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Saturday, February 27, 2016

The Lowly Potato, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following potato recipes.  

We have such great varieties of potatoes grown here in Manitoba.  They are all available at the local Farmer's Markets and some stores.

1. Spanish Tapa Potato wedges with roasted garlic dip

3 lb potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt

Roasted Garlic Dip
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1 tbs olive oil
5 tbs sour cream
4 tbs mayonnaise
hot smoked paprika, to taste
salt

Roast the garlic for 25 minutes at 350ºF until caramelized. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze out and mash. Mix in a bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with salt and paprika. Chill.

For the potatoes, cut each potato half into 3 wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and salt and toss well. Transfer to a roasting pan and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 1- 1/14 hours, or until crisp and golden.

Serve immediately with roasted garlic dip.


5 Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

3-4 potatoes (Icelandic, Yukon, yellow, etc.)
2-3 shallots or yellow onions
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp smoked paprika
2-4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, cubed
5 cheeses, grated (I used:  1 cup grated smoked Oka, 1 cup grated cave aged Gruyere, 1 cup cut up Brie, 1/4 cup Mascarpone, 1/4 cup chopped Mozzarella)
salt and pepper, to tastes

Using a mandolin or a slicer/food processor, slice onions/shallots and potatoes separately.
Grease a 2-3 l baking dish with butter wrapper.
Layer in 1/3 of the thinly sliced potatoes.  Top with 1/3 of the thinly sliced shallots/onions.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour, nutmeg and paprika.  Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
Pour 1/3 of the milk over the potatoes, press down and repeat.

Cover and bake at 350ºF for at least 1 hour.  Let rest for up to 20-30 minutes.  Enjoy!

P.S.  I used Mozzarella that I learned to make.  That is for another time!

Friday, February 12, 2016

Punjabi Rajmah and Tuscan beans on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

Tomorrow, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod, I'll be bringing in these two bean dishes.  It is the year of beans and pulses, enjoy!

Both the Kidney and the White (canellini) beans are grown here in Manitoba and are available at Saturday's St. Norbert's Farmer's Market by J. Berard Gardens.   

The Sausage for the Tuscan Beans is also available at the Market tomorrow at Wildfire Farms




Rajmah

2 cups red kidney beans, washed thoroughly, soaked and cooked
1 medium yellow or red onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tbs + olive oil
2 medium-sized tomatoes diced (about 1 cup)
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped or grated (2 tablespoon)
3 cloves garlic, chopped or minced (1 tablespoon)
2 – 4 green Thai, Serrano or cayenne chilies, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon whole cumin seed
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp red chili powder (cayenne)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 - 2 tbs tamarind paste
good pinch or two of salt
6-8 cups water (less if you want more of a chili effect)
1 bunch fresh, chopped cilantro (1/2 cup)

Sauté onions over medium heat in olive oil. Add chopped tomatoes, chilies, ginger and garlic. Add dry spices and cook until soft. Add beans and salt and tamarind and cook until the beans break down and become thick and somewhat creamy.

When finished, take an immersion blender and press it about four times to break up some of the beans. If using a blender, take out about a cup and process in the blender, then put this back in the pot. Be careful not to process all of the beans. Most of the beans should remain whole.

Stir in the cilantro.

Serve over a bed of rice with yogurt. Some enjoy a dab of butter on each serving.


Tuscan beans (Fagioli all'uccelletto)

This is perhaps Florence's most famous dish. Some include Italian sausage.  I used the sausage from Wildfire Farms

1 pound small white cannellini or great northern beans, soaked overnight

1 large sausage (optional)
2 sprigs of sage
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic
5 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 14 oz can Italian plum tomatoes

DRAIN the beans and simmer in fresh water to cover, with 1 sprig of sage and 1 tablespoon olive oil, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender, adding salt when the beans begin to soften.

IN a separate pan (large enough to hold the beans) heat the remaining oil on low heat with the garlic and the rest of the sage so that the flavors infuse, but do not brown

ADD the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the drained beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 15 minutes or so. There should be a good amount of sauce.

Enjoy!