recipes

RECIPE: SPRING Fiddleheads WITH PASTA

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:49:26 -0600

SPRING PASTA WITH FIDDLEHEADS AND SEAFOOD
My version of a fresh spring dish created by chef Lizzie Stewart, The Blue Door, Fredericton, NB. She poaches her peeled cherry tomatoes slowly in garlic-infused oil (a sort of tomato confit) for extra flavour, and uses either prawns or lobster meat in the light creamy sauce.

1 cup fiddleheads, tightly furled heads
12 large prawns, peeled and deveined, or 1 cup cubed lobster meat
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.5 teaspoon garlic puree
12 cherry tomatoes, blanched and peeled or halved
½ cup white wine
1/3 cup whipping cream
8 oz. fresh pappardelle pasta or dried wide, flat noodles, cooked barely al dente (1-2 minutes for fresh pasta)
6 thin ribbons of zucchini
handful of baby arugula
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
pea shoots to garnish

Trim any brown spots from the fiddleheads. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the fiddleheads. Boil for 2-3 minutes, then drain and shock in a bowl of ice water. When cool, drain and set aside (they can be vac-packed and frozen at this point).
To make zucchini ribbons, used a mandoline (or a vegetable peeler) to take thin, lengthwise slices from a medium zucchini. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the prawns or lobster and cook quickly for 1 minute, until pink. Season with salt and pepper and stir in garlic and tomatoes.
Add the wine to deglaze and cook for a minute, until half of it has evaporated, then stir in the cream.
Bring to a simmer and add the reserved fiddleheads, the pasta and zucchini ribbons, tossing together over medium high heat until the zucchini is tender and pasta is heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the arugula and toss to combine.
Divide the mixture between two large pasta bowls. Top each serving with Parmesan and fresh pea shoots to garnish. Serves 2.

©Cinda Chavich 2012
www.tastereport.com

RECIPE: MAKING PIZZA FROM SCRATCH

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:30:43 -0600

THE PIZZA PARTY
A party where everyone cooks their own food, is brilliant for the food phobic – guests are responsible for their own dining disasters and the heat’s off you. From The Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books)

PIZZA DOUGH
3 cups (750 ml) flour (try a combination of 2 cups/500 ml all-purpose and 1 cup/250 ml softer pastry or barley flour, or add a little cornmeal to the mix for crunch)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) instant yeast
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
2 tablespoons (25 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) warm water (about 125 F or 50C)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar

cornmeal

Combine flour, yeast and salt in the food processor and whirl briefly to combine. Combine the olive oil, warm water and sugar, and with the machine running, slowly add the liquid, until the dough comes together in a ball. You can add up to 1/4 cup more warm water if you need to – the dough should be smooth but soft.
You can also mix the dough with an electric mixer or mix it by hand in a large bowl, with a wooden spoon or your hands. Then you’ll need to knead it for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary.
If you have a bread machine, use the dough cycle and just dump all of the ingredients into the machine. It’s convenient and easy, because it mixes the dough and gives it a warm place to rise until you’re ready to roll out your pizza crusts. You can refrigerate the dough or even freeze it – just bring it back to room temperature before proceeding.
To make pizza: heat a pizza stone (or an inverted heavy baking sheet) on the lowest rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500F for 30-45 minutes. The Guy has even successfully used unglazed clay tiles from the hardware store, arranged tightly together on the bottom oven rack, to approximate the clay oven/pizza stone.
Divide dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll or stretch into 8-inch round, the thinner the better.
On a wooden pizza peel (or a heavy piece of cardboard that’s covered in foil – an old pizza box works) sprinkle some cornmeal (important so that the dough will slide off later). Set the pizza dough on top and dress lightly with your favourite toppings. Lightly is the operative word here – too much topping makes soggy pizza.
Carefully slide the pizza from the peel, directly onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet in your oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms are crisp and brown. Repeat with additional pizzas.
Let pizza stand on a cutting board for 2 minutes before cutting into wedges using your biggest chef’s knife or a rotary pizza cutter. Serve immediately.

TOMATO SAUCE FOR PIZZA
There are some decent bottled tomato sauces on the market but it’s easy to make your own pizzaria-style sauce from scratch.

1 medium can (14-ounce/398-ml) tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons (25-45 ml) tomato paste
2 tablespoons (25 ml) sugar
1/4 cup (50 ml) EVO (extra virgin olive oil)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
1/4 cup (50 ml) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) Asian chili paste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and whirl until smooth. Place in a covered container and refrigerate. The sauce will keep for 2 days.

THE TOPPINGS:
When you’re having an interactive pizza party divide your guests into teams of two (not couples – it’s more fun) and let the topping and baking of pies go on all night while you sit in the kitchen, at the bar or around the dining table, and comment on your cohorts’ combinations. Set out the toppings- chopped, cooked, shredded and ready to use – and let the games begin. Anything goes but here are some tried and true combos.

Tomato sauce, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions, minced garlic , thinly sliced prosciutto and fontina cheese
Slivered Canadian back bacon or cappicolo, sliced mushrooms, mozzarella, Parmesan and roasted peppers – then baked and topped with thinly sliced fresh tomatoes
Basil pesto, thinly sliced Roma tomatoes, slivered onions and mozzarella cheese
Slivered sundried tomatoes (packed in oil), artichoke hearts (drained well, if canned, and chopped), black olives , slivered fresh basil leaves and grated aged Fruilano cheese
Tomato sauce, minced fresh basil, black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil, roasted garlic puree, grilled asparagus, caramelized onions, grated Provolone and Asiago cheese
Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese and anchovies
Pesto, Italian sausage (crumbled and cooked), chopped tomatoes, Provolone or Fruilano cheese
Pesto, chopped tomatoes, dry salami, black olives and grated mozzarella cheese.
Tomato sauce, thinly sliced prosciutto or spicy capicollo , slivered black olives and fresh basil
Caramelized onions, sliced tomatoes, black olives and anchovies
Sliced pears or figs marinated in balsamic, and gorgonzola cheese with toasted walnuts or pine nuts and shredded arugula (greens go on after baking).

©Cinda Chavich 2011
www.tastereport.com

recipe: SaladE Lyonnaise

Mon, 9 Apr 2012 14:35:42 -0600

A simple Lyonnaise Salad

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices side pork or thick smoky bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips or cubes
1 small shallot, minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (depends on how much fat renders from your bacon)
1 head frisée (curly endive) or a mix of sturdy greens (endive, spinach, dandelion, arugula, radicchio, etc.), torn into bite-size pieces (about 4-6 cups)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 eggs
sea salt and pepper

Fry the side pork or bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the crispy lardons to a plate lined with paper towel, reserving the bacon fast in the pan.
In the same pan, with the bacon fat, sauté the shallot for 3 minutes, then whisk in the mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil.
Combine the greens in a bowl.
Fill a 10-inch, straight-sided sauté pan with 2 inches of water. Add the white vinegar and bring the liquid to a bare simmer (not a rolling boil). Gently crack the eggs into small dishes or tea cups and slip them into the water, taking care not to break the yolks (cook 4 at a time). Cover the pan and let the eggs cook until the whites have set and the yolk is done to the desired consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the water, one at a time.
Toss the greens with the warm vinaigrette, then divide among four shallow bowls.
Place an egg on each portion of frisée. Sprinkle the bacon lardon evenly over each salad and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

©Cinda Chavich 2012
www.tastereport.com 

Vegetarian burgers and Sneaky Lentil Chocolate chip Cookies

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:33:10 -0600

I talked about lentils for Lent - a great vegetarian protein substitute - on CBC radio’s alberta@noon show. Read a transcript of my conversation with host Donna McElligott and learn everything about healthy Canadian lentils.

LENTIL BURGERS

Makes 6 to 8 burgers

This burger is one of the holy grails of vegetarian
cooking. Not only does it contain lots of complementary
vegetable protein from its combination of grains
and legumes, but its meaty texture is delicious
and hearty.

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
½ pound (227 g) of mushrooms, freshly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, freshly chopped
2 cups (500 mL) of cooked lentils
1 cup (250 mL) of bread crumbs
½ cup (125 mL) of peanut or almond butter
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of miso paste
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of dried thyme
¼ cup (60 mL) of chia seeds
2 cups (500 mL) of sweet potato, grated

Splash the oil into your skillet over medium-high heat.
Toss in the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and sauté
until they become brown and flavourful, about 10
minutes. Transfer the mixture to your food processor.
Add all the remaining ingredients except the grated
sweet potato. Puree the mixture until everything is
smoothly combined. Transfer the mixture to a mixing
bowl and stir in the sweet potato by hand so it does
not break down in the machine. Rest the mixture for
ten minutes, giving the chia seeds time to work their magic.

Using your hands, shape the mixture into evenly
formed patties. They may be cooked immediately,
refrigerated for several days, or frozen for a month.

When it is time to cook you have lots of options for
these burgers. You may fry them in a lightly oiled sauté
pan on your stovetop, sear them on your griddle, grill, or
BBQ, or even bake in your oven at 400°F (200°C) for
15 to 20 minutes. Whatever method you choose, keep
in mind that these burgers brown relatively quickly so
medium-high heat will allow the centers to keep up
while the exteriors cook.
© Chef Michael Smith

SNEAKY LENTIL COOKIES

Makes 2 dozen cookies

These awesome cookies will impress everyone at your
table. The kids will not know they have a secret
ingredient, they will just know they taste good. But
you will know they are packed with healthy lentil
puree. So it is your choice: make these cookies because
they taste great, or because they are great for you!

½ cup (125 mL) of butter, softened
2 cups (500 mL) of brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons (30 mL) of vanilla
½ cup (125 mL) of lentil puree
2 cups (500 mL) of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon (2 mL) of salt
2 teaspoons (10 mL) of baking powder
2 cups (500 mL) of chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Turn on your
convection fan if you have one.

Use your stand mixer or food processor to cream
together the butter and sugar until they are smoothly
combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and lentil puree and
continue until the mixture is smooth once again.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking
powder, and salt, evenly distributing the finer powders
amongst the coarser ones. Add the dry ingredients to
the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate
chips. Roll into balls or drop by the spoonful, placing
about two inches apart on a lightly oiled baking tray.

Bake for exactly 12 minutes. Cool for a few minutes
then serve, share, and get ready for the greatest
hoodwink ever!

Recipe Note
You may make your own lentil puree by simply
pureeing four parts cooked lentils with one part
water. It may also be stirred into any soup or stew.
© Chef Michael Smith

RECIPE: Szechuan noodle soup

Thu, 3 Feb 2011 16:08:45 -0700

SZECHUAN PORK NOODLE SOUP At a hotel I visited in Kunming, China, the breakfast of choice was noodles in steamy chicken soup with spicy ground pork– aka Over the Bridge Noodles. Made to order and garnished with everything from salty Yunnan ham and spicy pork in chili oil, to fresh bean sprouts, chopped green onions and slivers of cooked chicken, it’s a build-your-own kind of dish. Black vinegar mixed with soy is a popular condiment in southern China. You’ll find everything you need at an Asian market. Set all of the toppings out so that diners can garnish their soup as they like. For a vegetarian soup, try making the sauce with ground soy protein instead of pork. A satisfying meal any time of the day.   6-8 cups (1.5-2L) hot chicken stock   3/4 pound (375 g) thin rice vermicelli or fresh Chinese egg noodles (if rice noodles are dry, soak in hot water for 15 minutes and drain)   Toppings: Fresh bean sprouts Chopped green onions shredded cooked chicken Slivered Yunnan ham or prosciutto Fresh pea shoots Black vinegar and soy sauce   Spicy Pork in Chili Sauce: 1/2 pound (225g) lean ground pork 2 tablespoons (25 ml) canola oil 1/2 cup (125 ml) minced shallots 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon (15 ml) brown sugar 2 tablespoons (25 ml) soy sauce 2 tablespoons (25 ml) minced ginger 3-4 tablespoons (45-50 ml) Asian chili paste (or 4 minced red fresh chilies) 1 tablespoon (15 ml) crunchy natural peanut butter or sesame paste 2 teaspoons (10 ml) dark Chinese vinegar or lemon juice   In a wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the ground pork, shallots and garlic until the meat has turned colour and is starting to brown. Add the sugar, soy sauce, ginger, chili paste and cook together for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the peanut butter and vinegar and remove from heat. If not hot enough, drizzle with some chili oil (alternatively, cook the ground pork with a commercial Sichuan soup paste, found in jars in Asian markets). Set out all of the toppings in small bowls on the table. Bring the chicken stock to a boil and keep it hot. Heat a large pot of water to boiling and add the noodles. After about 1 minute, test the noodles to make sure they’re tender, then drain and divide them among four large soup bowls. Fill each bowl 3/4 full with chicken stock. Let your guests choose their own toppings – a spoonful of spicy pork goes on last, to give the soup its unique fiery flavour. Pass the black vinegar and soy sauce. Serves 4.

©Cinda Chavich 2012
www.tastereport.com

RECIPE: Haggis - my vegetarian version

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:22:20 -0700

RECIPE:
VEGETARIAN HAGGIS
I created this version of vegetarian haggis, based on several recipes I found on the internet. With lots of mushrooms, ground nuts, oats and onions, it makes a tasty vegetarian haggis – or alternative to meatloaf. Serve with mashed potatoes and turnips for a traditional Scottish feast.

1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup steel cut oats
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped nuts (mix of almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc.)

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the oats and nuts and toast together for 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until starting to brown. Dump into a bowl and set aside.

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, shredded
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 mushrooms, chopped
650-750 ml vegetable or chicken stock (or water), divided
1/3 cup red lentils
½ cup kidney or romano beans (canned/cooked), mashed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried savoury
¼ teaspoon celery salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In the sauté pan, heat the remaining butter and oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until softened and starting to colour. Add the carrots, garlic and mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes longer. Stir in the lentils and 1 cup (250 ml) of the stock. Bring to a boil.
Mix another 250 ml of stock with the mashed beans and soy sauce, and add to the pan. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in the toasted oats and nuts and seasonings, bring to a boil, then return the lid to the pan and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Add another 100-200 ml of broth or water as necessary. This mixture should be moist, but not soupy.
Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. It may need salt, depending on what kind of broth you’ve used. Turn into a buttered loaf pan and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes. Served with mashed potatoes and turnips. Serves 6.

©Cinda Chavich 2011
www.tastereport.com

TOURTIERE: EASY AS PIE

Thu, 9 Dec 2010 18:33:34 -0700

To make your own tourtiere for the holidays, just follow the pastry recipe on a box of Tenderflake lard – you’ll have enough for three double-crust pies, and the easy recipe works every time. For that many pies, you’ll need to make a lot of filling. Just sauté up a big chopped onion, three cloves of minced garlic and four stalks of celery, finely chopped (you can chop it all together in the food processor), with two pounds of ground pork and a pound of ground beef. When it’s all nicely browned, drain any excess fat, season with summer savoury, sage and a pinch of cinnamon and cloves, salt and pepper, then mix in three cups of hot mashed potatoes and a good handful of chopped parsley. Refrigerate the filling – it should be cold when you make your pies – and chill the pastry dough before rolling thinly, to fit three pie plates. Fill each pie crust with the cold filling, seal a second piece of pastry over top, then bake immediately or freeze the pies, unbaked. Thaw frozen pies in the refrigerator and bake as usual, at 375ºF for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is nicely browned and the filling is hot. Let the pies cool for 20 minutes before cutting to let the filling set up.
When you get back from church at midnight, or anytime you want a fast, comfortable meal, it’s easy as pie!

Cook Cappelletti using Artusi’s historic recipe

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:23:23 -0700

CINDA CHAVICH
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, Nov. 02, 2010 4:04PM EDT

This recipe is reprinted from Pellegrino Artusi’s cookbook, Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well (1891). When I learned to make this dish at the Casa Artusi cooking school, we made the pasta from scratch with fine flour prominently labelled “Manitoba 00” on the bag – though Italian-American cookbooks say the best substitute is a combination of all-purpose and cake flour.
Cappelletti all’uso di romagna
½ pound cheese (all ricotta or half ricotta and half cacio raveggiolo, a soft, mild, creamy cheese)
half a capon breast sautéed in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper and finely minced
½ cup grated Parmigiano
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
a pinch of nutmeg and grated lemon rind
a pinch of salt
Roll a thin sheet of dough made with 2 eggs, 2¼ cup of flour, add a drop of water and no more. Knead for 15 minutes until smooth and firm and quite elastic. Separate into two, flour your work surface and roll out and away, flipping and rolling until you have a sheet that is almost transparent, as thin as a dime or thinner if you can manage. Cut into ¼-inch strips for tagiatelle or use for filled pasta.
For cappelletti: cut into disks about 2 inches in diameter, put a teaspoon of filling on each disk, fold over to make half moons, then pinch the ends of the half moons together. Wrap the half moon around your finger, giving it a half twist so that the rounded edge stands upright, and pinch the ends together.
Cook the cappelletti in broth, 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Make two dozen per person, and serve soup with Parmigiano on the side.

GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:43:07 -0600

RECIPE: GRILLED WELSH RAREBIT
Use any kind of cheddar, Gruyere, or other sharp, melting cheese in your rarebit. Chop or shred the cheese, and flavour the creamy sauce with a bit of dry mustard and Worcestershire, then pour it over a thick piece of toasted whole grain bread and toast under the broiler. Serve with a salad and tomato chutney or sweet pickles, for a quick lunch or breakfast.
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup pale ale, hard apple cider or milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (like Keen's)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ pound or about 2 cups, grated sharp cheese (cheddar or a combo of cheddar, Gruyere, Lancashire, Friulano, etc.)
2-4 thick slices whole grain bread, toasted
Smoky paprika or cayenne
1 green onion, chopped
Preheat the broiler.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook together, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the ale, cider or milk to make a thick sauce and cook until bubbly. Stir in the mustard and Worcestershire, then the cheese, mixing to melt.
Place the toast on a baking sheet. Top each piece of toast with a thick layer of cheese sauce and sprinkle lightly with paprika or cayenne. Slide it under the preheated broiler, and broil for a minute, just until cheese begins to brown on top. Watch carefully. Sprinkle with chopped green onion and serve. Serves 2-4.

©Cinda Chavich 2011
www.tastereport.com

HOMESTYLE CAJUN BOUDIN

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:18:25 -0600

BOUDIN BALLS OR PATTIES
Make this boudin stuffing (aka dirty rice) with pork shoulder and liver for authentic Cajun flavour. Deep fry the mixture for boudin balls, shallow fry for boudin patties, or stuff into a game hen, or a thick pork chop for a special treat.

2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes (or use 1 3/4 pound pork shoulder and 1/4 pound pork liver or chicken livers)
6 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1-2 teaspoons cayenne, divided
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped green onions
2 cups uncooked short or medium-grain rice (cooked in reserved pork broth)
flour or dry cracker crumbs
canola oil for frying

Combine the pork, water, chopped onion, garlic, celery, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon of cayenne, Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover an simmer for 1 ½ hours, until the meat is very tender. Drain, reserving the cooking broth for cooking the rice.

Place the meat mixture in a food processor and using the chopping blade, pulse until you have an evenly chopped mix. Alternately, pass the mixture through the largest holes of your meat grinder.

In a bowl, combine the meat with the remaining salt, pepper and cayenne, the chopped parsley, green onions and cooked rice. Add broth, ½ cup at a time, to moisten the mixture. It should be moist, not soupy.

At this point, you can stuff the mixture into sausage casings making 3-inch links (steam or poach sausages 5 minutes before serving) or use for boudin balls. Form the mixture into 1-2-inch balls, the size of a golf ball, roll in flour or cracker crumbs and deep fry in hot oil until brown and crisp, about 3-5 minutes. You can also make boudin patties, coat in flour or crumbs, and fry until crisp.

Makes 3 pounds.

©Cinda Chavich 2011
www.tastereport.com

A SAUCY lemon dessert for citrus season

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 14:25:30 -0700

SAUCY LEMON PUDDING CAKE
From The Girl Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books)

The Girl is a sucker for mouth-puckering lemon desserts. Sure, she’ll take to her bed with a box of chocolates, but life is usually more like a bushel of lemons, isn’t it?
This is that classic childhood comfort – lemony cake batter that separates into a cake layer on top and a saucy lemon layer on the bottom. Simple enough for family suppers – or fancy, if made in individual molds and topped with some fresh berries and a dusting of icing sugar. You’ll need to buy two medium lemons to get enough fresh juice for this recipe.

1/4 cup butter, softened 50 ml
1 cup granulated sugar, divided 250 ml
2 tablespoons minced lemon zest, (about 1 lemon) 25 ml
3 eggs, separated 3
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 50 ml
1 cup milk 250 ml
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 75 ml

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.
In a bowl, beat the butter and 3/4 cup (175 ml) of the sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the lemon rind and add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, alternating with the milk and lemon juice, and beat until the batter is smooth.

Wash the beaters. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the electric mixer until foamy, then add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 ml) of sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, while you continue to beat. When the egg whites are stiff, mix one-third of the whites into the lemon mixture, then carefully fold in the rest. The idea is to keep the batter fluffy so don’t overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and place the baking dish in a larger pan. Place in the oven and add boiling water to the larger pan, filling until it’s about an inch (2.5 cm) deep. Bake for 35-45 minutes. The top should be slightly browned and set, which means it should be firm when you touch it.

Remove the pudding from the water bath and set it on a rack to cool. Cool for 20 minutes and serve warm, or chill. Scoop the pudding into dessert dishes to serve, making sure everyone gets some of the saucy stuff on the bottom of the baking dish. Serves 6.

GIRL TALK: If you want to make this simple comfort food into a fancy pants dessert, bake the batter in six individual ramekins (they’ll be done in about 20 minutes). Then call it Souffléed Lemon Pudding, and garnish with those fresh berries we were talking about – trés chic!

Recipes: Oat Risotto and Oat Tabouleh

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 16:05:07 -0700

OATMEAL RISOTTO
1 cup steel cut oats
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
2-3 cups hot chicken broth
2 tablespoons sour cream or heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the oats, and sauté for 5 minutes, then stir in the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Begin adding the hot broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed, before adding more broth. When the mixture is rich and creamy, with just a bit of a bite, stir in the sour cream or whipping cream and heat through until nicely thickened. Add the cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. Serves 4

PRAIRIE OAT GROAT TABOULI WITH AVOCADO
This is a Tex-mex take on traditional tabouli salad. To make it more traditional, eliminated the avocado and replace the chopped cilantro with chopped fresh mint.

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups boiling water
1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
3 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 small cucumber, finely diced
2 large green onions, minced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium avocado, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the oats in a glass or steel bowl and pour boiling water over top. Let stand 30-40 minutes, then drain well.
In another bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, cucumber, green onions, parsley, cayenne and cumin. Stir in the drained oats, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight. Before serving, stir in the tomatoes and cilantro, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4-6.

REcipes: soups and smoothies for what ails you

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:12:48 -0700

THAI HOT AND SOUR SOUP
Here’s the soup for a cold night when you feel something nasty coming on. It’s simple and speedy, but it’s also good for what ails you. Feel free to substitute or add veggies – shredded carrot, celery or fresh bean sprouts are good additions if you have them on hand – or use peeled shrimp instead of chicken, or leave it out and go vegetarian. Make it as hot as you like with extra chilies. From The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich.

3 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade) 750 ml
1-inch (2.5-cm) piece ginger, sliced
zest of one lime, grated (about 2 teaspoons/ 10 ml )
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 45 ml
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken, very thinly sliced or shredded 125 g
2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup/250 ml) 2
1 teaspoon Asian chili paste (or1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chil pepper, sliced) 5 ml
1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (try some exotic oyster or enoki mushrooms) 125 ml
1 tablespoon soy sauce 15 ml
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 2 ml
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (or 1 tablespoon coriander chutney) 25 ml

Combine the stock, ginger, lime zest and juice, garlic and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken has changed color and is barely cooked.

Stir in the tomatoes, chili paste or jalapeno pepper or chili paste and sliced mushrooms. Boil for 5 minutes longer, then season with soy sauce and sesame oil. Divide the soup between two deep bowls. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro and serve immediately, with extra hot sauce on the side. Serves 2.

ORANGE BANANA SMOOTHIE
Most people have the ingredients for this simple smoothie at home. When your bananas get over ripe, peel them and freeze them to make your smoothies frosty – or add a few ice cubes to the blender.

1 cup orange juice
1 medium banana
½ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
Whirl all ingredients together in a blender until smooth, Makes two 16-ounce servings.

BERRY BOOSTER
Blueberries and cranberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
1 cup plain or berry yogurt
½ cup cranberry juice
1 cup frozen blueberries
¼ cup frozen cranberries

Whirl all ingredients together in a blender until smooth, Makes two 16-ounce servings.

Recipes: cooking with Sauerkraut

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 12:17:16 -0600

BIGOS (POLISH HUNTER’S STEW)
This mixed meat and cabbage stew, a traditional “hunter’s stew”, is considered the national dish of Poland – a savoury combination fermented cabbage, smoky sausages, bacon, beef or pork, wild game meats and mushrooms. Every Polish family has their own special recipe for bigos, a feast dish that’s served with rye bread and potatoes at winter gatherings. In Alsace, France, there’s a very similar dish served in brasseries across the country called choucroute.
Go to a good Polish butcher to buy the end bits of smoky bacon, ham and sausage to add to the stew. Bigos is best when reheated and served a day or two after it’s made.
From 200 Best Pressure Cooker Recipes by Cinda Chavich (Robert Rose).

2 tablespoons olive oil 25 mL
2 large onions, diced 2
2 cloves garlic, minced 2
¾ pound pork shoulder steak, cubed 350 g
1 1/2 pounds mixed smoked pork – including kielbasa, smoked ham, pork and bacon – cubed 700 g
½ cup white wine 125 mL
28 oz./796 mL jar sauerkraut, rinsed and drained, squeezed dry
2 oz dried porcini mushrooms 50 g
4 pitted prunes, chopped 4
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 2
1/2 teaspoon crushed allspice berries 2 mL
1 teaspoon dried marjoram 5 mL
½ teaspoon hot paprika 2 mL
½ teaspoon caraway seed 2 mL
2 bay leaves 2
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 mL
1 cup tomato juice or V8 250 mL
1 cup chicken stock 250 mL

1. In the pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, until softened and starting to brown. Add the pork shoulder and mixed smoked pork (sausage, ham, smoked pork, sausage, etc.) Stir together and add the wine, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
2. Add the sauerkraut, dried mushrooms, prunes, chopped apples, allspice, marjoram, paprika, caraway, bay leaves, black pepper, tomato juice and chicken stock. Stir to combine.
3. Lock the lid in place and bring the pressure cooker up to full pressure over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, just to maintain even pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Release the pressure quickly. (alternately, make the stew in a heavy Dutch oven and simmer on the stovetop on low heat, or in a 300 F oven, for 2 hours until tender.)
Simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes to thicken if necessary. Serve with boiled potatoes or rye bread. Serves 6.

SAUSAGE AND SOUR CABBAGE SOUP
From High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine, by Cinda Chavich (Fifth House). You can substitute smoked fish for the sausage in this soup – try hot smoked haddock (finnan haddie) or hot smoked salmon.

1 pound sauerkraut (either homemade or the milder European style sauerkraut from a jar – not canned)
6 cups water or broth
2 teaspoons caraway seed
2 teaspoons salt
2-3 bay leaves
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/4 pound double-smoked bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ pound smoked Polish garlic ham sausage
½ cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the sauerkraut, water caraway seed, salt and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Fish out the bay leaves and discard.
Boil the potatoes separately for 20 minutes, or until tender, drain.
Saute bacon until beginning to render its fat, then add the chopped onion to the pan and cook together until the onions are golden. Stir in the paprika and flour and cook together, stirring, to form a roux. Slowly whisk this mixture into the soup, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Cube the sausage and add to the soup along with the cooked and drained potatoes. Stir in the cream and heat through. The soup should have a thick, chowder-like texture. Add a little more water or broth to thin to taste.
Serve the soup in shallow, wide-rimmed soup bowls – dust with paprika and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serves 6.

Chilled English pea and mint soup

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:38:00 -0600

CHILLED ENGLISH PEA AND MINT SOUP
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups vegetable stock
3 cups fresh, shelled English peas or thawed frozen peas
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup spinach, washed and trimmed
4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only
1 bunch pea tops or mint leaves, for garnish
Method
In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, sauté the butter, onions and garlic until the onions are softened and garlic is lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cream, spinach and mint. Season lightly with salt.
Fill a large bowl with ice. Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender and purée until smooth. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Set the bowl of soup over the ice to chill quickly.
To serve, divide the chilled soup among 4 glasses or 12 small cups. Garnish with pea tops or mint leaves and serve immediately.
Flavourful soups like this are often best without wine, but a delicate sparkler would be good, as would the complementary flavours of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Recipe excerpted from the book Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant © 2009, by James Walt. Published by Douglas & McIntyre: an imprint of D&M Publishers Inc. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. Due in October, 2009.

Recipes: cooking with saskatoon berries

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:07:10 -0600

APPLE AND SASKATOON BERRY CRISP
Use tart apples, like Granny Smiths, for the best flavour. In the spring, substitute chopped strawberry rhubarb for the berries, and in the winter, use cranberries. From High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine by Cinda Chavich.

3/4 cup sugar 175 ml
2 tablespoons honey 25 ml
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 ml
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 ml
3 tablespoons brandy, Calvados or Grand Marnier 45 ml
2 cups saskatoon berries (or substitute cranberries or sliced rhubarb) 500 ml
5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons flour 25 ml
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter, softened 45 ml
1/4 cup whole wheat flour 50 ml
1/2 cup rolled barley or oats 125 ml
1/2 cup brown sugar 125 ml
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon 5 ml

1. Combine sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and brandy and mix well. Toss with fresh and sliced apples and marinade for 1 hour until the fruit releases its juices. Add flour and combine well. Pour into a greased shallow baking dish.
2. Combine whole wheat flour with butter and brown sugar, mixing to form coarse crumbs. Stir in oatmeal. Season with salt and cinnamon. Scatter crumble over fruit in dish.
3. Set baking dish on a baking sheet or pizza pan to catch any juice that may run over. Place in a 350°-375 F oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. Serve the crisp warm with vanilla ice cream or lemon yogurt. Serves 6-8.

PEMMICAN PATTIES
These sausage patties are inspired by the traditional First Nations staple, pemmican, a mixture of ground dried bison meat, fat and wild berries which kept nomadic plains people alive over harsh prairie winters. While these patties are panfried rather than dried like real pemmican, they’ll add some wild west flavor to your next pancake breakfast or brunch. They also make an interesting appetizer if you form the mixture into meatballs, brown them in the oven and serve warm, glazed in melted cranberry or red currant jelly. From High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine by Cinda Chavich.

1 pound lean ground bison (or ground beef) 500 g
1/2 pound ground pork 250 g
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 10 ml
2 teaspoons salt 10 ml
1 teaspoon crushed allspice berries 5 ml
2 cups fresh saskatoons (or a mixture of blueberries and cranberries), whole or roughly chopped in food processor 500 ml
1 cup minced onion 250 ml
2 tablespoons dried juniper berries, soaked in boiling water to soften, then drained 25 ml
Glaze:
1 cup melted red currant or cranberry jelly 250 ml

1. Combine all ingredients, except jelly, and work lightly with your hands to combine.
2. Form into small patties and grill or sauté until browned on the outside and just cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Serve patties as an alternative to breakfast sausages.
3. Or to make pemmican balls to serve as appetizers, roll into walnut-sized balls and place in a baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, until well-browned and cooked through.
4. Drain any accumulated fat and toss meatballs with 1 cup of melted red current or cranberry jelly, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm with toothpicks for appetizers.
Makes about 16 patties or 40 meatballs.

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

RECIPE: GLAZED WILD SALMON

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:32:23 -0600

CANDIED SALMON ON ASIAN GREENS
The fish is lightly cured with a spiced salt and sugar rub before baking in a sweet glaze. Start preparation of this dish the day before you plan to serve it. From The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich.

3 tablespoons (45 mL) sea salt
3 tablespoons (45 mL) brown sugar
3 tablespoons (45 mL) granulated sugar
1 or 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced
2 teaspoon (5 mL) minced garlic
1 large fillet fresh wild Pacific salmon, skin on, about 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kg)
2 tablespoons sweet Indonesian soy sauce (known as kechap manis) or oyster sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) crushed black peppercorns
baby spinach, pea shoots and/or shredded bok choy

In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, brown sugar, granulated sugar, chilies, and garlic, and rub over the flesh side of the fillet. Place the fish, flesh-side down, into a non-reactive baking pan; weigh the fish down cover (top with a small cutting board and a couple of tins of tomatoes) and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and brush off the excess rub. Place the fillet on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (or a sheet of foil for the grill), skin-side down. Allow the salmon to dry at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Brush the salmon flesh with kechap manis or oyster sauce, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cracked black peppercorns evenly over top. You should have a fairly thick layer of sugar over the fish.
Grill the fish (on the foil) on a covered barbecue for 10-15 minutes, or bake in a 400°F (200°C) until barely cooked through.
Serve the fish warm on a platter of greens.

Serves 6

TIP: Kechap manis is a thick, sweet soy sauce from Indonesia. You can substitute oyster sauce or use half dark soy sauce and half corn syrup or maple syrup.

RECIPES: Cooking with beans, PEAS and lentils

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:05:50 -0600

POTAGE SAINT-GERMAIN
This is the recipe for the velvety pea soup that chef Nicolas Desinai makes at the Bistro Provence in Okotoks, Alberta.
Pea soup, he says, is one of the first things that young French cooks learn to make. But don’t add salt until the end of the cooking process, or the peas won’t soften properly. Many people make the mistake of using commercial chicken broth or a ham bone in pea soup – which both add too much salt, he says.
Serve the soup in small bowls to start a meal or in wide shallow soup plates, with baguette and brie (or butter) for a simple weekday meal.

2 tablespoons duck fat or olive oil 1 large onion chopped 2 whole heads garlic, peeled 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped peeled carrots  2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 1/2 cups green split peas
2 cups tomato juice 1 sprig of thyme 1 bay leaf 8 cups homemade chicken stock (don’t use canned chicken stock as it is highly salted) or 8 cups water.

Garnish:
homemade croutons
shredded Swiss or Parmesan cheese  Place the chopped onion, garlic cloves, celery and carrots in a bowl and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to coat the vegetables in oil, then spread on a roasting pan. Roast the vegetables in a 400F oven for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are brown and caramelized. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a soup pot, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and peas and stir, then continue to cook together for 5 minutes. Add the tomato juice, thyme, bay leaf and stock (or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover the pot and simmer until the peas are very tender (falling apart), stirring often (about 1.5 hours).
Puree the soup in a blender or food processor then strain through a sieve or Mouli. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat through and serve (each bowl should be garnished with a few homemade bread croutons and a little shredded Swiss cheese).
Serves 6.

CHICKPEA AND BROWN RICE BURGERS
Fry these “mini-burgers” in a non-stick pan and serve them on small buns, or stuffed inside pita bread pockets with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and yogurt.

8 large white or brown mushrooms, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large can chickpeas (796 mL/28 oz.)
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
1/8 teaspoon each: freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
1 ¼ cup cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup dry bread or cracker crumbs
extra olive oil for frying

Use the food processor to finely chop the mushrooms. In a large nonstick pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions for 10 minutes until starting to brown. Add the mushrooms and minced garlic and continue to cook for 10 minutes longer until the mushrooms the mixture is dry.
Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse well under running water. Drain and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to break up the beans and place them in a bowl.
Add the onion/mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped parsley, spices, brown rice and Worcestershire sauce. When the mixture has cooled somewhat, add the egg and breadcrumbs. Chill the mixture for 1 hour before frying.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Form the chickepea mixture into small 2-3-inch patties. When the oil is hot, add the patties to the pan and fry, about 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Serve the burgers in pita pockets with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and plain yogurt or raita. Makes 18 burgers. These freeze well.

©Cinda Chavich 2009
www.tastereport.com

RECIPES: FISH TACOS

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:45:03 -0600

FISH TACOS IN A BLUE CORN CRUST WITH FRESH TOMATO SALSA
Use the food processor to whirl up this easy coating for your favorite fish fillets and you’ll be dining in no time. You can even use the food processor for the simple salsa. From The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap).

1 cup (250 ml) blue corn chips (or substitute regular yellow corn chips)
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) cumin
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) chipotle chile powder or smoked paprika
2 tablespoons (25 ml) flour
4-6 boneless and skinless white fish fillets, cut into fingers or strips (I’m partial to pickerel but sole works well)
1/4 cup (50 ml) canola oil for frying

Salsa:
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and quartered
2 tablespoons (25 ml) chopped cilantro
2 ripe roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup (50 ml) chopped white onion
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice

warm corn tortillas
shredded romaine lettuce
guacamole

Whirl the chips in the food processor until ground to fine crumbs. Add the cumin, chili powder and flour, and pulse to combine. Place the coating on a plate.
Roll the fish in the corn chip crumbs. Set aside on a plate.
Heat the oil in a nonstick sauté pan over high heat and when the oil is very hot, add the fish. Cook quickly, 2 minutes per side, until the fish is crisp. Use tongs to turn the fish to keep the coating intact. Set the cooked fish on a paper-towel-lined plate and place in a warm oven.
Meanwhile, rinse out the food processor and dry with a paper towel. Place the garlic and jalapeno in the processor and pulse until finely minced. Add the cilantro, and pulse to combine. Add the tomatoes, chopped onion and lime juice and whirl for a second or two to combine. Place the salsa in a bowl and set aside to allow flavors to meld (you can make this in advance and refrigerate it).
To serve, break the fried fish into chunks and wrap up in warm corn tortillas with salsa and shredded lettuce (or cabbage slaw, see recipe below). Serves 4.

CABBAGE SLAW The tacos I ate in Scottsdale were served open face, with a pile of simple cabbage slaw. This is my version.

2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
4 radishes, quartered and thinly sliced
1 green onion, minced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon sea salt
juice of one small lime (about 1 teaspoon)

In a bowl, combine the cabbage, radish, green onion and cilantro. Add the salt and lime juice and toss to combine well. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes while you fry the fish (the salt and lime will slightly wilt the slaw.) Pile slaw and salsa on corn tortillas, then top with fried fish and guacamole. Roll and eat.
©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

Recipes: seasonal leek soups

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:56:04 -0700

COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP
Based on the traditional recipes served at Robbie Burns suppers. If you have leftover roast chicken, omit the chicken thighs and add the chopped cooked chicken anytime during the cooking process.

1 pound leeks, white and pale green parts only
3 tablespoons butter
3 skinless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup long grain white rice (or pearl barley)
½ cup pitted prunes, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse under running water, being careful to remove any sand and grit hidden between the layers. Slice the leeks into ½-inch slices.
In a soup pot, heat the butter and sweat the leeks, covered, over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Add the chicken, stock, bay leaf, thyme, rice and prunes and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, until the leeks and chicken are very tender.
Remove the chicken pieces, discard the bones and shred the meat. Return the chicken to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 6.

CREAMY POTATO AND LEEK SOUP
6 medium yellow-fleshed potatoes, cubed
4 cups chicken broth
3 slices double smoked bacon, slivered
4 cups sliced leeks, white and pale green part only
¼-1/2 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, combine the potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
In a sauté pan, cook the bacon until brown and remove.
Clean the leeks well under running water to remove grit. Slice and rinse again. Drain. In the bacon fat in the pan, sauté the sliced leeks for 10 minutes, until tender.
Add the fried leeks and bacon to the soup. Mash the potatoes, if desired, to slightly thicken the mixture (or puree in a blender for a smoother soup). Add the cream or milk and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4-6.

©Cinda Chavich 2009
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - Salsa and Apple Chutney

Tue, 9 Sep 2008 09:34:44 -0600

SALSA
Pioneer prairie women spent a lot of time putting things up to keep body and soul together over long winters. And while you can get your canned tomatoes, raspberry jam and dill pickles at the supermarket today, nothing beats the intense flavors of this homemade salsa, something you can proudly serve on its own as an appetizer with tortilla chips or pretty up for Christmas gifts. This recipe is from The Girl Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap). Worth the work.

8 cups (2L) chopped plum tomatoes, about 3 pounds (1.5 kg)
4 cups (1L) chopped banana peppers (medium hot), seeds removed
1 cup (250 ml) chopped jalapeno or serrano peppers (hot), seeds removed
2 cups (500 ml) chopped onions
1 cup (250 ml) cider vinegar
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped yellow bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 5.5 oz. (156 ml) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons (25 ml) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons (10 ml) dried oregano
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Asian chili paste, or to taste

Start with a large, nonreactive pot (stainless steel is the best). Chop all of the ingredients into relatively uniform, 1/4-inch (5-mm) dice. Think about how chunky you like your salsa while you’re decidingt how small to chop the peppers and onions. Wear surgical gloves while chopping hot peppers and make sure you don’t touch your face or eyes – these babies can burn!

In the pot, combine the tomatoes, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, onions, vinegar, bell peppers, garlic, tomato paste, sugar, salt, paprika and oregano. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent the salsa from sticking and burning on the bottom. When the pot is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer for 1-2 hours, until the salsa is thickened to your liking. Remember, you want it to be scoopable, not runny.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Add enough Asian chili paste to make the salsa as hot as you like it. My recipe changes from year to year, as peppers have different levels of heat, depending on how they have been grown.

When you’re satisfied with the flavor and texture, prepare the jars. Use the canning jars with two-part metal lids (the only kind that truly seal and preserve your efforts). Wash the jars and lids well and rinse in boiling water. Using a wide-mouthed funnel to guide you, ladle the salsa into 1-cup jars, leaving 1/4 inch (5 mm) of head space at the top to allow for expansion. Wipe the edges of the jars with a clean cloth, center the lids on top and tighten the screw bands. They should just be “finger tip” tight.

Place the jars in a canning kettle filled with boiling water. The water must be a couple of inches above the tops of the jars. Return the water to a rolling boil and process the salsa for 20 minutes.

Lift the jars from the water using tongs and cool on a folded kitchen towel on the counter. The lids should pop and snap down as the salsa cools, indicating that the jars are properly sealed and safe. Your salsa will keep in a cool dark place for a year or more. Refrigerate it after opening.

Makes about 8 cups (2 L) of salsa. You can easily double or triple the recipe.

APPLE CHUTNEY
The B.C. Fruit Growers offer this recipe for a lovely chutney created by Kelowna chef Grant de Montreuil. This can be served hot or cold. Grant likes to use with fresh Ahi tuna steak, grilled rare, but you might like it on turkey sandwiches or pork chops, too.

6 B.C. Spartan apples, peeled & cored, coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (25 ml) minced fresh ginger
2/3 cup (150 ml) liquid honey
2/3 cup (150 ml) brown sugar
1 bay leaf
6 whole cloves
pinch of cracked chillies
salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup (50 ml) Worcestershire sauce
3 or 4 dashes hot sauce
2 cups (500 ml) apple juice
½ cup (125 ml) cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with the apples in a medium syrup. Remove bay leaf and ladle the hot chutney into clean canning jars with two-part metal lids.
Wipe the edges of the jars with a clean cloth, center the lids on top and tighten the screw bands. They should just be “finger tip” tight.
Lower onto a rack into a canning kettle filled with rapidly boiling water. Bring back to a rapid boil and process for 10 minutes. Lift the jars out of the water and set on a thick towel on the counter to cool. When the lids pop and snap down, they’re sealed. Label and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 6 cups.

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

Perfectly searing a steak

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:33:42 -0600

THE RECIPE:

BASIC GRILLED STEAK
The best chefs refuse to cook a steak beyond medium – especially if it’s lean, organic, grass-fed meat.

1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic
1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 6-oz. (175-g) beef steaks (rib eye, strip loin or tenderloin), about 1- to 1-1/2 inches (2.5- to 4-cm) thick
2 tsp (10 mL) Worchestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic and the olive oil; rub the mixture over the steaks. Drizzle and rub with Worcestershire, and season with pepper.
Grill the steaks to rare or medium rare—about 5 minutes per side on medium-high heat. Transfer the steaks to individual plates and serve.

Serves 2

SEASONING SALT
Most steak houses have their own “secret” seasoning salt that they use on every steak. Usually the mixture is a combination of salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion salt. You can make your own seasoning mixture to have at the ready, or use a commercial version of this universal steak spice.

BLUE CHEESE SAUCE
Every steak sandwich—or steak for that matter—is better with this rich, creamy blue cheese sauce. Or try it as a dip, to start the barbecue, with skinny Italian bread sticks, broccoli and spears of red, green and yellow peppers.

2 cloves garlic, minced in a garlic press
2/3 cup (150 mL) mayonnaise
2/3 cup (150 mL) mascarpone cheese
1 cup (250 mL) crumbled Stilton or other blue cheese
1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (125 mL) Italian parsley leaves
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, add the garlic, mayonnaise, mascarpone, Stilton, basil, parsley, Worcestershire, and pepper to taste; process until well combined. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to use, spoon a dollop on your steak, or drizzle over your steak sandwich. If using as a dip, bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes about 3 cups

TOUCHY FEELY
Wonder when your steak is done to your liking? Use the touch test — the steak house chef’s “rule of thumb”. If you know how a steak feels when it’s done, you’ll never be stuck with over- or undercooked meat again.
Relax your hand and press the triangle of flesh below your thumb. That’s how a spongy rare steak feels.
Holding your thumb and index finger together, press the spot again. It’s firmer, like a steak cooked medium rare.
When you touch your thumb and middle finger together, the spot gets even firmer, like a steak that’s cooked to medium or medium well.
Fourth finger - bouncy, tough and well done. If you go any further, that steak is shoe leather!

Recipes and tips from The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books, 2007)

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

recipes: Spring lamb

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:01:22 -0600

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB
1 centre cut leg of lamb, bone removed (reserve for soup), about 3.5 pounds
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon mustard
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 tablespoon each: fresh chopped thyme, rosemary and oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ask the butcher to remove the bone from the leg of lamb, and reserve it for making soup. Butterfly the lamb, trimming off any visible fat. You should have one or two pieces, ranging in thickness from 1-2 inches.
Combine the garlic, olive oil, mustard, green onions, paprika, thyme, rosemary and oregano in a blender and puree. Slather the puree over the meat, massaging it into all of the surfaces and crevices, then place in a zippered plastic bag and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.
Bring the meat to room temperature before grilling. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the barbecue grill to high and sear the meat, about 3-4 minutes per side. Turn off one of the burners and move the meat to the cooler side of the grill – continue cooking, indirectly, for about 20-25 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat reaches 140F. Remove the meat from the grill and set aside on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice the lamb and serve on a platter, surrounded by new potatoes and grilled bell peppers and onions. Serves 4-6.

SCOTCH BROTH
This is the best way to turn a lamb bone, and a few meaty scraps, into a memorable meal. From The Girl Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books).

1/2 pound meaty lamb bones 240 g
1 1/2 cup chopped onion 375 ml
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil 5 ml
4 cups chicken broth 1 L
5 cups water 1.25 L
2 cups diced rutabaga 500 ml
1 cup diced carrots 250 ml
1 cup pearl barley 250 ml
1 tablespoon minced garlic 15 ml
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 ml
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon/ 2 ml dried thyme ) 5 ml
sea salt to taste

Remove most of the stew meat from the bones using a sharp knife. Chop the meat into small cubes and place in a Dutch oven or other large, oven proof pot. Add the lamb bones, chopped onion, celery and olive oil and stir to combine.
Place the pan in a preheated 450F oven for 20-30 minutes, to roast the bones until they are browned. If you don’t have an oven, cook on the stove top over medium high heat, until everything in the pot is beginning to brown. This browning step adds a lot of flavour to your broth so don’t skip it.
Add the broth, water, rutabaga and carrots and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, add the barley, garlic, pepper and thyme and continue to simmer for 45 minutes, until the barley is tender and the soup is thick.
Remove the soup bones and remove any meat that you can to add back into the soup. Discard the bones. Thin the soup, if necessary, with a little more water. Season with salt to taste and serve. Makes 8 servings (and keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.)

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - prairie pickerel

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:50:12 -0700

PICKEREL IN LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
4 pickerel fillets
salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup cold butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Season the pickerel fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate and roll the seasoned fish in the flour to coat all sides.
In a nonstick sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, with the olive oil, over medium high heat. When the fat is sizzling, add the fish fillets. Don’t crowd the pan. Cook the fish until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, then arrange on a platter in a warm (200 F) oven to keep warm.
In the same pan, add the wine and lemon juice, stirring up any browned bits. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced and thickened, stir in the parsley, then remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of cold butter, a bit at a time, until the sauce is emulsified. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately. Serves 4.

PRAIRIE PICKEREL CHOWDER
When I was a kid, fresh fish was almost non-existent, except for the perch and pickerel caught in the local prairie lakes in the summer months. But with a few potatoes and onions, even these mild freshwater fish could be transformed into a creamy fish soup, reminiscent of the best East coast chowders. Today, pickerel is the only freshwater fish that is commercially fished, much of it in Manitoba.
The evaporated milk keeps the fat low – feel free to substitute cereal cream for a richer result.

2 pounds (450 g) fresh or frozen pickerel fillets, bones removed, cut into small cubes
4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped fine
4 cups (1 L) peeled and cubed potatoes
2 tablespoons (15 ml) flour
2 cups (500 ml) fish stock or water
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml) evaporated milk or cereal cream
2 tablespoons (25 ml) chopped fresh parsley

In a large soup pot, cook the bacon slowly until it’s nicely browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat in the pan and saute until tender. Stir in the potatoes, and cook together for a few minutes longer.
Stir in the flour and mix well. Slowly add the stock or water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until potatoes are cooked.
Add the fish and simmer 5-10 minutes (don’t over cook the fish). Stir in milk and evaporated milk and heat through but don’t boil. Serve soup sprinkled with reserved bacon and chopped parsley. Serves 8.

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

Recipe - Chinese Pork Dumplings

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:29:09 -0700

 PORK DUMPLINGS   ½ pound cabbage, finely chopped (use Chinese or Napa cabbage) 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 pound lean ground pork (coarsely ground by the butcher) 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 2 green onions or 1 small leek, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil 2 teaspoons sherry or Chinese rice wine salt and pepper 3-inch round sui mai (dumpling) or wonton wrappers   Place the chopped cabbage and shredded carrot in a bowl. Toss with the salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Squeeze the vegetables to remove excess water. In a bowl, combine the vegetables with the remaining filling ingredients. Use your hands to knead the ingredients together well. Use about a tablespoon of filling for each dumpling. Lay a wrapper on the counter, use your finger to lightly dampen the edges of the wrapper with water and fold over to make a half-moon shape, pinching the dough together at the center, then working down both sides to pinch (and pleat) the edges together. Alternately, make an upright, pouch, shaped dumpling (for steaming). Start with a meatball of filling and gather the dough up around it – squeezing lightly with both hands for form a sort of “waist” around the pork. The dumpling should stand upright, with the pork filling showing in the centre of the wrapper. Set dumplings on a parchment lined sheet, loosely covered with plastic, as you make them. The entire sheet can be refrigerated for several hours or frozen before cooking. To cook, steam the dumplings (on a plate in a bamboo steamer) for about 20 minutes. The sealed, moon-shaped may also be boiled or pan-fried. Boil for about 10 minutes in a large pot of boiling water.  To pan-fry, use a heavy, nonstick pan with a lid, heat a little oil over medium high heat, and brown the dumplings on the bottom, then add about a cup of water or stock to the pan, cover and steam until the dumplings are tender and the liquid has boiled away. Invert the crisp, golden dumplings on a plate to serve. Serve with a dipping sauce made with soy sauce and vinegar or Worcestershire and a bit of Chinese chili paste. Makes about 40 dumplings.

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

Healthy recipes for a trans-fat free season

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:05:41 -0700

MEDITERRANEAN BEEF AND PASTA BAKE
This recipe makes hearty and healthy go hand-in-hand. If pressed for time, skip the baking and use as a stove-top dish. For a potluck affair, the recipe can easily be doubled, baking in a 13 x 9--inch (3 L) baking dish.
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 40 minutes
2 cups (500 mL) whole wheat rotini or penne pasta
3/4 to 1 lb (375 to 500 g) Extra Lean Ground Beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) sliced mushrooms
Half EACH diced sweet red and green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Half (700 mL) jar fat- and sodium-reduced pasta sauce
1 cup (250 mL) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled light feta cheese
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped pitted Kalamata olives
2 tbsp (25 mL) prepared basil pesto
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, brown ground beef, onion, mushrooms, red and green peppers and garlic in large nonstick frypan over medium-high heat until meat is cooked thoroughly and any liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta sauce, half of the mozzarella, feta, olives, pesto and cooked pasta.
Spoon into 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish or proceed to make Greek Stuffed Peppers (recipe below). Top with remaining mozzarella. Tent loosely with foil and bake in 350F (180C) oven for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutritional information per serving (made with 3/4 lb (375 g) extra lean):
Calories: 225
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 10 g
Saturated fat: 4 g
Carbohydrate: 18 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: 533 mg
Source of iron (14% DV) and excellent source of zinc (31 % DV)
Heart-Healthy Makeover: Whole wheat pasta adds a fibre boost, and we’ve lightened up by using no-oil frying, lean beef and lighter cheeses and pasta sauce. Small amounts of Kalamata olives, pesto and feta punch up the flavour.
Recipe provided courtesy of Beef Information Centre

MINESTRONE SOUP
Serves 4
This is a great soup to make at the end of the week when you have a lot of produce to use up. Any fresh seasonal vegetables can be used in this recipe. This soup freezes well and makes for a great leftover for lunch. Serve with a crusty whole grain bun.
Ingredients
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) onion, diced
1 cup (250 mL) carrot, diced
1 cup (250 mL) celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
cup (125 mL) fresh parsley, chopped
4 cups (1 L) sodium reduced chicken stock
2 cups (500 mL) water
1 can 19oz (540 mL) navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup (250 mL) potato, peeled and diced
1 cup (250 mL) zucchini, diced
1 cup (250 mL) Savoy cabbage, shredded
2 cups (500 mL) fresh plum tomatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil
1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano
tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
pepper to taste
Garnish: Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sautee without browning for about 10 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese, and simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.
Pour into bowls and top with parmesan cheese (if using).
Nutritional information per serving 1 cups (375 mL)
Calories: 165
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 3 g Saturated fat: 0 g Dietary cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 29 g Dietary fibre: 5 g
Sodium: 368 mg
Potassium: 702 mg
Developed by Nadine Day, RD. 2007 The Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Posted October 2007.

Cooking with classic sauces

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:38:37 -0700

RECIPES:

EGGS BENEDICT
Practice making hollandaise sauce for this classic breakfast dish. Then break the mold by making your eggs bennie with a Sauce Choron (hollandaise infused with tomato paste) and smoked salmon or crab cakes. A recipe from The Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books, 2007).

4 English muffins, split and toasted
8 slices Canadian bacon
8 eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp (15 mL) vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) hollaindaise sauce
cayenne pepper
2 oranges, cut into wedges

Toast the muffins and butter lightly; set aside.
To poach the eggs, make sure they’ve been out of the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to warm up. Heat 2 inches of water in a large, nonstick skillet and add the vinegar or lemon juice and salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil. It’s easiest to slide the eggs into the water (and keeps them intact) if you break them into a cup or sauce first. Have all of the eggs ready (cracked and in saucers) so that you can get them all into the water at once. Tip the eggs into the boiling water then immediately cover the pan and turn off the heat. Poach the eggs for 3 minutes for soft yolks or 4 minutes for firmer yolks. Lift the poached eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon, draining well, and serve (or put immediately into a bowl of ice water and store in the refrigerator to reheat later with a fast dip in boiling water–a restaurant chefs’ trick).
When ready to serve, microwave the back bacon for a minute or two, just to heat. Place two toasted muffin halves on each warm plate. Top each muffin with a piece of warm back bacon and a poached egg. Drizzle a few tablespoons of hollandaise sauce over each egg and lightly dust with cayenne. Serve each with orange wedges on the side.
Serves 4

TIP: You can up the ante on eggs benedict with creative additions to the sauce (try a tablespoon of tomato paste for tomato hollandaise) or switch the protein (instead of back bacon, use a layer of cold smoked salmon, for example, or lose the muffin altogether and replace it with a hot crab cake.

BLENDER HOLLANDAISE
This is a sauce that’s loaded with calories and fat so save it for special occasions and holidays (Xmas or New Year’s Day). You can also afford a few hollandaise calories at the year’s halfway mark – it’s outstanding drizzled over lightly steamed spring asparagus and poached salmon.

3 egg yolks (tasty, dark orange organic grain-fed egg yolks)
2 tbsp (25 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, melted

In a blender, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne and salt; blend until smooth.
Briefly melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave for 40 seconds until bubbly but not brown. With the blender running at high speed, remove the small centre section of the lid and slowly drizzle the hot butter into the eggs. By the time you’ve finished adding the butter, the sauce should be thick and emulsified, like mayonnaise. Keep the sauce warm in a stainless steel bowl set in warm water, or in a small thermos jar. You can also reheat the sauce, if necessary, in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water and stir constantly to keep the sauce from breaking (separating). Makes about 1 cup.

MAC AND CHEESE
Real macaroni and cheese doesn’t come out of a box – it starts with veloute or cream sauce that’s combined with shredded cheese (a.k.a. mornay sauce). Use your favourite old cheddar, or a combination of cheeses, and an interesting short pasta like gemeli or orichiette, to take it into gourmet territory. For a more virtuous (but equally silky) sauce, try using one 13-oz (385 mL) can of evaporated milk instead of whole milk and cream — it makes a low-in-fat, yet amazingly creamy, macaroni. Kids like it, too. This recipe from The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich.

3 cups (1/2 pound/225 mL) macaroni or cavatappi (Italian spiral macaroni)
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
1 heaping tbsp (20 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping cream
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Dijon mustard
2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce
2 cups (500 mL) grated old cheddar (or substitute 1 cup/ 250mL of the cheddar for Monterey Jack, Swiss, pecorino romano or Parmesan)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a big pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite). Drain and set aside.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until flour begins to colour. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking until the sauce is smooth and bubbly. Whisk in the mustard and hot sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese, and stir until just melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the pasta to the sauce and heat through for 1 minute on medium low heat (be careful not to overheat or the cheese may separate). Serve immediately.
Serves 2 to 4

TIP: If you double this recipe for company (i.e. use a whole pound of pasta and cheese), you can present it with a crispy topping in a 3- to 4-quart gratin dish. Mix about 1 cup (250 mL) breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp (25 mL) melted butter, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over the casserole before broiling for 3 to 5 minutes or until the top is golden. Alternatively, top your mac with extra shredded cheese and brown under the broiler.
And if you want to dress up your mac, stir in some steamed broccoli or sliced spinach, a chopped roasted red pepper or green onion, or even a scoop of fresh tomato salsa from the deli.

©Cinda Chavich 2008
www.tastereport.com

Recipes: Christmas cookies

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 15:33:46 -0700

RECIPES:
DATE AND NUT BALLS
This is one of those easy, old-fashioned, no-bake Christmas treats that you may remember making as a kid – make some with your kid, or for the kid in you. These date and nut balls freeze and store well. From The Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich.

1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chopped dates
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pure vanilla pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped walnuts or pecans
shredded coconut or powdered (icing) sugar

In a saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, dates, and egg, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens, about 6 minutes.
Cool to lukewarm and stir in the rice cereal, nuts, vanilla, and salt. Mix well and roll into small balls about the size of a walnut. (If your hands are wet the mixture won’t stick.) Roll balls in coconut or icing sugar to coat. Chill.
Makes 24 balls

GINGER COOKIES
Old fashioned doesn’t mean out of date – these classic ginger cookies, crackled and sugary on top, are just right to end a meal with a cappuccino. The candied ginger adds even more intense peppery ginger flavor, but they’re just as good without it. Make them small for Christmas. From The Girl Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich.

3/4 cup butter 175 ml
1 cup sugar 250 ml
1 egg 1
1/2 cup molasses 125 ml
2 cups all-purpose flour 500 ml
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 ml
2 teaspoons ground ginger 10 ml
1 teaspoon baking powder 5 ml
1 teaspoon baking soda 5 ml
2 teaspoons cinnamon 10 ml
1/2 teaspoon cloves 2 ml
1/4 cup minced candied ginger (optional) 50 ml
extra granulated sugar for dipping

Preheat the oven to 350º F (180ºC).Using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Add the molasses and beat for several minutes longer.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, ground ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter by hand, mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the candied ginger. Cover the batter and chill.
Roll the batter into small balls and dip one side in granulated sugar. Set the balls, sugar side up, 11/2 inches (4 cm) apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for10 minutes. The cookies will crackle on top. Don’t overbake or they will be hard - they should be chewy. Place the cookies on a rack to cool. Makes 18-24 cookies.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES
My mother makes extraordinary Scottish-style shortbread – the same as her mother did and probably her mother before that. Cut into simple, rectangular fingers these portable shortbread cookies are even more decadent when dipped or drizzled in melted chocolate. From The Girl Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich.

1 pound sweet (unsalted) butter at room temperature 450g
1 cup white sugar 250 ml
4-5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1-1.25 L

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually add flour until mixture just starts to crumble. Mix with a spoon - do not be tempted to use your hands. The mixture should be very stiff or short, not sticky and will barely hold together (the heat of your hands will warm it too much and make the cookies too hard).
Dump the batter onto your work surface and, using a wide knife, pat the mixture into a square, about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the shortbread into squares or fingers, about 3/4 inch X 2 inches.
Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a spatula, lift the cookies onto the cookie sheet, placing pieces about 1/2 inch apart. Make a simple pattern on the top of each cookie by poking them with the tines of a fork.
Bake in a 325°F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the edges just barely start to colour. Cut the squares apart while still warm and cool the cookies on racks. Makes about 4 dozen shortbread cookies.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Make these on a December afternoon when the shopping is done and you’re in the mood to contemplate Christmas. Buy some of those pretty miniature foil cups and some funky boxes (like those waxed cardboard Chinese food container with little wire handles) and make some edible gifts to tote along wherever you visit. Christmas card boxes (with the clear plastic lids) tied with pretty ribbons, also make nice container for these dead easy homemade chocolates.

1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 ml
zest of 1 orange
1 cup shelled hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed 250 ml
1/2 cup unsalted butter 125 ml
12 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate (Valrhona or Callebaut) 325 g
3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur or brandy (like Cointreau or Grand Marnier) 45 ml
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder 125 ml

In the food processor, combine the sugar and orange zest and process until finely minced.
Add the hazelnuts and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
Chop the chocolate and put it in a small glass bowl with the butter. Microwave on medium power for 1 minute, stir, then continue to microwave, a minute at a time, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Add to the food processor along with the liqueur and whirl to combine.
Put the truffle mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until firm.
Place the cocoa in a shallow bowl. Scoop out the chocolate mixture and roll into small balls. Roll each ball in cocoa to coat on all sides, then set in a foil cup. Refrigerate or freeze. Makes 50 or 60 truffles.

THE CHOCOLATE ADDICT’S BAR
One of my friends – who claims she can’t cook – creates this insanely addictive sweet for the holidays. It’s so easy to you’ll become addicted, too. Use the best chocolate you can find – and don’t say I didn’t warn you! From The Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich.

1 box graham wafer cookies
1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound/375 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
3 cups (750 mL) chopped bittersweet Belgian chocolate (or real chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cover the entire pan with a layer of graham crackers.
In a saucepan, combine the butter and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes
Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup evenly over the graham crackers (go slow, this is hot stuff!). Put the pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Pour a layer of chocolate chunks, or chips, over the pan and, as they melt, use a butter knife to spread the chocolate evenly over the entire sheet. Refrigerate. That’s it. Break up into pieces, like peanut brittle.

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipes: Turkey dinner - side dishes

Sat, 6 Oct 2007 12:11:00 -0600

Find the following recipes in The Girl Can’t Cook and The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books):

CELERY AND SAGE BREAD STUFFING This is a classic, old-fashioned bread stuffing, flavoured with celery, thyme, and sage. But if you’re into something more exotic, add some chopped apple or pear, cooked crumbled pork sausage, or even toasted pecans or roasted chestnuts. You need about 3/4 cups (175 mL) of bread per pound of turkey so adjust the amount of bread cubes and other ingredients according to the size of your bird. This is enough stuffing for a 10 to 12-pound (4.5 to 5.5-kg) turkey. From the Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap, 2007).   1 loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) cubes (about 8 to 10 cups/ 2 L)  1/4 cup (50 mL) melted butter 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped celery (including leaves) 1 large onion, chopped 2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground sage 2 teaspoons (10 mL) celery salt 2 teaspoons (10 mL) dried thyme leaves (or 2 tablespoons/25 ml, if you are using chopped fresh thyme) salt and freshly ground black pepper   Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside.  Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the chopped celery and onion for 7 to 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent and tender but not brown. Pour the contents of the sauté pan over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly with sage, celery salt, thyme, salt, and pepper; toss to evenly distribute the spices. Stuff the turkey with the bread stuffing just before you are ready to put it in the oven. If you’d rather cook the stuffing on the side (but, really, who would, you out on miss all the yummy turkey juices and flavours) you can bake it in a covered casserole dish, for about 1 hour, alongside the bird. Just add about 1 cup (250 mL) of broth (that turkey broth you made with the giblets or canned broth), to moisten the stuffing while it cooks. Any leftover stuffing that won’t fit into the bird can be cooked this way, too.   BRUSSELS SPROUTS YOU’LL LOVE The Brussels sprout - that adorable little miniature cabbage, first of the mini-vegetables on the scene – often gets no respect. But whether you love or hate Brussels sprouts, give this recipe a try. It’s a winner that everyone enjoys, and it will give your holiday plate the shot of colour it needs. From the Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap, 2007).     1 pound (450 g) Brussels sprouts (the smaller, the better) 2 tablespoons (25 mL) butter 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped pecans or roasted chestnuts 1/2 fresh lemon, seeds removed   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the sprouts, cutting the base cleanly and slicing a little X on the base of each. Pull off any loose or yellow leaves. Add the sprouts to the boiling water, cover the pot, and boil them for 10 minutes, no longer. (you can also steam them for 10 minutes). The trick to tasty sprouts is cooking until they’re just tender – overcooked Brussels sprouts have a strong flavour. Once cooked, drain and immediately immerse the sprouts in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain sprouts again, pressing lightly to remove excess water, then place in a covered bowl and refrigerate.  When you’re ready to serve the sprouts, heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly and beginning to turn a bit brown, add the nuts and toast for a minute. Return the sprouts to the pan, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sprouts are just heated though. Season with salt and pepper, and squeeze the lemon juice over top. Serve immediately.    Serves 4   SPEEDY FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE Even I have been caught carving the bird before remembering to make the cranberry sauce. This is the easy, last-minute version to whirl up in the food processor minutes before serving (even better if it has some time to chill in the fridge). From the Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap, 2007).     1 12-ounce bag (375 mL) fresh cranberries 1 whole navel orange, with peel 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar   Pick through the cranberries, discarding any soft berries or stems, and place into the food processor Cut the orange into quarters, discarding seeds, and add to the processor, peel and all. Pulse to finely chop the berries and orange pieces. Add the sugar and whirl to combine. Place in a serving bowl and serve immediately or chill, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours    Makes 2 cups 
©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Making soup - from stock to chowder

Sat, 6 Oct 2007 12:10:07 -0600

A GOOD DAY FOR SOUP

As we watch the trees turning their fall colours and the mercury grazing the freezing mark, it lures cooks like Cinda Chavich into the kitchen to create steamy bowls of soup. She’s just back from PEI where she was a judge at the annual International Chowder Championships and has a new appreciation for what it takes to create the perfect potage. Here’s her report, from CBC radio:   SO TELL US ABOUT YOUR SOUP ADVENTURES IN PEI Yes, I was invited to Charlottetown for the annual Shellfish Festival and to judge the Milk International Chowder Championship. That was quite the event, two days of heats and a final, each with nearly a dozen soups to taste, from some of the island’s and the country’s best chefs. And let me assure you, this wasn’t your basic clam chowder out of a can. These bowls were loaded with all kinds of incredibly fresh local seafood, from fat clams and mussels, to oysters, haddock, lobster, crab, scallops, and, of course, the famed PEI potato. And chowders came out to the judging table presented with amazing garnishes – from grilled scallops and crab cakes to big island blue mussels and clams in the shell, whole lobster claws and even wacky things, like a tiny edible seagull perched on a fried potato cliff. It was no easy feat judging – a lot of cream was consumed.     BUT YOU DID FIND A WINNER? Yes, it was quite exciting really because for the first time in the 12-year history of the PEI Shellfish Festival, a chef from PEI actually won the chowder competition. There were chefs there from across the country – including Chris Stewart who is a chef at the amazing Eden restaurant in the Rimrock Hotel in Banff – and chefs from as far away as California and South Carolina. But in the end, it was Duncan Smith, the young chef at the Claddagh Oyster House in Charlottetown who took the top $2,000 prize, with his version of the chowder his dad makes at home – a soup he called Just Like Dad’s Seafood Chowder - tweaked with some orange brandy and garnished with a crispy lobster wonton.   AND THIS EXPERIENCE MOVED YOU TO COOK SOME SOUP AT HOME? Well, it was still summer in PEI when I left on Monday, but when I arrived in Calgary, and 10 degrees, it felt like a good day for soup. So the first thing I did was see what I could find in my fridge that might go into a big pot of steamy soup.   ISN’T IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE SOUP FROM SCRATCH? Not at all. The soup/saucier is one of the first positions people take on in a professional kitchen – it’s a great place to learn the basics and get creative, too. Most restaurants recycle leftovers into the soup pot and whenever I want to make soup, I look to see what I have in the fridge that might morph into a soup. Soup needs time to simmer, and it’s often even better on the second day, when the flavours have had time to meld. So you can always make soup on Sunday and enjoy it all week long.   WHAT KINDS OF LEFTOVERS CAN YOU USE IN YOUR SOUP? Almost anything can go into the soup pot. Think about using leftover mashed potatoes to thicken a soup, leftover grilled or roasted chicken or beef (even steak makes a nice addition to soup), mixed vegetables or rice – they can all go into the soup pot. You can build a soup around a little leftover stew or sauce – like spaghetti sauce or curry – just add water or broth and noodles or rice, and some extra vegetables or canned tomatoes, canned white beans or lentils. If there’s a particular flavour to your leftover – like Mediterranean chicken or Italian sausage– let that drive the direction of your soup.   SO WHAT WENT INTO YOUR SOUP POT THIS WEEK? I had some ham and zucchini so I made a ham and lentil soup, sort of a minestrone, with lots of vegetables – I used the ham for flavour, then added a can of lentils, some sautéed onions and garlic, chopped carrots, chicken broth and some dried tiny orange lentils to thicken it. I always like to add some kind of pasta or noodle, too, and for this soup, because of the small round lentils, I used Israeli couscous, which is a larger couscous about the size of a small pea.  I think that’s an important consideration when you’re creating a soup – keep everything about the same size so you get a combination of flavours with every spoonful.   WHAT ELSE IS ESSENTIAL FOR A GOOD SOUP? Well, even if the ingredients are leftovers the base or stock that you start with is essential to a good finished product. And the best stock is the stuff you make yourself. That may sound daunting, but it’s really easy to do, especially if you think ahead when you’re cooking other things and save your bones and scraps for the stock pot. That’s what our grandmothers did, out of necessity, and if you train yourself to do this one thing regularly, you’ll always have great stock in the freezer, for a soup base or a healthy broth the next time someone in the house has a cold.   HOW DO YOU MAKE POULTRY STOCK? Whenever you roast a chicken or turkey, just save the carcass (you can freeze it) for making broth when you have the time. Just put the bones into a big soup pot, something tall, add a quartered onion, a clove of garlic, a couple of carrots, maybe some celery, and a bay leaf or handful of parsley, cover it all with cold water and simmer for several hours. Then strain and chill or freeze, you’ll always have a good base for soup. Otherwise, buy your stock from the farmer’s market or the supermarket, just look for the lowest sodium brands.   WHAT ABOUT BEEF OR PORK OR FISH STOCK? You can make stock from any bones (Asian chefs often combine chicken and pork bones in their soup stocks, which gives them added flavour and body). Beef stock is always best if you use some meaty bones – I like to start with oxtail or beef shin. If you start your stock with uncooked bones you will need to brown them first. I add the onion and carrot and celery and brown everything on top of the stove or in the oven before adding the water for making the stock. This gives the broth a nice brown, caramelized colour and flavor. You can also make fish stock with the bones and heads of any white fish (salmon isn’t great for stock – too strong). And you don’t need to brown the fish bones first – just add water and fresh herbs, maybe some lemon zest and white wine, and simmer quickly before straining to use as a base for fish soups like boulliabase or chowder. Fish stock only needs about 20-30 minutes of simmering, while beef or chicken stock will take several hours. When you’re making those long simmering stocks, remember to keep the heat low, just at a bubble, and add some extra cold water from time to time. Save bones for stock when you’re deboning meat for other dishes. I always have a few bags of poultry, pork or beef bones in the freezer so there’s always something to start a stock.   WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOUP THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO LOVE? I think everyone loves a good pot of soup – it’s a dish that crosses every culture because it’s classic peasant food, something created when there’s nothing much to work with, and something that really exceeds the sum of its parts. A good homemade soup is really a meal in a bowl, it’s hearty and healthy, makes a fast lunch or supper, and it’s infinitely changeable, whether you like clear broth soups like chicken noodle or onion soup, thick creamy soups like chowder or cauliflower soup, vegetable soups like beet borscht or minestrone, or big bowls of spicy Thai noodle soup or Chinese hot and sour soup, there’s a soup for every taste. And a bowl of homemade soup really is comfort food on a cold night.   IF YOU DON’T MAKE YOUR OWN SOUPS, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? Of course, I encourage everyone out there to try cooking some homemade soup this week. It’s a great project for a Sunday afternoon, when you can have something simmering on the stove, and you’ll have great lunches all week long. But if you want home made soup to go, there’s a wonderful service here in Calgary called Spoon Fed Soup – every week they make and deliver three different fresh, homemade soups to your home or office – you just order them through their website, spoonfedsoup.com, on Tuesday, and they arrive the following Monday. Every soup they make has a name and a personality – this week is was Lloyd fire roasted tomato fennel with chorizo and Trixie 5-spice roasted chicken with apples and leeks (named after a horse who loved apples). They even throw in a bag of homemade crackers. They bring the soup to your door, in big two-quart sealer jars, and then pick up the empties when they bring the next batch of soup. It’s really popular – the soups sell out quickly. There’s also a neat spot at the Calgary Farmer’s Market called the Stock and Sauce Co. where you can buy all kinds of stocks and homemade soups to take home. And a friend of mine just came up with a neat idea. She suggested we organize a soup exchange party – like a Christmas cookie exchange – but with everyone bringing homemade soup to exchange instead of cookies. I like that idea – it’s a great way to get lots of homemade soup into your freezer for busy fall nights, and to spend an evening with friends, sharing soup recipes. So open the fridge, see what you have to go into the soup pot, and get creative. It’s a good day for soup!   RECIPES   This was the winning chowder recipe at the 2007 Milk International Chowder Championship, held last Sunday at the International Shellfish Festival in Charlottetown.   "Just Like Dad's Seafood Chowder" ~ by Chef Duncan Smith, Claddagh Oyster House, Charlottetown   4 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, diced ½ cup diced celery ½ cup diced carrots ½ cup diced red peppers 1 pound diced PEI potatoes - preferably russets 4 tablespoons flour 4 cups (1 litre) lobster stock 12 cups (3 litres) cream ½ cup (4 oz.) orange brandy (like Triple Sec)  3 lbs chowder fish (including halibut, haddock, salmon, scallops, lobster, crab, mussels, oysters), cut into ½-inch cubes ¼ cup chopped chives Salt & pepper to taste   In a large pot, melt butter and add the onion, celery, carrot, red peppers. Cover and sweat over medium low heat for 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add the flour and stir to combine, creating a roux to thicken the chowder. Slowly add the lobster stock and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add the potatoes and simmer over medium low heat until the potatoes are cooked, about 5 minutes longer. In another pot, combine the cream and Triple Sec and bring to a low simmer. Poach the fish in the cream for about 5 minutes over low heat. Add the cream and fish mixture to the soup, along with salt and pepper. Heat through. Remove from heat, stir in the chives and adjust seasoning to taste. Serves 8.   TOMATO AND LENTIL SOUP There could be nothing easier than this savoury soup—flavoured with olive oil and dill, it’s like a trip to the Greek islands on a chilly afternoon. Use the food processor to chop the onions and purée the tomatoes and you’ll be eating in 30 minutes flat. A slice of crusty bread, slathered with a piece of creamy, ripe cheese, and a bowl of black olives, will finish your meal. Or sprinkle some crumbled feta over each bowl for an added boost of authentic Greek flavour. From the new book, The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books).   1/4 cup (50 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped  2 cloves garlic, minced  1 500-mL (16-oz.) can (about 2 cups) roma tomatoes, with juice (or 1 14-oz. can plain tomato sauce)  2 to 3 cups (500 to 750 mL) chicken broth 1 can brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained 1 Tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh dill 1 dried hot chili pepper, crumbled (optional) salt and freshly ground black pepper crumbled feta cheese (optional)   Heat the oil in a soup pot and sauté the onions over medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown. While the onions are cooking, put the canned tomatoes, juice and all, into the food processor and purée until smooth. Add the purée to the cooked onions in the pot and stir in the broth. Add the lentils to the soup. Stir in balsamic vinegar and half the dill (if you’re stuck with dried dill weed, use one-third to half as much). Crumble the dried chili into the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, stir in the remaining fresh dill. Ladle into shallow soup bowls and garnish each serving with crumbled feta and more fresh dill, if desired.  Serves 4

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipe: Pick a peck of peppers and make salsa

Sat, 6 Oct 2007 00:43:28 -0600

SALSA
There’s no better bonding exercise than a day of slaving over a hot stove together to create pretty jars of homemade preserves. Pioneer prairie women spent a lot of time putting things up to keep body and soul together over long winters. And while you can get your canned tomatoes, raspberry jam and dill pickles at the supermarket today, nothing beats the intense flavors of this homemade salsa, something you can proudly serve on its own as an appetizer with tortilla chips or pretty up for Christmas gifts. Make it in September, when the farmers’ market is overflowing with cheap and delicious flats of ripe Roma tomatoes and multi-coloured hot and sweet peppers. This recipe is from The Girl Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap). Worth the work.

8 cups chopped plum tomatoes, about 3 pounds (1.5 kg) 2 L
4 cups chopped banana peppers (medium hot), seeds removed 1 L
1 cup chopped jalapeno or serrano peppers (hot), seeds removed 250 ml
2 cups chopped onions 500 ml
1 cup cider vinegar 250 ml
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 125 ml
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 125 ml
4 cloves garlic, minced 4
1 5.5 oz. (156 ml) can tomato paste 1
2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25 ml
1 tablespoon salt 15 ml
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika 10 ml
2 teaspoons dried oregano 10 ml
1/2 cup chopped cilantro 125 ml
2 teaspoons Asian chili paste, or to taste

Start with a large, nonreactive pot (stainless steel is the best). Chop all of the ingredients into relatively uniform, 1/4-inch (5-mm) dice. Think about how chunky you like your salsa while you’re decidingt how small to chop the peppers and onions. Wear surgical gloves while chopping hot peppers and make sure you don’t touch your face or eyes – these babies can burn!

In the pot, combine the tomatoes, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, onions, vinegar, bell peppers, garlic, tomato paste, sugar, salt, paprika and oregano. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent the salsa from sticking and burning on the bottom. When the pot is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer for 1-2 hours, until the salsa is thickened to your liking. Remember, you want it to be scoopable, not runny.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Add enough Asian chili paste to make the salsa as hot as you like it. My recipe changes from year to year, as peppers have different levels of heat, depending on how they have been grown.

When you’re satisfied with the flavor and texture, prepare the jars. Use the canning jars with two-part metal lids (the only kind that truly seal and preserve your efforts). Wash the jars and lids well and rinse in boiling water. Using a wide-mouthed funnel to guide you, ladle the salsa into 1-cup jars, leaving 1/4 inch (5 mm) of head space at the top to allow for expansion. Wipe the edges of the jars with a clean cloth, center the lids on top and tighten the screw bands. They should just be “finger tip” tight.

Place the jars in a canning kettle filled with boiling water. The water must be a couple of inches above the tops of the jars. Return the water to a rolling boil and process the salsa for 20 minutes.

Lift the jars from the water using tongs and cool on a folded kitchen towel on the counter. The lids should pop and snap down as the salsa cools, indicating that the jars are properly sealed and safe. Your salsa will keep in a cool dark place for a year or more. Refrigerate it after opening.

Makes about 8 cups (2 L) of salsa. You can easily double or triple the recipe.

ROASTED PEPPERS
Colorful red, orange and yellow bell peppers are expensive most of the year, but in the fall, when a bumper crop is available, you can buy big bags of fresh peppers for a song. Buy them, roast them and freeze them and you’ll have wonderful appetizers all year long. From The Girl Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich.

Start with thick-fleshed sweet bell peppers.
Preheat the barbecue or broiler to high. Place the whole peppers directly on the grill, or under the broiler, and roast until all sides are browned and beginning to char. Make sure the peppers don’t burn too badly but don’t worry if the skins begin to blacken. When the peppers are blackened on all sides, remove them to a bowl or a bag, cover and cool. This allows the peppers to steam. When cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin and remove and discard the seeds and membranes.

The peppers can then be bagged in freezer bags and frozen, for use on pizzas, in pasta sauces, on sandwiches or marinated with garlic and basil for appetizers.

To serve marinated roasted peppers, thaw the peppers and tear into long thin strips. Mix 3-4 peppers with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil, a clove of pressed or minced garlic, a few teaspoons (10 ml) of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and a few fresh basil leaves, minced. Let the marinated peppers stand at least 1 hour to meld the flavors, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - Fresh summer corn

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:14:58 -0600

CORN CHOWDER
Cream makes this colourful chowder decadent but condensed milk makes a creamy soup that is far lower in fat and calories.

1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
3 cups corn kernels, divided in half
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon oregano
dash of chili powder
dash of cumin
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream or condensed milk
1 large potato, diced
dash of Tabasco
1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the onion, celery, half the corn, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, until tender.
Cool the mixture slightly then puree in a food processor and return to the pot. Stir in the oregano, chili powder cumin and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, just until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the cream or milk, Tabasco and red pepper and remaining corn kernels. Return the soup to a boil and cook together for 5 minutes, just until the corn is tender. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary and serve immediately.

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN AND CORN SALAD
This makes a fabulous luncheon dish in August, when those first cobs of sweet Peaches & Cream corn are ready in the garden. Pick them, ferry them directly to your kitchen and make this salad. From The Girl Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books).

Salad:
4 ears fresh corn
1 small jicama or young turnip, peeled and diced (1/4-inch dice)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 pound mixed salad greens
vegetable oil for frying
6 corn tortillas
sea salt to taste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, baked or grilled

Dressing:
2 green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or (1 tablespoon/15 ml coriander chutney)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (or 1/4 teaspoon /1 ml cayenne)
sea salt

In a blender or food processor, whirl the dressing ingredients together and taste. If you’ve used lemon instead of lime juice, it might need a touch more honey. Set aside.

Remove the leaves and cornsilk from the cobs. Holding the cobs upright on the cutting board, use a sharp knife to remove the kernels, cutting down from the top of the cob to the base. Place the corn kernels in a bowl, along with any of the sweet milky juice that’s released.

Put the chicken breasts on a plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the dressing. Rub all over to coat the chicken. Bake the breasts or grill until just cooked (350ºF/175ºC for 30 minutes or about 15 minutes on a hot grill). Set aside to cool and cut into chunks or shreds.

Add the chopped jicama or turnip, red pepper, avocado and tomatoes to the corn in the bowl. Add half of the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Set aside.

In a nonstick pan, heat about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of canola oil over medium-high heat. Cut the corn tortillas into thin strips. Add them to the hot oil, a few at a time, and deep fry until curled and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
When you’re ready to eat, toss the greens with the remaining dressing and divide among four plates. Top each salad with some of the shredded chicken and some of the corn salad. Strew the crispy corn tortilla strips around and serve immediately. Serves 4.

TIP: Coriander chutney is an East Indian condiment that I always keep in the fridge. It’s essentially like basil pesto, but made with ground cilantro and chilies. Use it when you have no fresh cilantro in the house, but also when your recipe (whether it’s Mexican, Southwestern or Southeast Asian) is crying out for the flavor of this unique herb. Find it at Indian groceries and large supermarkets – it’s a lifesaver for the gourmet pantry.

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipe - Cooking with Summer Berries

Thu, 2 Aug 2007 17:52:00 -0600

PEMMICAN BITES
These bison meatballs are inspired by the traditional Native staple, pemmican, a mixture of ground dried bison meat, fat and wild berries which kept nomadic tribes alive over harsh prairie winters. While these meatballs are baked rather than dried like real pemmican, they’ll add some wild west flavor to your next party, glazed in melted black currant or chokecherry jelly. Try making this mixture into larger patties, for burgers or breakfast sausage alongside flapjacks. From High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine, by Cinda Chavich (Fitzhenry & Whiteside).

1 pound lean ground buffalo (or ground beef)
1/2 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed allspice berries
2 cups fresh saskatoons, blueberries, cranberries (or a mixture), whole or roughly chopped in food processor
1 cup finely minced onion
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries, soaked in boiling water to soften, then drained
Glaze:
1 cup melted currant or chokecherry jelly

Combine all ingredients, except jelly, and work lightly with your hands to combine.

Roll into walnut-sized balls and place in a baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, until well-browned and cooked through.

Drain any accumulated fat and toss meatballs with 1 cup of melted red current or chokecherry jelly, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm with toothpicks for appetizers.
Makes 40 meatballs.

WILD BERRY SHORTCAKE WITH CRÈME FRAICHE
Another recipe that uses a wide variety of Alberta berries – a version of a recipe from my first cookbook, The Wild West Cookbook by Cinda Chavich (Robert Rose Inc.).

2 pounds fresh berries (any combination of saskatoons, blueberries, strawberries, etc.)
1/4 cup Kayben black currant syrup (or other fruit syrup)
1/4 cup sugar or honey

Biscuit:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat or rye flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup butter
½ cup sour cream or yogurt
½ teaspoon vanilla

Crème fraiche or whipped cream
Mint

In a bowl, combine the fruit, juice or liqueur and sugar and let stand. If a thicker sauce is desired, mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch and heat the mixture just until it boils, remove from heat and chill.

In another bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender (or use the food processor) until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the yogurt or sour cream and vanilla, then use your hands to gently form the dough into a ball.
Set the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat gently to a round, 11/2 inch thick. Cut into 6 pie-shaped wedges.
Set the biscuits on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with a little granulated sugar, then bake at 425 F until golden, about 10-15 minutes.

To serve, split each biscuit in half horizontally (or cut into two wedges) and place on piece of each in a shallow dessert dish. Top with some of the berry mixture and some of the crème fraiche (or whipped cream), the second half of the biscuit, then more berries and cream. Garnish each dessert with a small sprig of mint. Serves 6.

Crème Fraiche
To make your own crème fraiche, mix 2 cups of whipping cream with 1/2 cup of sour cream and let stand, covered, at room temperature for 12 hours. When the mixture is nicely thickened, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

CINDA’S SASKATOON PIE
Saskatoon pie is the quintessential prairie fruit pie. Today you can even purchase saskatoon pie filling, but it isn’t the same as a pie made with freshly picked whole berries.
Saskatoons are ready to pick in late July and early August, in the wild in prairie coulees or at several berry farms across Alberta. They look like blueberries but have a special earthy flavour, sometimes with a hint of almond. Pick them fresh and freeze for pies all winter.
This recipe is from High Plains, The Joy of Alberta Cuisine, by Cinda Chavich (Fitzhenry & Whiteside).

Pastry:
5 cups flour 1.25 L
1 pound lard 500 g
1 tablespoon salt 15 ml
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vinegar, added to 1/2 cup ice cold water 15 ml in 125 ml

4 cups saskatoon berries (per pie) 1 L
2 tablespoons flour 25 ml
1/2 cup sugar 125 ml
pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter 50 ml
2 tablespoons lemon juice 25 ml

For pastry, mix together flour and salt in the food processor. Add the lard, cut into cubes, and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Whisk together the egg, vinegar and ice water and add to the processor.

Pulse in short bursts, just until the pastry comes together. Don’t over process. Gather up into two balls, wrap in plastic and let rest for 10 minutes. This will make enough pastry for two, double-crust pies.

Divide each ball in half and roll out on a floured surface, forming two rounds, each about 10 inches in diameter. Extra pastry can be wrapped well and frozen.

Lay one round of pastry into a large, well-greased pie plate. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour onto the surface before adding clean, uncooked saskatoon berries. Fill pie plate 2/3 full. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with remaining flour, sugar and lemon juice.

Rub a little cold water over the exposed edge of the pastry. Cover berries with top crust and press edges together to seal, then flute between your fingers. Make some holes with the tip of a sharp knife so steam can escape. Set pie on a baking sheet to catch any juice that overflows.

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. Cool and serve warm with ice cream. Serves 6.

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - summer potluck salads

Tue, 3 Jul 2007 17:56:59 -0600

RECIPES:

POTLUCK BEAN AND PASTA SALAD
This is an old favourite of mine – a pasta salad with Mediterranean overtones. It’s from my very first cookbook, the Wild West Cookbook by Cinda Chavich (Robert Rose, 1998).

Dressing:
2 tablespoons (25 ml)red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml )fresh lemon juice
1 tablspoon (15 ml )Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons (10 ml )Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon (5 ml )granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml )salt
1/4 teaspoon(1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup (125 ml ) extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (25 ml ) minced parsley
1 tablespoon (15 ml )basil pesto or minced fresh basil
3 cups (750 ml ) short pasta (small shells, rotini or radiatore)
1 1/2 cups (375 ml ) cooked kidney beans
1 cup (250 ml ) diced yellow peppers
1/2 cup (125 ml ) sliced black olives
3 large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
salt and pepper

To make the dressing, combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. In a food processor, chop garlic. Add the vinegar mixture and process until well combined. With machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil, parsley and pesto through the feed tube and process until smooth. Set aside.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Rinse under cold running water and drain well, shaking to remove any excess water.
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, kidney beans, chickpeas and dressing. Add the yellow peppers, olives, chopped tomatoes and red onions. Chill well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 8.

TOSSED SALAD NICOISE
This is a potato salad with gourmet cachet – a tossed version of that classic composed salad of potatoes, beans, tuna and garlicky mayonnaise. Serve it in a big shallow salad bowl lined with butter lettuce leaves to make it look extra appetizing on the potluck table. From my brand new book, The Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books, 2007)

1/4 cup (50 mL) reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup (50 mL) low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt
2 teaspoons (10 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (25 mL) extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves roasted garlic (or 1 teaspoon/5 ml fresh garlic, pureed in a press)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoon (25 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (plus some grated lemon zest)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (1 kg) small new red or yellow fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
1 cup (250 mL) fresh green beans, steamed lightly and chopped
2 to 3 green onions, chopped
1 can solid white tuna (packed in water), drained and broken into chunks
1 small head butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup (125 mL) tiny grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (125 mL) Nicoise olives
1 egg, hard cooked, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh parsley

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, mustard, olive oil, roasted garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.

Put a steamer basket in a large saucepan and add about 2 inches (5 cm) of water. Put the potatoes in the steamer basket and steam until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into chunks and add the warm potatoes to the dressing in the bowl; toss.

Add the green beans to the steamer and steam until just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse under cold tap water to stop the cooking process, and chop into bite-size pieces. Mix the beans, green onions, and tuna into the salad, being careful not to break up the potatoes. Cool to room temperature or chill (bring back to room temperature before serving).

To present, line a wide bowl or deep platter with lettuce leaves and arrange the salad on top. Scatter the grape tomatoes and olives around the edge of the salad, pile the chopped egg on top, and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 6

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Breakfast recipes for Dad’s Day

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:44:34 -0600

THE PERFECT OMELET
Any breakfast chef knows how to make a perfectly filled and folded omelet, and you should, too. (It’s all in the wrist action.) From The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap, 2007).

2 large eggs
1 tbsp (15 mL) milk salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Melt the butter over medium heat in a nonstick 7- to 8-inch sauté pan with flared sides (this kind of small nonstick pan is an essential part of your tool kit).
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce the heat slightly. As the edges begin to set, lift with a spatula and push slightly into the centre of the pan, and scramble up the middle a bit, allowing the liquid egg to run around the edge of the pan and underneath the cooked bits. Cook for three or four minutes, shaking the pan to keep the omelet from sticking. When the omelet is light golden on the bottom, and still a little wet on top, it’s done (the runny stuff will finish cooking once it’s folded).
While it’s still in the pan, fill the omelet down the centre, in a line at right angles to the handle, with warm, precooked ingredients (sausage, smoked salmon, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, leftover chicken curry, crabmeat, etc.) and/or cheese (grated Swiss or cheddar; herbed cream cheese, blue cheese, or whatever). Then slide the omelet away from you, onto a warm plate, flipping the handle up to fold the omelet onto itself as it exits the pan. That’s it.

Omelet for one.

BANANA PANCAKES

Make this batter the night before a big breakfast and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. From The Guy Can’t Cook, by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap, 2007).

1/2 cup (125 mL) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 (7 mL) tsps baking powder
1/2 (2 mL) tsp baking soda
1/4 (1 mL) tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 tbsp (25 mL) melted butter or oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup (175 mL) mashed bananas

Extra sliced bananas and maple syrup

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, sugar, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, egg and mashed bananas.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the banana mixture. Stir with a fork until everything is barely moistened.
Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium high heat and brush with a little oil or melted butter. Reduce the heat to medium and spoon the batter onto the pan, using 2-3 tablespoons of batter for each 3 to 4-inch pancake. When you see bubbles rising and breaking all over the top of the pancakes, they’re ready to turn over. Cook the second side for a couple of minutes, until nicely browned, and transfer to a plate. Keep the pancakes warm in a 200ºF (95 ºC) oven while you finish cooking the rest. Serve the pancakes topped with sliced bananas and maple syrup.

Makes 1 dozen pancakes

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - Rhubarb

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 18:01:54 -0600

LE GAVROCHE RHUBARB TART
Chef Daniel Buss of the Banffshire Club at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel brought this recipe back from a two-week stint at Michel Roux’s famed Le Gavroche restaurant in London. It’s a simple open-faced tart, with a creamy custard base.

Filling:
800 g (4-5 cups) rhubarb, chopped
150 g (3/4 cup) sugar, divided
3 tablespoons crème fraiche (see below)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons pastry flour, sifted

Sweet pastry:
160 g (2/3 cup) unsalted butter
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
pinch of sea salt
1 egg yolk
300 g (3 cups) pastry flour, sifted

Crème Fraiche
To make your own crème fraiche, mix 2 cups of whipping cream with 1/2 cup of sour cream and let stand, covered, at room temperature for 12 hours. When the mixture is nicely thickened, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Combine the chopped rhubarb and ¼ cup of the sugar and set aside overnight to marinate in the refrigerator.
For the pastry, use your fingers to work the butter, sugar, salt and egg yolk together until crumbly (you can also use the food processor for this). Add the flour, mixing until just incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Butter a 20 cm tart pan. Heat oven to 425F (220C). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm and use to line the prepared pan. Prick the base all over with a fork.
Drain the rhubarb well. Arrange the drained rhubarb in an even layer in the tart shell.
For the custard filling, whisk together the remaining ½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons of crème fraiche, eggs, and flour until smooth. Pour over the rhubarb in the tart shell.
Bake the tart for 10 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 350 F (180C) and continue to cook for 30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and set the tart on a cooling rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This tart is excellent with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 8.

RHUBARB SYRUP
Make this simple rhubarb syrup and keep it in the fridge to use as a base for a refreshing rhubarb soda or to shake it up with vodka for a locally-inspired rhubarb martini.

6 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 cups water
1- 1 ½ cups sugar (approx.)

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the rhubarb and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until rhubarb is breaking down.
Strain through a colander, pressing to release all of the juice.
Measure the juice (you should have about 3 cups), and pour it into a clean saucepan. Add ½ cup of sugar for every cup of rhubarb juice. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Pour into a clean jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks (or freeze). To use, pour over ice in a glass and add equal parts soda water. Or shake with ice and vodka for Prairie Vodka Martinis.

read more about rhubarb....

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - Asparagus

Mon, 21 May 2007 18:16:52 -0600

GLAZED ASPARAGUS WITH BUTTER AND PARMESAN
There’s something about asparagus and Parmesan cheese – a match made in heaven. This is an easy way to cook asparagus. You can also brush spears with butter and grill or roast.
20 medium green asparagus spears (about 1 pound), trimmed to about 5 inches and peeled
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water, with the salt, to a boil. Tie the asparagus together in two or three bunches. Steam the bunches, upright, for about 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus and pat the bunches dry.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat (if you have just one large frying pan, cook in two batches). Add the asparagus to the pan in a single layer and roll the stalks around so that each gets well covered with butter and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and remove from the heat.
Grind some freshly ground pepper over each serving and serve immediately. Serves 2-4

PICKLED ASPARAGUS
Use a spear of asparagus in a Caesar instead of celery – makes a great garnish.

5 pounds of fresh asparagus
garlic, dill seed, mustard seed, peppercorns
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
3 tablespoons pickling salt
1/2 cup white sugar

Wash asparagus well and soak in ice water while you are preparing the 6 pint jars.
Place 1/2 clove of garlic, 1 tsp. dill seed, 1 tsp. mustard seed, and 6 peppercorns in the bottom of each jar.
Pack asparagus, tips up in jar. Don't waste tender ends. Can them also for bite size treats. Bring water, white vinegar, pickling salt and sugar to a boil and pour over asparagus, covering the tips with brine. Seal with two-part canning lids and process in boiling water bath for 5 to 6 minutes.

read more about asparagus...

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - Cooking morel mushrooms

Fri, 4 May 2007 18:01:16 -0600

PRAWN AND MOREL SOUP
Vancouver Island chef Bill Jones served this soup at a recent wild foods dinner at his Deerholme Farm near Duncan. He hosts a monthly dinner at the farm - $85 pp – based on various seasonal themes go to his website at www.magnorth.bc.ca to see what’s coming up.

1 pound (454 g) local prawns, shell on
2 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
grapeseed oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon (15 mL) garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ginger, shredded
2 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon (5 mL) curry paste or powder
1 Tablepsoon (15 mL) hoisin sauce
2 cups (500 mL) morels or other fresh mushrooms, sliced

Peel the prawns and reserve the shells. Place the shells and the leeks in a roasting pan, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes, until well browned. Scrape into a saucepan and deglaze the roasting pan with wine, simmering over medium high heat and scraping up any browned bits. Add to the pot with the shells.
Add the stock, ginger, garlic, coconut milk and hoisin sauce to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth through a sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing the solids to extract all of the juices. Discard the solids.
Season the broth with salt ad pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and add the sliced morels. Simmer together for 5 minutes and serve (or remove from heat, chill and reheat just before service).

Seaweed froth:
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground seaweed powder (pulverize nori in a blender or coffee grinder)
¼ cup whipping cream
shredded nori for garnish

In a bowl, combine the seaweed powder and cream and beat until frothy and thick. Spoon a little seaweed froth over each portion of soup, and garnish with shredded nori.

NOTE: You can also use reduced fat sour cream or thick plain yogurt in place of the cream.

CREAM OF MOREL SOUP
Use a soft-bristled mushroom brush to clear any debris from morels but don’t wash them. If using dried morels, soak them in warm water to rehydrate, they dry them off with a towel. You can substitute any wild mushroom in this recipe or use a mixture.

2 tablespoons (25 ml) butter
2 leeks, white part only, washed and chopped
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound (125 g) morel mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
bay leaf
1 branch fresh thyme
1/4 cup (50 ml) sweet or sour cream
salt and white pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a soup pot and sauté leek and shallots for 2 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, until tender.
Add wine, stock bay leaf and thyme and bring to a boil. Cover pan and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, then remove and discard bay leaf and thyme.
Cool soup slightly and puree in food processor or blender until relatively smooth.
Return the soup to the pot and heat just to boiling. Whisk in sweet or sour cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

Spring Cleaning - vegetarian chili

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 18:11:35 -0600

DEAR GIRL:
So, it’s spring, and I’ve decided to do the annual cleansing diet to get back into the bikini and lose this logy, late-winter lethargy. But on carrot sticks and lettuce, I’m STARVING to death? What kind of vegetarian food can I possibly eat that’s filling and fun.
Clean as a Whistle in Cleveland

DEAR CLEAN:
Don’t take my word for it, but I’m pretty sure the usual “cleansing” routine includes a diet that’s big on veggies and low on meat, potatoes, French cheese and all of those other good things that we just get too much of these days. But it doesn’t mean it has to be boring. When you pump up the veggies in your life it’s good for all kinds of things, including that spring internal house cleaning. And even if you’re not going into radical mode, it doesn’t hurt to have a few meat-free days every week.
This chili is just the thing to get you going – you won’t miss the meat and it hits the spot for carnivores, too. Bet you’ll be hauling out this yummy recipe even when you’re back on the meat and potatoes gravy train. Make it on Monday for instant eats all week.
And don’t skip the fresh dill and fennel seed – they’re the secret ingredients that pump up the flavour of all that plant food.

VEGETARIAN CHILI
1/3 cup olive oil
1 pound of zucchini in 1/2-inch dice
1 pound onion in 1/2-inch dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 large cans (28-oz. each) tomatoes with juice, crushed or pureed
4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 19-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon sugar

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add zucchini, onions, garlic and peppers, and saute, stirring often, until starting to soften.
Puree the canned tomatoes in a blender or food processor (don’t start with canned tomato puree, it’s too strong).
Add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, fennel and parsley to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, for 30 minutes.
Stir in kidney beans, chickpeas, fresh dill, lemon juice and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes longer. Serve immediately with brown rice. Serves 6-8.
©Cinda Chavich

TAG:
Sure you’re busy rock climbing and running your own company, but you gotta eat, and sometimes you gotta cook. So let the Girl solve your culinary conundrums – and make you look good next time the kitchen calls. Send your dining dilemmas to girlcantcook@telusplanet.net

Recipes - how to bake a ham

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 18:05:09 -0600

RECIPES:

BAKING A HAM
A whole ham weighs 10-20 pounds so they’re usually sold in sections or halves.
Bake hams at 325F on a rack in a roasting pan with a little water, juice, wine or beer in the bottom of the pan, and baste every 30 minutes. Since most hams are already fully cooked, you just need to heat them through – it should take about 10-15 minutes per pound. Use an instant read thermometer and pull the ham when the internal temperature reaches 155F. Increase the oven temperature to 425F, then spoon or brush the ham with a glaze, and bake 20-30 minutes longer, basting with glaze every 10 minutes.

GLAZES FOR HAM
Simmer the glaze ingredients together for a few minutes. When the ham is almost cooked, remove the skin, then spoon or brush the glaze thickly over the cooked ham before returning to the oven for 20-30 minutes at 450F. Brush every 10 minutes with additional glaze.

½ cup apricot jam
¼ cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons orange or lime juice

OR
½ cup marmalade
¼ cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons orange or lime juice

OR
½ cup Guinness stout
¼ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

HAM AND WHITE BEAN, SPLIT PEA OR LENTIL SOUP
This is a versatile soup recipe that utilizes the leftover ham bone. Feel free to add more vegetables – a cup of frozen green peas or shredded cabbage is a nice addition at the end – or use some fresh chopped herbs like parsley. I like to add some leftover cooked rice or barley to this soup for added texture, too.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
½ cup each, chopped celery and carrot
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped or shredded
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
2 cups water
1 meaty ham bone or chunk of ham
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
pinch of cayenne
2 cups small white beans, soaked overnight (or use 2 cups of split peas or brown lentils, no soaking necessary)
1 tomato seeded and chopped
½ cup cooked rice or barley (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In a deep stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, celery and carrot until tender and starting to colour.
Add the potato, chicken stock, wine, water and ham bone. Stir in the thyme, bay leaf, cayenne and soaked beans or lentils.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the ham bone. Remove any cooked ham from the bone, chop and stir back into the soup along with the tomatoes. Adjust seasoning and add cooked rice, frozen peas, finely slivered cabbage or fresh herbs, if desired. You can crush some of the potatoes against the side of the pot, to help thicken the mixture, or partially puree the soup with a hand blender to make it smoother, if desired. Serves 6-8.

©Cinda Chavich
www.tastereport.com

Recipes - a Greek Lenten feast

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 18:40:05 -0600

WILTED SPINACH WITH RICE
At a Greek Orthodox monastery in Kalamata, the nuns created a lunch for hungry food writers that included wild greens with rice and beans, cheeses, olives and other vegetarian dishes. This is my version of their spanakorizo, a popular Lenten dish.
2 pounds fresh spinach (or a mixture of spinach and mixed bitter greens like dandelion, mustard and sorrel)
1/2 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
2 onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup basmati or other long grain rice
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1/4 cup minced dill or fennel fronds
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of crushed red chili peppers
Wash the spinach well and remove any tough stems. Shred the spinach and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy, deep pot and cook the onions over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and stir to combine. When the spinach is starting to wilt and cook down, add the water and half of the dill or fennel. Cover and steam until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice, remaining dill or fennel, and season with salt, pepper and crushed chilies to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil before serving, and garnish with lemon slices, olives and crumbled feta, if desired. Serves 4-6.

BAKED GIGANTES
I ordered a dish of these huge white beans in a taverna on my first night in Athens but they were especially delicious when Vaso Klampatseas baked them for us in her home in the little village of Saidona. Look for gigantes, beans as big as your thumb, in Greek groceries – they have a creamy texture and don’t fall apart during cooking.
1 1/4 pounds large gigante beans or extra large dried lima or butter beans
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2/3 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, minced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz. can tomatoes, whirled in the blender to puree
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon honey
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Soak the beans overnight. Drain and rinse.
Place the beans in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until barely tender but still firm. Drain and toss with fresh parsley and dill. Arrange in a shallow baking dish.
Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic over medium heart for 10 minutes. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and oregano and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the honey and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the vegetable sauce over the beans and stir gently to combine. Bake at 325F for 1 hour, until beans are glazed with sauce and tender. Serves 6.

ARTICHOKES AND POTATOES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL
Artichokes appear in the spring in Greece. If fresh artichokes aren’t available, use frozen artichoke hearts.
2 cups cold water
1 lemon, halved
12 artichokes, cleaned
1/3 cup Greek olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 green onions, chopped
1 pound fresh peas (or frozen, thawed)
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups water or broth
1 pound small new potatoes, cut into chunks
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper to taste
Place the water in a bowl and squeeze the lemon into it. If you have fresh artichokes, trim the tough outer leaves and remove the stem and choke, then halve or quarter, and place them in a bowl of water that’s been acidified with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and saute onions for 5 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and saute 2 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice, water or broth and bring to a boil.
Drain the artichokes and add to the pan, along with the potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 45 minutes, until artichokes are tender.
Beat the egg yolk in a small bowl and whisk in a couple of tablespoons of the hot braising liquid. Return the egg mixture to the hot sauce and stir to combine, cooking over low heat for 1 minute longer. Stir in the fresh dill and mint and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

learn more about Greece....

©Cinda Chavich
www.tastereport.com

Interested in publishing the stories, recipes or photos you see on this site? Email me to discuss how to get exclusive regional or syndication rights in your newspaper, magazine or online publication.

Recipes - CELEBRATING classic Irish potatoes

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:35:38 -0600

RECIPES:
COLCANNON
POTATO AND LEEK SOUP
IRISH MANHATTAN
 COLCANNON This is a classic Irish peasant dish —a mash of potatoes, onions, parsnips, and cabbage that exceeds the sum of its parts. With the addition of a little butter and cream, it’s a winter feast on its own, or perfect as a side dish. From The Guy Can’t Cook by Cinda Chavich (Whitecap Books) to be published 2007.   6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 cup (250 mL) peeled and chopped parsnips, (about 2) 3 cups (750 mL) finely shredded or chopped green cabbage (about1/2 small cabbage) 2 cups (500 mL) water 1 tsp (5 mL) salt freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter 1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream   In a large, heavy saucepan, layer the vegetables—half of the potatoes, onions, parsnips, and cabbage, then repeat. Add the salt to the water, and pour it over top. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  Drain and use a potato masher to mash everything together to form a chunky purée. Season with pepper, and stir in the butter and cream. Serves 6.   POTATO AND LEEK SOUP Make sure to wash leeks well – between each layer – as they can be sandy. Discard the green tops in the compost, or wash them well and freeze for making soup stock. 3 large leeks, white part only 3 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, chopped 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced 4 cups chicken broth ½ cup whipping cream salt and pepper minced green onions to garnish   Trim the dark green tops from the leeks, leaving the white and light green bits. Cut off the root end and discard. Split the leeks lengthwise and clean under running water to remove any sand or grit. Drain and slice. In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the leeks, onion and diced potato. Cover and sweat slowly for 30 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes longer. Mash the potatoes and vegetables into the soup (or puree with a hand blender). Bring back to a boil and stir in the cream. Simmer for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, sprinkled with minced green onions. Serves 6.  IRISH MANHATTAN Irish whiskey is traditionally made with both malted and unmalted barley – and distilled three times, resulting in a purer, lighter alcohol, before aging in oak barrels.    1/4 cup Irish whiskey 2 tablespoons sweet vermouth dash of Agostura bitters 1 maraschino cherry, for garnish    Fill a short cocktail glass with crushed ice. Stir in the whiskey and vermouth; add a dash of bitters and stir. Garnish with a cherry.

©Cinda Chavich
www.tastereport.com

Interested in publishing the stories, recipes or photos you see on this site? Email me to discuss how to get exclusive regional or syndication rights in your newspaper, magazine or online publication.

Recipes - Cooking Pork

Thu, 1 Mar 2007 17:46:27 -0700

RECIPES:
INDOOR BBQ PORK
SZECHUAN-STYLE PORK AND EGGPLANT

INDOOR BBQ PORK
I love pulled pork sandwiches and I adapted my favourite recipe for slow smoked pork butt – a summer specialty – using an oven method from a book called How to Cook Meat, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby. Start with a 5-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder roast and marinate for at least a day, then roast slowly for 12 hours. It’s not quite as good as pulled pork smoked on the smoker or grill, but in the dead of winter, it makes a reasonable facsimile when you’re craving a pulled pork sandwich in February. Makes enough tender pulled pork for 8 generous servings.

1 5-pound pork butt or shoulder roast, boneless

Brine:
1/4 cup liquid smoke
2 liters of water
1 ½ cups kosher salt
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Rub:
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup sweet Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1-2 teaspoons ground chipotle chili powder

¼ cup ballpark mustard
barbecue sauce for serving

In a large plastic container, large enough to submerge the meat, combine the brine ingredients. Add the meat to the brine, making sure it is submerged, cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours, turning every 12 hours.

Combine the spice rub ingredients and set aside.

Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the entire surface of the meat with mustard, then sprinkle heavily with the rub, pressing gently so it adheres. Place the meat in a heavy, nonstick roasting pan and roast in a preheated 210 F oven for 12 hours, until the pork is so tender that it tears when you try to lift it with a fork.

Remove the pork from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. While the meat is still hot, use your hands or a fork to shred the meat, discarding any visible fat. Toss the warm pulled pork with bbq sauce, if desired, and serve piled on crusty rolls with additional sauce, coleslaw and grits. Serves 8-10.

SZECHUAN-STYLE PORK AND EGGPLANT
This is a lovely, rich pork dish to serve over a bowl of brown rice on a Tuesday, or as part of a Chinese banquet on the weekend. Serve it alongside thin strips of cucumber, that have been lightly marinated with rice wine, sugar and crushed red chilies, for an authentic Chinese meal. You can also try making this dish in the pressure cooker – after browning the eggplant and pork, combine all ingredients and cook at high pressure for 12-15 minutes. This is a recipe from my new book, The Guy Can’t Cook (Whitecap Books) which will be out in April, in time for Father’s Day.

1/3 cup canola or peanut oil, divided
1 large eggplant (about 1.5 pounds) washed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound boneless pork (pork loin chops, etc.) trimmed of visible fat and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Asian chili paste (add more to adjust taste before serving)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup wine vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and slivered
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a wok, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Cook the cubed eggplant in batches until browned. Remove eggplant from the pan as it’s browned, add more oil, and cook the remaining eggplant .
Season the pork strips with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the wok over medium high heat, until starting to smoke, then add some of the pork, cooking it in batches until all of the pork is nicely browned. Remove pork from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the wok and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until starting to brown, then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Combine the chili paste, tomato paste, chicken broth, wine vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar and curry powder and stir to combine. Add to the wok and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes, then return the cooked eggplant and pork to the pan. Stir in the bell pepper and return to a boil.
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the eggplant is very tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with more chili paste if desired. Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately over brown basmati rice. Serves 4-6.

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipe - Authentic maine chowder

Fri, 2 Feb 2007 17:49:12 -0700

I sailed with Anne Mahle and her husband Jon Finger aboard their windjammer, J&E Riggin, and enjoyed her fine cooking. Anne now has a new book, At Home, At Sea, and this is her great recipe for Maine chowder. Try it, whether you start with the classic clams, or switch it up with other fish and seafood:

Clam Chowder
Serves 4
½ cup celery, chopped 1 cup onion, chopped 1 large or two small potatoes, diced ¼ pound salt pork, scored OR 2 strips of bacon, diced ½ cup Saltines or oyster crackers, crumbled (it’s even better if you have day old biscuits to crumble) 1 16 oz. Bottled clam juice 1 pounds fresh clams or 2 cans sea clams 1 can evaporated milk 4 cups water fresh pepper corn meal
Heat a medium sized stockpot on medium high heat. Place the scored salt pork “face down” in the pot. Render for several minutes and then add the onions and celery to the pot. Cook until translucent. Add the potatoes and crackers and cook for another few minutes. Add the clam juice, evaporated milk and fresh pepper. Cook on low heat, uncovered for at least one hour. If you are using fresh clams, soak them in cold, salted water and sprinkle cornmeal on top of them. When the broth is ready, rinse the fresh clams and add them to the pot. Turn off the heat when the clams open and serve immediately. If you are using canned clams, add them to the pot 5 minutes before serving.
        There are three ingredients that make this a very traditional recipe: salt pork, day old biscuits or saltines and milk. The more you use substitutes the less traditional your chowder will be. You will notice that there is no butter and flour to thicken this soup. If there were, then this would be called Cream of Clam Soup, not chowder.
       ANNE’S TIPS: Once the salt pork is rendered it’s very important to give the onions and the celery time to become translucent. If a little brown develops on the bottom of the pan, even better, just don’t burn it. Brown is good, black is not! This is what makes a flavorful soup. Take time in each step at the beginning.   The same is true when you add the potatoes and the biscuits or saltines, let the bottom of the pan become a little brown before you add the water and the clam juice. The reason that you add evaporated milk rather than fresh milk is that fresh milk will curdle – not so pretty or tasty.   It’s important to wait to add the clams (or any fish) until the end. If you don’t you will have rubber bands in your chowder rather than clams.
        If you wish to create variations on this theme, this is a very versatile recipe. Below are some of my favorites that I serve on the boat.
 Salmon and Corn Chowder
Replace clams with 1 pound of salmon, bones and skin removed. Remove corn kernels from the cob of two ears. Add the cobs and the kernels to the stock at the beginning and add the salmon 10 minutes before serving.
 Haddock Chowder
Replace clams with 1 pound of haddock, bones and skin removed. Add the haddock 10 minutes before serving.
 Leek and Lobster Chowder
Replace 1-cup onions with 1-cup leeks. Replace clams with 2 Maine lobsters.
Add the whole lobsters to the stock at the beginning. Remove as soon as their shells are bright red. Allow all of the juice in the lobsters to drain into the stock pot. Let them cool in a bowl. When they are cool, remove the meat from the shells and pour the excess liquid back into the stockpot. Cut the meat into ½ inch pieces and add to the pot just before serving.
        On top of any of these fancier chowders you could add non-traditional garnishes such as chopped scallions, chopped fresh herbs, crème fraiche (or sour cream), or home-made croutons.
read about sailing with Capt. Anne Mahle...

Recipes - A wild western gourmet feast

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 18:00:31 -0700

Cinda Chavich created these recipes for a special western Canadian regional feast.
see the full story ➢

WILD RICE FRITTERS WITH COLD-SMOKED SASKATCHEWAN TROUT
Trout is farmed in Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan and in Pincher Creek, in southern Alberta, Cunningham’s (403-627-6594) makes it into a wonderful cold-smoked product that’s perfect to perch atop a fritter made with Manitoba wild rice. Of course, you could also substitute B.C. cold-smoked salmon in this dish. For appetizers, make tiny fritters or if you make the fritters larger to serve as a side dish with braise meats or stews. This is a prairie version of the classic blini and caviar appetizer - you might also try topping the fritters with sour cream and farmed Canadian sturgeon caviar.

Wild Rice Fritters:
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped onions
1/4 cup (50 ml) butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 ml) rye flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) each, salt and pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream
1/4 cup (50 ml) milk
2 cups (500 ml) cooked wild rice
3 tablespoons (45 ml) canola oil

1/2 pound (225 g) cold-smoked trout or salmon, pre-sliced

Horseradish Crème:
1/4 cup (50 ml) mascarpone or spreadable cream cheese
1/4 cup (50 ml) sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
sea salt

Sauté the onions in butter until tender. In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream and milk.
Quickly stir the wet ingredients into the dry to form a batter. Let stand 10 minutes.
Fold in the sautéed onion and cooked wild rice.
In a nonstick frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium high heat. Using 1-2 tablespoons of batter per fritter, cook for 2 minutes a side, until browned and cooked through.
Whisk together the cheese, sour cream and horseradish until smooth (or use a food processor to puree). Season with salt to taste and set aside.
To assemble, put a dollop of horseradish crème on each pancake. Roll thin slices of smoked fish into tiny, trumpet-shaped coronets and arrange atop each hors d’oeuvre. Garnish with a sprig of dill. Makes about 36 pieces.

PRAIRIE PICKEREL CHOWDER
When I was a kid, fresh fish was almost non-existent, except for the perch and pickerel caught in the local prairie lakes in the summer months. But with a few potatoes and onions, even these mild freshwater fish could be transformed into a creamy fish soup, reminiscent of the best East coast chowders. Today, pickerel is the only freshwater fish that is commercially fished, much of it in Manitoba.
The evaporated milk keeps the fat low – feel free to substitute cereal cream for a richer result.

2 pounds (450 g) fresh or frozen pickerel fillets, bones removed, cut into small cubes
4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped fine
4 cups (1 L) peeled and cubed potatoes
2 tablespoons (15 ml) flour
2 cups (500 ml) fish stock or water
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml) evaporated milk or cereal cream
2 tablespoons (25 ml) chopped fresh parsley

In a large soup pot, cook the bacon slowly until it’s nicely browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat in the pan and saute until tender. Stir in the potatoes, and cook together for a few minutes longer.
Stir in the flour and mix well. Slowly add the stock or water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until potatoes are cooked.
Add the fish and simmer 5-10 minutes (don’t over cook the fish). Stir in milk and evaporated milk and heat through but don’t boil. Serve soup sprinkled with reserved bacon and chopped parsley. Serves 8.

MIXED GREENS WITH BISON CARPACCIO AND COLD-PRESSED CANOLA OIL
Traditionally, carpaccio is made with paper -thin slices of beef tenderloin, drizzled with olive oil. But lean bison makes perfect carpaccio and Highwood Crossing cold-pressed canola oil adds a nutty and brilliant gold sheen to this prairie-inspired dish. Although the bison is served raw, it is first seasoned and seared on the outside, so there is no danger of contamination.

1 pound (450 g) bison sirloin
2 teaspoons (10 ml) each: minced fresh thyme, basil, oregano and rosemary
2 teaspoons (10 ml) black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
4-6 dried juniper berries, crushed
2 tablespoons (25 ml) cold-pressed canola oil
sea salt to taste

2 cups (500 ml) shredded greens (sorrel, arugula, spinach)
Cold-pressed canola oil
1 lemon, halved
shards of Parmesan cheese

Clean the sirloin, trimming all of the fat and removing any sinew or silver skin. Cut the meat into long 3-inch square strips, with the grain.
Crush the juniper berries using a mortar and pestle. Combine with the fresh herbs and peppercorns and spread on a plate. Roll the meat in herb mixture to coat all sides, then wrap the seasoned meat tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
Discard the plastic wrap. Heat oil in a nonstick pan over high heat. Sear the meat quickly on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Cool meat and wrap in plastic again.
Freeze the bison until stiff but not solid. Using a very sharp knife, cut it into very thin slices across the grain.
Meanwhile, shred the greens and toss with just enough canola oil to coat. Squeeze half of the lemon over top.
To serve, arrange a small pile of greens on individual appetizer plates and arrange the carpaccio alongside, overlapping the pieces in a neat pattern. Drizzle the plate very lightly with additional cold-pressed canola oil and season the meat with freshly ground black pepper. Traditionally, carpaccio is topped with a few shards of aged Parmesan cheese so look for a prairie version like Leoni Grana parmesan (or aged cheddar from Sylvan Star) and use a vegetable peeler to remove long, thin pieces to garnish the plates. Serves 8.

VENISON LOIN ROAST WITH SASKATOON BERRY SAUCE
Venison and other game meats are very lean. Roasts cook quickly and should never be cooked past medium rare (well-done game tends to be dry). Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch near Calgary supplies its hotels and restaurants (like Buffalo Mountain Lodge and The Ranche) plus retail customers with various cuts of bison and elk venison, which can be ordered from their website (www.crmranch.com). The meat is sent frozen, overnight, to your door along with recipes and cooking tips. Saskatoons are the prairie berry of choice for this dish – but wild blueberries or black currants work well, too.

2.5-pound (1.1-kg) venison loin, all silver skin removed
2 tablespoons (25 ml) olive or cold-pressed canola oil, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful pine or spruce needles
12 juniper berries , lightly crushed

Sauce:
2 tablespoons (25 ml) butter
1 shallot, minced
4 black peppercorns, crushed
2 juniper berries
1 cup (250 ml) dry red wine
1 cup (250 ml) brown venison or beef stock
1/4 cup (50 ml) saskatoon berries, crushed or pureed
saskatoon liqueur or port(optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) whole saskatoon berries

Rub the venison loin with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof saute pan or roasting pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium high heat and sear the venison to brown on all sides.
Scatter the pine or spruce needles and juniper berries over the pan and place the meat on top. Put the pan into a preheated 400ºF oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the roast is cooked to medium rare. (Use an instant-read thermometer – the internal temperature should be 135-145ºF for rare to medium rare meat).
Remove the meat from the pan and set aide on a cutting board, covered loosely with foil, to rest for 15-20 minutes. This step is vital. The meat continues to cook while it rests and the roast will be juicier if it’s properly rested.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Remove the spruce needles and juniper berries from the pan and discard. Add the butter to the pan and sauté the shallots, black peppercorns and juniper berries for 5 minutes until shallots are beginning to brown. Add the red wine and venison stock. Stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and boil vigorously, until the liquid has been reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add the puréed saskatoon berries and cook a few minutes longer. Strain the sauce and set aside.
Just before serving, reheat the sauce and whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter. Season with salt and pepper, and a splash of liqueur or port, if using. Add the whole berries and heat through.
To serve, slice the loin into medallions and arrange on individual plates in a pool of sauce with wild rice and barley risotto. Serves 8.

WILD RICE AND BARLEY RISOTTO
This pilaf combines two prairie grains – the wild rice of Manitoba and the chewy pot barley grown in Alberta and Saskatchwan. Add some wild morels or chanterelles from B.C. for a true inter-provincial side dish to accompany almost any meal.

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (25 ml) olive oil
2 cups (500 ml) sliced mushrooms (use fresh cultivated mushrooms or dried wild mushrooms that have been rehydrated in boiling water or wine)
1 cup (250 ml) wild rice
1 cup (250 ml) pot barley
1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine
3 1/2 cups (900 ml) beef or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoons salt 2 ml
2 tablespoons(25 ml) butter
1/4 cup (50 ml) cream
2 cups finely shredded Parmesan cheese (like Alberta’s Leoni Grana)

Combine the onion, garlic and oil in a saucepan and sauté over medium high heat until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they begin to give up their liquid.
Add the rice and barley and stir well. Toast the grains for 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook until it’s absorbed. Stir in the stock, salt and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until wild rice is starting to split and barley is tender. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cream. Return to a simmer then add the cheese and stir to combine. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

SASKATOON AND RASPBERRY CRÈME FRAICHE TART
To make crème fraiche, combine 2 cups of whipping cream with 1/2 cup of sour cream, whisk it together in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 12 hours. The cream will thicken – and will keep, refrigerated, for several days.

Crust:
11/2 cups (352 ml) flour (use part whole wheat pastry flour and part cornmeal or barley flour)
2 tablespoons (25 ml) sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup (50 ml) cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup (50 ml) cream cheese, cubed (or use all butter and no cheese)
1 egg

Filling:
3 cups (750 ml) fresh raspberries and saskatoon berries (or blueberries)
3 eggs
3/4 cup (175 ml) crème fraiche
1/4 cup (50 ml) flour
2/3 cup (150 ml) sugar

icing sugar for dusting

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter and cheese and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the eggs, and whirl, just until the pastry begins to come together. Dump it into a 10-inch shallow tart pan (the kind with a removable bottom) and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides, using your fingers or the back of a spoon.
Bake the crust in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs and crème fraiche. Add the flour slowly, while you whisk, to combine without lumps. Then whisk in the sugar.
Fill the prebaked shell with berries, then pour the custard mixture evenly over top. Bake the tart at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes, until the filling is set and the top is light brown. Cool before serving. Remove from the tart pan, cut into wedges and dust each piece with icing sugar. Serves 6.

© Cinda Chavich 2006

Cinda Chavich is a Calgary-based food and travel writer with a love of western Canadian cuisine. Many of these recipes have been adapted from her award-winning cookbook, High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine (Fifth House). Her latest book, The Girl Can’t Cook (Whitecap Books) is a Canadian best seller and will be followed soon by the sequel, The Guy Can’t Cook.

(this piece first appeared in West magazine)

©Cinda Chavich
www.tastereport.com

Interested in publishing the stories, recipes or photos you see on this site? Email me to discuss how to get exclusive regional or syndication rights in your newspaper, magazine or online publication.

Recipes - cooking with citrus

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 17:53:09 -0700

KUMQUAT AND WATERCRESS SALAD
Look for wonderful fresh watercress at Asian markets like T&T at this time of year – it adds a spicy flavour to this salad. For a more substantial meal, top the salads with warm grilled scallops or large shrimp.

1 bunch watercress, thick stems removed
10 kumquats
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Boil kumquats for 15 seconds and chill in ice water. Drain. Cut half of the kumquats into quarters and slice the rest thinly.
Heat oil and gently cook garlic and ginger. Do not brown. Add the lime juice, sugar, salt pepper and combine well. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor.
In a large bowl, toss the watercress leaves sliced kumquats and green onions with the puree. Arrange on individual plates. Drizzle a little sesame oil over each salad. Serves 2.

MARMALADE
Use Seville oranges for marmalade if you can find them or substitute a grapefruit or tangerine for one of the oranges.

3 unpeeled Valencia or Navel oranges and one large lemon, scrubbed and quartered
(about 1 1/2 -2 pounds of citrus fruit in total)
4 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar

If you see any seeds in the fruit, remove them and set aside. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut the fruit and peel in to very, very thin slices. Do this over a bowl to catch all of the juice and pulp. Place the sliced fruit in a saucepan. Put the reserved seeds in a tea-ball, or tied up in cheesecloth and add to the saucepan. Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, at room temperature for overnight.
Discard the seeds. Stir in the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, over medium heat for 30 minutes, until the marmalade reaches the jell point (225ºF) Skim off any foam. Pour boiling-hot marmalade into hot sterilized 1/2-pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe jars clean, top with two-piece metal lids, screw metal band on firmly, invert for a second then cool the jars in an upright position and store in a cool, dark place or refrigerate. Makes 2-3 pints.

©Cinda Chavich 2007
www.tastereport.com

Recipe - Duck Confit with White Beans

Tue, 2 Jan 2007 17:50:59 -0700

What to serve with that Quebec Iced Cider?
Why, bien sur, a tender confit of duck, and perhaps a pot of creamy white beans with rosemary.
Confit may sound like something reserved for French chefs and other gourmands, but it’s really a simple technique of slowly braising the tougher cuts of poultry in fat, so that it can be preserved over winter. The resulting duck (or even goose or turkey legs) confit, is an ingredient in classic French dishes, like cassoulet.

Duck confit:
6 duck legs, with thigh (about 2 pounds), skin on
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 large bay leaf, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cups virgin olive oil

Separate the thighs from the legs by cutting at the joint. Place the peppercorns in a heavy zippered plastic bag and pound with a meat mallet to coarsely crush. Add the duck, salt, garlic and crushed bay leaf to the bag, and make sure the seasoning is rubbed over all surfaces of the duck.
Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, rinse the duck under cold tap water to remove the excess salt and pat dry with paper towels.
Place the duck in a single layer in a large saute pan, skin side down, and heat over medium heat, just until some of the fat begins to render out into the pan. Add the olive oil and heat, just until the oil begins to bubble. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to very low, and cook slowly for 2-3 hours (you can also place the covered pan in a 200F oven to slowly cook for 2-3 hours). Turn the duck pieces over once during the cooking time. The meat should be very tender.
Remove the meat from the pan, place in a container and pour the cooking fat over the meat. The duck should be completely submerged in fat if you want it to keep. Cover and refrigerate for three days before using or up to 2 weeks. The confit is delicious cold or reheated, but I like to serve it warm with herbed white beans.
Save the fat for frying potatoes, eggs or making more confit - it will keep for a month or two in a covered jar.

TIP: If you have whole ducks, render the fat from any excess skin or bones by heating the pieces slowly in a deep pan over medium low heat, until the skin is brown. Discard the browned bits and save the fat.

White Beans with Rosemary:

1 cup dried white beans, cooked until tender and drained (see tip)
1 thick slice smoky bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 small tomato, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the chopped bacon over medium heat until it releases its fat and begins to brown. Add the onion and garlic and stir together until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of olive oil or leftover duck fat if the bacon is especially lean.
Stir in the stock, tomato and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Stir in the beans and rosemary. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer together for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the warm duck confit. Serves 4.

TIP: If you have a pressure cooker, you can quick soak and cook the dried beans from scratch in 20 minutes. Cover the cup of beans with 4 cups of water, bring the cooker up to high pressure then let stand for 20 minutes. Drain, add more cold water (you can also include half an onion, a few cloves and a sprig of rosemary), bring back to high pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Let the pressure drop naturally.

click here for more information on pressure cooking...

©Cinda Chavich
www.tastereport.com

Interested in publishing the stories, recipes or photos you see on this site? Email me to discuss how to get exclusive regional or syndication rights in your newspaper, magazine or online publication.

Recipes - Cooking with heirloom beans

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:36:09 -0700

RANCHO GORDO DRUNKEN BEANS
With some fresh corn tortillas, these savory beans make a meal. A recipe from the fine folks at Rancho Gordo, growers of heirloom beans.

2 cups dried beans (about 6 cups cooked)
3/4 cup beer
1 thick slice bacon
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole serrano peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
limes
To cook the beans, in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté about 1/4 cup of minced onion with a minced clove of garlic. When the onions are soft and fragrant, add the beans and enough cold water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours or until beans are tender.
Add the beer and continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan, reserving the bacon. Sauté the chopped onion, minced garlic and serrano peppers in the pan until soft, then add the mushrooms and continue to cook until tender. Chop the reserved bacon and add to the pan.
Stir this mixture into the beans. Cook together for 10-15 minutes to combine the flavours. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with lime wedges for drizzling. Serves 4-6.

RUNNER CANNELLINI BEAN SALAD
Steve Sando rarely soaks his beans but says the runner cannellini beans “seem to beg for a gentle rehydration” so he gives them “the spa treament” to start. Get out your best olive oil and take this pretty salad on a picnic, or pile on crostini toasts for appetizers.

2 cups dried runner cannellini beans (6 cups cooked)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scant teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

Soak the beans in cold water for 4 hours until they swell and expand.
Meanwhile, in a deep saucepan, sauté a mirepoix of minced onion, celery and carrot in olive oil until soft. Stir in beans, with their soaking liquid, and enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, or until beans and tender. Drain the beans and place in a bowl.
Fold in the chopped red and green pepper, minced garlic, oregano and fresh tomato. Add olive oil and vinegar. Gently toss and season with salt to taste. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Serves 4.

Recipes - Centro Chef Bruce Woods

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:35:06 -0700

In September of 2006, Toronto Chef Bruce Woods of Centro Restaurant was invited to join a handful of other young chefs at the Cakebread Cellars’ American Harvest Workshop (see full story). Here they created new recipes, using the bounty of the Napa Valley. Here are some of Bruce’s recipes:

“Rancho Gordo” Flageolet Bean Salad with “Sonoma Organics” Roasted Gypsy Peppers

Chef Bruce Woods served this simple appetizer on Asian soup spoons – created to pair with the Cakebread Cellars 2003 Sauvignon Blanc.

1 cup cooked white beans, drained well
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic puree
Salt and white pepper

2 each Gypsy bell peppers (or 1 each red and yellow bell peppers)
1 tablespoon basil, chiffonade
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and white pepper

Puree the cooked white beans in a food processor then press through a fine sieve (or Mouli-style food mill) to remove the skins and form a very smooth puree. Stir in the olive oil and garlic puree. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Put the puree into a piping bag.

Meanwhile, roast the peppers over an open flame to char (either on a barbecue grill or under the broiler). When the peppers are blackened on all sides put them in a paper bag to cool. When cool, peel off the blackened skin, remove the stems and seeds, and chop the roasted flesh into small dice. Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and stir in the basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

To serve, pipe a teaspoon or two of the bean puree onto one of 16 Asian soup spoons, and top each with a teaspoon of roasted pepper salad.
Serves 8 (16 pieces)

Whole Roasted “Broken Arrow Ranch” Axis Venison Loin on Potato Leek Puree with White Truffle Essence, and “Gourmet Mushrooms” Ragout and “Knoll Farms” Rosemary Jus

The Axis is a small southeast Asian deer, farmed by Broken Arrow Ranch in Texas. You can substitute a larger North American venison loin in this main course, designed by Chef Woods to pair with Cakebread Cellars Benchland Select Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jus:
1 pound meaty venison bones
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 shallots, chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
½ cup chopped wild mushrooms
1 ½ cups venison or veal demi-glace
1 cup Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
4 white peppercorns
4 coriander seeds
1 sprig each: thyme and rosemary
1 tablespoon cold butter

Start by making the jus. Place the venison bones in a heavy saucepan and roast, with the olive oil, over medium high heat until the bones are deeply browned and caramelized. Add the mirepoix of chopped carrot, shallots and celery, and cook until the vegetables begin to brown, too. Stir in the tomatoes and mushrooms, and cook together for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and add the wine, one-half cup at a time, simmering until it is completely reduced before adding more wine. Stir in the demi-glace, add the thyme and rosemary, and simmer slowly for 1 hour, until the sauce has reduced by half. Strain the jus, discarding the solids. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the butter to finish the sauce just before serving.

Potato Leek Puree:
2 leeks, white part only
3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled
3-4 threads saffron, crumbled
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 drops of truffle oil

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, rinsing under running water to remove the grit. Discard the tops and chop the white and pale green portions.
In a saucepan, boil the potatoes with the saffron for 20 minutes. When the potatoes are almost tender, add the leeks and cook together for 10-15 minutes longer. Drain and puree the potatoes and leeks through a Mouli-style food mill, then mix in the heavy cream and butter. Stir in the truffle oil just before serving.

Mushrooms:
2 cups assorted wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt

Combine the mushrooms, olive oil, shallots and garlic and sauté on medium high heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm.

Venison:
1 ½ pounds Axis venison loin (2-3 whole loins)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely crushed black peppercorns

Rub the venison with olive oil, garlic, rosemary salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate to season for 1 hour (or up to 8 hours).

Sear the venison loins in a heavy sauté pan with a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat, just until the meat is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place the pan directly into a 450F oven for 5 minutes longer, just until the venison is cooked to medium rare. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.

To plate the dish, pipe some of the potato and leek puree in a ring at the centre of each plate. Arrange the sautéed mushrooms in the centre of the potatoes, then arrange the sliced venison over top. Drizzle with the jus and serve.
Serves 8.

Recipes - Alberta 100-mile Dinner Party

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:34:30 -0700

In 2006, Cinda Chavich wrote two stories for the National Post newspapers (one in March and a second in August) - creating a dinner party using only ingredients which were grown within 100 miles of her home in Calgary, Alberta. In March, it was a huge challenge - in the height of summer, much easier. Here are some of the recipes she developed for those dinners:

PEMMICAN MEATBALLS IN BLACK CURRANT GLAZE
These bison meatballs are inspired by the traditional Native staple, pemmican, a mixture of ground dried bison meat, fat and wild berries which kept nomadic tribes alive over harsh prairie winters. While these meatballs are baked rather than dried like real pemmican, they’ll add some wild west flavor to your next party, glazed in melted black currant or chokecherry jelly. Try making this mixture into larger patties, for burgers or breakfast sausage alongside flapjacks. Adapted from High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine, by Cinda Chavich (Fifth House).

Meatballs:
1 pound lean ground bison (or ground beef) 500 g
1/2 pound ground pork 250 g
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 ml
1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
2 cups fresh saskatoons, blueberries, cranberries (or a mixture), whole or roughly chopped in food processor 500 ml
1 cup finely minced onion 250 ml
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries, soaked in boiling water to soften, then drained and chopped 15 ml

Glaze:
1/2 cup melted Pearson’s black currant jam 125 ml
1/4 cup Kayben Black Currant Syrup 50 ml
1 tablespoon Brassica mustard 15 ml
2-3 ounces rye whisky 50-75 ml
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the meatballs, combine ground bison, pork, pepper and salt in a bowl. Whirl the saskatoons in the food processor to roughly chop and add to the bowl. Chop the onion and juniper berries in the processor and add to the meat mixture, then work lightly with your hands to combine.
Roll into walnut-sized balls and place in a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, until well-browned and cooked through.
To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, heat the jam with the syrup until it’s bubbly. Whisk in the mustard, whisky, salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Drain any accumulated fat from the meatballs and place them into a bowl. Drizzle with the glaze and toss gently to combine. Serve meatballs warm with toothpicks for appetizers.
Makes 40 meatballs.
©Cinda Chavich

CREAMY BEET AND POTATO SOUP WITH CHARD
The bright green chard adds texture and colour contrast to this wild fuchsia soup – the perfect antidote to the late winter doldrums.

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 pound beets, whole
2 cups water
2-3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3/4 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper
3 cups slivered rainbow chard
shaved mizithra (or other dry, salty cheese like aged ricotta, feta or goat cheese)

Roast the beets 400ºF oven for 25 minutes. Cool, slip off the skins, then chop.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until it starts to brown. Add the garlic, potatoes, water and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat..
Add potatoes, beets, water and broth; bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low and cook until tender about 20 minutes. Add the roasted beets and simmer 10 minutes.
Transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth. You can strain the soup back into the saucepan if it seems too grainy.
Return to saucepan and add half-and-half and flour; stir into soup along with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the chard stems. Roll the leaves (like cigars) and slice into thin “chiffonade” strips. Heat a bit of butter in a saute pan and cook the chard stems for a minute or two, until tender. Then add the green bits and toss for a minute, just to wilt.
Divide among shallow soup bowls; pile some chard in the centre of each bowl, and top with a little cheese. Serves 8.

©Cinda Chavich
www.tastereport.com

Interested in publishing the stories, recipes or photos you see on this site? Email me to discuss how to get exclusive regional or syndication rights in your newspaper, magazine or online publication.