Catering prize for Manitoba Eco-Network's Reel Green Gala on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning I presented the following recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with interim host, Nadia Kidwai.  These are full of flavour but I've also made them very easy to prepare. 

On March 16th, Manitoba Eco-Network will be hosting our annual fundraising event, The Reel Green Gala.  Sponsors include Assiniboine Credit Union, Tire Stewardship Manitoba, Stantec, and other amazing supporters such as VIARail, and local producers.  I'm offering catering for four, supported by Almost Urban Vegetables, for the chicken, Vita Health for many other ingredients, and I'll prepare Moroccan food.

Tickets are available at www.reelgreen.brownpapertickets.com.

Moroccan Chicken with Prunes and Almonds

 1 chicken – (3 1/2 lbs)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup prunes
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup whole blanched almonds
vegetable oil for frying

Rub all the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand for one hour.

Soak prunes if very dry.

Place onions in a wide shallow casserole with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup water, cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Brown the almonds in 4-5 tbs oil in a large skillet and drain on paper towels. Brown the chicken evenly on all sides in the oil and transfer to the steamed onions. Cover with parchment paper and cook in tajine on the lowest heat for about 1 1/4 hours.

Discard the parchment paper. Add the prunes and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat. Serve with almonds sprinkled on top.

Enjoy!

Beet Salad I and II

1 lb Beets
1 tb Sugar
1 Lemon; juice of
1 tb Olive oil
1 lg Pinch of cinnamon
1 tb Chopped parsley
Salt; to taste

Wash beets well, being careful not to break their skins. Cut off the
tops, leaving a stalk of about 1 1/2". Boil in a 3 quart saucepan
until tender, covered. Allow the water to cool, then slip off the
skins, trim off the tops, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the beets. Let marinate
for 1 hour before serving.

Beet Salad II: Prepare as described above, but add 1 tsp. orange
flower water, 1/8 tsp. cumin, a pinch of paprika, and a little water
to the sauce.

Local Halal Valentine's Aphrodisiacs on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Tomorrow on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Nadia Kidwai, I will be presenting the following dishes, Rack of Lamb with a Ras el Hanout rub, and Solberry Chicken.  Both feature my Ras el Hanout spice blend, which is considered an aphrodisiac.  Recipes to impress but so easy to prepare, these are full of flavour and sumptuous for a Valentine's dinner.  (Photos tomorrow when food is cooked).  

There are many reasons to love Halal meats.  They are raised ethically and organically from birth to processing but you don't pay for the word Organic.  The meat is always excellent quality when it comes from producers and suppliers that are so ethical and particular.  

The chicken is from Waldner's Meats that I purchased from Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame.  Waldner's were the first Halal producers in Manitoba.  They are now at risk of closure from potential changes in government regulations.  Manitobans LOVE their local chicken.  Please get to know your producer and make sure that you will have access to excellent quality products.

1. Ras el Hanout Rack of Halal Lamb

1 rack of lamb (This Halal Lamb is available at Millad’s Supermarket on Notre Dame)

1 + Tbs Ras el Hanout (or your favourite spice blend), available this weekend at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market on Saturday from 10-1PM, or the Pop-up market at VIA Rail Station on Sunday.

Salt, to taste,

¼ preserved lemon peel, finely chopped (make your own earlier than today or find at Millad’s, Dino’s, etc.)

Olive oil

 Rub rib rack(s) all over with mixture of spices, preserved lemon peel. Sprinkle with salt.   Place in a thick plastic bag with olive oil. Spread oil around so that it coats the lamb rack(s) all over. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag and seal. Place in a container so that if the bag leaks, the container catches the leak.

 If you want, place in the refrigerator overnight. Or, if you are not marinating overnight, let lamb rack(s) sit in the rub marinade as it comes to room temperature before cooking.

 Bring lamb to room temp: Remove lamb rack from refrigerator to 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you cook it so that it comes to room temp. (If the meat is not at room temperature it will be hard for it to cook evenly.)

 Preheat oven to 450°F, arrange the oven rack so that the lamb will be in the middle of the oven.

 Place the lamb rack bone side down (fat side up) on the pan. Wrap the exposed ribs in a little foil so that they don't burn.

Roast first at high heat to brown, then reduce heat to finish: Place the roast in the oven roast at 450°F for 10 minutes (longer if roasting more than one rack), or until the surface of the roast is nicely browned.

Then lower the heat to 300°F. Cook for 10-20 minutes longer (depending on the size of the lamb rack, if you are roasting more than one rack, and how rare or well done you want your lamb), until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat 125°F on a for rare or 135°F for medium rare. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.

Cut lamb chops away from the rack by slicing between the bones. Serve 2-3 chops per person.

2. Solberry (Soulberry) Halal Chicken

2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout*

1/2 cup Solberry puree (found at Vita Health, Red River Co-op Stores, etc.)

1/4 cup good olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch salt

1 Chicken, skinned and pieced

Mix first 7 ingredients together well to blend in the olive oil. Place chicken thighs in marinade in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours. Place chicken thighs on a hot BBQ for up 4 minutes a side if boneless, twice as long if with bone in.  Let meat rest and enjoy with grilled Naan bread, salad, rice, etc.

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

Happy Lunar New Year! On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 Happy New Year!  Tomorrow, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Interim Host, Laurie Hoogstraten, I will be presenting these Sichuan noodles, known as Dan Dan Mian.  The long noodles are for happiness with a long life.  There are many dishes for luck and wealth for the new year.  In the year of the Rooster, Dumplings, for wealth, sweet rice balls for family togetherness, rice cake to increase your status or income, citrus fruit for wealth and fullness, and fish, also to increase prosperity.

I was fortunate to live in Chongqing, Sichuan for a period, and enjoyed these noodles with ground pork.  The most remarkable place was at the Great Buddha in Leshan.  

Enjoy for luck, long life, and because they are really yummy!

* For the Chilli oil, great chili oils can be purchased.  I used this one with peanuts that I can purchase at SunWah Grocery Store.  

새해 복 많이 받으세요!

 新年快樂！

 明けましておめでとうございます！
Chúc mừng năm mới!

Dan Dan Mian, aka for me, Great Buddha Noodles 

1. For the Chilli Oil: (you can purchase good chilli oil)

•                2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns

•                1 inch-long piece of cinnamon

•                2 star anise

•                1 cup oil

•                1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes

2. For the Meat and Sui Mi Ya Cai:

•                3 teaspoons oil

•                8 oz. ground pork (I’m using veggie ground round and it works nicely with the taste and texture)

•                2 teaspoons sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce

•                2 teaspoons shaoxing wine (I often use Mirin or Vermouth)

•                1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

•                1/2 teaspoon five spice powder

•                1/3 cup sui mi ya cai (optional Sichuan ingredient of dry fried vegetable. Packaged in small foil pouches)

3. For the sauce:

•                2 tablespoons sesame paste (tahini) (I often use peanut butter as a substitute)

•                3 tablespoons soy sauce

•                2 teaspoons sugar

•                1/4 teaspoon five spice powder

•                1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder (we ground whole Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle)

•                1/2 cup of your prepared chili oil (to your taste)

•                2 cloves garlic, very finely minced

•                ¼ cup hot cooking water from the noodles

4. For the Noodles & Veg:

•                1 lb fresh or dried white noodles, medium thickness

•                1 small bunch leafy greens (spinach, bok choy, or choy sum)

•                chopped peanuts (optional) chopped scallion (optional)

Cook the sauce and the vegetables and set aside.  Cook the long noodles and toss with sauce, vegetables and optional scallions and peanuts.  Enjoy for a long life!

Get to know your Butcher on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with interim host Laurie Hoogstraten, I am featuring a pork dish using pork buttons that I got from Denny's Meat Market.  This is a rather "old school" kind of cut of pork and many stores and butcher shops don't carry them any longer but these are so simple to prepare and a great value. 

I'm always telling people to get to know where they get their fish, vegetables and meats.  Getting to know your butcher is really recommended for your own interest.  They will give you a great deal of information on what you want or what you may try and they may specialize in products that you can't find anywhere else.  Denny's Meat Market, for example, also specializes in fresh sausages of a wide range of flavours.

For this dish, you can use the pork buttons, pork belly, or cuts for Kalbi.  For the vegetarians, this segment doesn't leave you out either.  You can use the marinade for seitan, tofu, eggplant, firm mushrooms or cauliflower.

Dwaejibulgogi (from Maangchi.com)

For the marinade :
½ cup of crushed Asian Pear
¼ cup onion purée (I put a yellow onion and the garlic in a small blender container with a bit of water and puréed it)
4 cloves of minced garlic
½ ts of minced ginger
1 chopped green onion
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
a pinch of ground black pepper
2 ts of toasted sesame oil
3 tbs hot Korean pepper paste (Kochujiang)

I used a package of pork buttons from Denny’s Meat Market.  I let them marinade for several hours.  You can then grill, broil or cook in a pan until tender.  Serve with rice, lettuce leaves, fresh chilies, green onions, or on their own as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year! Portzelki! Aka, New Year's Cookies, Olliebollie, etc.

Yesterday, even though I rarely deep fry food, I decided to give my hand to this traditional Russian New Year's delight.  I took some videos and images for a step by step process and, when breaking it down, it isn't too difficult.  Just get the Mise en place and it goes quite quickly.

First, soak the raisins in hot water and then dry on a tea towel in a slightly warm oven to plump up.  Set aside.  Second tip, I warmed the milk, butter, saffron and sugar together.  To cool the milk mixture enough so as to not kill the yeast, I added in the cooled raisins.

Third tip, separate the eggs and whip the whites prior to needing to mix them in and set aside.  Fourth tip, add salt at the end of the mixing of the second rising with the additional flour, again, so as to not kill the yeast.

Fifth tip, cook in a pot that will allow the portzelki to turn over and deep enough to hold enough oil.  If cooked at the correct temperature, the fritters will not absorb much oil or burn.
Have fun!

 Portzelky

2  pkgs (~4 1/2 tsp) yeast in 1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
Let stand for 10 minutes

2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 lb raisins or currants (soak and then gently dry on low oven on paper towel until water is off but plumped)
Flour for soft batter (~5 cups)
Optional:  good pinch saffron in warm milk

Combine milk, salt, sugar, baking powder, raisins and egg yolks.  Add 2 cups flour to yeast and milk and stir.  Let stand until bubbly.  Add remaining flour.  Beat egg whites to stiff peak and fold into batter.  Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil (375ºF).  Space evenly and do not over crowd.  Allow room for portzelky to turn over.  When fully cooked, drain and cool.

Serve with small bowls of sugar for dipping.

New Year's Eve tasting menu options on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Tomorrow I will be presenting the following dishes for New Year's Eve treats, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with guest host, Laurie Hoogstraten.  I'll be on at 8:20AM as there will be a year end quiz after the 8:30 news.

This gorgeous beef tenderloin is available on Saturday morning at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market from 10-1PM at the Eagle's Club. One can use tenderloin, rib eye or strip loin for this dish from beef, bison, elk or veal.  Everything is locally produced from sustainable farms.  The micro greens are from Fresh Forage Farms where they grow amazing greens year round.

Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio (Beef from Manitoba Beef by Jim Lintott, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

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

8 ozs tenderloin frozen (or rib eye)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 c preserves (I use Mostarda, fig jam, or raspberry)
1/3 c vinegar (shallot, raspberry, etc)
2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp truffle oil optional
1/4 tsp truffle salt optional


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

I used Fresh Forage Mustard Micro greens and Parmesan  Reggiano curls.

Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.
Enjoy!


Seared Foie Gras with fig or pear compote

The Foie Gras comes from Brome Lake, Quebec.  It is a free range duck.  They are not penned and walk around freely.  They come to be fed.  The whole duck is used in different products.  They provide an excellent foie gras and is available at DeLuca's on Portage Ave. 

Prepare crostini or toasts and top with warm compote as recipe follows;

1/2 - 1 whole sliced pear or 2-3 sliced fresh figs Or Mostarda with figs
1/2 tsp butter
ground hazelnuts (optional)
deglaze with Frangelico or Disorrono

Cook pear or figs in pan and cook down with liquor.

Prepare foie gras slices by slightly seasoning with sea salt.  In a hot pan, sear foie gras on both sides until brown and deglaze with liquor.  Place on prepared toasts, top with a few grains of Fleur d’sel or good sea salt and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Celebrating CBC's Host Terry MacLeod, and Change

This morning, I'll be presenting the following recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  As this is Terry's final weekend with CBC Radio, we are celebrating him as well as changes throughout the 24 years that he has been with us in Manitoba.  The beef dish represents the changes in attitudes toward food in that we are so passionate about global flavours and yet are more conscientious than ever as to where our food comes from and how it its produced.  The beef comes from Wildfire Farms.  The chocolate dish is a dish for Terry that I made because I heard that he enjoys Grand Marnier.  I wanted to find something very easy to prepare with it and this is a great season to represent this treat.

I'm at D. A. Niels today giving a tajine cooking demonstration and the beef dish will be one of the tajines, based on a Paula Wolfert recipe.

Grand Marnier Balls (Kugel)

3⁄4 cup whipping cream
1⁄4 cup butter
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
7 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, melted
3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
chocolate sprinkles
Put cream, butter and sugar into saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Add Grand Marnier, chocolate and crumbs. Mix well. Shape into 42 balls. Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Chill or freeze.

Moroccan Beef Tajine(can use lamb)

1 lb beef 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 (I used apricots today)
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.

 Today at D. A. Niels:
  

Marak (Tajine) of Eggplant, peppers and peas with preserved lemon
¼ cup olive oil

1 medium globe eggplant

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp sugar

2 ripe or canned tomatoes, chopped (I’m using 2 tbs good tomato paste with tomatoes)

1 tbs Ras el Hanout

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp turmeric

2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley

 ½ preserved lemon (see chef for details)

1. Heat oil in tajine over low heat.  Add vegetables and sugar and cover with lid or with parchment paper and the lid and cook gently for 10 minutes.  Raise heat slightly and add a splash of water. 

2. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, covered for a few minutes.

3. Add the parsley and lemon juice.  Garnish with the slivered lemon and olives (or cook in with tajine).  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Fair Trade Gift and entertaining on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I presented some easy to prepare dishes that are also cruelty-free.  Now that the holidays are approaching, people love to serve shrimp.  If you buy certain wild caught shrimp from Argentina, Mexico, Texas, New Brunswick and Alaska, for example, you can be certain that slavery ships were not used to get the shrimp to your table.  The chocolate as well, is certified Fair Trade, which also means, for example, that child labour was not used to produce the chocolate.  Fair Trade Chocolate and other Fair Trade ingredients can be purchased at Ten Thousand Villages and through Fair Trade Manitoba.

Shrimp and other seafood are available at Gimli Fish.

Shrimp with dips (Korean)

1 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.

Ooey Gooey Brownies
1/2 cup butter
3 oz dark Fair trade Chocolate*
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unbleached white flour

*Callebaut Chocolate available at DeLuca's Grocery Store in Winnipeg or look for the Fair Trade label.  www.fairtrademanitoba.ca  Camino Chocolate can be found at Ten Thousand Villages.

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Butter an 8-9 inch square baking pan or bread pan.
In a heavy large pot, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring occasionally. Prepare remaining ingredients separately. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. When the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from heat. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and stir until well incorporated. Add the beaten eggs and stir quickly to prevent the eggs from cooking. Stir in flour and mix until smooth.

Pour into pan and bake for up to 20 minutes. Enjoy hot or cold. Optional to add up to 1/4 cup of your favourite chopped nuts.

Spätzle and Halal Veal Schnitzel with Jaeger Sauce on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

This morning I will be presenting these comfort foods on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  These dishes are so easy to prepare.  I used Halal Veal from Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame in Winnipeg.  The calf is raised free and naturally and without cruelty.  

The Spätzle is available from Nature's Farm at today's St. Norbert's Farmer's Market at the Eagle's Club from 10 - 1.  Preparing it couldn't be easier.  I simply sautéed it in brown butter with nutmeg.

Enjoy!

Jaeger Schnitzel with Spätzle

Veal cutlet, pounded thin and floured both sides (Local Halal Veal is available at Millad’s Supermarket on Notre Dame) Optional method:  Slice veal into strips, toss with a bit of seasoned flour, and then brown, remove from pan instead of larger pieces of meat.

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (or more if desired)

1 tsp. garlic and fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp. onion (or shallots), finely chopped

1 finely diced carrot

½ cup white wine (some people use apple juice)

¼ cup cream

½ cup +/- veal or beef stock (optional if prefer more cream)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Optional:  smoked hot or sweet paprika

Cooking Directions

Pan with oil/ butter, mix hot, sauté veal cutlet on both sides until lightly browned. Take cutlet out of pan, keep to side. Add mushrooms, garlic, onions and parsley, and sauté until partially cooked. Add wine, de-glaze pan, then and cream. Put cutlet back in pan and let simmer in sauce for one minute to two minutes.

Serve with Spätzle from Nature’s Farm that has been sautéed in brown butter with nutmeg, as follows:

1 pkg Spätzle from Nature’s Farm (available at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market on Saturday at the Eagle’s Club)

1/3 -1/2 cup Notre Dame Butter

Healthy grating of nutmeg or good pinch ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste

Kerala crab and steelhead trout on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 On Saturday morning I will be presenting the following dishes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Sarah Penton.  The Wild Caught Alaskan Snow Crab legs, available at Gimli Fish, are so easy to work with!  They are precooked and frozen and the shells are scored to make eating the crab so much easier.

South Indian Crab Curry

1-2 kg frozen Wild Caught Alaskan Snow Crab legs (Available at Gimli Fish - 2 bags =~4 entrée size portions)
1/4 oil
2 big onions, chopped and smashed (traditionally done on a large stone)
20 curry leaves (Available at Dino’s Grocery Mart, Lucky’s Dong Thai, etc.)
6 green chillies, slit
10 small cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tsp chile powder (aka,cayenne)
3 tbs. corriander powder
1/2 tbs. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. pepper powder
2 tbs. garam masala

1 1/2 cups coconut milk (easy and inexpensive method to making coconut milk; 1-2 cups UNSWEETENED dry coconut and 1-2 cups very hot water.  Liquify in blender for about 2 minutes, strain into a bowl and that is your coconut cream.  Repeat with less very hot water and that is your coconut milk, combine for this recipe)
1/2 tsp salt to or to taste

Method:
In a large skillet heat the oil and add the onions, smashed garlic and green chili. After some time add the smashed ginger until they are soft. Chili can be added as per how spicy you like it. When cooked through, add the  crab and cook through.  The crab legs are pre cooked and the shells are scored for easy access and breaking.


Steelhead Trout Curry
 
For wonderful quick Kerala Steehead Trout curry, available at Gimli Fish, repeat all of the ingredients except for the crab.  Cook the Steelhead filets in the spicy coconut mixture on medium heat, simmering until cooked through, about 7 minutes.  The Steelhead Trout is sustainably raised in Warren, MB at Watersong Farms and is delivered fresh on Thursday afternoons.

Other options:  Try with mussels!

Enjoy!

Anti-inflammatory foods on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Yesterday morning I introduced these recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Host Terry MacLeod.  These are easy and delicious foods that have the added benefits of helping, and not harming you.  They help with inflammation.  Allium foods, such as onions, garlic, leeks, etc., are top of the list of anti-inflammatory foods.  Others include turmeric, cloves, pineapple, and high antioxidant foods such as beets, blueberries, saskatoons, etc.

Gorgeous beets, dark leafy greens, etc. are all available now at the Farmer's Market!

 Enjoy! 

Anti-inflammatory foods

1. Grilled Pineapple Salsa

1 pineapple, cored then grilled, then chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, roasted whole over grill then chopped

1 ear corn, roasted or 1 cup pan fried

1/2 cup cooked black beans

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground chipotle peppers

1/2 cup chopped or pureed tomatoes

salt, to taste

2 tbs brown sugar

2-4 tbs vinegar

drizzle olive oil

3 tbs fresh chopped mint

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Refrigerate and enjoy with tortillas or in your favourite dish.  Try with fish tacos.  Excellent local corn tortillas are available at Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame.

2. Beet Chips (you might want to use gloves)

1-3 beets (try red, white, chiogga, golden, etc.)

Sea salt, to tastes.

Olive oil, to coat

Preheat oven to 400F.  Thinly slice beets with a mandolin (USE GUARD!), or with a food processor.  Place beets in a bowl of cold water and soak for about an hour.  Drain well on paper towels.  Lay chips on a Silpat or parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil over chips and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Bake until starting to crisp up, about 15 minutes, checking.  Cool or place chips in a bowl and toss with salt.  Alternatively, you can fry in small batches in sunflower or canola oil. 

 Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving! on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

 Tomorrow I will be presenting these recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  I am so thankful for such an abundance of beautiful products here in Manitoba!  These dishes can all be prepared in advance, to make your Thanksgiving feast a celebration for all.  

I prepared Eye of Round Beef, because it is versatile and as an option from Turkey.  For other Turkey ideas, please look in my blog.

1. Wildrice pancakes

2 cups cooked wild rice (Black Duck Lake Wild Rice at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)*

4 large eggs (I used Nature’s Farm eggs)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup flour (optional to use wild rice flour or potato flour, for gluten-free alternatives)

½ tsp ground nutmeg

Optional spices:  Cajun, Turkish, Moroccan, Italian blends

Olive oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.  In a hot skillet, heat oil and form pancakes.  Cook until crisp and brown on each side.  Enjoy as a side dish with cranberry sauce or relish, chutneys, etc.

*I boiled the wild rice in a pot of water for 40 minutes, then drained the water.

2. Walnut fig orange stuffed Eye of Round roast

1 3 lb eye of round roast beef (Wildfire Farms at St.Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Optional marinade:  ½ cup red wine, rub with Ras el Hanout, salt, to taste, drizzle olive oil, 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Filling:  ½ cup walnuts, chopped , zest of one orange, juice of one orange, ½ cup chopped dried figs (or other dried fruit), 1 egg, salt and pepper, ½ cup chopped parsley

Dijon Mustard, to coat roast

Cut open an eye of round roast to lay flat.  Marinate overnight, if desired.  Remove from marinade and reserve liquid.  Lightly coat both sides of roast with Dijon Mustard and place filling inside, roll and tie roast.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large pan, sear roast to brown all over and place in baking dish.  Bake with liquid over chopped onions and carrots for 20 minutes a pound for rare meat.

Let meat rest before cutting.  Enjoy hot or cold.  Prepare a sauce with drippings by pureeing and cooking, adding a bit of butter and red wine.

Chef's Notes:  You can also cook the roast in a slow cooker for fall apart tenderness.  If cooking rare, slice thinly after resting the meat.
 

Enjoy!

3. Solberry CurdTarts

½ -3/4 cup Solberry Puree (Available at Co-op stores and Vita Health)

1/2 cup butter (I used Notre Dame butter)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs (I use Nature’s Farm eggs, available at the St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Mix sugar, eggs and Solberry in a bowl

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a double saucepan over a very gentle heat.

Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 3 beaten eggs, the grated lemon zest and the Solberry.

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. (If using curd for Lemon Meringue Pie/tarts, cool in fridge), or cool in a container until needed.

Enjoy in tarts, as a spread, with meringue, over pavlova, etc.

Lunches from the Market on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning I will be presenting the following dishes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  Lunches can easily be prepared in advance for a great experience, and save money.

Yellow Split Pea Soup with smoked Berkshire hock (Wildfire Farms)

1 onion, chopped

1 smoked pork hock (available at Wildfire Farms at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market, Zinn Farms)

1 tbs olive oil

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 cups yellow lentils (try varieties such as green split peas, red lentils, etc.)

1 tbs Cajun spices (equal parts hot smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle)

1 tsp salt (to taste)

Pepper, to taste

4-6 cups water or broth

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

When the meat on the hock is tender to fall off of the bone, remove from the pot, and piece out the meat, discarding the skin and bones. 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.

Crusty Rustic Bread Recipe (easy bread recipe with great results from Inn at the Crossroads in Game of Thrones)

Ingredients:

3 cups of water

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Coarse Salt

1 /1/2 Tablespoons of Yeast (2 packets)

1-2 Tbs. honey

6 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (I use Prairie Flour from Elie, MB for this recipe)

Flour to dust dough ball

Run your tap until the water is warm, just about body temperature.  If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Add the yeast and honey to the water and mix it up. Don’t worry if all the yeast does not dissolve; it will finish mixing in the flour.  At this point, add the flour and salt and begin working into the mixture.  You can use a spoon, but will probably have to dig in with your hands to finish the job.

Shake some extra flour out on the counter. To knead the dough, dump it out onto a clean, floured countertop.  Knead for around 5 minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand, then gathering the dough back into a lump.  Add a little flour at a time as needed if the dough is too sticky. Knead until the dough becomes one big mass; You will know when the dough is ready by poking it: if the dough bounces back, you’re all set.

Now place your dough into a clean bowl, cover with a towel, and let sit in a warm place for about 2 hours. You can also let it rise overnight by putting it in the refrigerator, where it will rise more slowly.  You can even let the dough sit in the fridge for a couple of days, at which point it will begin to take on a slight sourdough taste.

Once your dough has at least doubled in size you are ready to form it into loaves.  Divide the dough into thirds. This is the only time you really handle the dough. You need to pull it down to form a ball, tucking all the ends in at the bottom. The ball should be semi smooth.

Now, sprinkle a dash of cornmeal on a baking sheet and place the dough on top. The corn meal keeps the bread from sticking. Allow to rise for about 40 minutes.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Before putting the bread in the oven, dust the top with a bit of  flour and make some light slices into the dough for that artisan look. You can make the loaves any shape you like, although a larger loaf will take longer to bake.

One final trick to a nice loaf of rustic bread is to make the crust crusty.  To achieve this, fill a second baking dish or a broiler pan with water and place it under the rack where your bread will go.  The steam from the water adds a nice crunch to the loaf.  Place your risen loaves in the oven, close the door, and bake for around 30 minutes to start.  The crust should have a dark brown color, and the loaves should sound hollow when you tap them.

You will be tempted to break into the hot bread, but if you can stand to wait, it will give the bread a chance to really settle into perfection.  Serve the bread sliced, plain, with seasoned olive oil, honey, or your favorite butter.

Seared Tuna Sandwich

2 slices Rustic Loaf (above recipe, or, wonderful sourdough bread from Old Church Bakery at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

1 Wild Caught Ahi Tuna Steak (Available at Gimli Fish)

1 generous tbs favourite spice blend for coating tuna (I used a smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle blend today)

Favourite sandwich toppings: I’m using pesto, a little mayo, Dijon Mustard, cheese, etc.

Coat tuna steak in spices (or sesame seeds, pepper, dried herbs, etc.).  Heat pan to medium-high to high heat.  Add sesame or olive oil and sear tuna steak on each side for 1 minute.  Remove steak from heat and let rest.  

Toast bread and prepare with your favourite fillings.  Cut tuna steak to fit into sandwich, wrap and enjoy your lunch!

Gluten Free Lunch!

Corn Tortillas (Available at Dino’s Grocery Mart on Notre Dame)

Assorted microgreens (available at Fresh Forage Microgreens Sunday at The Forks Farmer’s Market)

Cooked Quinoa (available at Tamarack Farms at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Salsa (try the recipe below with Farmer’s market offerings: Late Summer Salsa Mexicana (served with toasted tortillas)

Options: black beans, refried beans, cheese, etc.

Bring ingredients for lunch, lightly toast the tortillas in a toaster or toaster oven, and assemble.  Enjoy!

Late Summer Salsa Mexicana

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 small white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/4 cup)

1 red mirasol or jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded (if you wish) and finely chopped

1 pound late summer tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh herbs, lemon verbana, chives, cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), or any combination of herbs you may like

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold tap water, shake off the excess and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mirasol chile, tomatoes, herbs and lime. Stir well, taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon. This salsa is best if eaten within an hour or two, but it will keep for a number of hours in the refrigerator.