Beer and White Cheddar Mussels

 Mussels, from PEI, are wonderful, versatile, crazy easy to prepare, super healthy, and sustainable.  They are also regularly available at Gimli Fish.

I've prepared these mussels with beer and white cheddar.  

First, clean the mussels.  also easy.  Clean off any beards and throw away and broken mussels or ones that don't close, even when tapping them.  Place cleaned mussels in some salt water to remove any more grit.  Set aside in the fridge after draining and rinsing the mussels.

Prepare the sauce in a large enough pot with a lid.

 

Beer and White Cheddar Mussels

1 lb fresh mussels, cleaned

1 finely diced shallot

2 tbs butter

1 beer

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups shredded white cheddar

1 tbs corn starch

1 tbs Dijon mustard

white pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

salt, to taste

Options:  chopped peppers, sautéed mushrooms, microgreens, etc.

For the sauce;

Sauté the shallot in butter until translucent.  Add the minced garlic.  Toss the corn starch with the white cheddar.  The starch allows you to prepare the sauce without lumps.  Add the beer and when simmering, add the white cheddar slowly.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a good simmer and add the mussels.  Stir and cover with the lid.  Cook for 5+ minutes, or until the mussels open.  Stir and serve in a large serving bowl.

Enjoy with toasts or crisp fries.

Rose Harissa Baked Halibut with Beurre Blanc

 I had a beautiful piece of Halibut filet, from Gimli Fish, and I wanted to prepare something French Classical, easy, fusion-potential, and, did I already mention easy?  Beurre Blanc is, indeed, a very easy to prepare, Classic French sauce.  

I put my own Rose Harissa, thinly spread, onto the filet and set that aside in the fridge.  Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Beurre Blanc can also be served with asparagus, and other fish, such as salmon, steelhead trout, Arctic Char, etc.  Bake the filet, with adjustment for thickness, at 350ºF for 15 minutes.

I served this with Basmati Rice Pilaf, and creamy spinach.  

Beurre Blanc

 
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and chilled  ( I confess to using salted butter)
Options:  thyme, tarragon, or sorrel

Boil wine, vinegar, and shallot and optional herb in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until liquid is syrupy and reduced to 2 to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.
Add cream, salt, and white pepper and boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium low and add a few tablespoons butter, whisking constantly. Add remaining butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly and adding new pieces before previous ones have completely liquefied (the sauce should maintain consistency of hollandaise), removing the saucepan from heat occasionally to cool mixture, so that it won't split.
Remove from heat, then season to taste with salt and pepper and pour sauce through a medium-mesh sieve into a saucepot pressing on and then discarding shallot and optional herbs. Serve immediately.  It can be made in advance, just gently reheat.

Comfort food with easy and big flavours. Creamy tomato vodka spaghetti with Duq'qah shrimp and scallops

 What's for dinner?  What do I have on hand?  Spaghetti, cream, tomato paste, shrimp, scallops, etc.  

Put them together and what do you have? 

Creamy tomato Vodka Spaghetti, with Duq'qah shrimp and scallops

Spaghetti, for 2 +

1 tbs butter

drizzle olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 cup cream

2 tbs good tomato paste, with 1/2 cup water (+/-)

1 tbs pesto

1/2 cup white wine or vodka, or combination

1/2  tsp white pepper

Options:  chopped spinach, sautéed mushrooms, etc.  

Shrimp and Scallops, for 2+

1 rounded teaspoon Duq'qah

salt, to tastes

Butter, for the scallops and shrimp

 Prepare the sauce by heating oil and butter in a saucepot and adding sliced onions.  When the onion is translucent and beginning to brown, add the cream, tomato paste with water, pesto, wine and/or vodka, and season.  

Time the cooking of the pasta with the finishing of the cooking of the seafood.  Toss the seafood with the Duq'qah and a pinch of salt.  Heat a pan with butter and cook, about 2-3 minutes per side, basting with the butter.  

Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, top with grated parmesan and top with the cooked seafood.  

Enjoy!

Bihon Pancit - an easy and versatile Gluten Free noodle dish from the Philippines

This dish from the Philippines is filling, addictive, versatile, and so easy to prepare.  You can make it vegetarian, with seafood, with chicken, etc.  The gluten-free rice noodles soak up the flavour and sauce.

Bihon Pancit
Chicken breast, bite sized pieces, chicken thighs, fish, shrimp, pickerel cheeks are wonderful (all optional)
1-2 tbs oil

1 onion, finely chopped
2-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped vegetables (I used zucchini, carrot, spinach but chopped cabbage, beans or peas are common) (all optional)
1 bunch green onions, chopped into bite sized pieces
2-6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
 2-8 tbs dark soy sauce
4 tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
8-16 oz rice noodles

If using chicken, brown the chicken and set aside.  Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for a few minutes.  Return the chicken meat to the pan or wok and cook together for a few minutes and season with salt and pepper.   Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until starting to become tender.  Add the stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.  Bring to a simmer and add other optional ingredients, such as pickerel cheeks or great New Brunswick Shrimp, both available at Gimli Fish.  Simmer on medium heat and add in the rice noodles.  Stir gently until all or almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.  Add water or more stock, if more liquid is needed.

Serve immediately or warmed later, with a squeeze of lime juice.

Enjoy!

Pickerel Piccata, Oven Fries with Feta, Chicken burgers, and more.

Weekday meals that are actually relatively simple to prepare, if you have a few essentials on hand.  Winter pickerel, from Gimli Fish, is my favourite.  It is slightly pink and has a wonderful sweet taste. I will be referring to the fish as the local name, Pickerel, but it is also known as Walleye.

1. Lemony Pickerel Piccata

2-4 Pickerel Fillets, strip of bones cut out (Save for fish stock)
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt, pepper, and thyme for the crumbs
1 egg beaten into 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
olive oil or butter, for frying the fish

2 tbs butter
drizzle olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup cream
2 tbs cream with 1/2 tsp corn starch (to thicken the sauce and prevent splitting)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the Sauce; in a small saucepan, heat up butter and oil.  Add shallots and cook, until tender, on medium heat.  Add garlic, then creams.  Add lemon juice and seasonings.  Bring to a slow simmer and remove from heat until just prior to serving.

For the fish;  in one dish, beat an egg into the buttermilk. Place crumbs, Parmesan, and seasonings in another dish.  Soak the fish in the milk mixture and then coat with the crumbs.  Heat the butter in a pan and cook fish for a couple of minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Serve immediately with sauce.  Enjoy!  Pictured here with Oven baked fries with feta, and Korean Zucchini.

2. Korean Zucchini (simple!!!)

1 zucchini, sliced
drizzle sesame oil
1/2 tsp fish sauce
sesame seeds

Sauté zucchini slices in sesame oil over medium high heat.  Near the end of cooking, add the fish sauce.  Serve with sesame seeds on top.

Enjoy!

3. Oven Fries with Feta (by Ottolenghi)

3-5 medium potatoes, cut as thick cut fries.
1/4 cup + crumbled feta cheese
3-5 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
oil, to coat potatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 450ºF.  Parboil potatoes for 7-8 minutes and let drain well for 5 minutes.  Coat potatoes with oil, a good sprinkle of salt, and spread out onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

5 minutes prior to finishing roasting the potatoes, cook garlic slices in olive oil until brown and drizzle over the potatoes.  Return potatoes to finish roasting  Toss with feta cheese and oregano.

Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

4. Duq'qah Chicken Burgers

1 pkg (~450 grams) ground chicken
1 egg
1 tbs + Duq'qah
1/2 tsp salt

Mix ingredients together and form into 4 patties.  I made oval shaped patties, to go with the flatbread.

In a hot pan with a bit of oil, cook chicken burgers on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each.  Remove from heat and let rest. 

I served these on flatbread made from my Turkish pizza dough, that I often have on hand, baked with asparagus spears, sautéed mushrooms and onions, and yoghurt tahini sauce.

Enjoy!

Korean Cold mustard sauce noodles with seared Scallops and Wild Caught Tuna

This is a wonderful standby for an easy meal.  You can enjoy the noodles without the seared seafood, but the Gimli Fish products are wonderful, inexpensive, Fair Trade, and slavery-free.  Wholesome and delicious and something that is craved in Winter or in Summer.

I use Korean Udon noodles for this recipe, but Soba noodles are also wonderful.

Korean Cold Mustard Noodles

For the sauce:
1-2 tbs Dijon Mustard
1-2 tbs Grainy Mustard
1 tbs grated ginger
1-2 tbs good soy sauce
1 tsp good sesame oil
1 tsp white sugar
1 tbs Mirin
splash of vinegar
1-2 green onions, chopped
Optional:  good drizzle chili oil

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until emulsified, or come together.

Add desired amount of noodles and top with seared Wild Caught Ahi Tuna, Scallops, shrimp, etc.  Pictured here coated with a Furakoka rice topping. 

Easy entertaining. Pickerel Cheeks

This is really such a delighfully simple dish to make.  Great local ingredients that shine.  Pickerel cheeks (yes, Walleye, to my non-local language purists) are so sweet and getting a package from Gimli Fish is inexpensive.  You don't have to do the work!

Sautéed Pickerel Cheeks

1 pkg pickerel cheeks
1-2 tbs butter (Notre Dame Butter is lovely)
Favourite herb (I used chopped sorrel, but have made this with basil, thyme, tarragon, etc.)
salt and pepper, to taste
splash of Vermouth or Mirin, to deglaze

Heat pan and melt butter.  You can also have browned butter for this dish.  Add chopped herbs and pickerel cheeks.  Cook, turning once, for a couple of minutes per side at most.  Deglaze pan and serve immediately.

Serve as an appetizer with breads or on crackers (rice crackers for Gluten-Free), or increase amounts for an easy entrée.

Enjoy!

Bi-Coastal Canada Day Celebrations on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

On Saturday, I will be featuring the following dishes for easy and inexpensive Canada Day celebrations, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.

 

Both the 3 good sized Red Snapper Fillets and the 2 lbs of PEI mussels, from Gimli Fish, cost just over $12.  Just over $5 for the Red Snapper Fillets.  Great deal and great flavours!

 

 

 

PEI Mussels in butter, Miso, and Sake

1 lb PEI mussels, available at Gimli Fish

1-2 tsp butter (I use the local Notre Dame butter)

2 tbs miso ( I use a sweet, light coloured miso, available in most stores, and in all Asian grocery stores)

1/4-1/2 cup sake

1/2 cup chopped green onions, with whites (these are from Heart's Acre Farm and are available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

chopped chilies or a drizzle of chili oil, to taste

chopped cilantro (also from Heart's Acre Farm), try also their garlic scapes!

Scrub and clean off the mussels.  Only use closed mussels or ones that can close.

In a large enough pot for the mussels with a lid, cook the butter, miso, sake, green onions and chilies until ready to cook the mussels.  Stir in the mussels and cover the lid.  Cook for a couple of minutes, until all of the mussels are open.  Transfer to a large bowl, pouring the sauce over the mussels.  Garnish with cilantro, or other greens, and serve immediately.  Wonderful with Sweet Potato fries.  For simplicity, they are also available at Gimli Fish, but preparing them on the grill with the Cookina is wonderful!

Honey Miso Red Snapper

1 West Coast Red Snapper fillet

1/2 cup honey, soft

1/3 +/- cup miso

1/2 cup chopped green onions (available at Heart's Acre Farm, Fertile Farm, etc.at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

1 inch fresh ginger, minced
3 tbs Chinese cooking wine or Mirin
a drizzle of chili oil

A drizzle of sesame oil

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the Red Snapper, in a bowl.  Pour over the fish and let marinate, in the fridge for at least one hour.  Grill on a hot grill, easier on the Cookina pad.

Happy Canada Day!

Women producers and Cinco de Mayo on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Bruce Ladan, I featured women-owned and operated local producers.  Starting with the great Mexican halibut that is in season for Cinco de Mayo!  The wild caught halibut is available at Gimli Fish.  I also served a seasoned flatbread, using the wonderful pizza dough from Old Church Bakery.  This was topped with Ribeye from Wildfire Farms.  Life made easier and delicious by these amazing women.

Baked Mexican Halibut

1 1/2 lbs. halibut fillets (cut into 4 - 6 pieces)

1 large fresh tomato, seeded and chopped

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 green onions, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (garnish)

1 lemon, sliced or cut into wedges (for serving)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º.

Cut halibut fillets into four - six serving pieces. Place in single layer in a 9” x 13” baking dish.
In a small bowl combine chopped tomato, lime juice, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, chopped cilantro,  sliced green onions, minced garlic and salt. Mix well and pour over fish.

Bake for 20 – 25 mins. Fish should flake easily when tested with a fork.

 Old Church Bakery flatbread

With wet hands, spread pizza dough to desired thinness on a baking sheet with either parchment paper, a Silpat, or cornmeal.  Sprinkle a generous amount of spices blend and flake salt on the dough.  I used Duq'qah, an Egyptian blend.  Drizzle generously with olive oil and bake at 450º until done, ~ 10-15 minutes.

Wildfire Farms Ribeye

Rub steaks with desired amount of dry rub spice blend.  Here, I used Duq'qah.  Another tip is to first spread Dijon mustard over the meat for a nice crust.  Season, and drizzle with olive oil.  Grill or cook on medium to high heat for 4 minutes/per side, depending on thickness of the steaks, for rare.  Remove steaks from heat and let rest.  Slice on the bias and serve with flatbread and other toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!

Game Day food or any day, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Yesterday, I brought in "Game Day" food ideas for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  I was inspired by Manitoba producers and some great options, so I made Manitoba Reuben Sandwiches with Old Church Bakery Sourdough Bread, Manitoba Beef Montreal style corned beef, instead of sauerkraut, I used Cook's Creek Kimchi.  For the other dish, I used Wild-Caught Argentinian pink shrimp with two dips, a Wasabi Sour Cream, and a Korean seafood dipping sauce. 

I used this particular shrimp because they are very tasty, easy to use, and, very importantly, are sustainable both environmentally and ethically.  That is, they are Fair Trade and use no slavery in the catching and production of the shrimp.  Ask your fish monger about other such products.

Manitoba Reuben Sandwiches

For each sandwich:
2 slices Old Church Bakery Sourdough bread
mustard
Emmenthal Cheese, sliced
Cook's Creek Kimchi
Healthy portion of Manitoba Beef's Montreal Beef
dressing:  1 tsp mayonnaise, 1-2 tsp Tahini, 1/4 tsp Hot Smoked Paprika, mixed
Butter

In one pan, bring meat up to temperature.  In another pan, place sandwich, prepared with other ingredients, open, to grill in a pan, with butter, on medium- low heat.  When both pans are up to temperature, transfer meat to the sandwich and close, finishing in one pan.  Serve immediately, or wrap in foil to warm up later.

Wild Caught Shrimp with two dips
  bag wild caught peeled shrimp (now available at Gimli Fish) (or buy pre-cooked)

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
Sour cream
wasabi paste, to taste
pinch sugar

Mix all ingredients and increase wasabi for desired results. 
Fantastic with shrimp and other seafood but also wonderful with roast beef.

Spring Flavours for Nowruz, Easter, and Passover, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 For CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I will be presenting the following dishes.  Red Snapper Ceviche, Sole with Chermoula (Moroccan), and Charoset, a Moroccan version.

All of these dishes are very simple to prepare and are quite delightful. 

Red Snapper Ceviche1 pound skinless red snapper fillets, cut into 1/4-inch dice (Available at Gimli Fish)
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/2 cup finely diced red bell peppers
1/2 cup finely diced yellow bell peppers
1/2 thinly sliced small red onion
1 minced small garlic clove
Pinch of ground cumin
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt

1 bunch each of mustard and radish sprouts (from Fresh Forage and available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

In a large bowl, toss the diced fish with the lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper and season with salt. Refrigerate the snapper ceviche for 30 minutes. Stir in the sprouts and extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

 Sole with Chermoula
2-3 sole fillets per person
olive oil or butter, for cooking fish

3-5 large cloves garlic
¼ tsp cayenne
1 heaping tbs cumin
pinch saffron
½ bunch parsley
1 whole bunch cilantro
handful mustard sprouts (available from Fresh Forage at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
handful radish sprouts (available from Fresh Forage at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
juice of one lemon
2 tbs vinegar
1 generous tbs olive oil
salt, to taste

In a mortar or blender, mix the garlic, cayenne, cumin, saffron, herbs and sprouts, lemon, vinegar, olive oil, and salt, to a paste. 

Just before serving, heat butter or olive oil in a sauté pan to medium heat.  Season the fillets.  Cook a couple of minutes per side and plate.  Spoon Chermoula over the fish. 

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 Moroccan Haroset (Charoset)

1 lb blanched almonds
1 lb pitted dates
2 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 tsp ground good cinnamon, plus ½ cup for rolling
¼ tsp ground ginger

The day before, finely grind almonds in a food processor. Add the dates, apples and 1 tsp cinnamon and the ginger and continue pulsing until the apples are chopped into tiny pieces and the mixture comes together. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, shape the mixture into balls the size of a large marble. Put the ½ cup cinnamon in a bowl and roll the balls in it.

Sichuan Whitefish and North Indian Cheela (Gluten Free flatbread!) on CBC!

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I presented a dish from North India and a Sichuan fish dish.  So yummy together as well as quite simple to prepare!

The local whitefish is related to salmon, caught wild in Manitoba, and is higher in omega fatty acids than in salmon.  It is a sustainable fish.  This fish was brought down yesterday from fishers 9 hours North of Winnipeg.  It is available at Gimli Fish.  

The Pea Flour that I used for the Cheela, was from Tamarack Farm.  Traditionally, this lovely flatbread is made with Chick Pea flour, or Besan.  The local pea flour is a wonderful ingredient for this incredibly simple dish!

Sichuan Crispy Whitefish

1 whole whitefish (available at Gimli Fish)*

2 ½ tbs shaoxin rice wine

2 ½ tbs finely chopped ginger

½ tsp salt

Oil to deep fry fish in wok

2 -4 spring onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 ½ tsp chilli bean paste

1 cup stock or water

2 ½ tbs soy sauce

3 tsp sugar

2 tbs Chinese black vinegar

1 tbs corn flour

Coriander

At 1 inch intervals, cut scores into the fish diagonally through to the bone on both sides.

Mix shaoxin rice wine with 2 tsps ground ginger and salt.  Place the fish into a dish and spread the wine, ginger, salt mixture all over the fish.  Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat wok filled ¼ of oil, to medium heat.  Holding the fish by the tail, slide in to cook.  Cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of the fish, or until brown on both sides.  For extra crispy, dredge the fish first in corn starch.  After cooking, drain fish on paper towel and set aside. 

Remove oil from wok, leaving 1 ½ tbs of oil.  Heat oil to sauté green onions, ginger, garlic, chili bean paste for about 10-20 seconds.  Add rice wine, water or stock, soy, sugar, and black vinegar and bring to a boil.  Add fish and heat, covered, for another 10 minutes. 

Cook up the remaining sauce in pan with a bit of water and corn starch until thickened.  Serve over the fish with fresh coriander and/or more green onions.

Enjoy!

Cheela with Local Pea Flour

There are many variations of this very simple flatbread.  It can be prepared plain or with many kinds of spices and vegetables.  This one today is made with Tamarack Farms Pea Flour, instead of Besan, or Chick pea flour.  This is also a Gluten-Free flatbread.

2 cups Pea Flour (available today at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market from Tamarack Farms)

1 tbs chat masala (or chilies, garam masala, etc.)

1-2 chopped shallots (I used dried shallots today)

Salt, to tastes

Water, to make a smooth batter, like a crepe consistency

Oil, for cooking

Combine pea flour, seasonings, salt, etc in a bowl.  Stir in water to make a crepe batter consistency.  Heat pan and spread like a thin pancake.  Pour 1 tsp oil on the sides and cook on medium heat until each side is golden.

Serve hot with dishes or chutneys.

Enjoy!

Fennel Seared Scallops on Creamy Fennel and Rosemary Pasta on CBC

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten, I presented the following dish using Nature's Farm pasta, Scallops from Gimli Fish, butter from Notre Dame Dairies, and love.  

Fennel Seared Scallops on Creamy fennel and rosemary pasta
2 scallops per person (large dry scallops are available at Gimli Fish)*

ground fennel

butter

drizzle olive oil

salt and pepper

1 pkg Rosemary and fennel pasta (from Nature's Farm and available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
1-2 shallots, sliced
1 tbs butter (Notre Dame Butter)
drizzle olive oil
1/2 - 1 cup cream, depending on amounts
1/2 cup (+) white wine
splash Pernod or Ouzo
salt and pepper, to tastes

Prepare sauce by sautéing shallots in butter and olive oil.  When soft, add the cream, wine, Pernod and season, to tastes. 

To sear scallops:  dry scallops off on a paper towel and dip in seasoned ground fennel.  Bring a pan to medium-high heat with butter and olive oil, to prevent burning.  Brown (sear) scallops on both sides when ready to serve immediately.

When ready to serve, prepare pasta and toss with sauce.  Top with seared scallops. 

*Dry scallops are an excellent quality scallop as they have not been injected with a type of saline preservative.  Dry are preferable as they can brown, whereas the wet scallops won't. 

Enjoy!

You say fish soup, I say Bouillabaisse, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

I will be presenting the following dish tomorrow for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Host Nadia Kidwai.   Bouillabaisse is a classic Provençal dish, that is versatile in many of the ingredients as it is based on local and seasonal ingredients. 

The fish and seafood are available at Gimli Fish.  They have a wonderful new delivery system as well! Visit www.gimlifish.com to make an order and you will have amazing fish and seafood within two hours! 

For the soup base, I used onions, garlic, fresh fennel, tomatoes, and herbs, all available now at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.  The tomatoes and fennel are from Fertile Farm, the herbs from Almost Urban, and you can find many other things to add to the soup, as per your tastes.

Enjoy!

Bouillabaisse

Ingredients
For the soup broth:

Bones and shells from the fish and shell fish, completely rinsed
9 cups water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
10 whole sprigs parsley


For the soup base:

2 large onions, chopped finely
10 garlic cloves, chopped roughly or crushed
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 cup parsley, chopped very finely
Salt and pepper to taste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Small handful fresh thyme leaves
3 to 5 long strips of orange rind (no white pith)
3 bay leaves
6 to 12 saffron stems
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped finely (remove seeds and white "ribbing")
1 pound frozen cod, thawed and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
A few splashes of Pernod

For the "body" of the soup:

3 to 4 pounds of various fish or shellfish.

Traditional bouillabaisse has no shellfish, but there is no harm in adding mussels, shrimp, crab or lobster if you feel like it.

There are many kinds of fish you can add to make this your own fish soup recipe. Haddock, red snapper, monk fish, sea bass, striped bass are all good choices. Just avoid the oily, fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, as these will overpower rather than blend in with the other ingredients.

Preparation
1. In a large soup pot, combine all the ingredients for the broth. Bring to a very light boil, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes or so.

2. Run the broth through a strainer, and keep it aside.

3. Heat the oil in the soup pot on medium low to medium heat. Add onions, garlic, parsley, fennel seed (1 teaspoon, not both), and salt. Saute until the onions are soft.

4. Add tomatoes, thyme, orange peel, bay leaves, pepper, saffron and jalapeno. Simmer for up to 30 minutes.

5. Return the fish broth to the soup pot. Add the pound of chopped fish and cook until fish is completely cooked.

6. Remove the orange peel (if it is in large strips) and bay leaves and put them aside. We do not want to puree them.

7. Either use a hand-held blender to puree the soup, or puree in a stand-up blender in batches. Add the bay leaves and orange peels back to the soup, and pour in the white wine and cook for 30 minutes to an hour. Add Pernod.

8. Add the various fish to the soup. Add the longest-cooking fish first so all the fish ends up cooked at the same time.

You say Tomato... On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Nadia Kidwai, I presented tomato recipes.  The tomatoes are just perfect right now and here are two dishes in which to enjoy them.

Tomato Saffron Poached Trout

(Makes 4 servings)
1 shallot minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 chopped tomato (a wide variety available now in season at Fertile Farm at St Norbert's Farmer's Market)
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 (optional)
¼ cup orange juice (makes a very fresh flavour)

4 trout fillet pieces (Watersong Farms and available at Gimli Fish)

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 Trout 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!

Turkish Roasted Tomato Pomegranate Salad

For each salad,

2-4 tomatoes (Roma, Black Russian, cherry, etc.), sliced in half or, if larger, into 4 slab slices

pinch of salt of each tomato half

pomegranate, seeded

Pomegranate Molasses (I prefer Sera brand)

drizzle of olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Set oven to 200ºF or lower.  Place each tomato slice onto a baking sheet that is covered with parchment paper.  Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt over each slice, and bake in the oven for several hours, or, until mostly roasted but still plump.  Cool or eat immediately with pomegranate molasses, seeds, olive oil, seasoning, with some bread. 

Enjoy!

High Tea on CBC

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai I presented High Tea.  I made Moroccan fresh mint green tea slightly sweet, crust less sandwiches using Old Church Bakery's Feta Dill Sourdough, Gimli Fish's Smoked Goldeye with cream cheese, some smoked salmon and cucumber with dill, and Strawberry Shortcake. These make lovely and easy to prepare dishes for Mothers Day next week.

Smoked Goldeye with Cream Cheese 

1 medium smoked Goldeye (available at Gimli Fish), skinned and pulled off of the bones
1/2 - 1 cup softened cream cheese
1-2 green onions, sliced, or chives
salt and pepper, to taste
optional:  chilies

Mix all ingredients together to make smooth consistency.  Spread generously on crustless bread for high tea.  I used Old Church Bakery's Feta Dill Sourdough, available today at Third and Bird and St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.

Also featured above, smoked salmon with cucumber and dill.

Strawberry Shortcake

 2 cups flour
5 tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Strawberries and other berries macerated in a bit of sugar for at least 30 minutes.  Whipped cream with a bit of sugar and vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients above and add the buttermilk until just mixed.  Pour into an ungreased 8" pan and bake for 18 minutes, until golden.  Remove from pan onto a cooling rack after cooling the pan for a few minutes.  Cut into serving pieces and split in half. 

Spoon berries and whipped cream over the shortcake and enjoy!

Phyllo Wrapped Steelhead Trout with Saskatoon Savory Sauce on CBC's Weekend Morning Show. Something that any kid could make...

This morning I presented this dish for CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with guest host, Laurie Hoogstraten.  It really is very simple to prepare with impressive results. 


Phyllo Wrapped Steelhead Trout with savory Saskatoon sauce

1 fillet Steelhead Trout (naturally raised in Warren Manitoba, available at Gimli Fish, from Watersong Farms http://www.watersongfarms.com/)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (white button, crimini, shitake, chanterelles, etc.)
Optional:  1/4 cup chèvre in mushroom mixture
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 Phyllo Wrapped Steelhead Trout.

Enjoy! 

Later that day...

And for the D.A.Niels Tajine Cooking demo....

Moroccan Beef Stew (can use lamb)
2 lb beef 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!

Marak (Tajine) of Red Cabbage with Tomatoes and Olives
¼ cup olive oil 
1 medium head red cabbage (can use cauliflower), cored and small slice
2 tsp sugar
2 ripe or canned tomatoes, chopped (I’m using 2 tbs good tomato paste with tomatoes)
2 tsp hot smoked paprika
2 tsp toasted ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, grated into paste
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley
Juice of ½ lemon, to taste
 ½ preserved lemon (see chef for details)
12 green-ripe olives, pitted

1. Heat oil in tajine over low heat.  Add cabbage and sugar and cover with lid or with parchment paper and the lid and cook gently for 10 minutes.  Raise heat slightly and add a splash of water.

2. Add tomatoes and paprika and continue to cook, covered for a few minutes.
3. mix cumin and garlic and add with ½ cup water to tajine.  Cook gently for 20 + minutes.
4. Add the parsley and lemon juice.  Garnish with the slivered lemon and olives (or cook in with tajine).  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Steelhead trout on Brown Butter Greens on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

I'll be presenting the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, tomorrow morning after the 8:30 news.

We have lovely Steelhead Trout, from Watersong Farms, in Warren Manitoba.  It is available fresh each Friday at Gimli Fish.  They produce gorgeous Steelhead trout that looks and tastes like buttery salmon.  

The Spinach, for today's recipe, came from Fertile Farm, Manitoba and their wonderful produce is available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market. 

Pecan Crusted Steelhead Trout on Brown Butter Greens

1 fillet Steelhead Trout
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon pesto or 2 tbs chopped fresh herbs and garlic
1 egg
salt and pepper
drizzle olive oil

Place fillet on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, for easy clean up.  Mix topping ingredients together and spread over fillet.  Bake at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Serve immediately over Brown Butter greens.  We enjoyed this with a baked sweet potato as well.

Brown Butter Greens

2 bunches Swiss Chard or Spinach, washed and cut chiffonade style
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced
1-2 chilies, finely chopped
1/4 tsp hot smoked paprika
1-2 tbs butter
pinch ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1- 2 shallots, sliced

Heat large and deep pan to medium heat and brown the butter without burning. One trick, once the butter is brown, is to add a bit of olive oil.  Add the remaining ingredients and sauté until softened and cooked through. 

To plate, place greens on plate and the Pecan Crusted Steelhead Trout resting on top.  Serve with sweet potato, or your favourite side dish, such as quinoa, rice, etc.

Enjoy!

Wild on hot days with Sockeye Salmon on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

Yesterday, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host, Laurie Hoogstraten, I'll be bringing in these two dishes.  Gorgeous wild caught sushi grade Sockeye Salmon is fresh in bi-weekly at Gimli Fish.  Get it skin-on as both recipes use the skin to add a crispy element.

(Wild Sockeye Salmon sashimi on Cold Dressed Soba with avocado and crispy salmon skin)

 

1. Wild Sockeye Salmon Sashimi on cold-dressed Soba or Udon noodles

For 4 people:  1 filet Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon, skin on.

1 bundle dried noodles per person*

Dressing: 

1-2 tbs Dijon mustard

1 tsp grainy mustard (optional)

1 inch ginger, grated

1 tbs vinegar

2-3 tbs Mirin

1 tsp good sesame oil

drizzle chili oil (optional)

½ tsp sugar

1 tbs soy sauce

Other options:  chopped green onions or chives, avocado slices, shredded cucumber, etc.

1. Skin the Salmon filet and keep the skin.  It is very simple to skin the filet.  With a very sharp knife in one hand, grab a pinch of sea salt in the other, to use as a grip, hold the small end of the filet and slice the skin off pulling the skin toward you.

2. To crispy cook the skin, cover with sesame oil and cook at high heat on a skillet or on a hot grill.  Set aside.  Cut into smaller pieces when cooled and crisp on both sides.

3. Slice Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon into bite sized sashimi slices.  Keep chilled.

4. Cook the noodles for less than the package states.  For example, cook the Soba noodles for 4-5 minutes instead of the 6-7 minutes.  The Udon should cook for 7 minutes, not 10 – 12 minutes.

5. Drain the cooked noodles and run under cold water until the noodles are completely cooled.  Drain thoroughly.  If not using immediately, drizzle with sesame oil to prevent sticking.  Keep the noodles cooled.

6. Dressing can be made in advance.  Mix all dressing ingredients together in a bowl until will emulsified. 

7.  You can either prepare all ingredients into one large bowl or prepare individual bowl servings.  Dress the noodles and divide into bowls.  Top with slices of sashimi, avocado and crispy salmon skin. 

You can sprinkle sesame seeds on top, more green onions, soy, etc.  Have fun with the dish.

* Look for dried Soba or Udon noodles in the noodle section of an Asian market such as Oriental Market or Sun Wah, Lucky’s, etc.  Can use buckwheat or green tea Soba.

2. Blackened Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon (adapted from Alex Guarnashelli)

1 filet Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon, skin-on

1 tbs smoked paprika

1 tsp cayenne (to taste)

1 tbs fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped

1 tsp sea salt (or kosher)

3-4 tbs canola oil

2 lemons, zested and juiced

Mix spices and salt together in a small bowl.  Place mixture on a plate and coat the salmon portions, flesh side only. 

Heat cast iron skillet or grill to medium heat.  If using a grill, try a grill sheet such as Cookina and add a bit of oil to the sheet. 

Place salmon, flesh down, on the pan or grill sheet and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Turn and cook until the skin becomes crispy.  About 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with lemon zest and lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Holiday cooking/baking on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten, I am making the following dishes, plus a few extras.


This afternoon, I'll be at D.A. Niels, demonstrating the Gastrolux pan and making Tuna Tatatki (seared tuna) and Pomegranate Chicken with ras el hanout.

Spanikoptia Triangles

1 pkg filo dough
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1 white onion 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.

Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

3 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 onion, shredded
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour or maztah meal
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika (optional)

Pickerel cheeks and vermouth or your favourite clear liquor.
Butter
Olive Oil
S & P
Crème Fraiche
Golden Caviar

Mix potato pancake ingredients together and fry in pancake size in a little olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and using cookie cutters, cut bite sized pieces from the pancake.
Sauté pickerel cheeks and deglaze with vermouth.

 Seared Ahi Tuna with 3 kinds of Sesame Seeds.

 Grilled Pomegranate Ras El Hanout Chicken.