Enfrijoladas!

I pulled this together in 30 minutes and will definitely be making it again. The smoky, chocolate taste behind the adobo really stands out among its' flavours, but I suspect I have an addiction to sour cream and this just winds up being another excuse to pour it on.   I continue to have mixed experiences with vegetarian dishes and when I find one that doesn't make me say "this would be better with meat in it",  I add it to my repertoire.

The recipe has the chef applying a little of the bean paste on the inside of the tortilla and much of it overtop, by the looks of the finished product. My version has more spread on the inside of the tortilla and very little overtop. Either way, you'll get your beans. Also note that as far as the onion and cheese contents go, I have provided approximate measurements. The inside of the tortilla is meant to have a dusting of each, but I was a little more liberal with my portions.

Adapted from: http://www.mexicanplease.com/

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1, 540ml can of black beans, rinsed
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3 chipotle peppers mixed in adobo
• 1 cup water
• 6-8 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 onion, minced
• handful of cilantro chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• sour cream and or avocado for serving

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9X13" baking dish with cooking oil.

In a blender, add the beans, garlic and chipotle peppers. Blend until emulsified. Add the water and blend again until the paste becomes a thick soup.
Place a large dollop of the black bean mixture onto a tortilla and spread over its top surface. Sprinkle a handful of the onions and cheese over half of the surface. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in the baking dish. Repeat this with the remaining tortillas, placing them side by side in the dish. Top with the remaining paste. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven to top with a little more of the cheese. Return to the oven for another 3-5 minutes. Top the dish with the chopped tomatoes and cilantro and serve.

The Picnic Lives

Yes, summer's still alive and well and I can't think of a better way to celebrate it than with vegetables. I found this Green Goddess sandwich recipe on the Bonjon Gourmet about a month ago and was enchanted by its layers of green vegetables wrapped in fresh bread.

Aside from an abundance of fresh ingredients, the magic of this sandwich is in the spread. Fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and some kick courtesy of a few anchovies make it a great fit with the vegetables. It also makes the spread appealing as a salad dressing when thinned a little with water. I've made these a couple of times and have swapped out the herbs in the spread for whatever combination I could find that was fresh.  As for the vegetables, I couldn't find any green tomatoes, so my green theme had to take a backseat. It still makes for a pretty little meal!

Adapted from: http://bojongourmet.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Spread

• 1/3 cup basil
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 1/3 cup chives
• 2 cloves of garlic
• juice and zest of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 anchovies

Pickled Onions

• 1 white onion, sliced
• 1 cup vinegar
• 2 t sugar
• 1 t salt

Sandwich Fixings

• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 cup pea sprouts
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced
• 100g asiago
• 100g brie

Method
For the spread, combine all of the ingredients in a blender (Vitamix!) and puree. To pickle the onions, combine the onions and other ingredients and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Assemble the sandwich with the suggested ingredients on the bread of your choice. Enjoy!

Kale Crispy Black Salad with Arugula Pecorino Vinaigrette

Salads don't have to be as involved as this one, but I'd recommend you try this recipe once over the summer, because it's just THAT good. I made this a few weeks ago and plan on making it again. It's filling and chocked full of robust flavours.  The seasoned almonds add a pop of flavour and lentils take on the role of crouton, but with protein, antioxidents and loads of fibre. Serve this on its own or with a light soup and fresh bread.

From: http://cali-zona.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Tomato basil almonds

• 1 1/2 cups almonds
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1/3 cup basil, minced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t salt

Lentils

• 1/2 cup lentils, uncooked
• drizzle of olive oil
• 1 cup of basil, chopped
• 1/2 t salt

Arugula-Pecorino Vinaigrette

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cup arugula
• 1 serrano pepper (optional)
• 1/4 white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup pecorino, grated
• 1/2 t dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 1 head kale, washed, dried and sliced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced in wedges
• 1 container mini bocconcini,  cut in halves
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Method

For the almonds, preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Spread evenly over a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Turn oven up to 400F. Prepare the lentils by washing them and removing any pebbles or sediments. Pour the lentils into a pot with two cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, rinse and drain lentils. Pour onto a lined baking sheet and drizzle oil oil over their surface. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 25 minutes.

To prepare the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a blender and emulsify.

The salad comes together by combining the kale, bocconcini, tomatoes and onion in a salad bowl. Sprinkle the almonds over the surface of the salad and follow with the dressing. Toss well and serve with plenty of wine, crusty bread and other goodies.

Sausage & Bean Cornbread Skillet

Aaaaah, the magic of the one-pot meal...or, the ease of it. Either way I love doing fewer dishes and having leftovers.

This recipe, like most of the ones I choose offers a number of options to substitute. The cornbread mix can be swapped out for a biscuit mix if preferred or the filling can be vegetarian if you trade the sausage for more beans or lentils. I like it just as is, with the sausage and cheese combination, but this likely comes as no surprise.

I'm not sure how my addiction to sour cream evolved, but I serve dishes such as this one with a little spoonful of it because I like the cool, tangy balance it brings to spicy dishes. Perhaps I can persuade you to get on the sour cream bandwagon too.

Adapted from: http://spicysouthernkitchen.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

Filling

• 8 smoked sausages, cut lengthwise and then into 1/4" slices
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2, 15 oz cans black eyed peas, drained
• 1 15 oz can of chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (if you like heat, that is)
• 1, 10 oz package of frozen spinach
• 2 T finely chopped cilantro

Cornbread Top

• 1 1/2 cups, plus 6 T cornmeal
• 2 T baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 2 t sugar
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 400F.  Brown the sausage, onion and pepper in a 12-inch cast iron pan for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Follow with the remaining filling ingredients except the cilantro and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.

For the cornbread mix, combine all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Add the buttermilk, egg and oil and stir until all the ingredients are combined. Fold in the shredded cheese and stir until well combined.

Spoon the cornbread mix over the filling in the cast iron pan, leaving a hole in the centre of the pan. This allows the bread to cook more evenly. Cook the skillet in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cornbread is lightly browned.

Butternut Squash, Leek, Feta, Spinach & Pine Nut Quiche

I had stretched myself thin the other day and needed backup badly. Ruedi wound up making the quiche pastry and then the quiche filling for this post and the result was magnificent. Maybe all the more so because I didn't make it myself. 'Tis good not to be the only cook in the house. Now if I could just get Cat to vacuum, I'd be set.

This recipe was intended to be crustless, but I dig crusty quiches, so we had one with and one without.  Take advantage of whatever you have in the fridge that needs to be used up as alternative ingredients. This is why quiches are such favourites: there are so many options as far as ingredient combinations.  Make a big salad to accompany it and pat yourself on the back for having created a light, but gourmet meal. Then proceed to dig your secret stash of brownies out of your bedside table and pound them back after dinner to help balance your chi.





























Filling Adapted From: http://bibbyskitchenat36.com

Crust From: http://www.food.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup ice water

Filling

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 cups roasted butternut squash
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 200g spinach leaves
• zest and juice of half a lemon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 t wholegrain mustard
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/3 cup mature white cheddar
• 100g feta
• handful of pine nuts
• salt and pepper

Method

Crust: Mix the flour and salt together with a fork. Beat oil and water with a whisk or a fork to thicken. Pour into flour and mix with a fork. Press into a 9" pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F and then remove from heat.

Filling: Preheat oven to 400F. Peel and cube the butternut squash. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add shallot and saute for 2 minutes. Add the leeks and let cook until soft. Toss in the spinach, allowing to wilt and then follow with the lemon, zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

In a bowl combine the eggs, milk, mustard and oregano. Add a pinch of salt and the grated cheese, combining well.

Place half of the squash in the bottom of the crust-covered pie pan and the other half in a pie pan without crust that has been greased with a little olive oil. Follow with the spinach and leek mix in both pans and then the egg mixture. Top with crumbled feta and the pine nuts. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes.

Meaty Cobb Salad...with Meat in it.

If you're as desperate as I am to get more meat into your diet, don't ignore the almighty salad. A double dose of meat here can easily be tripled if your beef deficient, but I'm keen on the two-tone selection of chicken and pancetta Jamie Oliver's chosen, although I did double up on the chicken.

We used to summer in the Hamptons Spokane during Nordstrom's summer sale season. During my Dad's frequent power breaks between transactions, he'd head to Nordstrom's cafe for a wedge salad covered in blue cheese dressing. I just didn't get it. Why would you eat something that's clearly gone bad?! Now I can't get enough of the stinky stuff.  Substitute the dressing for another creamy variety if preferred, but note that you won't be able to shop as hard as you would with the powers of Stilton in you. As you wish.

Adapted from: http://www.jamieoliver.com/

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 2 handfuls of mixed greens
• 2 tomatoes, sliced in wedges
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 2 avocados, sliced in wedges
• 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced in wedges
• 2 ears of corn
• 4 chicken thighs, skin on
• olive oil
• paprika
• sea salt
• 50 g pancetta

Dressing

• 50 g Stilton
• 1/2 bunch fresh chives
• olive oil
• 50 ml buttermilk
• 2 T Greek yoghurt
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 t Worcestershire

Method

Heat your barbecue to medium-high. Prepare the chicken by sprinkling the thighs with a generous dose of paprika, sea salt, pepper and a few lugs of olive oil on both sides. Place the chicken thighs, skin side down on the bottom grill for about 10 minutes on each side. Once cooked, remove from the barbecue, place the pancetta around the thighs and return to the heat for about 5 minutes each side. Check to ensure the thighs' centres are cooked through before removing them permanently from the heat. If you don' t have a barbecue, bake the thighs in an oven for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F, remove and wrap them in the pancetta to be returned to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Once cooled, chop up the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.

The corn can be prepared a number of ways, but if you're barbecuing the chicken, strip the cobs of their skin and rub a small amount of olive oil all over them. Wrap them in foil and grill them on the top rack for about 15 minutes. I unwrap them near the end end place them directly on the bottom grill for about 3 minutes to blacken some of the ears. Alternatively, you can boil the corn for 5 minutes or use the frozen variety.

To cook the eggs, heat a pot of water until almost boiling. When the water's about to boil, add the eggs and set your timer for 6 minutes. This will get you a soft boiled egg assuming the eggs were refrigerated prior to being boiled. Add another 2 minutes if you prefer a hard-boiled egg. Once you've reached your desired time, remove from the heat, dump the water and replace with cold water to stop the eggs from cooking.

For the dressing, begin by crumbling the Stilton into a jug or container. Chop the chives and add them to the jug. Follow with the remaining ingredients and whisk well until all combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare the salad, wash, dry and tear the Romaine leaves into bite-sized pieces. Combine with the mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Strip the corn from their ears and distribute on top of the salad along with the sliced tomatoes and avocado. Add the sliced chicken and peeled/halved eggs as well. I included some of the remaining chopped chives in the salad and dressed each portion individually. Don't forget that crusty bread and a little beer to accompany your healthy meal!!

Mushroom, Barley & Brie Soup

You can bet that smoothy and salad posts will start to dominate this blog in about one week's time. Until then, why not load up a perfectly healthy soup with 6 oz of brie? After reading the original recipe, I could hear my digestive track cursing. It doesn't love dairy as much as my taste buds do. Despite the warning signs, my body didn't revolt. I hope that encourages those of you with dairy aversions to give this one a go.

On the mushroom front, I hit the Italian market again for produce and opted for a blend of Crimini and Shitake mushrooms. Both have a rich woody aroma and flavour. The kitchen permeated with this white wine and earthy scent. This is the kind of soup that really celebrates winter and gathering with friends and family. 

Adapted from: http://pinchandswirl.com

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 T fresh thyme
• 1 t ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
• 6 oz brie, rinds removed
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, shallots, celery and carrots and sauté for about two minutes. Add the barley and white wine and cook for another two minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, thyme, white pepper and mushrooms and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer for 50 minutes. Fold in the brie and season further with salt and pepper. 

The Year of The Hash

I do love eggs. I had already eaten them for two meals today and was contemplating including them in a third when I decided to post this recipe. That yolky goodness adds dimension to any dish, which is why I've posted my fair share of egg dishes. It's also not the first time in recent history that I've tried a hash casserole. You can thank Jamie Oliver for this somewhat repetitive post. I'm now following him on Instagram and have been making nothing but Jamie's recipes ever since. Pictures really do sell a product and his are phenomenal. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Giant Veg Rosti

From: http://www.jamieoliver.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 600g potatoes
• 3 large carrots
• 1/2 t dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon
• extra virgin olive oil
• 100g frozen peas
• 100g baby spinach
• 4 large eggs
• 50g feta cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Peel the potatoes and carrots and grate them either using a box grater or a grating attachment of a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and toss the mix well.  Set the potato, carrot mix aside to allow the salt to draw water from the vegetables. After a few minutes and using your hands, squeeze out as much water from the potatoes and carrots as you can.

In a bowl, combine the lemon, dijon, one-and-a-half tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  In another bowl, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and toss in the potato and carrot mixture. Season the mix with salt and pepper and spread the mixture into a baking dish about 9" X 13". Roast the veggies for about 35 minutes or until they're golden on the surface.

To prepare the peas, either blanche them in boiling water for two minutes or microwave them for three. Add the peas and spinach to the bowl with the prepared dressing and toss well. Poach the eggs to your liking. I needed a little coaching from Jamie Oliver: www.jamieoliver.com
To finish the dish, place the salad on top of the hash, follow with the eggs and crumble the feta over the baking dish.

A few more eggs to go!

Pan Fried Halibut with Grilled Halloumi & Vegetable Salad

Hats off to Chatelaine magazine for their ongoing efforts to bring simple and delicious recipes to their readers consistently. I get a little giddy at the thought of each month's issue and try as many recipes as I can with solid results. I recently tried a grilled vegetable and halloumi salad from the magazine's June issue.  I've seen halloumi, a Mediterranean, semi-hard, unripened and brined cheese at a few grocers and figured it was time to try cooking with it. This recipe allowed the opportunity to do just that and offered another take on salad that is refreshing and loaded with ingredients that give you a full meal out of your salad. I paired the original serving with halibut fillets and used the leftover salad for lunches.

We are fortunate enough to have access to some decent not-so-domestic fish in Alberta, thanks to the miracles of modern-day logistics and market demands. Miracles are expensive however, so when buying fillets of fresh fish from your neighbourhood market, make it count!

Grilled Halloumi and Vegetable Salad

Adapted From: http://www.chatelaine.com

Ingredients

• 4 small zucchinis cut diagonally into 1/2" pieces
• 250g package of halloumi cut into 1/2" pieces
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T olive oil
• 540 ml can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 T chopped dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

If using a barbecue, preheat the barbecue to medium. If your barbecue is out of commission for the season like mine, get yourself a grill plate and make good use out of it. Just make sure to place one of your oven racks on the top level of your oven and preheat it to 500-550F. Brush the surface of the plate/barbecue with olive oil. Whisk 2 tablespoons each of olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside. Place the zucchini pieces on the grill for 3 minutes each side. Remove the zucchini and add the halloumi pieces, grilling for one minute on each side. I recommend testing your halloumi grilling time by grilling one piece first for a minute each side and then sampling it. If overdone, it will be very rubbery and will require less time.  Place a few of the zucchini and halloumi pieces on to a plate and add the chick peas, herbs and toss with the oil and lemon, salt and pepper.

Halibut with White Wine and Shallot Sauce

From: http://www.canadianliving.com

Ingredients

• 350 g (two fillets) of skinless halibut
• 1 t butter
• 1 t extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 t kosher flaked salt

Method

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Fry the halibut in the pan, turning once until the fish flakes easily when tested; about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm by tenting the halibut with aluminum foil. Add the wine and minced shallot to the pan on medium-high heat and allow to until the sauce is reduced to about 2 tablespoons; about 2 minutes. Place each of the halibut fillets on plates and drizzle the reduction over top.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles

There appears to be a pattern developing over my choice of desserts for this food blog. For one, I dig cream cheese and over the life of this Eat, Belch, Fart adventure, have been putting it into all variations of dessert. Second, I get a kick out of puddings and custards. I like their texture and simplicity and maybe the fact that I can fit it in a cup. Here is yet another pudding concoction that is worth a try. If you like sweetness in moderation, I would put in half to two thirds of the sugar into the pumpkin, cream cheese mix and add more to suit your taste. This a lazy man's pumpkin cheesecake, or depending on your perspective, a clever man's pumpkin cheesecake. 

Adapted from: http://kikicuisine.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup of graham wafer crumbs
• 1 T, melted unsalted butter
• 1 8oz brick of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of canned pumpkin
• 750 ml of whipped cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/4 ground cloves
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ginger

Method

Combine the melted butter and graham wafer crumbs in a bowl. 

Whip the cream in another bowl until stiff peaks form. 

Using a standing mixer, blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin until well incorporated and follow with the vanilla and spices. When well blended, fold in half of the whipping cream.  

Assemble the dessert by adding a few spoonfuls of the graham wafer crumbs to the bottom of your serving cups or bowls. Next, add a few spoonfuls of the pumpkin mix and follow with a few dollops of whipped cream. Repeat and top with whipped cream.

A Soup Affair

Thai sweet potato bisque

 On this do-nothing October weekend I have defied the odds and done something: cook! Soup is on the menu and it's going to be a doozy, due to the multitude of soup recipes I've found that I must try. Ruedi is sporting his baking hat and is all over the bread. One cannot experiment with soup without plenty of crusty bread.

First off is a Thai-inspired sweet potato bisque. For those of you who don't do spicy, omit the jalapeño. Heat or no heat, you'll still get a delicious soup. I opted to add sambal oelek in addition to the jalapeño because I'm on a heat kick. After tasting this soup I added minced basil to it. I felt it needed a bit more oomph and basil was the ticket.

Italian parsley soup with ricotta spaetzle

Following this, I experimented with an Italian parsley and ricotta spaetzle soup. Spaetzle is a German pasta or dumpling which is often served as a side dish. This time, it was added to a clean-tasting, but flavourful soup. The recipe calls for watercress leaves, but I had spinach on hand. Just make sure to trim your greens' stems well to avoid the stringy remains in your blended soup.


Thai Sweet Potato Bisque

From: http://jillyinspired.blogspot.ca

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1, 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 reduced salt bouillon cubes
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top of the soup
• 6 cups of water
• Canola or coconut oil for cooking
• 14 oz can of coconut milk (I chose light)
• Sea salt to taste
• Lime zest from half a lime
• 2 T, minced fresh basil
• To serve, wedges of lime, basil (thai if you have it), ground cinnamon and sea salt

Method

Place the red pepper face down on a foil-covered cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-15 minutes. The skin should be blackened at that point, but if not, keep broiling until blackened. Remove from cookie sheet and place in a bowl, covering to allow to steam for a few minutes longer. Once cooled, remove the skins, chop and set aside.

In a large pot, saute the onion and jalapeño in a little oil until the onion has softened. Add the potatoes, ginger, bouillon cubes and water to the pot. Cover and bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes have softened, about 10 minutes. Add a dash of cinnamon to the pot. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add the lime zest, basil and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with lime wedges and any combination of the seasonings mentioned in last bullet of the ingredients section. While this soup can be served immediately, it ages quite well. 

Italian Parsley Soup with Ricotta Spaetzle

From: http://www.playinwithmyfood.com

Serves 4-6

For the Soup

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 large red potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 bunch of watercress, washed with stems removed (I used spinach)
• 2 cups fresh italian parsley, washed with stems removed
• 1 t sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add onions, sautéing until softened, but not browned. Add the potato and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. If the mixture starts to stick, add a little stock to loosen the vegetables. Add the spinach, parsley, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Set aside while you make the spaetzle.

For the Spaetzle

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1/4 t ground all spice
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Sift the flour, salt and pepper in one bowl. In another, whisk in the remaining ingredients until blended. Add the flour in batches until completely combined. 

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Spoon some of the batter into a colander placed over the pot (I used a slotted spoon since I didn't have a colander with large enough holes). Push the batter through the colander. The batter will drop into the pot in chunks and once blanched, rise to the top of the pot. With a slotted spoon, scoop the spaetzle out of the pot and into the soup. Continue cooking the batter until all of it has been blanched. 

I ended up with more spaetzle than I knew what to do with, so I set some aside for other, yet to be determined uses. This soup can be eaten immediately. I topped mine with a bit of leftover parsley and served with some crusty parmesan french bread.

Everything Green Salad

I suspect you'll be reading this after you've gorged on one or several turkey dinners. If this is the case, my timing couldn't be better. You will likely be looking for something on the light side. This is a summer salad filled with summer ingredients and I made it in July when all the vegetables in this pictures were in good form. At this time of year, your selection of greens will look a little different, but that's okay. What makes this salad unique is the dressing. It is magic when combined with fresh feta and good veg. Those with allergies should not despair. Having made a sunflower seed pesto the other day confirmed that substituting sunflowers seeds in nut-based recipes is no sacrifice. Seeds in this dressing would make this salad just as interesting. Now, go finish up that last piece of pumpkin pie.

From: http://www.chatelaine.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

Salad

• Head of green leaf lettuce, torn into small pieces
• Head of butter lettuce, torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of sugar snap peas
• 4 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 small zucchini, cut in ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 2 T freshly chopped dill
• 2 Baby cucumber, sliced
• 2 oz feta cheese, diced

Dressing

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1T Dijon mustard
• 1 t granulated sugar
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 finely chopped pistachios
• salt and pepper to taste

For the salad dressing:

Whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon, mustard and shallot until the sugar has dissolved. Slowly add in the oils until emulsified. Stir in pistachios and season with salt and pepper. 

For the Salad:

In a large pot of boiling water, add the peas and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and dump the peas in ice water to stop them from cooking any further. Repeat this blanching process with the asparagus. Once the peas and asparagus have cooled, remove them from the cold water and set them aside to dry before adding them to the salad. Combine the remaining salad ingredients into a large bowl. Add the peas, asparagus and salad dressing, tossing well to allow the dressing to coat all elements of the salad. Serve immediately.

Weeknight Cooking Part 3 of 3: Screw dinner, we're moving straight to dessert!

Whippity do da!

Last weekend I tried a berry cheesecake that knocked my socks off. Trees Organic Cafe in Vancouver was serving it, Ruedi discovered it and I ate it. That's all you need to know. 

This is a cheater's version. Wish I could attempt to make the air-dried bison we ate too, but that's a little above me.

No-Bake Berry Cheesecake

Adapted from: http://www.howsweeteats.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 glasses, mason jars or other individual serving dish
• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 T melted unsalted butter
• 1, 250g package of cream cheese
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries, thawed
• 2 T coconut milk
• 2 T condensed milk
• 2 t vanilla extract
• fresh raspberries
• fresh whipped cream as a topping

Method

Combine the melted butter with the graham wafer crumbs and using a spoon, tamp the crumb mixture into the bottom of each serving glass.

In a mixer, combine the cream cheese, berries, coconut and condensed milk until smooth. Scrape down the edges and add the vanilla. Spoon the mixture into each glass until evenly distributed. Top with raspberries, whipped cream and more raspberries. Eat and get gas from all that dairy.  

Weeknight cooking Part 2 of 3: Polenta with Sage, Goat Cheese, and Mushroom Ragout.

It happened to snow the night I made the ragout, which seemed fitting for this "Porridge of the evening". I guess this label doesn't sell it. Let me work on it. 

Anyways, a warm mushroom ragout was just what the doctor ordered. Cheesy, warm and subtle in its range of flavours, I enjoyed it for dinner and for lunch the next day. "Yuppy slop" Is that better?


From: Cavich, C. (2008). High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine. (pp.108-9). Calgary, Canada. Fifth House Publishers.

Serves 4 as an entree or 8 as a side

Ingredients 

Polenta

• 1 cup instant polenta
• 4 cups water
• 1 t salt
• 1 T butter
• 200ml goat cheese
• 1 T chopped fresh sage leaves

Mushroom Ragout

• 8 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 T butter
• 1 cup minced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• sprigs of fresh wild or garden sage

Method

Bring water to a boil in a large pot and add salt and butter. Slowly add the polenta to the pot in a steady stream, whisking as you go to prevent lumps from forming. Remove from heat and stir in the goat cheese and sage. Keep warm.

To make the ragout, melt butter in a wide pan and saute onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add sliced mushrooms to pan with salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms give up their liquid and begin to soften.

Add stock or wine, increase heat, and simmer until liquid in the pan is reduced by half. Stir in cream and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute until ragout is thick.

Serve polenta in deep bowls, topped with the mushroom ragout. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of fresh sage. 

Palak Paneer & Aloo Gobi

If you've visited Remedy Cafe in Edmonton and haven't tried the Palak Paneer, come over here so I can smack you across the head. It is the reason why I have no idea what anything else at Remedy tastes like (except the chai...ooohweee, yummy!). When a friend of mine offered to take me to a local Indian supermarket called Fruiticana, I figured this was an opportunity to attempt my own rendition of Palak Paneer and Aloo Gobi, another recipe I'd been pondering. Fruiticana is on 34th Avenue and 93rd Street and is one of a few markets in the city that offer a great selection of Indian treats.  

Make sure that you include tamarind sauce and roti or naan bread with your purchase. The palak paneer needs that sweet compliment to balance the salty one. Oh and of course, don't forget the beer!

Aloo Gobi

Serves 4

Adapted from: http://www.7spice.net

Ingredients

• 2 large russet potatoes, diced, but not peeled
• 4 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces and parboiled
• 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 2 T oil
• 2 t mustard seeds
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 2 T garlic chutney plus 2 t
• 2 t garlic paste
• 2 t turmeric
• 2 t chili powder
• 2 t coriander powder
• 1 t garam masala
• 1 pinch of kasuri (kasoori) methi
• salt to taste
• water as required

Method

Wash and dice the potatoes and set aside. Boil the chopped cauliflower for two minutes and remove from heat. Drain and rinse the cauliflower with cold water set it aside until required.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds before adding the cumin seeds. Add the 2 tablespoons of garlic chutney, 1 teaspoon of the garlic paste and the potatoes, mixing well.  Season with salt and add about two tablespoons of water to the pan. Cover and let cook for about 5-8 minutes. Check after 5 minutes and if the potatoes, once poked feel like they're about 50% cooked, add the cauliflower. If not, let them cook another 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower, another 2 tablespoons of water, cover and cook for another 5-8 minutes. If you're using fresh peas, add them with the cauliflower. The resulting curry will be dry. 

If cooking with frozen peas, add them after the cauliflower has cooked. Once the cauliflower and potatoes are tender when poked, but still hold their shape, add the coriander turmeric and chili, mixing well. Add the second teaspoon of garlic paste and the remaining 2 teaspoons of chutney at this point. Cook for another 2 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat and add the garam masala and kasuri methi. Season with more salt if required. 

Serve with warm roti and a cold lager.


Palak Paneer

Serves 4

From: The back of a box of National Palak Paneer Spice Mix (50g)

Ingredients

• Paneer 200g (I used a 340g brick of it), cut into cubes
• 1/2 kg spinach
• 1/2 cup oil/ghee
• 1 T ginger paste
• 1 T garlic paste
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh milk
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 1 T soy leaves (didn't have these and did not substitute with anything)
• National Palak Paneer Spice Mix (50g)

Method

Boil spinach and grind in a food processor.

In a sauce pan, fry the ginger and garlic paste in the oil/ghee for 2-3 minutes or until light brown. Add the spinach, chillies and spice mix and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the milk and cook for 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the soy leaves and cream and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

In a separate fry pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and brown the paneer. Remove from pan and soak in ice water for 10 seconds, then remove.  

Add paneer to the spinach mix and cook for 2 minutes. 

Serve with roti or naan and tamarind sauce.  

Feta & Basil Crusted Halibut with Wilted Spinach & Risotto

And we are back! After a two-month hiatus, I am back in the kitchen preparing new dishes worthy of blogging about. My summer sandwich assembly and barbecue routine just didn't make the EBF cut, so I set the blog aside until I could devote a little time to trying something new. 

A recent trip to Iceland has given me a new appreciation for all Scandinavian foods, so I was poking around Billingsgate Seafood Market yesterday looking for Gravlax and other Nordic delights. What I picked up instead was a nice piece of halibut, so I spent last night working with it. This is a recipe I would make again, especially for company. The entire meal took me about an hour to prepare from start to finish and is visually pleasing. The combined flavours are surprisingly bold and if you have guests that appreciate good fish, I would add this to you entertaining menu.

From: http://thebitehouse.com

Serves 4


Risotto

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 3T plus 1T butter
• 2-3 cups of water or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 100g aged cheddar, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Feta and Basil Halibut  

• 4 T dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 100g crumbled feta
• Handful of chopped basil
• 2 T olive oil
• Ground pepper
• 4 pieces of halibut 

**I opted for fillets, but the recipe I followed used steaks

Wilted Spinach

• 4 handfuls of baby spinach
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 T butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Risotto

Simmer the stock in a pot to keep it warm (I used what I had left for stock and topped it up with water). Saute the onions in three tablespoons of melted butter in a large pot until they are soft, about five minutes. Add the rice and the wine, mixing well until the wine is absorbed by the rice. Add the stock, about a half-cup at a time, letting each portion be absorbed by the rice before more is added. This should take about twenty minutes. Test the rice to ensure it is cooked through, adding a little water if required to soften it further. Remove the risotto from the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the cheddar and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.

For the Halibut

Preheat oven to 400F. In a bowl, combine the feta, basil, breadcrumbs, olive oil and pepper. Place the fish in a well-oiled baking dish. Cover the fillets each with a tablespoon of the mustard. Coat the top of each fillet with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes, depending on the thickness of the halibut. 

For the Spinach

Saute the minced garlic in the melted butter for about two minutes. Add the spinach, coating it with the butter and garlic mixture, cover it and remove it from the heat. Let stand for a minute before serving. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuffed Bell Peppers & Portobello Mushrooms

Pre-Oven

This goes beyond cheating, but I felt pretty comfortable with it considering I had been donated a box of readymade potatoes. Of the two veggies, I preferred the stuffed portobellos and would likely stick to mushrooms the next time I make like this. I think the nice surprise with this recipe is that it's got a number of vegetables in it. You can beef this up with ground chuck or turkey, or actually follow the recipe and add shrimp to the top of the casserole (I forgot to thaw my tiger prawns, so that limited my options).

I have developed an aversion to anything a little too easy lately because I don't know what's in it. Instant potatoes and pre-shredded Tex-Mex cheese are the two offenders here. If you're a purist, go for the real ingredients. If you're a cheater like me, use the insta-food just this once and pound back a beer while your preparing this bad boy. You're a wild one and don't you forget it! 

Post Oven!

Adapted From: http://www.thewickednoodle.com

Ingredients

• 2 bell peppers 
• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 24 oz instant potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups Tex-Mex cheese
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• Kernels from 2 raw ears of corn
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 small, white onion, diced
• 1 T adobo sauce
• 1/4 t kosher salt

Method

Heat oven to 400F. Slice peppers in half, lengthwise and seed them. Remove stems from mushrooms and place them along with the peppers face up in a casserole dish, 9"X13" or larger. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, half a cup of the grated cheese, corn, zucchini, cilantro and cumin. Spoon the mixture into the peppers and mushrooms. The potato mix should be heaving over each of its receptacles. 

In a separate bowl stir in the tomatoes, onion, adobo sauce and salt and spoon the mixture around the peppers and mushrooms. 

Bake uncovered for thirty minutes, then add the remaining cheese to the tops of the stuffed veggies and return to the oven for ten minutes or until the cheese has browned a little. 

Cherry Balsamic Pork Chops, Quinoa Pilaf & a Crunchy Salad

While I know I haven't stopped eating, I couldn't figure out why the blog entries have suddenly come to a halt. My analysis brought several excuses. First and foremost was the elusive patio. I've hit every patio I could find over the last month, which has kept me out of the house and the kitchen. Summer cooking also seems less like cooking than the experiments I try in the winter. I think barbecues just call for simplicity and I haven't quite figured out how to make my grill-top creations exciting enough to write about. Finally, I pulled out several of my old favorites and repeat entries just don't make for good reading.

Now that I've given you all my excuses, here's what I ate for Sunday dinner. A good price on pork chops and incessant rain called for an attempt at a way to make pork chops juicy and delicious. I included some goods sides that I can carry as lunches too. 

Pork Chops in Balsamic Cherry Sauce

Adapted From: Fairchild, B. (2006). The Bon Appetit Cookbook. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons. p. 293. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4, 140g pork chops
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette*
• 2 T butter
• 2 shallots, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Method

Place the pork and vinaigrette in a dish to marinate for 15 minutes. Make sure that the chops are turned at least once to coat.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Lift the pork from the marinade, shaking off the excess liquid and place in the skillet, reserving the marinade. Sprinkle the pork with pepper. Saute until brown, at least three minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate. Add the shallot to the skillet and stir until soft, about one minute. Add the broth, cherries and reserved marinade and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping off the brown bits from the sides of the pan. Return the pork to the skillet and simmer, turning the pork once until it is cooked through, the cherries are tender and the sauce has thickened, about four minutes. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper if required. Transfer the pork to plates, top with the sauce and serve.

*You can make your own by whisking a 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup of any oil of your choice and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of dijon mustard for some additional kick.

Quinoa Pilaf with Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions

Opted for oyster and porcini mushrooms 

From: http://eat-drink-love.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 cup toast pine nuts
• 2 T parsley, chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring the broth and quinoa to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the onions and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook for about a minute. Empty the quinoa into a bowl and add the mushroom mix to it, mixing well.  Toss in the pine nuts, parsley, salt and pepper and serve.

Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime and Basil

Adapted from: http://smittenkitchen.com

• 3 cups, crunchy vegetables, chopped
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 T chopped basil
• 1 t chili powder
• 2 T lime juice
• 2 T olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

The original recipe used various wax beans, cucumber and radishes for the vegetables along with mint as the herb of choice. I opted for green beans, asparagus, both blanched, radishes and basil as my herb. Go nuts with your favorite herbs and veg people!! That's what this salad is meant for!

Combine the vegetables, feta, onions, sunflower seeds and basil into a bowl. In a separate dish, add the lime juice with the oil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Whisk well until all ingredients are well combined. Add the dressing to your vegetables and toss well. This salad can be eaten immediately, but makes for great leftovers.

Lentils with Roasted Cashews & Goat Cheese

Roasted cashews with lentils and goat cheese

From: http://scandifoodie.blogspot.com/

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup French lentils
• 1 1/2 cups water
• fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• soft goat cheese, to serve

Vinaigrette

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 t walnut oil
• pinch of sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat your oven to 400F. Place them on a roasting tray and roast for about 10-15 minutes. Set the cashews aside.

Rinse the lentils and place in a small saucepan with the water. Bring to boil, then let simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain off the excess water then place back in the saucepan.

Mix together the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Pour the mixture into the saucepan with the lentils and mix through. Add the cashews and the parsley and spoon into a bowl. Top with soft goat cheese before serving.