Get to know your Butcher on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with interim host Laurie Hoogstraten, I am featuring a pork dish using pork buttons that I got from Denny's Meat Market.  This is a rather "old school" kind of cut of pork and many stores and butcher shops don't carry them any longer but these are so simple to prepare and a great value. 

I'm always telling people to get to know where they get their fish, vegetables and meats.  Getting to know your butcher is really recommended for your own interest.  They will give you a great deal of information on what you want or what you may try and they may specialize in products that you can't find anywhere else.  Denny's Meat Market, for example, also specializes in fresh sausages of a wide range of flavours.

For this dish, you can use the pork buttons, pork belly, or cuts for Kalbi.  For the vegetarians, this segment doesn't leave you out either.  You can use the marinade for seitan, tofu, eggplant, firm mushrooms or cauliflower.

Dwaejibulgogi (from Maangchi.com)

For the marinade :
� cup of crushed Asian Pear
� cup onion pur�e (I put a yellow onion and the garlic in a small blender container with a bit of water and pur�ed it)
4 cloves of minced garlic
� ts of minced ginger
1 chopped green onion
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
a pinch of ground black pepper
2 ts of toasted sesame oil
3 tbs hot Korean pepper paste (Kochujiang)

I used a package of pork buttons from Denny�s Meat Market.  I let them marinade for several hours.  You can then grill, broil or cook in a pan until tender.  Serve with rice, lettuce leaves, fresh chilies, green onions, or on their own as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

Lamb Stuffed Peppers and Easy Chocolate Mousse on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I'll be presenting the following recipes.  Wonderful freshly ground lamb is available to order at Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame in Winnipeg.  Wonderful tomato paste is available there as well.  Just try the Tat tomato paste.  HUGE difference.

The peppers that I used were two varieties, sweet yellow and red peppers and hot green chilies.  These are available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday and at The Forks Farmer's Market on Sunday from Fertile Farms.  They also have huge fresh fava beans, eggplant, etc.

For the Chocolate Mousse, I used Fair Trade dark chocolate callets and, for a Proven�al taste, a floral local honey by Bee Projects, Neighbourhood Honey (Wolseley).  Very creamy honey, available at The Forks Farmer's Market and biweekly at the downtown Hydro Building Farmer's Market.

Lamb Stuffed Sweet and hot peppers

For the peppers and filling:
1 lb ground lamb (I used freshly ground Halal Lamb from Millad�s Supermarket on Notre Dame)
1 red onion, medium dice
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs Turkish Baharat, or preferred seasonings
salt, to taste
olive oil
2 tbs pomegranate molasses (optional, or 1 tbs tamarind)
mixed peppers (I used yellow and red sweet and green hot peppers from Fertile Farms, available on Saturday at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market and Sundays at The Forks Farmer�s Market)

Grill peppers with olive oil over the BBQ or under the broiler.  When the skins begin to darken and blister, remove from the grill and let cool.  This makes peeling the peppers easier.
In a saucepan, saut� chopped red onion until translucent.  Add the ground lamb and seasonings and cook on medium heat until the lamb is browned.  Remove from heat and stir in the pomegranate molasses.
Peel and seed the peppers.

Preheat oven to 350�F. In a saucepan, heat up for the sauce, 2-3 tbs good tomato paste (Tat, from Millad�s is excellent), 1 cup water, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp dried or fresh oregano, optional 1/2 cup good red wine.  Pour into baking dish.  Fill peppers with lamb mixture and place on top of the tomato sauce.  Cover baking dish and bake for 30 - 45 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.

Enjoy!

Easy Rich Chocolate Mousse

2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons honey (I used the floral Neighbourhood Honey of Wolesley by Bee Projects, available on Sunday at The Forks Farmer�s Market)

Stir 3/4 cup cream, chocolate and honey in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally.
In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Divide mousse among eight 3/4-cup ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream to firm peaks. Spoon a dollop of cream in center of each mousse.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

I�m preparing these quinoa burgers now for tomorrow�s CBC Weekend Morning Show segment.  They are coming along nicely and the Tamarack Quinoa works perfectly with this recipe.  http://www.tamarackfarms.ca/

Quinoa Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers (adapted from Bonappetit, January 2016)

1 small sweet potato
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 portobello mushroom (or 5-8 crimini mushrooms)
� small zucchini
1 small shallot, finely chopped
� teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup cooked quinoa (from about � uncooked) (Tamarack Farms available at St. Norbert�s Farmer's Market and Downtown Hydro Market)
� cup dried breadcrumbs (panko)
1� teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 Pretzel or Sourdough Brioche (Available at Old Church Bakery at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market

Guacamole, tomato chutney, sprouts, etc.

Wash and prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a paper towel in the microwave for 3-5 minutes, until soft, depending on the microwave.  Fastest and easiest method and won�t heat up your kitchen with the oven.

Remove the skin from the sweet potato and mash the flesh with a fork.  Set aside.

Grate zucchini and mushrooms.  Heat a small skillet with olive oil and cook shallot with pepper flakes until translucent.  Add zucchini and mushrooms and cook until moisture has been released.  Transfer to a bowl with cooked quinoa (1 1/2 cups water : 1 cup quinoa, boil, stir and simmer for 15 minutes).  Season and mix with salt and pepper.  Let cool.

Add breadcrumbs (panko), lemon juice and about 1/4 cup of mashed sweet potato, adding more as a binder as needed.

Divide mixture into 4 portions and form into patties.  Heat 2 tbs oil in a medium skillet on medium heat and cook 2 patties at a time, until golden brown.

Serve burgers with Old Church Bakery pretzel buns or Sourdough Brioche with your favourite toppings, guacamole, tomato chutney, etc.

Enjoy!

Winter fare from Mexico on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting these two lovely winter dishes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.    

 They are surprising easy to prepare and with wonderful results.  I used the cheese from the Dairy Fairy for the Queso Fresco. 

Black Bean Soup with Orange Zest: Sopa de Invierno

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups cooked black beans (if using canned beans rinse them well)
� cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
� cup plain yogurt
 chopped cilantro and scallions for garnish
Salt, to taste

Preparation

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add the onion and cook, stirring, until wilted and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beans, orange juice and zest, chicken stock, lime juice and yogurt and cook until heated through.

Using an immersion blender, puree the stock to the desired consistency.

Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and scallions. Makes 4 first course servings.

Cheese-filled Sweet Potato Patties: Tortitas de Camote

In most of Mexico, these fried patties are made with white potatoes, whereas in Veracruz they are made with sweet potatoes or yucca. This cheese-filled version is more versatile than most, because it can be served as an hors d'oeuvre as well as a side dish.

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds sweet potatoes
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* salt to taste
* 1 pound queso fresco, farmer cheese or ricotta (not ricotta salata)
* Corn oil or vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

Scrub the sweet potatoes, boil in their jackets until tender, cool and peel. Alternatively, prick them with a fork in several places, cook until tender in the microwave, cool and peel.

In a mixing bowl, mash the sweet potatoes, adding salt to taste, with a potato masher or fork to a smooth consistency. Add the flour and combine well. The dough should have a uniform consistency.

Using moist hands, shape into 8 large balls (for side dish servings) or 12 smaller ones (for appetizers or hors d'oeuvres.) Poke a hole into each and stuff it with about 2 teaspoons cheese for the smaller size or 1 tablespoon for the larger. Re-form the dough around the cheese to cover, and gently flatten each ball into a patty.

Fry the patties in about 1 �" - 2" hot oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Makes 12 as an appetizer, hors d'oeuvre or buffet item.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Over the holidays Evan and I decided to work on a puzzle�just a simple 500 piecer that we borrowed from a friend. We were never big puzzlers in my family� I honestly can�t remember ever completing a puzzle until now.
You guys! Did you know puzzles are SO FUN!? I�m obsessed. After we finished the first one, I bought 4 Thomas Kinkade Disney puzzles. I�m a bit of a competitive puzzler, but I also like the camaraderie of a good puzzle sesh. Ya know? I get to a point, though, where we just need to really wrap one up and move on to the next. It�s serious business.
Amanda happens to be a very skilled puzzler, so I invited her over for dinner one night� dinner was really just the carrot I dangled in front of her to force her into puzzling. I mean, dinner wasn�t literally a carrot, it was enchiladas (with carrots), but I wasn�t going to let her leave til the Jungle Book puzzle was complete.
These enchiladas were just a thrown together thing, but turned out so, so good! They�re semi-homemade, with a rotisserie chicken and canned enchilada sauce that we spruce up a bit. I had a big thing of roasted vegetables in the fridge that I made earlier in the week for lunches. You could really use any combo of vegetables, but I highly recommend including sweet potatoes and onions. Below is what I used, but feel free to switch it up. These make an extra large batch, which is perfect for weekday consumption! 

I hope you know that reading beyond this point makes you contractually obligated to come puzzle at my house�

Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
Makes 24 enchiladas

1 (28 oz) large can red enchilada sauce (I like Herdez brand)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Juice from 1 lime
2 cups roasted vegetables (below)
1 small rotisserie chicken, chicken removed and shredded
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
24 small corn tortillas (taco sized)
2.5 cups shredded cheese (Monterey jack, Colby jack, etc)
1/2 cup sliced black olives

Optional Toppings:
Sour cream (mixed with a little lime juice to thin it out)
Cilantro
Hot sauce
Avocado slices
Crumbled cotija cheese
Fresh sliced radishes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together sauce, cocoa powder, cumin, and lime juice. Remove about 3/4 of the sauce and set aside. 

Add vegetables, shredded chicken, and black beans to the bowl of 1/4 of the sauce, and toss to mix everything together and coat.

Spread a thin layer of the remaining sauce on the bottom of one large (9x13) or two medium sized (baking dishes 8x8-ish). You should still have a lot of sauce left after doing this.

Warm tortillas: If you don�t have a tortilla warmer, you can wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds.

Put a spoonful of the mixture in each tortilla, with a about a teaspoon of cheese. Roll, and place side by side tightly in the baking dish. Should make about 24 enchiladas Once they�re all rolled up and placed in dish, top with remaining sauce and cheese. Evenly distribute olives over the top.

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is super bubbly. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving. 

Simple Roasted Vegetables

1 unpeeled small-ish acorn squash, seeded and cut into bitesize pieces
2 yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bitesize pieces
1 large red onion, halved and sliced into thick wedges
4 large carrots, sliced into bitesized pieces
Olive oil
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
Heavy pinch of salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spread squash, yams, onions, and carrots on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat, and sprinkle with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. 

Roast for about 45-50 minutes (flipping everything once) until the edges are browned but not burnt. 

Lapsang Souchon poached Steelhead Trout for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following elegant lunch items.  Lapsang Souchon Poached Steelhead Trout and Pancetta, peas and mint pasta.

Lapsang Souchon Poached Steelhead Trout

2 fillets Steelhead Trout (or Wild Sockeye Salmon)

1 l Lapsang Souchon Tea (Available in most Asian markets, tea shops such as Cornelia Bean), steeped and cooled
1/2 cup Mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine)
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp white pepper
good drizzle good sesame oil (I like Kadoya, found in Asian markets)
1/4 + soy sauce
1tbs sugar

Mix marinade/poaching liquid when tea is steeped and cooled.  Place fillets in marinade after scoring the skin to prevent curling the fillet in poaching.  Leave skin on to keep fish moist.  It can be removed after cooking.

Let marinate over night or for a few hours.

Pour poaching liquid into a pan large enough to hold the fillets.  Bring to boil and then simmer the fillets for 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Serve hot with reduced poaching liquid or chill for a luncheon.  Garnish with chives or chopped green onions. 
Pancetta, Peas and Mint Pasta
 (serves 3)
5-10 Strips Pancetta, cut into smaller strips
1 cup peas (frozen)
few sprigs fresh mint, chopped or shredded
chilies, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch nutmeg
few tablespoons cream
drizzle olive oil
cooked pasta (I used shells but farfalle is traditional)
grated parmesan


In a saut� pan, heat oil and add pancetta and garlic and cook over medium heat.  Add some spoons of pasta water to soften if too crisp.  Add peas and remaining ingredients.  Toss together with pasta and grate cheese over top.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Pancakes

What are your thoughts on breakfast in bed? 

I think sounds nice, in theory� but really, I sort of hate it. Eating in bed grosses me out. Crumbs and food smells in the bed� no gracias. But, I am all for a quick chocolaty breakfast for Valentine's Day� just, served in the dining room. PS. Who am I kidding� we totally only eat on the couch in front of the tv. 

These pancakes are super simple to whip up, and happen to be gluten free, sugar free (unless you add chocolate chips and maple syrup like I do), and, minus the chocolate chips and syrup, and maybe a pinch of salt, contain only four simple ingredients. Almond butter, bananas, eggs, and cocoa powder. That's it, my friends. 

I know it seems weird to not add any flour, but it just works! And if these weren't already simple enough, I mix the batter up in the blender, which makes for easy, even pouring, and quick clean up. I'm pretty sure that Evan could even make these pancakes (hint, hint)! 

Gluten Free Chocolate Pancakes

Makes about 16 silver dollar pancakes

The riper your bananas, the more banana flavor you'll get. If you're into that, go super ripe. I prefer less ripe, to let the chocolate shine through more. You can also swap out the almond butter for peanut butter! The ratios here are really simple to remember, and make it easy to halve or double the recipe. The one drawback to these is that they're a little difficult to flip. The smaller the pancake and the less you cook at a time, the better.

2 bananas

2 eggs

2 heaping tablespoons almond butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder 

Pinch salt

Chocolate chips

Cooking spray or butter

Maple syrup, for serving

Blend bananas, eggs, almond butter, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth (will just take a few seconds, depending on the power of your blender). Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat, and spray or butter. Pour a small amount of batter into the skillet (silver dollar size) and add 2-3 chocolate chips/ pancake. When the top starts to bubble (generally takes less than a minute), gently flip, and cook another 30-60 seconds. Repeat with remaining ingredients, spraying/buttering skillet between each batch. Serve warm with maple syrup! 

Easy bread for the holidays! Focaccia

This bread was made daily in my recent restaurant and I want to share the recipe because it is so easy and yields excellent results.

Focaccia (Rosemary)
4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 pkgs)
2 cups warm water (110�F)
1 tbs sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbs chopped fresh rosemary, 3 tbs chopped fresh sage, or 3 tbs chopped mixed herbs (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for brushing the dough
Coarse sea salt

If using instant yeast, combine last in bowl with all of the dry ingredients and then add to the mixing bowl with the warm water and olive oil.  If using non-instant, let bloom in warm water with olive oil and sugar.

Using a dough hook on your mixer, combine the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until the dough is soft and pliable and comes off of the bowl to form a ball.  Turn dough out onto counter with a dusting of flour and knead.  Dough needs human hands.  Dough needs the love.

Preheat oven to 475�F.  Let dough rise in an oiled bowl covered and in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until at least doubled.  Spread dough out onto baking sheet (9X13) and let rise for 30 minutes.  Dimple the dough with your fingertips, brush with oil and sprinkle with course sea salt and  additional optional herbs or:  nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, spring onions, chives, olives, saute�d red onions, roasted garlic, etc.

Place dough in oven and reduce the temperature to 375�F and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until light golden.  If baking in a ceramic dish, add up to 7 additional minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.




 

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!