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

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

Put them together and what do you have? 

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

Spaghetti, for 2 +

1 tbs butter

drizzle olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 cup cream

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

1 tbs pesto

1/2 cup white wine or vodka, or combination

1/2  tsp white pepper

Options:  chopped spinach, sautéed mushrooms, etc.  

Shrimp and Scallops, for 2+

1 rounded teaspoon Duq'qah

salt, to tastes

Butter, for the scallops and shrimp

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Tuscan Soup with Farmers Sausage

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

Enjoy!

Tuscan Bean Soup with Farmers Sausage

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

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

Halal roasted lamb shank rubbed with Ras el Hanout and orange marmalade for Easter Dinner

Wonderful fresh lamb shank available now at the new location of Millad's Supermarket, located at 396 Notre Dame in Winnipeg.  This was so simple to prepare, with fantastic results!

1 lamb shank, enough for 4 people
2 tbs Ras el Hanout
2 tbs Orange Marmalade
good drizzle olive oil
1 tsp salt

Roast on a bed of veggies (here I have leeks, onion, carrots, red peppers) with water.

Mix the spices, marmalade, olive oil, and salt together and rub mixture over the lamb shank.  Let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Place veggies in the bottom of roasting dish and the lamb on top, as pictured.  Roast for 20-25 minutes/lb, or, until the meat comes easily off of the bone.  Let the meat rest, and carve and serve.

Enjoy!

I served the lamb with the vegetables, puréed with cream, as a sauce, with pilaf and fiddleheads.

St. Norberts Online Farmers Market

Spice Blends now available at the St. Norberts Online Farmers Market!

 https://www.localline.ca/le-marche-st-norbert-farmers-market-coop

I will be offering my spice blends at the St. Norberts online Farmers Market.  You can order and pick up this Saturday at the market.  It is open from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, with the first hour for seniors and additional needs.

Thank you for your support!  Please support local.  No food without farmers!

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

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

1. Lemony Pickerel Piccata

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

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

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

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

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

2. Korean Zucchini (simple!!!)

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

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

Enjoy!

3. Oven Fries with Feta (by Ottolenghi)

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

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

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

Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

4. Duq'qah Chicken Burgers

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Easy elegance - Moroccan roast chicken and Korean Zucchini

Roast chicken is not a usual Tuesday dish, but it is so easy, why not?  It matched perfectly with the also easy side dishes of Korean zucchini and roasted sweet potatoes.  Blood Oranges are in season right now, so it added a wonderful colour and flavour to the dish.  Chicken stock is now simmering from the

Moroccan Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken
Dijon Mustard
Ras el Hanout
1 onion, sliced
1 yellow or red pepper, chopped
5-10 cloves garlic
1-2 sliced blood oranges (other oranges will do)
salt
olive oil
water

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  You will roast the chicken for at least 20 minutes/lb.

Clean the chicken of any bands, plastic, or gizzards.  The neck can be used in the roasting pan and for stock. 

Coat the chicken with a thin layer of Dijon mustard and then the Ras el Hanout (available through me or at D. A. Niels, Pollock's Hardware Coop, and Old Church Bakery).  Fill with garlic cloves, whole or chopped.  Season with salt and let chill in the refrigerator until needed.

In the roasting pan, place the sliced onions, some garlic cloves, and chopped pepper.  Place the chicken on top and arrange the blood orange slices around. Pour 1 + cup water into the roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast for at least 20 minutes/lb, or until the drumstick moves freely and the juices are clear.

Let the roast rest for 10 minutes prior to cutting.  Enjoy with sides of roasted sweet potato and Korean zucchini.

Korean Zucchini

1 zucchini, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced
sesame oil
splashes of fish sauce
Mirin
drizzle of soy sauce

In a medium sauce pan, heat up a drizzle of sesame oil and start cooking the garlic and then the zucchini slices.  Stir and near the end of cooking, add the remaining ingredients. 

Enjoy!

Holiday Feasting - wild and tame

Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah!  I was so happy to be able to prepare this feast for family yesterday.  The moose and the deer were wild hunted meats, which you can substitute beef, elk, bison, etc.  The rabbit came from Zinn Farms, at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market. 

Please Note:  The St. Norbert's Farmer's Market will reopen on January 11th for biweekly markets until Spring. 

Rabbit Pappardelle

2 + tbs olive oil
1 Rabbit (how to joint it found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C4Ku71A6rA)
4 strips of bacon, chopped
1 red onion or two large shallots, sliced
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, with leaves, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 head garlic, peeled and sliced cloves
2 rosemary sprigs, chopped
1 tbs crumbled sage leaves
1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbs good tomato paste
2/3 cup white or rosé wine
2 cups chicken or rabbit stock
fresh pasta
2 tbs Dijon Mustard
zest of one orange
1/3 cup heavy cream
grated parmesan
season, to tastes

In a large pan, heat oil and brown the rabbit pieces, then set aside. I transferred the ingredients to simmer in a tagine.

Add chopped bacon, onion or shallots, carrots, garlic, celery, mushrooms and herbs to the pan and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the tomato paste, and then the wine and stock.

Return the rabbit to the pan and let simmer for up to an hour, or until the rabbit is very tender.  I transferred the ingredients to a tagine. 

Remove the rabbit pieces from the pan and carefully shred the meat from the bones.  Watch for very small bones.  Return the meat to the sauce. 

Simmer for a while and add the cream, orange zest,  and mustard.  More stock if too dry.  Season and ad cooked pasta.  Toss and plate, topping with grated parmesan, and flat leafed parsley.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Kalbi Moose Brisket (Instant Pot recipe)

 
1 Moose Brisket (can substitute beef or bison)
1 tbs good sesame oil
2 chopped green onions
1/4 cup Mirin
2-6 cups Kalbi sauce (Store bought or recipe here:  https://www.koreanbapsang.com/la-galbi-gui-grilled-la-style-short-ribs/)

Place all ingredients in an Instant Pot and set to Meat 50 minutes.  Close and seal.  Let stay warm for as long as needed.  Remove from liquid and slice.  Enjoy with excellent kimchi, such as from Ferment For You.

Seared Deer (can use elk or beef, or bison tenderloin)

3-4 tenderloin medallions
Dijon Mustard
Duq'qah
Olive Oil
salt, to taste

Coat tenderloin with a thin layer of Dijon Mustard and then coat in Duq'qah spice blend.  Season and drizzle olive oil over steaks.  Set aside in the fridge for a while.

Remove from fridge.  Heat pan to medium high heat.  Add olive oil and then sear the steaks on each side for one minute.  Remove the meat from the heat and let the meat rest.  Thinly slice the steaks, plate, and drizzle with olive oil.

Enjoy!

Healthy and comfy - Chicken Cacciatore updated

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

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

Chicken Cacciatore
(portion 2 thighs per person)

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

Set oven to 350ºF.

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Back to School. Lunches?!? Muffins

My 9 year old has a self-imposed limited diet.  I have to pack as much into what she will eat as possible.  Therefore, Banana Squash Muffins.  This recipe is quite adaptable to whatever you might have on hand.  Grated peeled apples work nicely as well.

Banana Squash Muffins
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 banana, mashed (or one, as you like)
1-2 cups cooked mashed squash (any variety, including zucchini)
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups flour (often more, for a thick batter)
2 cups dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 ºF.  Prepare muffin tins with papers.

Mix butter, sugar, eggs, bananas, and squash, until smooth.  Slowly add baking powder, milk, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.  Add flour and then the chocolate.  Add flour if needed.

Fill muffin tins.  Bake.  For mini muffins, bake for 15-17 minutes.  For larger muffins, bake for 20 -22 minutes, depending on you oven.

Cool and store in containers.  Keep refrigerated after a day.

Enjoy!

Its so easy to make great meals!

Last night I made roasted vegetables, tossed with Duq'qah (Dukkah, Dukah, etc).  Could not be easier! I filled rotis from Famena's with the roasted vegetables and added a soft fried egg from Nature's Farm.  On top, we drizzled pomegranate tahini sauce. 

Roasted Cauliflower, and other supporting cast vegetables

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small flowerets
1 onion, thickly sliced
1 zucchini, sliced rounds in half
1 orange pepper (any pepper)
Options:  Any vegetables that you have on hand to roast
1-2 tbs Duq'qah (great news!  Available on Saturday at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market Valentine's Sale!!)
salt, to tastes
olive oil, to coat the vegetables

Set oven to 375ºF.  Toss all ingredients together.  Spread out on a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.  Roast, until softened and browned.  Enjoy as a side dish or in Rotis.  Enjoy!

Easy Squash Gnudi with wonderful local ingredients.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

December 22nd - Last Christmas sale at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market!!!

I'll be at Saturday's St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday, December 22nd for the last Christmas sale!  I'll have my spice blends of Ras el Hanout, Turkish Baharat, Tea Masala, and Duq'qah. I'll also have Onion Jam, Snap Pea Coconut Chutney, and More!  Perhaps Biscotti.

It has occurred to me that, while I use Duq'qah all of the time, I haven't featured is as much on my blog.  It is so versatile.  Traditionally, with flatbread, salt and olive oil, it is also great as a dry rub on meats and for roasting vegetables.  I've put it on popcorn, Corn on the Cob, Chicken, lamb, burgers, and has given me a new taste for broccoli. 

I hope to see you at the market on Saturday.  It is open from 10 - 2PM.

Easy entertaining. Pickerel Cheeks

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

Sautéed Pickerel Cheeks

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

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

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

Enjoy!

By request! Tomato Chutney

There are only a handful of recipes that I treasure that I haven't shared.  I've been selling and serving tomato chutney at the Farmer's Market for a while.  I serve it with the Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and sell it in containers.  It is a yummy product and I did look into larger scale production of the tomato chutney but there are so many permits and hoops to jump through to produce anything with tomatoes. 

Tomato Chutney

1 medium onion, finely diced
olive oil, drizzle or more
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tin unsalted chopped tomatoes
1-2 tbs curry spice blend (garam masala, cumin, coriander, mustard, chilies, star anise, pomegranate, cinnamon, cloves,
etc, ground, with turmeric)
1-2 tbs brown sugar or jaggery
salt, to taste
1-2 tbs vinegar

In a large saucepan, heat up oil to medium heat and add chopped onions.  When translucent, add spices and stir.  Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients.  Cook until fully softened for crisper onions, or long and slow, for a deeper flavour. 

Enjoy as a condiment, a side dish, dipping sauce, etc.  The secret is out!

An Autumn Harvest tradition - Stuffed Peppers

What's for dinner?  Bags full of peppers, excellent ground beef, tomatoes, spices, rice, etc.  This is a Turkish version of stuffed peppers.  Well, they likely originated the dish.

Come to the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday between 8-3PM for many of these wonderful ingredients!

Turkish Stuffed Peppers

 2 cups basmati rice
1/4 cup Zereshk (Iranian currants, aka Barberries)
drizzle olive oil
pinch salt
3 1/2 cups water

Prepare rice ahead of time.  Zereshk can be found at Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame in Winnipeg.

1 lb ground beef
1 onions, sliced
1 + tbs Turkish Baharat
3 chopped tomatoes (I used roasted tomatoes that were still soft and juicy)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
salt, to taste
 1/2 cup good tomato paste, also available at Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame

Sauté the onions until soft in a drizzle of olive oil.  Brown the meat and add the Baharat.  Add the remaining ingredients and some water or wine to dilute the tomato paste a bit.  Mix with the cooked rice and set aside.

Depending on the sizes of the peppers, up to 12 peppers, cored from the top.  In the baking dish, mix tomato paste, water, Turkish Baharat (about 1 tsp), and a pinch of salt, to cover the bottom of the dish at least 2-3 cm.  Fill each pepper and place, upright, in the baking dish.  Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350ºF for at least one hour.  Remove foil and continue baking until peppers have browned.

Serve hot or warm.  Enjoy!

Celeriac, it is easier than you think!

I got two gorgeous celeriac bulbs in my CSA share last week.  I have to admit to have never prepared celeriac but I was eager to try it out.  It couldn't be easier and more delicious!  I looked up an Alton Brown recipe and adapted it.  Celeriac is available now at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.

Blue Cheese Celeriac Purée

2-4 Celeriac bulbs, brushed clean, thinly peeled, cubed.  (place cubes in a bowl of cold water)
1 tbs butter
1/4-1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup Buttermilk Blue cheese, crumbled
pinch nutmeg
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to boil.  Boil the drained celeriac cubes until quite soft, about 5-8 minutes.  Drain and place cubes back into the saucepan.  Warm butter and cream in the microwave and add to the cubes.  Add the crumbled blue cheese, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. 

Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth.  Alton Brown's recipe was even simpler, with no blue cheese or nutmeg.  Enjoy!

Pictured above with Turkish roasted tomato salad with pomegranates, Carrot Thoren, and Bulgogi Burgers.

Foraging for food on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

On Saturday Morning, I will be presenting the following recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  I'll be using dandelions for which I foraged.  They are considered organic, as, I've never used cosmetic pesticides in my own yard.  They are thoroughly washed, however.  I've used them with Chinese greens (Gai Lan) in one dish, and as a Chimichuri on Wildfire Farms (see what I did there?) beef ribeye.

The reason that I went with wild and foraged flavours is because A Rocha will be holding a guided tour of Winnipeg's West End on Saturday, June 2nd from 2-3:30PM to find edible plants just waiting to be discovered and eaten.  They will meet at St. Matthew's Anglican Church at 641 St. Matthews Ave.  To RSVP, please send an email to scott.gerbrandt@arocha.ca.   Dress for the weather.

Dandelions are loaded with Vitamins A and C as well as being a great source of dietary fibre.  More photos tomorrow!

Dandelions!

Dandelions with almonds and Scallions

1 large bunch dandelion greens or a combination of greens(a few cups) (I have a variety of greens available today from Fertile Farms at St.Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

3 tbs olive oil

3-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

½ cup blanched almonds, toasted

salt, to taste

Bring to boil a large pot of water.  Drop greens in and blanch, stirring for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then drain in a colander and rinse with cool water.  Drain and press out on a towel.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add garlic, then scallions, stirring until brown.  This happens quite quickly so have the greens ready and cook for 1-3 minutes.  Add almonds and season.  I like to add some dried red chilies. 

Sichuan variation:  Prepare the greens, with Chinese broccoli, and leave long.  Heat sesame oil with chilies and garlic.  Add greens and season with soy sauce.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.  Can also add tofu to this dish.  A pinch of sugar may be to your tastes as well.

Grilled Ribeye with Dandelion Chimichuri

Good for 4 Ribeye steaks (These are from Wildfire Farms and available at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

1/4 pound dandelion greens

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning Ribeye Steaks

2 packed tablespoons chopped oregano

1 tablespoon lime juice or white vinegar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

Freshly ground pepper

Trim the greens up to where the leaves start and wash well, picking out any remaining buds or grass you might find. Set aside.

Process the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt together in the work bowl of a food

processor until finely chopped. Add the dandelion greens and the oregano, and pulse until the greens are finely chopped, scraping the sides with a soft spatula if necessary. Add the lime juice and 1/4 cup of the olive oil and pulse to blend. Season the mixture to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary, and transfer to a small bowl. Drizzle 1 tbs olive oil over the top and set aside.

Rub the remaining two tsp olive oil over the Ribeye and season with salt and pepper.

When the grill is hot, cook the steak to the desired doneness.  I like rare but I made these 4 minutes per side, changing to make grill marks, every two minutes.

Let the meat rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.  Slice hot and spoon the chimichuri sauce on top.

Enjoy!

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

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

Baked Mexican Halibut

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

1 large fresh tomato, seeded and chopped

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 green onions, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. salt

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

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

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º.

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

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

 Old Church Bakery flatbread

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

Wildfire Farms Ribeye

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

Enjoy!

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

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

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

Manitoba Reuben Sandwiches

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

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

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

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

OR

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

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

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

Wasabi Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
Sour cream
wasabi paste, to taste
pinch sugar

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

Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie? All comfort on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

On Saturday, I will be presenting Shepherd's Pie for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.

I adapted the Gordon Ramsay's recipe.  He uses red wine, I used stout, to bring out the richness of the lamb.  You can watch the video at the bottom of the blog entry.  No language warning required!

This dish really highlights some of the great products of Manitoba, from the lamb, potatoes, carrots, etc., to the eggs and butter.  If you don't have access to ground lamb, you can change this recipe to Cottage Pie by using ground beef.  The St. Norbert's Farmer's Market has excellent ground beef at Wildfire Farms and Manitoba Beef.

Shepherd's Pie

1-2 lbs minced lamb (amounts vary according to your baking dishes) I used Spiritsands Shepherds lamb from Carberry, Manitoba, by Gerry Oliver.  She can be reached for outside of Winnipeg, at gerry@spiritsands.ca.

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1-3 peeled and grated carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-5 Russet potatoes, peeled and boiled
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary

1 tsp dried chilies

1/2 cup (+) good tomato paste (ie, not Hunt's, but there are fantastic tomato pastes from Turkey available at Millad's Supermarket)
1 cup stock, or more (I used lamb stock but use chicken)
1 can rich stout
salt, and pepper, to tastes
1 or 2 egg yolks, or up to 1 cup cream or buttermilk

1/4 cup butter

pinch nutmeg

up to 1 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano

olive oil, for cooking

Heat a deep saucepan to medium high heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and brown the minced lamb.  Drain off the lamb, when browned, and keep in a bowl.  Cook the sliced shallots and add the browned lamb when the shallots are translucent.  Add the minced garlic, grated carrots and seasonings.  Then stir in the tomato paste, stock, and stout. 

While that is simmering, cook the peeled potatoes until they slide off of the fork when tested.  Drain and put potatoes through a ricer for a delicate texture or mash.  Add butter, egg yolks nutmeg, salt and pepper, and grated Parmesan Reggiano.  Mix until smooth but not gummy.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Spoon minced lamb mixture into baking dish and then spoon on the potato mash.  Top with more Parmesan and fork for a baked design.  Bake for 20+ minutes, depending on the size of your baking dish, until browned and bubbling.  Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. 

Serve with a green salad.

Enjoy!