tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25475903458430268992024-03-05T07:08:13.259-05:00Onion GogglesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-54547017860417564442013-06-04T19:07:00.001-04:002013-06-04T19:07:42.154-04:00Asian slaw and soba noodle salad<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZfzTS0vvF4/Ua5y5ohczoI/AAAAAAAAAsc/sNPQC1qAeUA/s1600/IMG_20130603_191457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZfzTS0vvF4/Ua5y5ohczoI/AAAAAAAAAsc/sNPQC1qAeUA/s320/IMG_20130603_191457.jpg" width="320" /></a>My office is located in a desert. A lunch desert. We do have a few nearby options but upon closer inspection, I've realized that they're more akin to a mirage than the lunchtime oasis I long for. I have grown to hate soggy chicken avocado wraps and limp spinach salad with the white hot intensity of the scorching desert sun. This slaw and soba noodle salad is the latest result of my efforts to create healthy, delicious, home made meals that I can enjoy at work all week. The recipe makes a big batch so it would also be great for a pot luck.<br />
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Soba noodles are a variety of Japanese noodle that are made with buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is actually a seed, not a grain, and is more nutritionally dense than wheat or rice flour. It's high in protein and amino acids and is great for lowering cholesterol and boosting your metabolism. However, be sure to read the label when you're buying them as some brands actually have very little buckwheat in them and contain lots of wheat flour as a binder. I've seen some as low as 5% buckwheat. For those in Ontario, Loblaws sells a brand called Sobaya that is 30% buckwheat. I've also come across the Eden Organic brand which is 100% buckwheat.<br />
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Of course if you just want the slaw, you can omit the noodles altogether. You'll probably end up with more dressing than you need but you can store any extra in the fridge for later.<br />
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Other optional garnishes and additions: Sriracha hot sauce, sweet chili sauce, chopped almonds or peanuts, chopped cucumber, shelled edamame (lightly blanched), enoki mushrooms, thinly sliced mango, shredded or grilled chicken, sauteed shrimp.<br />
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<u>Dressing</u><br />
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1 tbsp almond butter (peanut butter is okay too as long as it's the kind without added sugar)<br />
1 tsp sesame oil<br />
1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil<br />
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce<br />
1/2 tbsp grated fresh ginger<br />
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar<br />
2 tbsp cider vinegar (if you don't have it just use more rice wine vinegar)<br />
2 tsp honey<br />
pinch of red chili flakes<br />
juice of 1/2 lemon<br />
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<u>Salad</u><br />
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1 340 gram package shredded cabbage<br />
1/2 340 gram package shredded carrot<br />
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced<br />
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced<br />
3 green onions, finely chopped<br />
1 1/2 cups snow peas<br />
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro<br />
2 tsp sesame seeds<br />
1 package soba noodles<br />
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Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large measuring cup or bowl. Whisk together until everything is well combined.<br />
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Combine the bell peppers, cabbage, carrot, snow peas, cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Drizzle most of the dressing over the slaw but reserve about 1/4 cup for the noodles.<br />
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Cook soba noodles in boiling salted water. I usually cook them a minute or two less than the package directions otherwise I find they turn to mush. Drain the cooked noodles and rinse for a minute or so under cold water. I can't stress the importance of this step enough. If you don't rinse the noodles you will end up with a hot, starchy mass and it won't be fun to eat. Transfer the noodles to a separate bowl, drizzle with a little of the dressing and toss to coat.<br />
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To serve, combine the noodles and a big spoonful of slaw in a shallow bowl. The proportions are really up to your taste but I like about a 1/3 cup of noodles and 3/4 cup of slaw. Also be sure to store any leftovers separately in the fridge as this will keep the noodles from getting too soft.<br />
<br />T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-22355689703826027352012-06-16T00:19:00.003-04:002012-06-19T20:08:46.664-04:00Fava bean and tomato pasta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2f3sD_l-PLSw-zYcqScoqtVUXSxKRLwC2MmL07NggMMZM0qDB7r6wi8XECnpAOjywh2XyKrYQHnoMmHjZ7fWFTg6s2XRCwl4eWHO0A7vLE7m-AmGIbJoaDUJhoVJbYSpeOXZxJTIGKQQ/s1600/FavaPasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2f3sD_l-PLSw-zYcqScoqtVUXSxKRLwC2MmL07NggMMZM0qDB7r6wi8XECnpAOjywh2XyKrYQHnoMmHjZ7fWFTg6s2XRCwl4eWHO0A7vLE7m-AmGIbJoaDUJhoVJbYSpeOXZxJTIGKQQ/s320/FavaPasta.jpg" width="320" /></a>Fava beans generally get a bad rap. I think it might have something to do with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEQZiElLp-E">Anthony Hopkins</a> or the fact that you have to peel them twice or that they can cause potentially fatal hemolytic anemia in people with hereditary glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Whatever the reason, their poor reputation is ill deserved because their buttery texture, bright vegetal flavour and high protein content <i>(26g/100g, more than steak or fish)</i> really can't be beat. Sure they take a lot of work and they might kill you ... or the people eating them might kill you ... but it's a small price to pay either way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIhUpAcd5zbz-9HxUhcHoJFD76wRiyGdrrTPRD8NC7bVyadaCZpSdo4CDfvrSgooUjD4BbRrDvZX7ckTjNLkAld_k2vqqj-F7uXWJaEv23qaQFSWgV-mALUHl6mhKNtcBh-tKelwp7slG/s1600/FavaPod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIhUpAcd5zbz-9HxUhcHoJFD76wRiyGdrrTPRD8NC7bVyadaCZpSdo4CDfvrSgooUjD4BbRrDvZX7ckTjNLkAld_k2vqqj-F7uXWJaEv23qaQFSWgV-mALUHl6mhKNtcBh-tKelwp7slG/s200/FavaPod.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
In addition to liver and a nice Chianti there are dozens of ways to enjoy the Fava bean, all of which are excellent. I'm partial to this one because it's simple, fast, cheap and delicious. It could be a base to a grilled pork chop or a stand alone meal as shown here. You could replace the bacon with anchovies or capers if you were vegetarian or leave them out all together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fCIXcVKSgfTotx_yAaSCZIEKytWEXWvFQMaEU6cWYaGK7uVoKCQE1xhDpyuN0vmo-77Doq-G2EbFSmFxqidzfzojuWUAHcKhO36cHsCIi4ey3jAGDpqQEPooqLZCvpM8Ecch1-nktXQF/s1600/FavaRaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fCIXcVKSgfTotx_yAaSCZIEKytWEXWvFQMaEU6cWYaGK7uVoKCQE1xhDpyuN0vmo-77Doq-G2EbFSmFxqidzfzojuWUAHcKhO36cHsCIi4ey3jAGDpqQEPooqLZCvpM8Ecch1-nktXQF/s200/FavaRaw.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
6 servings <a href="http://www.oniongoggles.ca/2011/11/basic-pasta-dough.html">fresh</a> or dried pasta<br />
~15 pods fresh fava beans, shelled (50-100 beans)<br />
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved<br />
1/2 pound smokey bacon chopped<br />
1/2 shallot, diced<br />
1 clove garlic, diced<br />
1 cup white wine<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcBpvCUdCSvbhttZ2Ol-2i4xQaq25loFzUdOIhw1dQkxVnSopQC6fP1Or9GeY1NVbKp5oDEoJ89lbkkeEvQYtnvOfy5PBAjqCS5rxcqDRWdWTR-C1PrYKC55ZhzkprwqNmw0r26Kj6JPp/s1600/FavaPeel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcBpvCUdCSvbhttZ2Ol-2i4xQaq25loFzUdOIhw1dQkxVnSopQC6fP1Or9GeY1NVbKp5oDEoJ89lbkkeEvQYtnvOfy5PBAjqCS5rxcqDRWdWTR-C1PrYKC55ZhzkprwqNmw0r26Kj6JPp/s200/FavaPeel2.jpg" width="200" /></a>1 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />
1/2 tbsp olive oil<br />
pasta of your choice (I used linguine)<br />
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Cook the bacon over low heat until crispy. Remove to dry on paper towels.<br />
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Boil the beans in very salty water for ~5 minutes and then plunge them into ice water to that the skins loosen off the beans. Peel the skin off the beans and set them aside in a bowl. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hbAozopGDuwPBd34C411KzelgdB54uGVx0kYJMIhABRNP0xDLfHkyqN1_6-Nr8fYux4bb27-c0vhRn6ULfF48t8559ao5Fy75MLialBA7HuwwqMe-5FoDR0bsyfOvqvOMIzDX8NXcHTD/s1600/FavaPasta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hbAozopGDuwPBd34C411KzelgdB54uGVx0kYJMIhABRNP0xDLfHkyqN1_6-Nr8fYux4bb27-c0vhRn6ULfF48t8559ao5Fy75MLialBA7HuwwqMe-5FoDR0bsyfOvqvOMIzDX8NXcHTD/s200/FavaPasta2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Saute the garlic and shallot in olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add wine, reduce by half and set aside. <br />
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Cook the pasta in salted water until aldente and drain, reserving a cup of pasta water. You can use dried pasta or our <a href="http://www.oniongoggles.ca/2011/11/basic-pasta-dough.html">basic pasta dough</a> if you've got the time and patience. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptSZnkwqPuemNde3Rn-XeV6eFfxHCiTrFVfbH-c6wsr9_wr1ewFEXny4R6EVw5xUrt8dmMIVOuLwJE7jiyyOQv9MOtIWn5vunpoTPHxLHfVY7EoddX4XEE2ESEBTOdgccawenUQjKDDIV/s1600/FavaDone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptSZnkwqPuemNde3Rn-XeV6eFfxHCiTrFVfbH-c6wsr9_wr1ewFEXny4R6EVw5xUrt8dmMIVOuLwJE7jiyyOQv9MOtIWn5vunpoTPHxLHfVY7EoddX4XEE2ESEBTOdgccawenUQjKDDIV/s320/FavaDone.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Toss the sauce, beans, bacon, Parmesan and pasta together in a serving bowl adding in the pasta water as necessary. <br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-80259626831238587912012-05-27T00:03:00.001-04:002012-06-18T16:20:08.558-04:00Curried Turkey Burgers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlIkMYsYjSkoEw3WxMwOSo3u9ya28X5vpCbzTazv8KjbhMlWSovf_Rw5EvzB60IUxLEHXkhoADyWcLoamYIJDVGxRTQwNWXJAn_SgAPlVjDy8vky1WDT-RRhjMjdXN1oSQ-LGfp1dXV1f/s1600/TurkeyBurger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlIkMYsYjSkoEw3WxMwOSo3u9ya28X5vpCbzTazv8KjbhMlWSovf_Rw5EvzB60IUxLEHXkhoADyWcLoamYIJDVGxRTQwNWXJAn_SgAPlVjDy8vky1WDT-RRhjMjdXN1oSQ-LGfp1dXV1f/s640/TurkeyBurger.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7QLVFIfpgA8QveYEGqBLVeqJxX4ZWxaHve7NlMMvcPPUGXdHLmk7IMGusSXiU0724nCL8kHAH46WZolL_q0nRqTW8siigdwbM6vyfx_rfi5vBHDp-rNMn7BHMxQFc9GfxsjI6sJTFwSw/s1600/BurgerIngredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7QLVFIfpgA8QveYEGqBLVeqJxX4ZWxaHve7NlMMvcPPUGXdHLmk7IMGusSXiU0724nCL8kHAH46WZolL_q0nRqTW8siigdwbM6vyfx_rfi5vBHDp-rNMn7BHMxQFc9GfxsjI6sJTFwSw/s200/BurgerIngredients.jpg" width="200" /></a>If you listen to the farmer's almanac and <a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/about_four_seasons/isadore-sharp/">Izzy Sharp</a> there are 4 seasons on our planet. Their division of the year into quarters is founded in a certain celestial elegance with each season bookended by a solstice and equinox. However, the starts and ends to the official seasons mean essentially nothing to me. In fact, unless you're a Wiccan, chances are the last time an equinox meant anything to you was a 6th grade project on the motions of the planets.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz4QfT6Av-XOqLuZelyAYgz7uNBh1WlHSdgybs05HfaYhjngpq4uiblOvaWu1OnshEClaItA-exhHqvWeNWiN4UOEvm9Rzqnn-T4cn_JjSf1_lR6D9rAq8ZunK536xgqoXPgLAs-CkVaU/s1600/RawBurgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz4QfT6Av-XOqLuZelyAYgz7uNBh1WlHSdgybs05HfaYhjngpq4uiblOvaWu1OnshEClaItA-exhHqvWeNWiN4UOEvm9Rzqnn-T4cn_JjSf1_lR6D9rAq8ZunK536xgqoXPgLAs-CkVaU/s200/RawBurgers.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXZNH6Z5e8uA-Q576JxhXL6YlWcbpSox6-Vqs-DWouIIMQkXIdE0Uz3n9Ega2x8PEONG_VhyphenhyphenzfEONZ5uOeQK9uaDYpetBxT7jTq6qB2xBdV15yIwI2TiQsmlBe9DsPTWwMJp0i5p4mA2k/s1600/Avocado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXZNH6Z5e8uA-Q576JxhXL6YlWcbpSox6-Vqs-DWouIIMQkXIdE0Uz3n9Ega2x8PEONG_VhyphenhyphenzfEONZ5uOeQK9uaDYpetBxT7jTq6qB2xBdV15yIwI2TiQsmlBe9DsPTWwMJp0i5p4mA2k/s200/Avocado.jpg" width="200" /></a>When I look at the rhythms of my life I'm torn between seeing a year of many seasons or a year of very few. The jackets in my closet indicate there are no fewer than 10 seasonal milestones: ski, pea, trench, leather, sports, life, sports, leather, trench, pea, ski <i>(note the skis overlap). </i>My behaviour outside of work suggests there are only two seasons: ski season and patio season. <br />
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However you choose to carve up the calendar, it appears that patio/life jacket season has come early this year and that means it's burger time <i>(I'm told you can cook burgers in ski season but I have yet to try)</i>. These burgers are one of my favourite summer dishes. They are quick to make, loaded with flavour, reasonably healthy and are just different enough that they can pass as fancier than a normal hamburger. I top them with chutney, avocado, goat cheese, caramelized onions and arugula instead of "traditional" burger toppings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYy03fmSYL4wM3rST-h4x-_UFzu1SWCzbvl2AwcvvnmWUHCvsycbbm6DClTxTxfunxf0f7ezwMVWudA0vNuaxyGPEH_jsFqJzr4TDNArzdU8UVSxBdKVRIDG4LgHTNC_048CBWg3ULaaOV/s1600/Saute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYy03fmSYL4wM3rST-h4x-_UFzu1SWCzbvl2AwcvvnmWUHCvsycbbm6DClTxTxfunxf0f7ezwMVWudA0vNuaxyGPEH_jsFqJzr4TDNArzdU8UVSxBdKVRIDG4LgHTNC_048CBWg3ULaaOV/s200/Saute.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiauFgTMeBCFQe4chza9Rrd3fcMRFnVfE5PsA5evdFT-7jJ2JiSU2RTckFQQBs-spVgQM5HWh00_EC-Sz5MBPt3neoQI7tDkTrwCNK6RoGy1YnIiPZ5ncpgky7EwApg5uhlTGQMSOS0W_3/s1600/Toppings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiauFgTMeBCFQe4chza9Rrd3fcMRFnVfE5PsA5evdFT-7jJ2JiSU2RTckFQQBs-spVgQM5HWh00_EC-Sz5MBPt3neoQI7tDkTrwCNK6RoGy1YnIiPZ5ncpgky7EwApg5uhlTGQMSOS0W_3/s200/Toppings.jpg" width="200" /></a>There is a lot of debate flying around about what makes a perfect burger and it's only a matter of time before the Panko breadcrumb faction goes to war with the ground chuck purists. When it comes to beef I'm not sure which, if either, of them is right but when making these burgers I strongly recommend adding the cheese and the egg. The turkey is so lean that the extra fat <i>(from the cheese) </i>and protein <i>(from the egg)</i> are needed to keep them from getting too tough and crumbly.<br />
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Makes 6 dinner sized burgers:<br />
2 lbs ground turkey<br />
1 tbsp Patak's curry paste<br />
1 tbsp goat cheese<br />
1 egg<br />
1 tbsp chopped onions<br />
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Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl and form into patties. Don't make them too large as they won't shrink much on the grill due to their low fat content. Place on a hot grill or pan until juice starts to bleed through the top of the burger (~5 minutes). Flip and cook for the same amount of time on the other side.<br />
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Serve with chutney, goat cheese, caramelized onions and avocado.<br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-84393323992770843542012-05-17T02:06:00.001-04:002012-05-17T09:50:52.828-04:00Fried Polenta...for Breakfast or Dinner!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I admit I have been a little busy lately, and by "<em>a little busy"</em> I mean I have been spinning as fast as a whirling dervish; travelling throughout Western Canada (as my new job takes me from Manitoba to Vancouver Island). I have eaten 90 of my last 100 meals on the road. So, that said, cooking complex, elaborate meals, or even any meals at all has not been made easy over the last month. Also, with much travelling comes a fridge that is unstocked or chock full of half expired dairy products. However, what usually awaits me upon my return are a carton of eggs and a full pantry. This recipe allows me to skillfully use these items to my advantage to make a relatively balanced, home cooked meal, which is just what I am craving after all that restaurant food. The great thing is that whether I take the early AM flight or the last 727 home, this is something that can be enjoyed for breakfast or dinner!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomhyk4Nd6K9JfAetXXArxEigjr5B7pELS7jYZQKMZima10e6_BrGuumYircdsqZw-ZmZxRexRdGQ-tOZoNf7TsEhvTiXe1DGVj6pzPJMmZVbZH6xvzcAmeGTvv7aKj7OALpaRVPvID8IK/s1600/FriendPolentaClose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> </div>
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3 cups stock, chicken or vegetable</div>
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1 cup water</div>
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1 clove garlic, minced</div>
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1 cup cornmeal</div>
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1/4 cup Boursin cheese, cream cheese or light cream (whichever option is furthest from expiry!)</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">salt and pepper</span></div>
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Grease a 8"x8" baking pan and set aside.</div>
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In a medium pot heat broth, water and garlic until boiling. Turn heat to medium and slowly whisk in cornmeal, ensuring there are no lumps. Once cornmeal has been whisked in, turn heat to low and, with a wooden spoon, stir constantly for about 10 minutes until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the Boursin, salt and pepper. </div>
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Pour the soft polenta into the baking pan and spread to form an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the fridge and cut out slices of polenta. Cover and return any unused polenta to the fridge, this will keep for 3-4 days and can be fried up as required. </div>
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Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and coat with a drizzle of olive oil. Place polenta slices into pan and fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.</div>
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Serve with a sunny side up egg ... yum!</div>
</div>Cookie Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063703038554057664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-15087971440789613162012-05-08T13:29:00.000-04:002012-05-08T18:25:05.372-04:00Leftover Chicken Wontons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iW7140zkiEJGzlSvY7z70FFPBu1JrNVdJsCNkFdbwoZSu2j_UK4T5mTsA-3WHsMweHvX7zuRZPhL-y0o7bGzDfTKoYMjlwG24C5Hdf97aKopQNK3svtIHUZSxgl7l0cHuQ3SwvWKttGY/s1600/WantonSalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiv4jezCSiX7fV8f-EDkNyrOwEW4cGSFHqHZuksnK9-UGsf4k4TKLqN48omdjDVUW3yR5V7Z28lJ4zx83TwDGlDGb7x1eE3SjIFYyO8Q-c_a8iJr4FpZ0mpu68B3N2bNCTlm1wicoSvupZ/s1600/WantonsRaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiv4jezCSiX7fV8f-EDkNyrOwEW4cGSFHqHZuksnK9-UGsf4k4TKLqN48omdjDVUW3yR5V7Z28lJ4zx83TwDGlDGb7x1eE3SjIFYyO8Q-c_a8iJr4FpZ0mpu68B3N2bNCTlm1wicoSvupZ/s320/WantonsRaw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
According to science, eight substances (<i>O, Mg, Si, Fe, Al, Ca, Ni, H)</i>
account for approximately 99% of the material on earth. The remaining
1% is composed mostly of leftover chicken and a grab basket of trace
elements like Cobalt and Scandium. While the big eight substances all
have obvious uses <i>(O = scuba diving, Mg = old timey camera flashes, H = <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgWHbpMVQ1U">lighter than air transport disasters</a>)</i>,
leftover chicken has long perplexed science and industry alike in their
inability to put this abundant substance to adequate use in service of
mankind. It was to this ambitious end that we set out last night in our
latest creation: Chicken and bok choy wontons. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVVXxHnKbkhibava82J8VJOBynnH7Tk-F9dhw5VbJXWOdpDX5AYFWSldUGuXVMHBKtg2NxIMBJzxzbByAeXy0OJExOVZ5JVqWDN_emoJCGPDWatm3jj4q3tgPLMuDs8Zqxx7-kFKGOdFm/s1600/WantonsWrapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVVXxHnKbkhibava82J8VJOBynnH7Tk-F9dhw5VbJXWOdpDX5AYFWSldUGuXVMHBKtg2NxIMBJzxzbByAeXy0OJExOVZ5JVqWDN_emoJCGPDWatm3jj4q3tgPLMuDs8Zqxx7-kFKGOdFm/s320/WantonsWrapped.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Makes ~ 30 wontons <br />
1 package wonton wrappers <br />
2 cups leftover chicken shredded<br />
2 cups baby bok choy, diced <br />
1/2 onion, diced<br />
4 scalions, diced<br />
2 cloves garlic, diced<br />
1 tbsp ginger, grated <br />
1 tsp 5 spice blend <br />
1 cap full of Miren <br />
1 tsp soy sauce <br />
1 tsp rice wine vinegar <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGBc4TN1aRmHE2qEYmyWpeDUTZNDKo-CVAXhswiHHnD5zSo-yPzjw7ANeyPESvz3eV8r4u_tWmw0_kzfqYAfm9IozDSbXvtfIEGz1j8BDxaB8z7Ueiqx23FQzjAkwl2UfGZF-KnAz2cbz/s1600/Wantons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGBc4TN1aRmHE2qEYmyWpeDUTZNDKo-CVAXhswiHHnD5zSo-yPzjw7ANeyPESvz3eV8r4u_tWmw0_kzfqYAfm9IozDSbXvtfIEGz1j8BDxaB8z7Ueiqx23FQzjAkwl2UfGZF-KnAz2cbz/s320/Wantons.jpg" width="320" /></a>1 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp sesame oil <br />
1/2 cup sunflower or canola oil if pan frying, 2 cups if deep frying<br />
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Saute the onions and bok choy in a bit of sesame oil until wilted. transfer to a mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsijIvlxJVMDz_UPt9tslIZQFL8W5PuLccgSV1wuQeftxbP2iAqYVCXnYNTOknlTwKK9eSbPqQzIRaxJs1w_cc6cOHvAor_jg-sf58xGLhVVPnhds7Gl2VAGJSJolMt8opAy7JJ-LYAqh/s1600/WantonsCooked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsijIvlxJVMDz_UPt9tslIZQFL8W5PuLccgSV1wuQeftxbP2iAqYVCXnYNTOknlTwKK9eSbPqQzIRaxJs1w_cc6cOHvAor_jg-sf58xGLhVVPnhds7Gl2VAGJSJolMt8opAy7JJ-LYAqh/s320/WantonsCooked.jpg" width="320" /></a>Portion out ~1/2 a tablespoon of filling onto the middle of a wrapper, wet the edges and pinch together to seal. If you make too many to eat at once, refrigerate or freeze the extras.<br />
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Heat the oil over medium high heat and drop in the wantons a few at a time. Flip them with a fork and remove to dry on paper towels when golden and crispy on all sides. <br />
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KITCHEN TIP: If you have an induction cook top, you can lay out paper towels between the element and the pan to avoid cleaning up the inevitable oil splatter. WARNING: If you have a gas or regular electric cook top, this is a great way to meet the folks at your local fire department.<br />
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You can serve them with dipping sauce as appetizers or an excellent side dish for a stir fry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVVXxHnKbkhibava82J8VJOBynnH7Tk-F9dhw5VbJXWOdpDX5AYFWSldUGuXVMHBKtg2NxIMBJzxzbByAeXy0OJExOVZ5JVqWDN_emoJCGPDWatm3jj4q3tgPLMuDs8Zqxx7-kFKGOdFm/s1600/WantonsWrapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iW7140zkiEJGzlSvY7z70FFPBu1JrNVdJsCNkFdbwoZSu2j_UK4T5mTsA-3WHsMweHvX7zuRZPhL-y0o7bGzDfTKoYMjlwG24C5Hdf97aKopQNK3svtIHUZSxgl7l0cHuQ3SwvWKttGY/s1600/WantonSalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iW7140zkiEJGzlSvY7z70FFPBu1JrNVdJsCNkFdbwoZSu2j_UK4T5mTsA-3WHsMweHvX7zuRZPhL-y0o7bGzDfTKoYMjlwG24C5Hdf97aKopQNK3svtIHUZSxgl7l0cHuQ3SwvWKttGY/s640/WantonSalad.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-43085772180556536702012-05-02T11:41:00.000-04:002012-05-03T09:39:00.954-04:00Brussels Sprouts Salad in Prosciutto Cups<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JAhNg8SgtyUSxBjKusLYWlajGLTUcJOSngbOpzJVD3YfkF2hW8R9bTInWDwuWTFg1vjbZTZlTeKWyt311DprTEXgwEdUUdrfa0sRC_xNxGURTlZZ4T7UUoCUQOHRy_sgq0qTsjOCRSMJ/s1600/BaconCupsFull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JAhNg8SgtyUSxBjKusLYWlajGLTUcJOSngbOpzJVD3YfkF2hW8R9bTInWDwuWTFg1vjbZTZlTeKWyt311DprTEXgwEdUUdrfa0sRC_xNxGURTlZZ4T7UUoCUQOHRy_sgq0qTsjOCRSMJ/s400/BaconCupsFull.jpg" width="400" /></a>I have a dear friend, who shall remain nameless but who no doubt knows who he is, who despises most vegetables including brussels sprouts. This isn't surprising, given their status as one of the world's most hated foods, and yet I find it mildly appalling. As his friend I am of course concerned about his health and would hate for him to suffer the consequences of some kind of vitamin or nutritional deficiency (scurvy? night blindness!?). Worse yet, I'd hate for him to meet the woman of his dreams, fall in love, and then discover that "eats vegetables" is one of her relationship deal breakers. My concern for my friend (and not my maniacal need to prove that kale is delicious...) has prompted me to launch a campaign whereby I encourage him to try new recipes and ways of preparing the vegetables he swears he despises. For every new recipe he tries, I will treat him to a delicious bag of buttery popcorn (because let's face it, bribery works). Photographic evidence of vegetable consumption is required. Also, for every vegetable I convince him to love, I will reward myself with a scoop of impossibly creamy gelato from <a href="http://gforgelato.com/menu.html" target="_blank">G is for Gelato</a> (because let's face it, self congratulation works?). I know, I know, the vegetables are delicious and should be reward enough. You obviously haven't tried this gelato.<br />
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This is my go-to conversion recipe for brussels sprouts haters. Here's what will happen: first, you'll be drawn in by the promise of a crispy, salty, prosciutto cup. Then you'll taste the dressing and your mind will be tricked into thinking you're enjoying a caesar salad. Finally, you'll enjoy the crunch of the salad and complete lack of the brussels sprouts bitterness you've expected. And then I will have won...<br />
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It's best if you let it sit for a little while before serving to let the flavours combine and it's even better the next day. Feel free to omit the prosciutto if you're a vegetarian or you could try serving it in baked parmesan cheese cups instead. </div>
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Makes 4-6 servings<br />
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2 lbs brussels sprouts</div>
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12 slices Prosciutto</div>
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1 small garlic clove, finely minced<br />
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1 ounce blue cheese (about the size of your thumb)</div>
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2 teaspoons dijon mustard</div>
small pinch of salt and pepper<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil</div>
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1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar<br />
juice of 1 lemon<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400F. I use a mini muffin tin to make prosciutto cups but you could also make regular size versions. Slice each piece of prosciutto in half and arrange in each cup, making sure to cover the bottom. Bake for about 5-7 minutes until crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.<br />
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In a the bottom of a shallow bowl, combine the garlic, blue cheese, mustard and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash the ingredients together until they make a paste. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and whisk together. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is combined and emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings as required (I like it quite tart with lots of bite).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d3hz1BBzZ1XgYRLNKuy6HfqThqlJ8Vr2Y5BT4_QkGSh2kZES4gLas1YObtAoV3iQNaePwUwJ3KglMGYWYxM5N0MtrQDBRXKV8ceR6X7qk1jGcoaS8FC9T8tG9do_ELJWv7en19CG0GNh/s1600/BaconCupsEmpty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d3hz1BBzZ1XgYRLNKuy6HfqThqlJ8Vr2Y5BT4_QkGSh2kZES4gLas1YObtAoV3iQNaePwUwJ3KglMGYWYxM5N0MtrQDBRXKV8ceR6X7qk1jGcoaS8FC9T8tG9do_ELJWv7en19CG0GNh/s200/BaconCupsEmpty.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Wash the brussels sprouts and remove any leaves that are damaged. Using a knife, trim the stem ends off of each sprout. You want to remove all of the stem because this portion is very tough and doesn't make for a delicious salad. Thinly slice the sprouts using a food processor with a slicing blade. If you don't have you one you could also try a mandoline or finely slicing the sprouts with a sharp knife (just watch your fingers!). The result should look sort of like coleslaw.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUEKFBZWgvxx1h-1FjbNU9wAv8xDWl6d2s7XkCR6nS_8YN-5rejmMNlUZ3wdoaAJT2irAI_PD45BHtk0aUfQyxnkET8kHSizw7v_fSMG5Ys5Zyq5yMk5Oe9syj6YI4vI95xlZbTObkSZv/s1600/ProcuitoCups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUEKFBZWgvxx1h-1FjbNU9wAv8xDWl6d2s7XkCR6nS_8YN-5rejmMNlUZ3wdoaAJT2irAI_PD45BHtk0aUfQyxnkET8kHSizw7v_fSMG5Ys5Zyq5yMk5Oe9syj6YI4vI95xlZbTObkSZv/s200/ProcuitoCups.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Combine the dressing and sprouts in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes. When you're ready to serve, spoon a little of the salad mixture into each of the prosciutto cups and arrange 2 or 3 together on a plate.</div>
</div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-37711599337642960862012-04-20T08:32:00.001-04:002012-04-21T20:34:27.966-04:00Grilled venison with blueberry glaze, candy beets and sauteed ramps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYpg7rDaRXa4pZPNJV7GYPt2kKeE4tc3u3Iq8eJ6y90LMdhl6gV1KEEsoJD-at5kNYfXBPoFZYC0uz1ZYHfJJ94A77ESpqiKkItKYfBOjyQ6JqTBZvVUj5QmtzG1yYiG61eOSkzGaEDSz/s1600/BirthdayDinner_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYpg7rDaRXa4pZPNJV7GYPt2kKeE4tc3u3Iq8eJ6y90LMdhl6gV1KEEsoJD-at5kNYfXBPoFZYC0uz1ZYHfJJ94A77ESpqiKkItKYfBOjyQ6JqTBZvVUj5QmtzG1yYiG61eOSkzGaEDSz/s320/BirthdayDinner_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Last Saturday was the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking, the 147th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the 42nd anniversary of the Apollo 13 disaster. All the signs point to April 14th being an ill fated day, however, the news wasn't all bad because it was also the 29th anniversary of something much more monumental; the birth of T-Moo! </div>
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We wanted to make a special dinner but couldn't decide what to cook and resorted to wandering wandering around the <a href="http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/">St. Lawrence market</a> looking for inspiration. The market is usually a rich source of inspiration <i>(I like to eavesdrop on my fellow shoppers and then steal their ideas)</i> but Saturday the well was running dry. We were on the verge of giving up and eating Tim Horton's doughnuts for dinner when T-Moo stumbled across a big bushel of wild leeks <i>(aka ramps)</i> and we had a starting point. They're local and wild so we decided to cook a meal of quintessentially Canadian ingredients to celebrate. After some quick market foraging we settled on venison with a wild berry sauce on top of wild rice salad with sauteed ramps and roast candy beets. Short of a 2-4 of Labatt and a bowl of poutine, there may be no more Canadian meal.<br />
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2 venison chops <i>(you may only need one for two people if the deer was big)</i></div>
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4-6 small candy or rainbow beets</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRgBlkzcCJC2X1mftALkVSdkW_QrvySU_RqPJ-RRWXHJ5a2XvhmQCvXH4KECLFprUpndTsEs6ZE7HuAZczX-FUvUWySSJVA3LaN40DjGAYtTAVALd6ttZm-SZ06DUI5u6evcDMpNvaY_2/s1600/Rarmps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRgBlkzcCJC2X1mftALkVSdkW_QrvySU_RqPJ-RRWXHJ5a2XvhmQCvXH4KECLFprUpndTsEs6ZE7HuAZczX-FUvUWySSJVA3LaN40DjGAYtTAVALd6ttZm-SZ06DUI5u6evcDMpNvaY_2/s320/Rarmps.jpg" width="320" /></a>1 bunch ramps, cleaned
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2 cups light to medium stock <i>(<a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.com/2012/01/duck-stock.html">duck</a> and chicken work well)</i></div>
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1/2 pint blueberries</div>
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1/4 pint blackberries</div>
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3 dried balck mission figs, chopped</div>
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2 shallots, diced</div>
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1 clove garlic, diced</div>
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2 tbsp butter
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<div>
1 tsp honey<br />
1 tsp balsamic vinegar<br />
<a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.ca/2012/04/wild-rice-salad.html">Wild rice salad ingredients </a></div>
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The beets and wild rice salad take by far the longest to cook so start with them <i>(either or both can be made the day before)</i>. For the beets, chop off the greens <i>(you can reserve them for a salad), </i>wrap in foil and roast in a 350F oven for 30-40 minutes until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool, loosely covered. When cool, the skin of the beets should simply slough off in your fingers. See <a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.ca/2012/04/wild-rice-salad.html">here</a> for wild rice salad instructions.</div>
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In a large sauce pan, saute the shallots and garlic in 1/2 tbsp of butter until soft and fragrant. Add the figs and berries and continue to cook until they start to burst. Add the stock and simmer, covered for 20-30 minutes to allow the berries to stew and flavours to meld. Strain the sauce, add honey and balsamic and reduce until sauce thickens.</div>
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There isn't much you can do to improve on venison so I don't try. Rub each side with salt and pepper, grill in a hot pan for 2-4 minutes a
side until the internal temperature reads 135F then remove and cover with foil to rest for 5 minutes. If your steaks are particularly dense or thick, you can finish
them in a 400F oven for 5-10 minutes until they reach temperature. If you're a hunter or have friends who are and can get wild
venison then it will be gamier and denser than the farmed version but
either way, it's delicious very high in protein and extremely lean.
Because of the variability in density it's hard to test venison for doneness by touch so I would recommend using a meat thermometer. </div>
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The ramps take no time at all to cook. Saute them in a tablespoon of butter until soft, sprinkle with salt and serve along side the venison.</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-64655212352422510452012-04-19T07:44:00.001-04:002012-04-22T19:06:31.663-04:00Wild Rice Salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG20Elea5-Fe6wL9-aZnTsaNT-hegbRWJSUYO2tpCrUar0UuMcmkaqqq5R7_JQ865qNl_7MU7mlxt941YPx0-SytqzJufu4nbljY-lVZkQF6s6M7MjyzXzLZuchrnS4EhguZqpkWUo1hwF/s1600/RiceSalad3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG20Elea5-Fe6wL9-aZnTsaNT-hegbRWJSUYO2tpCrUar0UuMcmkaqqq5R7_JQ865qNl_7MU7mlxt941YPx0-SytqzJufu4nbljY-lVZkQF6s6M7MjyzXzLZuchrnS4EhguZqpkWUo1hwF/s320/RiceSalad3.jpg" width="320" /></a>According to Hollywood, grocery stores are among the most popular locations for attractive strangers to strike up random conversations and comedic romances to begin. I'm not sure where the writers get this idea as, in my experience, it's exceedingly rare to see anyone engage in a polysyllabic conversation while wheeling their frozen peas and screaming 3 year olds through the isles. In fact, the aforementioned children are often the only audible sound aside from the easy listening muzak pumped over the PA system in what I always assumed was an effort to subliminally condition us to associate Kenny G with concentrated orange juice and baby carrots.<br />
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Farmers' markets, on the other hand, are a completely different story. Perhaps it's the patron's shared interests, that the vendors all have skin in the game or the prevalence of over-caffeinated yuppie scum but most farmers markets are chattier than a nail salon in a Queen Latifah movie. Just this weekend while shopping in the St. Lawrence Market, I got to talking about wild rice with the guy manning <a href="http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/vendors/vendor_detail/93">Rube's Rice</a> stand and he recommended this truly AWESOME recipe for wild rice salad. He didn't remember where it originally came from so I'm going to give the credit entirely to him; Rube's friendly employee with the vaguely American accent.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgybvp9NiL-OQ0RmVZ2ujpfV3OoKG6BiDGadxMpSiErUEbuVa0fDLFtk1wf4_0fM0OG7269pbLarqb5rgBotyB3-Vg1Bc1SSm36ORR4gRu0-ENo-5Svxv8tzUdCqpwhH70gTMnFZW8WEJE/s1600/WildRice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgybvp9NiL-OQ0RmVZ2ujpfV3OoKG6BiDGadxMpSiErUEbuVa0fDLFtk1wf4_0fM0OG7269pbLarqb5rgBotyB3-Vg1Bc1SSm36ORR4gRu0-ENo-5Svxv8tzUdCqpwhH70gTMnFZW8WEJE/s320/WildRice.jpg" width="320" /></a>Corporate grocers take note: I went in to get a staple grain and left with an awesome recipe, at least twice the ingredients I originally intended and am now telling perhaps as many as nine people <i>(two or three of which might actually live in Toronto)</i> about his store by writing this post. Repeat this scene at most big grocery stores and the best advice I'd likely get is that the Wild Rice is in aisle 4 next to the Extreme Fajita shells.</div>
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1 cup wild rice</div>
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5-6 cups light stock (veggie, chicken, duck or veal)</div>
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1 cup pecans, shelled and halved</div>
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1 cup cranberries</div>
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1 orange, juiced and zested</div>
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3 small shallots, finely minced</div>
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1/4 cup olive oil</div>
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1 teaspoon salt</div>
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black pepper to taste</div>
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Rinse the rice and bring to a boil in the stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until done <i>(it should still have some bite to it)</i>, drain and let cool. Mix remaining ingredients with the rice in a large bowl and set aside for at least a couple of hours to let the flavours meld.</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-5283328887447700862012-04-18T13:23:00.003-04:002012-04-19T13:06:05.108-04:00Lobster Rolls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtPVveg3IMIeCg7h5PcqQlIf6LQg44pKxKbATH0K2-f19pmIDMAPYNROokBZp3eyjcgCrV7qs01svbGW_tifE9USYIUtB0UmU7eiPB23YI9UT6M48NLgGwcPOLV4RdP72NnCLN3KTe-39/s1600/LobsterRoll2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtPVveg3IMIeCg7h5PcqQlIf6LQg44pKxKbATH0K2-f19pmIDMAPYNROokBZp3eyjcgCrV7qs01svbGW_tifE9USYIUtB0UmU7eiPB23YI9UT6M48NLgGwcPOLV4RdP72NnCLN3KTe-39/s320/LobsterRoll2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="211" /></a>When it comes to romantic gestures, I've never been a big flowers and chocolates kind of girl. Don't get me wrong, I'd bathe in chocolate if I could and I love the surprise flowers that occasionally show up at my office on my birthday. However, in terms of showing affection, nothing is more flattering than a man who knows you well and thinks a little outside the box. More specifically, a man who packs a live lobster <em>in </em>a box and carries it home on a flight from Halifax just because he thinks it will make you smile. Did I mention he has a seafood allergy? He can't even partake in the eating of the lobster! If I were a cartoon character there would be little cartoon swooning hearts floating above my head right now...</div>
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I decided to use my lobster surprise to make lobster rolls, but as I researched recipes I quickly learned that there is a long-standing feud within the lobster roll community. Proponents of the "Maine style" roll believe it should include mayo while fans of the "Connecticut style" version are adamant that butter is best. Within these two groups there are varying opinions on which other ingredients are acceptable, whether the bun should be plain or lightly toasted, and the best way to serve the lobster meat itself (apparently some feel claw meat should be kept whole). <br />
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With the awareness that I may be entering a culinary minefield, I have opted to create a version that appeals to my tastes and bridges the Maine-Connecticut divide: lightly toasted bun, minimal ingredients, a little butter AND...wait for it...a little mayo (cue gasps of shock and horror across the east cost). All I know is that it tastes delicious.<br />
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Makes 1 large serving<br />
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1 cooked lobster (about 1 1/2 lbs) </div>
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1/2 tablespoon melted butter</div>
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1/2 tablespoon mayo</div>
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1 green onion (green parts only), finely diced</div>
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juice of 1/2 lemon</div>
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1 large hot dog bun</div>
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Cook your lobster using whatever method you prefer - boiled, steamed, or even grilled. I chose to boil mine in lots of salty water. Once cooked, let the lobster cool slightly so it's easier to handle. Shell the lobster and remove all the meat (tip: you can save the shells to make fish stock if you like). Roughly chop the meat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the butter, mayo, celery, onion, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. <br />
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Toast the bread roll if desired. Fill the roll with the lobster mixture and serve. </div>
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<img height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtPVveg3IMIeCg7h5PcqQlIf6LQg44pKxKbATH0K2-f19pmIDMAPYNROokBZp3eyjcgCrV7qs01svbGW_tifE9USYIUtB0UmU7eiPB23YI9UT6M48NLgGwcPOLV4RdP72NnCLN3KTe-39/s320/LobsterRoll2.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 87px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 198px; visibility: hidden;" width="64" /><img height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtPVveg3IMIeCg7h5PcqQlIf6LQg44pKxKbATH0K2-f19pmIDMAPYNROokBZp3eyjcgCrV7qs01svbGW_tifE9USYIUtB0UmU7eiPB23YI9UT6M48NLgGwcPOLV4RdP72NnCLN3KTe-39/s320/LobsterRoll2.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 198px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 100px; visibility: hidden;" width="64" /></div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-5293171710190376332012-04-12T23:36:00.001-04:002012-04-12T23:59:33.641-04:00Pea pesto pasta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1brzsUUaTghITes6CB7xdOGin6VUWBy3fGFUzu7NaVyoDoHEYALlhclMBj9jQQdkqBw_GsFRQ4l47UO0jLeDMCYcVx7WBimoggtRCt7aU64tpoA9TpOXb9vfUUKap00-rXPwfARe80lS/s1600/PeaPestoIngredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1brzsUUaTghITes6CB7xdOGin6VUWBy3fGFUzu7NaVyoDoHEYALlhclMBj9jQQdkqBw_GsFRQ4l47UO0jLeDMCYcVx7WBimoggtRCt7aU64tpoA9TpOXb9vfUUKap00-rXPwfARe80lS/s320/PeaPestoIngredients.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7SPVeSIOTdGsHMGVCfUsGOs6bMkL4zVWOiseeUIiUEf1Oa1zUNxDkoxIZlOQfIwlv4mwAV2RFDffJ9HDyNPRdE5vmVx69i8DXEf3_wm7mfHP7b-j0awOcb9eHoM02MaL-k0n07SzQDdE/s1600/Peasinourtime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7SPVeSIOTdGsHMGVCfUsGOs6bMkL4zVWOiseeUIiUEf1Oa1zUNxDkoxIZlOQfIwlv4mwAV2RFDffJ9HDyNPRdE5vmVx69i8DXEf3_wm7mfHP7b-j0awOcb9eHoM02MaL-k0n07SzQDdE/s200/Peasinourtime.jpg" width="200" /></a>There are a lot of reasons to love summer and fresh peas are definitely somewhere on that list. They might not be at the top <i>(my guess is somewhere between miniature golf and garage sales)</i> but it definitely wouldn't be summer without them. Here in Ontario you can buy them fresh from the field at roadside stands through July and August. They generally come in big baskets containing at least a million peas each <i>(perhaps a slight underestimate but I've never actually counted).</i> This is great if you're feeding a visiting basketball team, however, if you're just two people it leaves you with at least a couple hundred thousand spare peas to address. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7o7qQipOeOoCa-ynrq5e-Bc3rxquC4JWnYrwca0qpRnm_DIqcICPq4KN9icDi2JfkZ92MUHr05J8eWHr_DEgNJ6fvmIDYuZqxHt9KaZK7VKsmjUaseeDvaSSjviuqLe61O0lLpY2CyROa/s1600/WalnutsGround.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7o7qQipOeOoCa-ynrq5e-Bc3rxquC4JWnYrwca0qpRnm_DIqcICPq4KN9icDi2JfkZ92MUHr05J8eWHr_DEgNJ6fvmIDYuZqxHt9KaZK7VKsmjUaseeDvaSSjviuqLe61O0lLpY2CyROa/s200/WalnutsGround.jpg" width="200" /></a>The traditional use for surplus peas is, of course, the pea shooter: a straw or hollow tube through which you blow in order to force peas, previously jammed into the other end, to fly into the faces of your younger siblings. If you don't have any younger siblings or if you can't find a tubular object of suitable diameter and feel that simply throwing the peas is beneath you then this recipe is another great way to address your glut of peas. It's simple, fast, delicious, keeps well and is very healthy.<br />
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Here we use it as a pasta sauce but it's also great on crostini, as ravioli filling or eaten out of a Tupperware container with a spoon.<br />
<br />
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJNXzSQoKdLuA-TBPOfNprwYXjQf18bcHyxpdqwIOB3h9WlTD63Vnk1OhXYTfluOO2DSez8EO7sy6qS6iNNg3b420soT_FUs9BGxfuL4K-qWpoM6b5tyLh8qB26VJKh2uKktF8p5YVsVt/s1600/PeaPesto_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJNXzSQoKdLuA-TBPOfNprwYXjQf18bcHyxpdqwIOB3h9WlTD63Vnk1OhXYTfluOO2DSez8EO7sy6qS6iNNg3b420soT_FUs9BGxfuL4K-qWpoM6b5tyLh8qB26VJKh2uKktF8p5YVsVt/s200/PeaPesto_edited-1.jpg" width="200" /></a>2 cups shelled sweet peas</div>
<div>
1 cup grated Parmesan<br />
<div>
3 cloves garlic</div>
<div>
2 mint leaves</div>
<div>
1/2 cup walnuts</div>
<div>
2.5 tbsp olive oil</div>
<div>
salt to taste<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFlTSMZTCxW7EjDHGlS4T1lf0PrV_OeBunANiVGF3ZS7lq9P73uOkwYL7Tt7PmaclqJ_h6ZhJCTWwFoTt0WaFJNKtyPYirSzDPh1B5KJsMiDtxmI6ZRNDSAV9ydRpRJn4U1MBvlQwR-m5/s1600/PeaPestoPasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFlTSMZTCxW7EjDHGlS4T1lf0PrV_OeBunANiVGF3ZS7lq9P73uOkwYL7Tt7PmaclqJ_h6ZhJCTWwFoTt0WaFJNKtyPYirSzDPh1B5KJsMiDtxmI6ZRNDSAV9ydRpRJn4U1MBvlQwR-m5/s200/PeaPestoPasta.jpg" width="200" /></a>To make the pea pesto, place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until well ground. Add the peas, garlic, cheese and mint and puree while slowly adding in the olive oil until the peas are all broken up but not liquefied. Season with salt to your preference.
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<br />
Serve over fresh pasta, reserving a bit of pasta water to mix in as well. You can use any pasta you like but I really like fresh spaghetti made from our<a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.ca/2011/11/basic-pasta-dough.html"> basic pasta dough recipe</a>. </div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-73305691915584811552012-04-09T23:12:00.000-04:002012-04-13T13:55:56.107-04:00Artichoke and roasted garlic soup with garlic chips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMbYIM0uN4osaf1XelBGZWHooLkiC9yxYANMedgw066isPiG-rVhQOTL6sM_ZGx6NOXF_gtK2FCL4LUP24Tx7x_lXIozJMMnY2xL_HVCNatJ8zx58bE3AMnv69zO-jals6yIX_MHLtxxs/s1600/ArtichokeSoup2_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMbYIM0uN4osaf1XelBGZWHooLkiC9yxYANMedgw066isPiG-rVhQOTL6sM_ZGx6NOXF_gtK2FCL4LUP24Tx7x_lXIozJMMnY2xL_HVCNatJ8zx58bE3AMnv69zO-jals6yIX_MHLtxxs/s320/ArtichokeSoup2_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a> In the words of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_%22Hannibal%22_Smith">Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith</a>: <i>"I love it when a plan comes together!"</i> As a kid I was heavily influenced by the <a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=george+peppard&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=p5CDT-rHNLCC0QHwwbXFBw&biw=960&bih=509&sei=sZCDT9jqC4fb0QHH9fXbBw">George Peppard</a> character from the A-Team. He was everything I aspired to be: a brilliant tactician, unflappable in the face of danger, a leader of men, a master of disguise, altruistic, witty, a soldier of fortune, a fugitive from military justice and a close personal friend of Mr. T. While the man I grew up to be may not quite measure up to Hannibal's standards <i>(I never entered the military, am only a fugitive from the fashion police and the closest I've come to befriending Mr. T was to get his autograph at a jewelry store)</i>, occasionally my kitchen plans do come together nicely.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKTYMOE_9JKKofJ9fktLvhmx1OgratUWEGXHJfjHm_Fht_DUduZ7c5wBALYeJqrSnwU0p2GbH9RHqSmBrCvA2uiTonmugsSgOs0pqv-2LuAdfd3oM_vOYMKpUCDkX3Bfm8jXOKYxr5pvt/s1600/ArtichokeHalf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKTYMOE_9JKKofJ9fktLvhmx1OgratUWEGXHJfjHm_Fht_DUduZ7c5wBALYeJqrSnwU0p2GbH9RHqSmBrCvA2uiTonmugsSgOs0pqv-2LuAdfd3oM_vOYMKpUCDkX3Bfm8jXOKYxr5pvt/s320/ArtichokeHalf.jpg" width="214" /></a>This soup is the result of two long standing projects: number one, to master the making of <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2008/05/simple-taste-of-keller-garlic-chips.html">Thomas Keller's garlic chips</a> and number two, to recreate an amazing artichoke soup I had while on a business trip. While making batches of garlic chips it struck me as criminal to throw out the rich garlic-infused milk but without a ready use, I either dumped it out or let it go bad in the fridge and then dumped it out. Simultaneously, I had been looking for a way to add depth and interest to my version of artichoke soup. Then in a flash of inspired brilliance much akin to what Einstein must have felt when he perfected soup recipes, I decided to combine them. The milk would become the creamy base to the soup and the chips would become the garnish.<br />
<br />
4 large artichokes<br />
2 heads of garlic <i>(1 for roasting, 1 for chips)</i><br />
2 white potatoes, peeled<br />
1 leek, chopped<br />
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock<br />
2 cups milk<br />
2 cups canola oil<br />
1/2 tbsp butter<br />
1 tbsp vinegar
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICllldENlQbzF64RzhBxt1FrDbW13kjAzxXa-tjQ_mGPyfyg_fY9anFix5lYDbVFsl3OndWE08Cg8Pmov6J-6xTHHzQGvyaXzS4L4adnVEF2kyswgIQDxVkkUD0nqggZCQq89KJaNntuB/s1600/ElephantGarlic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICllldENlQbzF64RzhBxt1FrDbW13kjAzxXa-tjQ_mGPyfyg_fY9anFix5lYDbVFsl3OndWE08Cg8Pmov6J-6xTHHzQGvyaXzS4L4adnVEF2kyswgIQDxVkkUD0nqggZCQq89KJaNntuB/s200/ElephantGarlic.jpg" width="200" /></a>Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the vinegar and artichokes. Test them by using tongs to pick up a choke by a single leaf. They're done when the leaf pulls off simply from the weight of the choke. Drain the artichokes and leave to cool. Once cool, remove the leaves and chokes from the hearts and set them aside. Reserve some of the leaves to serve as an appetiser <i>(eat the rest in the kitchen without telling anyone)</i>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOGiFM3dlE6emtkLeZl9x5sQwPF4D414-ByeU4uWP183jrNyKuEx2y0ohWieciozNRW_YkVp0PrcXXmeT0RHM1dmZPFFL3F5OxVFFhdxDpk6udccxeHMZqwjvAdrc8lkMyNORz9FHvzoP/s1600/GarlicSlices3_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOGiFM3dlE6emtkLeZl9x5sQwPF4D414-ByeU4uWP183jrNyKuEx2y0ohWieciozNRW_YkVp0PrcXXmeT0RHM1dmZPFFL3F5OxVFFhdxDpk6udccxeHMZqwjvAdrc8lkMyNORz9FHvzoP/s200/GarlicSlices3_edited-1.jpg" width="200" /></a>To make the chips, slice the garlic cloves very thinly using a sharp knife or mandolin. Cover them in 1/2 a cup of milk and bring to a simmer. Drain and reserve the milk for the soup. Rinse the garlic and repeat 3 more times until you've used all the milk. Pat the garlic slices dry and fry in small batches in hot oil, leaving them to dry on paper towels. You want to take them out before they go brown to prevent them from becoming bitter. I use elephant garlic because it's milder in flavour and makes bigger chips but you can use any garlic. If you do use elephant garlic then one clove will be more than sufficient as they're almost the size of cooking onions as seen at right.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PXCPZW9iCnPDHPvD03PhRl2UKoLsiCLL8LYiY1oUUDSekDX1xSJJXJqvCM6dKgYD2o2DovyIkpmGc5sSY4xmOCHdS3UfAn_o_KcKyxpUf6y4aQlhzppKtvvLBfmf2pF1QUW31KuX-6rl/s1600/ArtichokeSoup3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PXCPZW9iCnPDHPvD03PhRl2UKoLsiCLL8LYiY1oUUDSekDX1xSJJXJqvCM6dKgYD2o2DovyIkpmGc5sSY4xmOCHdS3UfAn_o_KcKyxpUf6y4aQlhzppKtvvLBfmf2pF1QUW31KuX-6rl/s320/ArtichokeSoup3.jpg" width="320" /></a>To roast the garlic, cut 1cm off the top of the head, drizzle with oil and wrap in foil. Roast the garlic at 300F until soft.
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<br />
In a soup pot, saute the leeks in the butter until soft. Add the artichoke hearts, potatoes, roasted garlic and chicken stock and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Blend the soup and add the garlic milk. Return to simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavours combine.<br />
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Serve, garnished with garlic chips.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-56052842175137697322012-04-04T19:54:00.000-04:002012-04-06T00:10:22.712-04:00Harissa Roast Chicken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYL7i7FYLPi-SJtlbwA6rT5iH-ljN-hkSyMYHKOnpdM2ROJou1yXq_3NFErTxi-GEpA4paeTFLvvv5dfnC0sHag-WCEe-l2WulCSx3WPy2fAgGBBiiIr2SAqk8tOkWq0C-RFEm9dP2Oj7/s1600/HarissaChicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYL7i7FYLPi-SJtlbwA6rT5iH-ljN-hkSyMYHKOnpdM2ROJou1yXq_3NFErTxi-GEpA4paeTFLvvv5dfnC0sHag-WCEe-l2WulCSx3WPy2fAgGBBiiIr2SAqk8tOkWq0C-RFEm9dP2Oj7/s400/HarissaChicken.jpg" width="400" /></a>I think roast chicken was the first meal that I learned how to cook after having mastered toaster waffles and instant oatmeal. Once my siblings and I got old enough to be trusted with the oven, my mom would leave a roasting chicken at home for us to cook so that we could have a family dinner ready when she and my dad got home from work. This was possible because a basic roast chicken recipe has only 2 essential steps <i>(#1 sprinkle with salt and pepper, #2 Insert into 450F oven until done)</i> and that's the kind of process with which 11 year olds can be trusted.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, what's simple enough for a 4th grader has proved too much for a hard working 31 year old and so this particular roast chicken recipe was developed by accident. We had friends coming to dinner and due to a complex series of events of which I have little recollection and will vehemently deny if questioned, our chicken was frozen. Standing in the kitchen, staring at a bird more suited to military ballistics than culinary delight I decided to fall back on a technique I usually reserve for turkeys; brining! My hope was that by immersing the chicken in salted water it would both thaw and season it in one quick and handy step and it worked. The turmeric and cumin added flavour and a wild colour to the chicken and the harissa gave it some great punch.<br />
<br />
Chicken:<br />
1 roasting chicken <i>(if there is any secret to good roast chicken it's to buy a very good one. We get organic chickens from <a href="http://www.rowefarms.ca/">Rowe Farms</a> and they're always delicious)</i><br />
2 cloves garlic finely diced<br />
1/2 lemon<br />
Zest from your lemon half<br />
1/2 cooking onion<br />
1 tbsp harissa spice blend<br />
<br />
Brine:<br />
1/2 tbsp turmeric<br />
1/2 tbsp cumin<br />
2 tbsp salt<br />
water to cover<br />
<br />
Mix the brine ingredients together, stirring well. Add in the chicken and brine for 1 hour to over night or until thawed if you're a fool like me. It should come out a wild yellow colour.<br />
<br />
Mix the harissa, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl and divide in half. Combine one half with the diced garlic and the olive oil and set the other half aside.<br />
<br />
Loosen the skin of the chicken breast by vigorously rubbing back and forth like you were giving it a deep tissue massage ... which I suppose you are. Starting at the neck, insert a boning knife under the massaged skin and use it to create a cavity between the skin and the breasts. Use your fingers to stuff the un-oiled harissa mixture under the skin and massage it around to spread it evenly.<br />
<br />
Take the onion and lemon and insert them into the body cavity of the chicken. As it cooks these will release moisture and acid and will result in a more moist chicken. <br />
<br />
Rub the oiled harissa mix all over the outside of the chicken and insert in a 450F oven for until juices run clear or a meat thermometer reads 180F (usually ~1.3 hours). The high roasting temperature is important to keeping the chicken moist. Roast it too low and long and the result will be like the Sahara.<br />
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Serve with roast veggies, olives and cous cous.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-9667516964786792782012-04-03T23:09:00.001-04:002012-04-03T23:09:31.013-04:00Melissa Clark's Chocolate Pistachio Pots de Creme<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPr6ZtslLCMGjocxwMnNuhAEmLgQ08WnObjbBJDYCQIBghqm00zKCaasH6ZF-yV7rRr789RiNdzVpnnxH8zABjrQMgsv4gdmwbfwLyuW9fFUgF6InbLXkEa1CJUdMt3sPrYCMYIOBzGNf/s1600/PotdeCreme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPr6ZtslLCMGjocxwMnNuhAEmLgQ08WnObjbBJDYCQIBghqm00zKCaasH6ZF-yV7rRr789RiNdzVpnnxH8zABjrQMgsv4gdmwbfwLyuW9fFUgF6InbLXkEa1CJUdMt3sPrYCMYIOBzGNf/s320/PotdeCreme.jpg" width="320" /></a>Oh New York Times, how I love you. I adore your up to the minute news coverage, your style section, and your crosswords. I love Nicholas D. Kristof, the Critical Shopper, and of course Mark Bitman. And now I love Melissa Clark, for bringing <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/dining/chocolate-pistachio-pots-de-creme-recipe.html" target="_blank">this recipe for silky, rich, decadently fabulous, chocolatey heaven on a spoon</a> into my life. Ohhh heavenly heaven. To my loved ones, take note: if you ever have to deliver bad news to me, this is a magical blow-softening elixir. It's impossible to be sad or angry while devouring this dessert, it's just too lovely and wonderful.<br />
<br />
I made a few tweaks here and there to suit my tastes and what I had on hand. I didn't have any foil so I baked these uncovered and they were totally fine. I cut down on the amount of sugar ever so slightly as I like my chocolate desserts to be really chocolatey but not agonizingly sweet. I also found they didn't need quite as much time in my oven (only about 30 minutes).<br />
<br />
Makes 6 servings (or 2 servings that you can savour over three days!)<br />
<br />
1 cup pistachios (shelled and unsalted)<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4OaVpZZ87mIG_fVx6v7m8YuL3z8artkx25266z5J3y4jYYQ9FiAlatlzTVgSoPIIuMz7TTGWf2zxRHHJJvwqQ68NMP8F01a96-mNltbf8KUCO7HWgKAAMx9tpkVSMwyOnxLYBO2OATch/s1600/PotdeCreme-Liquid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4OaVpZZ87mIG_fVx6v7m8YuL3z8artkx25266z5J3y4jYYQ9FiAlatlzTVgSoPIIuMz7TTGWf2zxRHHJJvwqQ68NMP8F01a96-mNltbf8KUCO7HWgKAAMx9tpkVSMwyOnxLYBO2OATch/s320/PotdeCreme-Liquid.jpg" width="320" /></a>1/3 cup icing sugar<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
1 1/2 cups 1% milk<br />
2/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped (I used a mixture of 60% and 90% dark chocolate)<br />
4 egg yolks<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar plus 1/2 tablespoon for the whipped cream<br />
1 cup whipping cream<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325F. In a medium frying pan, toast the pistachios over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, transfer the nuts to a food processor along with the icing sugar and salt. Pulse until the mixture is fine but still grainy (the NY Times suggests "damp sand" as a reference). Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the sugar and pistachio mixture and set aside as a garnish.<br />
<br />
In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring the milk, cream, and pistachio mixture to simmer. The NY Times calls for letting the mixture simmer for 5 minutes and sit for 20. I was too eager to get to the tasting part of the recipe so I split the difference and simmered it over low heat for about 12 minutes.<br />
<br />
Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Strain the milk and pistachio mixture over the chocolate, using a spatula to smush the pistachio mixture into the sieve and extract as much flavour and liquid as possible. Whisk the chocolate and milk until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Resist the temptation to bathe in this silky, chocolatey concoction.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg2yLzbRpNgOz3a-WN5aoeXypkesDlAY6EOKT2p149LsAznIyseXkbi_Vdc9CnWzhCzLhjXo1ix3_LnAs2tP0eQWvH4aOAvtA86LxuqwhhWX8JWa1Vjez_MHVBnf_6WHWhIwbkGiqj9HW/s1600/PotdeCreme-lovinspoonful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg2yLzbRpNgOz3a-WN5aoeXypkesDlAY6EOKT2p149LsAznIyseXkbi_Vdc9CnWzhCzLhjXo1ix3_LnAs2tP0eQWvH4aOAvtA86LxuqwhhWX8JWa1Vjez_MHVBnf_6WHWhIwbkGiqj9HW/s320/PotdeCreme-lovinspoonful.jpg" width="320" /></a>In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt. While whisking, pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Boil a kettle of water and arrange 6 ramekins in a baking dish. Divide the chocolate mixture among the ramekins and fill the baking dish with hot water so that the water comes about halfway up the side of the ramekins. Bake until set but still slightly jiggly, about 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Remove from the oven and let cool. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm (or until you can no longer wait for a taste). To serve, combine the whipping cream with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar and beat until soft. Top each ramekin with a dollop of cream and dust with the reserved ground pistachios.</div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-74691496680607461082012-03-29T18:21:00.001-04:002012-03-29T19:10:52.543-04:00Shrimp Ceviche<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Adam and I recently travelled to Colombia where we spent some time in the coastal city of Cartagena. The city is known for its colonial architecture, abundance of emeralds and role in the 80’s classic Romancing the Stone starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. It’s also a great place to enjoy seafood and sample ceviche (unless you’ve got a seafood allergy, like Adam, in which case it’s a great place to avoid 90% of all menu items and consume mostly mojitos and ice cream for a week).<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-family: inherit;">Ceviche is typically made with raw fish that is marinated in citrus juice and other tasty ingredients. I cobbled this recipe together from a few different versions I had in Cartagena. There are an infinite number of variations on this dish and you can easily adjust it to suit your own tastes or whatever you have in your fridge. Shrimp is delicious but it's also great with cod, snapper, haddock, scallops, and </span>squid. The key is really, really, really fresh fish. The citrus will give the fish a “cooked” texture but it doesn’t kill any bacteria that may exist. This isn’t an issue with most high quality fresh fish (think sushi) but I’m personally a bit more cautious when it comes to shellfish as it tends to be more prone to bacterial issues. I opted to lightly cook the shrimp before marinating it, just to be safe.<br />
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If you’re ever in Cartagena, I highly recommend the ceviche at the bar in the <a href="http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-1871-sofitel-cartagena-santa-clara/index.shtml">Santa Clara hotel</a>. Not only is the seafood delicious but the hotel is stunning and it’s a great spot to hang out and escape the blazing Caribbean heat for a couple of hours.<br />
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Serves 4-6 as an appetizer<br />
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1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and deveined<br />
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced<br />
4-5 green onions, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped<br />
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced<br />
1 avocado, diced<br />
2 tablespoons ketchup (I know it's weird but don't skip this!)<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1/2 cup lime juice<br />
zest of 1 lime<br />
generous pinch of salt and pepper<br />
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<u>Garnish</u><br />
zest of 1 lime<br />
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro<br />
Pita, plantain, or tortilla chips<br />
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Combine all ingredients, except for the shrimp and garnish, in a bowl and set aside.<br />
Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp, cover with a lid, and turn off the heat. Let the shrimp cook in the hot water for 1-2 minutes (if you're using frozen shrimp you may want to cook them a minute or two longer). Drain the shrimp in a colander and rinse with cool water.<br />
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Dice the shrimp into 1/4" pieces and add to the bowl with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for one hour. Serve in a martini glass or highball glass with chips alongside. Garnish with the additional chopped cilantro and lime zest.</div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-77356403329998757522012-03-18T18:34:00.000-04:002012-03-29T18:06:45.683-04:00Sweet Potato Chip Crusted Fish Sticks<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDydhz-fx0m28aPsaCh6hEuPk0eHpF6CLJDww8yjdd6gDFtrEy04XWP10J2jGwQIgGn8wYa1Vk6xdhT-NIOhKWJqvBUmuD8mDvAa4CsiX6kB6G8AA16nMP4V_NTLEy7_nn1DtEAo1BDrMY/s1600/Fish+Fingers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDydhz-fx0m28aPsaCh6hEuPk0eHpF6CLJDww8yjdd6gDFtrEy04XWP10J2jGwQIgGn8wYa1Vk6xdhT-NIOhKWJqvBUmuD8mDvAa4CsiX6kB6G8AA16nMP4V_NTLEy7_nn1DtEAo1BDrMY/s400/Fish+Fingers.JPG" uda="true" width="266" /></a>I love themed eating events. Recently our bookclub meetings have been themed brunches centred around the plot or setting of the novel, and note that when I say 'novel' I use the term loosely, as we just devoured the Hunger Game Trilogy. However, everyone has been going 'full out' and we have seen cornucopias weaved from bread dough and full scaled Indian and French inspired events for other books. Everyone really gets into these themes and I just love it. So, to my delight when a friend wanted to get out of her dinner rut and have a tropical themed dinner party, T-Moo and I jumped all over it. The tropical themed dinner included blood orange margaritas, shrimp ceviche, <a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.com/2012/03/mango-coconut-crisp.html" target="_blank">mango coconut crisp</a>, and this fun spin on fish sticks!</div>
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Serves 4</div>
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<u>Fish Sticks</u></div>
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1 lb of fresh white fish, Talapia, Cod, etc.</div>
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2 eggs, beaten </div>
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1 large bag sweet potato chips, crushed (plantain chips work well too)</div>
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1/2 cup panko bread crumbs</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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<u>Dipping Sauce</u></div>
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1/4 cup plain Greek style yogurt</div>
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2 tbsp mayonnaise</div>
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1 shallot grated with microplane, or chopped very finely</div>
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1 tbsp capers, chopped</div>
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1 tbsp chopped parsley</div>
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1 tbsp lime juice</div>
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lime zest</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking tray with parchment. </div>
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In a large, shallow dish, beat eggs and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, mix crushed chips and panko together. Rinse fish with cold water, pat dry with a paper towel, and slice into 1" thick 'fingers'. </div>
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Coat each fish finger with egg, then coat in the chip/and panko mixture, pressing chips to adhere.</div>
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Place fish on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes turning once half way through baking.</div>
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While fish is baking, prepare dipping sauce by combining all ingredients and stirring to combine.</div>Cookie Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063703038554057664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-18714223072835037642012-03-16T12:11:00.001-04:002012-03-16T12:11:07.698-04:00Chicken Tajine with Honey Lime Yogurt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWe9la7EFoCtJTUTT83DvCYdaKl6o9dEdmVHhcwFh4drg7RTIENWmoVj1GL550scSfnJ0rYioDbvgBa2-RZWCLNov8XuorA_LJocffTHzz8leK1L61LNeW-5Lfn40bnMmoIHZ29LBup-P/s1600/Tajine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWe9la7EFoCtJTUTT83DvCYdaKl6o9dEdmVHhcwFh4drg7RTIENWmoVj1GL550scSfnJ0rYioDbvgBa2-RZWCLNov8XuorA_LJocffTHzz8leK1L61LNeW-5Lfn40bnMmoIHZ29LBup-P/s320/Tajine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJ5CbmUJcYiIQyXLj0HSCnxIAm7-TxSMTOjhkvU8OYPsUJViIzr5o8OlUiRWdynIivj0BHDScMdIAqTU2Recf5JSw7sxKESrbOgP5J_7cMm0TOT54QvnhaeoMNDKeS27KGe4IAwnRcuTx/s1600/TajineServed_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJ5CbmUJcYiIQyXLj0HSCnxIAm7-TxSMTOjhkvU8OYPsUJViIzr5o8OlUiRWdynIivj0BHDScMdIAqTU2Recf5JSw7sxKESrbOgP5J_7cMm0TOT54QvnhaeoMNDKeS27KGe4IAwnRcuTx/s320/TajineServed_edited-1.jpg" width="214" /></a>Generally I'm not a fan of kitchen gadgetry. You won't find any slap chops or flavourwave ovens in my cupboard. There are, however, some exceptions and the tajine is one <i>(onion goggles are obviously another)</i>. A tajine is a large, conical, ceramic dish that comes from the Berber areas of North Africa <i>(Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria)</i> . It's used to cook a kind of stew with extremely tender meat and a very rich broth with various vegetables and aromatic fruits. You can use just about any meat that braises well. My favorite tajine actually uses lamb shoulder but T-Moo isn't a huge lamb fan and I generally only eat it in spring so chicken ends up being our go-to protein.<br />
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I'm told the secret to the dish's flavour is the conical shape of the tajine itself. The idea is that the meat sits on top of the veggies so it gets steamed instead of stewed. The result is tender meat, rich broth and wild punches of flavour from the olives and fruits. That being said, one of the best tajines I ever had was cooked in a dutch oven, which is a great alternative if you don't have the real thing.<br />
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I've been working on making better tajine for a couple of years now and have made good progress and only a few small fires <i>(true story)</i>. To avoid the aforementioned fires, I've learned not to overfill the tajine and to use less initial liquid since so much comes out of the vegetables. <br />
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Tajine:<br />
6-10 chicken drumsticks<br />
1 onion diced<br />
1 can diced tomatoes, strained<br />
2 carrots, diced<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOst6jHMUTcajgH4QGKTl3sdk2mfkq186i4MPO2519Rj99N_Qf3-z65M_E0_NBoSBRLbVCjV4kTIZcYHzGj8OrXXdp7HX1S4KhXMC8lBW9ZrIKkSxHfMA7UJrlK-QmykI6pWzvDoT2OhMu/s1600/Squash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOst6jHMUTcajgH4QGKTl3sdk2mfkq186i4MPO2519Rj99N_Qf3-z65M_E0_NBoSBRLbVCjV4kTIZcYHzGj8OrXXdp7HX1S4KhXMC8lBW9ZrIKkSxHfMA7UJrlK-QmykI6pWzvDoT2OhMu/s320/Squash.jpg" width="320" /></a>1/2 of a small eggplant, diced (sweat it first if you can) <br />
1/2 squash, cut into 1 cm cubes<br />
2 cloves garlic, diced<br />
1/4 cup pitted olives, roughly chopped<br />
1/4 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped<br />
2 tbsp shelled, unsalted pistachios<br />
~5 pitted apricots, quartered<br />
Peel of 1 preserved lemon, diced<br />
1/2 cup chicken stock <br />
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Spices: <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf4yqpGl3HGjpQaCa_80FGSBMHn_wEAXy9l3kAJqgAl_5lvU8xo-hQu1AcU89doD2eHT6hFf0y__lI_uD9noBn91vIM3wW34hkwYDnwX48VXaZ-9YntgsD6WsMSldOW-6sKao42toBNcv/s1600/Spices_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf4yqpGl3HGjpQaCa_80FGSBMHn_wEAXy9l3kAJqgAl_5lvU8xo-hQu1AcU89doD2eHT6hFf0y__lI_uD9noBn91vIM3wW34hkwYDnwX48VXaZ-9YntgsD6WsMSldOW-6sKao42toBNcv/s320/Spices_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>1 tsp turmurec<br />
1 tsp paprika<br />
1 tsp corriander seed<br />
1/2 tsp ground chili flakes <br />
1/2 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/2 tsp ground cumin <br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
OR<br />
1 tbsp harissa spice <br />
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Couscous:<br />
1 cup whole wheat couscous<br />
1 cup chicken stock<br />
2 tsp olive oil<br />
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro<br />
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Yogurt:<br />
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt<br />
1 tbsp honey<br />
zest of one lime<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1 tbsp diced mint leaves <br />
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If you have the time, it's best to spice the meat and make the yogurt ahead of time so that the flavours combine nicely. To make the yogurt, simply combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate. To spice the meat, first grind the spiced and then toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl and add the drumsticks, toss to coat and set aside for at least an hour (overnight is best).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-NsMSLKLuce4xx_ywLOAeyjAUQ0QiM5uwfNQ6Pe9KjJtuoGZj7DTQIl2xab-H3iTU0e0doG1uYYHl4-oOiwiSWxYdxMaVNBI94fGxW5g_2D_-nwmvhyphenhyphenT5HbNEvkqTEO9Rx-Uw9mGzS3B/s1600/TajineCooked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-NsMSLKLuce4xx_ywLOAeyjAUQ0QiM5uwfNQ6Pe9KjJtuoGZj7DTQIl2xab-H3iTU0e0doG1uYYHl4-oOiwiSWxYdxMaVNBI94fGxW5g_2D_-nwmvhyphenhyphenT5HbNEvkqTEO9Rx-Uw9mGzS3B/s320/TajineCooked.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Combine the vegetables in the bottom of the tajine and add arrange the drumsticks on top, cover and put into the oven for ~1.5 hours.<br />
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While the tajine is cooking, make the couscous. Bring the stock to a boil in a small pot, add the couscous, stir and remove from heat and stir in the olive oil and cilantro.<br />
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Serve the tajine over a bed of couscous and top with a spoonful of yogurt.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-91279235008272869392012-03-09T12:49:00.002-05:002012-04-04T15:23:23.928-04:00Mango Coconut Crisp<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqVBR2c8Lz1n7mF2pOed7qzAQ63KDUbzJPHpeonlzn51jXXGXd5W_1TAeUGXbhPHcKScfZcrac2KMI0VK_hX_bpw8TlayfNvmnn4ywUPe8FFzWxZh31YnoeWNJLmxaI8JNBERJLzL5VMB/s1600/Burnt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqVBR2c8Lz1n7mF2pOed7qzAQ63KDUbzJPHpeonlzn51jXXGXd5W_1TAeUGXbhPHcKScfZcrac2KMI0VK_hX_bpw8TlayfNvmnn4ywUPe8FFzWxZh31YnoeWNJLmxaI8JNBERJLzL5VMB/s320/Burnt.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">How can I explain this photo? I was so engrossed in the engaging and delightful conversation with my dinner guests that I forgot about dessert sitting under my broiler. Two minutes turned to ten and before I knew it I had a full-scale oven fire on my hands. It happens. The key to handling this kind of situation with grace and ease is to remain calm, then lie about it and cover it up. Just casually scrape the burnt pieces off, add fresh topping, and start over. If there are any residual singed areas, cover them with ice cream, dim the lights in the dining room, and pretend like nothing happened. Nobody has to know! Unless you take photos of the whole thing and blog about it on the internet for everyone to see…</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite my own kitchen disaster, this recipe really is quite simple and easy to make. Just be sure keep an eye on it while it’s under the broiler and you’ll be fine. Perhaps check the batteries in your smoke detector, just in case. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Makes 4 servings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">vanilla ice cream or whipped cream</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIAzXbABen6zXAsO0PyCdbHYoDd_Q5HnxppboqfDdKK9FsbdzvGMq0hgWlOai1wOBL7b3cj36JuFc9oxVK5To_4_sQBHXjjn3PYzniROZNZIQO2XpKgxzrZuABxMM7ONsGjeQoRRTlXnw/s1600/Crumble+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Toast the 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes in a small pan over medium-low heat. When the flakes begin to smell fragrant and turn golden brown, remove them from the heat and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375F. Dice the mangoes into 1" pieces. In a bowl, toss the mango with 1 tablespoons of brown sugar. Arrange the mango into individual ramekins, leaving a little room at the top for the crisp topping. Alternatively, you could bake this in a 8" square baking dish. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIAzXbABen6zXAsO0PyCdbHYoDd_Q5HnxppboqfDdKK9FsbdzvGMq0hgWlOai1wOBL7b3cj36JuFc9oxVK5To_4_sQBHXjjn3PYzniROZNZIQO2XpKgxzrZuABxMM7ONsGjeQoRRTlXnw/s320/Crumble+1.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Combine the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the mixture is combined but still coarse. Sprinkle some of the topping into each ramekin. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bake for 25 minutes for ramekins, 35 minutes for an 8" square dish. Turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes. I think it goes without saying that you should probably stay in the kitchen and watch it while it broils. <br /><br />Remove from oven, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, sprinkle with the toasted coconut flakes, and serve. </span></div>
</div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-68085167540483355442012-03-05T15:51:00.000-05:002012-03-05T15:51:28.441-05:00Smoky Beef and Three-Bean ChiliUnless you are a vegetarian, I would suggest that everyone loves a rich, meaty, beefy chili. Now with that said there are many schools of thought on what constitutes 'chili'; I am mostly speaking to you Texan purists out there that will argue to the death that beans do not belong in chili. As I am not one for traditionalism, in my chili anyway, in this recipe you will find beans. If you cannot get beyond this then I suggest that you stop reading here and find a different recipe. However, for you bean lovers, continue reading on to find a great big batch recipe perfect for game day, a large family dinner, or potluck event. I like to make this chili the day before I want to eat it as I find the next day it has a richer, thicker consistency.<br />
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<br />
NOTE: You will require a <strike>very large</strike> gigantic pot or will need 2 large pots to simmer 2 batches seperately. You could also half the recipe but this is challenging to do with canned ingredients. I suggest making a enitre batch and sharing it with friends then storing the remainder in individual tupperware and freezing it for quick weeknight dinners.<br />
<br />
Makes enough to feed an army and then some!<br />
<br />
3 lbs of ground beef<br />
1 lb ground veal<br />
1 tsp olive oil<br />
2 sweet onions, chopped<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 green pepper, chopped<br />
1 jalapeno, fine dice<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
4 cups tomato sauce<br />
3 14oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice<br />
1 6oz can tomato paste<br />
1 16oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed<br />
1 16oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed<br />
1 16oz can romano beans, drained and rinsed<br />
<br />
<u>Spice Blend</u><br />
1 tbsp brown sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp black pepper<br />
1/4 cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp paprika<br />
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
3 tbsp chili powder<br />
1 tbsp chipotle chili powder<br />
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
<br />
<u>Garnishes (optional)</u><br />
grated cheddar cheese <br />
sliced green onions<br />
sour cream<br />
corn relish<br />
fried tortilla strips<br />
<br />
In a small bowl stir together all ingredients for spice blend.<br />
<br />
Heat largest pot (or dutch oven) over medium high heat and saute onion for about 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove onions and garlic from pan and set aside. Return pot to heat and add beef and veal and cook until browned (drain off excess fat, leaving just 1-2 tbsp). Add onion and garlic mixture into the beef and add green peppers, jalapeno and bay leaves. Add spice blend and stir with meat mix until well combine. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir in beans. Bring pot to a boil, then turn heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours. Serve with desired garnishes.Cookie Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063703038554057664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-2582561497177727222012-02-26T22:56:00.002-05:002012-02-26T23:06:46.215-05:00Osso Buco with Sun Dried Tomato and Carmelized Onion Risotto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah7e8ql8JxOhGO2k52mZ5XHRR8Qh7wA2HpzawYPX_eee80Yb9vv34WZaKp_I6Rr51R0NvObBn7_qwa46c5GYDVI70tkaHyed2IVFuwrBnVGPaJI7YI-m_PVManh2uKGspF737NuYw1Sd0/s1600/Osso+Bucco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah7e8ql8JxOhGO2k52mZ5XHRR8Qh7wA2HpzawYPX_eee80Yb9vv34WZaKp_I6Rr51R0NvObBn7_qwa46c5GYDVI70tkaHyed2IVFuwrBnVGPaJI7YI-m_PVManh2uKGspF737NuYw1Sd0/s320/Osso+Bucco.jpg" width="320" /></a>This Saturday I was feeling a bit like the Toronto Maple Leafs ... in desperate need of a win. After a series of unabashed kitchen failures I decided to turn to a meal creation process that usually pays off for me: pick an element that I know well and base everything else on that. It's a bit like playing improv jazz <i>(something I did quite a bit when I was younger)</i>; you pick a key, a riff and then expand on that theme so that everything you play sounds like a constructed song, even though you're making it up as you go along. In this case, I chose the key of Italian and the riff was sun dried tomato. <br />
<br />
We started with sun dried tomato risotto because it's FANTASTIC and I've been making risotto for over 20 years so I knew I could make that work. Osso buco seemed like an ideal pairing because the creamy marrow and delicate meat would echo the creamy risotto. It also had the benefit of being braised for only slightly over an hour so we could make the risotto while it cooked. The citrus punch from the gremolata topping goes well with the sun dried tomatoes in the risotto.<br />
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Most osso buco recipes call for braising in white or red wine, aromatic veggies and whole or diced tomatoes. I decided to substitute sun dried tomatoes for the fresh or canned ones as I wanted to match the flavour from the risotto. We then strained and reduced the sauce which allowed us to concentrate the sun dried tomato flavor even more and meant that we wouldn't drown the risotto in a lot of liquid. The resulting dish isn't as colourful as the traditional version but I think it tastes more intense.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1fl3KDXY60bK1SB8VEY80lIg6dRxKkhpEcdK97rGJKIxFxoWtopiNkG06kmze2onIDDrSl-W2a6u8RVoNnEbbELZbRX1liXxWp8XPHBSmCzyh-HeXASVNsMDFV4vBmHk-6LHAHy9Xy4k/s1600/OssoBucco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1fl3KDXY60bK1SB8VEY80lIg6dRxKkhpEcdK97rGJKIxFxoWtopiNkG06kmze2onIDDrSl-W2a6u8RVoNnEbbELZbRX1liXxWp8XPHBSmCzyh-HeXASVNsMDFV4vBmHk-6LHAHy9Xy4k/s400/OssoBucco.jpg" width="400" /></a><u>Osso buco:</u><br />
4 osso buco <i>(slices of veal shank)</i><br />
2 carrots, diced<br />
2 celery stalks, diced<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
4 sun dried tomatoes, whole<br />
3 cups white wine<br />
2 cups veal or beef stock<br />
1 tbsp flour <br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 tsp thyme<br />
1 tsp rosemary<br />
<br />
<u>Gremolata:</u><br />
Zest of one lemon<br />
2 cloves garlic, diced<br />
1/2 tbsp parsley, diced<br />
1 tsp olive oil <br />
<br />
<u>Risotto:</u><br />
3 onions, sliced<br />
3 cloves garlic, diced<br />
2 cups arborio rice <i>(accept no substitutes)</i><br />
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced<br />
2 cups stock + 2 cups water<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 cup grated parmesan<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350F.<br />
I like to start caramelizing the onions first because I cook them in the oven, which takes longer but saves labour <i>(you can do them on the stove in a frying pan if you prefer). </i>In a large pot, toss the onions in oil. Cover and place in the oven for about 30-45 minutes. If you're out of time and there is still liquid in the pot or if they are not fully caramelized, remove from oven and transfer to the stove on medium heat to finish. Remove the lid and let cook until any remaining liquid has cooked off and the onions are the colour of caramel. While the onions are in the oven, make the gremolata so that it can spend some time ...
gremolating. Simply combine the ingredients in a small bowl or
ramekin, cover and refrigerate.<br />
<br />
Turn the oven up to 400F. Dust the shanks in flour and brown them on all sides over high heat in a high sided oven-proof pan that's large enough to hold them. Remove them to a plate and saute the carrots and celery in the same pan. When they begin to soften and become fragrant (2-3 minutes), add the onions, garlic, herbs and saute 2-3 minutes more. Add the meat, stock and 2 cups of wine. Bring to a boil, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325F for ~45 minutes. <br />
<br />
While the osso buco is cooking make the risotto. Combine the water and stock in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low to keep the stock warm. In a large pot, saute the garlic on medium high heat
until fragrant, add the rice and stir to coat. When the rice is coated
in the oil, start to ladle in the warm stock while stirring. As
the stock is absorbed, ladle more in while stirring so the risotto is always wet but not drowning in stock <i>(stirring is the key to creamy risotto and the reason why Italian grandmothers will always beat you at arm wrestling)</i>. As it cooks, the starch starts
to come out of the rice and the risotto takes on a creamy texture.
Stop when the rice still has some bite and is a little al dente, before it turns mushy.
Ideally the stock/water runs out when the dish is done but you may need
slightly more or less depending on how the risotto gods feel that day. Once cooked, thoroughly stir in the diced sun dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and Parmesan and remove from heat.<br />
<br />
If all goes well, the osso buco should finish around the time the risotto is done. Remove the meat to a plate and cover. Add the last cup of wine, bring to a boil then strain and discard the vegetables, reserving the
tomatoes. Reduce liquid and tomatoes until the sauce thickens. You can
add some butter but I found it was smooth enough on its own.<br />
<br />
Layer a spoonful of risotto on a plate, top with meat and one of the tomatoes from the sauce. Drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with gremolata and serve. This pairs really well with Italian red wine like San Giovese or Chianti <i>(we chose Chianti)</i> as the wine won't overpower the food.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-56693517387525645552012-02-24T08:45:00.000-05:002012-02-24T08:45:14.887-05:00Creamy Mushroom Soup in Bread Bowls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For most of my life, my relationship with mushrooms has fluctuated between blind hatred and cool indifference. As a child, I would pick them out of stirfry, eat around them in salads, and recoil in horror if a rebellious mushroom somehow made it on to my pizza. In high school, I was voted "least likely to ever post a mushroom recipe on a food blog". Yet, here I am, defying expectations and embracing my former enemy with open arms. How did this happen? Clearly I have a great capacity for personal growth. My mushroom-loving boyfriend may have also had something to do with it. However, the tipping point came about a year ago when we were on vacation in Lake Placid. Adam ordered a mushroom soup that came served in a bread bowl. Initially I was indifferent, perhaps even slightly disappointed that he didn't order something delicious that I could sample. Then...the aroma wafted across the table and I became curious. How could something so vile, so greige, smell so appetizing? One spoonful turned to several spoonfuls (to Adam's dismay) and before I knew it, I was a mushroom fan. A mushroom soup fan, at least. This recipe is my attempt to recreate that game-changing meal.<br />
<br />
My biggest beef with mushrooms ("mmm, beef with mushrooms" - Adam) has always been their texture. Unfortunately this precluded me from every appreciating their delicious woodsy flavour. This soup is blended until it's smooth and creamy, which means I can enjoy the Umami experience without issue.<br />
<br />
Serves 4<br />
<br />
drizzle of grapeseed oil<br />
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped<br />
3 shallots, diced<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 tablespoon fresh thyme<br />
5-6 cups chopped mushrooms (I use oyster, shitake, and cremini)<br />
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock<br />
dash of Worcestershire sauce<br />
3/4 cups heavy cream<br />
salt and pepper<br />
truffle salt to garnish (optional)<br />
4 crusty buns<br />
<br />
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery and shallots and stir. Let cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and thyme. Saute for 2-3 minutes longer until softened. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir to combine. Saute for 5 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have softened (you'll know you're getting close when the mushrooms stop squeaking). Add the stock and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
While the soup cooks, you can prepare the bread bowls. Cut around the edge of the bun and remove the top portion. Scoop out some of the bread inside to make a bowl (this is my cook's treat but you can also save it for bread crumbs).<br />
<br />
Remove the soup from the heat. Using a stick blender (or in bathes in a regular blender), blend the soup until smooth. Add the cream and stir until incorporated. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed, it almost always needs a generous pinch of salt at this point. Give it one final stir to incorporate everything. Scoop into bread bowls, garnish with a sprinkle of truffle salt, and serve. </div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-37932226291882845612012-02-22T16:29:00.000-05:002012-02-22T16:34:17.013-05:00Squash, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Pizza with Figs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I love this pizza. I love everything about it - the sweetness of the figs, the tangy blue cheese, the crust that is crisp on the outside and tender inside. I love nutritious and tasty addition of squash and arugula that allows me to pretend that, even though it's pizza, it's really not that bad for me (silence, carb haters!). I love the way it makes just enough for a weeknight meal for two with leftovers for lunch the next day. I love the way it tastes fresh from the oven. I love the way it tastes when eaten cold, straight from the office fridge. I love how it brightens my day, even as I eat it hunched over my desk at work while trying, frantically, to meet a deadline. I love how it embodies everything I would have hated to eat as a child (moldy blue cheese, mushy squash, green stuff!) but now love because I've matured into a worldly, food-blogging sophisticate. My only issue with this pizza is that it's difficult to eat it while patting myself on the back for being a worldly, food-blogging sophisticate, it's really a two-hand or knife and fork pizza.<br />
<br />
Makes 1 large pizza (about 6-8 slices)<br />
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<u>Pizza Dough</u></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
1 cup warm water</div>
1 package active yeast (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)<br />
1 teaspoon sugar or honey<br />
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2 1/2 cups flour (plus extra for dusting work surface)<br />
1/2 tablespoon salt</div>
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2 tablespoons olive oil</div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<u>Pizza Toppings</u></div>
1/2 butternut squash (about 1 lb)<br />
1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes<br />
olive oil<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
6 dried figs, roughly chopped (you can also use fresh if available)</div>
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (goat cheese is also great)<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
1/2 cup grated Parmesan</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
1 1/2 cups arugula</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
salt and pepper</div>
<br />
Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup. Let stand for about 10 minutes until the mixture is frothy. Combine the flour, salt, yeast mixture, and olive oil in a large mixing blow and mix together until well combined. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball, adding more flour as needed. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30-40 minutes. <br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400F. Peel the butternut squash and remove all the seeds. Slice the squash cross-wise into 1/4" thick pieces (the shape isn't important as long as they are evenly and thinly sliced). Arrange the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Roast until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven up to 425F. <br />
<br />
Punch down the pizza dough and transfer to a floured work surface. Gently spread the dough into whatever shape you like. I bake this on an oiled rectangular baking tray but you could also use a pizza stone. Bake for 3-5 minutes, until the dough has stiffened and is slightly puffed up but not browned. Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange the squash slices, figs, and cheeses on the pizza dough and return to the oven for another 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and dough is golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with arugula and freshly ground pepper. I like to let the arugula wilt for a minute or two before slicing and serving.</div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-63894686876156152392012-02-16T06:22:00.000-05:002012-02-16T07:02:39.580-05:00Mini Pavlova with Balsamic Strawberries and Cream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR6oLu1ZGZvqIm0vdzvSFQjbgCd8izRxIzjOP_TOg9Fq6ZMRjdf8tfM581mxSbFQfL3gIbtC-zZ8BUKfYIo_Av4HUcxg9kNK1LFamvvLS2muPB5EerPJgnDzuPOKjaXqOCFOBxBabnFnp/s1600/Pavlova.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR6oLu1ZGZvqIm0vdzvSFQjbgCd8izRxIzjOP_TOg9Fq6ZMRjdf8tfM581mxSbFQfL3gIbtC-zZ8BUKfYIo_Av4HUcxg9kNK1LFamvvLS2muPB5EerPJgnDzuPOKjaXqOCFOBxBabnFnp/s400/Pavlova.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Remember when you were a kid and you thought that clouds were soft, cottony, pillows that you could float on, if only you could somehow reach them? Perhaps there was a castle there and a room full of toys. No? Just me? Well, I used to dream that I could go there in my sleep and I'd never have to do chores, like sweeping, ever again. It was glorious. Then I lost my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOHG_t1mr2k" target="_blank">Les Miserables</a> soundtrack and forgot all about it.<br />
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Now, of course, I understand that clouds are nothing more than water droplets suspended in the atmosphere. Here on earth, we have meringue. My favourite thing about this recipe is watching simple egg whites transform into velvety, billowing, meringue clouds. When baked, the meringue becomes slightly crisp on the outside and soft like a marshmallow on the inside. Top them with a fluffy dollop of whipped cream and just about any fruit you like, then serve one to your boyfriend in exchange for sweeping the floors. You'll be in heaven.<br />
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Makes about 16 Pavlova<br />
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<u>For the meringue:</u><br />
8 large egg whites<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 tsp corn starch
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1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 tsp white wine vinegar<br />
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<u>For the topping</u>:<br />
2 cups chopped strawberries<br />
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar<br />
3 tablespoons sugar<br />
1/2 cup <a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.com/2012/01/ice-cream-cookie-cups.html" target="_blank">strawberry coulis (see recipe)</a><br />
1 cup whipping cream<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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In a bowl, combine the strawberries, balsamic, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Set aside while you make the meringues (you can also do this step ahead of time and keep the berries in the fridge until you're ready to serve).<br />
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Preheat oven to 300F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Trace circles onto the parchment paper using a drinking glass that is about 10 cm in diameter. You should be able to fit 6-8 circles onto each parchment, depending on the size or your baking trays.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M7nBZmlPMRQ/TzzahlYHwCI/AAAAAAAAAd8/hZE4_iMMqLE/s1600/Whipped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M7nBZmlPMRQ/TzzahlYHwCI/AAAAAAAAAd8/hZE4_iMMqLE/s320/Whipped.jpg" width="320" /></a>Combine the sugar and corn starch in a bowl. In a separate bowl or stand-up mixer, beat the egg whites on high (it's important to use a clean, dry bowl). While beating, gradually add the sugar/cornstarch one spoonful at a time. Continue to beat until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and vinegar and whip briefly to incorporate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC3mg10mL2cyblwzzVjnCe5Dm3Fj0wjZtmRiZzJlMMTrYlyYd2mYpfHCARvE1ACmy8lIJQdFk0YoKhksNEtfLYTT2DhtAKzc330hAuzTHNIavIktAlwsTpoc9PB15iiR59cf7hXbuCrvo/s1600/MiniMeringue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC3mg10mL2cyblwzzVjnCe5Dm3Fj0wjZtmRiZzJlMMTrYlyYd2mYpfHCARvE1ACmy8lIJQdFk0YoKhksNEtfLYTT2DhtAKzc330hAuzTHNIavIktAlwsTpoc9PB15iiR59cf7hXbuCrvo/s320/MiniMeringue.jpg" width="320" /></a>With a spoon or your fingertip, place a small dot of meringue under each corner of the parchment paper. This will help it stick to the baking tray and make it easier to sculpt the meringues. Spoon about 3/4 cup of meringue onto each circle. Using the back of a spoon, make a small indentation in each meringue to make room for the filling. Place the baking trays on the centre rack in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and let sit in the oven for another 30 minutes until the meringues are golden. Remove and transfer to a rack to cool.<br />
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Whip the cream with the remaining two tablespoons of sugar and vanilla. To serve, top each meringue with the whipped cream, a spoonful of strawberries, and drizzle of strawberry coulis. </div>T-Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321073171319499464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-38199880289492922532012-02-14T19:01:00.003-05:002012-02-14T19:01:30.138-05:00Puppy Chow<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzRMIziyvGlmZoNb15a3vrgvRm6Jhq3fUfm4uXDMUHD_LkKdkVeKLx3KsStDdoYO5-VrXMmZcdMOq7aVTsqfsUNCKb-HVMMexMjKL-AAPaxDFfypXIdUZx6T0oHrjjxoNMWWZeWoL0KRH/s1600/Puppy+Chow1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzRMIziyvGlmZoNb15a3vrgvRm6Jhq3fUfm4uXDMUHD_LkKdkVeKLx3KsStDdoYO5-VrXMmZcdMOq7aVTsqfsUNCKb-HVMMexMjKL-AAPaxDFfypXIdUZx6T0oHrjjxoNMWWZeWoL0KRH/s320/Puppy+Chow1.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWJkFIZP2iY4IeOnr1CSqFL9GfyrCSa0EoW-3sLlcnyUg5eqDrTirWbFFLUJvASXw_s6hdwsEAmJrtV_t2yHZ-WL_indmGapi0_bOdYEnslYKxoBQMfLCQQEOyvmdkWVGUk4OGrOHnltw/s1600/Puppy+Chow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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I lived in Florida for a brief period of time and when working there I had the chance to meet a lot of great people from all over the US and eat a lot of new and 'different' foods that I had never tried before, such as deep fried pickles, sausage gravy (<em>thinking it was a vat of oatmeal at breakfast one day I sprinkled it with brown sugar...mhmm)</em> and puppy chow. Puppy chow is a sweet treat that is simple to make and a sure crowd-pleaser. It is also great mixed with popcorn and pretzels or served on ice cream.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyHz8jb95ipg33Kd2Nt7o5XSBhcoh2tCKA548Qgsl-y8Y9W56ZV5Xq0_iW1sHfmgkiJc2cZEVTJh6NwalfwUlDVwRLjpxZxkXg39r4gdspnQXcqjq66dnB3HgrwDUt8DMwYYcit-tQoKr/s1600/PChowCloseup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyHz8jb95ipg33Kd2Nt7o5XSBhcoh2tCKA548Qgsl-y8Y9W56ZV5Xq0_iW1sHfmgkiJc2cZEVTJh6NwalfwUlDVwRLjpxZxkXg39r4gdspnQXcqjq66dnB3HgrwDUt8DMwYYcit-tQoKr/s320/PChowCloseup.JPG" width="320" /></a>Makes 4 cups of chow!</div>
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4 cup Chex or Crispix cereal</div>
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1/4 cup natural peanut butter</div>
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1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips</div>
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2 tbsp unsalted butter</div>
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1 tsp vanilla</div>
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1 1/4 cup icing sugar</div>
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*large resealable plastic bag</div>
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In a large bowl combine peanut butter, chocolate and butter. Microwave in 30 second increments stirring after each heating, until mixture is melted and smooth. Alternatively you could melt this mixture over a double boiler. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Add cereal to PB and chocolate mix and gently stir to coat cereal well. Once cereal is well coated place cereal into large resealable bag with icing sugar. Seal bag and shake until cereal is well coated in sugar. Serve!</div>Cookie Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063703038554057664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-55538886037444642242012-02-13T15:15:00.002-05:002012-02-13T15:15:16.055-05:00Mediterranean Braised Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpGHh6d9ub2L0ydzX1AKhEJXZtEORXgmlgq9xqjKQ_k9E1pX5aRUuavCopRcd_hm4KpNO47QBPmtByX2UgwMcPmuBVRvfXbYcF6Vo_Cc4D0Yi6ZgXS_E5BBCfuE7sESjBwJUyRzy6DqMT/s1600/BraisedChickenPan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpGHh6d9ub2L0ydzX1AKhEJXZtEORXgmlgq9xqjKQ_k9E1pX5aRUuavCopRcd_hm4KpNO47QBPmtByX2UgwMcPmuBVRvfXbYcF6Vo_Cc4D0Yi6ZgXS_E5BBCfuE7sESjBwJUyRzy6DqMT/s400/BraisedChickenPan.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is one of my boyfriend's signature dishes. He loves anything with rich, meaty flavour or that is saucy. Think Indian food, Bolognese and braised meats. This dish falls into the braised meats category, where chicken thighs are slowly simmered with flavours from the Mediterranean to create a tangy, velvety sauce. We always used to eat this served with broad flat noodles or rice, however, just recently discovered <a href="http://oniongogs.blogspot.com/2012/01/soft-polenta-with-rosemary.html" target="_blank">soft polenta</a> which I think is the perfect side dish. I can't wait to taste what he cooks up next!</div>
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Serves 4<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8B80roxAHdL2Mbaj-cT9dz7QyP_EPGA_DnyHZ4_XkSkAEluMYYwDJlxf3oyxV5HD47stA5hlRllODp3eJnnxTwuMc799jM-P4ag-cbDOxn4llLst41Z-V1xwKLSrjCWhHTojl9k0uUz7R/s1600/Med+Chicken+Plate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8B80roxAHdL2Mbaj-cT9dz7QyP_EPGA_DnyHZ4_XkSkAEluMYYwDJlxf3oyxV5HD47stA5hlRllODp3eJnnxTwuMc799jM-P4ag-cbDOxn4llLst41Z-V1xwKLSrjCWhHTojl9k0uUz7R/s320/Med+Chicken+Plate.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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1/4 cup all purpose flour</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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8-10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless</div>
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4 tbsp olive oil, divided</div>
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1 sprig rosemary</div>
1 sweet onion, large slices<br />
3 cloves garlic, sliced<br />
4 Roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded<br />
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted<br />
1 1/2 cups white wine<br />
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Combine flour, salt and pepper on a large plate. Dredge chicken thighs in flour and shake off the excess. In a large skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat. In two batches, sear chicken thighs about 3 minutes per side or until just browned. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Return the pan to medium heat and add rosemary and onions. Cook for about 7-8 minutes then add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and olives and return chicken to pan, once tomatoes have softened slightly (about 3 minutes) add wine to skillet and bring to a boil, once boiling turn heat to low and simmer chicken for about 20-30 minutes. Serve.Cookie Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063703038554057664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2547590345843026899.post-59313451080567412842012-02-11T14:44:00.001-05:002012-02-11T14:44:47.238-05:00Gnocchi success at last!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_N5ZP_fX_lOWvmIa0Klg4ZZu9ltiRN9t9t-ARuoia7Ye0DJyILoCGFFH1IIuxa7ke_x-6Djgr2ClRey9hH5fxz9PGp5zYexfh6rBMHjXgtzkD4Yr3Dc6BXtnW8MhrWxqREAbVg99Z8KmY/s1600/GnocchiReady2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_N5ZP_fX_lOWvmIa0Klg4ZZu9ltiRN9t9t-ARuoia7Ye0DJyILoCGFFH1IIuxa7ke_x-6Djgr2ClRey9hH5fxz9PGp5zYexfh6rBMHjXgtzkD4Yr3Dc6BXtnW8MhrWxqREAbVg99Z8KmY/s320/GnocchiReady2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gnocchi are a fabulous pasta. When done right they're like delicious little down pillows. When done wrong they're a bit like eating chunks of old gum. I was always told that the key was not to add too much flour and not to work them too much. In practice I found this a bit like taking advice from Wayne Gretzsky <i>"Just go to where to puck is going to be!", </i>great in theory but practically impossible. <i> </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3gFHTrDBLvUhyphenhyphena_7_fZWJm-tvAs6lkGAyScsCqOCxspHxLIrtsEjbk0ALJuwc9XVChwhJ8prWovRHGwlGA04Z559U6J0lG000xGvIeNyguyrj7IZyhGhosrswXVB9t74OSc5jtmL1Jpu/s1600/Eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3gFHTrDBLvUhyphenhyphena_7_fZWJm-tvAs6lkGAyScsCqOCxspHxLIrtsEjbk0ALJuwc9XVChwhJ8prWovRHGwlGA04Z559U6J0lG000xGvIeNyguyrj7IZyhGhosrswXVB9t74OSc5jtmL1Jpu/s200/Eggs.jpg" width="200" /></a>Gnocchi are our white whale ... or at least they used to be. Some of our greatest kitchen disasters and best concrete substitutes have come from failed gnocchi attempts. It actually got to the point where T-Moo wouldn't even try any more and the mere mention of gnocchi would cause her to lie on the floor and scream like a tired 3 year old in a grocery store. So I was ecstatic when I took a cooking class on a recent business trip to London and finally learned how to make Gnocchi in a reliable way. It turns out the key, like a fine cigar, is hand rolling!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00JcPSbJalZEbRO4OlM6bIRqerkGwBEAK9eWBK_-rgXIgwgu7PhLA9xRrTH3srUICaxBKsN7TOCAtgbom7xh65p29REXhxC5qpapgjdMZrrvFqEMsDc_a-ypO8Dpy0r_JdSkWbj2K_5U9/s1600/Flour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00JcPSbJalZEbRO4OlM6bIRqerkGwBEAK9eWBK_-rgXIgwgu7PhLA9xRrTH3srUICaxBKsN7TOCAtgbom7xh65p29REXhxC5qpapgjdMZrrvFqEMsDc_a-ypO8Dpy0r_JdSkWbj2K_5U9/s200/Flour.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Quantities are all per person:</div>
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1 baked russet potato</div>
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1 egg yolk, beaten</div>
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~1/3 cup flour</div>
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1/2 tsp salt<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNdwF8ylNn-rNy2fCpsXZnXXf9c7Y77IOc6Dq9ueYl1rFFNfDvPd6IyEsAyNYRKWl_jUxejjE03daBvll5hsgzfb6qffHJQnSpe40byPUsxbIvp8RKy98cCPBgwqRwRTWwzxCTB0vszfZ/s1600/GnocchiBall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNdwF8ylNn-rNy2fCpsXZnXXf9c7Y77IOc6Dq9ueYl1rFFNfDvPd6IyEsAyNYRKWl_jUxejjE03daBvll5hsgzfb6qffHJQnSpe40byPUsxbIvp8RKy98cCPBgwqRwRTWwzxCTB0vszfZ/s200/GnocchiBall.jpg" width="200" /></a>Scoop the inside of the potatoes into a bowl and mash with a fork until it's no longer chunky or use a potato ricer if you have one <i>(I have two ... for some reason)</i>. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly, slowly adding flour until it starts to form a dough ball. It will start like a bowl of wall paper paste but should start to come together after adding a couple of tablespoons of flour per potato <i>(the amount will depend on the size of the eggs and potatoes)</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNECzucEniOF_3ywwAc4GRr3qqYYLhoZZcMY0Nq0jUpM6KUySpL_r9RjdtSm7x3typ8WPCERqMFIvYvsaplfF1VHWuJdu3V3rh8M2LR91dhvV3Uhs9cWPpNKUX1G0rlCh8LZeenVpkSHvj/s1600/GnocchiRoll2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNECzucEniOF_3ywwAc4GRr3qqYYLhoZZcMY0Nq0jUpM6KUySpL_r9RjdtSm7x3typ8WPCERqMFIvYvsaplfF1VHWuJdu3V3rh8M2LR91dhvV3Uhs9cWPpNKUX1G0rlCh8LZeenVpkSHvj/s200/GnocchiRoll2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQRDUhDvSn6_RpTCPcdxHIp6Zq8_HAOUBGzb1fVm7pulyU4mpTsw-ieVd1GicYWcNBvgAKktQOufvkbGM86axE3Xjdlf9zVw_Od_S_7gI6ygUmjeI0NU8xCZ5dKxnVke_j_sT8NlbDVSD/s1600/GnocchiRoll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQRDUhDvSn6_RpTCPcdxHIp6Zq8_HAOUBGzb1fVm7pulyU4mpTsw-ieVd1GicYWcNBvgAKktQOufvkbGM86axE3Xjdlf9zVw_Od_S_7gI6ygUmjeI0NU8xCZ5dKxnVke_j_sT8NlbDVSD/s200/GnocchiRoll.jpg" width="200" /></a>When the dough starts to come away from the side of the bowl pick up a chunk about the size of a baseball with your hands and roll it around in the flour to dust it all over (y<i>our hands will get very dirty).</i> Once dusted, pick up the dough ball and roll it around in your hands until it becomes wet again <i>(the egg will seep through as you roll)</i> and then re-dust and repeat rolling. Repeat this rolling and dusting process until the egg stops seeping through the flour dust <i>(usually 3-5 times)</i>. The dough won't firm up much because there isn't any gluten in the potatoes and so you have to treat it gently.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXXrHBlzxmwEvYGyv5j6S6XbYbR5zH1HXwaE64D_62PgO3kti90mA9nGUWuFYGUE5y7Ems5c9LkMDg0s7kys8BVSmCmcArTxDpS3E1KXuEQbX1Bu7R2B_oSsKd54BgEpITRlvUAsGmIsU/s1600/Gnocchi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXXrHBlzxmwEvYGyv5j6S6XbYbR5zH1HXwaE64D_62PgO3kti90mA9nGUWuFYGUE5y7Ems5c9LkMDg0s7kys8BVSmCmcArTxDpS3E1KXuEQbX1Bu7R2B_oSsKd54BgEpITRlvUAsGmIsU/s320/Gnocchi2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Flour an area of your counter or cutting board to work the dough. Take the dough balls and roll them into long snakes about 2cm thick much like you used to do with PlayDough when you were a kid <i>(you used to do that too right?)</i>. You can now use a fork to gently press grooves into the snakes or leave them as is. Cut the snakes into pieces about 2-3cm long. The dough will still be very tacky inside and quite soft so the best way to do this is to chop down quickly and then flick the pieces to the side with your knife to prevent them from sticking to each other and to the knife.<br />
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Add the gnocchi to a large pot of boiling salted water. They're done when they float. Avoid over cooking them as they'll just disintegrate into the pasta water.</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110912544715564522noreply@blogger.com3