CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Arctic Char 2 ways and mushrooms!

 This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host, Joff Schmidt.  The gorgeous Arctic Char is available at Gimli Fish.  Perfect for grilling, baking or broiling.  It is sourced so close to Winnipeg, it is very, very local.  If you had the Pea Shoot Pesto Arctic Char at Arkadash Bistro and Lounge, this is the fish.

Honey Miso Grilled Arctic Char

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

3 tbs miso

1 green onion, finely chopped

3 tbs honey

3 tbs Mirin

a drizzle of chili oil

1 fillet Arctic Char

Combine first 6 ingredients until well blended. Smooth over fish and let marinade for at least one hour. Grill, broil or sauté  until begins to flake, about 4-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Serve immediately.

Enjoy! 

Arctic Char Crudo

1. Cure the fish overnight in the following:

1 fillet Arctic Char

½ cup sugar

2-3 tbs sea salt

pepper, and assorted herbs (today I used saffron, thyme and Fennel pollen)

2. Rinse fish in cold water and slice thinly with the following vinaigrette. 

Orange Vinaigrette

Juice of half an orange

2 tbs vinegar

pinch sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Optional herbs (saffron, thyme, oregano, etc.)

Optional garlic

Whisk vinaigrette and serve over thin slices of cured Arctic Char.  Serve with crumbled hard boiled egg, thinly sliced chives or green onions and or arugula.

Korean Mushrooms in Foil

This is actually a very traditional recipe.  So simple to do on the BBQ as a side dish.  

Mushrooms

Foil

Sesame oil (optional)

sea salt

white pepper (optional)

Wrap the mushrooms and seasoning in the foil.  Place over coals or the grill for several minutes, turning every so often until done.  Serve with Korean dipping sauces such as Kochujiang.

Enjoy!

I'm really mad about mushrooms.  Ours are grown very locally.

The Big Brunch for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

 It was such a treat to present the following recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Madison Square MLCC.  Bonnie Tulloch, Assiniboine Park Conservancy Education Coordinator presented on the history of brunch and the plants used while Stephanie Mills, Product Consultant for the MLCC, provided excellent pairings.  Pairings to come soon.  Enjoy!

1. Homemade Granola
Paired with Innis and Gunn Rum Finish (Scotish)   $5.01

I adapted this recipe from my parents' older version of the More with Less Cookbook

Preheat oven to 350ºF

1 large roaster (I use a large aluminum turkey roaster)
2.25 kg oats (you can reduce for your wants)
1/2 cup skim milk powder
up to 2 cups each sliced almonds, broken pecans, or other nuts that you enjoy
1 cup unsweetened medium coconut (optional)
1 cup roasted green pumpkin seeds (optional)

In a saucepan melt together:
1 cup molasses
1 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil

Watch that the molasses and honey don't boil over but it is ready to pour into the oats mixture when it bubbles and foams up.
Mix well into oats and nuts and bake for 20- 30 minutes or until browning on top. Stir and bake for at least another 20- 30 minutes. While it is baking, soak dried fruit.

Dried Fruit (I always round quite up on these items and don't really measure at all)

1 cup dark raisins
1 cup craisins
1 cup cut dried apricots
1 cup pitted cut dates
All optional or what you may have on hand. At Christmas I use dried cherries. I also often use currants.

After turning and baking the granola, turn off heat and stir in drained fruit. Leave in oven until all dried.

Fill small sealer jars with granola for gifts.

2. Waffles with White Sauce
Paired with Crown Royal Maple Cocktail  

4 eggs, separated (Nature’s Farm eggs are excellent)
1 cup milk (local organic available) *OR Club Soda for crispy waffles (I sometimes use twice as much)
3 cups flour (this amount makes a thinner batter) (Freshly milled flour available at Tall Grass Prairie Bakery)
1/2 cup butter, melted (Notre Dame Dairies is a local source for Manitoba)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
4 tsp baking powder

Beat whites until peaked and set aside or chill. Beat yolks with milk or club soda. Add melted butter without cooking yolks. Sift dry ingredients and add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold in egg whites. Let proof for a while until you see bubbles in the batter. Cook in waffle iron without over filling iron. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

White Sauce
1 cup waffle batter (see above)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup milk
pinch salt

In a sauce pan, cook all ingredients together until it thickens to a smooth sauce. Use over waffles.

3. Çılbır (pronounced, chill burr)
Paired with Trius Brut Sparkling Wine (Niagara)  $26.99

These luscious eggs are so easy to make with a wonderful and velvety result. Perfect comfort food for a weekend morning brunch/breakfast.

The recipe below is for 1, but you can easily make it for more people by adding more eggs, yogurt, and butter.

2 eggs
2 tbsp vinegar
5 cups of water (or more)
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp paprika (I used hot smoked paprika)
1/2 tbsp butter
mint flakes
salt
pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)

Bring to boil water, vinegar, and salt in a medium size pot. When it starts boiling, turn it down to medium to low heat.

Stir the water and then break eggs one at a time in a small bowl, and glide them, one by one, in to the very hot but not boiling water. (If the water is boiling vigorously when you pour the eggs, you cannot have a homogeneous cooking or keep the egg together) Do not cook more than 2 eggs at a time. If an egg starts going messy in water, try to pull it together with a spoon. (stirring the water will help make the eggs into a perfect round shape).

Cook the eggs for 3-4 minutes for medium soft yolk. For a hard yolk, you need to cook them at least for 5 minutes.

Take the eggs out of the water with slotted spoon on a plate.

Pour yogurt on them. (If you want to have your çılbır "a la turque", mix yogurt with 1 clove of minced garlic, a perfect pairing)

Heat butter. When it sizzles add paprika. Stir for half a minute or less (just don't let it burn) and pour it on top of eggs and yogurt.

Sprinkle mint flakes on top. Serve with toast.

It is extremely easy to make çılbır; there are only a couple of points to be careful about: don't put the eggs in boiling water; bring it to a boil and then let it calm down and do not break the eggs directly into the pot; instead break them in little bowl and let them glide.

4. Smoked Goldeye, bagel and Homemade fresh cheese
Paired with Mission Hill Five Vineyards Rose (Okanagan)   $15.49

Smoked Manitoba Goldeye on toasted bagels with yoghurt cheese.

Yoghurt Cheese

1 cup good yoghurt (no gelatin, corn starch, etc.)

cheese cloth

Strain the yoghurt through the cheese cloth overnight.  Ta Dah!  Cheese!

Store in refrigerator with a bit of olive oil and salt.

Serve as cream cheese or on an antipasto platter.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Burgers on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Ismaila Alfa

 I will be featuring these burgers on tomorrow's CBC Weekend Morning Show with Ismaila Alfa.  Excellent beef and lamb are found locally.  Try these on grilled Naan (Afghani or North Indian and a soft egg!)

Moroccan Spiced Burgers

1 lb ground beef or lamb

1-2 tbs Ras el Hanout (available from Chef Karen or Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame)

pinch salt

1 egg

Mix ingredients well together and form into patties or oblongs (Köfte shaped)

Grill over high heat until desired cooked state.  Let rest and serve with your favourite condiments such as Dijon mustard, caramelized onions, tomato chutney, soft egg, cheese, etc.

Enjoy!

From Russia With Love

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes on the them of, From Russia with Love, for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Madison Square MLCC.  Bran Adams, Education Coordinator for the Conservancy, provided information on the plant life and theme while Jody Twomey, of the MLCC, provided beverage pairings.

1. Field Mushrooms with Toast
Paired with Radio Boka Tempranillo  $12.70

8 ea fresh field mushrooms
3 tbsp butter
salt, greens

Grated nutmeg

½ cup Tempranillo or Pino Noir wine
toasts

Method:
Stew mushrooms in their own juice with salt for 25 minutes. Chop very finely and spread on toasts and decorate with green parsley.

2. Baklazhanovaya Ikra recipe (a Georgian area Ikra)

Paired with Flat Roof Manor Merlot  $13.25

1 large eggplant

2 roasted red peppers
1 ea onion
2 ea tomatoes
2 ea garlic cloves
2 tbs vinegar
2 tbs vegetable oil
salt
pepper
fresh parsley

Method:
Pierce an eggplant with a fork in several places, put on a baking sheet and bake, about an hour, turning while baking, until soft. Cool down. Cut the eggplant, lengthwise, in two halves. Scoop out the pulp and chop until very fine. Chop onion very finely, peel tomatoes and chop, mince garlic cloves. Mix onion, tomatoes and pulp, garlic, oil, vinegar. Stir thoroughly and season on your taste. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Baklazhanovaya Ikra is served with chopped parsley.

3. Beef Stroganoff

Paired with Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay  $15.65

1 1/3 lb beef, cut into strips against the grain
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs flour
salt and pepper
1 green pepper, chopped
1-2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1/4 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup white wine
1 cup cream (I used sour cream)

Toss sliced beef with seasoned flour and set aside. Sauté onions in butter and olive oil until translucent and add the beef. Brown beef and add mushrooms. Add green pepper and spices. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Add white wine and season to taste. Flour must simmer for at least one minute to remove floury taste.

Serve over egg noodles.

Enjoy!

4. Russian Tea Cakes

Paired with Frangelico and lime

1 cup butter

½ cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups presifted flour

½ tsp salt

1 cup finely chopped walnuts (can use pecans or almonds)

*Note, if mixture dry and crumbly, add egg and/or a bit more butter.  Depends on humidity.

Cream butter, add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.  Add vanilla, flour and salt.  Mix well.  Add in nuts.  Use 1 tsp – 1 tbs, depending on the size of crescent or cookie that you prefer, to shape in hands to make the crescents.  Bake on ungreased sheet at 325ºF for 30 minutes.  Roll in icing sugar while warm. 

These cookies take time to make but look and taste good.  They freeze well but do not pack well.

Enjoy!

On Saturday I had the pleasure of presenting Fritatta(Torta) on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Ismaila Alfa.  I served it with a bit of tomato chutney but it is a dish that can be made to your own tastes.

Frittata or Torta is a very versatile dish.  It can be used with a large number of "left overs" and other ingredients.  Try with sliced mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, or many other vegetables.


Spinach and Parmesan Frittata
3 Tbsp. olive oil
6 eggs
3 thinly sliced potatoes
1 cup (1/2 lb.) chopped raw spinach
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
pinch grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except oil and scapes. Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on the stove.  Pour egg and potato mixture in skillet and cook over medium heat for 5-7  minutes. Place in oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until top is set. Cut into wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

Eggs! Nature's Farm eggs on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two egg recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Ismaila Alfa.  The first is a poached egg recipe from Turkey and the second is a Kerala dish that usually calls for duck eggs but is wonderful with Nature's Farm eggs.

1. Çılbır (pronounced, chill burr)

These luscious eggs are so easy to make with a wonderful and velvety result. Perfect comfort food for a weekend morning brunch/breakfast.

The recipe below is for 1, but you can easily make it for more people by adding more eggs, yogurt, and butter.

2 eggs
2 tbsp vinegar
5 cups of water (or more)
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp paprika (I used hot smoked paprika)
1/2 tbsp butter
mint flakes
salt
pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)

Bring to boil water, vinegar, and salt in a medium size pot. When it starts boiling, turn it down to medium to low heat.

Stir the water and then break eggs one at a time in a small bowl, and glide them, one by one, in to the very hot but not boiling water. (If the water is boiling vigorously when you pour the eggs, you cannot have a homogeneous cooking or keep the egg together) Do not cook more than 2 eggs at a time. If an egg starts going messy in water, try to pull it together with a spoon. (stirring the water will help make the eggs into a perfect round shape).

Cook the eggs for 3-4 minutes for medium soft yolk. For a hard yolk, you need to cook them at least for 5 minutes.

Take the eggs out of the water with slotted spoon on a plate.

Pour yogurt on them. (If you want to have your çılbır "a la turque", mix yogurt with 1 clove of minced garlic, a perfect pairing)

Heat butter. When it sizzles add paprika. Stir for half a minute or less (just don't let it burn) and pour it on top of eggs and yogurt.

Sprinkle mint flakes on top. Serve with toast.

It is extremely easy to make çılbır; there are only a couple of points to be careful about: don't put the eggs in boiling water; bring it to a boil and then let it calm down and do not break the eggs directly into  the pot; instead break them in little bowl and let them glide.

2. Kerala eggs
 2-4 hard boiled eggs
1-2 cups sliced onions
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
pinch salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Bring a pan up to medium-high heat and add olive oil and mustard seeds.  When the seeds begin to pop, add the sliced onions.  When the onions are softened, add the remaining spices and seasonings.  When almost crispy, add peeled eggs that have been scored and bring to temperature, covering with the sauce.  Serve with flaky parotha or naan.

Enjoy!

Cupid's Bite - Aphrodisiac foods with the Assiniboine Park Conservatory and the MLCC

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting foods with ingredients that are considered aphrodisiacs.  Try these for Valentine's this week.  Almonds, Basil, Garlic, chocolate are a few ingredients that are on the list.  Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory,  presented the information on plants and programs at the Conservatory.  Stephanie Mills, Product Consultant for the MLCC, provided the beverage pairings.

1. Almond Tarator
Paired with Underraga T.H. Riesling - Chile  $20.02

9 oz Almonds
3 cloves garlic
sea salt
juice of one lemon
3 tbs champagne vinegar
1 tbs honey
4 egg yolks
2 1/4 cups good olive oil
3-5 oz lukewarm water
freshly ground black pepper

Pulse the almonds in a food processor.  Crush the garlic with salt and add to the almonds with lemon juice, vinegar, honey and egg yolk until smooth and creamy.  Drizzle in half of the oil, and alternate with the water.  Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil until a thick, creamy mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Use as a dip, mezze or cover a fish fillet and bake.

Enjoy!

2. Basic Pesto
Paired with Maso Canali Pino Grigio - Italy  $19.99

A basic Pesto recipe is so easy to adapt to many available herbs. I love Arugula Pesto as well. For Arugula, use some spinach in the mix to round out the flavour of any particularly peppery variety as well as a splash of lemon juice. For Basil Pesto, I like to use Sweet, Vietnamese, Purple, and many other varieties in the mix to make a complex flavour.

1/4 lb fresh basil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (can use almonds)  Will use almonds
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
1/3 cup good olive oil
salt and pepper (cheese is salty so use very little salt)

Blend together into a paste. Freeze for later use or toss in pasta, on grilled meats, etc.

3. Pesto on Escargot
Paired with Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay - Chile  $21.84 and Seduction Pinot Noir - New Zealand  $29.66 (Both very yummy!)

Spoon pesto onto escargot.  Place in 450ºF oven.  Bake for 8-12 minutes.  Serve immediately.

4. Chocolate Creams
Paired with Warre's Otima 10 yearld Tawny Port  $24.76

6-7 oz dark Callebaut Chocolate
2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

Melt chocolate in a bain-marie (stainless steel bowl over pot of boiling water) with 1 tbs. Milk. Make the quantity of milk up to 2 cups and bring high heat. Beat 6 egg yolks with sugar until the mixture turns  white. Slowly add the chocolate flavoured milk, beating it in quickly. Divide the mixture between at least 6 ramekins placed in a baking dish that will be filled with simmering water (another bain-marie). Bake at 375º F for about 25 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the bain-marie and leave to cool before putting them in the refrigerator to set.