Arkadash Bistro and Lounge

Foody Series - Italian Countryside with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2012-01-25T06:11:00.000-08:00

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, lead the discussion on plants of the region. Pairings coming up on this site later today.

1. Crostini Toscani

2 tbs olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, roughly chopped
1 lb chicken livers, membranes removed
1 tsp small capers, drained but not rinsed
4 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 loaf ciabatta, cut into 8 - 10 slices, lightly toasted
1 tbs minced flat-leaf parsley

Warm the olive oil in a sauté pan wide enough to hold the livers in a single layer over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly coloured, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken livers and brown them on all sides, cooking until medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Add the capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced but not dry, 2 - 3 minutes.

Pour the contents of the skillet into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Reserve the juice to add some of it to the livers if they are to dry.

Turn the contents out onto a cutting board and chop roughly until they are well incorporated and the mixture is spreadable. If it appears too dry, spoon some reserved cooking liquid over it and chop again. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.

Spread some chopped liver on each slice of toast. Sprinkle some chopped parsley over each one. Serve at room temperature.

2. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)

100g butter.
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
80g grated Parmesan
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

3. Tuscan Squash Salad

1 lb squash (butternut, hubbard, or any small firm variety except spaghetti), peeled, seeded and cut in 5-inch slices
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs honey, warm and divided into two parts
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs walnut oil
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
~ 6 cups mixed baby greens, lightly packed
½ cup crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss the squash and olive oil in a large bowl. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly brush with half of the honey. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and brush with the remaining honey. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the squash is cooked through. Some varieties take longer to cook.

While the squash is baking, toast the walnuts lightly. Whisk together the lemon juice, walnut oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Toss the greens with the vinaigrette in a large bowl and place on serving plates. Top with 3-5 slices of squash. Sprinkle with the walnuts and feta, season and serve while the squash is still warm.

4. Zabaione (Zabaglione)

6 eggs.
200g sugar.
100ml dry Vin Santo (or sherry).
Finger biscuits.

Beat the egg whites in a bowl until they form stiff peak. In another, larger bowl beat the yolks and sugar together until frothy, creamy and pale yellow. Add the egg whites to the yolks and blend thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and even; add the Vin Santo. Serve in dessert goblets with the biscuits.

This dish is rather rich and filling and is therefore a good snack for children who have lost their appetite or for those whose work is physically demanding. Luckily children also love it, though I would suggest leaving out the Vin Santo or sherry Zabaione (Zabaglione)

Later that day..... at d.a. Niels Cooking with Tajines

2012-01-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

Later in the day, I presented the following recipes at D.A. Niels Gourmet Kitchenware. Both were prepared in Tajines, a very versatile cooking vessel.

Chicken Tajine with prunes and almonds

1 chicken – (3 1/2 lbs)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup prunes
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup whole blanched almonds
vegetable oil for frying

Rub all the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand for one hour.

Soak prunes if very dry.

Place onions in a wide shallow casserole with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup water, cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Brown the almonds in 4-5 tbs oil in a large skillet and drain on paper towels. Brown the chicken evenly on all sides in the oil and transfer to the steamed onions. Cover with parchment paper and cook in tajine on the lowest heat for about 1 1/4 hours.

Discard the parchment paper. Add the prunes and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat. Serve with almonds sprinkled on top.

Enjoy.

Turkish Pumpkin Dessert (Kabak Tatlısı)
(photo later today)

Pumpkin dessert is a very easy-to-make popular and traditional recipe.

pumpkin or butternut squash
sugar
4-5 cloves
crushed walnuts

The ratio of pumpkin to sugar is 1 to 1/2. I used 3 cups of squash and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Peel the pumpkin, cut it into big chunks, and put in a pot. Put sugar on and let it sit over night. It will release water, so you don't need to add water when you're cooking it. The next day, add 4-5 cloves in to the pot and cook on medium until the pumpkin is soft, approximately 30 minutes. Let it cool and garnish with walnuts or grated coconut.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Pickerel with Raki, a Turkish recipe

2012-01-21T07:04:00.000-08:00

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Ismaila Alfa, I had the pleasure of presenting this very easy to prepare pickerel dish in the Turkish fashion. Fresh Pickerel is now in season and available at Gimli Fish. Enjoy this healthy method of preparing the sweet fish.

Pickerel with Raki

4 filets pickerel
2 tomatoes
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup (less) olive oil
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup fish stock
salt and white pepper, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 bunch dill
2 tsp raki (Ouzo)

Heat skillet and sauté the garlic and add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add bay leaves. Add the vegetables, pour over the stock and simmer for 2 minutes

Season the fish with salt and pepper and place on top of the vegetables. Simmer for about 4 minutes. Chop the dill. Add lemon juice, chopped dill and raki and simmer for about 2 minutes. Arrange the fish and vegetables on a serving dish and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Moroccan Braised Beef Short Ribs

2012-01-07T07:50:00.000-08:00

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Agatha Moir, I had the pleasure of presenting this hearty, comfort food dish. It is very simple to prepare, the trick is to let it cook long and slowly enough so as to have the beef fall off of the bones.

Locally raised beef, Ras el Hanout and Pomegranate Molasses are all available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland St. in Winnipeg.

Moroccan Braised Beef Short Ribs
(serves 4)

4 Beef Short Ribs
2 cups caramelized red onions*
2 tbs Ras el Hanout**
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped carrots

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Place last 6 ingredients in a casserole dish, mix and nestle ribs into the ingredients. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake, basting occasionally, for 4-6 hours, until the meat comes off of the bone. Remove from the oven and serve either whole rib to each or debone and shred meat, with other ingredients and serve with egg noodles or in a hot sandwich.

Enjoy this rich and affordable winter comfort fare.

*Caramelized onions
Thinly slice 5-7 red onions over medium-low heat in a sauce pan until reduced with a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil. Add up to one cup red wine or good balsamic toward the end of cooking. You can also use a tbs of brown sugar to start the caramelization process. Use in many dishes such as in stews (above), as a condiment, on pizzas, etc.

**Ras el Hanout is available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland and at Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Mushroom Pate

2011-12-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Ismaila Alfa, I presented the following dish for any holiday celebration. It is easy to prepare in advance for stress-free entertaining.

Happy Holidays!

Mushroom Pâté

1 tbs olive oil
2/3 cup green onions, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
5 cups sliced mushrooms (crimini, button, shitake, morel, porcini, chanterelle, etc)
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp dried thyme

1 cup panko bread crumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs
½ cup walnuts, chopped (use pecans if allergies)
¼ cup tahini (available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland)
2 tbs tamari or good soy sauce
1 cake soft tofu, blanched and crumbled
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne (to taste)

Sauté the green onions and celery in the olive oil until the whites are translucent. Add the mushrooms, basil and thyme and continue to cook on low heat until the mushrooms have softened.

Combine the sautéed vegetables with the remaining ingredients and blend in a food processor.

Oil a medium loaf pan and line it with waxed paper, allowing several inches of waxed paper to hang over the sides. Oil the wax paper and spoon in the pâté. Fold the overhanging paper across the top and bake for about 1 ½ hours at 300ºF. The pâté us done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

When the pâté is cool, fold back the wax paper, invert pan onto a plate and carefully peel away the paper.

Serve with greens, breads and crackers.

Enjoy!

Today at d.a.Niels - Chicken Tajine with Prunes and Almonds and Turkish Omlettes

2011-12-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

I'm making the chicken tajine with prunes and almonds from the last posting. Loving that recipe by Paula Wolfert's, The Food of Morocco. The omlettes are very simple to prepare but quite yummy. I made them often on the boat in Turkey. Photo coming soon!

Turkish Omlettes

4-5 eggs
splash milk
1/4 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta
pepper
good pinch oregano or "Greek Salad spice mix"
butter

Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Heat skillet and melt butter. Add one ladle-full of egg mixture (depending on ladle size) and turn pan to spread egg mixture out fully. Flip over half and then in quarter size and serve.

Enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Moroccan Chicken Tajine with prunes and almonds

2011-12-03T03:35:00.000-08:00

This morning I presented this very easy to prepare Moroccan dish of Chicken with prunes and almonds on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Rosanna Deerchild. I have to admit, I am rather excited about this recipe.

Chicken Tajine with prunes and almonds

1 chicken – (3 1/2 lbs)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup prunes
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup whole blanched almonds
vegetable oil for frying

Rub all the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand for one hour.

Soak prunes if very dry.

Place onions in a wide shallow casserole with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup water, cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Brown the almonds in 4-5 tbs oil in a large skillet and drain on paper towels. Brown the chicken evenly on all sides in the oil and transfer to the steamed onions. Cover with parchment paper and cook in tajine on the lowest heat for about 1 1/4 hours.

Discard the parchment paper. Add the prunes and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat. Serve with almonds sprinkled on top.

Enjoy.

Traveling the Spice Trade Route - Smoked Paprika with the MLCC

2011-11-30T03:41:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes for a cooking demonstration at the Madison Square MLCC with Product Ambassador, Carol Herntier. The following recipes are timely now for entertaining as well as some comfort foods.

1. Pomegranate Walnut Paste on Endive - Caucasus
Paired with: Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto - Italy$ 14.94 and Smirnoff Pomogranate Martini $ 17.99

½ cup pomegranate molasses
1 onion, chopped
½ cup walnuts (use almonds if walnut allergy)
¼ cup softened raisins
1 tbs pomegranate seeds
good amount olive oil (1/4 – ½ cup good olive oil)
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (smoked or plain)
salt and pepper, to taste
Endive

Mix first 9 ingredients in a blender until a smooth paste. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon into endive leaves for an appetizer, salad and serve cold or grilled. Used also in grilled chicken or lamb.

2. Beef Stroganoff
Paired with: Coppola Diamond Selection Malbec - USA $ 24.50 and Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec - Argentina $ 19.95

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 transluscent 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!

3. Spanikopita Triangles
Paired with: Cedarcreek Pinot Gris - $ 18.99 and Maso Canali Pinot Grigio - Italy $19.99

1 pkg filo dough
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1 white onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c mushroom sliced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika
3 1/2 tbspsolive oil
1 1/2 c feta cheese crumbled
1 egg
pepper to taste
1/3 c butter
Thaw pastry in package. In advance, prepare filling. Sauté onion and garlic
until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté. Add thawed spinach and
spices. Cook on medium-high heat until some of the water has cooked off.
Add grated feta. Mix in one beaten egg. Remove from heat and cool.
To prepare pastries: Heat oven to 350F. Dampen tea towel. Cut rolled
pastry into four equal parts and lay out on cutting board. Cover with
dampened towel. Melt butter and set aside with pastry brush. Fill pastries in
desired shapes (triangles, pockets, in muffin or cupcake tins, etc). Brush
pastries with melted butter before filo turns papery. Bake until golden, about
15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cooking Demos! This week with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC - Stunning Holiday Feasts!

2011-11-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Stunning Holiday Feasts
Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following dishes at the Madison Square MLCC on behalf of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. We had excellent pairings by Kirsten Sculthorp, Product Consultant for the MLCC and featured plants and herbs were discussed by Assiniboine Park Conservancy Education Coordinator, Bonnie Tulloch.

The reception cocktail was a Black Russian made with limited edition Kaluha Mocha Peppermint (#12582) at $13/99. We also served excellent Pesto Escargot, available at Gimli Fish which was paired with Oyster Bay Sauvigon Blanc Brut (#(12291) beautifully.

1. Caramelized Shallot Tarts
Paired with Dow's Fine Ruby Port (#723874) $15.92

Shallots
port or wine
rosemary or thyme
drizzle olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take the skins and ends off of the shallots and place them in a shallow baking dish. Add remaining ingredients and bake at 350ºF oven for up to one hour or until the shallots are soft. Enjoy in a number of options or as a garnish to meats and vegetables or, combine with Okanagan Cherry reduction in tarts:

Dried Okanagan Cherry reduction
1 cup tart dried Okanagan cherries *
1 cup port
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbs butter
1 cup dry red wine or port
Soak cherries in port over night or for several hours.
In a sauce pan, heat soaked cherries and add wine or port and rosemary. Bring to a boil and add butter. Remove from heat and purée. Use on tarts or as a drizzle for meats or poultry.

2. Sautéed Squash with Pear
Paired with Santa Margherita Pino Grigio (#2125)$16.63

1 small squash or pumpkin (size of a small cabbage)- NOT Spaghetti Squash
1 ripe pear
1 tbs. butter
drizzle olive oil
freshly grated nutmeg
1 oz Frangelico
salt and pepper

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Save seeds on paper towel to dry for planting in Spring. I used a small version of the bumpy salmon coloured squash in the top photo.

Cut seeded squash into four pieces to make peeling easier. Peel and slice into wedges. Heat a sauté pan to medium heat. Melt butter with a drizzle of olive oil. Place squash slices in pan and slowly cook for ~20 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown on both sides. Add chopped pear, salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium high after pear has softened and add the Frangelico. Allow the liquid to cook down a bit.

Can be prepared in advance and warmed up. A nice side dish for a wide range of holiday feasting.

Enjoy!

3. Mushroom Pâté
(serves 6)
Paired with Peppoli Chianti Classico ($4674) $21.88

1 tbs olive oil
2/3 cup green onions, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
5 cups sliced mushrooms (crimini, button, shitake, morel, porcini, chanterelle, etc)
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp dried thyme

1 cup panko bread crumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs
½ cup walnuts, chopped (use pecans if allergies)
¼ cup tahini (available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland)
2 tbs tamari or good soy sauce
1 cake soft tofu, blanched and crumbled
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne (to taste)

Sauté the green onions and celery in the olive oil until the whites are translucent. Add the mushrooms, basil and thyme and continue to cook on low heat until the mushrooms have softened.

Combine the sautéed vegetables with the remaining ingredients and blend in a food processor.

Oil a medium loaf pan and line it with waxed paper, allowing several inches of waxed paper to hang over the sides. Oil the wax paper and spoon in the pâté. Fold the overhanging paper across the top and bake for about 1 ½ hours at 300ºF. The pâté us done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. HINT!!! Bake in a deep loaf pan and turn oven off after one hour but leave pate in the oven.

When the pâté is cool, fold back the wax paper, invert pan onto a plate and carefully peel away the paper.

Serve with greens, breads and crackers.

Enjoy!

4. Dark Chocolate Fondue
Paired with excellent local Rigby Orchards Dry Raspberry (#533703) $20.00.

2 cups heavy cream
up to one pound chopped dark chocolate (can reduce entire recipe)
splash of rum, cognac or favourite liqueur (optional)

Heat cream in a ceramic fondue dish until ready to boil. Turn off heat and whisk in chopped chocolate until shiny. Add splash of liqueur. Enjoy with baguettes, fruit or chill and use as a ganache for brownies. Enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Phyllo Wrapped Steelhead Trout with savory Saskatoon Sauce

2011-11-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

Running back to Saskatoon
This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host, Ismaila Alfa. It is very simple to prepare this elegant dish. Gorgeous large saskatoons are available at Gimli Fish, as well as this buttery fish.

Enjoy!

1. Phyllo Wrapped Steelhead Trout with savory Saskatoon sauce

1 fillet Steelhead Trout (naturally raised in Lucky Lake, Sask., available at Gimli Fish)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (white button, crimini, shitake, chanterelles, etc.)
3 tbs butter (1 for sautéing mushrooms, and 2ish melted for buttering phyllo pastry
1 tbs olive oil
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 shallots, minced
Dijon mustard, to lightly cover the fillet
3-4 sheets Phyllo

Cut filet into serving sized pieces and set aside in the refrigerator. Thaw phyllo and prepare mushrooms as follows:

On medium-high heat, sauté shallots until translucent and add the mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are soft. Deglaze with white wine or Mirin (optional). Set aside and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. For the phyllo dish: Lightly coat the fish piece with Dijon Mustard and place on phyllo sheet, cut to fold and cover only. Top with sautéed mushrooms. Fold pastry over fish and mushrooms and brush with melted butter. Bake for 12 -15 minutes, until brown and depending on the thickness of the fish.

Saskatoon Sauce

1 cup Saskatoons (frozen, wild, available from Gimli Fish)
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 tbs Dijon Mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup red wine or port

Heat pat to medium high heat and add butter and olive oil. Add Saskatoons and cook until soft. Add mustard, seasonings and red wine. Cook until shiny. Serve over Phllow Wrapped Steelhead Trout.

Enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Classic Tuscan Sage Butter Pasta

2011-11-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting these classic flavours of Tuscany in a lovely pasta dish on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. Excellent comfort food and so simple to prepare.

Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)

1/3 cup butter.
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

Enjoy!

Cooking Demo at D.A. Niels - A variety of Autumn flavours

2011-10-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of demonstrating the following recipes at D.A.Niels on Berry St. I topped a sample of the squash with a sautéed pickerel cheek, the drunken figs were prepared with Pellee Island Semi-Sweet Merlot and I iced the biscotti with Nocella and icing sugar. Thanks to everyone who came out.

1. Pickerel cheeks with Chermoula (Morocco meets Manitoba)

1 head garlic, peeled (or 3-5 large cloves)
¼ tsp cayenne
1 heaping tbs cumin
½ bunch parsley
1 whole bunch cilantro
juice of one lemon
2 tbs vinegar
1 generous tbs olive oil
salt, to taste

1 lb pickerel cheeks

Blend all of the first ingredients in a food processor and place in glass bowl. Mix in the pickerel cheeks and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Sauté a minute per side. Serve immediately.

This is a classic Moroccan flavouring for fish but also goes well with vegetables.

2. Sautéed Squash with Pear

1 small squash or pumpkin (size of a small cabbage)- NOT Spaghetti Squash
1 ripe pear
1 tbs. butter
drizzle olive oil
freshly grated nutmeg
1 oz Frangelico
salt and pepper

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Save seeds on paper towel to dry for planting in Spring. I used a small version of the bumpy salmon coloured squash in the top photo.

Cut seeded squash into four pieces to make peeling easier. Peel and slice into wedges. Heat a sauté pan to medium heat. Melt butter with a drizzle of olive oil. Place squash slices in pan and slowly cook for ~20 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown on both sides. Add chopped pear, salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium high after pear has softened and add the Frangelico. Allow the liquid to cook down a bit.

Can be prepared in advance and warmed up. A nice side dish for a wide range of holiday feasting.

Enjoy!

3. Gingerbread Biscotti

2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp Frangelico (or try kirsch, or coffee liquors)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Mix butter sugar and molasses until smooth. Add one egg at a time and mix. Add vanilla and liquor and mix until smooth. Combine dry ingredients and mix slowly into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Turn out dough onto floured surface and form into a large log. Divide dough into three pieces and flatten out each piece into rectangles onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Take out of oven and cut into biscotti pieces. Turn cookies and bake for 5-7 minutes at 300ºF. When cooled, drizzle melted chocolate or make a simple icing of icing sugar and liquor.

Enjoy!

4. Drunken Figs

1 package of dried figs
red wine such as Lambrusco works great as it is a sweet wine to begin with, but merlot, shiraz, zinfandel or pinot noir would work great too!

Place dried figs in a glass bowl, cover with wine. Place in fridge. DONE

Enjoy on their own, with ice cream, pound or angel food cake, etc.

Foody Series - Sizzle of Sicily with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-10-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

Last night, back by popular demand, I had the pleasure of presenting these Sicilian recipes as part of the programming for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in partnership with the MLCC. Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy was Bonnie Tulloch with beverage pairings by MLCC Product Consultant, Jason Lavack.

The evening started with a reception beverage of Bolla - Proseco ($18.99) which, also paired nicely with the first course:

1. Insalata all'Eoliana
(Aeolian summer salad)
Paired with Poggio al Tufo - Vermentinio ($17.09)

Ingredients (serves 4)
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tropea or other red onion
a small handful of capers
8 slices of lightly toasted bread
1 clove of garlic (crushed or chopped very finely)
8 anchovy fillets chopped into largish pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method
While toasting the bread (thick slices), halve the cherry tomatoes, crush or finely chop the garlic and chop the anchovy fillets into large pieces. Cut the onion into thin rings and then place all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
When the bread is toasted put onto 4 plates, dribble with olive oil, add a few spoonfuls of salad on top and serve.

2. Caponatina di Melanzane(A very popular dish for antipasto.)
Paired with Cusumano - Nero d'Avola ($16.99) and Rocca Delle Macie - Vernaccia ($14.13)

(Sicilian eggplant relish)

This is one of Sicily’s most popular and versatile eggplant dishes. You can eat it with bread, as part of an antipasto, or as a side dish with hot or cold meats or fish. This is the original recipe from Palermo. A caponatina is a “small” caponata.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
600g meaty eggplants
Salt
6-8 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 celery hearts (inner heads only), cut into little chunks
5 - 7 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup pitted green olives
1/4 cup salted capers, rinsed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 ripe but firm pears, cored, peeled and sliced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1-2 tbs white sugar
50ml white wine vinegar

Ideally you want the pale violet type of eggplant, without too many seeds. Cut the eggplants into cubes the size of a walnut. Immerse in salted water for 1 hour, then drain, squeezing the water out. Pat the eggplants cubes dry.

Heat about 6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan and fry the eggplant cubes until golden. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Adding more oil to the pan if necessary, fry the onion until soft, then fry all the other ingredients, apart from the sugar and vinegar. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the eggplant to the mixture with the sugar and wine vinegar. Taste for salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Caponata can be eaten warm but it is also delicious cold.

3. Spaghetti con i piselli e mentuccia

(Spaghetti with peas and fresh mint)

Paired with Perone - an Italian beer ($2.14)
Ingredients (serves 4)
600g spaghetti, broken into 5cm-long pieces
400g fresh or frozen peas
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1 glass of dry white wine
1 small chilli pepper
1 handful of fresh mint
2 tsps white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Procedure
Finely chop the onion, the garlic and the chilli pepper. Soften the onions in some olive oil and add the garlic and chilli. Add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Then add the peas and mix well.

In the meantime, heat some water for the pasta. When boiling, add salt and break the spaghetti into it. Add some of the pasta water to the peas, just enough to cover them. Season with salt and pepper and leave them to cook slowly, making sure there is always a couple of cm of liquid.

Chop the mint finely and place in a glass. Add the vinegar and the sugar and mix well and then stir into the peas.

When the spaghetti is cooked, add to the peas and mix well, making sure there is still plenty of liquid. Serve with a little grated Parmesan cheese.

Finished with a very light and simple dessert;

Stuffed Grilled Figs
Beautifully paired with Masi - Recioto ($49.83)

1 lb fresh figs
parmesan reggiano
balsamic reduction

To make the Balsamic Reduction:

Heat a saucepan over high heat. Add a cup of balsamic vinegar to the pan and reduce liquid by half. Take pan off of heat immediately.

To make the stuffed figs:

While the balsamic is reducing, heat your broiler on high. Cut the figs in half lengthwise, (but do not cut all the way through). Stuff with Parmesan cheese, cheddar is also good (you can also then wrap the figs with prosciutto), place under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes or until cheese is browned. Serve with balsamic reduction drizzled over top.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Dracula's Eyes and Blood salad (Beets and eggs) and Manitoba Meets Morocco Pickerel

2011-10-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. They are both quick and easy to prepare to get out and enjoy Halloween activities.

Dracula – Eyes and blood Salad (Eggs and beets)

Ingredients

* 1 pound trimmed beets (without tops), unpeeled
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1 dozen quails eggs, boiled (or regular eggs, hard boiled)
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
* 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup distilled vinegar
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 red onions, thinly sliced
* Chopped fresh tarragon, for garnish and dollop sour cream

Directions

In a pot, combine the beets with the red wine vinegar and enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain the beets and let them cool. (The beets may be cooked 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.) Peel the beets and cut them into 1-inch wedges.

In a small saucepan, combine zest, orange juice, sugar, and vinegar and boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Let the mixture cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the orange mixture, oil, and salt and pepper to form a smooth dressing. Add the beet slices, boiled eggs, and onion and mix until well combined. Let stand at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 6 hours, to let the flavors come together. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the sour cream and tarragon.

Pickerel grilled with Chermoula (Morocco meets Manitoba)

1 head garlic, peeled
1 tsp cayenne (use less if you want a milder taste)
1 heaping tbs cumin
½ bunch parsley
1 whole bunch cilantro
juice of one lemon
2 tbs vinegar
1 generous tbs olive oil
salt, to taste

2-4 pickerel fillets (Fresh caught season until the end of October!)

Blend all of the first ingredients in a food processor. Spoon over fish fillets and broil for 4-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

This is a classic Moroccan flavouring for fish but also goes well with vegetables.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Sautéed Squash with Pear and Stuffed Fresh Figs

2011-10-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

(photo by Karen)

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders, I had the pleasure of presenting the following two dishes as ideas for your Thanksgiving and holiday cooking.

1. Sautéed Squash with Pear

1 small squash or pumpkin (size of a small cabbage)- NOT Spaghetti Squash
1 ripe pear
1 tbs. butter
drizzle olive oil
freshly grated nutmeg
1 oz Frangelico
salt and pepper

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Save seeds on paper towel to dry for planting in Spring. I used a small version of the bumpy salmon coloured squash in the top photo.

Cut seeded squash into four pieces to make peeling easier. Peel and slice into wedges. Heat a sauté pan to medium heat. Melt butter with a drizzle of olive oil. Place squash slices in pan and slowly cook for ~20 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown on both sides. Add chopped pear, salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium high after pear has softened and add the Frangelico. Allow the liquid to cook down a bit.

Can be prepared in advance and warmed up. A nice side dish for a wide range of holiday feasting.

Enjoy!

2. Stuffed Grilled Figs

1 lb fresh figs
parmesan reggiano
balsamic reduction

To make the Balsamic Reduction:

Heat a saucepan over high heat. Add a cup of balsamic vinegar to the pan and reduce liquid by half. Take pan off of heat immediately.

To make the stuffed figs:

While the balsamic is reducing, heat your broiler on high. Cut the figs in half lengthwise, (but do not cut all the way through). Stuff with Parmesan cheese, cheddar is also good (you can also then wrap the figs with prosciutto), place under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes or until cheese is browned. Serve with balsamic reduction drizzled over top.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

The Sizzle of Sicily with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-10-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of presenting Sicilian fare at the Madison Square Liquor Commission as part of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy programming. The stories of the regional flora were presented by Assiniboine Park Conservancy Education Coordinator, Bonnie Tulloch and the excellent beverage pairings were presented by MLCC Product Consultant, Karen Simard.

1. Insalata all'Eoliana
(Aeolian summer salad)
Paired with Santa Margherita Valdobbiandene Prosecco #1146 $17.02

Ingredients (serves 4)
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tropea or other red onion
a small handful of capers
8 slices of lightly toasted bread
1 clove of garlic (crushed or chopped very finely)
8 anchovy fillets chopped into largish pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method
While toasting the bread (thick slices), halve the cherry tomatoes, crush or finely chop the garlic and chop the anchovy fillets into large pieces. Cut the onion into thin rings and then place all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
When the bread is toasted put onto 4 plates, dribble with olive oil, add a few spoonfuls of salad on top and serve.

2. Caponatina di Melanzane
Paired with Cusumano nero D'avola #143610 $16.99

(Sicilian eggplant relish)

This is one of Sicily’s most popular and versatile eggplant dishes. You can eat it with bread, as part of an antipasto, or as a side dish with hot or cold meats or fish. This is the original recipe from Palermo. A caponatina is a “small” caponata.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
600g meaty eggplants
Salt
6-8 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 celery hearts (inner heads only), cut into little chunks
500g ripe tomatoes, chopped
100g pitted green olives
60g salted capers, rinsed
100g slivered almonds
2 ripe but firm pears, cored, peeled and sliced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
50g caster sugar
50ml white wine vinegar

Ideally you want the pale violet type of eggplant, without too many seeds. Cut the eggplants into cubes the size of a walnut. Immerse in salted water for 1 hour, then drain, squeezing the water out. Pat the eggplants cubes dry.

Heat about 6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan and fry the eggplant cubes until golden. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Adding more oil to the pan if necessary, fry the onion until soft, then fry all the other ingredients, apart from the sugar and vinegar. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the eggplant to the mixture with the sugar and wine vinegar. Taste for salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Caponata can be eaten warm but it is also delicious cold.

3. Spaghetti con i piselli e mentuccia

(Spaghetti with peas and fresh mint)
Paired with Mezzo Mondo Pino Grigio/Chardonnay #11051 $10.99

Ingredients (serves 4)
600g spaghetti, broken into 5cm-long pieces (optional on breaking pasta)
400g fresh or frozen peas
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1 glass of dry white wine
1 small chili pepper (I used a finely chopped jalapeno chili but you can also use a dried red chili)
1 handful of fresh mint
2 tsps white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Finely chop the onion, the garlic and the chili pepper. Soften the onions in some olive oil and add the garlic and chili. Add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Then add the peas and mix well.

In the meantime, heat some water for the pasta. When boiling, add salt and break the spaghetti into it. Add some of the pasta water to the peas, just enough to cover them. Season with salt and pepper and leave them to cook slowly, making sure there is always a couple of cm of liquid.

Chop the mint finely and place in a glass. Add the vinegar and the sugar and mix well and then stir into the peas.

When the spaghetti is cooked, add to the peas and mix well, making sure there is still plenty of liquid. Serve with a little grated Parmesan cheese.

It's also very tasty served cold on a hot summer's day.

4. Stuffed Grilled Figs
Paired with Chilled Pellegrion Superiore Dolce Marsala #230367 $11.66 and Toschi Nocello Liqueur #10446 $24.54

1 lb fresh figs
parmesan reggiano
balsamic reduction

To make the Balsamic Reduction:

Heat a saucepan over high heat. Add a cup of balsamic vinegar to the pan and reduce liquid by half. Take pan off of heat immediately.

To make the stuffed figs:

While the balsamic is reducing, heat your broiler on high. Cut the figs in half lengthwise, (but do not cut all the way through). Stuff with Parmesan cheese, cheddar is also good (you can also then wrap the figs with prosciutto), place under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes or until cheese is browned. Serve with balsamic reduction drizzled over top.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Pickerel Fillet Tacos with salsa

2011-09-24T04:46:00.000-07:00

This morning I will be presenting the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Agatha Moir.

It is quite simple to put together and prepare this wonderful meal and the pickerel is in season now.

Pickerel Fillet Fish Tacos
Serves 2

2 pickerel fillets
juice of 1-2 limes
1/4 - 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
pinch sea salt
1 chopped jalepeno (I used dried chipotle chilies)

Marinade the fish in the juice and spices for at least 20 minutes.

1 thinly sliced red onion (I caramelized it)
sour cream
1-2 thinly sliced green onion (cut on the bias for thinner slices and nicer presentation)
Sour cream or crema
Warmed corn tortillas (toasted for a few minutes)

Prepare all of the dishes for the taco and then sauté the fish in a bit of olive or canola oil, 1 -2 minutes per side. Remove fish from heat and flake. Assemble tacos and enjoy!

Late Summer Salsa Mexicana (served with toasted tortillas)

Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:

1 small white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/4 cup)
1 red mirasol or jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded (if you wish) and finely chopped
1 pound late summer tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh herbs, lemon verbana, chives, cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), or any combination of herbs you may like
Juice of 1 lime
Salt

Directions:
Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold tap water, shake off the excess and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mirasol chile, tomatoes, herbs and lime. Stir well, taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon. This salsa is best if eaten within an hour or two, but it will keep for a number of hours in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Pesto Pesto Pesto!

2011-09-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

I was going to present the following pesto recipes for a cooking demonstration tomorrow for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC but it was canceled due to a lack of people signing up for the event. One can sign up for all of the cooking demonstrations through the Winnipeg Leisure Guide and are also found on the Assiniboine Park Conservancy website: http://www.assiniboinepark.ca

1. Basil Pesto on Escargot

Serve the following pesto spooned onto escargot and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Basic Pesto
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 pine nuts (can 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.

2. Pea Shoot Pesto on Arctic Char

Ingredients:
1/4 lb fresh, young pea shoots
1 bunch chives, chopped (or spring onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or almonds)
salt
pepper

Directions:
Place the pea shoots, chives, garlic, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, pulse until a thick paste forms.

Spoon over Arctic Char fillet and bake at 350ºF for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Enjoy!

3. Garlic Scape Pesto served on pasta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
1/4 lb. scapes
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Puree scapes and olive oil in a food processor until smooth. Stir in Parmesan and lime or lemon juice and season to taste.

4. Sundried Tomato Pesto on crostini

1 cup sundried tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil
½ cup almonds or pine nuts (can also use walnuts)
½ cup grated parmesan reggiano cheese

Blend all ingredients together and spread on crostini. Toast until bubbly. Enjoy! Can be used on pasta or in other dishes.

Cooking Demos! This week with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, the MLCC and the Caboto Italian Cultural Centre

2011-09-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of demonstrating Salsa recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC. Pairings were by MLCC Product Consultant Jason. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, presented on all of the different herbs and vegetables used in last night's presentation.

At the bottom of this entry, are the recipes from Monday night's cooking demonstration at the Caboto Italian Cultural Centre with the theme of Mediterranean Cooking. I presented items from Provence, Turkey and Morocco.

Wild Strawberry Cocktail (Fragoli Strawberry Liqueur topped with Spanish Cava

1. Late Summer Salsa Mexicana (served with toasted tortillas)

Paired with The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:

1 small white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/4 cup)
1 red mirasol or jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded (if you wish) and finely chopped
1 pound late summer tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh herbs, lemon verbana, chives, cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), or any combination of herbs you may like
Juice of 1 lime
Salt

Directions:
Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold tap water, shake off the excess and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mirasol chile, tomatoes, herbs and lime. Stir well, taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon. This salsa is best if eaten within an hour or two, but it will keep for a number of hours in the refrigerator.

2. Chipotle Peanut Salsa for Grilled Vegetables (served with grilled veggies)

Paired with Tommasi Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo - Italy and Rouge Chipotle Ale - USA

Makes about 2 cups
1 pound (6 to 8 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/3 to 1/2 ounce (3 to 5) dried red chipotle chiles (aka moritas), stemmed
1 small white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
Salt
About 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Directions

1. Toast and roast. Roast the tomatillos on a rimmed baking sheet about 4 inches below a very hot broiler until soft and blackened in spots, about 5 minutes per side. Cool, then scrape into a blender jar.

Meanwhile, heat a small (6-inch) ungreased skillet over medium, toast the chipotle, stirring until very aromatic, about a minute. Scoop into a small bowl, cover with hot tap water and soak for about 30 minutes, stirring from time to time to ensure even rehydration.

Turn the oven down to 425 degrees. Spread the onion and garlic on another baking sheet, slide into the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes until the onions are golden—they’ll look a little wilted with a touch of char on some of the edges. The garlic should feel soft and be browned in spots. Cool.

2. Finish the salsa. Drain the chiles and scrape them into the blender jar along with the tomatillos, peanuts, worcestershire or soy sauce and 3/4 cup water. Pick out the garlic from the onions and add it to the blender. (If all this is too much for your blender, blend in 2 batches.) Blend until nearly smooth. Roughly chop the onion, add it to the blender and pulse a few times until you’ve got as chunky (or smooth) a salsa as you like. Stir in enough additional water to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 teaspoon, and the optional sugar. Serve with your favorite grilled vegetables.

3. Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa (served with salad)

Paired with Jean Michel Sorbe Reuilly Rose - France

Remember to choose the freshest juiciest corn on the cob and roast.

4 roasting ears corn, freshest available
Juice from 2 limes
4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 cup dehydrated cooked black beans or 1 cup cooked whole beans
1 to 2 Jalapeños, finely chopped
4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Roast the corn on the grill in the husk after soaking for 1 hour.

Let cool slightly, then peel back the husk and silks.

Using a large, heavy knife, slice down the cobs to remove the kernels.

Place the corn kernels in a bowl with the tomatoes, red onions, Jalapeños, Black Beans and cilantro. Note: The Jalapeños maybe omitted if you want a mild corn salsa. Add the chiles to taste.

Whisk together the olive oil and remaining lime juice.

Season to taste and pour over the salsa.

Toss well to mix.

4. Green Herb Salsa (served with omlettes)

Paired with Chateau des Charmes Brut - Canada
Ingredients

* 1/4c blanched almonds, toasted
* 1 small garlic clove
* 1c fresh parsley leaves
* 1/2c fresh cilantro leaves
* 1/2c fresh basil leaves
* 2/3c extra -virgin olive oil
* 1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes
* coarse salt and ground black pepper
* 2tsp white-wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar

How to make it

* Using chef's knife(or food processor)finely chop almonds, garlic and herbs. Stir (or blend) in oil and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
* To store, refrigerate up to 1 day. Stir in vinegar just before serving.
* Great variations: Feel free to include any type of soft green herb, such a s oregano, chives, mint. You can also substitute pistachios, walnuts or pine nuts for the almonds.

Mediterranean Fare

1. Fresh Goat Cheeses with Olive Oil and Herbs – French Provence Recipe
Appetizers of Chevre, tapenade, herbs and olive oil served with baguettes as an appetizer.

Black olive Tapenade

1 cup black olives, pitted
½ cup softened sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ (+) cup Olive oil
Pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients to a paste in a processor. Adjust seasoning to taste. Use on crackers, baguettes, stuffed in meats, etc.

Enjoy!

2. Imam Baldi – Turkish Recipe

4 baby globe eggplants or Japanese (peel off 3 slices of outer skin length-wise around the eggplant)
olive oil (for frying and flavour)
Rich tomato sauce (recipe follows)
cilantro (optional)

Grill the eggplants over a hot grill with three strips of peel cut off of each eggplant and drizzled with olive oil. Turn and keep cooking until the eggplant is soft. Remove from heat and split open the eggplants with a sharp knife and let them rest. Spoon the rich tomato sauce into each eggplant.

Rich Tomato Sauce

1 tin crushed tomatoes (organic fire roasted is nicest)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red wine (optional, try orange juice for a fresh Summer flavour)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp brown sugar (to reduce acid of tomatoes)

Preheat oven to 350°F. On the stove top, preheat olive oil in sauté pan. Carefully brown egplants on all sides. This takes some time. One option is to prepare the eggplant on a BBQ by drizzling olive oil over the eggplants prior to grilling. Remove eggplants from pan and place in a baking dish. Let eggplants rest. Split open the eggplants and spoon in the rich tomato sauce into each eggplant. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and drizzle with good olive oil. Bake for up to 30 minutes. Imam Baldi can be enjoyed hot, cold or room temperature. Serve with bread.

Enjoy!

3. Moroccan Lamb Stew – Moroccan Recipe *

1 lb lamb shoulder, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly sauté onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat.

* Meat may be beef, elk or bison, depending on availability

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Beef Stroganoff

2011-09-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

(Beef Stroganoff - not so easy to photograph well.)

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders, I had the pleasure of presenting a classic Russian dish, Beef Stroganoff (see also Stroganov). Give this recipe a try on a cool evening or when you are craving some nice comfort food.

Beef Stroganoff

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 transluscent 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!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Tomato Saffron Poached Pickerel and Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa

2011-08-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

(Tomato Saffron Poached Pickerel)

(Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following two recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. Everything is coming into season now for these great full flavours. These are very simple to prepare recipes as well.

Tomato Saffron Poached Pickerel

(Makes 4 servings)
1 shallot minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 chopped tomato
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Saffron*
1/4 red pepper flakes
1/2teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup orange juice (makes a very fresh flavour)
4 fillets Pickerel
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté shallot in olive oil and cook until translucent. Add tomato, Saffron, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, tomato puree and wine. Cook on medium heat until well incorporated. Add Pickerel Fillets on top of sauce. Cook on high for a minute (varies by thickness of fish) and turn fish pieces over. Continue cooking until fish begins to flake. Remove from heat and serve.

Enjoy!

Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa

Remember to choose the freshest juiciest corn on the cob and roast.

4 roasting ears corn, freshest available

Juice from 2 limes

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 red onions, finely chopped

1 cup dehydrated cooked black beans or 1 cup cooked whole beans
1 to 2 Jalapeños, finely chopped

4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

3 Tbs Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Roast the corn on the grill in the husk after soaking for 1 hour.

Let cool slightly, then peel back the husk and silks.

Using a large, heavy knife, slice down the cobs to remove the kernels.

Place the corn kernels in a bowl with the tomatoes, red onions, Jalapeños, Black Beans and cilantro. Note: The Jalapeños maybe omitted if you want a mild corn salsa. Add the chiles to taste.

Whisk together the olive oil and remaining lime juice.

Season to taste and pour over the salsa.

Toss well to mix.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Hway dop bap, a Korean sashimi specialty

2011-08-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the distinct pleasure of presenting a wonderful Korean sashimi dish on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders.

The sushi quality fish were all from Gimli Fish and I used wild caught Ahi Tuna, Wild Caught Atlantic Salmon and Wild Caught Nova Scotia Scallops. Always ask your fish supplier for Sushi Grade, there may be some in the freezer section as well.

Hway Dop Bap (Korean Sashimi, Pohang region)

Sushi grade fish (tuna, grouper, snapper, etc), enough per person (1/4lb)
Sushi rice, enough for 1 cup cooked per bowl
Korean dipping sauce (below)
Shredded cucumber
Shredded carrot
Shredded Daikon
Side dishes (kimchis, fried mushrooms, chopped green onions, etc.)
Basket of lettuce leaves (Boston bib, romaine)
Basket of fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, basil, etc)

In each bowl, place rice, sliced fish, cucumber, carrot, and daikon. Stir in desired amount of dipping sauce. Make wraps with lettuce leaves, ingredients in bowl and fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

Korean dipping sauce
1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste available at Sun Wah, Oriental Market and an excellent Korean grocery on Wellington and Beverly in Winnipeg)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Gado gado, an Indonesian Veggie dish

2011-07-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders, I had the great pleasure of presenting a wonderful vegetarian Indonesian dish that really highlights seasonal vegetables and is so easy to prepare. The local vegetables are all sourced from Fresh Option Organic Delivery.

Gado gado (Indonesian peanut veggie dish)

Peanut Sauce
Makes 2 cups
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 heaping tablespoon grated ginger
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 tablespoons cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
Crushed red pepper to taste(or hot sauce)

- Put everything in a blender and puree until smooth. If it's too thick, add a little extra water.
Generously pour over steamed or sautéed veggies as listed below, placed over a bed of yellow rice (rice cooked with turmeric).

Optional veggies and toppings:

6 cups Organic Chopped Spinach
2 medium stalks Broccoli, steamed or sautéed
1 cup local Green & Wax Beans, steamed or sautéed
1 cup Red Cabbage, shredded, sautéed
3 Carrots, shredded, sautéed
12 oz Tofu, Firm, sautéed
3-6 Hard boiled eggs
4 tsp Lime Juice
3 tbsp Coconut, Unsweetened, toasted

You can enjoy this hot or cold. Add veggies as they come into season.

Enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Gazpacho

2011-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

It is my pleasure this very hot and humid weekend to present Gazpacho for your enjoyment tomorrow on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders.

Keep Cool! My lovely produce came from Fresh Option Organic Delivery (FOOD).

There are as many recipes for Gazpacho as there are chefs and households that enjoy it. Here is one with some variations. In season, try a blonde gazpacho with yellow tomatoes and no sugar needed! Use green pepper instead of red pepper and a nice fruity white wine instead of red wine.

(photo by Karen Peters)

Gazpacho

5 cups chopped tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 scallions
1 red pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 –1 1/2 cups red wine OPTIONAL!!! (try orange juice for a nice fresh flavour but use less)
2 tbs good fruity olive oil
2 English cucumbers, peeled, seeded and grated
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/4 tsp dried chilies
1 tbs oregano
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 tsp dried chipotle chilies (optional)
1 tbs brown sugar (to cut acids)
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a blender or immersion blender, mix ingredients until smooth. Chill and serve with baguettes. Garnish with fresh basil.

Up to 20 small servings:
Per serving: 28 Calories; 0g Fat (9% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 87mg Sodium

Enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Caçik

2011-07-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of presenting this lovely Summer dish on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Donna Carreiro. This is the classic Turkish version but it is also known by the Greek name, Tzatziki.

Caçik
Ingredients

• 2 cups yogurt (if you have strained yogurt, it’s better)
• 1/2 cup water (optional, depending on how thick you like the dish)
• 2 cucumbers, diced or, peeled, seeded and diced or shredded.
• 4 cloves garlic,mashed
• Salt
• Dried mint or fresh dill

Put yogurt in a bowl and mix it with a spoon. Pour water in it, keep mixing. Add garlic, salt and diced cucumber, mix it again.

You may balance the amount of water and yogurt depending on your taste. Thickness of cacik is originally like soup. But if you want it thicker, add less water.

Finally add dried mint and/or finely chopped fresh dill. Try with Turkish Baharat!

Enjoy!

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - easy BBQ Salmon

2011-06-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. This will make a wonderful Father's Day BBQ meal. Don't over cook it!

There is beautiful wild caught Sockeye Salmon now available at Gimli Fish at three locations in Winnipeg.

Maple Mustard Marinade for Salmon

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs chopped tarragon
salt and pepper,to taste

Mix ingredients and spread over salmon fillet. Cover and chill for a few hours. Grill over high heat for 8 to 15 minutes, or until opaque, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Morel Mushroom Sauce

1-2 tbs melted butter
drizzle olive oil
2 cups fresh morels, whole or sliced
2-3 shallots, minced
drizzle olive oil
a few drops truffle oil (optional)
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté shallots in a pan on medium high heat with the olive oil and cook through until translucent. Add the morels and stir until cooked through. Deglaze the pan with a bit of the white wine. Add the cream and cook until reduces. Add the remaining white wine and reduce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cedar Plank Smokey Salmon - another option

1 cedar plank – soaked for a few hours* (one cooking method, optional)
1 large wild caught salmon filet*
1 cup Lapsong Suchon tea **– steep strongly
1 drizzle sesame oil
1 heaping tsp. Ground ginger
1 drizzle chili oil
1/4 cup Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tbs. Sugar or honey
1/8 tsp. Ground white pepper

Mix last 8 ingredients in a bowl. Place salmon fillet on a platter and pour marinade over fish. Wrap and chill in refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Preheat outdoor BBQ to medium-high heat. Place cedar plank on middle of grill and close the cover. Allow to smoke for 3-4 minutes. Turn plank over and place salmon fillet in the middle of plank. Close grill and let cook up to 15-20 minutes or until fillet is done, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Garnish with scallion flowers (Green onions cut and put in cold water to make flower shapes).

Enjoy and try with a Morel Mushroom Sauce!

This Morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Imam Baldi

2011-06-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting this classic Turkish eggplant dish on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. I used the small Indian eggplants with a lovely result.

Please enjoy this classic Turkish dish, Imam Baldi, or, the Imam fainted dead away. I've prepared it with less olive oil by grilling them on the BBQ instead of frying them, thus, hopefully, keeping the Imam quite alive and well.

4 baby globe eggplants or Japanese (peel off 3 slices of outer skin length-wise around the eggplant)
olive oil (for frying and flavour)
Rich tomato sauce (recipe follows)
cilantro (optional)

Grill the eggplants over a hot grill with three strips of peel cut off of each eggplant and drizzled with olive oil. Turn and keep cooking until the eggplant is soft. Remove from heat and split open the eggplants with a sharp knife and let them rest. Spoon the rich tomato sauce into each eggplant.

Rich Tomato Sauce

1 tin crushed tomatoes (organic fire roasted is nicest)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red wine (optional, try orange juice for a fresh Summer flavour)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp brown sugar (to reduce acid of tomatoes)

Preheat oven to 350°F. On the stove top, preheat olive oil in sauté pan. Carefully brown egplants on all sides. This takes some time. One option is to prepare the eggplant on a BBQ by drizzling olive oil over the eggplants prior to grilling. Remove eggplants from pan and place in a baking dish. Let eggplants rest. Split open the eggplants and spoon in the rich tomato sauce into each eggplant. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and drizzle with good olive oil. Bake for up to 30 minutes. Imam Baldi can be enjoyed hot, cold or room temperature. Serve with bread.

Enjoy!

Savouring Local Foods with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-05-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following dishes at the Grant Park Liquor Commission on behalf of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. The theme focused on local products so I was happy to present our wonderful local golden caviar, lamb, eggs, produce and fresh rhubarb.

Bonnie Tulloch on behalf of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, presented on the plants used and local sources or options for having great local produce while MLCC Product Ambassador, Carol Herntier, presented pairings for each dish.

Reception Beverage: Italian Iced Tea (1part Rosso Vermouth, 2 parts Gingerale, serve over ice with a slice of lemon)

1. Classic Caviar Station
Paired with: Trius Brut VQA - Ontario $ 26.99

Golden Caviar (from Gimli Fish)
Toast triangles or crostini
Chopped hard boiled egg (farm fresh or Vita Eggs)
Thinly sliced red onion/chives (from the garden)
Sour cream

2. Moroccan Lamb Stew
Paired with: Rigby Dry Raspberry - Manitoba $ 17.50 and Half Pints Sweet Nikki Brown Ale - Manitoba $ 12.32

1 lb lamb shoulder, cut into bite-sized pieces (Manitoba Lamb available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods and DeLuca's)
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly sauté onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

3. Fiddleheads in Brown Butter with Pancetta
Paired with: Canadian Caribou Cocktail (1oz Crown Royall, 1/2oz Yukon Jack, splash of Ginger Ale, lemon slice. Build on ice) and Cedar Creek Pinot Noir VQA - B.C. $ 32.86

3 pounds fiddle head ferns, trimmed and washed (Available at DeLuca's and FOOD)
1/4 lb chopped pancetta
6 tablespoons brown butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly nutmeg
pinch Kosher salt

1. In a large pot bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Drop the fiddleheads into the pot and cook for 1 minute. Drain the fiddleheads in a colander, then submerge in the ice water until completely cool. Let the fiddleheads drain well in a colander and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to dry.
2. Slowly brown butter in a large skillet. Bring up to higher temperature and cook chopped pancetta.
3.Heat for a minute or two until they are warm, then divide the fiddleheads among the plates. Serve at once as a side dish or on Chinese soup spoons as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

4. Pavlova with Rhubarb sauce
Paired with: Kermode Saskatoon Berry Wine - B.C.$ 16.75

4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature (Farm fresh or Vita Eggs)
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 180ºF.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, then turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side. (This way you won't get a pencil mark on the meringue.)

Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk
attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny
peaks, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the
meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with
sweetened whipped cream.

Rhubarb Sauce

3 cups chopped rhubarb (first fresh from the garden)
zest of 1 orange
1 cup sugar
1-2 tbs corn starch
drizzle vanilla
drizzle Grand Marnier

Cook all ingredients together at one time over medium heat, stirring being careful not to burn the sauce. Cook bubbling for at least one minute to allow the corn starch to fully cook and have a shiny result. Simmer until rhubarb has broken down.

enjoy!

Enjoy!

Rajmah - Spicy Punjabi Kidney Beans

2011-05-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

This recipe is in honour/memory of Dr. Sharif Said, who enjoyed this dish with tamarind. He enjoyed many dishes if it had tamarind and so I've added it for your enjoyment as well.
(Photo coming later today)

My neighbour gave me a large bag of locally grown kidney beans. I haven't cooked with them in ages since I hadn't really enjoyed them. Making this dish, I've changed my mind on kidney beans. Yummy! I recommend soaking dry beans overnight and not using the tinned beans. If you are using tinned beans, rinse them thoroughly in cold water.

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.

This Morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Tuna Tataki and Pomegranate grilled Chicken

2011-05-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting these two BBQ options on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. Very simple to prepare with wonderful results.

1. Tuna Tataki

1 tuna steak (wild caught Ahi Tuna available at Gimli Fish)
½ cup ground nori sheet (try also ground green tea, black pepper, sesame seeds, etc.)
sesame oil
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Pat tuna steak dry and press into chosen flavouring. Wrap and chill until ready to serve. Prepare salad and plate. Heat a pan to high heat and drizzle in some sesame oil. Place tuna steak on hot pan and sear each side for up to 1 minute. Remove from heat and let rest. Slice across the bias and place over salad greens or serve on its own with a dipping sauce. (Dipping sauce 1:1 good soy sauce and Mirin)

2. Grilled Pomegranate Chicken (serves 4 as an entrée or 8+ as an appetizer)

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup Pomegranate Molasses (Available locally at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland, Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame)
1/2 pickled lemon, PEEL only, chopped
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout
splash rose water
pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil

In a bowl, combine last 6 ingredients. Split chicken by cutting through breast bone and flatten open. Rub spice/pomegranate mixture over chicken on all sides. Chill for a few hours.

Heat up BBQ to high heat. Place chicken on hot grill and sear on both sides for a few minutes. Reduce heat or place on cooler side of BBQ and cook chicken slower, basting until meat is ready to fall off of the bone. Let rest and serve with flat breads, rice and grilled vegetables.

Enjoy!

Simple Summer Salads with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-05-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

The other evening I had the pleasure of presenting Simple Summer Salads for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Madison Square MLCC. Assiniboine Park Conservancy Education Coordinator, Bonnie Tulloch, presented on the plants represented in the dishes while MLCC Product Ambassador, Carol Herntier, created wonderful pairings for each dish.

Reception beverage: Smirnoff Blueberry and Lemonade Cooler ($2.49)
Chef's note: Not sweet at all!

1. Proper Turkish/Greek Salad
Paired with: Chateau Mas Neuf Rose - France ($15.95)

2-3 ripe tomatoes
1 English Cucumber
1-2 red peppers (or green peppers)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup good feta, rinsed, cubed or crumbled (available at DeLuca's)
Good black olives, to personal taste

Vinaigrette:
3:1 good olive oil to red wine vinegar (For Turkish salad use fresh lemon juice)
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 clove minced garlic

Lay out vegetables attractively on a platter or toss all together in a large bowl. Add good feta cheese and drizzle vinaigrette over vegetables or toss together. Can be made in advance and chilled.

Enjoy!

Please note: This salad does NOT include lettuce. Traditionally, these salads never do. Today I will be making it with Lemon juice, the Turkish style.

2. Toenail of a dog - Köpeğoğlu
Paired with Boutari Naoussa Grande Reserve - Greece ($19.99) and Chimay Strong Ale - Belgium ($4.25)

1 globe eggplant
1 red pepper
1 leek
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup tahini
1 cup yoghurt
1 tbs dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Wash the eggplant and prick all over with a fork. Drizzle oil over eggplant, whole pepper and the white of the leek. Roast in a hot BBQ, turning occasionally. Remove eggplant when soft. Remove red pepper when blackened and leek when soft and caramelized. Cube eggplant with skin on. Peel blackened skin off of pepper and chop. Slice leek into thin rounds. Mix all ingredients together and chill until serving. Serve with French bread or a baguette.

Enjoy!

3. Easy Quinoa Salad
Paired with township 7 7 Blanc - BC ($19.99)

Serves 6

3 cups cooked Quinoa (cook ahead in a 2:1 water: Quinoa ratio)
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tbs olive oil
1 rounded tsp ground cumin (toasted makes it quite nice as well but could be an optional ingredient, depending on tastes)
1 cup cooked black beans (or your favourite such as pinto, black eyed beans, etc.)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted (you can use pine nuts but they are very pricey right now)
¼ - ½ cup chopped green or black olives (Deluca’s has some lovely olives, just avoid the watery canned olives)I left these whole as some people don't enjoy olives.
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, aka coriander

While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and sugar into a vinaigrette in a small bowl.

Combine quinoa and all remaining ingredients, except fresh herbs, into a medium-sized bowl.

Drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine.

Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavours to combine. Add fresh herbs just prior to serving. May be served at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Options: try with Ras el Hanout, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, your favourite veggies. Also try cooking the quinoa with a Smen boullion. It gives it a buttery Moroccan flavour. Available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland.

4. Spinach Salad with warm Blue Cheese Dressing
Paired with Strongbow Cider - UK ($3.75) and Boone's Sangria - USA ($6.99)

1 1/2 lbs. spinach leaves, cleaned & trimmed
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2/3 c. light cream
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
3/4 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup sautéed sliced mushrooms

1. In large salad bowl combine the spinach and onion; chill. Sauté mushrooms and set aside.

2. Sauté the garlic in olive oil over moderate heat until soft.

3. Add vinegar and stir to blend. Bring to a simmer.

4. Whisk in cream, the sauce will split, bring to simmer at a very low heat. Whisk in cheese, continue stirring.

5. Pour sauce over spinach. Toss. Add walnuts and mushrooms. Serve. Makes 4 servings.

Easy Summer Appetizers at D. A. Niels

2011-05-14T16:01:00.001-07:00

Today I had the pleasure of presenting two easy appetizers for the customers at D. A. Niels.

1. Tuna Tataki

1 tuna steak (wild caught Ahi Tuna available at Gimli Fish)
½ cup ground nori sheet (try also ground green tea, black pepper, sesame seeds, etc.)
sesame oil
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Pat tuna steak dry and press into chosen flavouring. Wrap and chill until ready to serve. Prepare salad and plate. Heat a pan to high heat and drizzle in some sesame oil. Place tuna steak on hot pan and sear each side for up to 1 minute. Remove from heat and let rest. Slice across the bias and place over salad greens or serve on its own with a dipping sauce.
Enjoy!

2. Moroccan Kofta

1 lb ground meat (beef, lamb, elk or bison)
¼ cup Pomegranate molasses
2 tbs Ras el Hanout
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup bread crumbs or Panko
1 egg

Mix all ingredients well together and form into small oblong shapes. Broil or grill for a few minutes on each side until done. Enjoy with pita, yoghurt tahini sauce or other dips.

It is often broiled in a large pan with hot peppers, onions, tomatoes and garlic.

Yoghurt tahini sauce

1/2 cup good plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 heaping tbs tahini
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together. The tahini will cause the sauce to thicken quickly. Use on grilled Pide or Naan or as a crudité dip.

Enjoy!

Cooking with Summer Herbs with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes at the Grant Park MLCC on behalf of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Conservancy, presented on the plants used in the recipes while MLCC Product Ambassador Gary Dawyduk, presented excellent pairings for each course of the evening.

Some of the recipes have been repeated from other entries but are here by popular request for the evening.

Reception beverage:
Chartreuse & Tonic cocktail:
2 oz. Chartreuse Liqueur (#37333, 375ml) $27.05
5 oz. Tonic Water
Combine ingredients in a tall ice-filled glass and stir
Garnish with lime slice

1. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)
Paired with Givry Rouge 2007 – Louis Latour (#3321) $25.61

100g butter.
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
80g grated Parmesan
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

2. Pea Shoot Pesto on Arctic Char
Paired with Melange Blanc 2008 – Waterbrook (#11394) $14.95

Ingredients:
1/4 lb fresh, young pea shoots
1 bunch chives, chopped (or spring onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (or almonds)
salt
pepper

Directions:
Place the pea shoots, chives, garlic, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, pulse until a thick paste forms.

Spoon over Arctic Char fillet and bake at 350ºF for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Enjoy!

3. Roast tomatoes, thyme and goat's cheese
Paired with Le Soraie Veneto Rosso 2008 – Pasqua (#7467) $17.24 and Gamay Noir/Zweigelt 2009 – Pelee Island (#216028) $11.95

Enough for 4 as a first course or as part of a main course.

For the tomatoes
4 ripe large (but not beefsteak) tomatoes
4 bushy sprigs of thyme
6 cloves of garlic
a little olive oil

For the cheese
the leaves from 3 bushy little sprigs of young thyme
200g soft goat's cheese or goat's curd
a few thyme flowers

Set the oven at 400ºF.. Wipe the tomatoes, remove their stalks and cut them in half. Place them cut-side up, snugly, in a baking dish or roasting tin. Season with salt and black pepper, coarsely ground, then tuck the garlic cloves in among them. Trickle over just enough olive oil to wet their surface then bake for 30 minutes or so until the garlic cloves are soft inside. Remove them and return the tomatoes to the oven.

Pop the soft centres from the garlic into a mixing bowl by squeezing them between your thumb and finger. Add the thyme leaves, a little coarse salt and pound the mixture together with a pestle or the back of spoon. Spread a little on each tomato.

Cut the cheeses in half and put a half on each tomato. Return each half to the oven letting it partially melt before putting the dish on the table. Serve with large chunks of roughly torn bread.

4. Arugula, caramelized onion, walnut and gorgonzola pasta
Paired with Alsace Reserve Pinot Gris 2008 – Willm (#370676) $15.21 and Mavrodaphne of Patras – Kourtaki (#208413) $13.40

2-3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 cup gorgonzola, crumbled
1 tbs olive oil
1 large bunch arugula
½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
splash Vermouth, to deglaze pan
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta (penne, farfalle, shells, etc.)

In a large pot, caramelize onions slowly with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt to start the caramelizing. When the onions are soft and brown add the chopped walnuts. Deglaze pan with Vermouth. Add chopped arugula and gorgonzola. Season to taste. Toss with al dente cooked pasta. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Finished with Drambuie. Yum!

Something Special for Mother's Day - Wild Caught Nova Scotia Lobster Tails Two Ways

2011-05-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

(Grilled Nova Scotia Lobster Tails with Blood Orange Butter, served with pasta shells with Saffron Cream Sauce and grilled Asparagus - Photo by Karen)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two easy ways to prepare lobster tails on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders.

These wild caught Nova Scotia lobster tails are available at Gimli Fish at three locations in Winnipeg, Dufferin Ave., St. Mary's Ave and Pembina Hwy. and come in a variety of sizes. The great people at Gimli Fish will be able to help you choose the size that is right for your needs and give you tips on preparation as well.

Photo coming later today.

Grilled Lobster Tails with Blood Orange Compound Butter

6 small lobster tails *
Drizzle olive oil
1 cup softened butter
1 blood orange (can use other oranges)
1 pinch salt
Zest of blood orange
Quick squeeze of blood orange juice

Blend together butter, squeezed blood orange juice and a pinch of salt. Drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper and shape into a roll. Chill until firm. Cut lobster tails open on the soft side of the shell. Drizzle olive oil over tails. Heat BBQ to a high heat. Grill lobster tails until shell becomes quite red all over. Put a pat of the herbed butter on each tail. Zest the orange over the tails and squeeze some of the juice of the orange over all of the tails. Serve immediately.

For other prepared butters, try ripe mango, butter, lime and jalapeño flakes. Try flavours that you enjoy together or ripe locally grown fruit.

* Lobster tails are available in a variety of sizes in Winnipeg at Gimli Fish Market at 596 Dufferin Ave and 625 Pembina Hwy.

Enjoy!

Lobster Tails in a Saffron Cream Sauce

6 small lobster tails
½ litre cream (10 – 35%)
a few shallots, finely chopped
1 good tablespoon butter
drizzle olive oil
1 tbs flour
good pinch saffron
¼ - ½ cup white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a sauté pan, melt butter and olive oil together and sauté shallots until translucent over medium heat. Add flour to make a roux and cook, stirring, for at least a minute. Add cream and saffron and when it starts to thicken, add the white wine and season, to taste. Place lobster tails that have been cut open on the soft side in the pan and cover for at least a minute. Turn tails and cook, simmering gently until the lobster tails have turned completely red. Serve immediately over pasta, with rice, as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

Imam Baldi! Eggplants are coming back!

2011-05-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

We've been missing globe eggplants for quite some time. Where have they been? They are coming back. These gorgeous eggplants are now available at DeLuca's Specialty Foods on Portage Ave. Please enjoy this classic Turkish dish, Imam Baldi, or, the Imam fainted dead away. I've prepared it with less olive oil by grilling them on the BBQ instead of frying them, thus, hopefully, keeping the Imam quite alive and well.

4 baby globe eggplants or Japanese (peel off 3 slices of outer skin length-wise around the eggplant)
olive oil (for frying and flavour)
Rich tomato sauce (recipe follows)
cilantro (optional)

Grill the eggplants over a hot grill with three strips of peel cut off of each eggplant and drizzled with olive oil. Turn and keep cooking until the eggplant is soft. Remove from heat and split open the eggplants with a sharp knife and let them rest. Spoon the rich tomato sauce into each eggplant.

Rich Tomato Sauce

1 tin crushed tomatoes (organic fire roasted is nicest)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red wine (optional, try orange juice for a fresh Summer flavour)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp brown sugar (to reduce acid of tomatoes)

Preheat oven to 350°F. On the stove top, preheat olive oil in sauté pan. Carefully brown egplants on all sides. This takes some time. One option is to prepare the eggplant on a BBQ by drizzling olive oil over the eggplants prior to grilling. Remove eggplants from pan and place in a baking dish. Let eggplants rest. Split open the eggplants and spoon in the rich tomato sauce into each eggplant. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and drizzle with good olive oil. Bake for up to 30 minutes. Imam Baldi can be enjoyed hot, cold or room temperature. Serve with bread.

Enjoy!

Salt-Baked whole Arctic Char!

2011-04-28T08:54:00.001-07:00

I was eager to try this out with our lovely local Arctic Char. So delicious and moist and very easy to do.

Salt-Baked Arctic Char

1 Medium whole Arctic Char*
4 - 5 cups Course Sea Salt
3 tbs ground Lemon Grass*
1 whole egg, beaten
1/4 cup water
Parchment Paper

Preheat oven to 400º. Fit parchment paper on to baking sheet and place whole fish on the paper. In a bowl, mix salt and lemon grass together. Add egg amd water to make a paste with the salt but not too much as to dissolve the salt. Pack the salt mixture over the fish. Bake at 400º for up to 20 minutes. The salt will start to brown slightly when done. Remove from the oven and crack open the salt dome. Brush aside the salt and place on a platter. Peel away the skin of the fish and you should have very moist, flavourful fish.

Some variations can include using other fresh herbs in the salt or smoky dry teas.

*Beautiful Arctic Char now available at Gimli Fish, located in Winnipeg at 596 Dufferin Ave., 625 Pembina Hwy and 1604 St. Mary's Rd. Call ahead and ask for a whole fish to for fresh purchase on Fridays.
** Ground Lemon Grass is available in Winnipeg in the freezer section at Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue.

Enjoy!

This Morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Moroccan Orange Roast Lamb

2011-04-23T07:57:00.001-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting Moroccan Orange Roast rack of Lamb on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. Very simple to prepare with spectacular results.

Enjoy and Happy Easter!

Moroccan Orange Roast Lamb

1 (2 ½ - 3lb) fresh lamb loin roast, bone in (cut through at 1 inch intervals)
½ cup marmalade (I’m using a homemade blood orange Meyer lemon marmalade but you can use your favourite or chopped oranges, pith removed)
1 tbs olive oil
1 heaping tbs Ras el Hanout (available at many fine Winnipeg shops)*
good pinch sea salt
1 tbs Dijon Mustard
shredded orange zest

To prepare roast: Place bone side down on flat surface. Pull meat flap down to be even with bone and form roast into a tight roll. Tie string around length of roast to prevent bones from spreading. Tie roast at one-inch intervals, securing the rolled shape, making sure string does not slip into cuts. Using a roasting pan with rack, place lamb on rack, bone side down. Brush with olive oil and rub with Ras el Hanout and sea salt, mustard and marmalade mixture.

Roast lamb in preheated 350ºF oven to desired degree of doneness; 31 to 35 minutes per pound or 150ºF for medium-rare, 36 to 38 minutes per pound or 160ºF for medium. During the last 30 minutes of roasting, brush with glaze several times. When the lamb is done, remove from oven, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve, topped with shredded orange zest.

Options: If you are looking to simplify even further, have loin cut into chops. Rub with Ras el Hanout and make a simple glaze/sauce with the marmalade. To grill the chops, rub with spice and then oil the chop before putting on a hot grill. Just a few minutes per side.

*Ras el Hanout is found at Dino’s Grocery Mart on Notre Dame, Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland, DeLuca’s on Portage, D.A. Niels on Berry

Easy Summer Appetizers with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-04-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Turkish Stuffed Apricots - Cevizli Kayisi Tatlisi

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following easy appetizers to a group at the Madison Square MLCC for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, presented on the flora of each recipe presented while Carol Herntier, Product Ambassador for the MLCC, presented excellent and surprising pairings for each dish.

Reception beverage: Vex Pink Lemonade $6.06

Easy Summer Appetizers

1. Tuna Tataki on Summer Greens
Paired with See Ya Later Ranch Pino 3 VQA - B.C. $20.05 and Mission Hill Pinot Noir VQA - B.C. $16.99

1 tuna steak
½ cup ground nori sheet (try also ground green tea, black pepper, sesame seeds, etc.)
sesame oil
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
Salad greens

Pat tuna steak dry and press into chosen flavouring. Wrap and chill until ready to serve. Prepare salad and plate. Heat a pan to high heat and drizzle in some sesame oil. Place tuna steak on hot pan and sear each side for up to 1 minute. Remove from heat and let rest. Slice across the bias and place over salad greens or serve on its own with a dipping sauce.
Enjoy!

2. Fiddleheads in Brown Butter with Pancetta
Paired with Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir VQA - Ontario $26.99 and Unibroue Ephémere Apple White Ale - Quebec $5.40

Kosher salt
3 pounds fiddle head ferns, trimmed and washed
1/4 lb chopped pancetta
6 tablespoons brown butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly nutmeg

1. In a large pot bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Drop the fiddleheads into the pot and cook for 1 minute. Drain the fiddleheads in a colander, then submerge in the ice water until completely cool. Let the fiddleheads drain well in a colander and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to dry.
2. Slowly brown butter in a large skillet. Bring up to higher temperature and cook chopped pancetta.
3.Heat for a minute or two until they are warm, then divide the fiddleheads among the plates. Serve at once as a side dish or on Chinese soup spoons as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

Fiddleheads from BC are available at DeLuca's on Portage and local Manitoba fiddleheads are available through Fresh Option Organic Delivery.

3. Soba Spoons
Paired with Jost Beavercreek Gerensheim - Nova Scotia $13.75

1 -3 bundles Buckwheat Soba Noodles (try green tea or other varieties)
2 tsp good Dijon Mustard
1 tsp grainy mustard
1-2 tsp good soy sauce
1 inch grated fresh ginger
2-3 tbs white vinegar
1/2 tsp white sugar
2 green onions, finely chopped
drizzle sesame oil

Cook Soba noodles in unsalted boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain in cold water immediately. Drain completely. Drizzle with sesame oil to prevent sticking and set aside to chill.

In a larger bowl, mix grated ginger, vinegar, mustards, soy sauce, sugar, finely chopped green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. When ready to serve, gently mix noodles with sauce. With a fork, twirl a bite-sized amount of dressed noodles and place on a Chinese soup spoon. Place spoons on a platter and serve.
Enjoy!

4. Stuffed apricots
Paired with Palatine Hills Estate Vidal Select Late Harvest VQA - Ontario $20.16

20 dried apricots
scant ½ cup sugar
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
400g (1lb) mascarpone

Garnish:
Halved walnuts
Mint leaves
Ground pistachios

Cut into the apricots and place in a bowl of warm water with the sugar; soak for 15 minutes. Then transfer the apricots with the soaking water in a pot and cook for about 10 minutes.

To make the cream, mix the confectioner’s sugar and mascarpone in a bowl until smooth.

Spoon the cream into a forcing bag and fill the drained apricots. Arrange on a serving dish. Garnish with walnuts, mint and/or pistachio.

Enjoy!

Turkish specialties offered at D.A. Niels and a fine Kerala breakfast treat.

2011-04-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of offering some Turkish specialties at D.A. Niels. I made Kofta and Patliçan Yogürtlü. I made the Kofta with local organic ground beef and left out the sausage but added wild fennel pollen (you can use ground fennel seed). If you are using ground elk or bison, I would recommend the use of a sausage for added moisture and fat content.

I made these items often on the boat in Turkey where I worked as a chef/sailor/German-speaking tour guide. Looking out at the snow in April, it is easy to think about the gorgeous blue waters of the Aegean.

Later in the day, I enjoyed teaching a group of people some recipes and techniques of cooking foods from Kerala. The egg recipe is an easy and spicy breakfast to enjoy with flaky parathas.

1. Kofta

1 lb ground meat (lamb, elk or bison)
1 fennel or Italian sausage, casing removed
2 tbs Baharat
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup bread crumbs or Panko
1 egg

Mix all ingredients well together and form into small oblong shapes. Broil or grill for a few minutes on each side until done. Enjoy with pita, yoghurt tahini sauce or other dips.

It is often broiled in a large pan with hot peppers, onions, tomatoes and garlic.

Yoghurt tahini sauce

1/2 cup good plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 heaping tbs tahini
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together. The tahini will cause the sauce to thicken quickly. Use on grilled Pide or Naan or as a crudité dip.

Enjoy!

2. Patliçan Yogürtlü

1 lg eggplant sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 c plain yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Slice and salt eggplant and let sit in a bowl of cold water. If eggplant is very young, skip the step of salt and water. Rinse and squeeze out water from slices.

Mince garlic and stir into yoghurt with salt.

Sauté eggplant slices on medium high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and let sit for a moment on a paper towel. Place on platter and top with yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle rubbed oregano and paprika over yoghurt. Top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.

Enjoy!

Duck Egg Curry (an excellent way to start the day)
If you can't find Duck eggs, large chicken eggs are also fine.

3 hard boiled duck’s eggs, shelled and with one or two slashes on each
to taste – salt and vinegar
3 tbs oil
1 ½ tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup sliced onion
1 tbs oil

Fry the onion in oil and lift it.

Fry the eggs in the same oil and lift them. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cayenne and pepper. Add a spoonful of oil and return the skillet to the heat. Add salt, vinegar and eggs. Stir for a minute and cook until the gravy is thick.

Lift the eggs. Put the fried onion in the skillet. Mix well and remove from heat. Arrange the onions around the eggs.

Under the Tuscan Sun with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-04-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting these dishes, back by popular demand it would seem, on behalf of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, presented on a variety of plants found in the Tuscan regional cuisine and MLCC Product Ambassador, Sheila Nash, provided excellent pairings for each course.

Reception beverage: Americano Cocktail (Campari, Red Vermouth and Soda)
1. Crostini Toscani
Paired with 61 Franciacora (10649) $27.24
(serves 4)

2 tbs olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, roughly chopped
1 lb chicken livers, membranes removed
1 tsp small capers, drained but not rinsed
4 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 loaf ciabatta, cut into 8 - 10 slices, lightly toasted
1 tbs minced flat-leaf parsley

Warm the olive oil in a sauté pan wide enough to hold the livers in a single layer over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly coloured, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken livers and brown them on all sides, cooking until medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Add the capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced but not dry, 2 - 3 minutes.

Pour the contents of the skillet into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Reserve the juice to add some of it to the livers if they are to dry.

Turn the contents out onto a cutting board and chop roughly until they are well incorporated and the mixture is spreadable. If it appears too dry, spoon some reserved cooking liquid over it and chop again. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.

Spread some chopped liver on each slice of toast. Sprinkle some chopped parsley over each one. Serve at room temperature.

2. Fave con Pecorino
Pared with Vernaccia DOCG Rocce Delle Macie (867184) $14.09 and Vion Nobile Di Monte Veccia Cantina (7936) $25.53
(serves 4)

2 lbs fava beans, peeled
4 ounces Pecorino Toscano, sliced into 1/2 inch/1 cm long matchstick-thick segments
1/4 cup olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 leaves radicchio, sliced very thinly

Place the fava beans and pecorino in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Toss very gently, just to combine the flavours and not to break the beans or crush the cheese.
Mound a quarter of the beans and cheese in the centre of each salad plate. Top each serving with a few slivers of radicchio.

3. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)
Paired with Poggio al Tufo Vermentino Tommasi (730841) $17.14 and Nipozzano Chianti Fescobaldi (107276) $19.87

100g butter.
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
80g grated Parmesan
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

4. Zabaione (Zabaglione)
Paired with Vin Santo Badia di Morrona (7997) $21.99

6 eggs.
200g sugar.
100ml dry Vin Santo (or sherry).
Finger biscuits.

Beat the egg whites in a bowl until they form stiff peak. In another, larger bowl beat the yolks and sugar together until frothy, creamy and pale yellow. Add the egg whites to the yolks and blend thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and even; add the Vin Santo. Serve in dessert goblets with the biscuits.

Fresh Local Fish with the MLCC

2011-04-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of presenting some recipes at the MLCC for the excellent local fish that we have in Manitoba. MLCC Product Ambassador Stephen Moran presented wonderful pairings for each course which I will add to this entry later today.

The fish and caviar are all available at Gimli Fish. As an addition to the evening, I also sampled Smoked Manitoba Goldeye for the guests of the MLCC event.

Classic Caviar Station

Golden Caviar
Toast triangles or crostini
Chopped hard boiled egg
Thinly sliced red onion
Sour cream

Pickerel Cheek Salad
(Serves 4-6)

1 lb pickerel cheeks
2 tsp butter
1 bunch fresh tarragon (or other favourite fresh herbs)
salt and pepper, to taste
splash Mirin, to deglaze pan (can use Vermouth or for non-alcohol uses, apple or pear juice)

1 large bowl full baby salad greens (can use mixes or spinach or arugula)
Oil and vinegar vinaigrette (1 part vinegar:3 parts good oil, salt and pepper and dried herbs and/or 1 tsp Dijon mustard). Try different vinegars such as sherry, balsamic, apple cider, champagne, etc.

Sauté pickerel cheeks on both sides in melted butter with herbs over medium high heat. Deglaze and season with salt and pepper. Toss in with prepared salad and serve immediately. You can also let the pickerel cheeks cool first and then serve cold.

Pea Shoot Pesto on Arctic Char
Ingredients:
1/4 lb fresh, young pea shoots
1 bunch chives, chopped (or spring onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (or almonds)
salt
pepper

Directions:
Place the pea shoots, chives, garlic, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, pulse until a thick paste forms.

Spoon over Arctic Char fillet and bake at 350ºF for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Enjoy!

This Morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Quinoa Salad

2011-04-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting an easy to prepare salad with Quinoa (pronounced Keen - wah) for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders.

Easy Quinoa Salad
Photo later today.

Serves 6

3 cups cooked Quinoa (cook ahead in a 2:1 water: Quinoa ratio)
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tbs olive oil
1 rounded tsp ground cumin (toasted makes it quite nice as well but could be an optional ingredient, depending on tastes)
1 cup cooked black beans (or your favourite such as pinto, black eyed beans, etc.)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted (you can use pine nuts but they are very pricey right now)
¼ - ½ cup chopped green or black olives (Deluca’s has some lovely olives, just avoid the watery canned olives)I left these whole as some people don't enjoy olives.
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, aka coriander

While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and sugar into a vinaigrette in a small bowl.

Combine quinoa and all remaining ingredients, except fresh herbs, into a medium-sized bowl.

Drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine.

Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavours to combine. Add fresh herbs just prior to serving. May be served at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Options: try with Ras el Hanout, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, your favourite veggies. Also try cooking the quinoa with a Smen boullion. It gives it a buttery Moroccan flavour. Available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland.

Cooking lessons at the Centro Caboto Italian Cultural Centre

2011-03-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

On Monday I had the pleasure of preparing these items for a cooking class held at the Centro Caboto Centre Italian Cultural Centre. They offer a wide variety of cooking classes. I'll be offering classes in preparing seafood and some Korean specialties as well in the upcoming program.

I prepared these items in front of the class and then we dined together. It was a lovely experience.

1. Beet Salad I and II

1 lb Beets
1 tb Sugar
1 Lemon; juice of
1 tb Olive oil
1 lg Pinch of cinnamon
1 tb Chopped parsley
Salt; to taste

Wash beets well, being careful not to break their skins. Cut off the
tops, leaving a stalk of about 1 1/2". Boil in a 3 quart saucepan
until tender, covered. Allow the water to cool, then slip off the
skins, trim off the tops, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the beets. Let marinate
for 1 hour before serving.

Beet Salad II: Prepare as described above, but add 1 tsp. orange
flower water, 1/8 tsp. cumin, a pinch of paprika, and a little water
to the sauce.

2. Moroccan Elk (Beef/Lamb) Stew

1 lb elk roast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly sauté onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

3. Vegetable Tagine

2 red peppers
3-4 carrots
onions
1 head garlic cloves
1-2 Japanese eggplants (or 1 large globe eggplant)
1-2 yams
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup olives
1/2 pickled lemon RIND ONLY*
2-3 tbs olive oil
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout*
splash rose water*
1 tbs turmeric
salt and pepper and some water

Place all ingredients together in a casserole dish (traditional cooking vessel is a tajine). Cover and bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. If cooking on the stovetop, cook covered at medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Serve with rice or couscous or bulgur.

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Elk Burgers with Yoghurt Tahini Sauce

2011-03-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting a very simple yet moist and tasty burger on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders. The ground elk is from Stonewood Elk in Stonewall, Manitoba. My Turkish Baharat spice blend is used in the burger which is available at DeLuca's on Portage Ave as is the hot Italian Sausage used in the recipe. Excellent pita bread can be purchased at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland.

I also prepared a spicy tomato chutney to serve with the burger.

Elk Burgers with Turkish Baharat
1 lb ground elk
1 hot Italian sausage (casing removed) - Available at DeLuca's on Portage Ave.
2 tbs Turkish Baharat
1/2 cup panko (or fine bread crumbs)
1 egg
pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and form into 6 patties. Grill and serve with your favourite toppings or the following on a pita.

Yoghurt tahini sauce

1/2 cup good plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 heaping tbs tahini
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together. The tahini will cause the sauce to thicken quickly. Use on grilled Pide or Naan or as a crudité dip.

Enjoy!

Les Marmitons - a Kerala dinner

2011-03-22T07:49:00.001-07:00

Semiya Paysam, a Kerala dessert

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of presenting recipes from Kerala to a fine group of gentlemen from Les Marmitons. In addition to these recipes, we added parboiled red rice and plantain chips, both of which are very simple to prepare.

1. Kerala Chicken Curry

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 rounded tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2-3 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 cup onion, thin, long slices
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, thin slices
a few curry leaves *
1 tbs vinegar
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup first thick coconut milk from 1 cup dry unsweetened coconut**
2 cups thin second coconut milk **
3 sweet potatoes, small dice

1. Mix coriander, cayenne, turmeric and pepper together and set aside.
2. Fry mustard seeds in hot oil and saute onion, garlic, ginger and curry leaves in a larger cooking pot.
3. Move onions to the side and fry the spice mixture in the oil and stir for a few minutes.
4. Add meat, vinegar, salt and stir for a few minutes.
5. Mix thin second coconut milk and cook. Close the pan with a deep lid with a splash of water. When the meat is done, add the sweet potatoes.
6. After the sweet potatoes are cooked, stir in the thick first coconut milk. When the curry thickens, remove from heat.
7. Enjoy with roti, rice, naan, etc.

* Curry leaves are available at Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame.

** To make your own first and second coconut milk, measure out one cup dry unsweetened coconut into a blender and add one cup very hot water. Blend well and strain. This is your first coconut milk. Take the drained blended coconut and return to the blender. Add another cup or two of very hot water and blend very well again. Drain. This is your second coconut milk.

2. Fish Molley - a Kerala recipe

Serves 4

4 Sable fish steaks (available at Gimli Fish - or ask about other fish to try with this recipe such as white fish, pickerel, kingfish, etc.)

2 tablespoons sunflower oil
3 small pieces of cassia or 1 small cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
5 cloves
2 tomatoes, quartered *
1 red onion, cut in half and sliced thickly
1 green chili, sliced halfway down
4 shallots, sliced through the root (used in the end
for seasoning)
3-4 fresh curry leaves
1/2 lime (used in the end of cooking)
~1 1/2 cups coconut milk, method follows, use whole recipe amount
~1/2 cup coconut cream, method follows, use whole recipe amount
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Add the cassia, cardamom, and cloves for seasoning. When the cardamom pods swell up and absorb the flavour, add the quartered tomato and fry for a few minutes.* Remove the tomatoes, add the onions and green chili to the same oil and stir. Add the crushed garlic and fry for 5 minutes, and then add the ginger. (Never add ginger and garlic together as the garlic needs to cook for longer.) Lower to medium-low heat and sprinkle generous 1 teaspoon of turmeric over the onions, then stir and raise to medium-high heat. After the garlic is fried add the white flour 1/2 teaspoon and crushed ginger and a few curry leaves, and fry a bit then,

Add the diluted coconut milk to the pan where the onions and garlic are fried and allow to bubble, keep on stirring till the milk bubbles or else the coconut milk curdles. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time and add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. If using a whole fish make slashes on the sides, If your pan is big to fill the fish use the same pan, Once you add the fish you can’t stir with a spoon. The fish should be just covered with coconut milk –cook gently for about 5 minutes, just swaying the dish from side to side. (If the fish sauce needs more sour taste add lime juice off the heat or else it will become bitter.)

Add the coconut cream, swirl and bring back to the boil. Taste and add more salt if necessary. The coconut cream may dull the salt.

To finish, in a different pan, put a few teaspoons of oil, add sliced shallots. Brown a few shallots and add some curry leaves. Pour over the top of the fish sauce. Add the quartered fried tomatoes.

*I used frozen tomatoes for this recipe and added them at the end without first frying them.

Eat hot or at room temperature with rice or any bread.

To make coconut cream and milk:

Coconut Cream or First milk
1 cup unsweetened coconut (excellent dried coconut from Dino's on Notre Dame)
1 cup very hot water

In a blender, blend at high speed for a few minutes and then strain, reserving coconut. This is your first coconut milk or cream.

2nd milk

Return blended coconut to blender and ad 1 1/2 - 2 cups very hot water. Blend at high speed for a few minutes. Strain. This is your second coconut milk that is used for cooking.

Enjoy!

3. Cabbage Thoren

2 cups finely shredded cabbage (or carrots, beans, cauliflower, beets)
salt, to taste
2 tbs oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp black gram dhal or urdad dal *
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, sliced thinly in rounds
a few curry leaves *
1/2 cup finely grated coconut *

1. Heat oil in a pot on medium high heat and add the mustard seeds.
The seeds will pop. Then add the dhal and fry until it becomes golden
brown. Add onion, green chillies, curry leaves and sauté. When
almost translucent add grated coconut and stir for a few minutes.
2. Toss in the cabbage and add salt to taste. Gently sauté until
water has been absorbed or evaporated.

Note: red and green chillies have a lovely appearance. Cauliflower,
beans, carrots and other vegetables can be prepared similarly.

Enjoy!

4. Tender Beans Kerala Style

3 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half to up to 2" long
2 tbs. vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 medium onion, sliced thin and long
1 red chili crushed or 1/2 tsp. chili powder
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 pepper corns crushed or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp turmeric powder

Fry the mustard seeds in hot oil. When they turn lighter colour and begin to pop, add onion slices and sauté over medium high heat. Add turmeric, chili and pepper corns then garlic. Sauté. Add the beans and sauté until al dente. Season with a pinch of salt. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

5. Mushroom Thoran

2 cups sliced Crimini Mushrooms (can use other varieties)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 green chilies, chopped
1/4 cup grated coconut (if using dried, use unsweetened)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
sprig curry leaves
1-2 tbs oil
salt, to taste

Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add curry leaves. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms, chilies and salt. Cook over medium high heat until the water has evaporated from the mushrooms, stirring frequently. Stir in coconut, cumin and coriander and cook until soft.

I added a bit of cream to this even though it is a dry curry. Cover and cook on low until ready to serve.

6. Semiya Paysam
Ingredients
1. Roasted Vermicelli (Semiya) – 1 cup (ask at the store for the dessert variety)
2. Milk – 5 cups (1% fat milk)
3. Sugar – 8 – 10 tbsps
4. Ghee – 1 tbsp
5. Crushed cardamom (elakka) – 4 pods
6. Cashew Halves – 20
7. Raisins – 20
8. Sweet Condensed Milk – 1/2 cup

Kerala Dessert - Semiya Paysam
Preparation Method
1. Heat 1 tbsp Ghee in a pan. Fry raisins until they are plump and cashews till they become light golden brown. Keep aside.
2. Take milk in a big saucepan and bring it to boil.
3. Reduce flame and add sugar, stirring continuously. Add the powdered cardamom for flavor.
4. Next, slowly add the roasted vermicelli into the milk, stirring continuously. Allow it come to boil on medium heat.
5. Simmer for 10-12 minutes till the semiya is cooked and the payasam begins to thicken.
6. Add condensed milk and combine everything. Add more sugar if required.
7. Remove from flame and garnish with fried raisins and cashews.
8. You can serve it either warm or cold. I love refrigerated Semiya Payasam
Note
• I used store bought Roasted Vermicelli for making Paysam. It is easily available in Indian stores. If you are using ordinary vermicelli, heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the vermicelli till it becomes light brown in color.
• I used 1% Fat Milk for making Paysam. If you are using Whole Milk, you can take 4 cups milk and 1 cup water.

To answer the question, yes, he does eat like this every day.

2011-03-20T11:05:00.001-07:00

No, he doesn't eat like this every day. He is a test kitchen for me sometimes and this was his whim. Not daily. Featured are wild caught fresh scallops wrapped in proscuitto with a port reduction glaze and a side of sage butter pasta shells with added peas.

The wild caught Nova Scotia scallops are found at Gimli Fish. Proscuitto is found at many fine delis, including DeLuca's on Portage Ave. An excellent wine pairing was provided through the MLCC.

Port Reduction
1-2 cups tawny Port
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbs butter

In a small saucepan, heat the port on medium-low heat until at least reduced by half. Better by two thirds. Add the rosemary and season. At the end, increase the heat to medium-high heat and add butter. Pour reduction over seared scallops or item of choice.

Enjoy!

Seared Wild Caught Scallops wrapped in Proscuitto

Wipe each scallop off in a paper towel to absorb extra moisture.

Wrap each scallop with a slice of proscuitto folded over in half. Secure with toothpicks.

Heat pan to high heat and melt 1 tsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil (prevents the butter from burning)

Place scallops in hot pan for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and pour reduction over the scallops. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Sage Butter Pasta with peas

Handful sage leaves, stacked and cut in a chiffonade style (or finely chopped)
1-2 tbs butter
salt and pepper, to taste
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1 - 1/2 cup peas
1/4 cup grated parmesan
cooked pasta

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the sage and seasonings. Add the peas and when cooked through, add the freshly cooked hot pasta. Toss together and add the parmesan. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Pea Shoot Pesto on Arctic Char and Gai Lan

2011-03-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting a beautiful local Arctic Char topped with a very simple Pea Shoot Pesto on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Agatha Moir.

The Pea Shoot Pesto is so easy to make and gives such a fresh and Spring-like taste to everything. Looking out at the effects of a blizzard, I began yearning, in earnest, for Spring to arrive. This will give you the taste for Spring. The pea shoots are available at DeLuca's on Portage Ave. and the beautiful Arctic Char is available exclusively at Gimli Fish.

The Gai Lan is simply stir fried in sesame oil, a bit of grated ginger, a quick dash of soy sauce, lemon zest and some white pepper.

Pea Shoot Pesto
Ingredients:
1/4 lb fresh, young pea shoots
1 bunch chives, chopped (or spring onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (or almonds)
salt
pepper

Directions:
Place the pea shoots, chives, garlic, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, pulse until a thick paste forms.

Spoon over Arctic Char fillet and bake at 350ºF for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Enjoy!

Divinely decadent eggs, from the palace of the Ottoman empire

2011-03-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

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.

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Arctic Char and toasted Nori Sheets

2011-02-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

(Arctic Char before baking)

(Arctic Char after baking and on the plate)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting some easy and delicious recipe ideas for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. We have gorgeous Arctic Char produced here in Manitoba with organic feed in clean waters. The results are a beautiful fish that is so moist and buttery AND sustainable. It is exclusively available at Gimli Fish.

This recipe is so easy and adaptable for individual tastes.

Herb baked Arctic Char
1 fillet Arctic Char
1 bunch Cilantro, finely chopped
1 bunch Chives, finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
drizzle good olive oil
pinch each of sea salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF and place Arctic Char Fillet on a pan. In a bowl, mix up remaining ingredients and spread over the fillet. Bake from 10 - 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Serve immediately. Try with rice or sweet potato and salad with a vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

The toasted Nori sheets are also exceptionally easy to prepare and are addictive as potato chips (crisps). Brush the Nori sheet with a bit of sesame oil and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Place in the toaster oven and toast until it starts to brown or curl up. Remove and break or cut into pieces.

Fiery Foods from around the world with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-02-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

(Ma Po Dofu - Sichuan tofu dish)

The other night I had the pleasure of presenting fiery foods from around the world for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Conservancy, presented on the flora indicated in the recipes while Sheila Nash, MLCC Product Ambassador, provided excellent beverage pairings for each dish.

1. Penne all'arrabbiata (Italian)
Paired with Highland Park (204560) $ 59.95 (With Ginger Beer)

1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
1 cup good black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 cups tomato puree
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs hot pepper flakes
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs dried basil
½ - 1 cup red wine
Salt, to taste
½ tbs brown sugar
½ cup chevre (optional)
Cooked pasta

Sauté onion until translucent. Add olives and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomato, garlic and chilies. Add red wine to desired thickness of sauce. Stir in salt and brown sugar. Mix with pasta and drop in bits of chevré.

Enjoy!

2. Jamaican Jerk Chicken and marinade
Paired with Grand Reserve Mommessin (8152) $ 13.63 and Paulaner Hefe Weissbier (577296) $2.28

1 tbs Ground Allspice
1 tbs dried Thyme
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground Sage
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs Garlic, minced
1 tbs white sugar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Soy sauce
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Orange Juice
Juice of one lime
1 Scotch bonnet pepper (habanero) *
3 green onions – finely chopped

*Optional (may try a variety of chilies)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour over scallops or chicken. Let marinade for at least 3 hours. Grill fish or meat.
Cooling agent: Beer, yoghurt, cucumber, ice cream
Enjoy!

3. Shrimp with dip (Korean)
Paired with Soju Chamjinisulro (568568) $ 10.85

1 bag wild caught peeled shrimp (now available at Gimli Fish)

Blanch shrimp in boiling water until fully cooked and then cool immediately in an ice bath. Drain completely.

OR

Sauté shrimp in a drizzle of sesame oil until pink. Season with salt and white pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with the following dipping sauces:

Korean dipping sauce
1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

4. Ma po Dofu (Sichuan Tofu dish)
Paired with Firesteed Pinot Gris (7147) $ 17.95 and O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale (5445) $4.16

Firm Tofu - 200 gm
Fried tofu (minced) - about 75 gm (replace with minced beef for the original version) (Try Veggie ground round by Yves)
Chili bean paste - 1.5 tbsp
Peanut oil - 3 tbsp
Fermented black beans - 2 tsp
Whole Sichuan red chilies - 6-10, depending on your chili tolerance
Chicken stock or vegetable stock (unsalted) - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 large pinch
Light soy sauce - 1 tsp
Corn flour - 2 tsp mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
Sichuan peppercorns (Hwa Jiao) (ground) - 1/4 tsp
Spring onions (scallions) - chopped - 2 tbsp

Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.

Heat a wok on high heat. When it's nice and hot, add the oil. Add the minced beef (or minced fried tofu or veggie ground round) and stir-fry for about a minute on high heat. The beef should be brown on the outside but still have some cooking left.

With a spatula, move the beef to one side of the wok so the oil can drain back into the middle of the wok. Turn the heat down to medium. (If you don't, you will shortly start coughing till your lungs pop out.)

Now add the chili bean paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds. The oil should turn red. Add the fermented black beans and red chilies and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. The oil should have a nice smell from all this seasoning.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock and stir it in. Then gently add the cut tofu to the liquid. Don't stir-fry this too much or the tofu could break apart. Try to hold the pan by its long handle and gently shake it back and forth.

Add the sugar and light soy sauce. Turn the heat down and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes.

Depending on how thick the sauce is at this stage, stir in some of the corn flour-water mixture and turn up the heat to medium. The sauce should start to thicken. Add more of the mixture and cook till the sauce has the consistency slightly more runny than tomato ketchup. It should cling to the tofu nicely.

Stop the cooking at this stage; add the spring onions and mix.

Empty the dish into a hot bowl. Scatter with the powdered Sichuan peppercorns and serve.

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Mushroom Soufflé

2011-02-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting mushroom soufflé on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. I chose this dish to demystify the soufflé. Broken down into steps, it is a simple dish to prepare with wonderful results. Soufflés are not fussy, in fact, I made the remainder at home, took them out too soon and put them back in the oven only to have the soufflés rise even more.

This is the basic soufflé recipe that can be adapted to other flavours. Try blended butternut squash or crab or cheese among many other options.

I used porcini and morel mushrooms in today's soufflé but you can try white mushrooms, crimini, or other favourites.

Mushroom Soufflé

Preheat oven to 425º F

Part 1:
Make a Béchamel Sauce by combining the following with a small whisk over a double boiler or Bain Marie;

3 tbs. Butter
1/2 cup flour
Add a scant cup cold milk (3/4 cup)
and continue to whisk over the steam heat until thickened.
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Part 2:

Sauté 1 chopped onion,
1 cup chopped mushrooms,
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts and deglazed with wine

Blend mushroom mixture to a smooth paste and set aside

Part 3:

Add mushroom mixture to bechamel and whisk in. Then add 4 – 5 egg yolks from large eggs.
Fold in 4-5 egg whites, whisked to stiff peaks.

Use a buttered and floured soufflé mold or 6 smaller ramekins. Pour in the mixture and bake in the oven at 400ºF for 30 minutes (less time if using ramekins) without opening the door during cooking, until well-risen and a deep golden-brown on top.

Serve immediately. Enjoy with a light salad with a vinaigrette. Try with a chocolate fondue for dessert.

Enjoy!

Moroccan specialties tonight with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-02-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight I will be presenting the following recipes with Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator from the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and Jamie Jette, Product Ambassador from the MLCC for beverage pairings.

1. Beet Salad I and II
Paired with Selbach Dry Riesling (#10617) $14.94

1 lb Beets
1 tb Sugar
1 Lemon; juice of
1 tb Olive oil
1 lg Pinch of cinnamon
1 tb Chopped parsley
Salt; to taste

Wash beets well, being careful not to break their skins. Cut off the
tops, leaving a stalk of about 1 1/2". Boil in a 3 quart saucepan
until tender, covered. Allow the water to cool, then slip off the
skins, trim off the tops, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the beets. Let marinate
for 1 hour before serving.

Beet Salad II: Prepare as described above, but add 1 tsp. orange
flower water, 1/8 tsp. cumin, a pinch of paprika, and a little water
to the sauce.

2. Eggplant Salad, Rabat Style
Paired with Gouguenheim Merlot (#8942) $11.82 and Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale (#496711) $ 2.68

1 eggplant
1 clove garlic, peeled and slivered
2 tbs chopped parsley
2 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs olive oil (or less)
1-2 tbs lemon juice
pinch salt

Stud the eggplant with garlic slivers, using a pairing knife to cut slits into the eggplant. Bake at 400ºF until very soft. Remove from oven to cool when darkened and "collapsed".

When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the flesh of the eggplant into a sieve. Discard liquid.

Mash or push the eggplant and garlic through a food mill (avoid a blender as it won't give you the desired effect).

Add the chopped herbs and spices and mix well. Fry in the olive oil over moderate heat, turning often until all of the liquid has evaporated and the eggplant has been reduced to a thick black jam, about 15 - 20 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt. Serve warm or slightly cooled.

Try with grape tomatoes and good toasted pita bread.

Enjoy!

3. Vegetable Tagine
Paired with Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc (#40501) $11.49 and Tamaya Carmenere (#6717)$17.99

(Use a variety of root vegetables on hand. Tonight I used carrots and parsnips with eggplant and red pepper)

2 red peppers
3-4 carrots
onions
1 head garlic cloves
1-2 Japanese eggplants (or 1 large globe eggplant)
1-2 yams
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup olives
1/2 pickled lemon RIND ONLY*
2-3 tbs olive oil
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout*
splash rose water*
1 tbs turmeric
salt and pepper and some water

4. Grilled Pomegranate Chicken (serves 4 as an entrée or 8+ as an appetizer)
Paired with Inniskillin Okanagan Chenin Blanc (#987907) $15.99 and Blackthorn Cider (#619551) $ 4.32

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup Pomegranate Molasses (Available locally at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland, Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame)
1/2 pickled lemon, PEEL only, chopped
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout
splash rose water
pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil

In a bowl, combine last 6 ingredients. Split chicken by cutting through breast bone and flatten open. Rub spice/pomegranate mixture over chicken on all sides. Chill for a few hours.

Heat up BBQ to high heat. Place chicken on hot grill and sear on both sides for a few minutes. Reduce heat or place on cooler side of BBQ and cook chicken slower, basting until meat is ready to fall off of the bone. Let rest and serve with flat breads, rice and grilled vegetables.

Enjoy!

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

2011-01-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting ideas on lowering the bad fats in our diets with the Living Right Now national CBC program on the Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.

The Moroccan eggplant dish is very easy to prepare and can be made one or two days in advance. I used smoked hot paprika to carry over that smokey flavour that comes from roasting the eggplant over coals.

1. Eggplant Salad, Rabat Style

1 eggplant
1 clove garlic, peeled and slivered
2 tbs chopped parsley
2 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs olive oil (or less)
1-2 tbs lemon juice
pinch salt

Stud the eggplant with garlic slivers, using a pairing knife to cut slits into the eggplant. Bake at 400ºF until very soft. Remove from oven to cool when darkened and "collapsed".

When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the flesh of the eggplant into a sieve. Discard liquid and skin of eggplant.

Mash or push the eggplant and garlic through a food mill (avoid a blender as it won't give you the desired effect).

Add the chopped herbs and spices and mix well. Fry in the olive oil over moderate heat, turning often until all of the liquid has evaporated and the eggplant has been reduced to a thick black jam, about 15 - 20 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt. Serve warm or slightly cooled.

Try with grape tomatoes and good toasted pita bread.

Enjoy!

2. International Creamers

Read the ingredients of the international creamers. High Fructose Corn Syrup, fats of different kinds. Treat yourself without harming yourself. Take one can of fat-free condensed milk. Add vanilla and Stevia or Splenda and store in the refrigerator for the "French Vanilla" coffee flavour. Try almond extract, or other sugar-free extracts for different flavours.

Try out a very nicely designed creamer container by Trudeau available at D. A. Niels Gourmet Kitchenware at 485 Berry St.

To make excellent hot chocolate that gives you the creamy texture without the fat, make cocoa with good cocoa powder, Splenda or Stevia, a can of fat-free milk. A lovely treat on a cold Winter's day.

Italian Countryside with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-01-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday evening, I had the pleasure of presenting a few recipes from around the Italian countryside with Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and Gary Dawyduk,Product Ambassador of the MLCC. I added a few surprises in the mix as well that can be found on this blog such as Sage Butter Pasta and a variation of biscotti with cranberries, walnuts and blood oranges and zest.(Click on biscotti labels for some variations in this blog)

Bonnie presented on the flora of the Italian countryside that was represented in the recipes and Gary presented excellent beverage pairings for each course, including a welcoming cocktail and after dinner digestivo.

Aperitivo:
Negroni cocktail:
1 oz. London Dry Gin (Quintessential, #540419, $25.86)
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth (Cinzano, #422, $11.49)
1 oz. Italian Bitters (Cynar, #5299, $23.85)
Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass, ¾ filled with ice
Garnish with orange slice

1. Bruschetta con pomodoro e basilico

This is bruschetta in its simplest, tastiest form.

The next step in bruschetta assembly is rubbing the toasted bread with garlic, before or after sprinkling on the olive oil, and adding a pinch of salt.

Paired with Prosecco – Zonin (#6017) $13.28
* Italian or French bread, cut in 1/2 inch slices
* fresh, ripe, firm tomato, washed and coarsely chopped
* fresh basil leaves, whole or shredded
* olive oil, extra virgin, the best
* garlic, peeled, whole (optional)
* salt to taste

Grill or toast bread. Charcoal is great!

Place sliced bread under the broiler, in the toaster or best yet over a charcoal grill and toast.

Rub toast with a clove of garlic or not, depending on taste.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Spoon chopped tomato onto bread.

Scatter some basil. Alternatively, place the tomatoes, basil, garlic (chopped fine), olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix.

Set bowl at table alongside the toasted bread and simply spoon on mixture.

Some prefer to use sliced rather than chopped tomato.

2. Farfalle with Onion Confit, Gorganzola and Walnuts

Paired with Gewurztraminer 2009 – Fetzer (#350843) $14.99 and 1488 Whisky Ale – Tullilbardine (#10420, 500 ml) $7.33

(serves 2-4)
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 lb farfalle
1/3 cup fresh basil
3 tbs, walnut pieces, toasted
1 ounce Gorgonzola

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the onions and pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions begin to soften and release their juices. Add the garlic and continue to cook over medium heat, gently stirring as they caramelize. After 30 minutes, the onions should be a rich golden colour and sweet. Add wine to deglaze the pan ad simmer over low heat.

Boil pasta as per instructions. Chop or break the toasted walnuts. Before draining pasta, add a 1/4 cup of cooking water to the confit. Add the drained pasta to the confit with walnuts and basil. Season and crumble in cheese. Serve immediately.

3.Elk Osso Bucco:

Paired with Dolcetto d’Alba 2007 – Damilano (#9722) $26.99 and Rioja Reserva 2005 – Montecillo (#802108) $20.97

1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces Beef, Bison or Elk for osso bucco
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 lemon, zest peeled off in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
1 head garlic, cut horizontally through the middle
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bottle dry red wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth (I had homemade chicken broth on hand instead)
1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed (I used 6 frozen garden grown Roma Tomatoes)

Put the flour in a large shallow platter and season it with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour and then tap off the excess (extra flour will burn and make the dish off-tasting).

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and hit it with a 3-count drizzle of oil. Add the butter and swirl it around the pan to melt. Sear the meat, turning carefully with tongs, until all sides are a rich brown caramel color. Drizzle with a little more oil, if needed. (Do this in batches if the shanks are big and look crowded in the pot.) Remove the browned meat to a side plate. There will be a lot of flavor left over in the bottom of the pot. You're going to use that to create your sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using the same pot, sauté the onion, celery, carrots, lemon zest, garlic, bay leaves, and parsley over medium heat. Cook the vegetables down until they start to get some color and develop a deep, rich aroma. Season with salt and pepper; add a little oil if needed. Nestle the meat back in the pot. Pour in the wine and let it simmer down for 20 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half. Reducing is key for intense flavor. Add the beef broth and tomatoes and stir everything together. Cover the pot and put it in the oven. Braise for 1 and a 1/2 hours. Then remove the cover and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be thick and the meat tender and nearly falling off the bone.

4. Lemon Gelato with Amaretto cookie

Paired with Maximo Marche Bianco 2006 – Ronchi (#10955, 375 ml) $24.45

Lemon Gelato:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 pint (500 ml) water
The zest of a half a lemon
The juice of three lemons
An ice cream machine
Preparation:

Bring the sugar, water and lemon zest to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Let the mixture cool, stir in the lemon juice, and make the sherbet, following the instructions given by the manufacturer of your ice cream machine.

Yield: 6 servings lemon gelato.

Variations: you can also make lime sherbet, substituting limes for lemons, or orange sherbet, using the juice of three oranges and one lemon. If you choose to make the latter, reduce the sugar somewhat since oranges are naturally sweeter than lemons or limes.

Amaretti cookies

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) almond extract
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) ground almonds
Topping:
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar
Preparation:

In large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; beat in sugar, 2 tbsp (25 mL) at a time, until stiff glossy peaks form. Beat in almond extract; fold in ground almonds.

Drop by generous 1 tbsp (15 mL) or pipe using piping bag, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, onto parchment paper–lined baking sheets.

Topping: Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 300°F (150°C) oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, for about 20 minutes or until firm to the touch and light golden. Transfer to rack; let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Store layered between waxed paper in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

Digestivo: Frangelico Liqueur (#8546) $23.97

Saturday's cooking demonstrations - CBC Weekend Morning Show and D.A. Niels

2011-01-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I had the pleasure of presenting recipes and cooking methods for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders and later at D.A. Niels. The first recipe highlighted using different cooking methods to lower salt and increase flavour in our foods with a Parchment paper Pickerel fillet loaded with fresh arugula. The second, at D. A. Niels, featured recipes that can be made in the quite versatile tajine with Moroccan Elk Stew and Korean Ginseng Chicken (Samgetang).

Parchment Paper Fish
Per Fillet:
1 fillet Pickerel – now on sale at Gimli Fish
1/2 carrot, peeled and then peeled into strips
1/2 leek whites, julienned
pinch sea salt
pepper to taste
3-5 basil leaves, chiffonade (use your favourite herb) On Saturday, I used Arugula
parchment paper
spray olive oil*

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place fish on top of very lightly oiled parchment paper. Place basil, carrot, leek and pinch of salt and pepper on top of fish. Lightly spray with olive oil. Seal paper and place in oven or on top of grill for up to 20 minutes in the oven, depending on thickness of fillet. If using a BBQ, place fish on upper level and not directly over the heat. The fish is so delicate. Paper will puff up. Remove and serve immediately.

*I like to use a truffle oil olive oil blend.

Enjoy!

Korean Ginseng Chicken

1 medium chicken (preferably organic)
1-2 large pieces white ginseng (Fresh available sometimes at Superstore and dried at some Asian markets. I found mine at Dong Thai on Notre Dame)
1 cup sticky or sushi rice
6 dried Chinese red dates*
6 chestnuts (peeled and medium chopped)
1 head garlic
1 inch grated fresh ginger
2 green onions (large chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste (white pepper if available)
Dash of Sesame oil
Water (to cover chicken)

Put rice, dates, some ginseng and some garlic cloves inside the chicken in a large tajine or casserole dish. Add the remaining ingredients to dish. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for up to 45 minutes until chicken falls off the bone. Enjoy with rice and as a soup. Wonderful for cold winter days. Garnish with sesame seeds or green onions.

Moroccan Elk (Beef/Lamb) Stew

1 lb elk roast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly sauté onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Enjoy!

Under the Tuscan Sun with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2011-01-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Under the Tuscan Sun

It was my pleasure last week to present the following Tuscan recipes with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Conservancy, presented fascinating information on the produce and plant sources found in each recipe and Carol Herntier, Product Ambassador for the MLCC, presented wonderful and intriguing pairings for each dish.

Pairings will be posted in a few days.

1. Crostini Toscani
(serves 4)

2 tbs olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, roughly chopped
1 lb chicken livers, membranes removed
1 tsp small capers, drained but not rinsed
4 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 loaf ciabatta, cut into 8 - 10 slices, lightly toasted
1 tbs minced flat-leaf parsley

Warm the olive oil in a sauté pan wide enough to hold the livers in a single layer over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly coloured, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken livers and brown them on all sides, cooking until medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Add the capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced but not dry, 2 - 3 minutes.

Pour the contents of the skillet into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Reserve the juice to add some of it to the livers if they are to dry.

Turn the contents out onto a cutting board and chop roughly until they are well incorporated and the mixture is spreadable. If it appears too dry, spoon some reserved cooking liquid over it and chop again. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.

Spread some chopped liver on each slice of toast. Sprinkle some chopped parsley over each one. Serve at room temperature.

2. Fave con Pecorino
(serves 4)

2 lbs fava beans, peeled
4 ounces Pecorino Toscano, sliced into 1/2 inch/1 cm long matchstick-thick segments
1/4 cup olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 leaves radicchio, sliced very thinly

Place the fava beans and pecorino in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Toss very gently, just to combine the flavours and not to break the beans or crush the cheese.
Mound a quarter of the beans and cheese in the centre of each salad plate. Top each serving with a few slivers of radicchio.

3. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)

100g butter.
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
80g grated Parmesan
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

4. Tuscan beans (Fagioli all'uccelletto)

This is perhaps Florence's most famous dish. Some include Italian sausage.

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

5. Sgroppino
(serves 4)

1 1/3 cups lemon sorbet
1 cup Prosecco

Place 4 champagne flutes in the refrigerator to chill.

Put the sorbet and Prosecco in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into flutes and serve immediately.

Retro Refit - This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders

2010-12-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following two recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders.

Cheese Fondue

1/2 pound imported Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Cave-aged Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cherry brandy, such as kirsch*
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch nutmeg
Assorted dippers

In a small bowl, coat the cheeses with cornstarch and set aside. Rub the inside of the ceramic fondue pot with the garlic, then discard.
Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually stir the cheese into the simmering liquid. Melting the cheese gradually encourages a smooth fondue. Once smooth, stir in cherry brandy, mustard and nutmeg.
Try with breads (day-old can work the best as it isn't too soft and will stand up to the cheese), sautéed whole mushrooms, apple slices, etc.

*I've used Desorrono or Frangelico when I didn't have Kirsch on hand.

Shrimp with dip

1 bag wild caught peeled shrimp (now available at Gimli Fish)

Blanch shrimp in boiling water until fully cooked and then cool immediately in an ice bath. Drain completely.

OR

Sauté shrimp in a drizzle of sesame oil until pink. Season with salt and white pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with the following dipping sauces:

Korean dipping sauce
1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

Wasabi/Sour Cream dipping sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 good tablespoon wasabi paste
1/4 tsp sugar

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with seafood.

Warming Moroccan Tajines for Winter on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

2010-11-28T09:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. I've simplified and adapted the elk recipe from Paula Wolfert's recipes. These recipes would be a hit after skiing, skating, tobogganing, etc.

Moroccan Elk (Beef/Lamb) Stew

1 lb elk roast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly sauté onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Squash Tajine

1 small butternut, hubbard or winter squash, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup chopped dates
1 medium onion, chopped
1 head garlic (loose cloves)
2 tbs olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1 tbs turmeric
1 heaping tablespoon Ras El Hanout *
Splash of Rosewater**
1/2 chopped pickled lemon (just the peel)***
Pinch of salt
Optional: eggplant, zucchini

Place all ingredients together in a casserole dish (traditional cooking vessel is a tajine). Cover and bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. If cooking on the stovetop, cook covered at medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Serve with rice or couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Stunning Holiday Feasts with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

2010-11-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following dishes for a fundraising/educational event for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Grant Park Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC). MLCC Product Ambassador Carol Herntier provided the beverage pairings for each dish and Assiniboine Park Conservancy Education Coordinator Bonnie Tulloch provided information and history on the plants used in each dish.

1. Caramelized Shallot and Chevre Tarts
Paired with Spy Valley Pinot Gris - New Zealand
1 lb shallots, peeled, cut if very large
1 cup port
1-2 sprigs rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup chevre
tart shells

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a roasting pan, place shallots, herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper and port. Bake until caramelized and soft, about 30 - 45 minutes. Fill baked tart shells with a spoon full of chevré cheese and a shallot with some sauce. Bake at 350ºf for 5-7 minutes. Serve hot, warm or cold.

Enjoy!

2. Spanikoptia Triangles
Paired with Patriarche Bourgogne Pinot Noir – France

1 pkg filo dough
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1 white onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c mushroom sliced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika
3 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 c feta cheese crumbled
1 egg
pepper to taste
1/3 c butter
Thaw pastry in package. In advance, prepare filling. Sauté onion and garlic
until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté. Add thawed spinach and
spices. Cook on medium-high heat until some of the water has cooked off.
Add grated feta. Mix in one beaten egg. Remove from heat and cool.
To prepare pastries: Heat oven to 350F. Dampen tea towel. Cut rolled
pastry into four equal parts and lay out on cutting board. Cover with
dampened towel. Melt butter and set aside with pastry brush. Fill pastries in
desired shapes (triangles, pockets, in muffin or cupcake tins, etc). Brush
pastries with melted butter before filo turns papery. Bake until golden, about
15 minutes.

3. Kerala Shrimp

Paired with Thirty Bench VQA Riesling – Canada
1/4 kg small shrimp
1 tsp ground chilies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp vinegar

1 tbs cooking oil (grapeseed oil or canola so as to not add flavour)
1 large onion, chopped
a few curry leaves
1/4 tsp. paprika or chili powder (depending on how spicy you like the food)
1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

Clean and marinate shrimp in chilies, turmeric and vinegar at least 1/2 hour before cooking.

Heat oil in pan and sauté onion until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Fry the shrimp in the same oil until crispy. Then add the fried onion, curry leaves and optional paprika or chili powder on low heat. Add the coconut oil for good Keralan flavour. Test for salt and serve with rice, roti or chappati, etc.

4. Phyllo Rolls
Paired with Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel – USA

For two large rolls

6-8 phyllo sheets
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tin artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1 500 ml Ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (can use toasted sliced almonds)
1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
2 tbs basil pesto (or try arugula pesto, 1 tbs cilantro chutney, etc.)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, mix artichokes, Ricotta, Parmesan, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, pesto and seasonings. Lay down 3-4 phyllo sheets on a baking sheet. Spoon filling onto sheet, leaving room for covering ends and roll, folding in the ends.

Bake roll for 15 - 20 minutes, until brown. Cool for 5 - 10 minutes to let set and then slice.

Enjoy!

5. Lemon curd Tarts
Paired with Rossi D’Asiago Limoncello (chilled in freezer) – Italy
Finely grate the peel of 2 large lemons. Squeeze them and reserve the juice. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a double saucepan over a very gentle heat. Gradually add 1 cup superfine sugar, 3 beaten eggs, the grated lemon zest and the lemon juice. Stir until thickened. Put into sterilized jars while still hot and cover with wax paper, pressing the paper on the surface of the lemon curd. Leave until completely cold before covering the jars.

For 100 milers, I made this with local Raspberries instead of lemons and it was delicious over a pavlova.

Serve on bread or fill in tartlet shells.

Fish Molley - an easy and delicious recipe from Kerala

2010-10-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the great pleasure of presenting a Kerala recipe called Fish Molley on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders and co-host Jan Harding-Jeanson. It is quite easy to make and so worth it.

(Fish Molley - photo by Karen)

Fish Molley - a Kerala recipe

Serves 4

4 Halibut steaks (available at Gimli Fish - or ask about other fish to try with this recipe such as white fish, pickerel, kingfish, etc.)

2 tablespoons sunflower oil
3 small pieces of cassia or 1 small cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
5 cloves
2 tomatoes, quartered *
1 red onion, cut in half and sliced thickly
1 green chili, sliced halfway down
4 shallots, sliced through the root (used in the end
for seasoning)
3-4 fresh curry leaves
1/2 lime (used in the end of cooking)
~1 1/2 cups coconut milk, method follows, use whole recipe amount
~1/2 cup coconut cream, method follows, use whole recipe amount
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Add the cassia, cardamom, and cloves for seasoning. When the cardamom pods swell up and absorb the flavour, add the quartered tomato and fry for a few minutes.* Remove the tomatoes, add the onions and green chili to the same oil and stir. Add the crushed garlic and fry for 5 minutes, and then add the ginger. (Never add ginger and garlic together as the garlic needs to cook for longer.) Lower to medium-low heat and sprinkle generous 1 teaspoon of turmeric over the onions, then stir and raise to medium-high heat. After the garlic is fried add the white flour 1/2 teaspoon and crushed ginger and a few curry leaves, and fry a bit then,

Add the diluted coconut milk to the pan where the onions and garlic are fried and allow to bubble, keep on stirring till the milk bubbles or else the coconut milk curdles. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time and add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. If using a whole fish make slashes on the sides, If your pan is big to fill the fish use the same pan, Once you add the fish you can’t stir with a spoon. The fish should be just covered with coconut milk –cook gently for about 5 minutes, just swaying the dish from side to side. (If the fish sauce needs more sour taste add lime juice off the heat or else it will become bitter.)

Add the coconut cream, swirl and bring back to the boil. Taste and add more salt if necessary. The coconut cream may dull the salt.

To finish, in a different pan, put a few teaspoons of oil, add sliced shallots. Brown a few shallots and add some curry leaves. Pour over the top of the fish sauce. Add the quartered fried tomatoes.

*I used frozen tomatoes for this recipe and added them at the end without first frying them.

Eat hot or at room temperature with rice or any bread.

To make coconut cream and milk:

Coconut Cream or First milk
1 cup unsweetened coconut (excellent dried coconut from Dino's on Notre Dame)
1 cup very hot water

In a blender, blend at high speed for a few minutes and then strain, reserving coconut. This is your first coconut milk or cream.

2nd milk

Return blended coconut to blender and ad 1 1/2 - 2 cups very hot water. Blend at high speed for a few minutes. Strain. This is your second coconut milk that is used for cooking.

Enjoy!

Lasagnas on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

2010-10-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting a nice earthy lasagna on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders. Traditional Italian lasagna does not have beef but rather a mixture of ground veal and ground pork. It is also not made with ricotta or cottage cheeses. Therefore, these are Canadian versions of lasagna, one with ground elk and one with beef and ground pork. You could also make it with all beef if you would like to leave out pork.

(Elk Lasagna/Photo by Karen)
Karen's Canadian Lasagna

1 pkg lasagna noodles (or make fresh pasta)
2 lbs ground elk
1 tbs olive oil
8 large oven roasted tomatoes or large can of tomatoes
1 head roasted garlic
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
salt, to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (or 2 tbs dried)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried chilies (optional)
1 tsp fresh or dried rosemary
1/2 - 1 cup red wine
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 500 ml package ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a large saucepot, brown ground meat in olive oil over medium high heat. Remove meat from pot and set aside. Add olive oil to pot and slowly brown onions. Then add tomatoes (with water or juice), spices, roasted garlic, brown sugar and red wine. Purée sauce and add dried porcini mushrooms and meat back to the sauce. Simmer until well incorporated.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place 2 layers of noodles on the bottom of dish; layer 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the sauce; repeat layers.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.

Classic Canadian Lasagna

1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles (can use oven-ready variety and skip boiling)
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound lean ground beef (*Can use only beef, if desired)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup minced onion
1/8 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound small curd cottage cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
2. Place pork and beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, oregano, onion, sugar, basil and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
4. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place 2 layers of noodles on the bottom of dish; layer 1/2 of the cheese mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the sauce; repeat layers.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.

Warming Soups for Winter for the Assiniboine Park Conservacy

2010-10-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting 5 warming soups for winter at the Madison
Square MLCC for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. MLCC Product Ambassador, Gary Dawyduk presented pairings for each dish and Assiniboine Park Conservancy Educator, Bonnie Tulloch, presented on the plants and herbs represented in each dish.

Winter will come and having soups will make it all the more enjoyable.

Pairings:
To Start:
Scarlett O’Hara cocktail
2 oz. Southern Comfort Liqueur (#105601, $21.99)
6 oz. Cranberry juice
dash of lime juice
mix ingredients into an ice-filled glass, add dash of lemon juice

First: Vietnamese Sour Soup
1) Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Valley 2008 – Wither Hills (#3620) $17.95
1a) Ossian Bitter Beer (500ml, #9602) $3.84

Second: Curried (Butternut) Squash Soup
2) Pinot Gris 2008 – Sandhill (#626002) $16.99
2a) Great Lakes Brewery Pumpkin Ale (650ml, #9656) $6.33

Third: Leek and Potato Soup
3) Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2009 – Santa Margherita (#2125) $16.74

Fourth: Roasted Red Pepper Soup
4) Negra Modelo Lager (325ml, #5615) $1.83
4a) Earth, Zin & Fire Zinfandel 2008 (#5301) $18.51

Fifth: Yellow Split Pea Soup with Rosemary
5) Château Saint-Germain Bordeaux Superieur (#152587) $14.99

To Finish:
6) Agent Orange cocktail
1 ½ oz. Southern Comfort (#105601, $21.99)
1 ½ oz. Bailey’s Cream Liqueur (#5959, $18.39)
1 oz. Kahlua Coffee Liqueur (#389, $26.99)
Fill a tumbler with ice, add all ingredients; stir and serve

Vietnamese Sour Soup (makes 6 servings)

1 can pineapple rings, in juice, drained and cut
4 cups vegetable broth (from stock or low-salt bouillon)
3 tomatoes, canned with juice
4 tbs white vinegar
2-4 tbs hot sauce (Vietnamese Ot Toi e.g.)
2 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs Mirin
2 tbs Black Vinegar (for vegetarians, fish sauce for non-vegetarians)

Filling Options:
1 pkg tofu, cubed and fried or plain
2 cups bean sprouts
1-2 red bell peppers, sliced
1 lotus root, green shoots sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced on the bias
Water chestnuts

Garnish with 1 bunch fresh Thai Basil

Non-vegetarian filling options:
Shrimp, scallops, grilled chicken, etc.

Drain pineapple juice into soup pot and reserve pineapple for later. Mix broth, juice, vinegars, hot sauce, tomatoes, brown sugar and Mirin. Bring to a boil. 5 - 10 minutes prior to serving add filling options and bring to boil again. Serve and garnish with basil.

Enjoy!

Curried (Butternut) Squash Soup

1 Squash, seeded and baked (small to medium sized)
1 medium onion, diced
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 tbs curry spices (add a pinch extra ground cinnamon and ground cloves)
4-6 cups broth (test thickness of soup)
1 cup yoghurt
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté onions in a soup pot until soft. Add ginger and curry spices. On medium heat, mix in baked squash and add broth. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir in yoghurt. Remove from heat and let cool. Using an immersion blender or in a food processor, purée soup. Garnish with a bit of yoghurt.

Leek and Potato Soup

3-4 Leek whites, sliced
4-5 medium white or yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (keep in cold water to prevent browning)
1 head roasted garlic
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tbs dried tarragon or 2 tbs fresh
Salt, to taste
1 litre broth (low-sodium chicken or vegetable, e.g.)
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbs olive oil

In a soup pot, sauté the sliced leek whites with the olive oil on medium heat until they are softened and begin to turn translucent. Add diced potatoes and stir. Add seasoning and broth and bring to a boil. When the potatoes are soft, add the cream. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender or in a food processor, purée the soup. Return to stove and serve hot.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

4 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
1 large oven roasted yam or sweet potato
1 head roasted garlic
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated
1 can tomatoes
2-3 cups broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
Optional: 1 pinch saffron

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add butter and olive oil. Sauté onions until light brown in colour and add remaining ingredients. Cook until well incorporated and purée using an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor.

Garnish with crouton or crème fraiche and/or crispy fried herbs.

Enjoy!

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Rosemary

1 large onion, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, whole
2 cups yellow lentils (try varieties such as green split peas, red lentils, etc.)
1 tsp salt (to taste)
Pepper, to taste
4-6 cups water or broth

For meat based soups, try: 1/2 peeled Farmer's Sausage, 1 cup whole pancetta, thick slab bacon, ham, or any of your favourite smoked pork product)

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary and optional meat. Sauté until soft. Add lentils and stir through. Add water or broth and bring to a boil. DO NOT ADD SALT YET!

When lentils are soft, remove rosemary sprigs and optional meat. You may, at this time, choose to purée the soup and adjust the liquid content. Lentils will continue to expand so allow for that when adjusting for thickness of soup. Chop up meat and add back to soup if using meat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy on a cold day with some hot toast on the side.

Truffled Eggs and preparing for Thanksgiving

2010-10-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure this morning of presenting delicate and decadent scrambled eggs topped with local golden caviar on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders. Try this with either farm fresh eggs or the wonderful Vita Omega 3 eggs, produced near Steinbach.

I also presented some ideas for Thanksgiving for next week. Many of the steps to prepare the turkey and stuffing can be done days in advance so that the day of the feast is less stressful.

Truffled (excellent) Eggs

2 eggs per person - recipe for 2 people

4 eggs (farm fresh or Vita Omega 3 eggs are excellent)
1/4 cup cream (Notre Dame Dairies)
Options: fresh chopped chives, spice blends such as Ras el Hanout
pinch salt and pepper (try white pepper)
butter, for sauté pan (Notre Dame Dairies)
dollop of local caviar, for plating (Gimli Fish)
more options: truffle salt, truffle oil

In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream, optional spices or herbs and salt and pepper. Heat sauté pan on medium high heat and melt butter. Pour eggs into pan. If using an electric stove, keep pan on stove but turn off heat. If using gas, turn to lowest setting. Fold the eggs until almost set and creamy texture. Place on plate and top with a spoon full of caviar. Serve immediately. Truffle oil can be added on the plate or in the pan using sparingly.

Enjoy!

Southwestern Turkey with Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste and Southwestern Corn Bread Stuffing

Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

3 large heads garlic, roasted
3 large dried ancho chilies (dry roast, pour boiling water over in a bowl, stemmed and seeded and cut into pieces)
1/2 cup olive or canola oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin (toasted)
1/2 cup honey

Squeeze roasted garlic into measuring cup for 1/2 cup measure. Reserve remaining garlic. Blend into a purée. Add chili pieces, oil, cumin and honey and blend into a paste, adding olive oil and/or honey as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made up to a week in advance.

Turkey

1 17 - 18-pound turkey, neck and giblets reserved
1 turkey neck
2 tbs olive or canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
3-5 cups low salt chicken broth

Pat turkey dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread 1/2 cup of the garlic-chili paste over the breast under the skin using gloves. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into the cavities. Rub two tablespoons of the paste all over the outside of the turkey. Reserve any remaining paste for gravy. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Place on rack set in roasting pan. This can be done 1 day in advance if not stuffing the turkey.

In a skillet, sauté turkey neck and giblets over high heat and add to the roaster. Add spices, celery, tomatoes and onions and any reserved garlic into the pan. Add 2 cups of the broth, keeping the rest for basting. Roast turkey for 1 1/2 hours at 325ºF and then tent the turkey to cook with heavy aluminum foil for about 1 hour 40 minutes for unstuffed turkey and 2 hours 25 minutes for stuffed turkey or until the thickest part of the turkey is 180ºF or until the juices run clear. Baste from time to time with the broth.

When turkey is fully cooked, remove from oven, keep tented and let rest for 15 - 20 minutes before carving.

Southwestern Corn Bread Stuffing

Buttermilk Corn Bread

Make this a day in advance.

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Butter a 9x9x2 inch baking pan. Mix first 6 ingredients in a processor or mixer. Add butter and cut in until it resembles coarse meal. Beat buttermilk and eggs in a large bowl to blend and add cornmeal mixture to milk/egg mixture and blend. Transfer to pan.

Bake until corn bread is light golden brown on top and toothpick comes out clean when testing, about 30 minutes.

Stuffing

1 Buttermilk Corn Bread recipe
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
4 large poblano chilies, stemmed, seeded and chopped
3 large jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage or 4 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 /12 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups canned cream-style corn

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Cut cornbread into 4 equal pieces and crumble 3 of the pieces onto a large baking sheet. Reserve remaining 1/4 for another use. Bake until dry, about 20 minutes and transfer to a very large bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, all chilies, herbs and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with corn bread. Mix in cilantro, tortillas and corn kernels. Season to taste.

If stuffing in turkey, add cream-style corn and fill cavities. Spoon remaining stuffing into dish and cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes covered and then bake uncovered for ~ 15 minutes.

To bake all of the stuffing in a pan, butter a 13x9x2 inch pan and place stuffing in and cover. Bake covered for ~ 45 minutes, uncover and bake until beginning to brown, ~ 20 minutes.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Vegetarian Fare - Some ideas for easy preparation

2010-09-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian Fare

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting a few vegetarian dishes at the Madison Square MLCC with Product Ambassador and host, Sheila Nash who presented some wonderful pairings as well.

1. Sautéed Tofu with Korean dipping sauces
Paired with Gekkeikan Zipang Sparkling Sake #8548 @ $6.90 and Zonin Prosecco Brut #6017 @ $13.28

4 4-ounce cakes of medium - firm tofu
3 tbs vegetable oil

Cut the tofu into rectangles or squares 3/4 inch thick. Pat dry.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, place tofu in pan, careful not to overfill the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side and turn, looking for a golden colour. Cook the other side for about 3 minutes and remove from oil and place on a warmed platter with paper towels. Serve with dipping sauces

Korean dipping sauce #1

1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

Korean dipping sauce # 2

1/4 cup good soy sauce
1/4 cup Mirin
drizzle sesame oil
pinch white sugar

Mix ingredients and serve as dipping sauce for tofu and other fried foods.

Enjoy!

2. Saag Paneer
Paired with E @ J White Zinfandel #285767 @ $8.99, Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon Rose #8938 @ $10.99 and Trivento Reserve Torrontes Mendoza #9385 @ $11.95.

1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6+ cloves of garlic, peeled
1 fresh hot green chili, sliced roughly
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs "curry powder" spice blend (I make my own but several excellent ones are available commercially)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
~ 4 tbs vegetable or olive oil
6-8 cups chopped mixed greens (spinach, kale, chard, beet greens, sorrel, arugula, mustard greens, etc)
1 - 2 chopped tomatoes
1 cup yoghurt
1 tbs butter (optional)
salt, to taste
paneer (homemade or available at Dino's on Notre Dame in block or frozen)
1 tsp brown sugar

Place the ginger, garlic and green chili into a small blender with a few tablespoons of water and purée until you have a smooth paste. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and add the onion. When the onion is translucent, add the spices and cook on medium heat until the spices are soft. Then add the chopped tomato and the ginger, garlic, chili paste. When they have softened, add the greens, slowly so as to let them cook down and stir all together. Add the salt. When the greens have cooked down, add the yoghurt, butter if desired and remove from heat. Using an immersion blender or a blender, mix all of the ingredients into a purée. Return to heat and add the fried or non-fried paneer. Cook slowly with a lid so as to not have the hot vegetables bubble up and burn you.

Serve with rice or naan or other flat breads.

Enjoy!

3. Patliçan Yogürtlü
Paired with Laurus Chateauneuf De Pape Gabriel Meffre #8922 @ $51.82 and D'Alba Docetto Tenuta Carretta #8024 @ $16.50

1 lg eggplant sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 c plain yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Slice and salt eggplant and let sit in a bowl of cold water. If eggplant is very young, skip the step of salt and water. Rinse and squeeze out water from slices.

Mince garlic and stir into yoghurt with salt.

Sauté eggplant slices on medium high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and let sit for a moment on a paper towel. Place on platter and top with yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle rubbed oregano and paprika over yoghurt. Top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.

Enjoy!

More Local!!! Keema with locally raised grass-fed beef

2010-09-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the great pleasure of presenting Keema, a North Indian/Pakistani dish with ground meat and peas, on the Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders. The beef was from Harbourside Farms in Pilot Mound and is featured in this weekend's Harvest Moon Agriculture Tour.

I also presented the Tuscan Squash Salad, as featured in the previous blog.

Keema (Curried ground meat with peas)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 kg ground beef or ground lamb
3 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsps coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp garam masala
Salt to taste
2 medium-sized tomatoes chopped fine
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

Heat the cooking oil in a wok or deep pan, on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add the onions now. Fry till they turn a pale golden colour. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 1 minute. Add the ground meat and all the powdered spices - coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt to taste. Continue to brown the meat, stirring often to prevent burning. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stir and cook till they are soft. Add the peas and cook until just tender.

Turn off, the stove add the lime juice and stir.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot chapatis or parathas.

Enjoy!

Savouring Local Fare with the Assiniboine Park Conservatory and the MLCC

2010-09-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

Savouring Local Fare
Last night I had the pleasure of presenting recipes using local ingredients at the Madison Square MLCC Education Centre as part of the ongoing fundraising and education efforts for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory. Product Ambassador Sheila Nash, for the MLCC, paired each dish with a lovely beverage. Education Coordinator, Bonnie Tulluch, for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, presented information on the plants and produce to be used in the dishes.

1. Excellent Eggs

Paired with Stellers Jay Brut VQA #3757 $22.99

2 eggs per person - recipe for 2 people

4 eggs (farm fresh or Vita Omega 3 eggs are excellent)
1/4 cup cream (Notre Dame Dairies)
Options: fresh chopped chives, spice blends such as Ras el Hanout
pinch salt and pepper (try white pepper)
butter, for sauté pan (Notre Dame Dairies)
dollop of local caviar, for plating (Gimli Fish)
more options: truffle salt, truffle oil

In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream, optional spices or herbs and salt and pepper. Heat sauté pan on medium high heat and melt butter. Pour eggs into pan. If using an electric stove, keep pan on stove but turn off heat. If using gas, turn to lowest setting. Fold the eggs until almost set and creamy texture. Place on plate and top with a spoon full of caviar. Serve immediately. Truffle oil can be added on the plate or in the pan using sparingly.

Enjoy!

2. Cheeky Pickerel Cheeks

Paired with La Messagere Red Ale #8207 $21.01

1 lb pickerel cheeks (Gimli Fish)
2 tbs butter (Notre Dame Dairies)
1 bunch fresh sorrel (Market place or garden), cut chiffonade
salt and pepper, to taste
Vermouth or white wine, to deglaze pan

In a medium sauté pan, heat pan and melt butter. Toss in the fresh herbs such as sorrel. Sorrel is a lovely lemony perennial and is excellent in soups, stews, curries, salads, etc. Other herbs, such as rosemary, basil, dill, can be used. Sauté pickerel cheeks quickly and turn for each side. Quickly deglaze the pan with the vermouth or white wine. Serve as an amuse, on potato pancakes or as an entrée.

Enjoy!

3. Tuscan Squash Salad

Paired with Half Pints Bulldog Amber Ale +6994 $11.83

1 lb squash (butternut, hubbard, or any small firm variety except spaghetti), peeled, seeded and cut in 5-inch slices (Market garden or own garden)
2 tsp fresh pressed canola oil (Tall Grass Prairie Bakery)
3 tbs honey, warm and divided into two parts (Farmer's Market)
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs walnut oil
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
~ 6 cups mixed baby greens, lightly packed (Neva arugula is used, found at FOOD and Food Fare)
½ cup crumbled feta (Oak Island Goat Dairy, found at DeLuca's, FOOD, and some Food Fares)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss the squash and olive oil in a large bowl. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly brush with half of the honey. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and brush with the remaining honey. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the squash is cooked through. Some varieties take longer to cook.

While the squash is baking, toast the walnuts lightly. Whisk together the lemon juice, walnut oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Toss the greens with the vinaigrette in a large bowl and place on serving plates. Top with 3-5 slices of squash. Sprinkle with the walnuts and feta, season and serve while the squash is still warm.

4. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)

Paired with See Ya Later Ranch Pinot 3 VQA #986380 $19.99 and Malivoire Gamay VQA #591313 $15.93 (chef's note: perfect!)

100g butter. (Notre Dame Dairies)
Bunch of fresh sage leaves (Farmer's Market or garden)
80g grated Parmesan
Black pepper.
Penne (Nature's Pasta, available at The Forks, DeLuca's, FOOD, etc.)

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

5. Fruit Platz

Paired with Rigby Orchards Praire Mead Cassis #8118 $20.50 (chef's note: WOW!!! This was excellent and a great deal for 750 ml.)

1 1/4 c. flour (Tall Grass Prairie Bakery)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c.butter (Notre Dame Dairies)
1 egg yolk (Vita Eggs or Farm Fresh), beaten with
2 tbsp. milk (or a little more) (Notre Dame Dairies or Oak Island Goat Dairy)

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cream butter, add sited ingredients and blend. Combine egg yolk and milk, add to butter mixture and mix. Press into a greased 11" x 7" pa. Press 3 cp apple wedges, 3/4" thick (any fruit you like) I use about 5 apples, sliced and pressed in.

Combine:

3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (opt.) about 1/4 c. butter (or less) to make a crumb topping. Can sprinkle with almond slices (opt.) Sprinkle crumbs over fruit. Bake at 375 degrees F. oven for 50 minutes or until apples are done. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or plain. Good cold, also.

For rhubarb I sprinkle a bit more sugar & a bit of mixed in flour because of the tartness and juice.

Back to school lunch and snack ideas

2010-09-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two lunch and snack ideas that children and young people surprisingly enjoy for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host, Agatha Moir.

Roasted Red Pepper Humous
Serves 6-8 as a dip or sandwich spread
Ingredients
1-2 cups cooked chick peas from dry peas soaked overnight and then cooked until soft or 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained
1-2 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled*
2 cloves garlic minced (I used roasted caramelized garlic to remove the bite)
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients in your food processor, blender or immersion blender and puree to desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors to your individual liking.
* Try other cooked vegetables for different flavours and colours, such as roasted beets, carrots, etc. For variety try adding ½ cup fresh parsley and ½ teaspoon cumin for a more Middle Eastern flavor.
Enjoy your easy hummus recipe as a dip for crackers or vegetables or as a spread for your veggie wrap.

Edamame

2 cups fresh or frozen edamame pods
salt, to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook edamame pods for 5-7 minutes, depending on fresh or frozen. Drain and toss with flake or sea salt.

Young people like to pop them in their mouths, play mouth-popping tiddly winks, etc. They are getting great protein and fibre so sometimes it is okay to play with your food. Have a bowl filled with the pods and a bowl for the shells.

Adults can enjoy them drizzled with a bit of sesame oil and flake salt or with lemon zest and juice.

Enjoy!

This Morning on CBC Weekend Morning - Grilled Lobster Tails and Vegetable Tajine

2010-08-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two recipes, as follows, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.

Grilled Lobster Tails with compound butter
6 small lobster tails *
Drizzle olive oil

1 cup softened butter
1 roasted red pepper
2 good pinches Saffron
1 pinch salt

Zest of grapefruit
Quick squeeze of grapefruit juice

Skin and seed roasted pepper. Blend together chopped pepper, butter, saffron and a pinch of salt. Drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper and shape into a roll. Chill until firm.

Cut lobster tails open on the soft side of the shell. Drizzle olive oil over tails. Heat BBQ to a high heat. Grill lobster tails until shell becomes quite red all over. Put a pat of the herbed butter on each tail. Zest the grapefruit over the tails and squeeze some of the juice of the grapefruit over all of the tails. Serve immediately.

For other prepared butters, try ripe mango, butter, lime and jalapeño flakes. Try flavours that you enjoy together or ripe locally grown fruit.

* Lobster tails in a variety of sizes from Nova Scotia are available at Gimli Fish at 596 Dufferin Ave., 625 Pembina Hwy and 1604 St. Mary's Rd.

Vegetable Tagine
2 red peppers
3-4 carrots
onions
1 head garlic cloves
1-2 Japanese eggplants (or 1 large globe eggplant)
1-2 yams
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup olives
1/2 pickled lemon RIND ONLY
2-3 tbs olive oil
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout
splash rose water
1 tbs turmeric
salt and pepper and some water

Thinly slice eggplant and salt if necessary. Seed and chop peppers into medium sized pieces. Peel and slice carrots. Slice onions into thin slices. Peel garlic and cut into large chunks if cloves are very large or keep whole if smaller sized. Peel and cube yams. Pit dates and olives if necessary. Remove lemon flesh from the peel and chop peel finely. Discard lemon flesh. Combine vegetables, dates, olives, lemon, olive oil , Ras el Hanout, rose water, turmeric, salt and pepper and about 1/4 cup of water in a large bowl. If you have salted the eggplant, rinse in cold water and squeeze out slices. Place vegetable mixture in a casserole dish or tajine. Cover and cook on stove top over medium heat, checking and stirring occasionally.

Spices and other ingredients for the Vegetable Tajine are available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland in Winnipeg, Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame in Winnipeg, DeLuca's on Portage, Crampton's Market on Waverley and D.A. Niels on Berry.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Two Ways - This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

2010-07-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two recipes, as follows, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.

Grilled Chicken two ways

1. Thai Coconut Curry (serves 2-4)

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ tin “Lite” coconut milk
2-3 tbs yellow curry paste, to desired heat (yellow curry paste does not contain any shrimp)
1 tbs grated ginger
1 tbs grated lemon grass
1 tsp sugar (optional)
splash Mirin
3-5 Kefir Lime leaves
drizzle olive oil
salt, to taste

Mix the last 9 ingredients in a bowl and add chicken thighs. Marinate for a few hours. Place on a hot grill, turning for grill marks at two minutes, and flipping over at four minutes. Repeat for grill marks at the next two minutes.

Place rested cooked chicken on a toasted or warmed flatbread such as naan or pita. Add favourite grilled vegetables and wrap up. Wrap again in foil and place in an insulated bag or enjoy cold.

* These ingredients can be found at most Asian specialty stores such as Sun Wah and Oriental Market on King St. or Young’s Market on William and on McPhilips.

For an elegant entrée presentation, try using a stem of fresh lemon grass as a skewer before grilling or frying.

2. Grilled Turkish Chicken on Pide (Serves 2-4 people)

4 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbs Turkish Baharat*
3-4 shallots, grated or one small onion grated
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika (can used smoked)
pinch salt and pepper

Combine Turkish Baharat, grated shallots, lime juice, olive oil, paprika and salt and pepper in a bowl. Place chicken thighs in the bowl and cover completely with the marinade. Place in fridge and let marinate for 6 hours. Grill 4 minutes a side on a very hot BBQ grill.

To enjoy in a Pide, let chicken pieces rest before cutting into strips. Grill Naan or Pide** on BBQ and spread on a bit of yoghurt tahini sauce (recipe follows).

Yoghurt tahini sauce

1/2 cup good plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 heaping tbs tahini
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together. The tahini will cause the sauce to thicken quickly. Use on grilled Pide or Naan or as a crudité dip.

Enjoy!

*Baharat is a blend of spices that can be purchased directly through myself or now at DeLuca’s on Portage Ave.

**Good Naan or Pide can be found at Halal Meat Centre and Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland and Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue in Winnipeg.

This Morning on CBC Weekend Morning - Greek Salad and BBQ Salmon

2010-07-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

(Greek Salad, Photo by Karen)

(Teriyaki salmon prior to grilling, photo by Karen)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two seasonal dishes for Summer on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Donna Carreiro. The marinades are versatile and can be used on chicken, tofu, scallops, etc. The Greek salad can be adapted to what is in season or preferences such as adding fresh figs, melon, etc. Just not lettuce.

1. Greek Salad/Turkish Salad

2-3 ripe tomatoes
1 English Cucumber
1-2 red peppers (or green peppers)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup good feta, rinsed, cubed or crumbled (available at DeLuca's)
Good black olives, to personal taste

Vinaigrette
3:1 good olive oil to red wine vinegar (For Turkish salad use fresh lemon juice)
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 clove minced garlic

Lay out vegetables attractively on a platter or toss all together in a large bowl. Add good feta cheese and drizzle vinaigrette over vegetables or toss together. Can be made in advance and chilled.

Enjoy!

Please note: This salad does NOT include lettuce. Traditionally, these salads never do.

2. BBQ Salmon

One simple method of cooking and marinating salmon is with an easy teriyaki marinade.
½ cup good soy sauce
½ cup Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
¼ tsp ground white pepper
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

Salmon filets or steaks

Mix teriyaki sauce together and marinate salmon for a couple of hours. Place on hot grill, turning after two minutes for grill marks and flipping two minutes later, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Enjoy!

Cedar Plank Smokey Salmon

1 cedar plank – soaked for a few hours*
1 large wild caught salmon filet*
1 cup Lapsong Suchon tea **– steep strongly
1 drizzle sesame oil
1 heaping tsp. Ground ginger
1 drizzle chili oil
1/4 cup Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tbs. Sugar or honey
1/8 tsp. Ground white pepper

Mix last 8 ingredients in a bowl. Place salmon fillet on a platter and pour marinade over fish. Wrap and chill in refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Preheat outdoor BBQ to medium-high heat. Place cedar plank on middle of grill and close the cover. Allow to smoke for 3-4 minutes. Turn plank over and place salmon fillet in the middle of plank. Close grill and let cook up to 15-20 minutes or until fillet is done, depending on the thickness of the filet.

Garnish with scallion flowers (Green onions cut and put in cold water to make flower shapes).

Enjoy!

* Available at Gimli FishMarket at 596 Dufferin Ave., 1604 St. Mary’s Ave. 625 Pembina Hwy.
** Available at Cornelia Bean

Happy Canada Day! Our menu is Grilled Split Chicken with Ras el Hanout and Pomegranate Molasses

2010-07-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Grilled Split Chicken
Happy Canada Day Weekend.

1 6-8 lb (2.5 - 4kg) Free Range Chicken (Available locally at Crampton's Market, St. Norbert's Farmer's Market, DeLuca's, The Forks Meat Market, etc.)

1/2 cup Pomegranate Molasses (Available locally at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland, Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame)
1/2 pickled lemon, PEEL only, chopped (see above for availability)
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout (now also available at Crampton's Market!)
splash rose water
pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil

In a bowl, combine last 6 ingredients. Split chicken by cutting through breast bone and flatten open. Rub spice/pomegranate mixture over chicken on all sides. Chill for a few hours.

Heat up BBQ to high heat. Place chicken on hot grill and sear on both sides for a few minutes. Reduce heat or place on cooler side of BBQ and cook chicken slower, basting until meat is ready to fall off of the bone. Let rest and serve with flat breads, rice and grilled vegetables.

Enjoy!

Test Kitchen - A new spice blend coming soon!

2010-06-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

Testing out an Ethiopian spice blend, Mitmita. It is a lovely spice blend traditionally used for tartare but I used it as a dry rub for grilled chicken. Excellent results! I'll be testing this out on a variety of options and will then make it available.

In the mean time, there are commercially available Mitmita blends available from Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame in Winnipeg. It does have salt in the blend as well. Try it dry on boneless skinless chicken thighs. Add olive oil prior to grilling and enjoy with flat breads, yoghurt and grilled vegetables.

Grilled Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms - Today on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders

2010-06-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure this morning of presenting some delicious and simple ways of preparing grilled portabello mushrooms on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders.

Grilled Portabello Mushrooms

6 portabello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 cup drained crab meat
1/2 cup chevre
1-2 tbs pesto
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil, to brush on mushrooms

Soften chevre cheese and add pesto. Gently stir in crab meat. Season. Brush mushroom caps with olive oil and spoon in crab filling. Place on a hot BBQ grill for 4-8 minutes.

Enjoy as a burger, entree or side dish.

Options: Omit crab meat and fill with cheese with pesto. Try with pomegranate walnut paste (see blog May 26th)

Pomegranate Walnut Paste

½ cup pomegranate molasses
1 onion, chopped
½ cup walnuts (use almonds if walnut allergy)
¼ cup softened raisins
1 tbs pomegranate seeds
good amount olive oil (1/4 – ½ cup good olive oil)
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (smoked or plain)
salt and pepper, to taste
Endive

Mix first 9 ingredients in a blender until a smooth paste. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon into endive leaves for an appetizer, salad and serve cold or grilled. Used also in grilled chicken or lamb or in grilled portabello mushrooms.

A Kerala Vegetable Feast - Beans, Carrots and Mushrooms

2010-06-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

(Photo by Karen)
Tender Beans Kerala Style

3 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half to up to 2" long
2 tbs. vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 medium onion, sliced thin and long
1 red chili crushed or 1/2 tsp. chili powder
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 pepper corns crushed or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp turmeric powder

Fry the mustard seeds in hot oil. When they turn lighter colour and begin to pop, add onion slices and sauté over medium high heat. Add turmeric, chili and pepper corns then garlic. Sauté. Add the beans and sauté until al dente. Season with a pinch of salt. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

(Photo by Karen)

Carrot Thoran

2 cups finely shredded carrots
salt, to taste
2 tbs oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp black gram dhal or urdad dal *
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, sliced thinly in rounds
a few curry leaves *
1/2 cup finely grated coconut *

1. Heat oil in a pot on medium high heat and add the mustard seeds.
The seeds will pop. Then add the dhal and fry until it becomes golden
brown. Add onion, green chillies, curry leaves and sauté. When
almost translucent add grated coconut and stir for a few minutes.
2. Toss in the carrots and add salt to taste. Gently sauté until
water has been absorbed or evaporated.

Note: red and green chillies have a lovely appearance. Cauliflower,
beans, cabbage, beets and other vegetables can be prepared similarly.

(Photo by Karen)

Mushroom Thoran

2 cups sliced Crimini Mushrooms (can use other varieties)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 green chilies, chopped
1/4 cup grated coconut (if using dried, use unsweetened)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
sprig curry leaves
1-2 tbs oil
salt, to taste

Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add curry leaves. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms, chilies and salt. Cook over medium high heat until the water has evaporated from the mushrooms, stirring frequently. Stir in coconut, cumin and coriander and cook until soft.

I added a bit of cream to this even though it is a dry curry. Cover and cook on low until ready to serve.

Enjoy with rice

Waffles, Waffles, Waffles - On CBC Radio

2010-06-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Waffles with Kerän Sanders on the CBC Weekend Morning Show

I had the great pleasure this morning of presenting a wonderful breakfast/brunch treat on CBC Radio's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. These recipes can be made anywhere but I highlighted how they can be made with excellent local ingredients.

Waffles
4 eggs, separated (Vita 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.

Blackberry Sauce
2 cups frozen blackberries (available at Gimli Fish) or any fresh seasonal berry
1/2 or more cold water
2-3 tbs corn starch
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
pinch salt

Place berries in a sauce pan and begin to heat. In a measuring cup, combine sugar and corn starch. Mix well with some of the cold water and the lemon juice. This prevents lumps in the sauce. Add to cooking berries and simmer at a low boil for at least one minute to cook the starch. Add water if too thick.

It can be prepared in advance and warmed at service.

Enjoy!

In Season Now! Pickerel Cheeks and Rhubarb

2010-05-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

(Rhubarb Cake - Photo by Karen Peters)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Donna Carriero. Pickerel is in season and is in such abundance. It is our wonderful local and very sustainable fishery. This recipe calls for pickerel cheeks, the delicate scallops of the prairies. They are available at Gimli Fish Market, found at three Winnipeg locations, 596 Dufferin Ave., on Pembina Hwy, just South of Grant and on St. Mary's Road.

Pickerel Cheek Salad
(Serves 4-6)

1 lb pickerel cheeks
2 tsp butter
1 bunch fresh tarragon (or other favourite fresh herbs)
salt and pepper, to taste
splash Mirin, to deglaze pan (can use Vermouth or for non-alcohol uses, apple or pear juice)

1 large bowl full baby salad greens (can use mixes or spinach or arugula)
Oil and vinegar vinaigrette (1 part vinegar:3 parts good oil, salt and pepper and dried herbs and/or 1 tsp Dijon mustard). Try different vinegars such as sherry, balsamic, apple cider, champagne, etc.

Sauté pickerel cheeks on both sides in melted butter with herbs over medium high heat. Deglaze and season with salt and pepper. Toss in with prepared salad and serve immediately. You can also let the pickerel cheeks cool first and then serve cold.

Rhubarb Cake

1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. butter (Margarine)
1 egg yolk,, beaten with
2 tbsp. milk (or a little more)

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cream butter, add above ingredients and blend. Combine egg yolk and milk, add to butter mixture and mix. Press into a greased (?) 11" x 7" pan. Press about 2-3 cups rhubarb, sliced and pressed in.

Combine:
3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (opt.) about 1/4 c. butter (or less) to make a crumb topping. Can sprinkle with almond slices (opt.) Sprinkle crumbs over fruit. Bake at 375 ºF oven for 50 minutes or until rhubarb is done. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or plain. Good cold, also. Apples and Apricots make a great fruit for this.

For rhubarb I sprinkle a bit more sugar & a bit of mixed in flour because of the tartness and juice.

Flavours of Asia for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory with the MLCC

2010-05-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

(Sichuan Peanut Noodles with Tofu knots - photo by Karen)

Bulgogi

I had the pleasure yesterday of presenting a variety of flavours from Asian countries as a fund raising event for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory with Education Coordinator Bonnie Tulloch. I chose samples from the Caucasus to Korea but also items that could easily be made in your own home kitchens. They are versatile to local ingredients yet still very authentic to their origins. For example, in the first recipe, if there is a walnut allergy, try making it with almonds. Adapt the heat of the chilies in other recipes to your tastes. Most of all, enjoy.

All of the dishes were paired with excellent beverages on behalf of MLCC's Product Ambassador, Gary Dawyduk.

To Start:
Ginger Beer Fizz
1 part Tsingtao Beer (#293787, 300 ml, $1.73)
1 part Ginger beer (“Old Tyme” or “Grace”)
mix ingredients with slices of fresh ginger, serve over ice

1. Pomegranate Walnut Paste on Endive - Caucasus

Paired with Crémant de Bourgogne Brut – Simonnet-Febvre (#7451) $19.09

½ cup pomegranate molasses
1 onion, chopped
½ cup walnuts (use almonds if walnut allergy)
¼ cup softened raisins
1 tbs pomegranate seeds
good amount olive oil (1/4 – ½ cup good olive oil)
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (smoked or plain)
salt and pepper, to taste
Endive

Mix first 9 ingredients in a blender until a smooth paste. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon into endive leaves for an appetizer, salad and serve cold or grilled. Used also in grilled chicken or lamb.

2. Kerala Shrimp – South India

Paired with Gazela Vinho de Mesa Rosé – Sogrape (#9394) $8.61

1/4 kg small shrimp
1 tsp ground chilies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp vinegar

1 tbs cooking oil (grapeseed oil or canola so as to not add flavour)
1 large onion, chopped
a few curry leaves
1/4 tsp. paprika or chili powder (depending on how spicy you like the food)
1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

Clean and marinate shrimp in chilies, turmeric and vinegar at least 1/2 hour before cooking.

Heat oil in pan and sauté onion until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Fry the shrimp in the same oil until crispy. Then add the fried onion, curry leaves and optional paprika or chili powder on low heat. Add the coconut oil for good Keralan flavour. Test for salt and serve with rice, roti or chappati, etc.

3. Bulgogi – Korean BBQ Beef

Paired with Old Vine Zinfandel 2006 – Klinker Brick (#5877) $28.80

• Bulgogi marinade for 1 lb of meat (approx 1 cup)
• 1 pound sliced beef *
1. Prepare Bulgogi marinade according to directions.
2. If beef is not sliced, slice into thin, finger-length strips (if you freeze the beef for 15 minutes, it will be easier to slice).
3. If you can, ask the butcher at the meat counter to slice for you in very thin strips. Korean and/or Asian grocery stores will often have meat for Bulgogi pre-sliced for sale.
4. Mix marinade into meat with hands or chopsticks, making sure all the meat is covered.
5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. For tougher cuts, the more hours, the better. You can also freeze the uncooked marinated beef in small amounts for later use.
6. Grill, broil, or stir fry the beef until well-done and caramelized on the outside.
7. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves, and side dishes.

(Serves 4)
*Top sirloin or tenderloin work best, but almost any steak cut will do. The best quality meat will obviously taste the best.
• 3 Tbsp chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed juice from an Asian pear
• 1 Tbsp Japanese rice wine (mirin)*
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 3 green onions, finely chopped (including white part)
• 1 tsp pepper

4. Sichuan Peanut Noodles – Sichuan, China

Paired with Singha Lager Beer (#676395, 330ml) $2.33

Please note, the beer will help cool the effect of the chilies.

2-3 tbs chunky peanut butter
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2-3 tbs vinegar
2-3 tbs good soy sauce
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup good Chinese hot sauce (to taste)
1 heaping tbs brown sugar
drizzle sesame oil
Cooked Chinese noodles or spaghetti
Options: chopped or grated cucumber for serving cold, cooked tofu for hot or cold, chopped scallions or chives, snap peas, etc.

Mix the first 8 ingredients into a smooth paste. Mix with cooked pasta or noodles and serve immediately or chill.
Enjoy!

5. Burfi – India

Paired with Vin Doux Muscat – Samos (#44578) $13.62

2 cup Whole Milk
2 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
2 tbs dried Milk Powder
3 tbs powdered Sugar (Cheeni)
3 tbs Ghee
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
1 sheets Edible Silver Foil (Varq)

• Heat the milk a little and add lemon juice in the milk to curdle it.
• Hang the curdled milk in a muslin cloth for 3 hours.
• This results in the solidification of milk into cheese.
• Add milk powder and sugar to the cheese and kneed the mixture well.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add the cheese mixture.
• Stir-Fry over very low flame until the ghee separates.
• Take off the mixture from the heat, add cardamom powder to it, and allow to cool slightly.
• Blend properly by again kneading it.
• Pat the kneaded mixture into a flat cake and allow it to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and decorate with silver foil.

To Finish:
6) Red Lotus cocktail
1 ½ parts Lychee Liqueur (Soho, #6340, $23.99)
1 ½ parts Vodka (SKYY, #410415, $22.99)
1 part Cranberry juice
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake well; strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with lychee or cherry

Moroccan Beef Stew

2010-05-18T07:27:00.000-07:00

I was looking around in recipes for an idea to use some lovely stewing beef and I decided to adapt a Moroccan lamb recipe but with fewer steps. A very nice result indeed.

1 lb stewing beef
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly sauté onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Asparagus

2010-05-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting this very easy method of preparing halibut on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders.

There is no fussing about. Halibut is in season now and available at Gimli Fish on Dufferin or Pembina Hwy. Asparagus and fiddleheads are in season now as well. Photo coming later today.

*How do I know when my fish is done cooking? When the fish looks gelatinous or opaque, it is still uncooked. When it is solid white it is cooked. Do not overcook.

Olive Oil poached Halibut with Grilled Asparagus or Fiddleheads

2 skinned filets of halibut (1/4 pound/125 g each)
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Zest of one orange (try grapefruit or lemon as well)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, cut in half
Freshly ground black pepper
Fleur de sel, for garnish

Heat the oven to 250°F/120°C. Lay the fish filets in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour over enough oil to cover. Add the orange zest, fennel, thyme, garlic, and pepper. Bake until just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the fish from the oil. Garnish with fleur de sel. Serve with Grilled Asparagus or Fiddleheads and a little of the cooking oil drizzled over.

To grill Asparagus, trim ends and drizzle with olive oil. Place over a hot grill and turn a minute or so on each side. Remove from heat and zest orange or lemon on top, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of fleur de sel.

Enjoy!

Non-Dairy - a taste test

2010-05-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, when it became possible that my newborn might be lactose intolerant, Fresh Option Organic Delivery, aka FOOD, gave me three non-dairy products to sample. These were soy and brown rice products. My first trial was Silk, a descriptive name for a smooth and very enjoyable beverage. It was, like having a nice milkshake and I had the whole container throughout the day. Definitely a winner but as a treat and likely not a main beverage. The second place for flavour and texture was the So Nice product. A cold glass of it tasted like milk. Having it in my breakfast granola brought out the more soy taste that didn't come out drinking it straight. Also, having it warmed in the evening with some honey was pleasant.

My last trial was Ryza. For me, it didn't have a lot to do with substituting for dairy. Thinking of dairy, this is not enjoyable. You have to remove the concept of dairy and take Ryza as a product unto itself. If you think of anything dairy, you will likely not enjoy this product. However, if you consider it a beverage or cooking medium, it is enjoyable. It won't be my first choice but there are some excellent choices available. Call FOOD at 774-1479 or check out their website http://freshoption.ca.

In Season Now! Morels and Fiddleheads on Weekend Morning with Kerän Sanders

2010-05-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of presenting local fiddleheads and morel mushrooms on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders.

Morel Mushroom Port Pan Sauce

1/2 onion, small dice or 2-3 finely chopped shallots
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup morels, whole or sliced
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1/2 cup port, approximate amount
salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté onion until translucent in butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary and morel mushrooms and cook until soft. Stir in mustard and then add port, salt and pepper. You can add a bit more butter at the end. Spoon over grilled meats that are resting after grilling. Enjoy.

*For a white sauce option for fish or chicken, add cream to the recipe and use white wine instead of port. Grated nutmeg is also a nice flavour for the sauce.

*Adding butter at the end of the recipe can thicken the sauce nicely.

Fiddleheads in Brown Butter with Pancetta

Kosher salt
3 pounds fiddle head ferns, trimmed and washed
1/4 lb chopped pancetta
6 tablespoons brown butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly nutmeg

1. In a large pot bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Drop the fiddleheads into the pot and cook for 1 minute. Drain the fiddleheads in a colander, then submerge in the ice water until completely cool. Let the fiddleheads drain well in a colander and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to dry.
2. Slowly brown butter in a large skillet. Bring up to higher temperature and cook chopped pancetta.
3.Heat for a minute or two until they are warm, then divide the fiddleheads among the plates. Serve at once as a side dish or on Chinese soup spoons as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

Fiddleheads from BC are available at DeLuca's on Portage and local Manitoba fiddleheads are available through Fresh Option Organic Delivery.

Pesto Pesto Pesto - This weekend on CBC Radio

2010-04-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of presenting the uses of Pesto and its variants on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders. Enjoy pesto with a variety of herbs in so many ways.

Basic Pesto
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)
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.

Halibut Papillote
1 fillet Halibut
Good amount of pesto (basil, arugula, etc)
salt and pepper
Parchment paper
drizzle olive oil

Preheat oven to 350º. Place filet on parchment paper and spoon a good amount of pesto on top of fillet. Seal paper as a package for each serving. Bake for ~ 14-16 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Pea Shoot Pesto
Ingredients:
1/4 lb fresh, young pea shoots
1 bunch chives, chopped (or spring onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
salt
pepper

to serve:
1 lb hot cooked pasta (try Nature's Pasta!)
1/2 lb peeled, grilled shrimp (optional)(simple recipe follows)
garnish: additional pea shoots

Directions:
Place the pea shoots, chives, garlic, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, pulse until a thick paste forms. Toss with 1 lb cooked pasta, additional pea shoots and shrimp.

Yield: about 4 servings

One can use Pesto for a variety of applications as well. I love it in pasta but I often use it in other soups and sauces as well as stuffed in Chicken Breasts, or stuffed in Lamb Chops. When you are letting your BBQ’d steak rest, spoon a small amount onto the steak and let it melt into the grilled meat.

Your moment of soup epiphany, a query

2010-04-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

The other day I had a terrible bowl of soup. Terrible in so far as to show that the chef didn't care. It tasted like flour. Not to dwell on that negativity, I thought of moments in soup that were truly extraordinary. I think that soup should contain a universe of flavour in the microcosm. A lot to ask out of a bowl, I realize, but there have been moments of transcendence in the experience of soup.

As a chef, I have experienced this in the creation and development of a clear porcini mushroom consommé. I want the taster to have their attention diverted to the experience and not have it as a casual experience waiting for the next course. As a diner, when I was still a vegetarian, my husband arranged for me to have a dinner for a special birthday at Mirlycourtois, a French restaurant in Winnipeg. The chef prepared the stock and soup for the event and the tasting of it gave such joy, I could have cried.

While for some of you, this may seem rather unbalanced. All the same, I am curious as to your moment of soup. Please share in the comments section.

Thanks!

Penne l'Arrabiata on CBC this morning

2010-04-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting Penne l'Arrabiata CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders. Yes, it was prerecorded as I just had a baby and was still in the hospital. All is well and this spicy pasta dish can be adjusted to your level of comfort. Cheese can be optional for vegan diets.

Enjoy!

Penne l’Arrabiata

1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
1 cup good black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 cups tomato puree
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs hot pepper flakes
½ - 1 cup red wine
Salt, to taste
½ tbs brown sugar
½ cup chevre
Cooked pasta

Saute onion until translucent. Add olives and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomato, garlic and chillies. Add red wine to desired thickness of sauce. Stir in salt and brown sugar. Mix with pasta and drop in bits of chevre.

Enjoy!

Cheeses of Germany. An Assiniboine Park Conservatory event

2010-03-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't made a lot of German food lately but the theme for this event for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory was the Cheeses of Germany. It is worth the hunt for these specialty cheeses. Camobozola cheese is readily available in most local markets but Tilsit, Quark, Esrom, etc. are available at the Ellice Meat Market on Ellice Ave. Lovely German cheesecake made with Quark is available next door at Lang's Bakery.

Each recipe has a delicious pairing prepared by Gary Dawyduk, Product Ambassador from the MLCC.

To Start:
Wasmas cocktail
½ glass beer (Erdinger Dunkelweiβbier, #574236, 500ml, $3.59)
¼ part Cognac (Rémy Martin VS, #20412, $17.57)
¼ part Cola
(traditionally served in a 36 oz. Stein)

1. Fried Cambozola

Paired with Tokaji 5 Puttonyos 2005 – Royal Tokaji Co. (#1054, 250 ml) $22.09

4 oz mixed greens
6 oz Cambozola, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1.5 oz pecan halves, roughly chopped
1 oz dried cranberries
1 egg
Breadcrumbs
Butter
Balsamic vinegar reduction

Set up salad with balsamic vinegar and add salt and fresh grounded pepper to taste. In a small bowl beat egg. Dip Cambozola slices into beaten egg and coat with breadcrumbs. Mix salad and vinaigrette. Sprinkle with cranberries and pecan nuts. Melt butter in a small frying pan at medium heat. Fry Cambozola shortly from both sides until golden brown.
Arrange Cambozola on top of salad and crown with balsamic vinegar reduction.

2. Tilsit Soup

Paired with Baron Dark Lager (#712835, 500ml) $2.78

2 ¾ cups skim milk
1 ¾ cup whole wheat bread crumbs, fresh
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup Tilsit cheese, shredded
Nutmeg
Paprika
Chopped parsley

Place 1 ½ cups of the milk in a blender with fresh breadcrumbs and mustard and process on low until smooth. Place mixture in a saucepan with remaining milk and the cheese. Cook over low heat, stirring until the cheese melts and the soup is heated through. Do not boil. Pour into bowls and garnish with nutmeg, paprika and parsley.

3. Quark Kartoffeln

Paired with Prosecco di Valdobbiadene – Mionetto (#432369) $20.04

Boil potatoes in salt water.
Mix quark (whole milk quark) with about 1/3 vol whole milk
add to taste: salt, paprika, pepper
Stir in any of the following yummy fresh things:
dill, cilantro, finely chopped tomato, yellow or red pepper, sweet onion. (I tend to put in about 1/4 volume or so of veggies)

Serve fresh quark mixture over hot potatoes.

4. Käsekuchen (German Cheesecake) With Cherry topping

Paired with Beerenauslese 2006 – Schmitt Söhne (#4936, 500 ml) $14.35

The filling is made with low-fat quark instead of cream cheese and egg foam is folded into the filling to give it a slightly fluffy consistency. Lemon and vanilla give the filling a fresh flavour.

The crust is essentially a sweetened pie crust (pâte sucrée).
Ingredients
Crust

* 9 oz / 250g all-purpose flour
* 4½ oz / 125g butter
* pinch of salt
* 1 oz / 30g sugar
* 2 egg yolks
* 2-3 tbsp water

Filling

* 1 lb 10oz / 750g quark (regular, not non-fat), see note for a substitution
* 2 oz / 60g melted unsalted butter
* 4½ oz / 125g sugar
* 4 egg yolks
* 4 egg whites
* 1 tbsp vanilla extract
* zest and juice of 1 lemon
* pinch of salt

Preparation

* In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt, then cut in the cold butter.
* Add egg yolks and water. Then knead with your hands just until the dough is smooth.
* Wrap in plastic foil and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
* Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
* Grease a 10 in / 25cm spring form with butter.
* Roll out the dough, then press it into the bottom and the sides of the spring form.
* In a mixing bowl (or large food processor) combine quark, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Beat until well blended then mix in the melted butter.
* Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
* Carefully fold the egg foam into the quark mixture.
* Pour mixture into the spring form.
* Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes (or until done). The top should be lightly browned and the filling should be set.
* Turn off oven, open door and let cool for another 15-20 minutes.
* Remove form from oven, run a knife around the edge and open the spring form.
* Transfer cake to a plate or platter. Let cool well before serving.

Notes

* We are lucky enough to have quark available in one of our local little markets. A good substitution for the quark is low fat cottage cheese, just place it in a food processor, add a bit of milk and process until very smooth. Others recommend using only sour cream.
* During baking, the filling will rise quite a bit and fall when cooling down. This is normal and no reason to worry.

Yields 1 10 in / 25cm diameter cake

Preparation time: ca. 2 hours plus the time the cake needs to cool.

Enjoy!

Grilled Esrom Cheese Sandwiches were paired with Vino Noire – Dr. Zenzen (#887976)and $15.42
Iced Strawberry Wine – DD Leobard (#620799) $19.95

To Finish:
Reservoir Dog
1part Jagermeister Herbal Liqueur (#117101, $25.85)
1 part Irish Cream (Bailey’s, #5959, $29.99)

Lamb on CBC - A yummy repost for a yummy repast

2010-03-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure this morning of presenting this tender Moroccan lamb recipe on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders. Give this a try for your Easter dinner for a change. It can be prepared in advance and heated up for a stress-free dinner.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Lamb with Prunes

1 leg of lamb, boned out (shortens cooking time)(Fresh Manitoba Lamb at DeLuca' at 950 Portage Ave.)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
a good pinch of saffron*
Salt, to taste
2 tbs ras el hanout*
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large onion, grated
1 bunch green coriander, tied together (optional)
1 lb pitted prunes
2 cups finely sliced onion
1/2 cup honey
4 tart apples
1-2 tbs toasted sesame seeds

Trim meat of excess fat. Cut meat into chunks or leave whole. Melt butter and mix with the oil, saffron, salt, ras el hanout, cinnamon, grated onion and coriander. Dip each chunk of meat into the mixture or coat meat entirely and place in a medium heated casserole dish. Turn meat being careful not to burn the meat but allowing the aromas of the spices to be released. Add water to almost cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. If the bone is in, roast in the oven at 350º until coming off of the bone.

After the meat has cooked for 1 hour, add the sliced onion to the casserole and cook 30 minutes longer.

Add prunes and stir in 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 of the honey. Simmer, uncovered until the prunes swell and the sauce has reduced.

Quarter and core the apples. Sauté in a skillet, flesh side down with a tbs of butter until soft and glazed.

To serve, arrange the lamb on the serving dish, pour the onion-prune sauce over, decorate with the apples and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Serve at once.

* Products available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland, Dino’s Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame and DeLuca’s Specialty Foods at 950 Portage Ave.

Today on CBC Weekend Morning - Korean BBQ Beef - Bulgogi

2010-03-13T10:05:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting a popular Korean dish, Bulgogi on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders. This is made with ingredients that are very easy to stock in your kitchen and makes for a wonderful celebration meal.

There are some wonderful Korean food stores in Winnipeg. Try one on Wellington Ave. near Beverley for some Korean specialty items.

Bulgogi – Korean BBQ Beef
Ingredients:
• Bulgogi marinade for 1 lb of meat (approx 1 cup)
• 1 pound sliced beef *
Preparation:
1. Prepare Bulgogi marinade (see below)
2. If beef is not sliced, slice into thin, finger-length strips (if you freeze the beef for 15 minutes, it will be easier to slice).
3. If you can, ask the butcher at the meat counter to slice for you in very thin strips. Korean and/or Asian grocery stores will often have meat for Bulgogi pre-sliced for sale.
4. Mix marinade into meat with hands or chopsticks, making sure all the meat is covered.
5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. For tougher cuts, the more hours, the better. You can also freeze the uncooked marinated beef in small amounts for later use.
6. Grill, broil, or stir fry the beef until well-done and caramelized on the outside. You can skewer the slices for the BBQ so that you won't lose any through the grill.
7. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves, and side dishes.

(Serves 4)
I have used thinly sliced eye of round roast, sirloin and ribeye or tenderloin in this recipe.

Marinade Ingredients:
• 3 Tbsp chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed juice from an Asian pear (some have substituted 7Up!)
• 1 Tbsp Japanese rice wine (mirin)*
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 3 green onions, finely chopped (including white part)
• 1 tsp pepper

"Moroccan Mystery" - A cooking demo for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory held at the Madison MLCC

2010-02-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

I presented the following recipes at the lovely demonstration kitchen at the Madison Square MLCC for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory. Beverage pairings were by MLCC Product Ambassador, Stephen Moran.

Pickled vegetables and olives were paired with Strawberry and Sambuca Crème
Ramazzotti Sambuca (323972) $19.72, Pink Lemoncello Rossi D’Asiago Lemoncello (9221)$24.73

Dessert of fresh dates and Baklava was paired with Samos Muscat – (44578)$13.92
Ouzo #12 & Coffee – (123133)$21.95

Enjoy!
Opening Beverage: SnowBall Cocktail w Metaxa 7 Star Brandy (116038) $26.68

Vegetable Tagine with Bulgur Pilaf
Paired with Shandy Gaff, Morocco Ale & spiced lemonade(512576)$3.63, and Mas Neuf Blanc (8829)$15.95

2 red peppers
3-4 carrots
onions
1 head garlic cloves
1-2 Japanese eggplants (or 1 large globe eggplant)
1-2 yams
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup olives
1/2 pickled lemon RIND ONLY*
2-3 tbs olive oil
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout*
splash rose water*
1 tbs turmeric
salt and pepper and some water

2 cups bulgur*
1 onion
2 tbs. olive oil
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup Afghani Tut* (aka yellow berry)
good pinch Saffron in a few tablespoons milk*
3 cups Water
salt and pepper

Thinly slice eggplant and salt if necessary. Seed and chop peppers into medium sized pieces. Peel and slice carrots. Slice onions into thin slices. Peel garlic and cut into large chunks if cloves are very large or keep whole if smaller sized. Peel and cube yams. Pit dates and olives if necessary. Remove lemon flesh from the peel and chop peel finely. Discard lemon flesh. Combine vegetables, dates, olives, lemon, olive oil , Ras el Hanout, rose water, turmeric, salt and pepper and about 1/4 cup of water in a large bowl. If you have salted the eggplant, rinse in cold water and squeeze out slices. Place vegetable mixture in a casserole dish or tajine. Cover and cook on stove top over medium heat, checking and stirring occasionally.

OPTIONS: cauliflower, zucchini, cooked chick peas

For the bulgur, slice onions thinly and sauté in olive oil until just browned. Add bulgur and mix in well with onions. Add water, almonds, tut, and salt and pepper. When it comes to a boil, add the milk/saffron mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff bulgur and plate as timbales with vegetable tagine.

Lamb with Ras el Hanout and Prunes
Paired with Tenute Robino Negroamaro (8633) $15.26 and Mont Tauch Cotes du Rousillon (395)$15.50

1 leg of lamb, boned out (shortens cooking time)(Fresh Manitoba Lamb at DeLuca' at 950 Portage Ave.)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
a good pinch of saffron*
Salt, to taste
2 tbs ras el hanout*
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large onion, grated
1 bunch green coriander, tied together (optional)
1 lb pitted prunes
2 cups finely sliced onion
1/2 cup honey
4 tart apples
1-2 tbs toasted sesame seeds

Trim meat of excess fat. Cut meat into chunks or leave whole. Melt butter and mix with the oil, saffron, salt, ras el hanout, cinnamon, grated onion and coriander. Dip each chunk of meat into the mixture or coat meat entirely and place in a medium heated casserole dish. Turn meat being careful not to burn the meat but allowing the aromas of the spices to be released. Add water to almost cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. If the bone is in, roast in the oven at 350º until coming off of the bone.

After the meat has cooked for 1 hour, add the sliced onion to the casserole and cook 30 minutes longer.

Add prunes and stir in 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 of the honey. Simmer, uncovered until the prunes swell and the sauce has reduced.

Quarter and core the apples. Sauté in a skillet, flesh side down with a tbs of butter until soft and glazed.

To serve, arrange the lamb on the serving dish, pour the onion-prune sauce over, decorate with the apples and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Serve at once.

* Products available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland, Dino’s Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame and DeLuca’s Specialty Foods at 950 Portage Ave.