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

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



Cheese Fondue

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

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

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


Shrimp with dip

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

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

OR

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

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

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

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

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with seafood.

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

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

Moroccan Elk (Beef/Lamb) Stew

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

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

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!


Moroccan Squash Tajine

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

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

Enjoy!

Stunning Holiday Feasts with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

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

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

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

Enjoy!

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

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


3. Kerala Shrimp

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

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

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

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


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

For two large rolls

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

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

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

Enjoy!


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

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

Serve on bread or fill in tartlet shells.

Fish Molley - an easy and delicious recipe from Kerala

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


(Fish Molley - photo by Karen)

Fish Molley - a Kerala recipe

Serves 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To make coconut cream and milk:

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

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

2nd milk

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

Enjoy!

Lasagnas on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

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



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

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

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

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

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



Classic Canadian Lasagna

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

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

Warming Soups for Winter for the Assiniboine Park Conservacy

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

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

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




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

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

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

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

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

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



Vietnamese Sour Soup (makes 6 servings)


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

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

Garnish with 1 bunch fresh Thai Basil

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

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

Enjoy!



Curried (Butternut) Squash Soup

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

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


Leek and Potato Soup

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

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


Roasted Red Pepper Soup

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Rosemary

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

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

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

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

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

Truffled Eggs and preparing for Thanksgiving

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

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

Truffled (excellent) Eggs

2 eggs per person - recipe for 2 people

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

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

Enjoy!





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


Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

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

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

Turkey

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

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

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

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

Southwestern Corn Bread Stuffing

Buttermilk Corn Bread

Make this a day in advance.

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

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

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

Stuffing

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Vegetarian Fare - Some ideas for easy preparation

Vegetarian Fare

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

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

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

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

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, place tofu in pan, careful not to overfill the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side and turn, looking for a golden colour. Cook the other side for about 3 minutes and remove from oil and place on a warmed platter with paper towels. Serve with dipping sauces

Korean dipping sauce #1


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

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

Korean dipping sauce # 2

1/4 cup good soy sauce
1/4 cup Mirin
drizzle sesame oil
pinch white sugar

Mix ingredients and serve as dipping sauce for tofu and other fried foods.

Enjoy!


2. Saag Paneer
Paired with E @ J White Zinfandel #285767 @ $8.99, Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon Rose #8938 @ $10.99 and Trivento Reserve Torrontes Mendoza #9385 @ $11.95.

1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6+ cloves of garlic, peeled
1 fresh hot green chili, sliced roughly
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs "curry powder" spice blend (I make my own but several excellent ones are available commercially)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
~ 4 tbs vegetable or olive oil
6-8 cups chopped mixed greens (spinach, kale, chard, beet greens, sorrel, arugula, mustard greens, etc)
1 - 2 chopped tomatoes
1 cup yoghurt
1 tbs butter (optional)
salt, to taste
paneer (homemade or available at Dino's on Notre Dame in block or frozen)
1 tsp brown sugar

Place the ginger, garlic and green chili into a small blender with a few tablespoons of water and purée until you have a smooth paste. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and add the onion. When the onion is translucent, add the spices and cook on medium heat until the spices are soft. Then add the chopped tomato and the ginger, garlic, chili paste. When they have softened, add the greens, slowly so as to let them cook down and stir all together. Add the salt. When the greens have cooked down, add the yoghurt, butter if desired and remove from heat. Using an immersion blender or a blender, mix all of the ingredients into a purée. Return to heat and add the fried or non-fried paneer. Cook slowly with a lid so as to not have the hot vegetables bubble up and burn you.

Serve with rice or naan or other flat breads.

Enjoy!


3. Patliçan Yogürtlü
Paired with Laurus Chateauneuf De Pape Gabriel Meffre #8922 @ $51.82 and D'Alba Docetto Tenuta Carretta #8024 @ $16.50

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

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

Mince garlic and stir into yoghurt with salt.

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

Enjoy!

More Local!!! Keema with locally raised grass-fed beef

This morning I had the great pleasure of presenting Keema, a North Indian/Pakistani dish with ground meat and peas, on the Weekend Morning Show with host Kerän Sanders. The beef was from Harbourside Farms in Pilot Mound and is featured in this weekend's Harvest Moon Agriculture Tour.

I also presented the Tuscan Squash Salad, as featured in the previous blog.

Keema (Curried ground meat with peas)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 kg ground beef or ground lamb
3 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsps coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp garam masala
Salt to taste
2 medium-sized tomatoes chopped fine
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

Heat the cooking oil in a wok or deep pan, on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add the onions now. Fry till they turn a pale golden colour. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 1 minute. Add the ground meat and all the powdered spices - coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt to taste. Continue to brown the meat, stirring often to prevent burning. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stir and cook till they are soft. Add the peas and cook until just tender.

Turn off, the stove add the lime juice and stir.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot chapatis or parathas.

Enjoy!

Savouring Local Fare with the Assiniboine Park Conservatory and the MLCC

Savouring Local Fare
Last night I had the pleasure of presenting recipes using local ingredients at the Madison Square MLCC Education Centre as part of the ongoing fundraising and education efforts for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory. Product Ambassador Sheila Nash, for the MLCC, paired each dish with a lovely beverage. Education Coordinator, Bonnie Tulluch, for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, presented information on the plants and produce to be used in the dishes.

1. Excellent Eggs

Paired with Stellers Jay Brut VQA #3757 $22.99

2 eggs per person - recipe for 2 people

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

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

Enjoy!

2. Cheeky Pickerel Cheeks

Paired with La Messagere Red Ale #8207 $21.01

1 lb pickerel cheeks (Gimli Fish)
2 tbs butter (Notre Dame Dairies)
1 bunch fresh sorrel (Market place or garden), cut chiffonade
salt and pepper, to taste
Vermouth or white wine, to deglaze pan

In a medium sauté pan, heat pan and melt butter. Toss in the fresh herbs such as sorrel. Sorrel is a lovely lemony perennial and is excellent in soups, stews, curries, salads, etc. Other herbs, such as rosemary, basil, dill, can be used. Sauté pickerel cheeks quickly and turn for each side. Quickly deglaze the pan with the vermouth or white wine. Serve as an amuse, on potato pancakes or as an entrée.

Enjoy!

3. Tuscan Squash Salad

Paired with Half Pints Bulldog Amber Ale +6994 $11.83

1 lb squash (butternut, hubbard, or any small firm variety except spaghetti), peeled, seeded and cut in 5-inch slices (Market garden or own garden)
2 tsp fresh pressed canola oil (Tall Grass Prairie Bakery)
3 tbs honey, warm and divided into two parts (Farmer's Market)
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs walnut oil
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
~ 6 cups mixed baby greens, lightly packed (Neva arugula is used, found at FOOD and Food Fare)
½ cup crumbled feta (Oak Island Goat Dairy, found at DeLuca's, FOOD, and some Food Fares)

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

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

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

4. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)

Paired with See Ya Later Ranch Pinot 3 VQA #986380 $19.99 and Malivoire Gamay VQA #591313 $15.93 (chef's note: perfect!)


100g butter. (Notre Dame Dairies)
Bunch of fresh sage leaves (Farmer's Market or garden)
80g grated Parmesan
Black pepper.
Penne (Nature's Pasta, available at The Forks, DeLuca's, FOOD, etc.)

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

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

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


5. Fruit Platz

Paired with Rigby Orchards Praire Mead Cassis #8118 $20.50 (chef's note: WOW!!! This was excellent and a great deal for 750 ml.)

1 1/4 c. flour (Tall Grass Prairie Bakery)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c.butter (Notre Dame Dairies)
1 egg yolk (Vita Eggs or Farm Fresh), beaten with
2 tbsp. milk (or a little more) (Notre Dame Dairies or Oak Island Goat Dairy)

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cream butter, add sited ingredients and blend. Combine egg yolk and milk, add to butter mixture and mix. Press into a greased 11" x 7" pa. Press 3 cp apple wedges, 3/4" thick (any fruit you like) I use about 5 apples, sliced and pressed in.

Combine:

3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (opt.) about 1/4 c. butter (or less) to make a crumb topping. Can sprinkle with almond slices (opt.) Sprinkle crumbs over fruit. Bake at 375 degrees F. oven for 50 minutes or until apples are done. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or plain. Good cold, also.

For rhubarb I sprinkle a bit more sugar & a bit of mixed in flour because of the tartness and juice.

Back to school lunch and snack ideas

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two lunch and snack ideas that children and young people surprisingly enjoy for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host, Agatha Moir.




Roasted Red Pepper Humous
Serves 6-8 as a dip or sandwich spread
Ingredients
1-2 cups cooked chick peas from dry peas soaked overnight and then cooked until soft or 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained
1-2 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled*
2 cloves garlic minced (I used roasted caramelized garlic to remove the bite)
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients in your food processor, blender or immersion blender and puree to desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors to your individual liking.
* Try other cooked vegetables for different flavours and colours, such as roasted beets, carrots, etc. For variety try adding ½ cup fresh parsley and ½ teaspoon cumin for a more Middle Eastern flavor.
Enjoy your easy hummus recipe as a dip for crackers or vegetables or as a spread for your veggie wrap.


Edamame

2 cups fresh or frozen edamame pods
salt, to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook edamame pods for 5-7 minutes, depending on fresh or frozen. Drain and toss with flake or sea salt.

Young people like to pop them in their mouths, play mouth-popping tiddly winks, etc. They are getting great protein and fibre so sometimes it is okay to play with your food. Have a bowl filled with the pods and a bowl for the shells.

Adults can enjoy them drizzled with a bit of sesame oil and flake salt or with lemon zest and juice.

Enjoy!

This Morning on CBC Weekend Morning - Grilled Lobster Tails and Vegetable Tajine

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two recipes, as follows, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.

Grilled Lobster Tails with compound butter
6 small lobster tails *
Drizzle olive oil

1 cup softened butter
1 roasted red pepper
2 good pinches Saffron
1 pinch salt

Zest of grapefruit
Quick squeeze of grapefruit juice

Skin and seed roasted pepper. Blend together chopped pepper, butter, saffron and a pinch of salt. Drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper and shape into a roll. Chill until firm.

Cut lobster tails open on the soft side of the shell. Drizzle olive oil over tails. Heat BBQ to a high heat. Grill lobster tails until shell becomes quite red all over. Put a pat of the herbed butter on each tail. Zest the grapefruit over the tails and squeeze some of the juice of the grapefruit over all of the tails. Serve immediately.

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

* Lobster tails in a variety of sizes from Nova Scotia are available at Gimli Fish at 596 Dufferin Ave., 625 Pembina Hwy and 1604 St. Mary's Rd.

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

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

Spices and other ingredients for the Vegetable Tajine are available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland in Winnipeg, Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame in Winnipeg, DeLuca's on Portage, Crampton's Market on Waverley and D.A. Niels on Berry.


Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Two Ways - This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two recipes, as follows, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.

Grilled Chicken two ways

1. Thai Coconut Curry (serves 2-4)

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ tin “Lite” coconut milk
2-3 tbs yellow curry paste, to desired heat (yellow curry paste does not contain any shrimp)
1 tbs grated ginger
1 tbs grated lemon grass
1 tsp sugar (optional)
splash Mirin
3-5 Kefir Lime leaves
drizzle olive oil
salt, to taste

Mix the last 9 ingredients in a bowl and add chicken thighs. Marinate for a few hours. Place on a hot grill, turning for grill marks at two minutes, and flipping over at four minutes. Repeat for grill marks at the next two minutes.

Place rested cooked chicken on a toasted or warmed flatbread such as naan or pita. Add favourite grilled vegetables and wrap up. Wrap again in foil and place in an insulated bag or enjoy cold.

* These ingredients can be found at most Asian specialty stores such as Sun Wah and Oriental Market on King St. or Young’s Market on William and on McPhilips.

For an elegant entrée presentation, try using a stem of fresh lemon grass as a skewer before grilling or frying.

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

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

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

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

Yoghurt tahini sauce

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

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

Enjoy!

*Baharat is a blend of spices that can be purchased directly through myself or now at DeLuca’s on Portage Ave.

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

This Morning on CBC Weekend Morning - Greek Salad and BBQ Salmon

(Greek Salad, Photo by Karen)

(Teriyaki salmon prior to grilling, photo by Karen)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two seasonal dishes for Summer on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Donna Carreiro. The marinades are versatile and can be used on chicken, tofu, scallops, etc. The Greek salad can be adapted to what is in season or preferences such as adding fresh figs, melon, etc. Just not lettuce.

1. Greek Salad/Turkish Salad

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Please note: This salad does NOT include lettuce. Traditionally, these salads never do.


2. BBQ Salmon

One simple method of cooking and marinating salmon is with an easy teriyaki marinade.
½ cup good soy sauce
½ cup Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
¼ tsp ground white pepper
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

Salmon filets or steaks

Mix teriyaki sauce together and marinate salmon for a couple of hours. Place on hot grill, turning after two minutes for grill marks and flipping two minutes later, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Enjoy!


Cedar Plank Smokey Salmon

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

* Available at Gimli FishMarket at 596 Dufferin Ave., 1604 St. Mary’s Ave. 625 Pembina Hwy.
** Available at Cornelia Bean

Happy Canada Day! Our menu is Grilled Split Chicken with Ras el Hanout and Pomegranate Molasses

Grilled Split Chicken
Happy Canada Day Weekend.

1 6-8 lb (2.5 - 4kg) Free Range Chicken (Available locally at Crampton's Market, St. Norbert's Farmer's Market, DeLuca's, The Forks Meat Market, etc.)

1/2 cup Pomegranate Molasses (Available locally at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods on Maryland, Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame)
1/2 pickled lemon, PEEL only, chopped (see above for availability)
2-3 tbs Ras el Hanout (now also available at Crampton's Market!)
splash rose water
pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil

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

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

Enjoy!

Test Kitchen - A new spice blend coming soon!

Testing out an Ethiopian spice blend, Mitmita. It is a lovely spice blend traditionally used for tartare but I used it as a dry rub for grilled chicken. Excellent results! I'll be testing this out on a variety of options and will then make it available.

In the mean time, there are commercially available Mitmita blends available from Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame in Winnipeg. It does have salt in the blend as well. Try it dry on boneless skinless chicken thighs. Add olive oil prior to grilling and enjoy with flat breads, yoghurt and grilled vegetables.

Grilled Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms - Today on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders

I had the great pleasure this morning of presenting some delicious and simple ways of preparing grilled portabello mushrooms on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders.


Grilled Portabello Mushrooms

6 portabello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 cup drained crab meat
1/2 cup chevre
1-2 tbs pesto
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil, to brush on mushrooms

Soften chevre cheese and add pesto. Gently stir in crab meat. Season. Brush mushroom caps with olive oil and spoon in crab filling. Place on a hot BBQ grill for 4-8 minutes.

Enjoy as a burger, entree or side dish.

Options: Omit crab meat and fill with cheese with pesto. Try with pomegranate walnut paste (see blog May 26th)

Pomegranate Walnut Paste

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

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

A Kerala Vegetable Feast - Beans, Carrots and Mushrooms

(Photo by Karen)
Tender Beans Kerala Style


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

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

Enjoy!


(Photo by Karen)

Carrot Thoran

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

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

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




(Photo by Karen)

Mushroom Thoran

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

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

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

Enjoy with rice

Waffles, Waffles, Waffles - On CBC Radio

Waffles with Kerän Sanders on the CBC Weekend Morning Show

I had the great pleasure this morning of presenting a wonderful breakfast/brunch treat on CBC Radio's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. These recipes can be made anywhere but I highlighted how they can be made with excellent local ingredients.

Waffles
4 eggs, separated (Vita eggs are excellent)
1 cup milk (local organic available) *OR Club Soda for crispy waffles (I sometimes use twice as much)
3 cups flour (this amount makes a thinner batter) (Freshly milled flour available at Tall Grass Prairie Bakery)
1/2 cup butter, melted (Notre Dame Dairies is a local source for Manitoba)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
4 tsp baking powder

Beat whites until peaked and set aside or chill. Beat yolks with milk or club soda. Add melted butter without cooking yolks. Sift dry ingredients and add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold in egg whites. Let proof for a while until you see bubbles in the batter. Cook in waffle iron without over filling iron. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

White Sauce
1 cup waffle batter (see above)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup milk
pinch salt

In a sauce pan, cook all ingredients together until it thickens to a smooth sauce. Use over waffles.

Blackberry Sauce
2 cups frozen blackberries (available at Gimli Fish) or any fresh seasonal berry
1/2 or more cold water
2-3 tbs corn starch
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
pinch salt

Place berries in a sauce pan and begin to heat. In a measuring cup, combine sugar and corn starch. Mix well with some of the cold water and the lemon juice. This prevents lumps in the sauce. Add to cooking berries and simmer at a low boil for at least one minute to cook the starch. Add water if too thick.

It can be prepared in advance and warmed at service.

Enjoy!

In Season Now! Pickerel Cheeks and Rhubarb

(Rhubarb Cake - Photo by Karen Peters)

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Donna Carriero. Pickerel is in season and is in such abundance. It is our wonderful local and very sustainable fishery. This recipe calls for pickerel cheeks, the delicate scallops of the prairies. They are available at Gimli Fish Market, found at three Winnipeg locations, 596 Dufferin Ave., on Pembina Hwy, just South of Grant and on St. Mary's Road.


Pickerel Cheek Salad
(Serves 4-6)

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

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

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



Rhubarb Cake

1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. butter (Margarine)
1 egg yolk,, beaten with
2 tbsp. milk (or a little more)

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cream butter, add above ingredients and blend. Combine egg yolk and milk, add to butter mixture and mix. Press into a greased (?) 11" x 7" pan. Press about 2-3 cups rhubarb, sliced and pressed in.

Combine:
3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (opt.) about 1/4 c. butter (or less) to make a crumb topping. Can sprinkle with almond slices (opt.) Sprinkle crumbs over fruit. Bake at 375 ºF oven for 50 minutes or until rhubarb is done. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or plain. Good cold, also. Apples and Apricots make a great fruit for this.

For rhubarb I sprinkle a bit more sugar & a bit of mixed in flour because of the tartness and juice.

Flavours of Asia for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory with the MLCC

(Sichuan Peanut Noodles with Tofu knots - photo by Karen)


Bulgogi

I had the pleasure yesterday of presenting a variety of flavours from Asian countries as a fund raising event for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory with Education Coordinator Bonnie Tulloch. I chose samples from the Caucasus to Korea but also items that could easily be made in your own home kitchens. They are versatile to local ingredients yet still very authentic to their origins. For example, in the first recipe, if there is a walnut allergy, try making it with almonds. Adapt the heat of the chilies in other recipes to your tastes. Most of all, enjoy.

All of the dishes were paired with excellent beverages on behalf of MLCC's Product Ambassador, Gary Dawyduk.

To Start:
Ginger Beer Fizz
1 part Tsingtao Beer (#293787, 300 ml, $1.73)
1 part Ginger beer (“Old Tyme” or “Grace”)
mix ingredients with slices of fresh ginger, serve over ice


1. Pomegranate Walnut Paste on Endive - Caucasus

Paired with Crémant de Bourgogne Brut – Simonnet-Febvre (#7451) $19.09

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

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



2. Kerala Shrimp – South India

Paired with Gazela Vinho de Mesa Rosé – Sogrape (#9394) $8.61

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

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

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

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


3. Bulgogi – Korean BBQ Beef

Paired with Old Vine Zinfandel 2006 – Klinker Brick (#5877) $28.80

• Bulgogi marinade for 1 lb of meat (approx 1 cup)
• 1 pound sliced beef *
1. Prepare Bulgogi marinade according to directions.
2. If beef is not sliced, slice into thin, finger-length strips (if you freeze the beef for 15 minutes, it will be easier to slice).
3. If you can, ask the butcher at the meat counter to slice for you in very thin strips. Korean and/or Asian grocery stores will often have meat for Bulgogi pre-sliced for sale.
4. Mix marinade into meat with hands or chopsticks, making sure all the meat is covered.
5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. For tougher cuts, the more hours, the better. You can also freeze the uncooked marinated beef in small amounts for later use.
6. Grill, broil, or stir fry the beef until well-done and caramelized on the outside.
7. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves, and side dishes.

(Serves 4)
*Top sirloin or tenderloin work best, but almost any steak cut will do. The best quality meat will obviously taste the best.
• 3 Tbsp chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed juice from an Asian pear
• 1 Tbsp Japanese rice wine (mirin)*
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 3 green onions, finely chopped (including white part)
• 1 tsp pepper

4. Sichuan Peanut Noodles – Sichuan, China

Paired with Singha Lager Beer (#676395, 330ml) $2.33

Please note, the beer will help cool the effect of the chilies.

2-3 tbs chunky peanut butter
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2-3 tbs vinegar
2-3 tbs good soy sauce
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup good Chinese hot sauce (to taste)
1 heaping tbs brown sugar
drizzle sesame oil
Cooked Chinese noodles or spaghetti
Options: chopped or grated cucumber for serving cold, cooked tofu for hot or cold, chopped scallions or chives, snap peas, etc.

Mix the first 8 ingredients into a smooth paste. Mix with cooked pasta or noodles and serve immediately or chill.
Enjoy!


5. Burfi – India

Paired with Vin Doux Muscat – Samos (#44578) $13.62

2 cup Whole Milk
2 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
2 tbs dried Milk Powder
3 tbs powdered Sugar (Cheeni)
3 tbs Ghee
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
1 sheets Edible Silver Foil (Varq)

• Heat the milk a little and add lemon juice in the milk to curdle it.
• Hang the curdled milk in a muslin cloth for 3 hours.
• This results in the solidification of milk into cheese.
• Add milk powder and sugar to the cheese and kneed the mixture well.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add the cheese mixture.
• Stir-Fry over very low flame until the ghee separates.
• Take off the mixture from the heat, add cardamom powder to it, and allow to cool slightly.
• Blend properly by again kneading it.
• Pat the kneaded mixture into a flat cake and allow it to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and decorate with silver foil.




To Finish:
6) Red Lotus cocktail
1 ½ parts Lychee Liqueur (Soho, #6340, $23.99)
1 ½ parts Vodka (SKYY, #410415, $22.99)
1 part Cranberry juice
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake well; strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with lychee or cherry

Moroccan Beef Stew

I was looking around in recipes for an idea to use some lovely stewing beef and I decided to adapt a Moroccan lamb recipe but with fewer steps. A very nice result indeed.

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

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

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Asparagus

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting this very easy method of preparing halibut on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders.

There is no fussing about. Halibut is in season now and available at Gimli Fish on Dufferin or Pembina Hwy. Asparagus and fiddleheads are in season now as well. Photo coming later today.

*How do I know when my fish is done cooking? When the fish looks gelatinous or opaque, it is still uncooked. When it is solid white it is cooked. Do not overcook.

Olive Oil poached Halibut with Grilled Asparagus or Fiddleheads


2 skinned filets of halibut (1/4 pound/125 g each)
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Zest of one orange (try grapefruit or lemon as well)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, cut in half
Freshly ground black pepper
Fleur de sel, for garnish


Heat the oven to 250°F/120°C. Lay the fish filets in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour over enough oil to cover. Add the orange zest, fennel, thyme, garlic, and pepper. Bake until just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the fish from the oil. Garnish with fleur de sel. Serve with Grilled Asparagus or Fiddleheads and a little of the cooking oil drizzled over.

To grill Asparagus, trim ends and drizzle with olive oil. Place over a hot grill and turn a minute or so on each side. Remove from heat and zest orange or lemon on top, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of fleur de sel.

Enjoy!

Non-Dairy - a taste test

Recently, when it became possible that my newborn might be lactose intolerant, Fresh Option Organic Delivery, aka FOOD, gave me three non-dairy products to sample. These were soy and brown rice products. My first trial was Silk, a descriptive name for a smooth and very enjoyable beverage. It was, like having a nice milkshake and I had the whole container throughout the day. Definitely a winner but as a treat and likely not a main beverage. The second place for flavour and texture was the So Nice product. A cold glass of it tasted like milk. Having it in my breakfast granola brought out the more soy taste that didn't come out drinking it straight. Also, having it warmed in the evening with some honey was pleasant.

My last trial was Ryza. For me, it didn't have a lot to do with substituting for dairy. Thinking of dairy, this is not enjoyable. You have to remove the concept of dairy and take Ryza as a product unto itself. If you think of anything dairy, you will likely not enjoy this product. However, if you consider it a beverage or cooking medium, it is enjoyable. It won't be my first choice but there are some excellent choices available. Call FOOD at 774-1479 or check out their website http://freshoption.ca.

In Season Now! Morels and Fiddleheads on Weekend Morning with Kerän Sanders

I had the pleasure of presenting local fiddleheads and morel mushrooms on CBC Weekend morning with Kerän Sanders.

Morel Mushroom Port Pan Sauce

1/2 onion, small dice or 2-3 finely chopped shallots
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup morels, whole or sliced
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1/2 cup port, approximate amount
salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté onion until translucent in butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary and morel mushrooms and cook until soft. Stir in mustard and then add port, salt and pepper. You can add a bit more butter at the end. Spoon over grilled meats that are resting after grilling. Enjoy.

*For a white sauce option for fish or chicken, add cream to the recipe and use white wine instead of port. Grated nutmeg is also a nice flavour for the sauce.

*Adding butter at the end of the recipe can thicken the sauce nicely.


Fiddleheads in Brown Butter with Pancetta

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


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

Enjoy!

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