Fair Trade Fair Foods on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 Today, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, I featured issues and foods around Fair Trade.  The Seekh Kebabs are made with lamb but they can be made with ground beef.  I purchased the lamb from Millad's Supermarket.  The Mint and pomegranate raita is just yummy.  Featured also is sourdough bread from Old Church Bakery.  

I've added a website for you to test your own Slavery Footprint.  Making our purchases from local producers, and getting to know our suppliers, will help to end slavery.

 

Thank you to Zack Gross and MCIC for their generous gifts in promotion of Fair Trade.

Slavery Footprint - Made In A Free World

www.slaveryfootprint.org

How many slaves work for you? There are 27 million slaves in the world today. Many of them contribute to the supply chains that end up in the products we use every day.

 

 

Seekh Kebabs

1 lb ground lamb

1 onion, finely chopped

1-3 green chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped

1 1/2 tbs garam masala

1 tbs chick pea flour (I used quinoa flour, available at Tamarack Farms, and I recommend their pea flour)

1 tsp toasted ground cumin

3-5 finely chopped green onions

2 tbs finely chopped mint

2 tbs finely chopped cilantro

salt, to taste

1-2 lemons, cut into wedges

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the lemon wedges, in a bowl.  Cover and chill for at least one hour.  I blended all of the ingredients, except for the lamb, in a food processor.

When ready to cook, take a flat skewer, and, regularly dipping your hand in a bowl of water to prevent sticking, squish handful by handful onto the skewer, about 12-15 cm (5-7 inches)

Cook on a medium hot BBQ, turning regularly, until slightly charred on the ends and cooked through. 

Squeeze lemon juice over before eating.

Serve with raita and in rotis.

Mint Raita

3-4 tbs mint

1/2 green chili, de-seeded and chopped

1 cup good yoghurt

a few pomegranate seeds

salt, to tastes

Blend mint, chili, pomegranate seeds, and salt into a blender or processor and purée.  Add the yoghurt and mix well. 

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.

Avocado Toasts and Miso Soup for CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

On Saturday morning, I'll be presenting the following dishes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  It is difficult to imagine Spring today, but Avocado toasts will feel more summery.   I'll be using wonderful Sourdough bread from Old Church Bakery.  I'm also making the Avocado toasts at the market for sale!  They will be topped with Radish sprouts from Fresh Forage, also available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market!

Avocado Toasts
Really?  A recipe?  Mash or slice up an avocado on toast and season how you might like.  Spicy, shrimp, fried egg, herbs, green onions, etc.  Key is, the great bread from Old Church Bakery!

Miso Soup
1 ~ 5X8" sheet of kombu (available at most Asian grocery stores, such as Sun Wah, Oriental Market, etc.)
2-3 cups Bonito Flakes (available at most Asian grocery stores, such as Sun Wah, Oriental Market, etc)
1/2 -3/4 cup Miso paste (availability, see above)
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 pkg or two blocks soft tofu, finely cubed
1/4 cup Mirin
1/4 cup Tamari or Soy Sauce
Splash sesame oil

To start:  In a pot with 4-6 cups water, bring water and kombu sheet to a boil.  Add Bonito Flakes.  Bring to temperature and drain.

Whisk in Miso Paste and add tofu, green onions, and remaining ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Avocado toasts are loaded with good things.  Things like fibre and good fats that will benefit weight loss, cholesterol, metabolism, etc.




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Spring Flavours for Nowruz, Easter, and Passover, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 For CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I will be presenting the following dishes.  Red Snapper Ceviche, Sole with Chermoula (Moroccan), and Charoset, a Moroccan version.

All of these dishes are very simple to prepare and are quite delightful. 

Red Snapper Ceviche1 pound skinless red snapper fillets, cut into 1/4-inch dice (Available at Gimli Fish)
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/2 cup finely diced red bell peppers
1/2 cup finely diced yellow bell peppers
1/2 thinly sliced small red onion
1 minced small garlic clove
Pinch of ground cumin
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt

1 bunch each of mustard and radish sprouts (from Fresh Forage and available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

In a large bowl, toss the diced fish with the lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper and season with salt. Refrigerate the snapper ceviche for 30 minutes. Stir in the sprouts and extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

 Sole with Chermoula
2-3 sole fillets per person
olive oil or butter, for cooking fish

3-5 large cloves garlic
¼ tsp cayenne
1 heaping tbs cumin
pinch saffron
½ bunch parsley
1 whole bunch cilantro
handful mustard sprouts (available from Fresh Forage at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
handful radish sprouts (available from Fresh Forage at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
juice of one lemon
2 tbs vinegar
1 generous tbs olive oil
salt, to taste

In a mortar or blender, mix the garlic, cayenne, cumin, saffron, herbs and sprouts, lemon, vinegar, olive oil, and salt, to a paste. 

Just before serving, heat butter or olive oil in a sauté pan to medium heat.  Season the fillets.  Cook a couple of minutes per side and plate.  Spoon Chermoula over the fish. 

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 Moroccan Haroset (Charoset)

1 lb blanched almonds
1 lb pitted dates
2 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 tsp ground good cinnamon, plus ½ cup for rolling
¼ tsp ground ginger

The day before, finely grind almonds in a food processor. Add the dates, apples and 1 tsp cinnamon and the ginger and continue pulsing until the apples are chopped into tiny pieces and the mixture comes together. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, shape the mixture into balls the size of a large marble. Put the ½ cup cinnamon in a bowl and roll the balls in it.

Spicy Chongqing Mala Chicken and Spanish Roasted Potato Tapas for CBC

I will be presenting these two dishes on Saturday for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  They are using local ingredients for flavours from Sichuan, China, and Spain.  Both are quite simple to prepare with big flavours.  

Chongqing, Sichuan Mala Chicken 
(DON'T EAT THE CHILIES!!!)

4 chicken thighs (available at St. Norbert's Farmers Market from Wildfire Farms)
cooking oil for frying
1/4 cup of chili peppers (or less, to tastes) Try4-5 chilies to start
1 and ½ tbsp. Sichuan peppercorn
1 root ginger, sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 scallions, white part and green part separated and cut into small sections

1/2 cup skin-on peanuts (optional)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. sesame seeds, or as needed
pinch of salt

Marinating

1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice wine
¼ tsp. white pepper powder
2 tsp. cornstarch (optional)
small pinch of salt

Cut the dried chili peppers, discard the seeds and then soak the peppers in water for 15 minutes. We are doing this so we can fry the peppers later and prevent burn the peppers.

If using bone-in chicken thighs, remove bones and cut chicken into bite-sized cubes. In a large bowl, marinade the chicken cubes with all the marinating sauce. Mix well and set aside for around 10 minutes.

Heat up oil in wok or pan for deep-frying. Heat until really hot (you can see bubbles when you put a chopstick in). Add the chicken cubes in and fry until golden brown. Transfer out. I recommend frying the chicken by batches. After add the chicken cubes, let it stay for a short time (possible about 40 seconds to 1 minute) until one side is browned and then slightly stir the chicken and fry the other side.

Clean out the wok with a cloth or paper towel and add only ½ tablespoon of oil and then fry the peppers for 1-2 minutes over slowest fire until most of them becomes dark red. Add Sichuan peppercorn in and continue frying for another 1 minute over slowest heat.

Push the spices to one side and add ½ tablespoon of oil in wok and fry ginger, scallion white, peanuts and garlic until aromatic.

Return the chicken cubes, add roasted white sesame seeds, sugar, salt and scallion green sections. Mix well and serve immediately.

Potato wedges with roasted garlic dip

3 lb potatoes (try the Viking variety available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt

Roasted Garlic Dip
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1 tbs olive oil
5 tbs sour cream
4 tbs mayonnaise
hot smoked paprika, to taste
salt

Roast the garlic for 25 minutes at 350ºF until caramelized. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze out and mash. Mix in a bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with salt and paprika. Chill.

For the potatoes, cut each potato half into 3 wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and salt and toss well. Transfer to a roasting pan and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 1- 1/14 hours, or until crisp and golden.

Serve immediately with roasted garlic dip.

Enjoy!

Korean Pizza and Moroccan Squash Soup on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Yesterday on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Nadia Kidwai, I presented two dishes that are easy to prepare, delicious, seasonal, and can be made quite locally yet originate from Morocco and Korea.  Moroccan Squash soup is warming and spicy and quite comforting.  Korean Pizza, or Bindettok, is so fun to make and eat and is great for party foods, celebrating, or make with leftovers.  Bindettok can be made in so many different ways, from soaking Mung Beans with sweet rice and grinding it for the base, to any flour mixture wanted.  For that reason, I've labelled the recipe Gluten-Free.  You can make it with quinoa flour, pea flour, rice flour, etc and still have great results.

Moroccan Squash Soup

1 yellow onion, chopped
pinch coarse salt
1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs butternut, kabocha, or calabaza squash halved, peeled and seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks (about 6 cups) Available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market
2 tbs good tomato paste (Millad's Supermarket)
1 tsp La Kama Spice Mixture (1 tsp each of ground ginger, turmeric and white pepper, good pinch of grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon and optional cubeb pepper)
1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 lb crumbled chevre
1 tsp or more to taste Harissa paste
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook onion in heavy bottomed pot or casserole dish (tajine) on medium low heat with the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes
2. Add the squash, cover with parchment paper and/lid and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, spices and 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the squash is tender, about 20+ minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Blend in batches or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the cream and 3.4 or the cheese and the harissa at the end. Puree until velvety.
5. Bring up to heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve into warmed bowls and top each portion with a light sprinkling of the remaining cheese.

Enjoy! 

Bindettok

1 cup flour
1 cup water
pinch salt

Whisk flour and water and salt together until smooth.  Then add your optional fillings as follows:

 Options:
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 cup chopped kimchi
1/ cup chopped mushrooms
2-4 chopped green onions
shrimp (I used New Brunswick shrimp from Gimli Fish)
1/2 cup red peppers (or any colour that you prefer)
 ETC.

Dipping Sauce:  soy sauce, black vinegar, grated ginger, chopped green onion, white pepper

Add options to the batter and cook in pancake form in a medium hot pan for a few minutes per side, flipping twice.  Enjoy with dipping sauce.  You can also use scissors to cut up the Bindettok for ease of serving.

Enjoy!

Kalbi - Korean Beef Short Ribs on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Today,  on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I will be presenting these amazing Korean Beef Short Ribs.  First of all, the beef.  Wonderful meaty beef short ribs from Wildfire Farm.  I also love Korean food.  It is wonderful to sit together and enjoy meals in Korea.  This recipe is so simple to prepare and even easier in an Instant Pot!  You can leave out the marinating time if using the Instant Pot.

I'm serving these ribs with Cook's Creek Kimchi, also available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday and the PopUp market at VIA Rail on Sunday.

Kalbi  Korean beef ribs in Instant Pot*

1 pkg Beef Ribs (available today from Wildfire Farms at St.Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

1 onion, sliced thinly

8 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tbs grated ginger

1 Asian Pear, grated finely

2 cups beef broth

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup

2 (+) tbs Kochujiang (gochujang – Korean pepper paste)

2 tbs rice or black vinegar

1 tbs good sesame oil (dark toasted and single ingredient)

1 tbs black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

For the garnishing and serving:

1 bunch green onions, sliced for garnishing

2 tbs sesame seeds

Kimchi (available today from Cook’s Creek Kimchi at St.Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Rice

Fresh herbs, such as Perilla leaf, mint, coriander, basil, etc.

Shredded carrots

1. Combine onion, garlic, ginger, grated pear, beef broth, soy saucy, sugar, vinegar and sesame, Kochujiang, pepper and salt.  Place beef ribs in the marinade and let sit, chilled, for a few hours.

2. For the Instant Pot method:  Place ribs into the pot and pour over the marinade.  Shut and lock the lid and seal the valve.  Set the Instant Pot to cook under high pressure for 45 minutes.  (Press Manual or Pressure Cook, the + button until it is set to 45).  Let the pressure release naturally.  If it hasn’t after 25 minutes, release it to venting.  Check that the ribs are tender.  If not, continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes under high pressure.  Serve with rice, kimchi and garnishes.

Enjoy!

*  If you have a slow cooker, place ribs and marinade in slow cooker for 4-6 hours.  Remove ribs from cooker and brown if desired.

Sichuan Whitefish and North Indian Cheela (Gluten Free flatbread!) on CBC!

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I presented a dish from North India and a Sichuan fish dish.  So yummy together as well as quite simple to prepare!

The local whitefish is related to salmon, caught wild in Manitoba, and is higher in omega fatty acids than in salmon.  It is a sustainable fish.  This fish was brought down yesterday from fishers 9 hours North of Winnipeg.  It is available at Gimli Fish.  

The Pea Flour that I used for the Cheela, was from Tamarack Farm.  Traditionally, this lovely flatbread is made with Chick Pea flour, or Besan.  The local pea flour is a wonderful ingredient for this incredibly simple dish!

Sichuan Crispy Whitefish

1 whole whitefish (available at Gimli Fish)*

2 ½ tbs shaoxin rice wine

2 ½ tbs finely chopped ginger

½ tsp salt

Oil to deep fry fish in wok

2 -4 spring onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 ½ tsp chilli bean paste

1 cup stock or water

2 ½ tbs soy sauce

3 tsp sugar

2 tbs Chinese black vinegar

1 tbs corn flour

Coriander

At 1 inch intervals, cut scores into the fish diagonally through to the bone on both sides.

Mix shaoxin rice wine with 2 tsps ground ginger and salt.  Place the fish into a dish and spread the wine, ginger, salt mixture all over the fish.  Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat wok filled ¼ of oil, to medium heat.  Holding the fish by the tail, slide in to cook.  Cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of the fish, or until brown on both sides.  For extra crispy, dredge the fish first in corn starch.  After cooking, drain fish on paper towel and set aside. 

Remove oil from wok, leaving 1 ½ tbs of oil.  Heat oil to sauté green onions, ginger, garlic, chili bean paste for about 10-20 seconds.  Add rice wine, water or stock, soy, sugar, and black vinegar and bring to a boil.  Add fish and heat, covered, for another 10 minutes. 

Cook up the remaining sauce in pan with a bit of water and corn starch until thickened.  Serve over the fish with fresh coriander and/or more green onions.

Enjoy!

Cheela with Local Pea Flour

There are many variations of this very simple flatbread.  It can be prepared plain or with many kinds of spices and vegetables.  This one today is made with Tamarack Farms Pea Flour, instead of Besan, or Chick pea flour.  This is also a Gluten-Free flatbread.

2 cups Pea Flour (available today at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market from Tamarack Farms)

1 tbs chat masala (or chilies, garam masala, etc.)

1-2 chopped shallots (I used dried shallots today)

Salt, to tastes

Water, to make a smooth batter, like a crepe consistency

Oil, for cooking

Combine pea flour, seasonings, salt, etc in a bowl.  Stir in water to make a crepe batter consistency.  Heat pan and spread like a thin pancake.  Pour 1 tsp oil on the sides and cook on medium heat until each side is golden.

Serve hot with dishes or chutneys.

Enjoy!

Kitcheri on CBC

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidway, I presented the following dishes.  I made these for a few reasons.  It is a New Year and we all need help with ideas for keeping New Year's resolutions, be they about your own health, or about buying local food and supporting local producers.  These dishes are very healthy and are recommended for recovering from illness, as a cleansing diet, and great vegan proteins.  These are also delicious.

Kitcheri 1 (Red lentils and Basmati Rice)

1 cup Basmati Rice, washed

1 cup Red Lentils, washed

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground coriander

1/8 tsp asafetida

In a small blender:

1" inch ginger

1 Green chili pepper (optional)

1 head garlic cloves

1-2 pieces of fresh turmeric or 1 tsp ground turmeric

(blend until smooth)

8 leaves curry leaves

4 cups Water (or combination with coconut milk)

1 1/2 tsp salt

 Options:  Cooked squash, cubed

Instructions

1. Start instant pot in sauté mode and heat oil in it. Add black mustard seeds and cook until popping.
2. Add sliced onions and stir until translucent and starting to brown.
3. Add ginger mixture with curry leaves and brown, then add rice, lentils and water. Stir in salt. Close lid with vent in sealing position. 
4. Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 5 minutes.
5. When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally (NPR)
6. (optional) For tempering, heat ghee in a small pan and add the red chili powder to it. Add it on the cooked Kitcheri.

Kitcheri 2 Quinoa and yellow split peas

Ingredients

1 cup Brown quinoa, rinsed (Available at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market at Tamarack Farms)

½ cup split yellow lentils

1 yellow onion, sliced

4-6 cups low sodium organic vegetable broth

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tbs Turkish Baharat (or your favourite spice blend)

2 cups favourite vegetable such as spinach, kale, sorrel, etc, chopped

1 small acorn squash, baked and scooped out

½ cup good tomato paste

chopped tomatoes, to preferences

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Wash & drain the dal & quinoa
2. Chop all veggies.
3. Heat the oil & add the spices, sauté for a minute or until fragrant.
4. Stir in the mung dal & quinoa.
5. Desired amount of broth, bring to low boil & then cover & simmer for 30-40 minutes or until soft & soupy.
6. In the final 10-15 minutes of cooking, add the chopped vegetables.
7. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro
8. Optional garnishes such as fresh sprouts from Fresh Forage, dried chili mango slices from Food for Folks, etc.

Fennel Seared Scallops on Creamy Fennel and Rosemary Pasta on CBC

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten, I presented the following dish using Nature's Farm pasta, Scallops from Gimli Fish, butter from Notre Dame Dairies, and love.  

Fennel Seared Scallops on Creamy fennel and rosemary pasta
2 scallops per person (large dry scallops are available at Gimli Fish)*

ground fennel

butter

drizzle olive oil

salt and pepper

1 pkg Rosemary and fennel pasta (from Nature's Farm and available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
1-2 shallots, sliced
1 tbs butter (Notre Dame Butter)
drizzle olive oil
1/2 - 1 cup cream, depending on amounts
1/2 cup (+) white wine
splash Pernod or Ouzo
salt and pepper, to tastes

Prepare sauce by sautéing shallots in butter and olive oil.  When soft, add the cream, wine, Pernod and season, to tastes. 

To sear scallops:  dry scallops off on a paper towel and dip in seasoned ground fennel.  Bring a pan to medium-high heat with butter and olive oil, to prevent burning.  Brown (sear) scallops on both sides when ready to serve immediately.

When ready to serve, prepare pasta and toss with sauce.  Top with seared scallops. 

*Dry scallops are an excellent quality scallop as they have not been injected with a type of saline preservative.  Dry are preferable as they can brown, whereas the wet scallops won't. 

Enjoy!

Turkish Sticky Figgy Pudding, aka Fig Meshnun, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 Tomorrow, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Nadia Kidwai, I will be presenting the following dessert.  This was a huge hit at my former restaurant and I made this by popular demand today.  The cakes/puddings, can be prepared in advance, as can the butterscotch sauce, to make your holiday feast easier.

Always use the best ingredients for baking.  We have such great eggs, from Nature's Farm, butter, from Notre Dame Dairies, and flour, from Prairie Flour Mills. There are very few local flour mills in Manitoba.  Try out the flours from Tall Grass Bakery and Prairie Flour Mills!

Fig Mešhnun

Sticky Dried Fig Pudding (Fig Mešhnun)

1/2 pound dried figs, finely chopped

2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3 ounces butter (at room temperature) (I used Notre Dame Butter)

9 ounces superfine sugar

3 free-range eggs (I used Nature's Farm eggs, available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

1 teaspoon ground ginger
9 ounces flour

Butterscotch Sauce

8 ounces butter

7 ounces heavy cream

12 ounces brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and butter 12 five-seven ounce metal molds, a 10-inch square cake tin or a 10X8 inch jelly-roll pan.

Put the figs, boiling water, and baking soda into a bowl, then stir well and leave to stand for 20 minutes.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well.  Mix the ginger into the flour, then sift onto the mixture and fold in.  Stir in the fig mixture and pour into the buttered molds.  Bake for 15 minutes.

While the puddings are baking, make the butterscotch sauce.  Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally, but not too much or it will crystallize.

After 15 minutes baking, spoon a bit of the sauce on top of each pudding and then return to the oven for 5 more minutes, or when a skewer comes out cleanly.

To serve, unmold the puddings onto dessert plates, then invert them so the sticky surface is on top.  Serve with extra sauce.

Enjoy!

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!

Manitoba Grilled Roast Beef and cheese sandwiches

I made these Manitoba grilled roast beef and cheese for CBC’s Weekend Morning Show with Nadia Kidwai. Roast beef ready sliced by Manitoba Beef, Sourdough Pumpernickel Rye by Old Church Bakery, “Trappist” cheese, as a new product to come. Mostarda, Beef, and Bread are available on every other Saturday at St.Norbert’s Farmer’s Market at the Eagles Club from 10-1.

Sourdough Pumpernickel Rye - Old Church Bakery
Roast Beef - Manitoba Beef
"Trappist" cheese - TBA from Loaf and Honey
Mostarda - from KarenFood
Dijon Mustard
Notre Dame Butter

Build your sandwich with these lovely ingredients and place on medium high heat pan with butter melted in the pan.  Turn over sandwich when browned.  Finish sandwich when cheese is melted.  Cut and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 

You say fish soup, I say Bouillabaisse, for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

I will be presenting the following dish tomorrow for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Host Nadia Kidwai.   Bouillabaisse is a classic Provençal dish, that is versatile in many of the ingredients as it is based on local and seasonal ingredients. 

The fish and seafood are available at Gimli Fish.  They have a wonderful new delivery system as well! Visit www.gimlifish.com to make an order and you will have amazing fish and seafood within two hours! 

For the soup base, I used onions, garlic, fresh fennel, tomatoes, and herbs, all available now at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.  The tomatoes and fennel are from Fertile Farm, the herbs from Almost Urban, and you can find many other things to add to the soup, as per your tastes.

Enjoy!

Bouillabaisse

Ingredients
For the soup broth:

Bones and shells from the fish and shell fish, completely rinsed
9 cups water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
10 whole sprigs parsley


For the soup base:

2 large onions, chopped finely
10 garlic cloves, chopped roughly or crushed
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 cup parsley, chopped very finely
Salt and pepper to taste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Small handful fresh thyme leaves
3 to 5 long strips of orange rind (no white pith)
3 bay leaves
6 to 12 saffron stems
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped finely (remove seeds and white "ribbing")
1 pound frozen cod, thawed and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
A few splashes of Pernod

For the "body" of the soup:

3 to 4 pounds of various fish or shellfish.

Traditional bouillabaisse has no shellfish, but there is no harm in adding mussels, shrimp, crab or lobster if you feel like it.

There are many kinds of fish you can add to make this your own fish soup recipe. Haddock, red snapper, monk fish, sea bass, striped bass are all good choices. Just avoid the oily, fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, as these will overpower rather than blend in with the other ingredients.

Preparation
1. In a large soup pot, combine all the ingredients for the broth. Bring to a very light boil, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes or so.

2. Run the broth through a strainer, and keep it aside.

3. Heat the oil in the soup pot on medium low to medium heat. Add onions, garlic, parsley, fennel seed (1 teaspoon, not both), and salt. Saute until the onions are soft.

4. Add tomatoes, thyme, orange peel, bay leaves, pepper, saffron and jalapeno. Simmer for up to 30 minutes.

5. Return the fish broth to the soup pot. Add the pound of chopped fish and cook until fish is completely cooked.

6. Remove the orange peel (if it is in large strips) and bay leaves and put them aside. We do not want to puree them.

7. Either use a hand-held blender to puree the soup, or puree in a stand-up blender in batches. Add the bay leaves and orange peels back to the soup, and pour in the white wine and cook for 30 minutes to an hour. Add Pernod.

8. Add the various fish to the soup. Add the longest-cooking fish first so all the fish ends up cooked at the same time.

Happy Thanksgiving! On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Happy Thanksgiving!  Yesterday I featured a few easy to prepare Thanksgiving side dishes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Nadia Kidwai.  One is a Mennonite dish, called Bubbat, which is similar to scones, another is a vegetarian creamy mushroom sauce, and the third is a simple way to prepare Brussels Sprouts with Beef Bacon.

This was a Manitoba menu.  The Brussels Sprouts were from Fertile Farm.  The beef bacon is from Wildfire farm.  Both are available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Markets.  I used Notre Dame butter, also from Manitoba.  For the Bubbat, which also uses a wonderful local flour by Prairie Mills, I used wonderful raisins that are available at Millad's Supermarket, on Notre Dame Ave.  They originate in Afghanistan, but are at a great local store.

Mennonite Bubbat

There are many variations on this recipe, dating back to traditions before there were Russian Mennonites in the Molotschna and Chortiza colonies, I'm sure.  

 

Preheat oven to 350ºF

2 cups flour

1 tbs baking powder

1 cup raisins, soaked and dried

2 tbs sugar

1/4 cup butter melted (I melted the butter in the oven in the 8X8 pan so that it would be greased at the same time)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cream (can add more if more moisture is required)

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add the raisins.  Mix together the milk, cream and egg in a measuring cup.  Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients, mix and then add the milk mixture.  Stir well, incorporating all of the mixture.  If it is too dry, add more cream.  Spread mixture into the 8X8 pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350ºF.  Let cool and serve with dinner. 

Brussels Sprouts roasted with Beef Bacon and Maple Syrup

1 -2 stems Brussels Sprouts, removed from stem and cut in half (Available from Fertile Farm at St. Norbert's Farmers Market)

4 strips beef bacon, cut into chunks (available from Wildfire Farms, at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

drizzle olive oil
drizzle balsamic vinegar
a couple pinches salt
up to 1/2 cup maple syrup

Stir all of the ingredients together in a roasting pan.  Roast open at 400ºF for up to 30 minutes or more, until done.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Sauce
2 cups sliced assorted mushrooms
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs butter
drizzle olive oil
1 cup cream
1/2 cup white wine
nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
thyme, to tastes

Sauté onion in a saucepan on medium heat in butter and olive oil until translucent.  Add mushrooms and cook well.  Add seasonings, to aid cooking mushrooms down.  Add cream and wine and simmer.  Enjoy!
 

Soups on at CBC's Weekend Morning Show

On Saturday, I presented the following 3 soups for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  Each are quite simple to prepare with loads of great flavours.  I'm very passionate about soup having a lot of big flavours.

Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

4 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
1 large oven roasted yam or sweet potato
1 head roasted garlic
2 cups chopped 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!

Dhal

2 cups red lentils
1 medium onion, diced
1 inch ginger, grated
3-4 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbs curry spice blend (I make my own in small batches as I roast and grind the spices but try a garam masala with more chilies,
2-3 tbs olive or vegetable oil
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup spinach leaves
~ 4-6 cups water
~ 1 cup yoghurt
salt, to taste

Optional:  chopped sorrel, kale, spinach, zucchini, all are wonderful and available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday

In a larger pot, bring lentils and water to a boil. In a separate pan, heat oil and sauté onion until translucent. Add spice blend and cook until softened. Add ginger and garlic and be careful not to burn. When the water in the lentil pot is boiling, add hot onions and spices to the pot and stir. Simmer and add vegetables. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir in yoghurt and test for salt.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Butternut Squash Soup

1 yellow onion, chopped
pinch coarse salt
1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs butternut, kabocha, or calabaza squash halved, peeled and seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks (about 6 cups) (available at Fertile Farm, Almost Urban Vegetables, and other producers at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp La Kama Spice Mixture (1 tsp each of ground ginger, turmeric and white pepper, good pinch of grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon and optional cubeb pepper)
1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 lb crumbled chevre
1 tsp or more to taste Harissa paste

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook onion in heavy bottomed pot or casserole dish (tajine) on medium low heat with the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes
2. Add the squash, cover with parchment paper and/lid and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, spices and 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the squash is tender, about 20+ minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Blend in batches or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the cream and 3/4 of the cheese and the harissa at the end. Purée until velvety.
5. Bring up to heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve into warmed bowls and top each portion with a light sprinkling of the remaining cheese.

Enjoy!