Made in Manitoba - Grilling in season

 I've been away from blogging for a little while.  Not that I don't wish to share recipes.  Just busy with other things. 

Spring is bringing forth great treats for the grill.  These are all locally available ingredients from the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.  The asparagus and spring onions are particularly sweet at this time.  The chicken is available soon at Wildfire Farms, and you can get fantastic pizza dough, if you don't wish to make your own, from Old Church Bakery.  The spices you can enjoy from me, and the organic asparagus and spring onions were from Fertile Farms. 

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

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

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

 Turkish Pizza Dough
1 tbs dried yeast
3/4 tsp sugar
2 tbs warm water
2/3 + cup Greek style yoghurt
1/4 cup olive oil
10 ounces bread flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
olive oil

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and set aside in a warm place for about 10 minutes until frothy. In another small bowl, whisk the yoghurt and olive oil.

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast and yoghurt mixtures. Use your fingers to work in the flour and form a smooth ball. Transfer to mixer and knead with a dough hook on low speed for 10 - 15 minutes until very smooth and shiny. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and let rise for 2 hours or doubled in size.

Enjoy!

Turkish Pomegranate Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops with Carrots with Tomato Saffron Bulgur Pilaf

Lamb Shoulder Chops take a bit longer to cook than Lamb Loin Chops, but the results are equally delicious.  This easy to prepare recipe uses some great Mediterranean ingredients, such as Turkish Baharat and Aleppo pepper (optional), and pomegranate molasses. 

The wonderful Manitoba Lamb is from Gerry Oliver's Spirit Sands Farm.  I make the Turkish Baharat and it is available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market, D. A. Niels, Old Church Bakery, and coming soon to Pollock's Hardware Co-op.

Turkish Pomegranate Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops

 Lamb Shoulder Chops, one per person
Turkish Baharat, enough to coat each chop
1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper (optional)

Set aside and chill for at least 30 minutes.

1 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses (I use Sera Brand, available at Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame)
1 cup homemade stock (I used lamb stock but chicken is an option)
2-3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks.
olive oil
salt and pepper

Brown the seasoned lamb chops in a roasting pan with some olive oil.  Remove from pan and add the sliced onions.  When they have softened, add the carrots, pomegranate molasses, and stock and cook down on medium heat for about 20 minutes.  Return lamb chops to the roasting pan, season, and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Serve with Bulgur

 Tomato Saffron Bulgur Pilaf

Bulgur is a 2:1 cooking ratio.  For this recipe, I used 1 cup Bulgur and 2 cups water (or stock)
1 small red onion, chopped
olive oil
good pinch saffron
1 cup bulgur
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tbs good tomato paste (available at Millad's Supermarket)
salt, to taste
2 cups water

In a saucepan, cook chopped onion in olive oil until soft.  Add Saffron and then bulgur, currants and almonds.  Add the tomato paste and stir well.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Season and cover on a low simmer for 20 minutes. 

Enjoy!  For Gluten Free options, try rice or quinoa pilaf.

Korean Cold mustard sauce noodles with seared Scallops and Wild Caught Tuna

This is a wonderful standby for an easy meal.  You can enjoy the noodles without the seared seafood, but the Gimli Fish products are wonderful, inexpensive, Fair Trade, and slavery-free.  Wholesome and delicious and something that is craved in Winter or in Summer.

I use Korean Udon noodles for this recipe, but Soba noodles are also wonderful.

Korean Cold Mustard Noodles

For the sauce:
1-2 tbs Dijon Mustard
1-2 tbs Grainy Mustard
1 tbs grated ginger
1-2 tbs good soy sauce
1 tsp good sesame oil
1 tsp white sugar
1 tbs Mirin
splash of vinegar
1-2 green onions, chopped
Optional:  good drizzle chili oil

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until emulsified, or come together.

Add desired amount of noodles and top with seared Wild Caught Ahi Tuna, Scallops, shrimp, etc.  Pictured here coated with a Furakoka rice topping. 

Sundubu Jjigae - Easy Korean Soup!

I was inspired to make this soup, as I hadn't had it in ages, and it is such a satisfying meal.  Elatia Harris was the trigger to this endeavour though, as she posted, asking a key question to this meal, do you use kochujiang (hot pepper paste) or kochugaru (Korean pepper flake)?  I prefer to use the kochugaru, as you can control the salt better, but adding a bit of the paste won't hurt either.

Sundubu Jjigae is a versatile soup, as you can add more seafood to make it a seafood soup.  I added New Brunswick Shrimp, from Gimli Fish.  PEI Mussels are also available and would work wonderfully in the soup.

Once you have all of the ingredients ready, it is very simple to prepare.  The stock takes a 20 minutes as it is simply dried anchovies, sliced radish (daikon), and kelp.  All of these ingredients are readily available at many Asian markets.  I found the dried anchovies in the cooler section at Sun Wah.

Stock:

8 large anchovies, heads removed (they snap off easily)
2 inches of daikon, peeled and thinly sliced
6" X 6" kombu (kelp)
4 cups water

In a medium saucepan, add all ingredients and cover.  Cook at medium high for 10 minutes after it comes to a boil.  Simmer for an additional 10 minutes and strain the stock.

Soup:

1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped (I used wonderful dried garlic from Berrard Farm, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
1 tbs oil, for cooking
1/2 cup chopped bacon or pork belly
1/2 cup chopped kimchi (Also use Cook's Creek Kimchi, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
2 tbs Kochugaru (red pepper flake)
1 tsp good sesame oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 square soft tofu, cubed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 egg per person (I used Nature's Farm Eggs, also available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

Options:  chopped peppers, soybean sprouts, shrimp, mussels, firm white fish, pickerel

Mix the pepper flake and sesame oil together and set aside.

In a heavy pot, (clay pot will take a little longer, but is traditional), heat and add the cooking oil, onions and garlic.  Cook until soft and add the bacon or pork belly.  Cook until the pork is soft and no longer very pink.

Add the stock and kimchi and tofu, salt and sugar.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.   Drop an egg for each person, to poach, and add the green onions and top with the pepper flake with sesame oil.

Enjoy!  Usually served with rice. 

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!

Onion Bhajia with Yellow Pea Flour

I was craving a nice crispy snack and decided to make Bhujia (pakoras) and Imli (tamarind dipping sauce).  These already are gluten-free when I make them with chick pea flour, but I wanted to use our wonderful and versatile local Yellow Pea Flour, by Tamarack Farms. 

Onion Bhajia

2 cups sliced onions (yellow, red, white)
1 1/4 cup yellow pea flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
water, to make a batter
1/2 tsp grated ginger
oil, for frying
options:  chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, etc

Mix all ingredients together and adjust flour and water to make a batter that holds together.  In a pan of hot oil, spoon in mixture into portions and fry on each side for a few minutes until brown.  Remove from pan and let drain on paper towel.  Enjoy with some Imli.

Imli (tamarind dipping sauce)
1 1/2 cups water
3 heaping tbs tamarind paste
1/2 cup jaggery, or brown sugar
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin

In a small saucepan, cook up all ingredients until well incorporated and shiny.  After a short while, the sauce should thicken slightly.  It will thicken a bit more when cooled.  Enjoy with Bhajia, samosas, etc. 

Ikra! A Russian Relish to relish.

I had the ingredients on hand.  I had been wanting to attempt making this for a long time.  Now that I have, it is much easier to prepare than I had imagined.  Ikra.  It is a Russian condiment that I grew up having with meat buns, or, Fleischpersky.  Stephan, from Blue Lagoon Organics, gave me a couple of parsley roots, that I knew were part of the ingredient list.

I consulted the Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, and my Mom, for advice on how to make Ikra.  It seems like a kitchen sink kind of recipe to make with what one has on hand.  I had the following, that made 6 500ml jars.

Ikra

4 onions, grated*
2+tbs olive oil
2 medium globe eggplant, finely diced
4 medium carrots, grated
2 bulbs of Parsley Root, grated
3 -4 celery stalks, grated or finely diced
3 yellow peppers, grated
4 good tomatoes (I used 4 large yellow tomatoes that I had frozen in Autumn)
4 tbs good Tomato Paste
1 dried red chili
1 tbs chili flake (I used Aleppo)
1/2 sugar
Salt and pepper, to tastes.
water, adjust as needed

*Grated, was done through the food processor blade.

I cooked the onions first and then added the remaining vegetables and seasoning.  After the water began cooking out, I added the remaining ingredients and cooked for up to 30 minutes. 

I sterilized 6 500 ml jars and lids.  Then, I filled each jar, closed the lids just under tightly closed, and cooked in the canner for 20 minutes.  I heard the lids popping now.

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!

Sichuan food is comfort food - Easy Sichuan Cabbage

In our last CSA share, we had a couple of cabbages.  I'm always enjoying Sichuan food as comfort food.  Something about the warming chilies.  The small green cabbage and medium yellow onions came from our CSA share from Heart's Acres Farm.  I lived in Chongqing, Sichuan for a time in 1983-84.  The recipe calls for peanut butter and peanuts but that can be substituted with tahini or ground pumpkin seeds, if there are allergies. 

Sichuan Peanut Cabbage

1 small-medium green cabbage, cored and medium-large dice
1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
2 whole star anise
2 whole dried red chilies
small piece cinnamon stick or a good pinch ground
drizzle preferred cooking oil
1/3 cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth
1/4 whole roasted peanuts (optional)
2-3 tbs soy sauce
a dash of Chinese cooking wine or Mirin
1 good tbs Chinese hot sauce with peanuts (adjust to your own tastes)  Pictured here:

1 tbs Sichuan Peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

Heat oil in a wok at medium-high heat.  Add cinnamon and star anise.  Add chopped onion and ginger and cook for a few minutes.  Add cabbage and stir.  Add remaining ingredients and stir well.  You may need to add a bit of water.

Cook until cabbage is soft throughout.  Serve with rice.  Options:  add tofu cubes, or make with broccoli or other varieties of cabbages.  Some people add a bit of brown sugar to balance the flavours more.

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.

Russian Pancakes with the Manitoba Food History Truck!

Today I had the great pleasure of sharing a treat from my childhood with the wonderful people from the Manitoba Food History Truck.  I hadn't had this in many years, but, as the theme is food history, I wanted to honour my Großma and this wonderful food, that I don't know who makes it anymore.

Russian Pancakes

Set oven to 300ºF.  Have one or two crepe, or non-stick pans available.

2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 - 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbs butter, melted
pinch salt
1 tsp sugar
butter, for the pans

Whisk or blend the ingredients until well incorporated and set aside.  Prepare the sour cherry sauce.

Sour Cherry Sauce
1 jar sour cherries in light sauce
1 tbs corn starch
juice of half of a lemon
1/4 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, start cooking the cherries, the whole jar except for 1/4 cup of the juice.  Mix the cherry and lemon juices with the corn starch as a slurry and add to the saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until bubbled for at least one minute and thickened and shiny.  Set aside.

Heat pans for the crepes.  Add a tab of butter and let bubble up over the entire pan.  Add a ladle of the batter and turn pan to cover.  When bubbling, flip the crepe.  When cooked, place the crepe on a pan in the oven and spoon some of the cherry sauce over it.  Repeat, stacking and alternating crepes and sauce until finished.  Serve immediately as cut wedges, with options of icing sugar and sour cream as toppings.

Enjoy!

Farmer's Festival at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market

What a day!  There was a wonderful celebration of making great things from local producers today at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.  For my first cooking demonstration, I featured dry rubs and a few tips for great steaks.  The second cooking demonstration, I prepared Fresh Kimchi.  So addictive!

The Napa Cabbage, onion and garlic,  came from Heart's Acre Farm, the carrot from Paseschnikoff Gardens, The garlic chives, from Fertile Farms.  I found the remaining ingredients at Arirang Trading Company, on 1799 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg.

I love the recipes found on Maangchi and I found this fresh kimchi recipe, aka,  Baechu-geotjeori.

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/baechu-geotjeori

One excellent question was, do I have to use shellfish or fish?  This recipe calls for fermented anchovy paste.  I used fermented shrimp paste.  I found that a good way to get the briny flavour is by using Black Vinegar.  The dish will be vegan then as well.

A flight of Manitoba Honey on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

Yesterday, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I presented the some of the wonderful honey that we have in Manitoba.  The bees and the honey producers work very hard to provide us with this wonderful product.  There is a great range of flavours, due to the different flowers that the bees access. 

 Featured above, at the CBC Studio are:  Ferris Farm Creamed Honey (Downtown Hydro Market, Wolesley Farmer's Market), BeeProject Apiary North End and St. Boniface Neighbourhood Honeys (BeeSpace @ 196 Osborne), Giguere Honey Farms Creamy Cinnamon, Wildflower, Dandelion, Natural, Creamed, and Buckwheat Honeys (St. Norbert's Farmer's Market, Argy's Records).  Not shown, Phil's Honey.

 Some things about Bees and Honey:

• Bees are a great environmental health indicator species.  
• Honey is the only natural food that does not go bad.
• It is a pure product.
• It will granulate eventually, just enjoy it more!
• Canada #1 is not neccessarily Canadian.  It is a grade.  Buy Local!
• Honey has a big taste.  Spread it thinly than other spreads to enjoy without too many calories.  
• BUY LOCAL!  Manitoba honey is spectacular! Local beekeepers need support.  There were big losses in Manitoba last winter.
• Enjoy!

Pa kimchi, Green onions kimchi LOVE!! Chonggak-kimchi, Ponytail Kimchi More LOVE!

Today is a Kimchi making day.  I started with the most simple kimchi to make and it has wonderful results.  Pa kimchi, or, green onion kimchi has a sweetness that is subtle and lovely.  It is a wonderful side dish or garnish to so many foods, stir-frys, soups, etc.

I used the green onions, except for the whites and purples, from my Farm Share from Hearts Acre Farm.  If you don't have a CSA Farm Share, you can pick up their wonderful veggies at St. Norbert's Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  The remaining ingredients are available at a number of Asian Specialty stores throughout Winnipeg.  Try Arirang Oriental Food Mart on Portage Ave. or 88 Mart on Pembina, in Winnipeg.

I used Aeri's Kitchen recipe as it was so simple.  http://aeriskitchen.com/2012/11/green-onion-kimchi/

When the aromas came up from the mixing bowl, it just made me happy.

I also made turnip with greens kimchi yesterday.  Known as Chonggak-kimchi, or Ponytail Kimchi, I used the turnips with half of the greens attached.  The other half went into my Saag Paneer.

I used the Maangchi recipe.  You can find it here:  https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/chonggak-kimchi.

Maangchi is such a great resource for wonderful Korean food!