Peach & Watercress Salad

Peaches, much like strawberries, have an amazing ability to swing both ways.  From dinner to dessert that is.  They make a mean pie and are equally at home in a salsa or on the grill along side a steak.  This dish marries the sweet peaches with savoury salad fixins and a healthy, happy union ensues.  We got crisp, cool romaine lettuce and cucumbers, juicy peaches and bitter, peppery watercress all tossed in a pungent, shallot studded balsamic vinaigrette.  All I'm trying to say is, peaches too, make a bangin' salad. 

Peach & Watercress Salad
Origin: Jaime, Impeccable Taste

Notes:  Please, I urge you, if you are a lover of dairy, dot this salad with crumbled goat cheese.  It will be a fantastic addition.  Toasted, slivered almonds are also great with this combo.

Ingredients:

Salad
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped into 1 inch strips
4 Lebanese cucumbers or 1 English (seedless) cucumber, chopped into bite sized pieces
4 large, ripe but firm peaches, sliced
1 bunch watercress, trimmed, leaves and tender stalks only

Dressing
1/4 balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
salt and pepper

Prepare the dressing.  In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify.  Add the chopped shallots, stir and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the Salad.  In a large serving/salad bowl, layer the romaine lettuce, cucumber, peaches then watercress.  Drizzle with dressing, toss and serve immediately.  Serves 4.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

What would happen if a whole summer whizzed by completely potato salad free?  It hurts to even think about, it just wouldn't be right.  I was determined to come up with an alternative for all of us white potato avoiders.  I knew I could make this happen with the nutritionally dense sweet potato, as long as there were enough savoury, tangy and creamy ingredients to balance out the sweet.  A healthy dose of onion, pickles, chopped egg, and celery did the trick!  With all of those delicious flavours mingling together, it's quite the summer party.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Origin: Jaime, Impeccable Taste

Notes:  To keep things paleo friendly, I make my own mayonnaise, avoiding sugar and unhealthy vegetable oils.  I have included my recipe for homemade, olive oil mayonnaise below.  Obviously, good quality store bought mayo works great here (I like Hellman's).  I have incorporated instructions on how to roast sweet potatoes into this recipe.  Everyone has their own method for this.  I have found that preheating the baking sheets helps them crisp up pretty well.  You can roast the potatoes however you like, you just need to start with well roasted, bite sized chunks of sweet potato for this salad.


Ingredients:

4 pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed clean
1/2 cup coconut oil (or any vegetable oil), divided
salt and pepper

5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced (about 1 cup)
4 large dill pickles, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

To roast the sweet potatoes, preheat oven to 475 degrees, place oven racks in the middle and lower positions.  Insert 2 baking sheets to preheat along with the oven.  Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan until just melted/liquified.  Chop the sweet potatoes by halving them lengthwise, then cut the halves lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces, chop wedges into bite sized pieces (about 1/2 inch thick).  In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 4 tablespoons of oil and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.  When the oven and baking sheets are preheated, carefully remove the baking sheets and drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil onto each sheet.  Carefully distribute the sweet potatoes between the 2 baking sheets in a single layer, and pop them back in the oven.  Roast for about 15 minutes, then flip the potatoes with a spatula, and put the trays back into the oven, rotating the 2 sheets top to bottom.  The potatoes should be done after an additional 10 minutes of roasting.  I like to put each sheet under the broiler for a couple of minutes to get some nice brown crispy spots.  Remove potatoes and cool completely.

To prepare the salad, combine the mayo and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.  Toss the cooled sweet potatoes, eggs, onions, pickles, celery and mayo mixture together in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, chill and serve.

Homemade Olive Oil Mayonnaise
Origin: Jaime, Impeccable Taste

Notes:  This mayo can be made with a food processor or by hand with a very strong arm.  I use light or extra light olive oil for this recipe to keep the flavour neutral.  The mayonnaise made in the food proccessor will be more stiff then that made by hand, but it's worth it to save time and your arm.

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks, preferably room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups light (not extra virgin or first pressing) olive oil

Food processor method:  Put the egg yolks, Dijon, lemon juice and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Measure out your olive oil.  Process the egg and seasonings for about 30 seconds until lightened and thickened slightly.  Keep the motor running and using a teaspoon (it helps control the speed at which you add your oil), drizzle oil SLOWLY, teaspoon by teaspoon, drip by drip, through the feed tube of the food processor.  After you have added about 1/2 cup, you should see a thick mayonnaise forming, you can now increase the speed at which you add the remainder of the oil, still using the teaspoon to drizzle in a slow, steady stream.  Stop processing immediately after you have finished adding your oil or it may separate. (Use your ears, you can actually hear a change in the sound of of the mayonnaise as it loosens before it separates. Stop processing immediately if you hear this!) Chill until ready to use.

By hand:  Dampen a tea towel, fold it, and place it under a medium sized mixing bowl (this will keep the bowl steady when whisking like a mad person).  Measure out your olive oil.  Place egg yolks, Dijon, lemon juice and salt in the mixing bowl, whisk vigorously until pale and slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.  While whisking continuously, using a teaspoon, VERY SLOWLY drip the olive oil into the egg yolk mixture.  By VERY SLOWLY I mean it should take you about 4 minutes to add the first 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Once the first 1/4 cup of olive oil has been added, you should see the mayo starting to emulsify.  You can increase the speed at which you add your oil now, still using the teaspoon to drizzle in a slow, steady stream.  It should take you an additional 4-5 minutes to add the rest of the oil.  Do not over mix or the mayo may separate.  Chill until ready to use.

If your mayo separates:  Have no fear!  It can always be rescued.  Get your arm ready, it's going to take some more elbow grease.  Start with one egg yolk in a medium, clean bowl.  Whisk the egg yolk vigorously for about 30 seconds, until it has lightened in colour.  Slowly add your separated mayonnaise, drip by drip into the new bowl, whisking continuously.  This should bring the mayo back to a smooth, creamy consistency.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries

I just can't get enough of these gorgeous strawberries!  Gotta get my daily fix...they are like crack to a semi-strict clean eater like me!  Not only do they make a great snack and have countless uses in luscious desserts...they have savoury applications too and they make a bangin' salad.  This is another old favorite that fits seamlessly into our Paleo diet lifestyle.  Sliced strawberries take a little soak in some balsamic vinegar which sweetens and intensifies their flavour.  Then the strawberry magic is tossed with peppery arugula, toasty pecans and a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

 

Arugula Salad with Strawberries

Origin: Martha Stewart

Notes:  We enjoyed this with a simple steak on the BBQ and the 2 of us polished off the salad.  Double the amounts below to feed 4-6 people.  This salad shines extra bright when a part of a breakfast or brunch spread.

Ingredients: 

1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered (I used about a cup, sliced)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 bunches arugula, washed, dried, and trimmed (I used half of a 5oz container of organic baby arugula)

1/2 cup toasted pecan halves, roughly chopped

In a large bowl, toss strawberries with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, let sit 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon balsamic vinegar with the olive oil and salt and pepper.

To the strawberries, add vinaigrette, arugula, and toasted pecans. Toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Tomato & Walnut Salad

 

Anybody still out there?  I'm back and ready to party...well, ready to do some cooking at least.  My absence started sadly, with the passing of my beloved Nanny.  But ended happily with a crazy trip through Israel with my In-laws.  See...I've been busy.  I just returned from the middle east with an even deeper love of its cuisine.  Wonderful salads, kabobs of all varieties, olives, fresh fruit and dried, the freshest nuts and seeds...all naturally delicious, whole foods that fit in perfectly with our new diet.  While it was hard to resist the Falafel, Israel's national dish, there were plenty of other options to feast on.  I managed to drag my jet lagged butt to the kitchen yesterday to start recreating one of the many dishes I loved while I was away.  While travelling, I scribbled many notes, tried to decipher dishes and even asked waiters to ask chefs for clues to help prepare the most outstanding meals.  This salad was part of a typical Israeli breakfast we enjoyed on a Kibbutz in the north.  I've been mulling over the possible ingredients and I think I broke the code.  It is as good as I remember.  So simple, flavouful and healthful. 

Tomato & Walnut Salad
Origin: Inspired by Kibbutz Kfar Blum

Notes:  Simple dishes like this shine when the best ingredients are used.  Use juicy, flavourful tomatoes, fresh basil and really good olive oil for best results.  Though I discovered this salad at breakfast, it would also be great along side a burger.


Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup basil, loosely packed, torn or roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 small clove garlic, minced (just a touch)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Toast the walnuts in the oven at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes (or on the stove, in a frying pan, watching carefully, over medium heat until fragrant and toasted).  Cool the nuts and then chop very coarsely.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.  Adjust seasoning if necessary, a little more salt or lemon juice for more zing, or a little more olive oil if it's too strong.  Serve immediately.

Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad

This was a new one for me.  Cauliflower and chickpeas are a common duo in Indian cuisine occurring often in rich stews and curries, but this is something else entirely.  A salad loaded with Indian spices and ingredients, but it remains bright and light tasting. It was a pleasure to eat with its playful colours, different textures and vivid flavour.  Bold yellow, turmeric scented cauliflower, crisp apple and fennel, flavourful cilantro and red onion, and chickpeas and little bits of naan bread to soak up the light curry-lime vinaigrette.  It was a nice change, a great at-work lunch and it kept well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad
Origin: BBC Food, Simon Rimmer

Notes:  I loved the addition of the bits of naan bread.  Next time I might toast it first so that the bread holds up better for the leftovers.  I could not find watercress so I subbed baby arugula in its place.

Ingredients:

Salad

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

4 cups vegetable stock, or water and vegetable stock cubes/powder

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

1 19 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 apple, thinly sliced

1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped (I used at least 2 tablespoons)

1 handful watercress (or baby arugula leaves)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing 

1 tablespoon red curry paste (I used 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon malt vinegar 

juice of 1 lime (about 3 tablespoons)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 naan bread, torn or cut into pieces

Bring the vegetable stock and turmeric to boil in a medium pot.  Boil the cauliflower for one minute.  Drain and set aside to cool.

For the dressing, mix the curry paste with 3 tablespoons of hot water until smooth then whisk in the vinegar, lime juice and vegetable oil in a steady stream until emulsified.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix the cauliflower, chickpeas, onion, apple, fennel, cilantro and watercress (or arugula) in a bowl, then stir in the dressing until well combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix the pieces of naan bread through the salad and serve.

Veggie Potstickers

Today I am proud of my country (even though the House of Commons has lost confidence in the government and an election is on the way).  Neil Young helps a lot.  That man is so cool.  Last night I nestled in to watch the 40th annual Juno Awards where Neil was honoured with a humanitarian award and won two statues.  If the godfather of grunge isn't enough Canadian credit, the awards show also saw appearances by City and Colour (singing Neil Young's Old Man!!), Metric, Broken Social Scene, Schad, Blue Rodeo, Shania Twain, K'Naan, Arcade Fire, Sarah Mclachlan, Chromeo and more, and all of it hosted by one of my faves, Drake.  Hey, at least it's Drake that makes me swoon and not the young Biebs.  My Hubby (he knows about the crush) and I watched the awards and feasted on one of our favorites, Veggie Potstickers. 
The potstickers were prepared on Saturday night by a group of lovely ladies.  It was our monthly girl's night, a supper club of sorts.  Along with cooking up several gorgeous fresh Asian dishes, we set up a mini potsticker factory and pumped out dozens of these beauties whilst chatting, listening to music and *hic* drinking wine.  This somewhat tedious process whizzed by due to the group effort and the fun we were having.  But the quality of the output from our little factory did not suffer one bit from our festivities.  Each bite had a crispy fried bottom and a pillowy, flavourful top.  With a quick, awesome little dipping sauce these are the best meatless dumplings ever...if I do say so myself. 

Veggie Potstickers
Origin: Jaime, Impeccable Taste

Notes:  Filling and wrapping the dumplings is a little tedious, as mentioned above.  You can split up the work by making the filling the day before.  Once the potstickers are prepped the actual cooking time is about 5 minutes.  They are worth the effort!  This recipe makes a lot of filling, enough for about 6-8 dozen potstickers. 

Ingredients:

Potstickers
vegetable oil (safflower, sunflower, canola etc.)
3 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced or finely grated
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce, or chili garlic paste
2 large carrots, grated
2 packages wonton wrappers (small, double packs)

Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon, Sriracha sauce (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons green onion, finely sliced


Heat about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a very large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt.  The mushrooms should release all their juices (due to the salt), then the juices will evaporate and the mushrooms will start to brown.  When the mushrooms are begginning to brown, add the shallots and a knob of butter.  Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the shallots and the mushrooms are browned.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and fry for about 3 minutes until they soften.  Add the cabbage, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce and Sriracha and cook for about 5 minutes until the cabbage and leeks are soft and cooked through.  Turn off the heat and add in the reserved mushrooms and the grated carrot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Taste the filling and add another tablespoon or so of soy sauce and/or rice vinegar if it needs a little more umph.  Cool the filling.  At this point you can refrigerate the filling for a day or two.

To make the potstickers, (I like to do this in groups of 3) lay 3 wonton wrappers on a cutting board or a clean work surface. Have a small bowl of water close by.  Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.  Dip your finger in the water and lightly wet all 4 edges of the wrappers.  Pick up the 4 corners of a wrapper, bring them over the filling and press them together in the middle to form a pouch, seal all of the open seams.  The wet edges should seal with a light pinch.  Place the finished potstickers on a cookie sheet and cover with a lightly dampened paper towel or tea towel until you are ready to cook.

To make the dipping sauce, whisk together the soy sauce, Dijon and Sriracha in a small bowl, stir in the green onions.  Adjust seasoning to your liking, you may want to add more Dijon or Sriracha.

When you are ready to cook the potstickers, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large flat bottomed pan over high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the potstickers in a single layer and do not disturb them.  Cook the potstickers for 1-2 minutes until a brown crust forms on the bottoms.  Add 1/2 cup of water to the hot pan and cover immediately, be careful of the steam/splattering.  Steam the potstickers for 2-3 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook until the water has evaporated.  Remove the cooked potstickers to a platter and continue this process with the remaining potstickers.

Serve hot with the dipping sauce.  Makes at least 6 dozen potstickers.

Grilled Vegetables with Walnut & White Bean Puree

I don't know what drew me to this recipe in the first place.  It's not the most inspiring sounding thing, and it's not that pretty (really hard to get a flattering picture).  But it called out to me and I tried it.  Instantly it became one of my favorite meals.  I could eat solely this for dinner (and did last night), and then eat it for lunch the next day (got it in tow), and the day after that (looking forward to it).  It is really satisfying and wholesome.  The grilled vegetables are doused in a garlicky balsamic dressing and then tossed with fresh mint.  Enjoyed with the creamy, nutty, albeit ugly puree, it's a real sensation with me.

Grilled Vegetables with Walnut & White Bean Puree

Origin: Adapted slightly from StoneSoup

Notes: During the long winter months I use a grill pan to grill the vegetables.  It is so easy, especially for the onions as nothing falls through the grill.  I grill the peppers first, then grill the onions, then the zucchini and add each vegetable to the dressing as they are cooked.

Ingredients:

Grilled Vegetables

4 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 4 strips
2 red peppers (or yellow/orange), deseeded and sliced into wide strips
2 red onions, sliced into 3/4 inch rounds (or half moons)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Walnut & White Bean Puree

200g walnuts (I use about 2 cups)
1 400g can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed (I use a 19oz can)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons water, or to taste

pita bread for serving (optional)

To make the vegetables, preheat a BBQ or grill pan. Toss the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. BBQ vegetables over a high heat until each is cooked to your liking. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, garlic and extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl and season with a little salt and pepper.  As each vegetable is cooked add it to the dressing bowl. When all vegetables are cooked, toss gently and allow to stand for a few minutes to soak up the dressing. Toss through the mint leaves.

To make the Walnut & White Bean Puree, process the walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add remaining ingredients except water and continue to whiz until you have a smooth paste. Gradually add water until the puree is smooth and the consistency is to your liking. Season well with salt and pepper.

Serve the grilled vegetables with dollops of the puree and serve with some pita bread (if using).  Serves 4.

Fruit & Nut Crisps with Truffled Cream Cheese

Aahhhhhhhh...that's better.  Back from my vacay and feeling great.  I was eager to get back in the kitchen and feeling super ambitious.  The trip was choc-full of amazing, bucket list-fulfilling culinary experiences, but there was little time for cooking.  (See my Favorite Spots page for restaurant ideas in south Florida.)  Guns blazing in the kitchen, I decided to tackle this copy cat recipe that I have had my eye on for a while.  It turns out that these were really easy to make if you have a little time on your hands (they have to be baked twice) and the reward is well worth it.  A perfect snack or offering for guests.  These sweet/savoury crisps are amazing with tangy cheeses.  This Truffled Cream Cheese was the perfect accompaniment.  A quick mix of cream cheese and sour cream with chives and truffle oil.  Really good!  Now, back to reality.

Fruit & Nut Crisps

Origin: This Genius

Notes:  This is a copy cat recipe of a popular artisan cracker.  I found the recipe here, it was really well done, producing a close match to the original.  I used my favorite fruits, nuts and seeds, you can feel free to do some substitutions.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seed, ground
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Add the buttermilk, sugar and honey and stir a little, just to incorporate.  Add the remaining nuts, seeds, fruit and herbs and stir until just blended.  Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into 2 lightly greased loaf pans.  Bake for about 35 minutes, until they are golden brown and they spring back when pressed lightly.  Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.  You can freeze one loaf at this point.  Or you can leave the loaves until the next day to proceed with the next step if you'd like.

When ready to continue, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  With a serrated knife, cut the loaves into the thinnest slices possible.  Not more than 1/4 inch thick.  Lay the slices on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes,  flip the crackers over and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until deeply golden and crispy.

Makes about 8 dozen.

Truffled Cream Cheese

Origin: Gordon Ramsay

Notes:  I used light cream cheese and sour cream this time around and it was still delicious.

Ingredients:

1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

a few drops of truffle oil (I used about 12 drops)

Mix together the cream cheese and sour cream until there are no lumps.  You can use a mixer for this.  Season with salt and pepper and fold in the chives.  Add a few drops of truffle oil at a time to taste.  Serve with crackers or crostini.

Makes approximately 1 cup.

Bruschetta with Burrata & Radicchio Marmalade and D.I.F.D.

On a serious note, in November 2010, our city, and the entire NHL was stunned and saddened by the news that the daughter of our Ottawa Senators coach, Luke Richardson, took her own life at just 14 years old.  She was a beautiful, talented and loved little girl.  Thousands of people attended this young girl's memorial and were moved to tears as dozens of friends, teachers and teammates spoke about what an incredible girl Daron was.  Today would have been Daron's 15th Birthday.  Our city has proclaimed today "DO IT FOR DARON, Purple Pledge Day".  Everywhere I look I see people sporting the colour purple, Daron's fave.  Today Daron's loved ones hope to raise money for the Daron Richardson Fund at the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health, they hope to raise awareness and encourage conversations between parents and teens about suicide.  So today I present to you something purple in honour of D.I.F.D.

The above pictures are of Burrata cheese, an Italian cheese consisting of a solid mozzarella casing holding a dreamy mix of fresh mozzarella and cream inside.  It is quite decadent and hard to find (I got mine here).  It needs to be prepared simply to enjoy its delicate flavour and succulent texture.  In this recipe it tops a basic crostini with sauteed radicchio and a little balsamic vinegar.  The mix of the bitter radicchio and creamy cheese is blissful.


Bruschetta with Burrata & Radicchio Marmalade

Origin: Russ Parsons, LA Times

Notes:  Make sure to salt the Radicchio mixture well, it will bring out the best in this bitter vegetable and enhance these simple flavours.  An additional drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar at the end is nice, if that suits your fancy.


Ingredients:

1 lb radicchio (I used 2 large heads)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled, smashed slightly
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 baguette
1/2 pound burrata
Freshly ground black pepper
  
Cut each head of radicchio lengthwise into quarters and cut the core out of each quarter.  Cut each quarter into crosswise ribbons about 1/4 inch wide. Combine the radicchio in a cold skillet with 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt and balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the radicchio has softened, about 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and cook until the radicchio is quite soft and the bitterness has cooked out, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and perhaps just a little more balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove the garlic before serving.

While the radicchio is cooking, slice the baguette into 1/2 inch slices, drizzle with a little olive oil and toast in the oven at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes.  Or grill bread until lightly toasted on both sides.

Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the radicchio marmalade onto each slice of bread and top with a similarly sized spoonful of burrata (try to get both the filling and the wrapping in each spoonful). Sprinkle each with a light grinding of black pepper and a drizzle of the remaining olive oil and serve.

Horseradish & Aged Cheddar Dip

 

I consider myself lucky that my Hubby is not into team sports.  I don't lose him every Sunday for football or every Saturday night for Hockey Night in Canada.  He does keeps busy with a love of cars, rap music and outdoor recreation but his Superbowl would be something more like a Barret Jackson Auto Auction or BET Spring Bling.  This Sunday afternoon he'll likely be cross country skiing in the woods, not in front of the TV.  However, I wholeheartedly support the Superbowl because it brings people together to forget about the real world for a while.  It's a very food-centric event and who doesn't love the commercials and half time show.  This recipe would be a great addition to a Superbowl menu, it's a party dip with a smidgen of sophistication.  It's still a mayo laden dip, but it has sharp, aged cheddar, horseradish, and crunchy little radish bits.  It's lovely.

Aged Cheddar & Horseradish Dip
Origin: Adapted from Gourmet

Notes:  You can play around with adding a little sour cream instead of some of the mayo if you'd like to lighten it up a bit.  But who are we kidding here...the main ingredients are cheese and mayonnaise.  You won't be able to eat it all yourself if you make it for guests.  You can add adjust the horseradish level to your taste.


Ingredients:

2 cups coarsely grated extra sharp white Cheddar
1 1/2 cups finely chopped radish
1 cup mayonnaise
3 - 4 tablespoons horseradish
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with pita chips.

Nas & Jay-Z Chili

Huh?  But that's really its name.  Growing up, my mother made chili often and it was excellent.  We would feast on chili and tortilla chips with super hot, green sauce.  I watched my Dad's blissful face as he wiped the sweat off his brow with his napkin.  I tried for years to find a vegetable chili for my Hubby and I that could measure upto my Mom's beefy version.  When I finally perfected my veggie chili, I couldn't just call it "vegetarian chili", it was, is better than that.  So I asked my Hubby for a name suggestion.  He has a way with words and a knack for names.  He loves word play, which drives his fondness for rap music.  Really, it's more than just fondness.  He loves it.  He can always decipher rap lyrics and he appreciates the way they use their words, he finds it intellectually stimulating, like poetry.  So after 45 seconds of silence, he answered confidently, "Nas and Jay-Z chili".  I scrunched up my face, expecting something more like "fire engine chili" or "fiesta fixins".  Silence.  Then he followed up with "Cuz Nas and Jay-Z used to have beef...and now they don't".  Obviously.  The name stuck, and this chili is da bomb.  It's full bodied and meaty tasting, and it's really good for you too.  I got 99 problems but dinner aint' one.

Nas & Jay-Z Chili
Origin: Jaime, Impeccable Taste

Notes:  The ingredient list is hefty.  I usually have all of these items on hand so it's never a big deal for me.  Every ingredient plays a role.  The small red lentils dissolve and provide a thick consistency, and the larger green lentils provide a meaty texture.  The veggies, beer, stock and spices add tons of flavour, and don't skip the garnish.  It's not as much work as it seems.  Once you get the veggies chopped and sauteed, you just dump everything else in and simmer.   I've divided the ingredient list into sections to show the sequence in which you add like ingredients to the pot.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut oil

1 red pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 very large onion, chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, finely chopped 

1 19 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can beans in tomato sauce (like Heinz)
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and checked for stones
1 cup dried green lentils, rinsed and checked for stones
1/3 cup tomato paste

1 bottle of beer
1 bottle of tomato puree (or a 28 oz can crushed tomatoes)
1 litre of vegetable stock

4-5 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)

Garnish 
sour cream
green onions, finely sliced
avocado, chopped 
fresh lime juice

Chop all your vegetables and prep your garlic and chipotle.  Heat the coconut oil in a dutch oven or a large pot, over medium heat.  Add the vegetables (red pepper through onion) and stir to coat with oil.  Saute for 5-7 minutes until the onion is translucent and veggies are soft.  Add the garlic and chipotle, stir and saute for 2 minutes more.

While the veggies are cooking, open all of you cans/bottles.  Rinse the kidney beans and lentils.  Measure your tomato paste and spices. 

When the veggies are ready, add to the pot, the beans, lentils and tomato paste and then the beer, tomato and stock.  Give everything a stir and then add the spices (chili powder through black pepper).  Stir thoroughly.  Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Add the corn, stir and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.  Season with additional salt and pepper if neccessary.

Garnish with sour cream, green onions, avocado and a squeeze of lime juice.

Makes lots.  It's even better the next day.  Freezes perfectly.

Cabbage & Poppy Seed Noodles with Sour Cream

It is officially comfort food season.  It is ridiculously cold around here.  The sun is shining, and it deceivingly calls you outside for a ice skate or a cross country ski session.  But the minute you step outside, your breath is taken away and any exposed skin has 10 minutes before it burns, dries up and falls off.  Oh, sorry, not very appetizing for a food blog eh?  This morning we shattered a 41 year old weather record, isn't that great for us!?  It is currently -25°C (-13°F) and Environment Canada has issued a cold weather warning urging people to stay indoors.  I would have loved to throw in the towel this morning when my car didn't start, and just hover over a hot stove at home all day.  Boo hoo.  On days like this, your body needs nourishing, hot food.  Stick to your ribs, starchy, simple, and may I stress, HOT food.  This dish is inspired by my Hungarian Grandmother's dish called "kaposztas teszta", a savoury/sweet mixture of cabbage and noodles. It has a simple taste that is so satisfying and comforting.  I added poppy seeds and a sour cream garnish to this classic Hungarian dish. 

Cabbage & Poppy Seed Noodles with Sour Cream

Origin: Hungarian Classic, Jaime, Impeccable Taste

Notes:  Egg noodles are a must for this dish.  My grandmother buys these 1 1/2 inch square flat noodles at a European deli which are awesome.  I usually buy artisan dried papardelle and break them into pieces.  You are looking for a broad flat egg noodle.  The most common brand around here is "Lancia". 

Ingredients:

250g (1 package) flat, broad egg noodles

1 small green cabbage, (or 1/2 large, about 8 cups chopped)

1 very large onion (about 2 cups chopped)

1/4 vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower, coconut etc.)

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

sour cream for serving

Cut the cabbage into quarters, cut out the core and slice into thin ribbons (no more than 1/4 inch thick).  Cut onion(s) in half and slice into thin half moons.  Everything should be about the same size, thin strips of onion and cabbage.

Heat the oil in a very large skillet over medium high heat (you could probably use a dutch oven or a big soup pot too).  Add the onions and cabbage, toss to coat everything with the oil.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until everything is glossy and starting to shrink down a bit.  Add the poppy seeds, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  You may need to add a little more oil as you cook if it seems dry.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes more, stirring the cabbage mixture frequently, scraping the browned cabbage from the bottom of the pan and mixing thoroughly.  The whole mixture will caramelize and cook down significantly. 

While the cabbage cooks, boil the noodles according to package directions, making sure your water is well salted.  Drain the noodles but reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid.

When the cabbage is all browned and cooked.  Add the noodles to the skillet and toss thoroughly.  Add a little cooking liquid to the skillet to help loosen up the cabbage and distribute it evenly.  Cook just until the noodles are hot.  I like to time my pasta to cook when the cabbage is just finishing up.  I transfer the noodles with a slotted spoon directly to my skillet, taking some pasta water with them.  Then I toss it all, and serve immediately

Add more salt and pepper if desired.  Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream.  Serves 4.

Raw Kale and Bread Salad

This is to make up for the last recipe I posted.  A nice healthy one to keep people on track.  I don't want to be responsible for anyone breaking their New Year's resolutions.  Just ignore yesterday's pretty little bars...maybe you'll cross paths with them again one day as you browse the recipe index.  This recipe is for those who resolve to eat more leafy greens this year.  A super way to get them in, you won't be able to stop eating this.  It's like an intense Caesar salad...everything is jacked up a bit.  Solid, hearty greens, lots of garlic and Parmesan and bright lemon flavour.  The crunchy bread soaks up all those flavours and it's all very satisfying.  It makes a great meal with a couple of fried eggs or some roasted chicken.

Kale and Bread Salad
Origin: Adapted from Melissa Clark

Notes:  This salad is really good the next day too.  The kale softens up but it still has a  great texture...not like soggy lettuce.  The softened bread is still good too.

Ingredients:

Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
1 small clove of garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of dried crushed chilis
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Salad

1 big bunch of kale
1/2 baguette (day old is good)
finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Tear the baguette into bite sized pieces and place them on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly brown and very crisp.

In a large bowl combine the lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, some black pepper and the dried chilis.  Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.  Whisk in the Parmesan cheese.

Prepare the kale by removing the the stalks and thick ribs, leaving only the leafy green parts.  Cut the greens into 1/2 inch thick ribbons.  Add the kale to the bowl with the vinaigrette.  Top with additional Parmesan cheese and the toasted bread and toss really well, making sure the Parmesan is evenly distributed and the kale is thoroughly coated with dressing.  You can add more olive oil at any point if the dressing is too pungent for your taste.

Truffle Popcorn

My husband is a huge truffle fan.  After a trip to Miami where he was spoiled with freshly imported truffles from Italy he has a taste for them that he just can't shake.  Truffle oil is a great way to give him a little taste of that experience now and then.  A drizzle over mushroom soup or scrambled eggs with aged cheddar and chives or infused into freshly popped popcorn.  This light, salty snack has a whisper of truffle flavour that elevates it beyond movie watching fare (although it does add a little romance to at home movie watching).  This is a great thing to have in your repertoire for last minute guests.  You can have these ingredients in your pantry and bust them out whenever you need them.  A very simple, elegant but fun snack.

Truffle Popcorn

Origin: Unknown

Notes:  Below I have provided guidelines for making truffle popcorn.  The quantities you should use will depend on the size of your pot, how much popcorn you want to make and the quality and strength of your truffle oil.  Typically, the more expensive the oil, the more truffle it contains and the stronger the flavour.  Truffle salt enhances the final truffle flavour but it is excellent with regular salt and pepper too.

Ingredients:

vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower, canola etc.)

truffle oil

popcorn kernels

truffle salt (or fine sea salt, or regular table salt)

freshly ground black pepper

Choose a heavy bottom pot with a tight fitting lid for making your popcorn.  Pour equal parts (my preference) vegetable oil and truffle oil in your pot, just enough to coat the bottom (no more than 1/4 inch of oil).  You can omit the vegetable oil for a more intense truffle flavour, or if you have an inexpensive truffle oil do not dilute it with vegetable oil.

Heat the oil over medium high heat and add 2-3 corn kernels to the pot.  When you hear one of the kernels pop, your oil is ready.

Add enough popcorn kernels to fully cover the bottom of the pot in a single layer.  Cover the pot with a lid.  When the popcorn starts popping vigorously, shake the pan several times to ensure the kernels are all getting coated in the hot oil and that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.  When the popping slows to 2-3 seconds between pops, remove from heat completely.

Pour popcorn into a bowl and add a generous amount of salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Serve immediately.