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!

Smoked Salmon, Chick Pea & Haloumi Salad

Once again, we've reached that time of year where meal preparation shifts from cooking to assembling. Fresh ingredients are everywhere and preparing them so one can enjoy their full flavours means leaving them the hell alone.

This salad is all about assembly, but has a lot of ingredients and steps attached. It doesn't take as long as you might think to prepare, but if you're daunted by the number of instructions provided below, you can simplify it pretty quickly. For instance, the chick peas don't need to be toasted. While it certainly enhances their flavour, with so much going on with this salad anyways, one might choose to skip this step.  Another option is to replace the grilled haloumi with fresh feta. You may wind up doing this anyway if haloumi isn't easily obtainable. I made this salad worth my while by doubling up on some of the items for use in other recipes. The chimichurri recipe, for example was used on grilled fish and vegetables later in the week. Had I had extra chick peas, I would have used them in other dishes too.  Regardless of steps, this salad was a delicious affair and perfect with a cold summer soup and crust of French bread.

From:  http://honestcooking.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Toasted Chick Peas

• 1 400g can of chick peas 
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 t salt

Tahini Dressing

• 2 T greek yoghurt
• 1 T tahini
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T water

Chimichurri

• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1/4 mint leaves
• 1/4 cup of cilantro
• 1 t chili flakes
• 2 t red wine vinegar
• 2 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 250g smoked salmon
• 250g haloumi sliced in 1 cm slices
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 4-5 large eggs
• 1 cup pea shoots
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped

Chick Peas

Drain, rinse and dry the chick peas. Heat the olive oil in a pan, on medium heat. Add the chick peas and toss in the paprika and salt, ensuring the seasoning covers all the chicks peas. Continue to toss the chick peas occasionally in the pan. Once the peas have browned, remove them from the pan and let sit on a paper towel-lined plate.

Tahini Dressing

Whisk all the ingredients together until blended. Set aside.

Chimichurri

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree. Pour the mixture into a carafe and set aside.

Salad

Prepare the haloumi by heating a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the slices in the pan for about 1 minute each side or until browned. Set them on a paper towel-lined plate.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the kale to the water for 30 seconds. Pour the contents of the pot through a strainer. Set the kale aside.

Soft boil the eggs by bringing a small pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs and boil for 6 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool immediately by running them under cold water. Peel eggs and set aside.

Assemble the salad by placing all the dry ingredients in a large and preferably shallow bowl. If serving the entire salad immediately, dress it with both the chimichurri and tahini dressing. If not, dress each serving individually.

Dill Salmon with Creme Fraiche and Beluga Lentils

Ruedi and I have made this dish a handful of times now for ourselves and guests. It's dead easy, but presents as a sophisticated work of art and is so, so tasty. Beluga lentils also wind up being a neat alternative to rice or potatoes and since these lentils don't get mushy like their green or yellow brothers, their texture is a good balance for that of the salmon.

Beluga lentils are called such because they look like beluga caviar when cooked. As with other lentils, they offer folate, fiber and a good dose of protein. A half cup of cooked beluga lentils contains about 12 grams. These particular lentils, however,  also have anthocyanins, the same antioxidants in blueberries and blackberries have that help to prevent cell wall damage which can lead to cancer and heart disease. I typically pick these up at Bulk Barn. If you can't find them, try using French lentils instead which are more readily available.


From: www.thegourmetgourmand.com

Serves 4

For the salmon and sauce

• 4 salmon fillets (I had one large piece)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil (if searing/baking salmon as per Option B)
• 2 T shallot, minced
• 1 T butter
• 2 t dijon mustard
• 6 T creme fraiche
• 3 t dill, minced
• 2 t fresh lemon juice

For the lentils

• 1 cup beluga lentils
• 1 T butter
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 t salt
• 1 shallot quartered
• 3 peeled, whole garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1 heaping handful arugula/spinach

Method

Option A: Barbecue instructions for the salmon
Preheat your barbecue to medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and wrap each of the fillets in tin foil. Place the fillets on the bottom rack for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, unwrap and check the thickest part of the salmon to ensure it is cooked through. If not, wrap up the salmon and return it to the barbecue for a few minutes.

Option B: Oven instructions for the salmon
Preheat oven to 350F. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add about two tablespoons of oil to the pan. Sear the salmon for two minutes on both sides. Place skillet in the oven and cook salmon for about 5-7 minutes until done to your liking.

The sauce
Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Stir for a few minutes until the shallots soften. Turn down the heat to avoid burning the butter. Whisk in the dijon and then follow with the creme fraiche until smooth. Add the lemon juice and dill and a little more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with the lentils and salmon.

Beluga Lentils
On medium heat add the butter and olive oil in a saucepan. Once melted, add the lentils, tossing well to coat with the butter and oil. Add the chicken stock, garlic, shallot, salt and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then turn heat to low. Cook covered for about 35 minutes or until lentils are tender. Once fully cooked, drain the excess liquid and add a tablespoon of vinegar to the lentils, mixing well. Remove the garlic, shallot and bay leaf. Add a handful of fresh arugula/spinach and serve.

Monkfish with Olive Paste & Lemon Mash

With Ruedi's return to YEG, we have quickly settled into a few habitual affairs; one of them being a Saturday visit to the City Market Downtown. Fresh fruit, eggs and pastry to tide us until lunch are the usual takeaways. This time we cruised by Ocean Odyssey Inland which sells wild seafood, including a wide array of fish from Iceland. We picked up a few small pieces of Monkfish for dinner; pricey little numbers, but they have a hearty texture I really enjoy. If Monkfish isn't an option for you, you can still pull this recipe off with other white fish. The original recipe courtesy of Jamie Oliver includes a rub of rosemary and lemon zest for the fish, but I ran out of time and figured the fish would be lovely either way. I used less fish than the recipe calls for and ended up with quite a bit of leftover olive paste. The extra I combined with a rice and lentil mix topped with cilantro, avocado and tomatoes for my lunches. Worked quite well, thank you.

If you live in Edmonton and haven't been to the City Market, I highly recommend a visit. We often go just to people watch since there's usually a good turnout in the summer. The market moves outdoors between the May and Thanksgiving long weekends on 104th Street between Jasper Ave and 103rd. Be sure to pick up a few gougeres at Dauphine to keep your strength up during your visit.

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

Serves 4

The Fish

• sea salt
• 4, 200g Monkfish fillets
• olive oil

Olive Paste

• 2 handfuls of black, pitted olives loosely chopped (I chose Kalamata)
• 1 fresh red chili, minced (had orange Habaneros, but red chili would be best)
• handful of fresh herbs finely chopped (basil, cilantro, parsley)
• 1 heart of celery, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• freshly ground pepper
• a few swigs of olive oil
• balsamic vinegar to taste

Lemon Mash

• 1 kg of russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• sea salt
• butter
• ground pepper
• milk 
• juice of 1 lemon

Method

To prepare the fish, salt it in advance and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the juices to release. Heat barbecue grill on high (400F). Place fillets on grill and cook for  2-4 minutes each side. Ours were about an inch thick and took 4 minutes each side, but you'll want to gauge your time carefully. The meaty texture can take a little more abuse than lighter fillets of fish, but over cooking fish is easy to do.

To make the olive paste combine all the ingredients and set aside. When ready to serve, taste the mix and add a little of the balsamic vinegar if a little extra kick is needed.

For the mash, heat a large pot of salted, boiling water. Add the potatoes and let cook for about 15 minutes, or until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from heat and dump the water. Add a hearty nub of butter, about a half cup of milk and the lemon juice and blend with a hand mixer. Do not over mix the potatoes! They become starchy if blended for two long. Add more milk and butter to get your desired texture and salt and pepper to taste.

Corn & Chile Pepper Pancakes with Smoked Salmon & Horseradish Cream

Who packs canapés for their lunch when working at an industrial site? I do! Yes, this is totally over the top, but I wasn't hosting any cotillions this week, so I made these smoked salmon canapés which I packed for my lunches. I ate them in my office with the door closed so I wouldn't be judged. That said, they were spectacular little treats and when I was caught by a colleague stuffing one in my mouth he said, "That looks delicious." He was correct. 

One can adapt this recipe to cut out all cooking by replacing the savoury pancakes with pieces of rye or pumpernickel bread. Your 30-40 minute prep time will become 10-15. While you miss out on the great flavour of the pancakes, the salmon and horseradish cream combination are a treat in and of themselves.

Thanks to my mom who gave me it's source: High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine. The original recipe suggests smoked trout, but I wasn't able to find any. I'm going to have to dig a little deeper into this cookbook. It's got other locally inspired menu items that caught my eye.  

From:  Cavich, Cinda. "Corn and Chile Pepper Pancakes with Smoked Trout and Horseradish Cream" High Plains: The joy of Alberta Cuisine.  Calgary: Fifth House Ltd. A Fitzhenry & Whiteside Company. 2008. 7

Serves 8 as a starter

Ingredients

• 180 g cold, smoked salmon, thinly sliced

Pancakes

• 3 cobs of corn or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed and cooked
• 2 fresh jalapeños, chopped
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 plain low-fat yoghurt
• 3 T chopped, fresh cilantro
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T canola oil

Horseradish Cream

• 1/3 cup spreadable cream cheese
• 1 t prepared horseradish
• 1 t wasabi paste/powder
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 green onion, minced

Method

If using fresh corn, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the corn. Boil for five minutes then remove the corn from the pot and set aside. Once cooled, slice the corn kernels from the cob.

In a bowl, combine the corn kernels, jalapeños, chipotle, red/yellow pepper, garlic and green onions. 

In a food processor, combine the eggs, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, milk and yoghurt and blend until smooth. Stir in the cilantro and black pepper. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Pour in batter to make pancakes 1-2 inches in diameter for cocktails or larger if you want them as a side dish. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on either side. Drain the pancakes of any residual oil on a plate layered with paper towel. 

To serve, place a dollop of horseradish cream on each pancake. Separate the slices of salmon and cut each in half. Roll each piece into a coronet and place on top of the cream. Sprinkle with any remaining onions and/or cilantro.

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.

Spicy Salmon Cakes

I was enjoying a glass of wine and a cheese platter the other night while reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. The book discusses habits in general, what drives them and how they can be overridden. The irony of the situation is that the cheese and wine I was enjoying does not constitute a good habit. I don't process either particularly well and feel less than stellar afterwards. Last night's meal choice is one of the habits I need to override.

If you get a chance, have a read of The Power of Habit. Information is relayed using narratives, so the book is captivating as well as informative. There is a section in the book that discusses habits' impact in the world of marketing, which blew my socks off. Who knows, you might just change a bad habit or two while reading it!

Enter a slightly better choice in the form of healthier food: salmon cakes. These are coated in panko crumbs, but I think they balance a food lover's wants and needs nicely. I also opted to put them under the broiler as opposed to pan frying them because my attempt at frying the first few got poor results. Another deviation involved swapping out lime pickle for mango pickle. It's what I could find and I don't think it caused any harm. Finally, I would recommend blending the ingredients together instead simply combining them, as it offers a smoother consistency with every bite.

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

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 russet potato, peeled and chopped 
• 1 can of salmon in water
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 2 T finely chopped mango pickle
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup of plain yoghurt
• 2 T chopped cilantro

Method

Turn the oven on to broil (high).

Boil the potato pieces in a small pot of water for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and either add the eggs, onion and pickle to the food processor to mix or mash the potatoes with a fork in a bowl first and then combine the rest of the ingredients just listed. I took the noticeable bones out of the salmon before combining it with the potatoes, but that's not necessary (I have an aversion to bones). Season with salt and pepper. Form into 6 patties. Pour panko into a deep dish. Coat patties with panko.

Place the patties on a tin foil lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes on one side and 5 on the other.

Combine the yoghurt and cilantro in a bowl and serve with the salmon cakes.

Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa & Coconut Yam Mash

I'm very leery of open flames, unless my cooking tool is a stick and my food is in wiener form. Guaranteed this girl would lose her eyebrows if left in charge of the barbecue. Thankfully, I have a co-chef for recipes such as this. His challenge this evening was to get the salmon on one end of the fillet the same kind of delicate, grilled consistency as the other side. This is difficult when the ends vary in thickness.  The level of difficulty increases further when you add the fact that the salmon is sitting above an open flame. We usually wrap ours in foil for this reason and/or watch our fish like a hawk. Anyways, the co-chef conquered and this dish made the we should make this for guests-list. The yam mash doesn't sound very summery, but I happened to have leftover coconut milk and a yam and I found a recipe combining the two. The combination was heavenly, by the way. Coconut rice would rock this dish too. Don't have a recipe? Well, look at that: http://www.lefork.com. The internet delivers yet again.



From: http://www.againstallgrain.com

Serves 4

Blackened Salmon

• 750 g of filleted salmon (skin left on one side)
• 3 t melted butter
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 t paprika
• 3/4 t salt
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/4 t cayenne
• 1/4 thyme

Mango Salsa

• 1 large mango, diced
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 T red onion, finely chopped
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 t sea salt

Method

Remove the salmon from the fridge to allow it time to reach room temperature. Heat the bbq to medium-high heat. Combine all the spices, garlic and melted butter and paint both sides of the salmon with the mixture. Place the salmon skin-side down on your top grill for 1-3 minutes, depending on the the thickness of the fillet. Carefully lift and flip on its' skin side and continue to grill for up to five minutes. Remove from the barbecue.

For the salsa, combine all your ingredients and toss lightly. Serve on top or with the salmon.

Coconut Yam Mash

From: http://eatwelllivefree.com

Serves 4

• 2 large yams
• 2 t butter
• 1/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1 t thyme

Method

Preheat the oven to 425F. Poke the yams with a fork and place in the oven until the interior is soft (mine took about 45 minutes). Remove from oven and peel off the skin while still hot. Place in a bowl with the butter and beat with an electric mixer. Add the coconut milk and thyme and blend until the consistency of the yams is smooth. 

Hail to the Picnic!

This spread (and subsequent post) isn't so much about cooking as it is about food in general, but I think you'll appreciate it all the same.

Craving all things summer after a bout with the flu, I was anxious to prepare a lunch that captured the awesomeness of our soon-to-be climate. No doubt most of those still living in winter feel the need for a break from it. Instead of planning a break in the tropics, I've opted yet again to live through it, by doing what I always do: exercising, socializing and eating well. Eating well is about keeping it simple and nothing is simpler than a picnic. 

What do you need? Well, whatever you'd like! We picked up some cheddar and gruyere at a local market, along with an array of vegetables, pickles, deli meats and breads. The beer and chips aren't in the photo, but they were definitely present. You don't want to appear too sophisticated.  

What a perfect way to combine socializing and eating well than a picnic menu for a lunch with friends. I've included a couple of sandwich filling recipes below. 

Serves 4-6 (for both salad/fillinf recipes)

Egg Salad 

• 8 eggs, hard boiled (there is a method to hard boiling eggs, in order to avoid dry, grey yolks): http://www.getcracking.ca/perfect-hc.html
• 2 green onions, green part only
• 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 T sour cream
• 1 t pickle juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Tuna Salad

• 2 tins of tuna packed in water
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 stick of celery
• 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 T sour cream
• 1 t lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

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.

Pan Seared Halibut with Lentil and Sun-dried Tomato Ragu

More recipes!! I was on a cooking mission at the end of March, but with all this cooking, I ran out of time to post my experiments. I enjoyed this dish and made a few changes to it from the get go. For starters, I bought halibut steaks as opposed to filets. Why? Price. Halibut filets were and arm and a leg at our local seafood store, so the steaks appeared to be a good compromise. I also modified the recipe slightly by using rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes in lieu of semi-dried ones. 

Next time (and there will be one), I'd halve the amount of onion in this dish. It ended up being a bit onion-heavy. The directions below have already been modified to suit this preference.

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

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Ragu:

• 2 cups cooked french lentils
• 2 T dijon mustard
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in hot water
• 2 sprigs of thyme leaves, chopped
• zest and juice of two lemons
• 3 T olive oil
• bunch of flat leaf parsley, loosely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the Halibut:

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 halibut steaks (approximately 5 oz each...although I opted to purchase one mother of a steak instead)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 T pesto

Method

In a saucepan on low heat, mix the lentils, mustard, onion, tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest and juice. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and let heat for 5-6 minutes to blend in the flavours. Once the ragu is warmed through, remove it from the heat and add the chopped parsley.

For the fish, heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat and place the steaks into the skillet. Season the surface of the fish with salt and pepper, and when the pan-side is a golden brown, flip over the fish and pour the lemon juice on to the cooked surface. Turn the heat down to low and let cook through (should take anywhere from 3-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish).

Spoon the lentils on a dish and and place the halibut steak on top. Serve immediately.

Tuna Cakes with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Lunch, lunch, lunch, luncheon, lunchy, luncher, luncherson. Sandwiches and frozen entrees just don't do it for me these days, so I'm on the hunt again for fun and portable meal ideas. Enter the tuna cake! Another self-contained, protein-packed centrepiece. I'm thinking that I could break up the cakes and serve them on crackers or melba toast. Stuffing it into a pita is an idea...alternatively, they look like they'd be good on their own. Ideas??

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

Serves 4-6

Tuna Cakes

• 3, 5oz cans Tuna in water, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/3 cup crushed Rye crackers (appx 4 crackers)
• 2 T freshly minced parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 T dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 T Tabasco sauce
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 2 T olive oil

Tomato Salsa

• 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped shallot
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 2 T minced cilantro
• 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 t olive oil
• 1/4 t garlic salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste

For the Tomato Salsa

Toss together all ingredients and set aside while combining the tuna cakes to allow the flavours time to mingle. 

For the Tuna Cakes

In a large bowl, mix together tuna, onion, crackers, parsley, garlic, lime juice, mustard, and Tabasco. Add a little salt and pepper while stirring to suit your tastes. Once you have reached your desired seasonings, stir in the egg. Pat tuna mixture into patties using 1/2 cup packed tuna for each patty. Set on wax paper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add two tuna cakes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and set on a paper towel-covered plate to drain off any excess oil. Repeat entire process (including adding a second tablespoon of olive oil) to cook the remaining cakes.Top tuna cakes with dollops of the tomato salsa and serve immediately!

Basil, Goat Cheese, Tuna, Red Pepper, Spinach and Mozzarella Orzo

I might obsess about food a little...


Mmm, maybe a lot. I don't know of too many individuals that mull over their meal plans as much as I do, although I know my female colleagues definitely talk about what they should have for dinner near the end of the day. If I don't have a stocked fridge, I feel naked in the food department. At times like this you may here remarks such as:
"Well, I guess I should just raid the vending machine, because that's as good as it gets tonight for this cook".


The reality is usually quite different, although I didn't feel that way when I got home last night. We had goat cheese, mozzarella, rice, orzo, old spinach, two red peppers, half an old shallot, some fresh basil I had forgotten about and many other ingredients. I had been dying to do something with a can of tuna we bought for a backcountry hike and never used, so this recipe took shape pretty quickly. 


My new cast iron skillet (perfect murder weapon, by the way) was coated with olive oil so that the garlic and shallots could saute themselves silly. While this was happening, I let the red pepper roast face down on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Once the garlic and shallots were sauteed, I added the goat cheese and chicken stock to the pan. Once the cheese had melted the orzo went in and was tossed to mix with the cheese sauce. The spinach, chopped roasted red pepper and tuna followed about 2 minutes later to mix with the other flavours. I topped this off with some grated mozzarella and basil and mixed them in well. Salt and pepper was added to taste. Call it a modern day tuna casserole.


Serves 4-6


Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 150g of goat cheese
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups orzo cooked
• 1 red pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach, packed
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
• 3 T basil, chopped
• 1 can of tuna
• salt and pepper

Cajun Blackened Fish with Corn & Black Bean Medley

Ruedi went on the hunt for some white fish fillets, but had trouble finding anything fresh and worth the purchase. He came home with two rainbow trout and I think he may have gotten a little too attached. He got over his crush and proceeded to do a fantastic job of deboning these fish. Once prepared, the result was a light, summer meal, worthy of repeating itself.

From Bravo! Best of Bridge Cookbook. pp 150-151

Serves 4

• 4 skinless firm white fish fillets (each about 5 oz/150g)
• 4 t cajun seasoning
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 T butter
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 4 tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups drained rinsed canned black beans
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Rub tops with cajun seasoning. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add fish, seasoned side down, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until quite dark brown. Transfer fish, browned side up, to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Meanwhile, in another large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute corn until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and black beans; saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in green onions and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. To serve, spoon corn medley into the center of each plate and place a fish fillet on top.

Fish Tacos & Picture of the Best Cheesecake I've had in Eons

I don't believe I've ever tried fish tacos at a restaurant, but when I went looking for inspiration in an old Best of Bridge cookbook, I found two fish recipes that felt like summer.  I have to admit, my photography skills need a little upgrading. This pic bites. I just hate posting a recipe without a photo. The cookbook that this came from didn't have an accompanying picture and I was miffed that I had to imagine how fabulous the end product looked. Maybe this is why the ladies behind the Best of Bridge didn't bother with a picture.


The tacos were light and delicious, but this post was a bit of an excuse to post a picture of the stilton cheesecake I picked up at Notable, one of my favorite new restaurants in Calgary. I have no idea what was in the rhubarb compote or the berry puree that was served with it. Perhaps crack was folded in. Who cares?! This stuff is magic!!

From Bravo! The Best of Bridge Cookbook. p. 152

Serves 4


Chipotle Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 t pureed canned chipotle pepper (check the Mexican aisle of your grocer)
• 1/2 t salt

The Rest

• 500 g Skinless cod or other firm, white fish
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t salt
• 8 soft corn or flour tortillas
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 4 cups shredded green and/or red cabbage

Chipotle Sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, cilantro, chipotle pepper and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, until chilled.


The Rest
Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lime juice, cayenne and salt. Pour over fish. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until chilled. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with greased foil. Wrap tortillas in a foil and place in oven. Remove fish from marinade, allowing excess to drip off and discarding marinade. Place fish on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Let cool slightly, then use a fork to flake fish into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in enough chipotle sauce to moisten. Remove tortillas from oven. Let everyone make their own tacos with the tortillas, fish mixture, tomatoes and cabbage. Serve the extra chipotle sauce on the side.

Halibut in a White Wine & Tomato Mix

Here's the other piece of my Billingsgate purchase: delicious halibut. I have made a version of this recipe before, although I'm not sure where the recipe came from. This was an attempt to recreate it from memory. The italian parsley was a nice touch, but spinach would be a great substitute. 


Halibut Tomato Melange

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• white wine...alot of it
• 2 portions of halibut
• 1, 540 ml can of diced tomatoes
• bunch of italian parsley, stems removed and loosely chopped
• 1, 540 ml can of pitted italian olives (I'd use half of the can next time)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add about a half cup of white wine and place the fish into the pan. Let the fish cook for about 4 minutes on each side. I added more wine as needed to act as a poaching base of sorts for the fish. Add the tomatoes and parsley and toss well with the onions and wine. Mix in the olives and remove the pan from the heat. Serve immediately.

Miso Glazed Salmon & Green Bean & Potato Salad with Miso Dressing

Just wanted to touch on a couple of things before I rave about these dishes. No wait, I'll begin with my raving. This meal was tasty. I'm not a big leftover salmon fan, but ate the cold leftovers at lunch all last week. Great combination of flavours! Now, back to the ingredients. 


Not everyone has miso paste or some of the other ingredients I've been using lying around. Hell, the potato salad recipe called for agave nectar and I had to look it up. Uh, ya that's not lingering in my pantry either folks! I ended up substituting the nectar for honey.


I went looking for a miso-based marinade because I had purchased miso paste for a soup recipe earlier in the year. The paste came in a 450ml container and typically one doesn't use miso more than a tablespoon at a time. Luckily miso appears to keep forever, since it is loaded with salt. If you don't have miso, you might want to reduce your sweet components (say 1/3 cup of sugar in lieu of a 1/2) and increase your soya sauce and mustard components by a tablespoon each. 


Another ingredient I've been seeing a lot of is this Sriracha sauce. If you don't have this at home, or think you've never used it, think again. Almost every Vietnamese restaurant I've visited has a bottle of this stuff on each table. You can find this at any conventional supermarket, but other chili sauces can be used in lieu of this particular brand. 


Miso Glazed Salmon


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

• 3 T sesame oil
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup yellow miso paste
• 3 T Sriracha
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6, 6-oz salmon fillets, about 1 inch thick
• Sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and set aside.

In a small nonreactive mixing bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, miso paste, Sriracha and garlic.

Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet, and baste with the marinade. Broil 6 inches from the flame, basting the fish once more after 2-3 minutes. Broil for a total of 6-10 minutes, depending on the efficiency of your broiler.  Watch the fish carefully while you cook. The basting liquid is prone to smoking (or burning) because of the sugar in it.

Garnish with green onions and serve.

Green Bean & Potato Salad with Miso Dressing


4 servings
Adapted from: http://www.fortheloveoffoodblog.com

• 2 T yellow miso paste
• 3 T rice vinegar
• 1 T honey
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1 1/2 cups watercress
• 4 cups baby potatoes, boiled for 15 minutes, then sliced in half
• 4 cups of green beans, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute

Place the miso paste, vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, shallot, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor and pulse to combine.  With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until the vinaigrette is emulsified.  Fold in the chives.

Place the watercress, potatoes, and beans in a large bowl, drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss to coat.