Crispy Cauliflower with Capers, Raisins, and Breadcrumbs

Okay, so I don't even like cauliflower, but this turned out *amazing*. It is probably the longest I will ever spend preparing cauliflower in my life, because there were so many goofy little components, but well worth it.

2 heads  cauliflower, cut into florets
6 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp salt-packed capers, soaked, rinsed and patted dry
¾ cup fresh, coarse breadcrumbs
½ cup low-salt chicken stock
cup sultanas1 tbsp white wine vinegar or
Champagne vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
30g Italian parsley, chopped

[Preheat oven to 220°C]

Toss cauliflower florets with 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large bowl. Spread the cauliflower out in a single layer on two shallow baking trays lined with baking paper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower is golden and crispy, about 20–25 minutes.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just golden, about 2–3 minutes. Watch carefully that the garlic does not burn. Turn the heat up slightly, add the rinsed capers and cook until they start to pop, about 3 minutes longer. Add breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Cook, stirring often, until breadcrumbs are golden, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer the breadcrumb mixture to a plate and set aside.

In the same saucepan, heat the chicken stock to a boil. Add the sultanas and the white wine vinegar and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Transfer warm cauliflower to a serving bowl. Scatter the sultana mixture over, then toss to distribute evenly. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Sprinkle the cauliflower with the garlic capery breadcrumbs and the chopped Italian parsley.

Chickpeas with Leeks and Lemon

I stole this simple dish from Oprah. That's right, right out of her hands. Because I'm awful like that. My advice is to go easy on the flavoring--I found it didn't need much, and it came out superb. I used the rest of the lemon to make a honey lemon hot drink for my sick self. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and bruised but whole
• 1 6-inch branch fresh rosemary, broken in two
• 4 leeks, cleaned, trimmed and with the white and light green parts sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 lemon

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, garlic and rosemary over medium heat. Once the garlic turns fragrant and the rosemary begins to sizzle, remove the rosemary, setting it aside for later. 

Add the leeks to the pan, along with a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the leeks are soft and sweet but still brightly green, around 5-8 minutes. Tip in the chickpeas, and continue to cook, turning the beans in the oil, for 5 minutes more, at which point the chickpeas should have darkened slightly in color. 

Using a microplane or zester, add a few scrapes of lemon zest to the pan, along with a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Check for seasoning, adding more juice, zest or salt as needed. Return the reserved rosemary sprigs to the pan, and enjoy warm or at room temperature. 

Turkish Salmon

Tangy and delicious! 

Preparation time: 15 minutes                                    Cooking time: 30 minutes

4 salmon fillets

16-18 cherry tomatoes, halved

30ml/2 tablespoons olives, pitted and halved

3 small fillets of anchovies in olive oil (from the tin); drained

30ml/2 tablespoons olive oil

Ground black pepper to taste

 Wedges of lemon to serve

For broccoli & the dressing:

Broccoli

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped

30ml/ 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4

Grease the baking tray with the olive oil and place the salmon fillets on it. Spread the cherry tomatoes, olives and the anchovy fillets over and around the salmon fillets. Season with ground black pepper. Place the tray in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes (please refer to cooking instructions at the packaging as cooking time may vary with the size  or type of the fish), until the fish is cooked and the tomatoes starting to turn crisp at the edges.

While the salmon is in the oven, prepare the broccoli. Steam the broccoli over a pan of boiling water for a few minutes. Cool the broccoli in iced water and set aside in a serving bowl. Combine the olive oil, chopped garlic and the lemon juice in a bowl and drizzle this sauce over the broccoli, mix well.

Capers, Raisins, Nuts and Sole

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

1/8 teaspoon paprika

2 sole fillets

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon raisins

2 teaspoons drained and rinsed capers

1 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds

1. Toast Almonds. Heat a plate in a low oven. Whisk together the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

2. Stir together the flour and paprika on a plate. Dredge both sides of the fish in the flour.

3. In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the fish and saute about 2-3 minutes on each side, until the fish flakes and is cooked through. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan, transferring to the warm plate.

4. Add the lemon-oil mixture and bring to a boil. Add the raisins, capers and nuts. Swirl the pan to blend and pour over the fish.

I served my fish over hashbrown patties, sort of a fancy fish'n chips combo. Recipe adapted from Seattle Times Company, 1995 recipe : http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950215&slug=2105061 
Really liked the contrasts in this one . .. the raisins were a nice counterpoint to the bitterness of the capers, and toasted almonds are always a favorite. Nom nom. 

Lithuanian Cabbage Soup

4 cups chicken soup stock
1 lg. chopped onion
2 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp. sugar
1 bay leaf
pepper, salt to taste

Mix these ingredients and simmer for 1 hour.

Then Add: 1/2 cup chopped carrots,  3 cups chopped cabbage; 1/2 cup sauerkraut; 1 can whole tomatoes. Simmer for 1/2 hour.

Turned out pretty decent, but wish I'd had more time to simmer and draw out flavors more. I garnished with green onion and served with melba toast and cream cheese. Nom. 

Seafood Salad

K, so, this would probably be better fresh, however the Sobeys I was in was sadly lacking in anything resembling a fish department. So I went canned.

Ingredients:

3-4 cans small shrimp
1/2 can coconut milk
lemon/lime juice to taste
as many chopped up tomatoes as you want
as many chopped up jalapeno peppers as you want
as much chopped up red onion as you want
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro (the sobeys I was at also didn't have fresh cilantro, so I got cilantro paste. . .I would NOT recommend this).

Mix the shrimp, coconut milk and lemon/lime juice together and let chill out for half an hour. Chop up everything else and mix it all together, seasoning as you like. Toss it in the fridge for another hour. That's it!

Monkey Bread!

So, I've been seeing this stuff all over Pinterest and tonight I decided to see what its all about . . .

IS this not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?

• 3 (12 ounce) packagesrefrigerated biscuit dough
  1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1/2 cup margarine
  1 cup packed brown sugar
  1/2 cup chopped walnuts(optional)
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease pan. 
2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. Arrange nuts in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. SPREAD THAT SHIT ALL OVER!
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

Easy Custard

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tbsp cornstarch

vanilla (to taste)

Directions:

Whisk together the eggs, set aside. Mix milk, sugar, and cornstarch in saucepan, whisking together. Allow milk to scald, whisking gently to prevent burning. Remove milk mixture from heat and add 2 tbsp of it to the egg mixture. Slowly add the egg mixture to the milk mixture while whisking. Return to heat, stirring lightly until mixture begins to thicken. Do not bring to a boil. Once thickening occurs, remove from heat, mix in vanilla and allow to cool thoroughly (transfer to another bowl for cooling--I cool mine in the fridge)

et voila!

Romanian Vegetable Stew

2 large onions, chopped

4 -5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

3 -4 medium bell peppers, seeded and chopped (any color)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1/2 cup saurkraut

3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved

2 cups water

3 -4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 (12 ounce) package frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1/2 lemon, juice of

1 -2 teaspoon paprika

salt

pepper

Directions:

1.Heat the oil in a large stewpot or Dutch oven.

2. Add the onion, carrots, and peppers. Saute over medium heat until onions are transparent. (About 5 minutes).

3. Add garlic, potatoes, and cabbage. If using kohlrabi add it now. Saute for about 3 minutes.

4. Add water and tomatoes, salt and pepper, and thyme and paprika. Bring to a boil.

5.Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender.

6. Simmer, covered for about 20 more minutes or until the vegetables are soft and flavors have blended.

7. Add frozen peas, fresh herbs, and lemon juice. Cook for five minutes with the cover on.

8. Serve hot with rice. 

A Monk's Secret

Monastic living has always had some sort of allure to me. This lovely little documentary gives you a  great feeling for what that life is like. It brings together Quebec, the Prairies, Canadian History, and most importantly, cheese. Within the context of cheese (and I mean, who can resist a documentary about cheese?), the documentary takes on some of the challenges facing modern monasteries all over the world. Its also a good opportunity to listen to some french, which I appreciated, lol.

A Monk's Secret by Yves Étienne Massicotte, National Film Board of Canada

death by chocolate

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

1 pkg. brownies mix 1/4 c. Kahlua or coffee (optional) 3 boxes Jello chocolate mousse 8 Heath (or Skor) bars 1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip (optional) Bake brownies; cool. Punch holes in brownies with fork. Pour Kahlua over brownies and set aside. Prepare mousse according to package directions and refrigerate. Break candy bars into pieces with a hammer (in their wrappers). Cover the brownies with the mousse. Cover mousse with candy bars. Cover with Cool Whip. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Tandoori Chicken

Had a busy day, and am sorta tired, so I'll keep it brief. Here's dinner:

Tandoori Style chicken:

1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. each curry & chili powder
1 c. plain yogurt
1 (3 lb.) chicken (broiler fryer)

In a medium skillet saute onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender, stir in curry and chili powders. Remove from heat. Blend in yogurt. Pour over chicken in shallow dish and cover. Chill several hours or overnight. Remove chicken, reserve remaining marinade. Place skin side down on lightly greased broiler pan rack. Broil 6 inches from heat source 15 minutes. Basting occasionally remaining marinade

For the sauce I fried up some peppers, then used the leftover marinade, added some lemon juice, more yogurt, sugar, a whole bunch of cilantro, mixed this all together and let it simmer for a short period of time. Served with rice, this was yummy! But broiling the chicken set the fire alarm off which freaked out the dog :( 

Salmon Frittata

Ingredients:

oil
Six eggs, beaten
One can salmon
one tomato
one red onion
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil. Fry onion lightly in oil. Add salmon and tomato and heat, briefly. Add beaten egg, mix with other ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a couple of minutes, then throw the whole thing in the oven for another few minutes until eggs are cooked through.

I love frittatas so easy, and a great way to get rid of crap in your fridge.

Sandwich Art

I'm a Subway fan. I'll admit it. Its not because the food is great (its mediocre), its not because the service is great (although I do have people who recognize me as a "regular" at the subway on campus, which is kinda nice), its not because the price is great (its not), and its not because I'm trying to lose weight (I am, but Subway definitely does not factor in). I like subway because my dad buys me subway cards, as a gift, and mails them to me.

Having a "trio" with a warm cookie, that was bought with a gift card from home makes me feel less alone, I guess. Cheesy, right? Also, who am I to argue with free food.

But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about Subway "Sandwich Artist's" sometimes alarming art, the way we fall in line with it, and the uniqueness of Subway in Quebec.

First, Subway in Quebec. Their combo is a trio (though this isn't just a Subway thing). Their sandwich du jour selection (known to us simple folks as Subathaday) has a great deal more variety than what I am used to in Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, it ranges from Ham, to BMT, to roast beef, right up to (of course) tuna salad on a Friday. Here, bbq pork is thrown into the mix, as well as Wednesday's (todays) unique offering: fruits de mer.

Sidebar: fruits de mer : fruits of the sea (known to us simple folks as seafood)
             pomme de terre: apple of the earth (known to us simple folks as 'potato')
* I am not certain why the French language has this propensity to add a touch of poetry to the names for such unpoetical things as crabs and potatoes, but what the hell, right?

Back to Subway, and the sandwich art.

So, I sidle up to the counter, and mutter "Subathaday, sizzinch . . .brown" in my (no doubt terrible) western accent. The girl slops some (raw? lightly cooked? preserved? I dunno) crab meat onto the bun and hastily asks "cheddar or swiss?"

"Swiss," I respond automatically, though honestly the notion of having dairy on a seafood sandwich is somehow stomach turning. She took me off guard! I answered by rote. To my horror, she passes off my sandwich to the guy running the toaster oven. I watch as the sandwich goes in, envisioning the cheese covered, unhappy, possibly rancid pile of fishmeat that will come out. The guy behind me happily orders extra cheese on his fruits de mer, and his goes in the toaster too.

My sandwich emerges, looking like something an Italian hacked up, and now I am at the veggie station. "Everything except the cucumbers and green peppers" I say, in a state of despair, knowing nothing can salvage my sandwich now.

"Dressing?"

"Ranch" comes my helpless reply. Ranch dressing is spurted on top of my (I swear it is moving) pile of crabmeat and melted cheese, the lid is put on the sandwich, and the sandwich is safely bound in its wrapper, and tucked away in a sandwich bag condom. Presumably so it cannot escape.

I obtain my cookies, my drink, and make my way out of the restaurant to find a sunny place to sit and eat. (Ironically, when I go to sit down, my sandwich really does make a run for it, almost spilling out of the bag). But when I eat it, its not so bad. In fact, it tastes pretty much like every other damn subway sandwich I have ever had.

Which brought me to contemplate the role of the sandwich artist. The sandwich artist, is very much like the artist who covers himself in paint and throws himself at a white wall. The pattern may be ugly, little thought or craft goes into it, and yet somehow, some customer somewhere is going to be satisfied.

Eat fresh, guys.

sunnyside up sponge cake

So, this cake was half accident, half boredom, and 100% delicious.

for the cake: 

2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Salt
1 c. milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla

First beat eggs and sugar until very fluffy and then add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and beat. Bring butter and milk to a scald and mix with other ingredients, don't beat too much. Will be a thin batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

for the filling: I used apricot jam, because its what I had

for the glaze:

one cup sugar

four tablespoons lemon juice

dash vanilla

mix altogether until you have something that is thick, but still pourable, and tastes good, and dump it on top. Aww yeah. 

Now for the accident: I decided to balance out the apricot filling by putting a dollop of apricot on top. What I came out with was something that looked like a sunny side up egg. I completed my insanity by garnishing with glazed crumbs, and sprinkling lightly with powdered cocoa. 

Manchester tart

Two cooking experiments today, the Manchester tart, and the Cornish potato cake. The tart turned out pretty good, considering how complex it was. The potato cake, I botched. Go figure. Anyway, here's the recipe for the tart:

Ingredients

225g plain flour 

100g margarine 

25g sugar 

30ml cold water (approx.)  

Jar of jam 

1-3 bananas (depending on your preference) 

Custard 

Dessicated coconut (or grated chocolate - optional)

Handy Hint

Grated chocolate can be used instead of coconut but don't put it on while the custard is warm!

Method

For the pastry: 

1. Preheat oven to 190C (gas mark 5.) 

2. Mix flour and sugar, rub in fat. 

3. Mix with cold water using a knife to cut and stir to form a dough. 

4. Knead dough lightly on a floured surface. 

5. Roll out and put in a flan tin. 

6. Place a circle of greaseproof paper over the bottom of the tart and sprinkle a layer of rice or dried beans on top to prevent it rising (don't put it directly on the pastry!). 

7. Bake for 20 mins, remove the rice/beans and paper, return for 5 more minutes until crisp and golden. 

8. Allow to cool. 

For the Custard:

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp unbleached white flour

2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

grated rind of 1/2 lemon

Preparation:

This egg custard recipe makes approximately 2 cups of custard.

Separate the egg yolks. Place yolks and sugar in medium saucepan and lightly whisk together. Using a wooden spoon, continue stirring and add the flour. Set aside.In a medium sauce pan, pour the milk, vanilla extract and grated lemon rind. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Strain the hot milk mixture gradually into the pan with the egg and sugar mixture, stirring while you pour. Place the pan on stove and heat to a simmer, careful not to boil. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes. As the custard cools, stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top. Once cooled, chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

For the filling: 

9. Make up custard according to instructions but missing out some liquid to make it thick, leave to cool slightly. 

10. Dollop jam into the pastry case and spread around evenly. 

11. Slice bananas and arrange on top of jam. 

12. Pour partially cooled custard on top of the jam and bananas. 

13. Sprinkle dessicated coconut on top of custard if liked. 

14. Leave to set in fridge.

Colcannon

Colcannon is a painfully Irish dish involving potatoes, cabbage (or kale), green onions (or leeks), mounds of butter, and sometimes milk. It is essentially a tasty variation on mashed potatoes, and after skimming a few recipes, this is the one I settled on (and only $5 for the veggie ingredients, say thankya).

Ingredients:

*An Irish number of potatoes. Now, remember there was a famine. Most recipes call for a pound of potatoes, but in honor of the famine, I settled for two large ones.

*An Irish amount of cabbage: about half a head (the other half of the Irish head is typically reserved and  filled with whiskey)

* An Irish amount of butter: That's a lot of butter, folks

*An Irish amount of green onions. Okay, I cheated here. I really like green onions, so I chopped up two stalks. The Irish like it bland, but I don't.

Instructions:

Boil dem potaties, then add in your cabbage just as the potaties are about done, so it all gets about finished at the same time. Drain out the water and mash up the potaties and the cabbage with a whole lot of butter until you have something the consistency of mashed potatoes. Once this is done, mix in the minced green onions. Serve with a melted butter-filled hollow of deliciousness in the middle.

Food Fever

Having spent the day marathon watching Hell's Kitchen, I find myself wondering why I am so attracted to this show, and other "reality" cooking shows, when I have such a deep pre-existing hatred for reality television at large.

I think the reason I enjoy it so much is pretty straightforward. Its not because I think Gordon Ramsey is cool (though I think he is), its not because I find watching a group of poorly matched people flap around in a series of increasingly ridiculous petty arguments funny (though I do) and its not because I find it amusing that these experienced chefs cant seem to bend their heads around a risotto (lol). No, I think the real reason I am so bizarrely in love with this kind of show is plain and simple: I like food. 

Moreover, I like cooking food. These cooking competition shows, moreso than ordinary "this is how you cook dish A, B, and C" shows make the culinary arts seem absolutely achievable. I mean, if these clueless assholes can manage to put together beautiful, elegant, tasty dishes worthy of Gordon Ramsey (in between not being able to cook scallops and fucking up steaks), maybe there is hope for me. 

I love the little mini-competitions where the contestants must figure out how to put together an appealing dish with a set of totally random ingredients. Its sorta inspiring, for anyone who has ever had to deal with a fridgeful of mismatched foods. 

Good books, good movies, good television, makes you feel something. Shows like Hell's Kitchen successfully make you feel hungry, excited about cooking, and innately superior to the cast of dipshits they inevitably get to compete on these shows. And it is good. 

I think I might have just hit on the appeal of reality television in general. Making us feel better about ourselves through the folly of others. Human beings are terrible . . .

:D 

Escargot

So, after a failed experiment this morning with an admittedly bizarre muffin recipe (I wound up with what can only be described as dense cakes of squirrel-food, which I'm sure are high in fibre, chock full of energy, and nutritious, but look like shit and taste like meh) I found more success in the afternoon with SNAILS.

Ingredients:

about 6 tbsp butter
1 can escargot
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
CRACKERS

Directions:
Heat up the butter, fry up those onions and garlic. Drain and wash escargot, throw escargot in butter/onion/garlic mixture, stir around until coated, add spinach, cook until spinach is limp, remove from heat. I served it up on crackers, with broccoli on the side. Simple, rich, delicious, and it made me feel all fancy schmancy.

Bori-Bori

Today I tried a recipe from the Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul regions of Brazil, called Bori-Bori, which is a chicken and dumpling dish, and it is AMAZING.

I found the recipe here, which is a really awesome blog, that I would highly suggest you take a few minutes to explore. I didn't really do anything wildly different, except for cut the recipe down by about half, so I'll just copy/paste the whole thing here:

For the chicken:
1 large chicken, cut into serving pieces, without skin
salt to taste
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 sm. serrano chile, finely chopped (use to taste)
4 Tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
10 cups water (1.5 liters)
3 Tbsp. green onions, finely chopped

For the dumplings (bolinhos):
1 cups cornmeal (white or yellow, medium ground, polenta-style)
1 cup grated hard cheese (parmesan, romano)
salt to taste
broth from cooking chickens


Prepare the chicken: season by mixing salt, garlic and one chopped onion and rubbing this mixture into the serving pieces of  chicken. Put the chicken in the refrigerator and leave for at least one hour. Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan, add the other chopped onion, and fry until lightly golden. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Add the chopped tomatoes, correct the salt, and cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, but not falling off the bone. Remove from heat, and reserve one cup of broth for making the dumplings.

Prepare the dumplings: In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal and the grated cheese. Add the broth from the chicken, stirring to incorporate completely. If necessary add a small additional amount of cornmeal until the dough becomes firm enough to roll into balls. Using hands, form the dough into small balls, about the size of a large walnut.

Final preparation:  reheat the chicken in its broth to a slow boil. Push the chicken to one side of the saucepan, making space to place the dumplings in the broth. Add the dumplings, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are firm. Remove from heat.

Serving: Place the chicken and dumplings in a low casserole, pour the broth over, and sprinkle with the chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

(Recipe translated and adapted from Cozonha Regional Brazileira by Editora Abril)

and, here we have it!

OMG so good. Apologies for the bad lighting, but it really wound up looking purdy too.