Tuscan Soup with Farmers Sausage

This soup has become a household favourite lately.  Tuscan bean soup is a bowl full of comfort.  The beans make it rich and creamy, without cream, and the Tuscan flavours of sage really deliver the warmth.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Bean Soup with Farmers Sausage

1 medium - large onion, thinly sliced
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 package farmers sausage, sliced (can use wonderful Italian sausages with fennel, for example, but this was on hand)
2-6 cups cooked beans (yes, that much variation because it is up to you what you like.  I used pinto beans, from dry, that I quickly cooked in the Instant Pot)
2-6 cups tinned chopped tomatoes (Because it is Spring and good fresh tomatoes are impossible)
3 red peppers (yellow, orange, also good, but green would change the flavour)
2-4 tbs chopped fresh sage, or crumbled dry.  (Beans can take a lot of flavour added)
1 tbs dried chilies (more or less, it is your soup)
Salt and pepper, to tastes.  Beans need salt
water, as needed
olive oil, to start sautéeing

In a large pot, sauté the onions and garlic.  Add the sliced farmers sausage and cook until mostly cooked through. Add the peppers and cook for 5+ minutes before adding the tomatoes and seasoning.  Simmer until the beans are well incorporated and breaking down.  Check seasonings and enjoy!  Lovely with bread.

Tuscan Stew with Roasted Chicken

This is a rich stew, that is simple to prepare, with great flavours.  Perfect winter comfort.

Tuscan Stew with Roasted Chicken

6-10 chicken legs, back on, skinned
4-6 cloves garlic
2 tsp dried sage, or 2 tbs chopped fresh sage
1 tsp dried thyme
salt, to tastes
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 onions, sliced
olive oil, for sautéing 
4-8 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
2 tsp dried sage, or 2 tbs chopped fresh sage
2 large tins chopped tomatoes (because Winter tomatoes)
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbs good tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock or water
1/2 cup white wine or vermouth
4-8 cups cooked white navy beans, (or try heritage beans from Berard Farms from the St. Norberts Farmers Market)
4-8 potatoes, cubed
4-8 carrots, in coins
salt, to tastes (a fair amount, as potatoes and beans need salt)

For the chicken; purée garlic, spices, salt and pepper, oil, and water and cover all of the chicken.  Easiest to do with gloves and a large bowl.  Set aside in the fridge to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

For the stew; Sauté the onions until translucent, and then add the garlic.  Add tomatoes and herbs and spices.  Let simmer for a while and add remaining ingredients.

Transfer the stew to a large roasting pan.  Place the chicken on top, submerging slightly. Roast, open, for at least 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender.

Enjoy, with toasted Focaccia.  Try crispy fried sage leaves, to garnish.

Healthy and comfy - Chicken Cacciatore updated

I recently made Chicken Cacciatore, for guests, a menu item that I haven't made in years.  I had to remind myself how to make it and I found a recipe by Alex Guarneschelli that looked adaptable.  You can use any chicken pieces but I used chicken thighs for this recipe.  I also skinned the pieces but left the bone in, for better flavour.  Wildfire Farms has wonderful chicken and is available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market. 

 The market is open every Saturday until Christmas, from 10AM - 2PM. 

Chicken Cacciatore
(portion 2 thighs per person)

1 pkg chicken thighs, bone in, skin on, but remove skins
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tins chopped tomatoes
4-6 roughly chopped yellow peppers (or red or orange.  Green would give a very different flavour)
1-2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
3-6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup white wine
olive oil
optional: 1 tbs brown sugar, to reduce tomato acids, 1-2 tsp chilies( I used Allepo chilies as they are quite mild but hotter chilies would also work),

Set oven to 350ºF.

Skin chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper and optional chilies.  Set aside in the fridge.

For the sauce, sauté the onions in olive oil.  When the onions have softened, add the chopped peppers and garlic.  Then the rosemary and thyme.  When the peppers have softened, add the tomatoes and remaining seasonings.  Add the white wine and let simmer. 

In a saucepan, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium high heat.  Brown chicken thighs.  Place sauce in a baking dish and arrange the chicken thighs on top of the sauce.  Bake for up to an hour, uncovered. 

Serve with rice, pasta, or roasted potatoes.  Arugula salad would make a nice side dish.

Enjoy!

Easy Squash Gnudi with wonderful local ingredients.

Something easy.  Something delicious.  Something with ingredients that I have on hand now.

I baked a large Hubbard Squash to add to my daughter's food (hidden in pasta and muffins).  With some of the baked squash, we made gnudi.  It is much easier than one would think.  We prepared half of a recipe. 

The squash was grown by Kelly Ditz, of The Farm.  The eggs, are by Nature's Farm.  I used local Notre Dame Butter and Prairie Mills flour. 

Squash Gnudi
 
1  squash, about 3 lb. (baked and scooped out of shell)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. fine sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
2 cups flour, sifted
8 Tbs unsalted butter, browned
10 fresh sage leaves (to taste)
1 Tbs. kosher salt
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 

 Pass the baked squash through a ricer or mash well.  When cooled, add beaten eggs and seasonings and mix well.  Sift flour into squash mixture and stir until well incorporated.  Add enough flour to make a light sticky batter.  Chill at least one hour.

Set a pot of salted water to boil.  Brown butter in another pan and add fresh sage leaves toward the end.  Turn butter off until gnudi is ready.  When water boils, drop gnudi into gently boiling water with a small spoon.  When the gnudi floats, scoop out of water, drain and add to hot butter. Let coat gnudi and plate.  Top with grated cheese.

Enjoy!

Local Beef Shank Osso Bucco for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning I presented the following recipe for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with interim host, Nadia Kidwai.  The beef shank is a beautiful product, full of flavour, and this recipe is easy to prepare.  The trick to this and most recipes, is to prepare your Mise en Place, or, have everything ready to go.

Osso Bucco:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces Beef Shank (I used Wildfire Farms and Manitoba Beef shanks available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
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 large 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.
Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!

Getting Cheeky on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 Yesterday morning I presented the following dishes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.  

The wonderful ingredients are all available now at your farmer's markets.  The eggs for the köfte are from Nature's Farm,  the beef cheeks and ground beef are from Wildfire Farms, and you can often find me either through the blog or at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.

It is not common at all to find beef cheeks, let alone beef shank in many large grocery stores.  Knowing your beef producer directly makes it possible to get parts of the steer that are delicious but not easily found otherwise.  The lovely beef today can be purchased at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market from Wildfire Farms.  Beef cheeks can also be incredible as a burger instead of ground meat.  Marinate in red wine and spices overnight and braise until tender.  Put the cheek on the bun with coleslaw, caramelized onions, chutney, etc.

Braised Beef Cheeks in photo and the "Cook like a Chef" workshop photo for cooking Wildfire Farms beef in St. Norbert's Farmer's Festival

Beef Cheeks

This is the adaptation of Tyler Florence’s recipe for Osso Bucco. The wine that he recommended using was Amarone.  

 This makes an elegant winter comfort meal.

1. Beef Cheeks or Osso Bucco (Make both as they cook the same in this dish):
 1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Beef Cheeks (Available at Wildfire Farms at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1-3 tbs 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

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.
Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!

2. Mini Köfte two ways  Moroccan and Turkish

Moroccan
1 lb ground beef (or lamb), Beef today from Wildfire Farms, available at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market
1-2 tbs Ras el Hanout (available St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)
pinch salt
1 egg (Nature’s Farm eggs are superb and available at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

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

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

Turkish
1 lb ground beef (Wildfire Farms at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)
1-2 tbs Turkish Baharat (Karenfood at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)
pinch salt
1 egg (Nature’s Farm eggs at St. Norbert’sFarmer’s Market)

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

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

Enjoy!

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

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

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

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

Rajmah

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

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

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

Stir in the cilantro.

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


Tuscan beans (Fagioli all'uccelletto)

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

1 pound small white cannellini or great northern beans, soaked overnight
1 large sausage (optional)
2 sprigs of sage
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic
5 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 14 oz can Italian plum tomatoes

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Squash Two ways for CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

On Saturday, I'll be presenting the following recipes using local squash, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with Host Terry MacLeod.

Gorgeous Heirloom varieties are available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market, until Oct. 31st from producers from Wiens Farm and Trudy Penner/Penner Pumpkins.

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.

Squash Halwa- Easy Diwali Sweet Recipe

1 Seeded and baked Squash (Acorn, Hubbard, Delicata, etc.) ~ 4 cups
Milk- ¼ cup
Condensed milk- ½ can or 150 ml
Saffron, strands (optional)- ½ tsp strands soaked in 1 tbsp milk
Ghee- 4 tbsp
Roasted Almonds, whole or chopped- ¼ cup (roasted in ½ tbsp ghee)

Peel the skin off the squash and dice it into medium size.
In a non-stick cooking pan, cook the diced squash in water till it turns tender and well cooked.
Drain the water from the cooked squash and put it back into the pan.
Using a wooden spoon, mash the cooked squash without any lumps.
Switch on the stove to medium heat and place the pan with the mashed squash over it.
Add milk and combine well stirring constantly breaking any lumps present in it.
Add the condensed milk to it and combine well stirring constantly.
Pour 2 tbsp of ghee at this point and keep stirring.
If you are adding saffron, add the soaked saffron to the mixture.
Let it thicken and don’t forget to stir it.
When the mixture is no more watery and has thickened, add 2 tbsp more of ghee.
Keep stirring for a minute and remove from the heat.
In a small pan, roast whole or chopped almonds in ½ tbsp ghee till it turns golden in color.
Grease a platter with little ghee and spread the squash halwa onto the plate.
Even out the halwa level using a flat spatula.
Garnish the squash halwa with roasted almonds.
Chill the halwa for an hour and serve.
Notes
You could tweak this recipe according to your needs.
You could adjust the sweetness, amount of ghee added accordingly.
Also add pistachios, raisins or other nuts for extra crunchiness.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod, I presented this grown up comfort food, Porcini Mushroom Risotto.

Mushroom Risotto (can make variations such as squash, asparagus, saffron, etc.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter

2 cups flavorful mushrooms such as shiitake, chanterelle, or oyster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into half inch to inch pieces

2/3 cups dry white wine

5-6 cups stock (chicken, vegetable)

1/3 cup of peeled and minced shallots (OR 1/3 cup of yellow or white onion, finely chopped)

1 3/4 cups Arborio

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives

Method

1.Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

2. Melt the butter in a deep, heavy, medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté about 5 minutes (if using chanterelles, dry sauté first for a minute or two and let the mushrooms cook in their own juices before adding the butter). Add the rice and stir to combine.

3. Add wine, bring to a boil, and reduce liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Stir the rice almost constantly — stirring sloughs off the starch from the rice, making the creamy sauce you're looking for in a risotto. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This process will take about 25 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.

4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.

Enjoy!

Italian Countryside for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the MLCC

Tonight I will be presenting the following dishes for the Foodie Series for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Madison Square MLCC.    I'm really loving this Bruschetta recipe (see tomato coulis).  Roasted tomato/shallot focaccia is rising in the pan.

(Tuscan Squash Salad)

1. 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.

2. Bruschetta

4 medium tomatoes

4+ oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1 clove garlic,

2-3 tbs. olive oil

small bunch basil

dash of crushed red chilies

salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients and chill.  Spread over Italian bread that has been toasted with olive oil and garlic. 

Enjoy!

3. Karen's Beef Lasagna

1 pkg lasagna noodles (or make fresh pasta)
2 lbs ground beef
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.

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.

Italian Countryside with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

 Tonight I will be presenting the following dishes for the Foodie Series for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC.  The Foodie Series is available through the City of Winnipeg Leisure Guide and the park.

Bran Adams, of the APC, will be presenting information on the vegetation indicated by these recipes and beverage pairings will be provided by Kelly Burton,  Product Consultant of the MLCC.  

I just pulled a shallot focaccia out of the oven to serve with the salad and Caponatina.

1. Tuscan Squash Salad
Paired with Villa Vulcan Catarratto, $12.73

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.

2. Caponatina di Melanzane(A very popular dish for antipasto.)
(Sicilian eggplant relish)
Paired with Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, $22.47 (YUM)

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. Karen's Beef Lasagna
Paired with Frappato DOC Vittoria, $22.47

1 pkg lasagna noodles (or make fresh pasta)
2 lbs ground beef
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.

Karen's Vegetable Lasagna

1 pkg lasagna noodles (or make fresh pasta)
4 cups sliced mushrooms

3 cups medium diced zucchini

3 red peppers, seeded and diced
1 tbs olive oil
1 large can tomatoes

1 head roasted garlic
2 large onions, diced
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 (optional)
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, sauté onions in olive oil over medium high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until soft. Add zucchini and peppers and cook until soft. Then add tomatoes (with water or juice), spices, roasted garlic, brown sugar and red wine. 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.

4. Drunken Figs
Paired with Blandy's Alvada 5 year old Madeira, $12.99

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.

Italian countryside for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the MLCC

 Last night I presented the following recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy's Foodie Program with the MLCC on the theme of Italian Countryside.  Kelly Burton, Product Consultant for the MLCC, provided wonderful beverage pairings and Melissa Scouten, Education Coordinator for the APC, presented on the plants and culture of different regions.

 Photos to follow soon!

 Reception Beverage:  Limoncello Lemonade

1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 cup club soda, divided

2 cups limoncello, divided

1 cup St. Germain (elderflower liquor)

Ice cubes, crushed

1. Fave con Pecorino
(serves 4)
Paired with Ruffino Orvieto Classico #31062, $11.95

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.

2. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)
Paired with Gabbiano Chianti DOCG # 710324, $13.99

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!

3. Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli
Eggplant Parmigiana Eggplant Parmigiana
Paired with Feudo Badala Negroamano #15086, $11.82

Ingredients
The Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices
6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano whole plum tomatoes
The Eggplant:
2 medium eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk
4 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound provolone cheese, grated
2 handfuls fresh basil, leaves only, torn

Directions

For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.

Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.

In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Osso Bucco

Paired with Masi Costasera Amarone #317057, $44.99

 
 1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces Beef, Bison or Elk shank

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1-3 tbs 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

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.
Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!

Easy bread for the holidays! Focaccia

This bread was made daily in my recent restaurant and I want to share the recipe because it is so easy and yields excellent results.

Focaccia (Rosemary)
4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 pkgs)
2 cups warm water (110ºF)
1 tbs sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbs chopped fresh rosemary, 3 tbs chopped fresh sage, or 3 tbs chopped mixed herbs (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for brushing the dough
Coarse sea salt

If using instant yeast, combine last in bowl with all of the dry ingredients and then add to the mixing bowl with the warm water and olive oil.  If using non-instant, let bloom in warm water with olive oil and sugar.

Using a dough hook on your mixer, combine the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until the dough is soft and pliable and comes off of the bowl to form a ball.  Turn dough out onto counter with a dusting of flour and knead.  Dough needs human hands.  Dough needs the love.

Preheat oven to 475ºF.  Let dough rise in an oiled bowl covered and in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until at least doubled.  Spread dough out onto baking sheet (9X13) and let rise for 30 minutes.  Dimple the dough with your fingertips, brush with oil and sprinkle with course sea salt and  additional optional herbs or:  nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, spring onions, chives, olives, sauteéd red onions, roasted garlic, etc.

Place dough in oven and reduce the temperature to 375ºF and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until light golden.  If baking in a ceramic dish, add up to 7 additional minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.




 

Mediterranean tour of flavours for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

 Tonight I have the pleasure of presenting the following sampling from around the Mediterranean for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC.  Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, will be presenting on the origins of the plant life represented here and TBA rep from the MLCC will be providing beverage pairings.  Photos to come after tonight's event.
I am presenting a dish from ancient Greece, Turkey, Italy and Spain.



1. Greek Fava Beans

Soak 2 cups large dried fava beans overnight.  Peel
1 chopped onion
olive oil
oregano
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook peeled fava beans until soft. Drain.  In a saucepan, heat up olive oil and cook chopped onion until soft and translucent.  Add beans and slowly cook over medium heat, stirring so as not to burn.  Add remaining ingredients.  Serve hot or cold.  Has a remarkable floral taste.  Serve with breads.

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!

3. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia) (back by popular demand)

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!

4. Spanish Smoked Paprika Shrimp

1 lb peeled, wild caught shrimp
1 tbs butter
Drizzle olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika
Pinch sea salt

Heat butter and oil in sauté pan. Add shrimp and toss well. Add garlic and then paprika. Serve with bread when shrimp is firm and pink.

Foods of Italy for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

Last night I had the great pleasure of presenting the following recipes for a cooking demonstration for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Madison Square  MLCC.  Beverage pairings to follow soon.  APC Education Coordinator Bonnie Tulloch presented on the great plants used in cooking in Italian food and Cindy, Product Consultant of the MLCC provided excellent beverage pairings.  

Photos coming today!

Come in to Arkadash Bistro and Lounge to try these items or many others. 

Foods of Italy – January 22, 2013

1. 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.

2. 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!

3. Osso Bucco

This is the adaptation of Tyler Florence’s recipe for Osso Bucco. The wine that he recommended using was Amarone. Personally, I'd really rather enjoy drinking the Amarone  but have used it today especially for your pleasure.
It makes an elegant winter comfort meal.

Osso Bucco:
 1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces Beef, Bison or Elk shank

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1-3 tbs 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

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.
Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!

4. Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Recipe By: Karen
Serving Size: 36

1/2 c butter softened
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
4 tsps  Frangelico
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c +2tsp white flour unbleached
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c Sliced Almonds

¾ cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 325ºF. Cream butter until fluffy and add sugar. Cream again until fluffy and add the eggs, beating well until mixture is smooth. Mix in Frangelico and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat into butter mixture until just incorporated. Stir in almonds and chocolate.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces on a lightly floured board. Roll pieces into long cylinders about 1 - 1 1/2inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet and flatten to rectangles. Bake until light brown, about 25 minutes.
Cool the rolls and slice diagonally to make 1/2 inch biscotti. Lower oven temperature to 300ºF, lay the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake until dry, about 5-10 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Rabbit with Squash

Rabbit with Squash

Local and naturally raised rabbits can be purchased in the Winnipeg area from Zinn Farms at ZinnFarms.com. 
Rabbit is also available from local natural sources from DeLuca's on Portage Ave. in Winnipeg.
How to cut a Rabbit?

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following rabbit dish on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Ismaila Alfa.  Enjoy!

This is an old recipe -- the combination of sweet and savoury is relatively rare in modern Italian cooking -- but will be very nice in the winter months, especially if it is cold out. Although the recipe calls for rabbit, but you could use -- if you had to -- chicken.
Prep Time: 0 hour, 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1 rabbit skinned and chopped into pieces
• 3/4 pound (350 g) squash pulp (a squash along the lines of zucca gialla, or butternut squash)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 quart (1 liter) dry red wine
• A sprig of rosemary
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• A sprig of sage
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves
• A bunch of parsley
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) dry white wine
• 2/3 cup (120 g) unsalted butter
• A pinch each sugar and powdered cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Wash and pat the rabbit pieces dry and return them to the bowl. Pour the red wine over the rabbit, and add the bay leaves, the garlic, the sage, the rosemary, the cloves, a few peppercorns, and a few leaves of parsley. Cover the bowl and let it stand in the refrigerator over night.

The next day, when you're ready to cook the rabbit, which will be much more tender thanks to the marinade, plump the raisins in the white wine for 20 minutes, and drain them well. Coarsely chop the almonds, and put them in a bowl with a pinch each of sugar and cinnamon, a goodly dash of pepper, and the drained raisins.

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or earthenware pot, and brown the rabbit, turning the pieces so they color on all sides. Meanwhile, filter the marinade. Once the meat has browned, sprinkle it with a ladle of marinade. Cook until about half the liquid has evaporated, then stir in the almond mixture, cover, and simmer for an hour.

Dice the squash, stir the pieces into the rabbit, and continue cooking for 20 minutes more. This dish is very good over polenta.

Osso Bucco (or other cuts) on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting this classic Italian recipe on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Ismaila Alfa.

Enjoy!

Osso Bucco or other stewing meat

1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces Beef, Bison or Elk for osso bucco or 4-8 beef short ribs or stewing meat or round roast cut in large chunks
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.
Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!

Cooking Demos! This week with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC - Cupid's Bite - aphrodisiac eats

Cupid’s Bite – Aphrodisiac eatings

This coming Tuesday is Valentine's Day. I will be conducting a cooking demo for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC. For this occasion, I am presenting foods that are considered aphrodisiacs. This list includes, but is by no means exclusive to, apricots, basil, garlic, asparagus, chocolate. Try also gingseng, oysters, ginger, halibut, pumpkin seeds, etc.

Pairings will be posted after the event.

1. Stuffed apricots - Cevizli Kayisi Tatlisi

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.


2. Basil Pesto – Pasta il Pesto

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.


3. Sautéed Asparagus with Blood Orange

Wash and trim asparagus and sauté in butter and olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of blood orange and top with zest and a sprinkle of sea salt.

4. Chocolate Creams

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

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

Pavlova (optional to serve with creams)

4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
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.

Enjoy!

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

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)

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

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!