This morning I presented the following dishes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten.  Canadian Lobster tails and Arctic Char are available at Gimli Fish.  Pesto is so versatile and delicious.

Arugula and Chive Pesto
2 cups young arugula
2 cup roughly chopped chives
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan reggiano or padano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 + cup good olive oil
pinch salt, to taste

Grind up all ingredients to a paste.  Enjoy as a pesto, as an ingredient, as a sandwich spread, etc.  In pasta, try with chopped tomatoes to bring out the sweetness of the chives.  The Arugula is peppery but is softened by the sweetness of the chives.

Served today mixed in pasta with grilled Canadian Lobster tails and Dugald, Manitoba Arctic Char. 

Lobster grilled with garlic butter.  Arctic Char grilled with pesto.  Served on top of pasta with grated Parmesan and cracked pepper.


Enjoy!

Valentine's Day on CBC's Weekend Morning Show - Fair Trade Chocolate Creams and Lobster with Almond Tarator

This morning, after the 8:30AM news, I presented the following dishes for Valentine's Day treats on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod. 

1. Nova Scotia Lobster Tails with Almond Tarator
4 small - medium Nova Scotia Lobster Tails
Prepare Almond Tarator in advance.  Recipe follows.
Cut defrosted Lobster tails down the middle and loosen meat.  Drizzle olive oil over tails.  Place over high heat of BBQ or under broiler and cook until the shell is red all over.  Open shell and spoon Almond Tarator over lobster meat.  Serve immediately.

Almond Tarator
9 oz Almonds
3 cloves garlic
sea salt
juice of one lemon
3 tbs champagne vinegar
1 tbs honey
4 egg yolks
2 1/4 cups good olive oil
3-5 oz lukewarm water
freshly ground black pepper

Pulse the almonds in a food processor.  Crush the garlic with salt and add to the almonds with lemon juice, vinegar, honey and egg yolk until smooth and creamy.  Drizzle in half of the oil, and alternate with the water.  Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil until a thick, creamy mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Use as a dip, mezze or cover a fish fillet and bake.

2. Chocolate Creams

6-7 oz dark Callebaut Chocolate
2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

Melt chocolate in a bain-marie (stainless steel bowl over pot of boiling water) with 1 tbs. Milk. Make the quantity of milk up to 2 cups and bring high heat. Beat 6 egg yolks with sugar until the mixture turns white. Slowly add the chocolate flavoured milk, beating it in quickly. Divide the mixture between at least 6 ramekins placed in a baking dish that will be filled with simmering water (another bain-marie). Bake at 375� F for about 25 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the bain-marie and leave to cool before putting them in the refrigerator to set.

Pavlova (optional to serve with creams)

4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 180�F.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9-inch circle on the
paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, then turn the paper over so the circle is on
the reverse side. (This way you won't get a pencil mark on the meringue.)
Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk
attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With
the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny
peaks, about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites,
add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the
meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it
within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven,
keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven,
about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with
sweetened whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Seafood Extravaganza with CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

This morning I had the distinct pleasure of presenting the following recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  These dishes are all easy to prepare with amazing results.  The freshest seafood from Gimli Fish.  My hands smell like the sea.

1. Mussels with Pernod and cream

2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1 cup chopped chives

1 � cups dry white wine

� green pepper, finely chopped

� cup whipping cream

3 tbs Pernod (or Ouzo or Raki)

3 tbs chopped fresh parsley

Combine chives, white wine and pepper in a large pot.  Add Mussels.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover pot and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes.  Remove mussels to a bowl, discarding any unopened mussels.  Add whipping cream and Pernod to pot and bring to a boil and reduce slightly for about 4 minutes.  Mix in chopped parsley.  Return mussels and juices to pot and bring to heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with broth, breads for dipping or Frites.

2.  Drunken Scallops

Scallops (2-4/person, depending on scallop size and if entr�e or appetizer)

1 cup mixed tropical fruit (frozen, mango, papaya, pineapple, etc.)

� cup vodka

2 oz Disorenno

2 oz Mirin

� onion

2 tsp Turkish Baharat

drizzle olive oil

Blend  all ingredients together, except the scallops.  Season with salt and pepper.  Marinade the scallops  in the fridge for 30 minutes to a few hours.  Sear or grill on high heat on each side and serve immediately.

3. Lobster Tails

1-2 tails per person, cut open for ease of service

Season, grill until bright red and meat is not opaque and let rest with a prepared butter.

Prepared butter

1 cup butter

favourite flavouring, i.e, saffron, roasted red pepper, kiwi, fresh herbs,  spices, garlic, etc.

In a food processor, combine butter with choice of flavouring.  Place in plastic wrap in a roll and chill.  Use on steaks, lobster, etc. as the meat rests.

 Have fun and enjoy!

On Sunday I had the pleasure of presenting Picnic Lunches for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Agatha Moir.  The Crab and Lobster salad is so easy to prepare with the excellent products from Gimli Fish.  I also prepared a seared wild caught tuna sandwich.  So simple and creates such a lovely picnic or for anytime in Summer.

Crab and Lobster salad with wontons

Filling:
1 cup crab meat (Available at Gimli Fish)
1 cup lobster meat (also available at Gimli Fish)
6-10 peeled and chopped fresh water chestnuts (available at Sun Wah) * if not available, use Asian pears and NOT tinned water chestnuts
1 inch grated ginger
3-5 green onions, finely diced on a diagonal
� tsp white pepper
� tsp sea salt
� cup Mirin (available at Sun Wah and other Asian markets)
drizzle Sesame oil
pinch of white sugar

Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to fill cones.

Cones:
1 pkg frozen wonton wrappers (round or square cut in half)
canola or peanut oil
unwaxed paper cone cups

Set oven to 500�F and place paper cups upside down on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the wrapper with oil. Cut a slit through the centre of a circular wonton wrapper and form around the paper cone and pinch together. Place in oven and watch carefully until the wonton wrapper starts to bubble and begins to brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Gently remove wrappers from the cone and fill with your favourite filling.   Please note, you can make the wontons into any shape.

Enjoy!