Been busy with Wedding catering

Greetings readers of recipes,

I've been busy with preparing and producing catering for a wedding on Saturday. I'm really happy with the results but am plum tuckered out. It was an appetizer menu with:

Menu

Bison Tenderloin Carpaccio
With Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Shitake Mushroom Bouchés (see blog June 21st for recipe)

Grilled Udon Ahi Tuna Sashimi Spoons

Papri Chaat Station
Papri Chaat is both an Indian street snack food as well as the latest trend in entertaining. At the station, the server quickly puts together in a bowl, options for the guest. These vegetarian options include, pieces of samosas, spiced yoghurt, tamarind sauce, pakora pieces, chutneys, crisp mini puris, cucumber, etc. (See NYTimes article)

Rice/Salad Wrap Station
Prepared Rice and salad wraps and made to order with Chinese BBQ Pork, Lapsang Souchon Reduction on Roast Duck, assorted herbs, greens, meats and fish with assorted sauces

Chinese Coconut Buns

Seasonal Fruits

Coffee, Roasted Rice Tea, Raspberry Punch



Some recipes to follow.

Cheers

Building burgers with Turkish Baharat

(photo by Desmond)
Featured in photo: Elk burger with Turkish Baharat and Fennel Sausage on Naan Bread from Halal Meats and Specialty Foods with Caramelized onions with new spice blend: Mitmita.

I took 2 pounds ground elk (you can use beef or bison as well)
2 Fennel Sausages from De Luca's
2 heaping tablespoons Turkish Baharat
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses.

Mix all ingredients by hand and form into 1/4 lb patties. The spice blend gives it a flavour of Turkish kofta, the pomegranate adds a lovely tang and the fennel sausage has a wonderful flavour and aroma that when served in naan or pide with the yoghurt tahini sauce, you are transported to the Mediterranean.

Nice Summer enjoyment!

Bison Filet with Saskatoon pan sauce

(Photo by Desmond)

Saskatoons are beautifully in season right now in the Prairies. They also freeze well to make this sauce at any time of the year. Also featured in the photo are oven baked yam "fries".

4 small Bison filets (medallions or small steaks)
olive oil

When sauce is prepared, grill tenderloin pieces for less than 3 minutes a side, depending on size, turning for grill marks. Allow meat to rest before cutting.

Saskatoon sauce
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups Saskatoons, fresh or frozen
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp thyme
3-5 juniper berries, crushed
1-2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
couple pinches salt (I used red clay Hawaiian for this recipe but try different kinds)
1 tbs butter
1/2 cup scotch whiskey*

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add thyme and crushed juniper berries. Stir in Saskatoon berries and mustard, salt and pepper and let cook down. Add scotch and butter and cook until simmering and Saskatoon berries are soft. Remove from heat. When cooled a bit, use an immersion blender or other food processor and blend until smooth. Bring up to temperature when meat is ready to rest. Place bison pieces on plate and spoon Saskatoon sauce over meat.

Enjoy!

*the Scotch and the juniper berries add to the wild flavour of the bison. Elk or beef can also be used. Cognac or port could be substituted but they have more sugars.

A new spice blend in town - Turkish Spice Blend – Baharat

Turkish Spice Blend – Baharat

I had the good fortune to work for a while on a small boat in Turkey as a chef/sailor. I was reminded of the spices and herbs there that brought out the flavours of the Mediterranean Sun and the Aegean Sea. I’m now offering a spice blend that can be used for a variety of recipes to follow on my blog. Turkish Baharat can be used on chicken, lamb, seafood, and grilled veggies, especially eggplant.

Contact me directly or look for this blend in stores.


(photo by Desmond, also featured grilled Organic Manitoba Asparagus)

Grilled Turkish Chicken on Pide (Serves 2-4 people)

4 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbs Turkish Baharat*
3-4 shallots, grated or one small onion grated
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika (can used smoked)
pinch salt and pepper

Combine Turkish Baharat, grated shallots, lime juice, olive oil, paprika and salt and pepper in a bowl. Place chicken thighs in the bowl and cover completely with the marinade. Place in fridge and let marinate for 6 hours. Grill 4 minutes a side on a very hot BBQ grill.

To enjoy in a Pide, let chicken pieces rest before cutting into strips. Grill Naan or Pide** on BBQ and spread on a bit of yoghurt tahini sauce (recipe follows).

Yoghurt tahini sauce

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

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

Enjoy!

*Baharat is a blend of spices that can be purchased directly through myself or coming soon to a few Winnipeg retail shops.

**Good Naan or Pide can be found at Halal Meat Centre and Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland and Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue in Winnipeg.

Shitake Mushroom Bouchés

Delicious one-bite appetizers can be made using pastry bouchés or crostini toasts. They are very nice for entertaining and the filling can be made in advance.

Shitake Mushroom filling

2 cups sliced fresh Shitake mushrooms
1 head roasted garlic
4-5 Shallots, diced
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. Butter
1/3 cup cream
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper
Crostini (sliced baguettes) or bouchés

Sauté shallots in olive oil until translucent. Add sliced Shitake Mushroooms and sauté on medium high heat until they begin to brown in the butter. Add roasted garlic, smoked paprika and white wine. Let cook down a little. Add cream and season to taste. Spoon onto crostini and toast in oven or into bouchés and serve while hot.

Enjoy!

Grilled Pomegranate Chicken with Ras el Hanout

Grilled Pomegranate Chicken thighs with Ras el Hanout
(serves 2 for 4 chicken thighs)

2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout*
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses** (can also use pomegranate juice)
1/4 cup good olive oil
splash orange blossom water (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch salt
1/4 – 1/2 chopped peel preserved lemon*
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Mix first 7 ingredients together well to blend in the olive oil. Place chicken thighs in marinade in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours. Place chicken thighs on a hot BBQ for up to 4 minutes a side, turning NOT flipping every two minutes for grill marks.

Let meat rest and enjoy with grilled Naan bread, salad, rice, etc.

*Ras el Hanout can be used as a spice rub for your BBQ meats, in vegetable stews (recipe in blog), on roast chicken, lamb, goat, etc.

**Orange blossom water, pomegranate molasses and preserved lemon are available at Halal Meat Centre and Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland and Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue in Winnipeg.

Another Sublime Experience

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of being the guest chef with a fine group of gentlemen from Les Marmitons. There are few such rewarding and delightful experiences as a chef as sharing in culinary learning and discovery with such a positive group of people. What follows are the recipes from that menu. Due to the presence of a Les Marmitons guest from their first club chapter, we wanted to focus on Manitoba products. For people interested in the recipes outside of the Manitoba area, feel free to contact me for substitution ideas. Photos are coming soon. Some of these recipes are for 20 people.

I wish that you all will be able to have the Friendship to Gastronomy experience. Enjoy!




1. Chilled Roasted Beet Soup

4-5 large Beets
1 head roasted garlic
1 large yellow onion, medium chopped
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.


2. One Bite Pickerel Cheeks on Potato Pancakes



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.

Top each latke bite with a pickerel cheek, crème fraiche and golden caviar. Each bite was served on a Chinese style soup spoon.


3. Arctic Char with sautéed morels wrapped in phyllo topped with a savory Saskatoon berry sauce



2 boxes Phyllo pastry sheets
Arctic Char Filets
1/4 case morels
1lb butter
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
Vermouth

For the Sauce:
2 cups Saskatoon berries
1/2 cup chopped Shallots
2-3 Tbs. Butter
pinches of thyme, rosemary, summer savory
Salt and pepper
1 tbs Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup port

Sauté morels in 1-2 tbs butter with 1-2 tbs olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Deglaze with a good splash of vermouth. Set aside and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Moisten a large tea towel and place damp over thawed sheets of phyllo. For each filet of Arctic Char, use 2-3 sheets. Have melted butter ready to brush onto phyllo. Place filet on phyllo topped with sautéed morels. Fold phyllo over to make a small bundle. Place on baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes, when pastry is golden brown.

In a saucepan, soften chopped shallots in butter. Add berries, herbs and salt and pepper. When cooking softly, add mustard and blend in well. Add port and allow to cook down slightly. Adding more butter at this point can help to thicken sauce.

4. Elk Kebabs in a Turkish marinade on Couscous pilaf and sautéed fiddleheads in brown butter and pancetta



Elk Roast, cut into cubes and pounded
1-2 medium onions
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3-4 tomatoes
1 tbs oregano
2 cups dry red wine
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp chilies
1 tbs chopped rosemary
salt and pepper

Pound meat cubes. In a large non-metallic bowl, grate onions and tomatoes. Mix in remaining ingredients and immerse meat into marinade. Skewer meat and grill until cooked but tender.

Couscous Pilaf
3 cups couscous
2 onions, chopped
1 cup almond slices
Healthy pinch saffron
1/4 cup warm milk
3-4 tbs olive oil
4-5 cups water or stock
Options: 1 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup soaked raisins

In a large pot, sauté chopped onions in olive oil over medium heat. Add dry couscous, almond, and other options. Stir until couscous is coated. Add water or stock and saffron with warm milk. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and turn off heat. After 5 minutes, loosen couscous with fork.

Fiddlehead Ferns with Brown Butter and Pancetta


One of the special treats of spring are fiddlehead ferns, which grow wild along mossy stream banks. They are simply the immature leaf fronds of ostrich fern plants that have not yet opened. Fern leaves are poisonous once they open and can only be enjoyed in this early stage, when they taste like a cross between artichokes and asparagus.

After a fiddlehead is removed from the stalk, the cut end starts to turn brown. Be sure to trim back the stem (about 1/4 inch) to the healthy green section before cooking.

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

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

5. Raspberry Curd Pavlova



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.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!
Yield: 1 cup

Raspberry Curd:
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbs. butter
2 large eggs

Using a bain marie (mixing bowl over pot of ~ 1-2 cups simmering boil water), melt butter. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, eggs and raspberries. Whisk into melted butter and continue mixing until custard texture. Remove from heat and let cool. Use over whipped cream on pavlova.

Retro Revisited - a tautological recipe?

(photo by Desmond)

Baked Deviled Eggs

We adapted this 1972 recipe when we started using local organic happy eggs.

Tomato Sauce for Baked Deviled Eggs
(Serves 2-3)

1 medium onion
1 head roasted garlic
2 tbs good olive oil
1 large tin organic tomatoes (crushed)(I also often use tomatoes that I've frozen and then oven roasted)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup red wine
1 tsp crushed chillies
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp chopped basil
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tbs brown sugar (cuts the acid and balances flavours)
pinch sea salt

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, sauté slivered onion in olive oil. When translucent, add tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium low. Add spices, garlic and red wine. When cooked through, you can blend sauce using an immersion blender.

For the Eggs and filling

3-4 Hard-cooked eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Pinch salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pour Sauce into flat baking dish or casserole dish, reserving 1 tablespoon sauce for egg filling. Cut cooked eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and mix with the reserved sauce, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Fill egg whites with the mixture and place in sauce. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until tops of eggs are lightly browned and sauce bubbles. Serve with good bread or baguettes.

Enjoy!

Elk Moussaka

(Photo by Desmond)
Elk Moussaka

When I left Turkey, I never really enjoyed moussaka as I had in Turkey. It was the thick, often cloying high fat and flour Béchamel sauces that topped the moussaka that often had me choking. It never tasted like the moussaka that I had and made on the boat in the Aegean. That is because it wasn’t topped with the béchamel but rather, almost a custard with yoghurt. I’ve also adapted this recipe for elk but lamb or beef can also be used. Vegetarian options are also easy to adapt to this recipe.

1 large chopped onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 lb ground elk (lamb, bison or beef)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup elk stock (recipe follows but other stock may be used)
1/2 cup red wine
2 large eggplants (aubergines)
olive oil

2 eggs
2 1/2 cups yoghurt
2 rounded tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Slice eggplants into large rounds and drizzle a fair amount olive oil. Lightly grill slices on a BBQ at high heat or fry in olive oil until lightly brown. I find that grilling the eggplant is faster and uses less oil. If the eggplants were not the freshest, first soak the slices in salted water for at least an hour and then rinse and squeeze out extra moisture. After grilling, set eggplant slices aside.

Fry onion, garlic and bay leaf in olive oil on medium low heat for 15 minutes until the onions are tender but not browned. Add the ground elk and cook, stirring, until the meat has browned. Add oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes to saucepan and the stock and wine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Layer the eggplant slices and alternate with the meat mixture, ending with a layer of eggplant. Pour yoghurt mixture of yoghurt, eggs, flour, salt and pepper and nutmeg over the top of the moussaka. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for about 1 hour until the topping is set and brown. Allow the moussaka to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Optional: try with zucchini, spinach or potato slices

Enjoy!

Rich Elk Stock

(Hyperlink to an excellent chef's blog from where I adapted this recipe)

2 small Elk Osso bucco pieces
4 carrots, peeled and large diced
3 celery, large diced
2 Spanish onions, large diced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 leek
1 bunch parsley
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
8 peppercorns
1 cup red wine

Method:
1. Place elk osso bucco or elk roast bones in a large roasting pan and roast in a 375ºF oven for 45 minutes, or until the bones begin to become golden brown.
2. Place the onions, celery and carrots on top of bones and place back in oven and roast another 30 minutes or until the vegetables begin to brown.
3. Coat bones with tomato paste and place back in the oven again and roast until tomato paste until it starts to brown but do not let it burn, approximately 15 minutes.
4. Place bones and vegetables into a large stock pot along with remaining ingredients. Cover the bones with cold water and bring pot to a simmer.
5. While bringing the pot to simmer, place the roasting pan over a burner and add the red wine. Scrap the bits from the bottom of the pan using the wine to deglaze the pan, add wine and bits to the stock pot.
6. Once water comes to a boil, set to a low simmer, and skim the stock of scum and fat for the first two hours.
7. Leave stock pot on a low simmer for about 4 hours. Periodically skim excess fat from the top of the pot and add water if necessary.
8. Remove pot from heat and strain stock through a fine sieve. Place into individual containers and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for up to a month.

Kulich, Russian Easter Bread, aka Paska

When we bought our Kitchen Aid mixer, I made a deal with my husband Desmond that he would have to use it at least 50% of the time. The Kitchen Aid is a great tool and Desmond has taken to baking, even successfully creating my Großma's very complex Russian Easter Bread. I will include bread machine variations, but for purists, have some feather pillows and coffee tins (sans edges) on hand.

When melting the shortening and butter, Desmond added a healthy pinch of saffron.


(photos by Desmond)

Kulich (Paska)(and notes by Großma)

4 pkg. yeast, dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water with 1 tsp. sugar
4 cups scalded milk
15 to 20 eggs
4 cups sugar
1 cup butter plus 1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. salt
4 cups four, and later, enough to make a soft dough
1 tsp cardamom
2 tsp vanilla
grated rind (zest) of lemon and orange
juice of one lemon

Soften yeast in warm potato water for 10 minutes. Then add a bit of flour to make a very soft sponge. In the mean time, scald the milk, pour over the 4 cups of flour and beat until very smooth. Cool this mixture slightly. Beat egg yolks with 2 cups sugar and add to the warm flour mixture. Add the stiffly beaten egg whites, and while this is still warm, add the yeast mixture and let this rise until it is light. Then add the softened butter and shortening, salt and 2 cups sugar. Add enough flour to make a smooth medium soft dough. Let this rise to double its bulk.

Traditionally these are baked in honey pails, greased well, sprinkled with crumbs. However, it is easier to line bottom and sides of tins with waxed or parchment paper. Fill one third with dough. Let rise until light. Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes, then 325ºF for 15 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.

Alternate directions from Großma:

Flour, eggs, fat, butter should be at room temperature. Soften yeast, scald 4 cups milk, put 2 cusp sugar, 1/4 cup shortening and salt, cardamom in milk. Milk and yeast and make sponge with 3 cups flour. Let rise 1/2 hour until it bubbles. Always keep warm. Separate eggs and beat 10 egg whites. The 15 yolks beat with 2 cups sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening to this and beat. Add all other ingredients and eggs, sugar and whites and mix it with the sponge. Add flour to make soft dough and knead it. Knead a LONG time. Let rise until double in bulk, 1-2 hours. Fill pans 1/3 full. Let rise another 1-2 hours. Keep kitchen free of drafts and dough warm.

Bake 350ºF for 30 minutes. If bread is getting too brown, tent with foil.

After taking out of oven, put tin on rack for 5 minutes. Take out of form and put on feather pillows. Roll occasionally, if too tall.

Icing: Icing sugar and lemon juice and sprinkle with decorative sugar.
Enjoy!
P.S. The remaining egg whites were usually made into Floating Island Pudding. Beaten egg white, sugar, vanilla poached in milk, made into a custard sauce (thickening and sugar and vanilla). Serve Cold.


Paska (Kulich) for Bread Machine

1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. powdered milk
4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) butter
6 tbsp. sugar
1 -1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups white flour (all purpose)
1-1/2 tsp yeast
orange and lemon zest
a bit of lemon juice (not quite 1/2 lemon)
1/4 tsp cardamom, powdered
3 tbsp. slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins (may be too much)
The final two ingredients added later

Arthur's Bread Machine Recipe

7/8 cup water
2 tbsp. milk powder
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cup flour
2 or 3 tsp. orange and lemon zest
1-1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 tsp cardamom (optional)
Raisins (optional)



Enjoy and Happy Easter!

Lemon Curd (from Larousse's Gastronomique)

(Lemon Curd Meringue Tart)


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

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

Serve on bread or fill in tartlet shells.

Enjoy!

Blood Orange/Meyer Lemon Marmalade

If there is a food that makes you get through the winter and feel alive, I'm certain that its this Blood Orange/Meyer Lemon Marmalade.

I'm making a huge batch of this today. Making marmalade is labour intensive but with great results. I've put a small batch recipe up as I'm making marmalade from whole cases of blood oranges and Meyers Lemons.


Ingredients:
Fruit - 8 whole blood oranges, thinly sliced (4 cups cut)
3 whole Meyers lemons, thinly sliced (1 ½ cups cut)
Orange juice or Water - 4 cups of either. I use orange juice instead of water, for extra flavor.
Sugar - about 4 cups of sugar
Pectin

1. Select the fruit

If you live in Florida or southern California you can go pick your own Oranges in January and February! Otherwise, you'll have to go to the grocery store for the oranges and lemons. This is NOT part of the Manitoba 100 mile diet. I went to F.O.O.D. for my organic Blood Oranges and Meyers Lemons.

Pick fresh oranges and lemons that are not soft, moldy or discolored.

2. Wash the fruit
Canning really requires everything to be clean.

3. Get the jars and lids washed

I rinse the jars and lids in the large pot of boiling water after washing. Leave them in the hot water for a few minutes.

4. Remove the outer part of the peel

Take a look at Step 10 - if you are going to use method 10a, then with a vegetable peeler, remove only the coloured part of the peel and set it aside. This outer portion of the peel is what give marmalade its bitter taste. If you like it, chop it finely and set it aside. I chopped it with a double mesa luna.

If you don't like the bitterness, then you are going to use the method Step 10b, so just then just peel the fruit with your hands as shown in step 5 (and skip step 4)

5. Remove the remaining rind

Hold the citrus fruit with the stem end up and using a very sharp knife, cut off the pith (white part)and discard.

6. Slice the oranges and lemons in half

Cut the fruit in half, across the segments.

The tough, white part in the center must be cut out and discarded.

Save any juice that leaks out.

7. Chop the oranges and lemons

Next, slice the two halves into thin slices

And then chop the slices up a bit! Remove and discard any seeds or tough parts of the orange that you find in the process.

Save any juice that leaks out.

8. Measure out the sugar

You'll need to follow the directions that come with the pectin, but generally, the lower sugar pectin recipes call for about 4 cups of sugar per box, and the regular pectin calls for 7 cups of sugar.

Mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar and keep this separate from the rest of the sugar.

9. Mix the chopped oranges with the pectin

Stir the pectin into the chopped fruit. Put the mix in a big pot and set aside for a moment.

10. Cook the fruit - With Peels or Not?

Peels add the bitterness to marmalade, but some people do not like marmalade because it is bitter.

10a. With the Peels:

Bring the mix to a boil. Cover it, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the chopped fruit and simmer for 10 minutes more.

10b. Without the peels

If you want a less bitter taste, skip the preceding and instead place the chopped fruit and 4 cups of water or orange juice in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes

11. Add the sugar and return to a boil

Add the sugar and bring the mixture back to a full boil.

12. Bring the mixture to a full boil

Stir the mix and bring it to a full boil, hard, for one minute.

13. Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Fill them to within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water canner!

14. Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Keep the jars covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep the water boiling. Boil them for at 15 minutes.

15. Done

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight)

It may take up to two weeks for the marmalade to set and thicken up. It will be runny until then!

Once cooled, they're ready to store. They last about 18 months. After that, the marmalade gets darker in colour and starts to get runny. It is still safe to eat. So eat them in the first 12 to 18 months after you prepare them!

In Winnipeg, I've also seen Blood Oranges at DeLuca's Specialty Food Store, Restaurant, Catering, Cooking School 956 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB

Elk Osso Bucco

I made this yesterday using a beautiful piece of Elk Osso Bucco. Its adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe but instead of veal shank, which I'm not crazy about using, I used Elk that is raised quite locally in Stonewall, Manitoba. The wine that he recommended using was Amarone. Personally, I'd really rather enjoy drinking the Amarone and have used a less expensive version, Il Bastardo, a poor-man's version that is quite lovely. The One Hundred Milers can use the local Raspberry wine which matches beautifully with the elk.

I also neglected to photograph this lovely dish. I served it with baguettes. You can reduce all of the ingredients for fewer pieces of meat. I made one piece that served 2 people.

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

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

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

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

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

Enjoy!

Kerala tender green beans

Tender Beans (Achinga) Vattichularthiathu

Taken from Kerala Cookery by Mrs. K.M Mathew, a celebrity chef in Kerala.


(Photo by Karen)

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!

Eggs, Potatoes and Cauliflower

Eggs, Potatoes and Cauliflower
(photo by Karen)

I adapted this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s Cookbook, World of the East, Vegetarian Cooking (1983). I made this dish yesterday and loved it so I thought that I’d share it with you. There are a number of steps in preparation but its really worth clearing the preparation space, getting the mise en place all ready and going ahead with this recipe. This dish can easily be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegans can enjoy this recipe without the eggs.

1 head cauliflower
1 cup UNSWEETENED coconut (original recipe called for freshly grated)
1 teaspoon salt
4 Roma tomatoes, cubed
1-inch cube of fresh ginger, cut smaller
1 head garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil (original recipe called for vegetable oil)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds *
1-inch stick of cinnamon
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-3 fresh hot green chilies, minced
1 tsp ground turmeric
6-12 fresh curry leaves ** (use more if using dried curry leaves)
2-4 yams, cubed (original recipe called for boiling potatoes)***
4-6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala*

*Available at Halal Meats & Specialty Foods - 206 Maryland Street 204-774-8095, Winnipeg and Dino's Grocery Mart, 460 Notre Dame Ave, Winnipeg, (204) 942-1526
**Available at Dino’s
***Available at F.O.O.D.

1. Put the coconut into a blender container on high and slowly add 1 cup very hot water. Let blend for more than a minute. Strain through a cheesecloth or fine sieve, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. This is the first coconut milk. Set aside.

Put the coconut that remains back in the blender and repeat with another cup of very hot water. Strain in another container and set aside. This is the second coconut milk.

2. Hard boil the eggs and cool, peel and cut in half. Set aside.

3. Cube yams or potatoes and boil until fork tender. Drain and set aside.

4. Break the cauliflower into flowerets or bite-sized pieces. Parboil for 30 seconds in salted water, place in an ice cold water bath and drain. Set aside.

5. Put the ginger, garlic, and chilies in a small blender cup and add 1/4 cup water. Blend until it makes a smooth paste.

6. Heat the oil in a large cooking pot over medium heat. When hot, first put in the fenugreek seeds. After a couple of seconds, add the cinnamon stick. Add the onion and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste and fry for another minute.

7. Add tomatoes, turmeric and curry leaves to the pot. Keep stirring and frying for 2 minutes. Now add half of the second coconut milk., cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

8. Uncover, add the yams or potatoes, cauliflower, 1 tsp salt and the remaining half of the second coconut milk. Stir gently and bring to a simmer.

9. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

10. Uncover again and put in the halved eggs, cut side up, the first coconut milk and the lemon juice. Mix very gently, spooning the sauce over the eggs. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the garam masala. Mix gently.

Enjoy!


Per serving: 196 Calories; 7g Fat (32% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 135mg Cholesterol; 452mg Sodium

Winter treats - Oolong Chicken Liver Pâté

Oolong Chicken Liver Pâté
(Photo coming soon)

SERVES: 6 TO 8

I adapted this recipe for a large event for Cornelia Bean. The herbs and fragrant tea make this a cozy treat or lovely for entertaining.

This silky-smooth pâté is inexpensive and simple to make. The chicken livers are briefly simmered in Oolong tea with aromatics before they’re blended with butter in a food processor.

1/2 pound chicken livers, well-trimmed
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1/2 tsp. Ground Sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
Kosher salt
1/2 cup Oolong tea (infuse _ tsp in 1 cup boiling water)
1/2 - 2/3 cups butter
2 shots Scotch whiskey
Freshly ground pepper
Toasted baguette slices, for serving

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken livers, onion, garlic, sage, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the Oolong and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the livers are barely pink inside, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the livers, onion and garlic to a food processor; process until coarsely pureed. With the machine on, add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until incorporated. Add the Cognac, season with salt and pepper and process until completely smooth. Scrape the pâté into 2 or 3 large ramekins. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pâté and refrigerate until firm. Serve chilled.

If using gelatin sheets to top the Pâté, Grind 2 tsp. Oolong tea and cook in 1/2 cup water. Add 2-3 Gelatin sheets and melt. Pour over Pâté and chill over night. If using melted butter, make sure that the Pâté is completely covered. This can be enjoyed from the refrigerator for 1 week or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Enjoy!

Guinea Fowl with Port Cherry Sauce

Milk fed Guinea Fowl Breast in pancetta with a port cherry sauce

Certainly a very special treat for an entrée, this very tender and moist fowl is available on request from DeLuca’s. One package was a nice size for two entrées. This recipe includes the cherry port sauce which can be used in a variety of dishes. As this is an expensive delicacy, try the recipe substituting the Guinea Fowl for Duck, Goose or Turkey Breast or rabbit pieces, also available at DeLuca’s. Please note, this recipe is for a boneless piece of meat. If using meat with bones in, please reduce heat and increase cooking time. For the port, try a tawny or ruby variety. I used a De Bortoli 8 year old Tawny Port for this recipe.

1 pkg Milk Fed Guinea Fowl Breast.*
100 grams pancetta slices*
1 tbs butter
1tsp olive oil*
Freshly ground pepper
port to deglaze pan

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup dried sour Okanagan Cherries*
3/4 cup + port
2 shallots, finely chopped*
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 small sprig fresh rosemary, rosemary*

Wrap the Guinea Fowl breast in pancetta and then wrap in plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for a few hours. When ready to cook, heat skillet on medium high heat and add butter and olive oil. Place pancetta wrapped meat in the centre of the pan and brown. Add freshly ground black pepper to dish. Turn after a few minutes and season with pepper again. When cooked through, add port to pan on top of entrée. Allow to reduce and turn breast again, adding another splash of port. Remove entrée from pan and allow to rest. Plate entrée and spoon some of the cherry sauce on the plate.

Sauce:
Soak the dried cherries in port for at least 30 minutes. Heat a small saucepan on medium heat and add butter and olive oil. When butter has melted, add chopped shallots and chopped rosemary. When softened, add cherries with port and cook to reduce. Add salt and pepper. With an immersion blender or in a blender, puree sauce until smooth. Return to saucepan and add more port if sauce is too thick.

*Available at DeLuca’s
Enjoy!

Chilled Roasted Golden Beet Soup with Creme Frâiche

Soup served with a portion of cold smoked Goldeye. Goldeye is available year round at Gimli Fish on Dufferin or Pembina Hwy.
(Photo by Desmond Burke)

Chilled Beet Soup

4-5 large Golden Beets
1 head roasted garlic
1 large yellow onion, medium chopped
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, 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.

OPTIONS: If using Chiogga beets, the soup will be a light pink colour. If using red beets, it will take on a deep velvety red colour.


Creme Frâiche

Last week several people independently asked me how to make Creme Frâiche or where to purchase it. It is very simple to make but has to be made in advance of when you want to use it.

500ml Whipping Cream
1 tsp lemon juice

Stir lemon juice into whipping cream and set aside in a warm place out of the way such as on top of a refrigerator. Let sit for 2-4 days and then place in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Coming Soon to Shaw - Bison Burgers on Naan

Its been a while since my last posting. A very busy summer indeed. Starting next week on Shaw cable we'll be showing a BBQ event for which I am supplying the recipes. Here is the Bison Burgers served on Naan with caramelized onions. Makes 5 burgers.

Bison Burgers
1 lb Ground Bison*
1 Hot Italian Sausage**
1/2 pkg. Onion Soup mix

Mix burger ingredients well together by hand. Divide into 1/4 lb burgers and keep chilled. Cook on hot BBQ at 4 minutes a side, turning at 2 minutes to get the important grill marks.

*Ground Bison available through Oak Island Goat Dairy and the Forks Meat Market in Winnipeg.

**Hot Italian Sausage available at DeLuca's Specialty Foods - Cooking School & Restaurant at 950 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg (204)774-7617.
** More sources - Oak Island Goat Dairy - oakisland@skyweb.ca to order a variety of meats.

Caramelized Onions
1-2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tbs olive oil
1 bottle Sleeman Original Draught beer
pinch salt and pepper
1/4 tsp dried chipotle chilies, optional

Slowly sauté onions in olive oil over medium low heat until golden, up to 30 minutes.
When dark golden in colour, turn up the heat to medium high and add about 1/4 to 1/3 of bottle of beer, stirring to incorporate the sugars. Continue to add the beer to the onions until most of the liquid has cooked off. Keep caramelized onions aside to top the grilled naan bread for the burger.

Grilled Naan Bread***

1 Naan Bread per burger***

Just prior to eating, place naan bread directly onto hot grill for 1-2 minutes per side. Top with caramelized onions and burger that has rested for a few minutes. Try with different cheeses and mustards as well.

Enjoy!

***Many varieties of Naan bread are available in the freezer section of Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame in Winnipeg and at Halal Meat Centre & Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland.

100 Mile Dinner Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

Last night I had the pleasure of preparing a meal using only Manitoba products. It was a challenge but this is the result. Thank you to Sheila Nash from the MLCC for her help in finding nice Manitoba beverage pairings for the meal.

Appetizers
PICKEREL CHEEKS
sautéed in notre dame butter & manitoba birch wine,
seasoned with house garden herbs,
garnished with home grown pea shoots and manitoba caviar

HOME MADE LIGHT SPELT BREAD
(flour from tall grass prairie bakery)

Entrées
MANITOBA GOLDEYE
smoked & barbequed

BISON RIBEYE MEDALLIONS
in a saskatoon berry reduction


(photo by Karen, Fettucini and Bread by Desmond, Ceramic bowl by Manitoba Ceramic Artist, Kevin Stafford from Stoneware Gallery)
HOMEMADE FETTUCINI
(tall grass prairie bakery flour, local eggs & fresh pressed sunflower oil)
tossed with burnt notre dame butter, roasted garlic, manitoba cheeses &
rainbow chard chiffonade

Dessert
PAVLOVA
from local farm fresh eggs
topped with a curd from manitoba strawberries

Beverages
HALF PINT BEER
4 kinds from the winnipeg brewer

RIGBY ORCHARDS RASPBERRY WINE
from killarney,
served to the queen on her jubilee tour

DD LEOPARD WINES
from winnipeg,
birch & strawberry ice wine varietals

Cedar Plank Smokey Salmon

Salmon on plank photo by Karen

Salmon on platter photo by Karen

Cedar Plank Smokey Salmon

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

* Available at Gimli FishMarket at 596 Dufferin Ave. and 625 Pembina Hwy.
** Available at Cornelia Bean

Manitoba 100 Mile Oato Risotto

Manitoba 100 Mile Oato Risotto - 8 servings
Photo coming soon.
I’m testing out some ideas that are both within the 100 mile diet for people in Manitoba and that are friendly for people living with diabetes. The fat content comes from an oil that has the omega fatty acids that fight the high cholesterol fats. From the test kitchen and in progress:

3 tbs fresh press local Canola oil (available at F.O.O.D.)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 cups stone cut Manitoba Oats (available at DeLuca’s)
1 cup dry white wine (there is only one, unfortunately unpleasant, Manitoba white wine available that can pass for cooking but I won't be quoted on that)
About 6 cups of hot chicken stock or vegetable stock (easy to make stock from scratch)
Two cups sautéed local mushrooms (great varieties available) *
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (try some Manitoba hard cheese varieties)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (Notre Dame Butter)

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oats and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the oats with the oil.
Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the oats. Pour in enough stock to cover the oats completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.
Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the oats are al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated shallow serving bowls.

* Try local asparagus, squashes, or your favourite vegetables for different types of risotto.
**Butter step optional for Diabetes friendly food.

Per serving: 427 Calories; 18g Fat (40% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 22mg Cholesterol; 1410mg Sodium

With Butter Per serving: 373 Calories; 12g Fat (31% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 6mg Cholesterol; 1409mg Sodium

Enjoy!

New Produce from Wiens Shared Collective Farm!!!

For the Manitoba 100 mile dieters, the new produce is in for people who bought a farm share from the Wiens Shared Collective Farm. The produce is also available on weekends at the St. Norbert Farmer's Market. (from the newsletter)This week we got beautiful:

LETTUCE; Romaine, and Red leaf. Salad it up while it lasts. The +30 heat has stressed some of these babies to begin to flower. Chop up, dunk in cold water, dry, and refrigerate to last you for the week.

ONIONS are green, the bottoms are onions. Imagine that. You will see them get bigger week by week.

DILL, mmmm potato salad and dips.

BASIL, the grasshopper’s love it too, wash before making pesto.

GARLIC SCAPES, the curly stalk that is delicious to chop up and fry up in a stir fry. These are the flowers to your fall garlic. Exceptional flavour indeed.

CILANTRO, there is plenty to yummy cilantro taste in the stalk. Chop up fine and add to your dish.

Enjoy your veggies.

For Hot days - Gazpacho

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


(photo by Karen Peters)


Gazpacho

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Fine Dining Vancouver

I was recently working in Vancouver and had the great opportunity to enjoy a couple of fine dining experiences with my good friend Mirabelle . We went to celebrity chef Rob Feeney's restaurant, Lumière.

The service was exceptional and the choices were all tantalizing. Depicted is the Fresh Green Pea, mint and Riccota Ravioli over seared scallops.


(photo by Karen Peters)

Also of exceptional quality was the Duo of Quebec Foie Gras which is pan seared with rhubarb and vanilla compote, foie parfait and warm orange blossom brioche as shown.


(photo by Mirabelle Rohatgi)

From Gastronomy to Friendship

I had the great pleasure on Wednesday evening to be the guest chef for a fine group of gentlemen, the local chapter of Les Marmitons (see link). Our menu for the evening was:

1. Bison Tenderloin Carpaccio (see recipe and image from March 20th blog entry)
2. Crab Cones (see recipe and image from April 12th blog entry)
3. Moroccan Vegetable Tajine with Bulgur Timbales (see recipe and image from Feb. 6, 2006 blog entry and recipe follows)
4. Morel Mushroom Soufflé (Recipe to follow)
5. Kerala Shrimp (see recipe and image from March 26th blog entry)

They divided into teams, each responsible for one recipe from start to finish. We then sat to dine on each course, one course at a time and enjoy a matching wine. The team leader then discussed the making and plating of the dish and the guest chef then gives comments.

The camaraderie of the group was delightful and their skills ranged from beginner to accomplished Red Seal Chefs. Perhaps that is why the cooperation and good feelings of the group left such an great impression. It was truly an honour to be part of this event.


(photo courtesy of Les Marmitons)
1.Morel Mushroom Soufflé

5 eggs separated
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1 scant cup milk
Salt and Pepper
1/4 + tsp grated nutmeg

1 cup mushrooms (options are morels, button, shitake, oyster, crimini or combination of any)
1-2 tbs butter
salt and pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional - almonds)
splash(es) of vermouth
drizzle truffle oil

(Save some morels whole for sautéing and garnish of soufflés in ramekins)

Preheat oven to 400º. Butter and flour a soufflé dish. In a metal bowl over a saucepan with boiling water (1/4-1/2 inch water), make a basic bechamel sauce by whisking butter and flour together in bowl and adding the milk. Whisk until thickened, removing from heat as needed to prevent lumps or separating. Add salt and pepper and nutmeg. Stir in blended mushrooms and blended egg yolks. Beat egg whites to a stiff peak and fold in to the cheese sauce. Pour into soufflé dish and bake for 30 minutes. (less time for individual soufflés) Serve immediately.


(photo courtesy of Les Marmitons)

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

2 cups bulgur
1 onion
2 tbs. olive oil
1/3 sliced almonds
1/2 cupAfghani Tut
good pinch Saffron in a few tablespoons milk
3 cups Water
salt and pepper

Thinly slice eggplant and salt if necessary. Seed and chop peppers into medium sized pieces. Peel and slice carrots. Slice onions into thin slices. Peel garlic and cut into large chunks if cloves are very large or keep whole if smaller sized. Peel and cube yams. Pit dates and olives if necessary. Remove lemon flesh from the peel and chop peel finely. Discard lemon flesh. Combine vegetables, dates, olives, lemon, olive oil , Ras el Hanout, rose water, turmeric, salt and pepper and about 1/4 cup of water in a large bowl. If you have salted the eggplant, rinse in cold water and squeeze out slices. Place vegetable mixture in a casserole dish or tajine. Cover and cook on stove top over medium heat, checking and stirring occasionally.

For the bulgur, slice onions thinly and sauté in olive oil until just browned. Add bulgur and mix in well with onions. Add water, almonds, tut, and salt and pepper. When it comes to a boil, add the milk/saffron mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff bulgur and plate as timbales with vegetable tagine.


Enjoy!

Notes:

Paper cones to wrap the wonton wrappers around are available at the Great Canadian Wholesaler on Ellice and Route 90 in Winnipeg. Pickled lemon, Ras el Hanout, rose water and many other spices are available at Halal Meat Centre & Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland St and Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue. Ras el Hanout will be available in the first week of June.

Cooking Classes - Entrées

Last night I again had the pleasure of leading a cooking class. We prepared a number of entrées such as Salt baked Rainbow Trout, Marinated Lamb Kebabs, Grilled Bison Rib eye steaks with two herbed butters and Cheese Soufflé.

1. Salt Baked Rainbow Trout

(image from Google Images)

1 Small Rainbow Trout*
1/2 - 1 kg Course Sea Salt
3 tbs ground Lemon Grass*
Parchment Paper

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

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

*Beautiful Rainbow Trout or other fish now available at Gimli Fish, located in Winnipeg at 596 Dufferin Ave. and 625 Pembina Hwy.
** Ground Lemon Grass is available in Winnipeg in the freezer section at Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue.

Enjoy!

2. Grilled Marinated Lamb Shank Kebabs


(Image from Google Images)

1 lamb shank boned out or cubed for kebabs
4 blood oranges (options are: pomegranate juice/molasses, raspberry juice, cranberry)
1/2 cup red wine
4-6 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tbs Ras El Hanout*
1/3 cup good olive oil

For the reduction:
Juice of one blood orange
1/2 cup red wine
Salt and Pepper
1 tbs butter

1-2 days prior to cooking, prepare marinade and let lamb sit in the refrigerator in the marinade. If making boneless lamb shank whole, grill on hot BBQ for up to 10 minutes a side, turning for grill marks. If making kebabs, skewer meat and place on hot BBQ, turning after 5 minutes.

In a sauté pan, heat the juice, wine and season. Let cook and reduce for a few minutes before adding the butter. When meat has finished cooking, let rest on a platter. Drizzle the reduction over the meat. Serve with flat bread, rice or couscous.

* Ras El Hanout is a Moroccan spice blend available for sale at Halal Meat Centre & Specialty Foods at 206 Maryland St and Dino's Grocery Mart at 460 Notre Dame Avenue. Literally, Ras El Hanout means "Best of the Shop". I make this blend of 25 spices that matches beautifully with lamb and vegetable tagine dishes.

Enjoy!

3. Grilled Bison Rib Eye steaks with herbed butter

Drizzle olive oil over steaks. Heat BBQ to high heat. For 1 inch thick steaks, cook for 4 minutes a side to get medium rare. Turn steaks at two minutes to get grill marks. Always let meat rest.

For the herbed butter:

1/2 cup Softened butter
1/2 tsp dried chipotle chilies
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Blend ingredients and chill in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Cut off small piece per steak and place on steak when the meat is resting.

Variation:

1/2 roasted red pepper
1 pinch saffron
1/2 cup softened butter


Try fruits or favourite herbs for different butters.

Enjoy!


4. Cheese Soufflé



5 eggs separated
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1 scant cup milk
Salt and Pepper
1/4 + tsp grated nutmeg
Cheeses (1/3 cup grated parmesan, 1/3 cup grated Cave Aged Gruyere, 1/3 cup grated Crotonese Cheese)

Preheat oven to 400º. Butter and flour a soufflé dish. In a metal bowl over a saucepan with boiling water (1/4-1/2 inch water), make a basic bechamel sauce by whisking butter and flour together in bowl and adding the milk. Whisk until thickened, removing from heat as needed to prevent lumps or separating. Add salt and pepper and nutmeg. Stir in cheeses and blended egg yolks. Beat egg whites to a stiff peak and fold in to the cheese sauce. Pour into soufflé dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

New tasting menu

(Crab Cones)

Tasting Menu

Appetizers
Bourbon Rabbit Liver Pate with Baguettes
Crab Cones
Paired with Trumpeter Brut Sparkling

Soup
Miso Turkey Vegetable

Entrées
Kashmiri Goat Curry
Moroccan Lamb Chop with Blood Orange reduction and Couscous Timbale and Blood Orange/Fennel Relish
Paired with Cuumano Nero D'Avola

Scented warmed water for hand washing

Butternut/Sage Ravioli in Brown Butter
Bison Tenderloin Medallions in creamy Morel and King Oyster Mushroom sauce
Paired with Mazzoco Chardonnay and Beyerskloof Pinotage

Cheese Course

Dessert
Meyers Lemon Curd Meringue Tarts
Paired with Marnier Pineau des Charentes


(Meyers Lemon Curd Meringue Tart)

Thank you Sheila Nash from the MLCC for the wine pairings.

Keralan Shrimp

Kerala Shrimp

Another wonderful recipe from Maria from Cochin, Kerala, South India


1/4 kg small shrimp
1 tsp ground chilies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp vinegar

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Cooking classes

I had the privilege to teach a class in appetizers to a group of women last night. These are some of what we prepared. (Above photo courtesy of Google images of carpaccio.)

One Bite Pickerel Cheeks on Potato Pancakes

This party appetizer is simple once all the preparations are made. Pickerel Cheeks and Golden Caviar are available at Gimli Fish Market at 596 Dufferin Ave. and 625 Pembina Hwy. in Winnipeg.

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.
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.

Top each latke bite with a pickerel cheek, crème fraiche and golden caviar.

Enjoy!



(image from Google images)

Spanikopita Triangles

Recipe By: Karen
Serving Size: 48
Preparation Time: 2:00

1 pkg filo dough
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1 white onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c mushroom sliced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika
3 1/2 tbsps 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.

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Per serving: 36 Calories; 3g Fat (77% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 10mg Cholesterol; 76mg Sodium




Patliçan Yogürtlü

Recipe By: Karen
Serving Size: 6
Preparation Time: 0:30

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!
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Per serving: 73 Calories; 4g Fat (50% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 7mg Cholesterol; 117mg Sodium


Bison Carpaccio

Recipe By: Karen
Serving Size: 10
Preparation Time: 0:20

8 ozs tenderloin frozen
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 c pomegranate molasses
1/3 c vinegar (shallot, raspberry, etc)
2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp truffle oil optional
1/4 tsp truffle salt optional
1 tbsp fig preserve (or pear)

Mix last 7 ingredients together and set aside. Thinly slice tenderloin piece. You can use bison, elk or beef tenderloin. Arrange slices on a platter and drizzle vinaigrette over meat. Garnish with fresh berries or green onions. Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.

Enjoy!
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Per serving: 128 Calories; 14g Fat (99% calories from fat); 0g Protein; 0g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 0mg Sodium

Thanks also to Sheila Nash from the MLCC for the following wine parings.

For the Phyllo pastries I'd suggest St Nicolas de Bourguire ( France)
Domaine du Salvard cheverny (Chardonnay/ Sauvignon Blanc from France)
For the Bison dish: Parducci Petite Sirah (USA)
Willow Heights Sur Lie Chardonnay (Canada)
Mini Latkes : Flagstone Noon Gun ( A blend riesling, chardonnay,Pinot blanc, Sauvignon Blanc & semillion from South Africa)
Chat en Ouef Cote du Rhone (blend of Syrah, Grenach from France )
And the Turkish Eggplant
Balthasar ress Riesling ( Germany )
St Hallet Gameskeeper (Aussie)