetarian dish with or without tofu.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp Peanut Oil
4 Bundles of Bean Thread Noodles
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 lime juiced
1 carrot, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
3/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms (can substitute sliced button mushrooms if desired)
1 lb of shrimp
2 eggs
2 green onions, roughly chopped
Crushed chili flakes

For Garnish:
crushed peanuts
chopped fresh cilantro

In a bowl soak the wood ear mushroom in boiling water for 20 minutes or until tender. (drain excess liquid) before adding to stir fry.

Soak bean thread noodles in cold water for 10 minutes.

Mix together lime juice, sugar and fish sauce, garlic and chili flakes.

Heat Peanut oil in a wok or stir fry pan.

Add shrimp and cook with sauce.

As soon as the shrimp turn pink, add the noodles and toss in pan.

Add egg and stir in making sure to keep everything in the pan moving.

Toss is vegetables.

Garnish with crushed peanuts and fresh cilantro.

Low Cal Margaritas... More Bang less Hang!

2009-03-28T10:34:00.007-04:00

I am a sucker for a salty margarita, but not such a fan of the hangover that they provide. In order to cut down on the headache factor, I cut back on the sugar, using Crystal Light Lemon Lime drink crystals instead of sugary, syrupy drink mixes that will leave you reaching for the Advil bottle the next morning. I use silver tequila for margaritas because I like the sting and in the end, it's a real shame to bury a lovely smooth tequila under all the flavours in this drink. Save the good stuff for sipping au natural. I don't add triple sec to this margarita as it ups the calories and sugar. Always remember: sugar=hangover. But if you're all about the Orange flavour, I won't stop you from adding a shot or two to the mix.

Get your blender out...

Ingredients:
1 pkg Crystal Light Lemon Lime drink mix (or other generic brand of sugar free Lemon or lime drink crystals)
2 cups water
12 oz silver Tequila
Juice of 3 limes
2 cups ice.
3 oz Triple Sec or Grand Marnier

Rim the glasses with Salt. Have a plate of salt handy and run a lime over the rim of the glass so that the salt will stick. Dip rim in salt and set aside.

Add all ingredients to your blender and whiz until ice is slushy.

Pour into salt rimmed glasses and garnish with a lime wedge.

Cream of Poblano Chile Soup

2009-03-28T10:13:00.007-04:00

This is a deliciously spicy soup that is authentically Mexican in flavour. I first had this at a resort in Manzanillo and loved it because it was simultaneously delicate, rich and fiery. The perfect beginning to a zesty south of the border meal! This soup is for those who like a little heat. Even with the seeds removed, the Poblano Chile can still be quite hot. Make sure to invite guests who are Muy Caliente!

Ingredients:

5 Poblano Chiles (Roasted, Seeded Skinned and Pureed)
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F and place chiles on a baking sheet.

Roast in the oven until the skin becomes blistered and brown, turning once to ensure that the peppers are thoroughly charred.

When peppers are done, remove from oven and place in a brown paper bag for 30 minutes so that the skins peel away from the flesh of the peppers easily.

Peel off skins and remove the stem and seeds.

Puree Peppers in a Food Processor with the clove of garlic.

In a large pot on med hi heat, add the flour and toast lightly. Add butter, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.

Gradually add in chicken stock.

Add pepper puree and whisk together with all remaining ingredients except for the cream, which you will add gradually at the end.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish Ideas:

Sour Cream
Queso Fresco (Fresh Mexican Cheese)
Tortilla Chips
Avocado
Tomato
Poblano Chile Bits
Cilantro

Serves 4-6

photo ©2009 blackbaa photography

Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake

2009-03-22T14:39:00.003-04:00

This recipe is still under revision. I threw it all together haphazardly last Wednesday, not expecting it to turn out. Lo and behold, it was great! Yesterday, my second attempt found me with a bit too much batter and an overflowing loaf pan. Nonetheless, a bit of trimming from the sides and it was still delicious. I'm confident that the third try will be a charm!

Potato Gnocchi in Gorgonzola Cream

2009-03-22T13:38:00.002-04:00

Eggplant Fritters with Lemon Yogurt Dip

2009-03-22T13:29:00.004-04:00

Eggplant Fritters

Here is a recipe that is open to interpretation. I really want you to experiment with the cheeses and herbs to see what you like the best. I prefer the rosemary and parmesan, but that’s just me. Oregano is equally nice and lends a more heady flavour. You can also substitute any mixture of leftover vegetables from potato to squash.

These lovely little morsels are delicious and the perfect starter before a pasta dinner with a glass of wine or as a vegetable side dish with lamb or veal.

Ingredients:

1 whole Eggplant cubed
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup parmesan (or any finely grated semi hard cheese. Pecorino, Romano, etc.)
2 tsp dried basil, oregano or rosemary (or a few or all three…your choice)
2 eggs
½ cup breadcrumbs
canola oil (for frying)
salt and pepper

Boil the eggplant in salted water
Drain and mash with salt, pepper, parmesan, garlic, basil, and 1 of the beaten eggs and half of the breadcrumbs.
Leave mixture to cool in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter
Beat one egg in a bowl and dip fritters in the egg before rolling them gently in the breadcrumbs.
*Shallow fry in canola oil until golden brown.
Drain on paper towel and serve hot or cold.

* For shallow frying, use a large skillet and cover the bottom of the pan in ¼ inch (or less if you can) of oil. You will need to turn the fritters once during cooking. Med-hi heat usually works best for this.

Lemon Yogurt Dip

Mix together:

½ cup of plain yogurt
zest and juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic chopped
1/8 cup chopped parsley
salt to taste

Guacamole

2009-03-22T10:46:00.006-04:00

I don't know about you, but there's nothing I love more on a hot summer afternoon than relentless sunshine, a stinging, salty margarita, and some fresh tortilla chips with home made guacamole.

Please never buy guacamole in a plastic tub. It won't kill you but it may do irreversible damage to your soul. You'll be cheating yourself out of one of life's greatest pleasures: a fresh avocado. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to keep the pit in the guacamole bowl to keep it from turning brown. A little squeeze of fresh lime juice will keep that guac green.

2 ripe avocados
juice of 2 limes
1 small tomato diced
1/2 onion diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 jalapeno diced (optional)
salt to taste

Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl and add cilantro, onion and cumin and jalapeno (if using).

Scoop flesh of ripe avocado into the bowl and mash ingredients together with a fork.

Salt to taste.

Add tomato and mash until all ingredients are incorporated.

Serve with fresh corn tortilla chips.

Coming this Weekend...

2009-03-18T17:16:00.004-04:00

Spicy Eggplant Croquettes with Lemon Yogurt Dip

Lemon Tea Cake With Blueberry- Balsamic Reduction

Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

2009-03-14T10:47:00.006-04:00

Mmmmmm...Bacon and egg with noodles! This is a very satisfying dish, indeed. I've spoken to a few different chefs about this recipe as well as doing some research on my own. I learned that this particular type of pasta originated in the hills outside of Rome during the second world war, when many Italians were eating eggs and bacon that were brought by North American troops. I also became acquainted with several variations on carbonara. Some use regular bacon strips, while others use pancetta (my personal fave). A few of the recipes that I consulted recommended the use of cream and the omission of the egg white to make a smoother, richer sauce. Just for kicks (cuz i like to get mine) I made it sans whites and added the cream. It was good but i wouldn't make it this way for two reasons. The first being that I like the knobby little pieces of egg and parmesan that form on the spaghetti. It makes for more visual and textural interest. Secondly, I hate the idea of wasting the whites. Waste is never good and the historian in me thinks that if this dish was really founded during wartimes, when food was scarce, that we should pay homage to those frugal, wartime cooks who concocted this wonderful dish. This is my version, which is fairly standard, but i find it has the right balance of eggy goodness and salty pancetta.

Ingredients:

A fistful of spaghetti (never worry that you've made too much)
1 cup of diced pancetta
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt to taste
a handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Cook spaghetti... while it is cooking...

In a large skillet fry the pancetta until crispy. When finished cooking leave pancetta in the pan. This is where you will assemble the dish, but try to cool the pan off a little. If it is too hot the eggs will cook too quickly. You want more of a sauce than just scrambled eggs.

In a mixing bowl, crack and beat the eggs with half of the parmesan and half the cracked black pepper and the garlic.

Drain spaghetti and toss in the pan with the egg mixture with the parsley. The heat of the pasta will cook the eggs enough to make a lovely gooey sauce.

Sprinkle with remaining black pepper and parmesan.

Serves about 4 as a starter, 2 as a main.

Ratatouille

2009-03-12T16:13:00.004-04:00

I spied a ripe red tomato on my counter. It was perfect: red and plump. But one more day would make it substandard. I had to use it. That eggplant in the fridge was begging to be cooked, too. There was also a green pepper...some onion... Well well well...it looked to me like it was Ratatouille time!
Ratatouille, a stewed vegetable dish originating in the south of France makes, a colourful accompaniment to almost any meal whether it be meat, fish or chicken. In addition to it's versatility with meat, it also serves as a wonderful omelette filling, or side for scrambled eggs. I like to add some black olives to the mix and serve it over penne with a nice shaving of parmesan cheese, hot chilies and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

Roughly chop the following:

1 green bell pepper
1 onion
1 zucchini
1 large ripe tomato
1 eggplant
2 cloves garlic

and the following herbs

1 bay leaf
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano

olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

(if using dried herbs reduce the measurement of each to 1 teaspoon, with the exception of the bay leaf, which you will still use one of).

In a large, deep sided skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and fry the onion and bell pepper until onions become traslucent.

Add the eggplant and zucchini. At this point you may have to add a little more oil as the eggplant is very porous and will soak it up quickly. Salting the mixture at this point may also be helpful.

Add herbs and garlic. Simmer on medium heat until all vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes).

Add chopped tomato and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a few more minutes until tomatoes soften.

Grilled Bread with Butter and Anchovy

2009-03-10T12:56:00.010-04:00

Okay, Okay...enough with the stuff from Rome, already! But this is an amazing antipasto trick that my Uncle Bruno taught me. If you like the melt in your mouth texture of foie gras, but don't have the money or the sideways ethics to indulge, this delicious little bite will blow your mind!
I know that it may seem more logical as well as health conscious to use olive oil rather than butter. The beauty of this morsel, however, is in the way your senses discover each ingredient as a singular element, subsequently ending in an explosive marriage of flavour and texture. First, your palate will recognize the salty anchovy, then your teeth will glide through the slowly melting butter, while your lower jaw crunches through the crisp grilled bread. What follows is a mouthful of bliss!

There are three ingredients and three steps, but for the price and effort, you can't get more bang for your buck!

8 slices of baguette
8 anchovy fillets
8 cold square pats of butter

Grill or toast bread.

Top bread with cold butter.

Top butter with anchovy fillet.

Enjoy...

Focus (or lack thereof).

2009-03-10T09:54:00.011-04:00

My biggest challenge in writing this book has been focus. Cooking, at least for me, is a whimsical practice and just like the seasons and our diets, food needs to be varied. I must confess that focussing on anything has always been a job in itsself for me. It's not that I can't focus--I'm just very bad at it. I'll go to the market, focused on making lamb shanks with braised fennel. I tell myself that I will focus on making this one particular thing. I'll even jot down a list of what I need to buy. Not to remind myself (I have the memory of an elephant) but so that I have a "market map", a detailed outline that helps me to rush in and make a beeline only for the things I need without becoming sidetracked by some fat ripe mangoes, that have no place in my recipe, or my head will be turned by some fresh venison chops. I can never resist the shiny, merlot-like colour. Then I am thinking of making Blueberry Venison with sauteed beets and greens with butternut squash...before I know it, my whole plan of action has changed...wait a minute...what am I here for again? Right--Lamb Shanks. Focus, Jen...for the love of God ...FOCUS!

The market does make me a bit of a flake. But as long as I get what I need, I'll still look around. Ideas and inspiration come from everything available and I don't want to deny myself that opportunity to take it all in. It's good for the creative process.

So back to the book...

Although I am making a lot of head way with the photos and recipes, I am aware that most cookbooks being published by first time authors fall into the "niche" category. Things like: Marzipan Animals or 365 Days of Gelatin Molds...I am being a bit silly with these concepts, but the truth is, that people like niche and they like kitsch. I don't do either. I need to zone in on something that people want, a great angle, something that makes one want to buy this book over all others.

The "Sunday" concept is waning. I don't want to mislead people into thinking that "Sunday" is the only day that my recipes are good for. They are, really, every day dishes. I need to think...what is it that I do in the kitchen? What comes out of my kitchen? The answer is: Whatever I'd like to be eating at a really great restaurant that day. Thai food, Italian, Comfort/Soul Food. "Eating in." Would this work? I need some help from you, my loyal readers. Please fill out the poll at the top right of this page and feel free to post your comment. Some of you know my food already, and some of you are just reading about it here on the blog. All of your opinions would be extremely helpful.

Passionately,

Jen

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

2009-03-09T11:57:00.011-04:00

Another one of my discoveries in Rome. This dish was meaty, bright and creamy all at the same time. A wonderful lunch entree. We had been at the Coliseum that morning and were famished by the time we made it to a little Trattoria around the corner from the Metro station. We ordered this pasta as well as a pizza. The waiter frowned and told us that we were eating too many carbohydrates.

"We'll walk it off." Was our dismissive retort.

We tucked into a bottle of Chianti and marveled at how wonderful the food was. The bucatini was fuller and more of a mouthful than spaghetti or linguine and the sauce was the perfect balance of rich tomato and salty pancetta. A light dusting of pecorino on top made it the perfect lunch that Ronnie and I will talk about for years to come. The waiter, sensing our approval, brightened to us and became more friendly when he realized that we were Canadian and also from Toronto.

"My cousin lives in Toronto!" He cried. "How you like Roma...you go to the Coliseum, no?"

Soon after, complimentary wine arrived at our table.

After that, the owner appeared, proceeded to tell us dirty jokes and fed us limoncello.

This is my rendition of what we had.

Ingredients:

500 gms panceetta, diced
1 lg can of diced tomatoes
1 med onion, chopped finely
1 small clove of garlic, whole
2 tbsp crushed chilies
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup pecorino cheese
3 tbsp good olive oil
½ cup red wine
Bucatini

Fry pancetta and set aside.

In the fat from the pancetta, fry the diced onion, until transparent.

Add the garlic clove, chilies, black pepper and diced tomato.

Add the wine slowly as the sauce begins to simmer and the smells are released.

Boil Bucatini in salted water, drain and toss ¼ of the pecorino. Toss into the sauce and garnish with remaining pecorino and olive oil.

Sauteed Rapini with Garlic and Cherry Tomaotes

2009-03-09T10:40:00.007-04:00

Red and Green are my favourite colours. I love the contrast they provide at the table and this vegetable dish is no exception. I normally serve it with fish, but it makes a beautiful and easy side for almost any occasion. I like to leave the tomatoes whole, as opposed to slicing them in half. There are two reasons for this: the first being that the juice inside the tomatoes tends to make this dish watery and create a brownish liquid that tastes fine, but drowns the rapini a bit. The second reason is that cherry tomatoes, when cooked to perfection (when they skin peels away from the flesh slightly) will burst open in your mouth, releasing all their fresh juices. With just a slight chew, the skin will give way and you have that lovely summery freshness against the sharp taste of the rapini and the warm garlic. This is also lovely served over pasta with a good helping of Parmagiano Reggiano. The addition of some lovely black olives during the warming of the garlic is also nice.

1 bunch or rapini, blanched
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 cup whole cherry tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil.
salt and pepper

Boil a large pot of water and submerge the rapini for about 2 minutes.

Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a deep sided skillet on medium heat, warm the smashed garlic in some olive oil.

When garlic is just lightly cooked turn the heat to high and add the rapini and cherry tomaotes.

Sautee until the skin on the tomatoes pulls away from the flesh.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 2-4

Sundown: Moroccan Lamb

2009-03-08T19:32:00.008-04:00

I'm SO PLEASED with this meal! I made a few changes as I went along and that tweaking is what made it amazing and made it MINE. I think this is part of the road trip...you need to find what YOU like along the way. Sometimes things just feel right and you know when you have the balance that you crave. Food is like everything else in life...you have to trust yourself. I find that by allowing my instinct to flow, I learn more, have a more fun and feel far more satisfaction than I would have, had I worried whether or not I was doing something right. Ask yourself these questions while you are cooking anything:

1) How does it smell? Are you getting hungry smelling what you're cooking... or is there something missing? Think about what you may like to add, add it and don't look back.

2) Does it taste good? Do the taste test periodically for what may be missing...acidity? Add some lemon juice or vinegar. Too acidic? balance it with garlic. It's all about the right balance, but your balance may vary because this is YOUR dish. make it the way YOU like.

3) Does it look good? Colour is so important. Your recipe may not call for a red pepper, but if you feel that more colour is necessary..GO for it. If you don't like red pepper, try a tomato added at the end of the cooking process so that it maintains it's red glossiness. Need some yellow? Lemons make a lovely garnish. Since we eat with our eyes first, appearance is key.

These three questions will help you to have more of an experience in the kitchen. Feel your way, have fun and above all... trust yourself. You will almost never go wrong!

Today, I had planned on adding mango to the pesto. I made the executive decision that the mangoes needed to be part of the couscous. It seemed to me that the colour of the mangoes would be lost by pounding it into the pesto and I was right. It was a better idea to leave the pesto as a green sauce. I DID end up using fresh ginger and garlic as I thought I might earlier this afernoon. But, instead of incorporating it with the rub, I added to the pesto which enhanced it's aroma on the lamb.

Finished with a glass of Shiraz...I wonder: Did I really spend the day lazing around and manage to produce this and write about it?

The Recipes

Mango and Pistachio Couscous

1 1/4 cups of chicken stock
1 cup couscous
1 mango, peeled, sliced and roasted in the oven at 300F for 1 hour
1/4 cup of pistachios
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp of the spice rub for the lamb.
1 can of green lentils (or you can cook your own.)

Dice roasted mango and combine in a mixing bowl with all other ingredients but the stock, rub spice and couscous.

Bring stock and spice mixture to a boil and add couscous. Cover and cook for one more minute and then set aside with the lid on for 5 mins. Fluff with a fork and add to bowl with all other ingredients. Mix well and season with salt, if needed.

Lamb
(For preparation and recipe for spice rub see previous post)

Preheat oven to 350F
Sear the lamb on all sides in a hot pan
Transfer to oven and cook for aprox 15 more minutes or until desired doneness is achieved. Remember that Lamb will continue to cook for an additional few minutes, depending on the side of the cut, after it has been removed from the oven.

Slice rack into chops and arrange in teepee shape around couscous.

Alternately, you could preheat your broiler and slice the rack into chops after searing and broil the chops. This way, you can check the doneness as you are cooking it.

Lemon and Mint Pesto

Zest of one lemon
1 cup of fresh mint, torn.
1/4 cup of pistachios
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 thumb sized knob of fresh ginger, crushed
salt and pepper
Olive oil

Bash all ingredients together in a mortar and pestle and serve over warm lamb.

Mint and Oven Dried Mango Pesto with Pistachio

2009-03-08T16:40:00.005-04:00

I'm beginning to feel the excitement that creeps in when ideas flow and my greed carries me off to a place where only the most delicious creations are made. I have some left over mangoes that I need to use. I've popped them in the oven so that their consistency will be a little less watery. When those are done I'll crush them in my mortar and pestle with some mint, lemon, pistachios and olive oil. Hopefully, this will be a nice aromatic pesto to spoon on to the warm lamb. Mint Jelly? No thank you. I'm walking just the other side the straight and narrow today.

Spice Route

2009-03-08T12:07:00.010-04:00

Amidst my coffee, a virgin caesar and the new LCBO Food and Drink, I have made my spice rub.

1 Ground Tablespoon each of:

Coriander
Cumin
Cinnamon
Paprika
Caraway

1 Teaspoon each of sugar and salt

How did I come up with this concoction? I have a pretty savvy basis for scents and smells. I know the basic spices that I want to use, but I also want to do some research. Googling is handy, other cookbooks are great for a basis. But, by the time I am finished with this, I will have taken a few unexpected twists and turns that will bring me to my final product. Do I want to add fresh garlic and ginger? I'm not sure yet. Recipes are not for following, they are for comparing, contrasting and inspiring. Finding your way. It's Sunday, and I'm taking the scenic route on this Kitchen Culture road trip.

Now I need to get around to coating the lamb racks so they get all sexy and spicy and soak up the flavours. In the meantime, I will busy myself downloading music, writing out more recipes for my book, and going out to the store to get some cous cous. This last task will require actually getting dressed. Blech.

Spring Forward

2009-03-08T10:20:00.006-04:00

It's Sunday morning. Not only that, but it's the first day of Daylight Savings Time. I have lost one hour of my life. I realize that I will get it back in the fall, but that doesn't provide much consolation when I know I've got to wake up for work Monday morning and it will feel like 4 am.

Today, in honour of Spring's approach, I am making rack of Lamb. Today's blogs will take you through a typical Sunday for me. Devising a Meal Plan for dinner. I am not a mother planning a family meal. I am a self admitted glutton who is going straight to hell for living my life by the way of this deadly sin. My only goal for this meal is to satisfy my meaty bloodlust for some lamb, quaff a nice glass of red and enjoy time with my guests. I took the rack of lamb out of the freezer last night and it is now drying off in the fridge. My advice? Never cook wet meat if you want a nice crust on it. Make sure it's dry as you can get it. Pat it dry with paper towel and place it in the fridge, uncovered, for at least three hours before cooking. When the meat is dry it will sear more quickly and allow the outside layer to better contain the juices within.

Ordinarily, rosemary and garlic will get my juices flowing for the lovely spring chops. But today I feel like something different. I want heat, spice and drama. I am thinking Moroccan Rack of Lamb with Cous Cous and Lentils. I actually haven't made this before. You're going to see how the recipe develops throughout the day.

Alright... another espresso. It's already 10:30 and my appetite swells. I must quiet the demon with something light as I prefer to cook while hungry. Desire is the only motivation. Do not turn and slay the monster that chases you before you've finished the race. I digress...and badly, at that.

Oyster Mushrooms in Parmesan on Arugula

2009-03-07T04:57:00.006-05:00

I love this as a first course and it's also great for vegetarians who want something that tastes meaty. The oyster mushrooms become lovely and crisp under the broiler and the arugula is a nice sharp contrast to the delicate texture of the mushroom. It's basically warm, cheese breaded mushrooms on an arugula salad. You could use bread crumbs in place of the parmesan or do a mixture of half of each. I like it with just the cheese on the outside. This is nice before a pasta dish, but I've also served it as a starter before prime rib. A friend of mine hated mushrooms before he tried these. He is now a convert. A word about mushrooms, and this type, in particular: never wash them. Mushrooms will soak up the water and when you cook them, it will leak out in the pan and they will be slimy. To clean them, simply brush them with a paper towel or you are welcome to waste your money on a mushroom brush. Yes, they manufacture and sell these under the name of "Shroom Groom". While the name tickles me a little bit, I prefer to not spend the money.

Ingredients

a bag full of oyster mushrooms
1 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup of olive oil
salt and cracked black pepper

Preheat your oven broiler.

Wisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper.

Tear the mushrooms apart a little bit. You want them to be large enough that they maintain some of the natural shape, but small enough that they will become well coated on all sides with the parmesan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and vinegar mixture and cheese. Coat mushrooms well.

Broil mushrooms until they are golden on the outside and crispy-looking.

Arrange fresh arugula on plates and top with the broiled mushrooms. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Basil Eggplant

2009-03-01T20:30:00.002-05:00

Sweet and Tender with Thai Basil and Garlic.

3 Japanese Eggplants sliced
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 clove of garlic, chopped
3 tbsp brown sugar or cane sugar
juice of 1 lime
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp Peanut oil
A handful of thai basil leaves

Dissolve sugar in fish sauce, soya sauce, and warm water and lime juice

Heat peanut oil in a wok and fry onions until soft.

Add Eggplant and fry for a few moments.

Add sauce, garlic and half the basil.

Fry until tender.

Garnish with remaining basil

Thai Purple Rice Pudding

2009-03-01T20:09:00.005-05:00

This dessert has a short list of ingredients, a lovely, glossy aubergine colour and is the perfect balance to a spicy Thai dinner. I first had this pudding at a restaurant in St. Catharines and fell in love with the dichotomous chewy/smooth texture, served warm with a drizzle of coconut milk and slices of fresh mango. I made it at home for the first time this week and it was a big hit!

1/3 cup purple rice (also called black rice, or glutinous rice) Available at most asian food stores.
1 can of coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup of cane sugar (you can also vary the amount of sugar to suit your taste.)

Boil all ingredients together until rice becomes soft enough to chew and the texture is thick like pudding. Usually a couple of hours.

I swear. It's that easy.

photo ©2009 blackbaa photography

Use Your Noodle: Mac and Cheese Goes Gourmet

2009-02-23T22:29:00.001-05:00

Coming Friday...think artisan cheese and bold flavours. Macaroni gets a promotion!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

2009-02-23T17:45:00.004-05:00

This is comforting Carb-alicious goodness in a bowl. Ever since I was a child, I have associated spaghetti with feeling good. As a little girl, I relished a big fat bowl of noodles smothered in butter, and I still eat it today if I am feeling under the weather. The combination of starchy-belly filling pasta tendrils and salty butter is enough chase away my blues any day. But although this is my quintessential feel good food, it's not exactly something that you'd serve to company or make a special meal of.

Thankfully, there is a grown up version and it's simple, remains immensely satisfying and perfectly acceptable to serve with a glass of wine: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It's common to add crushed red chili to this dish and call it Spaghetti Aglio e Olio con Pepperoncino, if you speak Italian. If you want to address the situation in English, I like to call it: Plate of Perfection. It is great bachelor food since it is easy and consists of only a few things that are already in most pantries. It's also sort of sexy with the slippery olive oil and hot chilies. Honestly, I could eat this every day.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Garlic, crushed and chopped
Red Chili Flakes
Salt and Pepper

Boil Spaghetti.

Reserve half a cup of pasta water.

Drain spaghetti and toss with reserved pasta liquid, extra virgin olive oil, a fat clove of freshly crushed and chopped garlic, and red chili flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

This is so perfect, I don't even need cheese! Try it. We'll deal with the addiction later.

I'm off to make some now for dinner...

photo ©2009 blackbaa photography