Food Reward Friday

This week's lucky "winner"... Lay's milk chocolate-dipped potato chips!!

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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!

A New Understanding of an Old "Obesity Gene"

As you know if you've been following this blog for a while, obesity risk has a strong genetic component. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) attempt to identify the specific locations of genetic differences (single-nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) that are associated with a particular trait. In the case of obesity, GWAS studies have had limited success in identifying obesity-associated genes. However, one cluster of SNPs consistently show up at the top of the list in these studies: those that are near the gene FTO.

As with many of the genes in our genome, different people carry different versions of FTO. People with two copies of the "fat" version of the FTO SNPs average about 7 pounds (3 kg) heavier than people with two copies of the "thin" version, and they also tend to eat more calories (1, 2).

Despite being the most consistent hit in these genetic studies, FTO has remained a mystery. As with most obesity-associated genes, it's expressed in the brain and it seems to respond somewhat to nutritional status. Yet its function is difficult to reconcile with a role in weight regulation:

• It's an enzyme that removes methyl groups from RNA, which doesn't immediately suggest a weight-specific function.
• It's not primarily expressed in the brain or in body fat, but in all tissues.
• Most importantly, as far as we know, the different versions of the gene do not result in different tissue levels of FTO, or different activity of the FTO enzyme, so it's hard to understand how they would impact anything at all.

An important thing to keep in mind is that GWAS studies don't usually pinpoint specific genes. Typically, they tell us that obesity risk is associated with variability in a particular region of the genome. If the region corresponds to the location of a single gene, it's a pretty good guess that the gene is the culprit. However, that's not always the case...

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Raspberry & Basil Bourbon Jam Sours

I have this summer fantasy. Not like, a Fabio fantasy�sillies. More like an idyllic summer in the South kind of fantasy. I'm sitting on a porch swing on a sunny, summer day. There are those big hanging trees around the porch�willows?�and probably bluegrass playing off somewhere in the distance, mingling with the sound of the breeze through the trees. I'm kicking back, without a care in the world. It's basically a never ending Sunday in August. Job? What job? Bills? What bills. Cocktail? Yes, definitely a cocktail. 

This fruity, jammy, lemony, herbaceous bourbon cocktail is exactly what I'd be drinking on that porch swing. Can someone just invite me to their porch swing already? 

Jam and booze is such an amazing, perfect combo. I don't know why I haven't been doing this forever. These drinks are sweet and fruity in a not-too-sweet, summery kinda way, with a bit of tang from the lemon juice, and a nice basil and bourbon finish. So good. So, so good. It's my�jam. Yep. Said it.

Until I find that porch swing and endless summer afternoon, my couch, episodes of Fargo, and this cocktail will have to do. 

Raspberry & Basil Bourbon Jam Sours

Makes 2

These look a bit dainty with their pretty pink hue, but trust me, they are strong cocktails, as bourbon drinks should be. Feel free to lighten it up with a splash of soda water. If your jam is pretty sweet, you may not need the honey. 

2 tablespoons raspberry jam/preserves of your choice*

1 teaspoon honey

1 sprig fresh basil (about 4-5 leaves)

Ice

2 ounces bourbon

Juice from 2 medium-large lemons

Combine raspberry jam/preserves in a small dish, and microwave about 15 seconds, just to loosen it enough to easily stir together. 

Add basil to a cocktail shaker, and muddle/mash. Add ice about 3/4 full, bourbon, lemon juice, and jam/honey mixture. Shake shake shake!

Pour over ice, garnish with a leaf of basil, enjoy!

*I used Trader Joe's Raspberry Fruit Spread. 

Hawaiian Sliders with Grilled Pineapple & Teriyaki Mayo

Sliiideerrrrz! 

I feel like sliders got really crazy big in like, 2009, and were everywhere, then after a year or two we were all like "sliders are so overdone, just give me a full size burger, already" and now we're at a place where we can enjoy a good slider now and then, without it being too mainstream OR too OMG-SLIDERZ. 

I personally love a good slider, because it's the perfect couple bites. You can have a hamburger without committing to a full hamburger, ya know?

Evan and I do Hawaiian style burgers or chicken sandwiches a lot. I guess the grilled pineapple is what makes it Hawaiian. For these ones, I also made a little teriyaki mayo sauce. So good!

You could absolutely make these into full sized burgers, but how fun would it be to bring a tray of pre-assembled Hawaiian sliders to your Memorial day BBQ!? SUPER FUN!

Hawaiian Sliders

Baby-sized ground beef patties

Swiss cheese, sliced

Pineapple slices, grilled

Avocado

Tomato

Teriyaki Mayo Sauce (below)

Slider buns

I trust that you can grill some burgers. Just do whatever you prefer. I did a simple home-ground beef mixture with salt and pepper, topped with swiss cheese. And also, grill some pineapple slices. I found some amazing brioche slider buns, but any little buns, breads, or rolls will do. To assemble, start with half your slider bun, then layer on teriyaki mayo sauce, grilled baby burger with cheese, grilled pineapple, avocado, tomato, and more sauce. Then top it off with the bun top! That's it! 

Teriyaki Mayo Sauce

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, or agave)

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Hot sauce of your choice (Sriracha!)

Fresh ground black pepper

Whisk together all ingredients, and you're good to go! 

Omelettes for Mother's Day on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning I had the pleasure of presenting this recipe that I found on Savoir's page for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  It is very yummy and so easy to prepare if you are looking for such a thing for Mother's Day tomorrow.  I would also consider substituting the peas for fiddleheads if any are available where you are.

I used Nature's Farm eggs, Pecorino from DeLuca's and Gunn's Bagels.  

Enjoy!

Brown Butter, Peas and Mint Omelette
? cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 eggs
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. grated pecorino romano
2 tbsp. thinly sliced mint leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a 1-qt. saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add peas and cook until tender, 1 minute; drain and transfer in a bowl. Stir in oil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper; set aside.

2. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Heat butter in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook until milky foam settles at the bottom of the skillet and turns nut brown. Add eggs; cook, without stirring, until large curds form, 3-4 minutes, then gently stir until eggs are almost set. Using a rubber spatula, pat eggs into an even layer. Place peas, half the cheese, and mint leaves over eggs. Remove from heat and using spatula, roll omelette up and over filling; slide omelette onto a plate and garnish with remaining mint and cheese. 

Baked Coconut Buttermilk Donuts with Ginger Glaze

I think you should have donuts with a mom this Mother's Day. Whether it's your mom, your mom's mom, a friend's mom, a mom friend, or a new mom, and even if it's over the phone or FaceTime or Skype. The beauty of the internet is that we can be close even if we're far away. We can send pictures instantly, and even make the same donut recipe to eat together when we're miles and miles apart. 

The older I get (which, I might add, is only a few weeks away from my last twenties birthday� yikes!), the more I appreciate moms. A lot of gals I know are having babies, and man, that looks really hard. And also my mom, she's so tough and brave and strong (and pretty! and fun!). Mom's really carry the load for everyone. I wish we understood that as teenagers. Hey teenagers, be nice to your moms! 

So, here's to the moms! On Mother's Day, and every day. Celebrating Mother's Day with donuts. Celebrating every day with donuts. Celebrating mothers every day. It's a big circle, you guys� like� a donut. 

These donuts are so pretty and perfect for a springy Mother's Day brunch. I'm obsessed with the sweet coconut cake and spicy ginger glaze combo. If you're less into major ginger heat, start slow, with just a little ground ginger, and work up to the fresh stuff. 

Also, if you're looking for a gift for mom, get her a donut pan, already! 

Baked Coconut Buttermilk Donuts with Ginger Glaze

Donut base adapted from this recipe

Makes 12 donuts 

Donuts

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla 

3/4 cup desiccated coconut (dried, shredded, and unsweetened)

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (grated super fine and pulpy on a microplane)

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

2.5 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Additional desiccated coconut (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease donut pan(s).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and sugar. Pour buttermilk in a measuring cup, and stir in melted butter and vanilla. Add half the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stir, then add half the egg/sugar mixture, stir. Repeat with remaining buttermilk and egg/sugar mixture. 

Fill donut pan holes just barely to the top. I usually pipe donut batter in with a plastic bag, but this is a bit thicker, so I just spoon it in and spread it around with my finger or a spoon. Bake for 10-15 minutes (my oven took exactly 13 minutes), until donuts are just golden, spring back when touched, and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in donut pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter if you only have 1 pan. 

Cool completely on a wire rack before glazing. 

To make glaze: In a large bowl, whisk together both gingers, water, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar, and whisk until combined and smooth.

Put coconut in a separate dish or plate.

Dip cool donuts (smooth side down) in glaze, then immediately into coconut. Let sit until glaze hardens, about 15 minutes. 

Carnitas (for tacos!)

I'm bad at a some things (including math, laundry, and singing), ok at a couple things, pretty good at a few, and absolutely, totally great at one thing. That one thing, my friends, is roasting pork. 

I'm not trying to brag or anything, but seriously, I'm really, really good at pork shoulder. It's a gift. It's my calling. I usually just throw stuff in without actually measuring, but for your sake, I finally measured and wrote stuff down. Please make these carnitas you guys, seriously. You need to make this pork. 

Also, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. You know, that one holiday in the US where we eat a ton of Mexican food and drink margaritas. Otherwise known as my favorite food holiday. I love everything about Mexican food. I could eat tacos all day long. Especially carnitas tacos. I judge taco places by their carnitas, and I would absolutely go back to a place that served my carnitas. 

This pork is tender and crispy at the same time. It's tangy and salty and a little bit spicy, with hints of cinnamon and citrus. Dreams are made of this stuff. 

When I'm doing BBQ style pulled pork, I use the slow cooker, but for carnitas, I like to use the oven. The pork gets tender and juicy, but the edges get crispy, which I think is what really make this pork awesome. 

Oh, PS� T-minus five months until my wedding! WHAT. I have a lot of spray painting to do. Any volunteers? 

Pork Carnitas (for tacos!)
Loosely inspired by this recipe

Be prepared for a couple hours of marinating, but if you're in a rush, you can just marinate for an hour and it will still turn out delicious! 

4-5 lbs pork shoulder

Juice from 2 large oranges (about 1 cup)

Juice from 1 lime

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large serrano pepper, diced

1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate*

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

Fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 bottle of light beer (Mexican beer like Pacifico)

Trim major fat off of pork shoulder (ok to leave a little bit, but get as much as you can), and cut pork into 4-5 big chunks. Put in a large bowl.

Whisk together orange juice through cinnamon, and pour over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours to overnight. 

Preheat oven to 375.

On the stovetop, heat a large oven-proof stockpot over medium-high. Remove pork pieces and pat dry (reserve marinade). Sear each pork piece, just 1-2 pieces at a time, (too many in the pot will make it steam) on each side. Add all the seared pork pieces, reserved marinade, beer, and brown sugar to pot. 

Bake covered for 2.5-3 hours. 

Right in the pot, shred with a fork and stir into the sauce (remove any fat pieces that might be in there). The pork should be fall-apart tender.

To make it a bit crispier, I like to put it back in the oven for 10 minutes after shredding.

For tacos, serve in warm corn tortillas, with diced white onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese. 

*I use Tamicon brand, often found near the Mexican or Asian aisle in the grocery store.