Ikra! A Russian Relish to relish.

I had the ingredients on hand.  I had been wanting to attempt making this for a long time.  Now that I have, it is much easier to prepare than I had imagined.  Ikra.  It is a Russian condiment that I grew up having with meat buns, or, Fleischpersky.  Stephan, from Blue Lagoon Organics, gave me a couple of parsley roots, that I knew were part of the ingredient list.

I consulted the Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, and my Mom, for advice on how to make Ikra.  It seems like a kitchen sink kind of recipe to make with what one has on hand.  I had the following, that made 6 500ml jars.

Ikra

4 onions, grated*
2+tbs olive oil
2 medium globe eggplant, finely diced
4 medium carrots, grated
2 bulbs of Parsley Root, grated
3 -4 celery stalks, grated or finely diced
3 yellow peppers, grated
4 good tomatoes (I used 4 large yellow tomatoes that I had frozen in Autumn)
4 tbs good Tomato Paste
1 dried red chili
1 tbs chili flake (I used Aleppo)
1/2 sugar
Salt and pepper, to tastes.
water, adjust as needed

*Grated, was done through the food processor blade.

I cooked the onions first and then added the remaining vegetables and seasoning.  After the water began cooking out, I added the remaining ingredients and cooked for up to 30 minutes. 

I sterilized 6 500 ml jars and lids.  Then, I filled each jar, closed the lids just under tightly closed, and cooked in the canner for 20 minutes.  I heard the lids popping now.

Enjoy!

More harvest ideas for beets and carrots on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Nadia Kidwai, I will be presenting the following recipes.  These dishes are so easy to prepare with loads of flavour.  

Carrot Thoren
2 cups finely shredded carrots
salt, to taste
2 tbs oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp black gram dhal or urdad dal *
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 green chilies, sliced thinly in rounds
a few curry leaves *
1/2 cup finely grated coconut *

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

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

Enjoy!

Chilled Roasted Beet Soup

4-5 large beets (I used red beets from Fertile Farm at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
1 head roasted garlic (available now in the markets)
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2-3 tbs good olive oil
1/4 cup champagne or sherry vinegar
1/2 - 2/3 cup orange juice
2-4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

On a hot BBQ or in oven, roast peeled beets wrapped in foil until soft, turning to prevent burning. Roast garlic at the same time.

In a large skillet or soup pot, sauté onion in olive oil on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add cut up beets and squeeze out garlic into pot. Sauté until vegetables have softened. Add soup stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. If using golden beets, use white pepper.

Remove soup from heat and add orange juice and vinegar. Using an immersion blender or food processor, purée until smooth. When soup has cooled, chill in refrigerator at least over night. Top with a dollop of Creme Frâiche and sprinkle with a few threads of saffron.

Don't throw those veggie tops away! On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Don’t Throw It Away 2.0
This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following recipes with items that many people throw out.

Last year, I encouraged cooks and people who love things from the garden and farmer’s markets to not throw radish leaves away. I have a couple of recipes for them on my blog. Now, I see people throwing carrot and beet tops away. These delicate leaves are delicious and so easy to make into many dishes.

Carrot Top Pesto

1 bunch carrot top greens, chopped (today from Almost Urban Farms at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)
2-3 bunches basil (or chives, cilantro, etc.) (Fresh today from Reimer’s at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)
3-5 cloves garlic
¼- ½ cup parmesan reggianno or Padano
½ cup walnuts (or almonds or pine nuts, or, pumpkin seeds)
1 (+/-) ground black pepper
Olive oil

In a food processor or blender, grind up garlic and nuts, and cheese if cut and not grated. Add chopped carrot greens and basil or other herbs and pepper. Drizzle in olive oil as it blends until a smooth paste or the consistency that you desire.

Use on pasta, fish, seafood, as a compound butter for steaks, in sauces, etc.

I’m serving it today on linguine from Nature’s Pasta.

Stuffed Beet Leaves

1 lb ground beef (or lamb) (I used Wildfire Farms ground beef, available at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

1-3 shallots, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tbs Turkish Baharat (or your favourite seasonings)
½ finely chopped pepper (optional)
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
1 tbs good tomato paste (Available at Millad’s)
2 tbs pomegranate molasses (optional, available at Millad’s)
Salt, to taste
½ cup bulgur (can use cooked rice, quinoa, etc.)
½ cup stock (I used chicken stock that I make and freeze)
1 bunch beet leaves
Chicken stock for cooking

Preheat oven to 350F.

Sauté the shallots until soft and add the ground beef. After browned, add vegetables, seasonings and cook until soft. Add tomato paste and pomegranate molasses. Stir in the bulgur and add stock. Simmer until the bulgur is softened. Set filling aside.

Line a baking dish with a few beet leaves. Stack the beet leaves for stuffing. You can soften the rib by gently running your finger along it, to make rolling the leaves easier.

Fill each leaf with the meat filling and roll like a small burrito or dolma. Place each roll in the baking dish on top of the leaves. Add chicken stock to the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until soft.

Serve hot, cold, or warm. Top with yoghurt tahini sauce or a cream sauce with dill.

Enjoy!

A Kerala Vegetable Feast - Beans, Carrots and Mushrooms

(Photo by Karen)
Tender Beans Kerala Style


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

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

Enjoy!


(Photo by Karen)

Carrot Thoran

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

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

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




(Photo by Karen)

Mushroom Thoran

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

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

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

Enjoy with rice

Turkish Baharat Roast Chicken and Persian Carrots

Turkish Baharat Roast Chicken


It is very easy to roast a chicken to moist perfection. A simple rule that I follow is to roast the meat for 20 minutes a pound at 350ºF. Each oven is different but the drumsticks should wiggle freely and the internal temperature can reach 180ºF.

VERY IMPORTANT! Always, always, always let meat rest after cooking. If you cut into the meat too soon, the juices run out leaving a dry and tough product.

Turkish Baharat Roast Chicken

1 roasting chicken
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 ribs celery, roughly chopped
4 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 rounded tablespoons Turkish Baharat
2 small heads garlic, sliced in half horizontally
1 tsp sea salt
1 small lemon, sliced open in half
1-2 tbs good olive oil

Place onion, celery, carrots, garlic and lemon in roasting pan. Sprinkle Turkish Baharat over the chicken and inside the chicken cavity. Sprinkle salt and drizzle olive oil over chicken. Place in preheated 350ºF oven for 20 minutes/pound (eg. 6 pound chicken = 2 hours). When chicken is done, remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes prior to carving.

Enjoy!

Persian Carrots


4-5 medium carrots, sliced on the diagonal
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 inch grated fresh ginger
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs brown sugar

In a sauté pan on medium high heat, sauté onions in butter until beginning to soften. Add sliced carrots and stir. After a few minutes, add the raisins, almonds, dates, ginger and salt and pepper. Continue cooking for several minutes until the carrots begin to soften. Add brown sugar and reduce heat until ready to serve.

Enjoy!