It's a New Year- Best wishes for 2016!

I've decided to stop blogging in the new year, but will leave all of the recipes available for your use.  We're extremely lucky in Canada to have so much good food available to us. Let's continue to enjoy it.

Thinking about New Year's Eve...Tourtiere

I'm recycling my tourtiere recipe for the blog but, in truth, this is what I do.....use the same tried and true recipes over and over, year after year. We're having tourtiere for our New Year's Eve dinner party tomorrow. 

According to the Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook, this French Canadian specialty was originally prepared with passenger pigeon (tourtes). As a child, I read a fictionalized account of the final days of the last passenger pigeon and it just about did me in. Until recently, I had no idea that my favourite pork pie had any relationship to a now extinct bird.

Currently, either minced pork or a mixture of different meats is used to make this savoury pie. Many people serve tourtiere on Christmas Eve, but our family often served it on New Year's Eve or on the first day of the new year, (along with oyster stew). 

Madame Benoit's chutney (posted earlier this month) would be great with this, as would a green salad with a nice acidic dressing.

Ingredients:
- enough pastry for a 2-crust, 9 inch pie
- 3 potatoes

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan combine the rest of the ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 pounds of ground pork
- 1 small onion minced
- 1/2 cup of boiling water
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 1.5 teaspoons of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sage
- pinch of ground cloves

Instructions:
Cook the meat mixture over a low heat, stirring constantly until the meat loses its redness and about half of the liquid has evaporated. Cover and cook for 45 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, boil and mash 3 medium sized potatoes. Mix the mashed potatoes into the meat mixture and cool.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Roll out half the dough and line a deep 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Fill with the cooled meat mixture and cover with the remaining dough. Seal the edges and make a cut in the top crust with a sharp knife. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake for 30-40 minutes longer. Makes 6 to 7 servings.

And try not to think about the pigeons.

A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clark Moore

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Madame Benoit's Christmas Chutney

I have previously confessed my love of condiments. I particularly like chutneys.

Chutney is an Anglo-Indian word for a class of spicy preparations used as an accompaniment for a main dish. Chutneys usually contain idiosyncratic spice and vegetable/fruit combinations that complement one another. Chutneys can have either a coarse or fine texture and refer to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with the pickled preserves often tasting both sweet and sour. My sister phoned me with a recipe she had just made for a Christmas chutney by Madame Benoit, the quintessential Canadian chef. This chutney would be wonderful on top of baked Brie or as an accompaniment to any cheese tray. It would be equally tasty with the Christmas turkey or with Tourtiere on New Year's Eve.

Ingredients:
- 1 pound of fresh cranberries
- 1/2 pound of dried apricots (diced)
- 2 cups of white rum
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of pitted dates (diced)
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onions
- 1/2 cup of preserved ginger (diced) - this is ginger root that has been peeled , sliced and preserved in sugar and is available in most grocery stores
- 1/2 cup of cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon of mustard seed
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 4 drops of Tabasco sauce
- 2 minced garlic cloves

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and let stand for 1 hour before bringing to a full rolling boil over medium heat. (Stir while bringing to the boil so your ingredients don't burn). Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered over a low heat until thick, stirring occasionally. Pour chutney into hot sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 4 pints.

A pint of chutney, accompanied by instructions for chutney-topped baked Brie, would make a great holiday gift.

Mincemeat Pillows, by Sylvia

And another sweet creation by my sister......"I just put a little finely chopped mixed peel into a sugar cookie recipe, then cut tops and bottoms and filled with my homemade mincemeat, drizzled with a little icing when cool. Are they ever good!"

Dried Fruit Crusted Turkey a.k.a. Spiedo di Taccinella in Crosta di Frutta Secca

It's turkey season so I thought I'd re-cycle a recipe that I posted several years ago following a trip to Umbria. To say that the menus during that particular cooking school vacation were 'pork heavy' is a bit of an understatement. I’m not complaining...I had some really great prosciutto (day after day after day). However, when Flavio, our chef/teacher, indicated that turkey was on the menu, we all pretty much wept tears of joy.   

  

Ingredients:

-  1 pound turkey breast (or pork, or chicken, or veal)

-  ½ cup breadcrumbs

-  ¼ cup almonds

-  ¼ cup hazelnuts

-  2 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries

-  ¼ cup dried apricots

-  2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)

-  2 tablespoons olive oil

-  3 tablespoons fresh marjoram (use much less if the marjoram is dried)

-  5 fresh basil leaves

-  Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Remove the skin and bone from the turkey breast and cut the meat into 4 cm. cubes. Chop all of the dried fruit, nuts and seeds together in a blender with the olive oil, herbs and salt and pepper. Mix everything with the breadcrumbs. Toss the turkey in olive oil, and then coat the meat in the breadcrumb mixture. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F) for about 30 minutes.  You can place the meat on skewers prior to baking if that appeals to you as a serving option.

Walnut Rum Balls by Sylvia

My ever-creative sister just sent me this recipe for rum balls. They look great.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted with 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- about 50 ml or a jigger of dark rum
- 2 cups ground walnuts
- 1 cup of your preferred cookie crumbs (vanilla wafers, chocolate wafers, graham wafers, shortbread)


Instructions:
Place the cookie crumbs and ground walnuts into a medium sized mixing bowl, then stir in the rum.
Pour the melted chocolate and coconut oil over top of the crumb/nut mixture and combine thoroughly. Chill the mixture until firm then roll it into small balls and finally, roll the balls in ground walnuts.

Makes 40

Cranberry-Cabbage Salad

This recipe comes from Edna Staebler's Mennonite cookbook entitled Food that Really Schmecks. It is a colourful, crisp, tart salad that goes well with chicken, turkey or pork. If you like purple food, you’ll like this salad.

Ingredients:
- 6 cups of finely shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup of cranberries (I used dried cranberries but you could use cooked cranberries)
- 1 cup of sliced celery
- sour cream mixed with 2 tbsp. 'Mother’s Salad Dressing'

Mother’s Salad Dressing Concentrate (not sure whose mother)
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup of water
- 1 egg, well beaten
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vinegar
- sprinkle of cayenne pepper
- whipped or sour cream

Instructions:
Mix the flour, mustard and salt with the water and add to the beaten egg and brown sugar. Slowly stir in the vinegar and add the cayenne. Thicken the mixture in a heavy-bottomed pot or double boiler on the stove stirring continuously. Chill this concentrate and keep it in the refrigerator tightly covered. (It keeps well). Blend a couple of tablespoons of the concentrate with enough whipped cream or sour cream to dress the cabbage salad.

Thinking about holiday parties..... Easy Caviar Dip

From Fast Appetizers by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison.

Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups of finely chopped red onion
- 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
- 2/3 cup of sour cream
- 4 ounce jar of black or red lumpfish caviar

Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the finely chopped eggs. Spread the mixture over the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan and layer the onion on top. Combine the cream cheese and sour cream and spread this mixture evenly over the onions. Sprinkle with the caviar and refrigerate. This recipe can certainly be made a day before it is served.

To serve, remove the sides of the spring form pan and transfer the bottom of the pan and the dip to a platter. Surround the layered dip with thinly sliced baguette or crackers of your choice.

Editorial Note: As you can see in the photo, I used a pedestal bowl rather than a springform pan to contain the dip. Whatever serving dish that you have available will work.

Hard Sauce

Serve this sauce with bread pudding or Christmas pudding.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soft butter
1 and 1/2 cups of sifted icing sugar
2 tablespoons rum or brandy

Instructions:
Cream the butter with the icing sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the rum or brandy. Place a generous dollop on top of warm pudding and get blissful.

Shortbread- the ultimate Christmas cookie.

I struggle with shortbread and have tried numerous recipes in an attempt to find one that I like. Elva and Helen have shared their Aunt Pearl's recipe with me, and what a recipe it is!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. room temperature butter
- 1/2 pound icing sugar(or 2 cups sifted)
- 4 cups sifted flour

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Place all three ingredients in a large mixing bowl and have at them. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients and work the mixture until you can press it together into several large balls of dough. Roll the dough on a floured board until you reach the desired thickness, (thick or thin depending on your preference). Cut the rolled dough with a cookie cutter or use a sharp knife to define bars,(A.K.A. 'fingers'), approximately 1/2 inch wide by 2 inches long. Bake the cookies on ungreased cookie sheets until very light brown. 

More Thoughts on Shortbread....

I happened upon the following in my recipe box and made it because I liked its name, Ultimate Shortbread. However, I read the recipe incorrectly and added too much flour. With great difficulty I managed to roll the dough sufficiently to produce four snowmen cookie cutter snowmen. With the remaining dough I gave up rolling and made round 8 inch patties of shortbread about 1/2 inch thick, scored them before baking and cut them into 8 wedges while they were still warm, then sprinkled them with sugar. Ultimately, it worked.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cups flour plus additional flour if dough is sticky

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With your fingertips gradually add in 2 cups of flour, adding more if necessary to make a soft but not sticky dough. Roll dough to about 1/3inch or 8 mm. thickness and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool on wire racks.

My sister P. chimes in with her thoughts on shortbread.....

"I find the recipe on the back of the cornstarch box very easy. Variations: you can add 1/4 cup cocoa (Fry's) for chocolate shortbread. You can add 3/4 cup sliced filberts, roll into a 1 1/2 inch log, refrigerate, cut into 1/4 inch slices...

Mom used to roll the dough around a red or green maraschino cherry, then ice them after baking with pink or light green icing.

At a public school Christmas party, someone's mother had made cookies like candy canes. There were two colours of dough (pink and white) twisted together with a crook at one end to make a cane shape. It seems to me there was also a peppermint flavour."

Cheese Shortbead for the Wine and Cheese

My sister Sylvia dreamed up this recipe for a tasty appetizer while vacationing in Florida. Clearly, her creativity knows no borders. These are great at a 'wine and cheese'.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened and creamed, plus 1 heaping Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 tbsp very finely diced sweet onion
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp seasoned salt ( or a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper)
 - 1 & 1/2 cups of self-rising flour
- 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese (or 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup Monterey Jack)

Instructions:
Mix the first 6 ingredients together well, then stir in the cheese. Form the dough into 4 logs, about 1" diameter, wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper and chill them until firm. Slice each log into 12 discs and bake on parchment lined pans in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes until they are lightly brown on the bottom.

Cool on a rack before transferring carefully to a serving plate.

Sugar Plums

The little red balls that you see in the tin date from a sixties-vintage "Robin Hood" cookbook. Someone in our family has made them every year at Christmas since that time. Who knows what the original 'sugar plum' was meant to be? The following link provides some information: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/12/sugar-plums-theyre-not-what-you-think-they-are/68385/

The truth is we all have our own versions of sugar plums dancing in our heads at this time of year. 

Ingredients:
- 1 tin of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 small packages of strawberry flavoured gelatin (i.e. jello) or one large package
- 1 and 1/2 cups of coconut
- 1 cup of vanilla wafer crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
- more strawberry jello for rolling the sugar plums
- whole cloves for both flavour an decoration

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and form into 1 inch balls. Roll in the additional strawberry gelatin and press a whole clove into the top of each ball. Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 4 dozen sugar plums.

Editorial Note of Great Importance: One thing that you absolutely must do when serving these sweets to sugar plum virgins, is remind them to remove the clove before eating the confection. Don't eat the clove! 

Pork with White Beans and Winter Greens

This one-pot supper of Italian-style pork and beans is adapted from a recipe provided by Globe & Mail food columnist Lucy Waverman. I'm sure that her more rigorous approach to re-hydrating dried cannellini beans yields a more authentic dish. Whatever. My approach (using canned white kidney beans) was way faster and still got rave reviews. You'll note that although I took a great photo of the kale that I used in the recipe, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product. So, the photo you see above is taken from page 11 of the Oct 24, 2015 Style section of the Globe & Mail. It's all Lucy's.  

Ingredients:
- 1 tin of white kidney beans (very well rinsed and drained)
- 1 and 1/2 pounds of pork shoulder, cut in 1 inch cubes
- several sprigs of thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp. slivered sage leaves (I used 3 sprigs of rosemary instead)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- lemon juice
- 6 cups thinly sliced kale (or other bitter greens)

Lots of kale

Instructions:

Season the pork with salt, pepper and thyme. Heat oil in large sauté pan or heavy pot over high heat and sear 1 minute per side or until browned. Remove to a plate and reserve. Reduce heat to medium and add onions. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and slivered sage ( or rosemary)  and continue to cook until the garlic is softened, about 1 more minute. Stir in the beans and pork. Add stock to the pot and return the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and then reduce heat to a simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Add the sliced kale to the pot. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until the greens are wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste and a spritz of lemon juice.

Church Windows...surprisingly tasty

Here is an easy, retro recipe for making a large volume of a Christmas treat that resembles a stained-glass window. They're retro yummy too.

Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound of butter (equivalent to 1 stick or 1/2 cup)
- 1 bag of chocolate chips (340 grams)
- 1 bag of multi-coloured miniature marshmallows (400 grams)
- 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts

Instructions:
Melt the butter and chocolate chips and stir gently until smooth, then cool. Pour over the marshmallows and nuts and stir to combine. Roll the mixture into logs and refrigerate; this is easier said than done, and takes a little bit of coordinated effort. I laid out 2 fairly long sheets of waxed paper, blobbed half of the mixture onto each sheet and used my hands to form the mixture into 2 loosely held- together 'log' shapes, each about 16 inches long. After washing my hands, I brought one (long) edge of the waxed paper up and over the log and squeezed gently while rolling it to cover the log completely in waxed paper, then held the whole thing together by twisting the paper at each end.

After the logs have hardened in the fridge, they can be removed from their waxed paper covering and sliced.

I guess I'll never be hired as a "technical writer". Darn it.

Peanut Soup- Hearty winter fare, and winter is where we're headed folks.

I was served peanut soup for the first time by my friend Judith, on the eve of a winter solstice past. She developed the recipe based on her memory of a peanut soup that she had eaten at a now-closed tearoom. The following is my version of this strangely delicious soup.

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3/4 to 1 cup of peanut butter, depending on your taste
- 1 large tin of tomatoes ( 796 ml)
- 1 cup of water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. of ground cumin to taste
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion in the oil in a pot on top of the stove until translucent. Add the other ingredients to the pot stirring over a medium heat until the peanut butter has melted. Use a hand-held blender to whiz the ingredients until smooth. Alternatively, pour the soup into a blender to puree. Re-heat the soup and adjust the seasoning before serving.

I think that chopped green onions would be an appropriate garnish. Serve it with a hearty brown bread and lots of butter.

Jamie Oliver recommends Georgina Hayden's Basil Gnudi

These are basically very green and fragrant and buttery dumplings. My sister made the ones you see in the photo. I'm assuming these little green dumplings are pronounced "nudey", something which should induce much hilarity if you happen to serve them to a bunch of six-year olds. 

Looks like my sister used garlic with the butter and lemon ...not an ingredient in the recipe, but no doubt a tasty addition.

Ingredients:

large bunches of basil , leaves picked

250 g fresh ricotta                                 

125 g parmesan , finely grated

2 large free-range eggs (or regular eggs) 

1 free-range egg yolk (or regular egg yolk) 

75 g plain flour , plus a little extra

Semolina flour , for dusting

15 g butter

1 unwaxed lemon

30 g grated pecorino , to serve

If not serving a crowd, feel free to freeze what you don't need.

Instructions:

Wilt 2/3rds of the basil leaves in a pan of water over a low heat. Squeeze out the excess water.

Place the leaves in a blender with 75g of the ricotta and purée. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl along with the remaining ricotta, the parmesan and eggs, and whisk vigorously, until light and airy.

Fold the flour into the ricotta mixture, adding a little more if it’s too sticky. It needs to be both soft and moist.

Flour a baking tray using semolina (if you have it), and fill a piping bag with the ricotta mixture, cutting a 1.5cm opening. Pipe long strips of the gnudi mixture down the tray, about 1.5cm apart.

Flour the strips with another thick layer of semolina flour, then cut them into 2–3cm pieces. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook the gnudi, remove the tray from the fridge and let it to come to room temperature.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over a low heat and add most of the reserved basil leaves. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the butter starts to bubble and the leaves have crisped up. Finely grate in the zest of the lemon and season well. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil over a medium heat and gently lower the gnudi into the pan with a slotted spoon. Once they float to the surface, they’re cooked – this should take about 1 minute.

Remove them with a slotted spoon and gently toss them in the lemon butter. Serve with grated pecorino and the rest of the basil leaves on top.

Parsnip and Pear Soup

This is another Foodland Ontario recipe. https://www.ontario.ca/foodland/recipes/parsnip-and-pear-cream-soup-0 Their fall recipe flyer had me in its thrall.

The soup has great flavour if you happen to like parsnips and pears, and interestingly, did not require the addition of either salt or pepper to enhance its taste. I did find the texture to be somewhat fibrous but that may be because I did not peel the pears (as suggested in the recipe). I did attempt to make parsnip chips to garnish the soup, but unfortunately answered a phone call at a rather critical point in the frying process, and that was the end of that.

Ross Lewis Brown Soda Bread

This delicious bread recipe is adapted from a Lucy Waverman (of the Globe & Mail) adaptation of an Irish recipe from Chapter One (a fancy Dublin restaurant). FYI: My adaptation of the recipe was a result of forgetting to add two of the ingredients, so it was really an error rather than a true adaptation. But do rolled oats really belong in soda bread, and who adds a single teaspoon of sugar to anything anyways?  

I love soda breads and am particularly fond of my whole wheat soda bread recipe, which I have made a gazzilion times. Here's the link to that loaf: http://princessbubba.blogspot.ca/2009/10/and-finally-something-golden-especially.html

A cool thing about this new recipe is that when you're putting some of the ingredients together it feels like you're participating in a crazy science experiment....you'll see what I mean, you mad scientist you.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 cup wheat barn
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (this is what I forgot to add)
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar (I forgot to add this too. Big deal.)
- 650 ml buttermilk (approximately 2 & 1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 4 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.

Combine all of the ingredients except the buttermilk, molasses and baking soda in a stand mixer (if you have one...I don't), fitted with a whisk attachment.

Heat the buttermilk with molasses in a pot until just warm. Stir in the baking soda (here's where the excitement happens), then add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on a medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase the speed to high and mix for 2 minutes more.

Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the loaf is dark brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Allow the bread to rest on a rack for 2 hours out of the pan. 

Balsamic Vinaigrette (aka "Oil and Vinegar")

Many years ago, my good friend George taught me how to make a fail-safe vinaigrette. I rank this skill among the top ten things I have learned in life.

The critical things about this salad dressing are:

a) You must use Dijon mustard (not the bright yellow mustard that you might put on a hotdog).

b) You must dissolve the salt in the vinegar prior to adding the oil since salt will not dissolve in oil. Try a nice fruity olive oil for this dressing; olive oil is good for you anyway.

c) The ratio of vinegar to oil is always at least 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil and most recipes for vinaigrette will state that the correct ratio is 1:3. If the vinaigrette is too acidic (too much Balsamic), your guests might choke on it. You will soon decide what ratio of oil and vinegar suits you.

Place a dollop of Dijon mustard in the bottom of a bowl. Add vinegar and a pinch of (good) salt to taste. Whisk to mix well. If you don't have a whisk, just use a fork. While continuing to whisk, add the oil in a stream. You'll notice that the whole thing becomes emulsified. Add a little freshly ground pepper, then taste it to make sure the flavours are balanced. Being Canadian, I frequently add some maple syrup to the mix to add some sweetness. 

George also taught me the meaning of "alfresco" dining. I was well into my twenties before I learned this, after experiencing 'a deer in the headlights' moment when someone much more sophisticated than I asked if I preferred dining this way. It simply means eating outside. While I picnicked, others dined alfresco apparently.

Risotto al Limone

This is a somewhat revised version of a recipe for lemon risotto provided by Patricia Wells in her cookbook Trattoria. I served it (topped with slices of roasted chicken) for Sunday dinner to rave reviews. The photo does not do justice to the dish but I forgot to take a picture when the risotto was hot and steamily creamy. This photo was taken after the leftovers had been in the fridge for an hour or two. It's completely staged, and the once creamy texture of the rice was impossible to reproduce.

Ingredients:
- 5 cups of chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 cups of Italian Arborio rice
- sea salt to taste
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 2 shallots minced or 1 small white onion minced

Instructions:
In a large saucepan , heat the stock and keep it simmering as you prepare the risotto. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, combine the shallots/onion, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the oil and salt over a moderate heat and cook the shallots until they are translucent (about 3 minutes). Do not let the shallots (or onions) brown. Add the rice and sir until the rice is well-coated with the fat and glistening (1-2 minutes). Add a ladleful of the stock and stir until it is absorbed; continue this process until all of the stock has been added. During this process, the heat should be kept at a gentle simmer. After about 17 minutes the process should be complete and the risotto, creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Parmesan, lemon juice, zest and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Serve immediately in warmed shallow soup bowls.

Editorial note: Apparently, there are 3 rules for making the perfect risotto: add the stock in small portions, do not add additional stock until the previous liquid has been absorbed, and stir, stir, stir. Oh, and also, you have to use the right rice for risotto, Arborio in this case. It's available at any grocery store.

Vegetarian Casserole, in the style of Shepherd’s Pie

 

The casserole queen has done it again, this time with a vegetarian number in the style of a Shepherd's or Cottage Pie. Quinoa replaces the ground meat, and goat cheese is added to a potato/parsnip topping. Flavourful mushrooms form the middle of this layered dish.  A really delicious recipe for a multi-tasker to undertake.

Ingredients for the bottom layer:

- 3-4 cups cooked quinoa

- 2 onions, finely diced

- 2 stalks celery, finely diced

- 2 carrots, finely diced

- 1 small zucchini, finely diced

- 1 cup frozen peas

- 1 tsp mustard powder

- 2 tbps. ‘better than bouillon’ mushroom in 1 cup water

- 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped finely.

- pepper and chopped fresh herbs to taste. 

- a few dashes Worcestershire sauce
- a handful of chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
 

Ingredients for the middle layer:
- one onion sliced thinly
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- about 3 cups of chopped/sliced mushrooms
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- pepper to taste

Ingredients for the top layer:
- 4 large potatoes
- 4 medium-sized parsnips
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 4 ounces chevre
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1 cup of white cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then construct the casserole. If you're a well-organized type A personality, you can work on preparing the ingredients for the 3 layers simultaneously.

Bottom layer

Sauté the onions in a tbsp. of olive oil for several minutes, then add all of remaining ingredients and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cooked quinoa and a large handful of chopped parsley. Put the quinoa/ vegetable mixture in the bottom of a large buttered casserole dish and spread flat.

Middle layer

Sauté the onion, garlic and mushrooms 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil until brown. Add freshly ground pepper. Spread the mushrooms over the quinoa base.

 

Top layer

As you are sautéing the bottom and middle layers of the casserole, boil the potatoes and parsnips in salted water in a medium-sized pot on the stove until tender, then drain and let ‘dry’ for a couple of minutes. Mash the vegetables with 2 tbsp. butter and 4 ounces of chevre. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the potato/parsnip mash over the mushroom layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the scallions and cheddar on top. Bake the casserole for an additional 30 minutes until bubbling at edges and the cheese is a little crispy.

Sylvia's Tex-Mex Casserole... using up the leftovers

My sister Sylvia is a casserole queen. In fact, she's the queen of many original recipes. I'm not exactly sure why I'm the one with the food blog? At any rate, she suggests this casserole is great when topped with a spoonful of sour cream. Serve it with a green salad.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 leftover roast chicken
- 1/2 jar of leftover salsa
- 1/2 bag of leftover unsalted corn tortilla chips
- 1/2 bag of shredded Tex Mex cheese
- 1 tin baked beans in tomato sauce
- 1 onion, quartered, thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper, quartered, cut into thin strips
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
- big splash of Frank's Red Hot sauce
- 1 tsp. chili powder

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Pull the meat from the chicken carcass and cut into small pieces. Crush the chips and place them in the bottom of a casserole dish. Sauté the onion in about 1 tsp. of oil for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and pepper. Stir in the beans, hot sauce, chili powder, chicken and cilantro or parsley. Pour the mixture over the chips. Cover with 2 cups of shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
 

Fruit Cake- Its time has come.

The fall is when holiday fruitcakes should be made to allow lots of time for soaking up whatever boozy goodness you want your cake to absorb. I realize that not everyone likes fruitcake and in fact, there are those who make jokes about this iconic Christmas sweet....it take all kinds.

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups of raisins
• 3 ½ cups of dried currants
• Place the raisins and currants in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Leave until the water is tepid.
• 1 cup of chopped candied orange peel
• 1 cup of chopped candied citrus peel
• 3 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 ½ cups of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups of brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 tablespoons brandy or rum or port, depending on your preference

Instructions:

Heat your oven to 300º F. Then grease a 9 ″ round baking pan well and line with parchment paper. This is a big cake so your baking pan needs to be at least 3 inches deep. (Alternatively, you can use several smaller pans.) 

Sift the flour with salt, nutmeg and allspice in a medium-sized bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in a very large bowl and add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Stir the flour mixture into the eggs/butter/sugar in 2 or 3 batches, followed by the alcohol and drained fruit. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top of the cake, making a slight hollow in the centre.(This ensures that the top of the cake will be flat after baking). Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours or until the cake tests done. (A toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean). If it browns too much before the baking is complete, cover the top of the cake with tin foil and continue baking. Leave to cool in the pan; when cool, remove from pan and pull off the paper. Wrap cake in some booze-soaked cheesecloth and then cover the whole thing in plastic wrap. Store in a cool dark spot, (such as the back of your fridge). Every few weeks, you can remove the plastic wrap to refresh the booze on the cheesecloth. Re-wrap and refrigerate until the point that you decide to ice your cake.

Editorial Note: This cake can be made in multiple smaller pans, but the cooking time will need to be cut accordingly. Cheesecloth, in case you are wondering, is available in most grocery stores and in kitchen supply shops.



Iced fruitcake...the stuff of dreams.