a collection of recipes - Olive Me, by Laurie Salvador

Laurie Salvador was born and raised in Creston BC nestled in the fertile valley between the Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges. As a young teenager she moved with her family from the land of apple blossoms and grains to the beautiful Sidney-By-The -Sea which became her seaside home.

After retiring from her Notary practise, Laurie channelled her energy into a collection of her prized recipes. Gleaning from her grandmother, friends, travels around the globe, and sheer imagination, she has created an heirloom; an international award-winning* book that will become first choice on your bookshelf.

Olive Me is a bouquet garni of recipes, stories, and photographs that will awaken memories and inspire the reader to explore new spices and flavours. As your culinary coach, Laurie will teach you some new techniques, some secrets, and centuries-old methods. Laurie shares home time in Sidney and in Penticton BC with her husband, Wayne Braid who is her chief taster and promoter. Wayne and Laurie have been fortunate to travel extensively and learn about regional foods and wines; now Laurie is delighted to share some of the fruits of those experiences.

Gourmand World Cookbook 2022 Awards Italian Cuisine *2nd Place First Cookbook *3rd Place

Text and photography copyright ©2021 by Laurie Salvador All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-7774671-0-4 Author: Laurie Salvador Photography: Laurie Salvador (except where noted) Design & Layout: Nicola Fossett Editor: Catherine Luke Published in Canada Special thanks to Ambur Braid, Rod Laurie, Susan Mercer, Morgan Shaw, Lucy Lacet Stevens, and Lucia White who have provided their recipes and photographs.

Wayne Braid, Catherine Luke, Susan Sharun, Jan Salvador, Nancy Yildez, and Maria Harstone provided artistic direction and valuable feedback.

Website: https://olivemecookbook.com/ Email: info@olivemecookbook.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 2

3

INTRODUCTION 6 7 9 15 16 18

My Roots Kudos Tips & Tricks Explanation of Abbreviations Kitchen Staples Places I like to shop

4

CHRISTMAS

5

CONDIMENTS

APPETIZERS Arancini Basil Ice Cream and Watermelon Braised Cipollini Onions Caponata Fondue with Tuscan Toasts Grapefruit Slaw on Shiso Holy Poke Mushroom Wraps Prawn and Avocado Stacks Roasted Beets with Ricotta and Bacon Roasted Olives Scallops on Sweet Potato Purée Bruschetta Pomodoro Toulouse Kebabs with Roasted Tomato and Watermelon Purée 40 Toulouse Sausage with Harissa Sauce 21 22 24 25 26 29 30 31 33 34 35 37 38 39

BREADS 43 45 47 49 51 53

Basic Pizza Dough Breakfast Bread Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Italian Bread Rolls Lucia’s Grissini Mistaken Identity Sweet Bread

55 57 59 61 62 64 65 66 67 68

71 72 73 75 76 77 79 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 94

Braised Brussels Sprouts Candied Orange Slices Italian Meringue Cookies Nürnberger Elisenlebkuchen Panforte Poppycock Roasted Chestnuts Gramma D’s Scottish Skirlie Sticky Toffee Pudding Tom & Jerry's

Besciamella Sauce Homemade Ricotta Cheese Mom’s Blackberry Jelly Mango Jam Peach Chutney Soffritto Canned Tomato Sauce Fresh Tomato Sauce Catalina Style Dressing Chermoula Sauce Pesto Preserved Lemons Romesco Sauce Smoked Paprika Aioli Some-Like-It-Hot Salsa Rub-Me-Tender Spice Mix Advieh Spice Mix Colombo Spice aka Magic Spice Ginger Juice

6 7 8

CROWDS 97 99 101 103 105 106 107 108 111

Frittata Harley’s Tribute Chili Kathie’s Bean Salad Marinated Mushroom Salad Panzanella Senza Pane Rod’s Curried Chickpeas Rod’s Drunken Salmon Wayne’s Sangria Ambur’s Ice Cream Parade

9

SOUPS 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 123

Beef Pho Soup Chicken Pho Soup Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup Carrot Soup Old Fashioned Chicken Soup Fish Broth Minestrone Pasta e Ceci Zuppa Summer Borscht

PASTA, RICE & GRAINS 126 127 129 131 132 135 137 139 141 142 145 147

Fresh Pasta Pasta Carbonara Citrus Peel Pasta Gnocchi Notes on Paella Traditional Valencian Paella Seafood Paella Polenta Gnocchi Alla Romana Hangover Heaven Risotto Milanese Timballo

10

MEAT & POULTRY 149 151 153 154 155 157 159 160 161 162 163 164 167 169

Barbequed Chicken Bites Braised Short Ribs Cabbage Rolls Margaret’s Lemon Chicken Meatballs and Meatloaf Osso Bucco Pizzaiola Rub Eye Steaks Red Cabbage and Sausage Saltimbocca Turkey Meatballs Jubilee Veal Rolls Veal Scaloppine al Limone Vitello Tonnato

SALADS 171 172 173 174 176 177 178 179 180 181 183 185 186 187 188

Beets Me! Caesar Salad with Prawns Crunchy Pea Salad Nonni’s Vinaigrette Dandelion Salad Hawaiian Slack Key Slaw Lyonnaise Salad Mushroom Salad Niçoise Salad Orange and Fennel Salad Roasted Beet and Glass Noodle Salad Tater Salad Valentine’s Day Salad Watermelon and Tomato Salad Lotus Blossom Salad

11

12

SEAFOOD 191 193 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 205 207 208

13

Big Shrimp Curry Deep Dish Fish Pie Miso Halibut Mussels in Tomato Sauce Tuna Casserole Sweet Potato Crab Cakes Spring Orzo Seafood Dungeness Crab Cannelloni Pesce All’acqua Pazza (Crazy Fish) Curried Spot Prawns Faux Crab Curry Halibut Cheeks Marinated Artic Char with Grilled Peaches Salmon Cakes

DESSERTS 213 215 217 219 221 222 225 226 229 231 232 235 237 239 241 243 245 247 249

Morgan’s Carrot Cake Austin’s Lemon Meringue Pie Basic Ice Cream Hay Ice Cream Basic Meringue Meringue Cookies Pavlova Meringue Shells Cocoa Chiffon Cake Italian Plum Cake Bravo Brownies Lu’s Celebration Cake Saffron Almond Cake Lucy’s Flan Lu’s Olive Oil Cake Orange and Cardamom Madeleines Poached Pears in Chestnut Cream Lucy’s Manjo Branco with Guava Syrup Zabaglione

VEGETARIAN 253 255 256 257 259 261 262 263 265 267 269 270

Around the World Lentil Stew Baked Onions Cauliflower Steaks Celeriac and Parsnip Sauté Eggplant Parmigiana Potato Leek and Cauliflower Tortilla Potatoes Swimming in the Bay Pumpkin Soufflé Roasted Pineapple & Eggplant Salad Rod’s Portobello Mushrooms Smoked Squash Pizza Sweet Potato Mushroom Caps

Behind every good cook is at least one mentor. In my case, it was my Italian grandmother, whom we called Nonni. In Italian, Nonni means grandparents. Through dialect or faulty translations, she became Nonni instead of Nonna.

My mother had little interest in cooking. At one of her spartan supper scenes I found a cigarette in my creamed corn, at which she exclaimed, “Oh! I wondered where that went!” My mother was a voracious reader, a full-time nurse, and she loved to sew. Cooking was just not her thing. In survival mode, I began to cook at a very early age. To her credit, once she retired, Mom decided to teach herself to cook and she did turn out some very fine dinner parties.

In my early days, everything I learned about cooking was by trial and error, and everything I learned about the joy of cooking was from Nonni. She was a character.

Nonni Marguerita 1894 - 1978

Like most older Italians, she was a forager. She taught me how to find the young tender dandelion leaves for a spring salad and to cook up any unknown mushroom and feed it to the cat (no kitties died as a result; they are too smart). “Eefa she gonna leeva, they gooda to eata. Eefa she gonna dieyah, they no gooda to eata.” She also taught me “waste not, want not.” Nary a speck of food would go into the garbage in her house; better the soup pot than to throw anything out. One of my most vivid lessons with her was the making of gnocchi, those soft little potato dumplings. She lovingly curled the little pillows with a fork to make the traditional grooves and popped them into salted boiling water. As soon as they rose to stardom, she would scoop them out with a slotted spoon, dress them with tomato meat sauce that she had coddled all day, add a tiara of grated cheese, and introduce them to the table.

Nonni’s children built her an apartment-sized house, with a cool basement suitable for storing wine, preserves, cheese and the occasional visiting granddaughter. I was thankful for the cool bed because I spent summers with her most of my teenage years.

Nonni passed on to me her fierce independence, the importance of family, and the sheer joy of a well-spread table. Like indelible ink, her personality and the time I spent with her have left their mark on my life and my cooking.

6

Kudos Globally, food security is a huge issue. Sometimes it makes me weep that we have so much available to us while others are going without. To help, I donate a portion of my grocery bill to the local food bank when I check out at the grocery store. We have eaten every morsel of food shown in this book; I cannot bear to throw food out, with my guardian angel Nonni sitting on my shoulder saying tsk tsk should I dare. If we could all appreciate how much effort it is to sow, grow, harvest, and distribute a single grain of rice, the world would be a better place.

Food is a beautiful thing. Like music, there is magic in its ability to communicate without words and to evoke memories. I only ever saw my father cry once in his life; it was when I made him a rabbit cacciatore. When he tasted it, he was immediately transported back to his childhood because I made it just like his mother taught me.

Cooking is more than just feeding a hungry belly. It’s about exploring new flavours, understanding the seven essential elements of sweet, sour, savory, bitter, umami, heat, and cool, and bringing these taste sensations together in an appealing dish. In the past couple of years, I have started showing friends my techniques in the hopes that they will learn and pass on the knowledge.

Many home cooks don’t use recipes, or if they do, it’s only for a suggestion. They will add their own special touches or methods. Before I started this project, my recipes were just in my head for the most part. I had a few standby cookbooks for inspiration or in case I forgot the correct ratio of ingredients.

My dishes were similar, but never exactly the same as the last time. By recording these recipes, I hope to share my love of food, and give thanks to those who have gone before us in their culinary journeys.

I don’t hold recipes close to my chest like a hand of cards. All good things in life should be shared.

Some of my cooking friends have also agreed to share a few of their recipes, for which I am very thankful. These recipes have been collected and cultivated over 60 years and I don’t know or remember where they came from; but they are certainly worth passing on. Some of them may be been given or borrowed. I apologize right here and now if I have inadvertently included a recipe that is authored by someone else. In my mother’s day, if you liked someone’s dish you just asked for a copy of the recipe and it became yours.

8

7

I would like to thank my cooking friends Lucia White, Lucy Lacet Stevens, and Rod Laurie. We have had some wonderful culinary adventures together. Many of our meals have been completely ad hoc; we cook as we go, using what we have, instead of what we have not. Whether by accident or design, we have together turned out some incredible feasts. With permission, I have included some of their recipes and photographs.

The production of this book was a struggle for me until Nicola Fosset of London UK and Catherine Luke of Victoria pitched in to help me with design and editing. They have been amazing and without them I could not have finished this project.

Susan Mercer also helped with the proofreading – she has always been there for me. My friend, Massimo Pollelo, of Turin, Italy, created the masterful calligraphy. My Penticton friends, Susan Sharun, Nancy Yildez, and Maria Harstone, assisted with photography shoots and testing.

Most important, I would like to thank my chief taster, the love of my life, Wayne. I know instantly if a dish is a winner by the look in his eyes. He loves to tease me and say “oh, I think you should keep trying!” It’s a conflict of interest, don’t you think?

Buon appetito!

8

9

Tips & Tricks ANCHOVIES Don’t be afraid to try these flavour enhancers. You can buy a wee little jar and keep them in the fridge for months.

Take one or two out, rinse them well, and remove any tiny bones. Add them to the recipe. They will melt away and you won’t even notice them. The anchovy adds a salty element to your food without a fishy taste.

BACON BITS Ask your butcher for a small container of bacon ends. Keep them in the freezer for adding to a frittata, meatloaf or Brussels sprouts. Try cooking some until crisp; drain well. Run it through a food processor to create bacon dust which can be used for garnishes and as a food enhancer.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR Good balsamic will have no ingredients other than wine must. If you see words like caramelized or sugar, then it is not authentic. The real thing will be expensive and is usually from Modena. It is so thick and intense you only need a few drops.

BREADCRUMBS Save that good bread! Put leftovers in the oven on low for an hour (or in the warming drawer). When it is thoroughly dried out, put the bread in the blender and pulse until you have lovely breadcrumbs. Store in an airtight container for up to six months.

BUCKWHEAT NOODLES If you are on a gluten-free diet, check the label to be sure there is no wheat flour added. Save the water you cook them in; it is very high in nutrients.

CANDLES I think candles enhance any evening meal. I use beeswax candles because they last longer, absorb odours, and emit a lovely natural scent. Put them in the freezer for a half hour before lighting and they will last even longer. Cut the wick so that it is only a few centimetres long; this will also make them burn longer and prevent soot from staining your votive candle holders.

CANNED BEANS When using canned beans and chickpeas, use little or no salt in your recipe because they are cooked in salt. Also, rinse them well and don’t include the juice from the can (although I do include it in my chili recipe).

9

CAPERS Salted capers keep the longest and impart the best flavours. Always soak them first in a bowl of water, rinsing them several times before use.

CHEESE I keep only one cheese in the fridge - the real Parmigiano Reggiano which is easily detected because the words and date of production are stamped on the outside of the wheel of cheese, the best being a minimum of 24 months old!

I always keep a decent-sized piece for grating. Store cheese in a waxed bag, wrapped in paper towel. Of course, I will buy other cheeses for special meals but only when I need them because, unlike the Parmigiano Reggiano, they do not keep well.

DIGESTIVE For a digestive after a big meal, try thinly-sliced lemon and fennel, sprinkled with a bit of salt.

EGGS Find a local egg producer that feeds only organics and lets the chickens run free. The price is a couple of dollars more but well worth the expense and effort to find them. Duck eggs are even better because they are larger. There is no difference in the taste. I recommend you use 2 or 3-week-old eggs if you are making devilled eggs. The sack inside will have shrunk enough to allow for peeling without damaging the egg.

EGGPLANTS The sweetest eggplants are the variegated type; they are oval-shaped with white and light purple markings. The long Japanese variety are mild. The traditional aubergine (eggplant or melanzane in Italian) is dark purple and should feel heavier than you expect for its size. It should give a bit when squeezed. When ripe the leaves at the top will start to come away from the fruit. If the fruit is soft or spongy it is too old and will be bitter. I prefer the sweeter ones but use whichever you can find that are ripe and in good shape.

GARLIC Garlic should be stored at room temperature in a dark airy spot. It will keep 5 or 6 months. It freezes well too, peeled or unpeeled. Please don’t use the hydrolyzed garlic or diced garlic that is sold in jars. It has preservatives that are harsh on the stomach. Many people don’t like garlic because they are not getting the real McCoy. I like to peel fresh garlic and simmer it for an hour in a good amount of olive oil until it is caramelized. Store the cooked garlic in the oil refrigerated. It is very handy.

GLUTEN-FREE PASTA Three years ago, I would not even have discussed gluten, but suddenly I became intolerant of wheat-based products. I have found an excellent brown rice pasta called Tinkayada Pasta Joy. As advertised, it has classic texture and taste and doesn’t get mushy. www.ricepasta.com

10

LEMONS I keep lemons around all the time for zest, for preventing colds, and for running through the garburator. When they are on sale, I will make up some preserved lemons to keep on hand. Lemon juice and salt makes a good cleaning agent. Use leftover squeezed lemons to clean your cutting boards by throwing in a little salt and give it a good scrub. Lemons freeze well too.

MUSTARDS These are on my preferred list: Maille Provencale, Fine Herbs, au Raifort (Horseradish), A l’ancienne (old style) moutarde au cassis de Dijon, and, of course, plenty of dried mustard powder. The dried mustard powder is a good substitute for pepper if someone is allergic to it. Also, make a mustard plaster with the powdered style when you have a chest cold. It works!

NUTS I keep a small quantity of pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, and pine nuts on hand. Toast them in a frying pan just before use. Store them in the freezer or refrigerator. They will keep up to a year, but I recommend tasting one before use just in case it has gone rancid and would spoil your dish.

OILS Your kitchen is not complete without a selection of oils. There is canola or peanut oil for deep frying, grapeseed or rice bran oil can sustain high heat in the pan for searing, sesame seed oil for an Asian touch, and pumpkin seed oil for a decadent touch. Sesame seed oil can be used for finishing only because it imparts a strong flavour. Always check it to see if it has gone rancid; it doesn’t keep much more than 6 months.

Good olive oil will be no more than a year old; it will have the date of production on the label and it will cost more than $20 per 500 ml. bottle. You will want to keep your best oil for salads because that is where it really shines.

Depending on where you live, you should find an everyday olive oil and a very fine one at your local Italian delicatessen. I like Partanna from Sicily for daily use olive oil and I have a collection of great olive oils from Liguria, Puglia, and Greece for special occasions. All babies in Italy get a tablespoon of olive oil in their pablum daily. No wonder Italians have such beautiful skin!

OLIVES Bring out more of the flavour in olives by scoring them with an X before adding them to a cooked dish.

ONIONS If you chew gum, or hold a match between your lips while cutting them, you won’t cry.

PRAWNS Prawns that live in warm water climates are firm and fleshy. Our local spot prawns are sweet and smaller but very flavourful. They must be served as fresh as possible; and take care to remove the heads as soon as you purchase them. Once they die, enzymes move quickly through the body and will turn your perfect little morsel into mush in no time. The coding 26-30 means 26 to 30 prawns per pound. U6 means under 6 per pound.

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QUINOA Quinoa originated in Peru. The white variety is mild; the red has a nuttier flavour, and the black can be slightly bitter. Always rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cold water before cooking to remove the bitterness. Cook in 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa, or a little less water if it was soaked first. Again, if you are cooking gluten-free, check that the quinoa was processed in a wheat-free plant.

RHUBARB I keep several stalks of rhubarb in the freezer for cleaning a pot. Fill the pot with water; add some chunks of rhubarb and boil gently for 30 minutes. Rinse and voila! The oxalic acid will remove any lingering marks from your pots, and they will come out sparkling. For tougher stains, rub with salt and rhubarb.

SAFFRON Saffron is the very delicate stigma and stylus of a species of crocus flower. It is grown mostly in Iran and Spain. It is very expensive but a little goes a long way. The highest quality will be threads that are dark red in colour (coupe quality). The more yellow and orange in it, the poorer the quality. I find the powdered kind from Italy is very good and easier to use. Saffron has a distinctive flavour and enhances dishes such as paella, risotto, and cioppino.

SALTS There is an amazing array of salts available at specialty stores. The two salts you will want to have on hand for everyday cooking are kosher salt and sea salt. The rest are just for fun and flavour. Maison Coté Edible in Vancouver and Vancouver Island Sea Salt in Sooke both produce some lovely blends. Regular table salt is highly processed and should be avoided. When using sea salts, it is important to taste before serving; sometimes a little more is required than you expect.

SPICES AND HERBS Don’t get me started....

Well okay, I try to buy only the smallest quantity and replenish them every 18 months. They should be as fresh as you can get them. Anything more than two years old – throw it out!! These are the spices I keep on hand: cumin, Chinese five spice, cloves, curry powder, dried tarragon, dried mustard, fennel, cardamom, sage, cinnamon, star anise, turmeric, mace, paprika, mustard seed, juniper berries, lavender, marjoram, oregano, saffron, dill, along with many spice mixes that I pick up in my travels. My absolute favourite food enhancer is Takii umami powder found at Gourmet Warehouse. It is vegan and gluten-free and is made from ground shitake mushrooms. It takes any dish to a new level.

SWEET POTATOES VS. YAMS There is much confusion in the culinary world about the difference between these two. Despite their looks and names, neither is a potato. Sweet potatoes are the root of a plant that is high in beta carotene. Yams are tubers.

Throughout this book, when referring to sweet potatoes, I mean the orange tubers with copper-coloured skin and orange flesh. Yams, on the other hand, have skin like tree bark and can be white, pale yellow and sometimes purple inside. Yams are starchier, drier and have less flavour than the sweet potato.

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TOMATOES Try to use fresh tomatoes. If they are not in season, the next best thing would be tomatoes you canned yourself or San Marzano canned tomatoes from Italy. San Marzano tomatoes are grown near Naples, Italy and are probably the world’s best. They grow in volcanic soil and are intensely flavoured. Salvatore at D’Angelo’s Winery on the Naramata Bench in Penticton is becoming a tomato aficionado. He is growing different strains. Talk to him in the off season if you want to know everything there is to know about growing them.

No two tomatoes are alike. The most flavourful, of course, are straight from the garden. Smell them. If they smell like a tomato, then they are probably not gassed to slow down the maturity process. Don’t buy tomatoes that are pale. Pay a bit more for green house tomatoes in the winter; they will have better flavour. Only buy what you need, they should be stored at room temperature, not in the fridge. You can adjust the acidity by adding a pinch of salt, sugar or baking soda. If they are too watery in the sauce, simmer longer. If they don’t have enough juice, add a bit of water or wine. Blanche tomatoes by putting them in boiling water for a few minutes until the skin splits; then remove with a slotted spoon, cool, and peel. Always remove the skins and seeds from fresh tomatoes; they can leave bitterness in the food. I keep 2 cans of San Marzano plum tomatoes in the pantry for emergencies. We can about 50 litres of tomato sauce every August, which barely gets us through to the following year. I prefer cherry tomatoes or those new little heirloom tomatoes you see in the market for my bruschetta.

TRUFFLES Fresh truffles are only emerging in our market, so I don’t expect to see them readily available for another five or ten years. Until then, if you travel to Europe in the fall, indulge yourself in this culinary seduction. Using truffle salt or truffle oil is a great way to impart the flavour in your cooking. Don’t overdo it though; a little goes a long way.

Truffles are especially good with eggs. Don’t try to bring them home! The smell is so intense the drug dogs will surely howl! You can purchase truffle pesto or paste from a deli.

VERJUS Verjus is an acidic juice made from sour fruits, such as choke cherries, crabapples, or unripened grapes. It can be used for salad dressings, or in any dish where you need a little acidity. I haven’t found a source for ver jus in the Okanagan yet, but I feel confident that someone will be making it with grapes that are picked to thin out the vineyards early in the season.

WASP DEFENCE We eat outdoors six months of the year and sometimes the wasps are pesky. To deter wasps, put a little clove oil in your candle wax or float a few clove buds. Also, toast a handful of clove buds in a small skillet and when the oils start to release put them in a small bowl on the dining table. Not only is it a lovely aroma, the wasps don’t like it and will keep their distance.

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Symbols & Abbreviations NUMBER OF SPOONS INDICATES LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY

$ DF GF

V

COST OF INGREDIENTS DAIRY-FREE GLUTEN-FREE VEGETARIAN SERVES/MAKES MINS./HR. PREPARATION TIME

q.b.

QUANTO BASTA (TO YOUR TASTE)

15

BASIC KITCHEN STAPLES

Pantry

Every kitchen needs basic food and equipment. Here is a list of what I keep on hand and refer to in these recipes.

• • • • • • • • • • •

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canned San Marzano plum tomatoes sea salt, kosher salt, fleur de sel, truffle salt whole white peppercorns (Kampot from Cambodia) good quality extra virgin olive oil and excellent olive oil for salads wine vinegars, both red and white, cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar from Modena good quality tomato paste rice, basmati and Arborio pasta, both GF and regular cornmeal (medium or fine) nuts; pine, pecan, pistachio, ground almonds 00 flour (extra fine)

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Anita’s all-purpose flour, gluten-free flour canned tuna, (Rio Mare brand) a jar of mixed olives Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or parmesan (the North American substitute) pesto saffron, powdered or threads capers preserved in salt shiitake mushroom powder (Takii brand) breadcrumbs anchovies packed in olive oil fresh garlic Knorr brand chicken and beef broth cubes (GF if need be)

BASIC KITCHEN STAPLES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

a selection of quality knives, kept sharpened heavy stainless steel pots and skillets corkscrew and bottle opener stick-free skillet 3 sizes of sieves and a colander cast iron stewing pot with lid wok 3 sizes nesting bowls – preferably 10 slotted spoon wire lifting spoon (aka spider spoon) 3 wooden spoons of various sizes 2 or 3 spatulas of various sizes soup ladle graters: box, fine micro plane set of measuring cups set of measuring spoons spaghetti serving fork-spoon

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Utensils

salt & pepper mills vegetable peeler apple corer stainless steel rings parchment paper cheesecloth ravioli cutter gnocchi board various sizes of cookie cutters flat edged (off set) serving spatula rimmed cookie sheets, 2 large 2 small steamer insert for pots pastry piping bags and nibs candy thermometer pizza peel and baking stone meat thermometer kitchen timer

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Places I like to Shop: Skipper Otto – a seafood co-operative in BC

skipperotto.com

Buy the Sea – Seafood, Penticton & Kelowna

buythesea.ca

The Lakehouse, Kelowna BC (kitchen wares)

lakehousehomestore.com

Oyama Sausage, Granville Island, Vancouver

oyamasausage.ca

Shades of Linen, Naramata BC

mynaramata.com/shadesoflinen

Valorosa Italian Delicatessen, Kelowna

valorosofoods.com

Deep Cove Market, North Saanich, BC

deepcovemarket.com

Muffet & Louisa, Sidney BC

muffetandlouisa.com

Galleon Books & Antiques, Sidney BC

Rod Laurie

Market Garden, Victoria BC

themarketgarden.ca

Satellite Fish Co. Sidney BC

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Arancini Basil Ice Cream and Watermelon Braised Cipollini Onions Caponata Fondue with Tuscan Toasts Grapefruit Slaw on Shiso Holy Poke Mushroom Wraps Prawn and Avocado Stacks Roasted Beets with Ricotta and Bacon Roasted Olives Scallops on Sweet Potato Purée Bruschetta Pomodoro Toulouse Kebabs with Roasted Tomato and Watermelon Purée Toulouse Sausage with Harissa Sauce

Arancini - Sicilian Rice Balls -

Photographs by Lucia White

ARANCINI - Sicilian

Rice Balls -

These crispy little balls are a bit of a labour of love, but worth the effort! You can add other elements to this dish, such as a little tomato sauce, peas, cilantro, or basil. You can make them smaller by using a melon baller for a bite-sized appetizer.

Remember: the better the bread, the better the crumbs.

1 hour

Serves 8 - 10

$

GF

V

1 c./236 ml. finely diced sweet onion 2 cloves garlic, finely diced 6 tbsp./90 ml. olive oil 2 c./475 ml. Arborio, Canaroli or Bomba rice 1 c./236 ml. white wine 3 c./700 ml. chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian version) salt & pepper, q.b.

2 tbsp./30 ml. shiitake mushroom powder 1 c./100 g. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan) 2 eggs, beaten 1 c. /100 g. mozzarella cheese (substitute fontina) cut into very small cubes 3 c./ 700 ml. dry breadcrumbs* 2 qt./2 L. canola oil * For a gluten free version, use GF panko crumbs or finely ground GF corn flakes.

Heat the wine and broth in a saucepan. Sauté onions and garlic in a large heavy skillet in olive oil until soft. Add the rice and sauté until the rice begins to appear translucent. Add the broth and wine to the rice about one cup at a time, stirring between additions as you would with risotto. Cook for 14-17 minutes, stirring constantly. Check to see if the rice is al dente (firm on the tooth but fully cooked). You want it to have some moisture left in it. Fold in grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, pepper, and mushroom powder. Place it in a covered bowl in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Preheat deep fryer to 350 degrees f.

If you don’t have a deep fryer, use a deep edged heavy skillet.

Using an ice cream scoop, or a melon baller, form rice mixture into balls and set them aside. You will want to put on gloves for this next part. Roll each ball in the whisked eggs. Push your thumb into the ball and insert a small cube of mozzarella cheese.

Re-shape into a nice, neat ball and roll it in breadcrumbs and set aside. Repeat. Deep fry the balls in canola oil until crispy and golden. It is best to do them 3 or 4 at a time to keep the oil at the right temperature. Let the oil come back to temperature before continuing. If they start to fall apart, try another method: coat them in a little flour, then in egg wash, then in crumbs. Set on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve warm or cold.

Special equipment: Deep fryer

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BASIL ICE CREAM ON WATERMELON Serves 20, makes 1 quart/litre 20 minutes, plus freezing time

$

GF

V

1 qt./1 L. Basic Ice Cream Recipe (see Dessert section) 1 large seedless watermelon, chilled 4 c./1 L. basil leaves

This is a light and refreshing appetizer or dessert for mid-summer. Use the freshest basil you can find and deep chill the watermelon before cutting.

Prepare the ice cream according to the basic recipe in the Dessert section.

In a small blender, combine 1 cup of clean basil leaves for each cup of the milk required in the basic ice cream recipe. Purée with a few spoons of the custard mixture and add to the custard just as it is finished cooking. Proceed to freeze in your ice cream maker according to its directions.

Put the watermelon in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting.

When the ice cream is frozen and just before serving, cut the watermelon into cubes all the same size, about 2 inches square.

With a small melon baller, scoop out a hole in the top of each cube. Fill the hole with the same size scoop of ice cream. Add basil leaf for garnish. Can also be served as an amuse-bouche: a palate refresher, between courses.

Special equipment: ice cream maker, melon baller

Palermo, Sicily

BRAISED CIPOLLINI ONIONS Serves 4 -6

These onions are the sweetest little dears. One of the farmers in North Saanich grows them so we are lucky enough to have them fresh several months of the year. The Deep Cove Market carries them. This is a nice-and-easy dish to serve with meat or poultry, or as an appetizer with pickles or olives.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

1 hour

$$

GF DF

24 medium-sized cipollini onions extra virgin olive oil balsamic vinegar rosemary or bay leaves salt & pepper, q.b.

V

Put the onions in a pot of boiling salted water and blanche them for one minute. Plunge them into an ice bath. Peel off the outer skin, leaving the root intact. Place the onions in a cast iron skillet or similar oven proof dish and bathe them in good olive oil and a dose of good balsamic. Sprinkle in some rosemary or bay leaves.

Salt and pepper if you like. Roast in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until they are caramelized. Turn them halfway through cooking to prevent burning. They will be done when they are soft right through.

CAPONATA Serves 4

$$

1 hour

GF DF

V

good quality olive oil 1 large eggplant 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium sweet onion, diced 1 tsp./15 ml. each fresh oregano and basil ½ c./120 ml. pitted and sliced olives 2 anchovy fillets (canned in oil) (omit for vegetarian) ¼ c./60 ml. salted capers, rinsed and soaked in water ¼ c. /60 ml. raisins pinch of smoked paprika 398 ml. tin fire roasted tomatoes 3 tsp./45 ml. good balsamic vinegar reduction ½ c. /120 ml. toasted slivered almonds salt & pepper, q.b. handful of cilantro or Italian parsley, minced

This makes a great side dish, or an appetizer spread for garlic toasts. Look for a firm eggplant, with a slight give, that feels heavier than it looks. Don’t be shy about using anchovy.

I promise it won’t taste fishy and it is necessary for the complexity of this southern Italian classic.

Slice the eggplant into rounds. Sprinkle them with salt and let sit on a clean tea towel for 20 minutes. Pat them dry with the towel after they sweat. Cut them into small cubes and sauté in olive oil for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and onions, sauté a further 10 minutes. Soak the capers in water for 15 minutes, then drain and add to the pan. Wash the anchovies under cold running water to remove the salt. Add them to the pan; they will melt away into a hint of savoury. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until it is all soft and happy. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can make this ahead and refrigerate at this point. Serve warm or cold. Garnish with toasted almonds and/or cilantro just before serving.

25

Fondue with Tuscan Toasts Serves 4

30 minutes

$$

V

1 loaf of Tuscan-style bread similar in size to a baguette olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled sea salt 1 package of fondue cheese mix fresh rosemary

I found a lovely pre-mixed pouch of fondue at Thrifty Foods. It is a blend of the appropriate cheeses in wine and kirsch and ready to use. Look for brand names such as Emmi and Swiss Knight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f.

Slice the bread on a diagonal in half-inch segments. Bake in oven until toasted and firm turning them once, about 15 minutes.

Brush them liberally with olive oil. Rub one side with the garlic clove – both sides if you love garlic. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

In a small cast iron pan, melt the fondue. Serve surrounded by the toasts and garnish with rosemary needles.

If you cannot locate the prepared fondue, try an equal mixture of grated Gruyére, fontina and Gouda, approximately 150 grams of each. Kootenay Alpine Cheese Co. in Creston, BC makes lovely alpine type cheeses and they would be great as well. If you use this method, grate the cheeses and then dredge them in a bit of corn starch to thicken. Melt in a heavy pot with ¾ cup dry white wine, a pinch of mustard powder, and a tablespoon of either kirsch, marsala, or brandy. Stir over low heat until the mixture is smooth.

27

Grapefruit Slaw on Shiso Leaf

GRAPEFRUIT SLAW ON SHISO LEAF Serves 4 - 6

$$

45 minutes

GF DF

1 large pink or ruby grapefruit ¼ green or red cabbage, finely shredded 1 green onion, diced 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced 4 tbsp./90 ml. Nonni’s vinaigrette in condiments section shiso leaves; one per person (substitute peppermint or large Thai basil leaves) pea shoots or watercress 4 tbsp./90 ml. toasted black sesame seeds

V

Shiso leaves, which are from the mint family, can be found at Japanese delicatessens. This recipe is intended to be a between-course amuse-bouche to cleanse the palate.

Shiso leaves are usually already clean. If in doubt, wash them carefully in cool water and lay them on a tea towel to dry.

To remove the grapefruit segments, you will have to supreme the grapefruit. You need a long thin sharp knife, such as a fish boning knife, for this operation. Cut both ends off the fruit.

Slice between the fruit and the peel following the rounded contour of the fruit. Repeat all the way around until you have just the fruit with no peel or inner membrane, removing as much of the white pith as possible with a paring knife. Carefully remove the segments between the membranes. You might want to practice on one fruit and finish on another. Have patience, you are learning how to supreme a citrus – a technique you can always use later. Set aside the grapefruit segments. Squeeze a tablespoon of juice from the practice fruit.

In a small bowl, make up your slaw by slicing the cabbage, onion, and celery very, very thinly. Use a mandoline if you have one or a very sharp boning knife. Add the vinaigrette and a splash of grapefruit juice. Place a spoonful of the slaw on each leaf and garnish with one grapefruit segment and some pea shoots or watercress. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds. You can use white sesame seeds, but the black ones will have a more dramatic effect if the salad plate is white.

Special equipment: mandoline (optional), boning knife

29

HOLY POKE! Serves 4 - 6

$$$

Poke (po-kay) in Hawaiian means to dice or cut up. To make this go further, add a stalk of diced celery and a can of diced water chestnuts. Serve with rice crackers in one hand and a Mai Tai in the other!

1 hour

GF DF

7 oz./200 g. sashimi grade ahi tuna, diced 2 cute little Japanese cucumbers, diced 1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced 2 green onions, diced 1 tsp./5 ml. red pepper flakes (or whatever you choose for heat) 2 tbsp./30 ml. toasted sesame seeds juice of 1 small lime 1 tsp./5 ml. sesame seed oil ⅓ c./75 ml. soya sauce (gluten free if an issue) 1 tsp./5 ml. grated ginger few drops of fish sauce (optional) 1 stalk celery, diced (optional) 1 small tin diced water chestnuts (optional) 1 handful cilantro, diced

Refrigerate a medium-sized ceramic bowl while dicing the ingredients.

Combine and gently mix all the ingredients in the chilled bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for a further 15 minutes to half hour but not longer. This dish doesn’t store well so enjoy while fresh.

MUSHROOM WRAPS Serves 8

$

1 hour

GF DF

1 400 g. package 8-inch round rice paper galettes (find in Asian market) 1 lb./450 g. fresh mushrooms, cleaned and chopped 2 tbsp./30 ml. good olive oil (substitute grapeseed or canola) 2 tbsp./30 ml. soya sauce (gf if necessary) 1 tsp./5 ml. fish sauce 1 tsp./5 ml. ginger juice (substitute a pinch of grated ginger) 2 tsp./10 ml. Pernod (substitute gin or Grand Marnier) 2 tbsp./30 ml. good quality balsamic vinegar 1 bag fresh bean sprouts (substitute water chestnuts diced) 2 spring onions, thinly sliced about 4 inches/10 cm. long ½ c./125 ml. fresh cilantro, minced (substitute basil) ½ c./125 ml. sweet chili sauce

I made these for a potluck dinner, and they flew off the plate! They are best with a variety of fresh mushrooms.

Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil in a large skillet for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the soya sauce, fish sauce, ginger, Pernod, and balsamic vinegar. Cook down until the sauce is thick.

Remove from heat.

Warm 2 inches of water in a 9- or 10-inch skillet. One at a time, dip the rice paper rounds into the water and let them sit for no more than 5 seconds. Remove with a large flat flipper onto a clean tea towel. Place a spoonful of the mushroom mix, a few bean sprouts, cilantro, and green onions in the middle of the rice paper in a horizontal position so you have a little log about 4 x 1 inches/10 cm x 2.5 cm.

Fold the bottom half of the circle up, the right side over towards the left and the left towards the right. Tucking as you go, roll it from the bottom to the top so you have a nice tight, neat little package.

Repeat until you have no material left. Put some sweet chilli sauce beside each bundle for dipping.

31

Prawn & Avocado Stacks

PRAWN AND AVOCADO STACKS Serves 4

$$$

If you cannot find beautiful BC spot prawns, try the frozen Argentinian ocean wild variety. Buy a couple of extra avocados because sometimes they are brown inside, and they must be perfect to pull this off.

45 minutes

GF DF

20 large spot prawns, beheaded juice of two lemons 3 or 4 large avocados (firm but ripe) 3 tbsp./45 ml. good olive oil 1 tbsp./15 ml. pumpkin or hazelnut oil 1 tbsp./15 ml. lemon juice pinch powdered mustard salt & pepper, q.b.

1 can fried onion rings (optional and not gluten free) 4 branches of fresh tarragon or sage ¼ c./225 g. canola or grape seed oil for frying

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the prawns, cooking them for 3 minutes or just until they turn pink. After they are cool, remove the shells (keep the water and shells for broth). Slice them in half on the long side (down the back).

Remove black vein if visible. Refrigerate.

Juice the lemon into a soup plate. Peel the avocados and slice uniformly, dipping each slice in lemon juice to prevent it from browning. There is a dandy tool called an avocado slicer that will give you perfect slices. Keep the leftover juice for the salad dressing.

Fry the tarragon or sage in oil until crispy and transfer to a piece of paper towel.

Using a 3-inch stainless steel cylinder, assemble the four stacks on four white serving plates, starting with the avocado slices and then alternating with the prawn slices and fried onions until you have used up all the ingredients. Mix the oils, mustard, salt and pepper and the lemon juice together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour a little of the marinade over each stack. Garnish with fried onion ring bits, sesame seeds, or herbs. Place a branch of fried tarragon or sage on top of each stack. If you must make this ahead, cover completely with plastic wrap to prevent the avocado from browning and apply the garnishes just before serving.

Special equipment: 3-inch cylinder, avocado slicer

33

ROASTED BEETS WITH RICOTTA & BACON Serves 8

Remove from oven and let cool. Using surgical gloves, peel the beets and slice them in ¼ inch/ ½ cm. slices, thin enough to bend without splitting. If you have a mandoline, this is the time to put it to use.

1 hour and 30 mins

$$

Cut the tops off the beets and bring them to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Drain and place on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with tin foil or parchment. Brush with olive oil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees f. until fork can easily pierce them.

GF

4 medium-large beets (best in season) ¼ c./75 ml. olive oil plus some for drizzle 1 c./250 ml. ricotta cheese* ¼ c./75 ml. bacon bits, precooked fresh herbs, minced butter lettuce (optional) *The recipe for homemade ricotta can be found in the Condiments section.

Combine the ricotta with the bacon and any fresh herbs you wish.

Place a teaspoon of the cheese mixture on half of a beet slice and fold it in half, securing with a toothpick if necessary. Arrange on a nice platter and garnish with herbs and another drizzle of olive oil.

Special equipment: mandoline, toothpicks, surgical gloves.

ROASTED OLIVES Serves 6 - 8

$

This recipe came from my dear friend Dawn and, like her, is enjoyed by all.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

20 minutes

GF DF

V

zest of an orange 2 c./285 g. mixed colourful olives 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or oregano (1 tsp./5 ml. if dried) 1 tsp./5 ml. chili pepper flakes or chili pepper 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil

Score the olives with an “X” on one end. Combine all ingredients in a greased cast iron pan. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, turning once.

Serve warm on a plain, coloured platter. If your oven is occupied, you can prepare these on the stove-top in a stick-free fry pan on medium-high heat in just a few minutes. Makes a great appetizer.

Set out some small bowls for pits.

35

SCALLOPS ON SWEET POTATO PURÉE Serves 6 - 8 as an apppetizer

30 minutes

$$$

GF DF

2 large orange sweet potatoes 2 tbsp./30 ml. whipping cream 1 tsp./5 ml. cinnamon salt & pepper, q.b.

1 fat scallop per person + 1 for testing 4 tbsp./60 ml. Advieh spice blend (recipe in Condiments section) olive oil parsley or cilantro for garnish, minced

This is such a beautiful dish and really showcases our West Coast scallops, when available. Digby scallops will work just as well.

To make the purée, peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Be sure they are the orange or bright yellow variety. Boil them in salted water until tender. Drain and place them on a dinner plate. Place another dinner plate on top plus something heavy like a large can of beans. Let sit for 30 minutes or until most of the moisture has seeped out. Drain off excess liquid. Purée them in a blender with whipping cream and cinnamon. Add salt and pepper as you like. Fill a piping bag with this mixture. Wrap it in a towel to keep it warm.

Set the scallops out on a clean tea towel and pat them dry. Roll them in the Advieh blend of spices. Bring the olive oil to medium heat in a large stick-free frying pan. Fry the scallops in the oil, 4 or 5 at a time for about 2 minutes on each side. Check your tester scallop for doneness. They should be just barely cooked and slightly translucent in the middle.

Transfer to paper towel to soak up the oil. Pipe the purée onto plate(s), then carefully set the scallop on the purée. Garnish with fresh herbs.

37

BRUSCHETTA POMODORO Serves 8

$

15 minutes

DF

V

½ loaf of Italian bread or baguette, sliced good olive oil 1 large garlic clove 3 or 4 ripe tomatoes handful of basil leaves, chiffonade* ½ c./125 g. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (optional – substitute parmesan) salt & pepper, q.b. * Chiffonade is a slicing technique in which leafy green vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard, or a flat-leafed herb like basil are rolled up and then cut into long, thin strips.

I like to make these in August when the tomatoes are ripe on the vine and bursting with flavour.

Toast the bread slices until well done, but not burned. Rub each piece with a slice of raw garlic. Using a silicone brush, coat the toasts liberally with olive oil on both sides. (Make ahead to this point.)

Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the juice and seeds with a small spoon. Turn them upside down on paper towel for 15 minutes to absorb any remaining juice. Dice the remaining tomato flesh into small bits, coat with olive oil, and spoon it onto the toasts. You can make these in advance but leave applying the tomato to the last few minutes so the toast doesn’t become soggy.

You can also add fresh herbs, a little minced garlic, or grated cheese. If adding cheese, pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes to melt it. A good choice would be parmesan, fontina, or even mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper as you like.

Special equipment: silicone brush

TOULOUSE KEBABS WITH ROASTED TOMATO & WATERMELON PUREE Serves 4

$$

1 hour

GF

1 small seedless watermelon, peeled and cubed 2 large ripe tomatoes, whole 2 tbsp./30 ml. heavy cream or mascarpone 2 Toulouse sausages – about 5 inches long, 5 oz./150 g. (1 sausage per two guests for appetizer and 1 per person for main) – substitute your favourite sausage 1 large red bell pepper, cut into small squares 1 medium-sized sweet onion, cut into small squares 8 medium-sized mushrooms grape vine or wooden skewers fresh herbs, minced for garnish

We buy Toulouse pork sausages from Oyama Meats on Granville Island – they are just about the best thing ever; slightly sweet and very juicy. Methinks there is a lot of lard in those puppies.

Soak skewers or vines in water for several hours so they won’t burn on the BBQ. Using a BBQ mat, sear the watermelon and tomatoes until they are charred. Remove and cool. When cool, run the tomatoes and watermelon through a blender and then a sieve to remove skin and seeds. Add the cream to the purée and blend once again. Chill if making in advance. Before turning off the barbeque, grill the onions, mushrooms, and red pepper until they are soft but not thoroughly cooked. Set them aside to cool or refrigerate if making in advance.

Fill a large skillet with an inch of water. Add the sausages and cook them on medium high without poking them until all the water evaporates, turning frequently, about 20 minutes.

Continue to cook until they are slightly browned all around. Let them cool and slice into coins. Chill if making in advance.

To assemble, heat the BBQ to 350 degrees f. Load four skewers, alternating between onion, red pepper, mushrooms, and sausage coins. Sear them on the BBQ mat until the sausage and veggies are slightly charred. This will only take a few minutes because the meat and veggies are pre-cooked.

Spoon the watermelon purée onto 4 serving plates and place a seared skewer on top of each. Garnish with fresh mint, basil, or cilantro.

39

TOULOUSE SAUSAGE WITH HARISSA SAUCE Serves 4

$$

30 minutes

GF

DF

2 Toulouse sausages – about 5 inches long, 5 oz./ 150 g. (1 sausage per two guests for appetizer and 1 per person for main) – substitute your favourite sausage ½ c./120 ml. harissa sauce (available in most middle eastern delicatessens) Garnish: sage, basil, or thyme

You can make this dish with any fresh sausage really, but the Toulouse sausage from Oyama Meats on Granville Island is truly an incredible taste experience. Buy an extra snorker for test-tasting.

Fill a large skillet with an inch of water. Add the sausages and cook them on medium high until all the water evaporates, turning frequently without poking them; about 20 minutes.

Continue to cook until they are nicely browned all over but still moist inside. Let them cool and slice into coins. Add a squirt of Harissa sauce to each coin, arrange on a platter and garnish with sage, basil, or thyme.

Basic Pizza Dough Breakfast Bread Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Italian Bread Rolls Lucia’s Grissini Mistaken Identity Sweet Bread

Basic Pizza Dough

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH Makes 2, 10-inch pizzas 1 hour

$

DF

V

1 ½ tsp./5 g/7 ml. active yeast 1 c./250 ml. warm water 1 tsp./15 ml. sugar 1 c./120 g. whole wheat flour 2 ¼ c./300 g. unbleached white flour extra virgin olive oil specialty or sea salt cornmeal Suggested toppings: skim coat of pesto sauce thinly sliced mixed mushrooms thinly sliced patty pans, tomatoes or zucchini handful of mozzarella cheese, grated skim coat of tomato sauce 1/4 portobello mushroom, sliced thinly 2 large oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 regular white mushrooms, thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced Sprigs of rosemary and basil 3 cloves garlic, minced and sautéed in olive oil a handful of mozzarella or fontina cheese, grated

If you don’t have a pizza stone or paddle, you can use a round pizza pan (preferably with holes) or a mesh BBQ mat but be sure to put a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips.

Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water and set aside for 10 minutes. Sift the flours and salt into a stand mixer bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour the water and yeast mixture and a tablespoon of olive oil in the well. Mix with a dough hook until completely incorporated. This can also be done the old-fashioned way right on the countertop with your hands. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour. If it is too dry, add a little more water. It should be pliable and not stick to your fingers.

Wipe a fresh bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside.

Cover with a tea towel and let it sit in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. You can keep it in the refrigerator at this stage until needed (up to 2 days).

Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees f.

When the dough has risen, throw it down (forcefully) on a clean, dusted work surface. Do this several times until it flattens out.

Sprinkle a little corn meal on the surface so the dough does not stick. Divide the dough in half. Using the palms of your hands, massage half of the dough into a circular or rectangular shape about 10 inches (25 cm.) in width. Put the other half back in the covered bowl unless you plan to cook both at the same time.

Assemble all of your toppings so they are ready to use in this next step. Use a dusted rolling pin to even the dough out, the thinner the better. If you have a peel, dust it first with flour and cornmeal, then place the flattened dough on the peel. Quickly dress with toppings – traditionally there would be no more than three.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on some specialty salt or sea salt before sliding it on to the pre-heated stone in a jerking motion. Bake for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on whether you are using a BBQ or an oven. It will be done when the cheese is melted, and it is nicely browned on the edges and underneath. If you don’t have a pizza stone, slide the dough onto a meshed BBQ mat on a baking sheet.

Special equipment: rolling pin, pizza peel (paddle), pizza stone

43

Breakfast Bread

BREAKFAST BREAD Makes 2-3 large loaves 3 hours

$$

DF

V

2 c./475 ml. warm water 2 ¼ tsp./8 g./12 ml. package of dry yeast ½ c./100 g. white sugar pinch of salt ¼ c. Mykonos vegan butter, softened (substitute real butter or vegetable oil) 1 egg yolk 5 to 6 c./500-600 g. bread flour

Whisk together: 1 egg 2 tbsp./30 ml. oat milk

During COVID-19, I started baking bread like many others. Our neighbours love the texture and flavour of this bread. I think the vegan butter makes a huge difference, even though it is expensive. This recipe makes about 3 pounds of dough. You can make 2 large loaves or 3 smaller ones. I find most people don’t eat a whole loaf before it gets stale so I have started making 3 smaller ones and that way I can share two of them with friends. Weigh the dough out on a scale to get consistent sizes.

Combine the water, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar in the bottom of a stand mixer. Attach the dough hook. Let it bubble for about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar, salt, and vegan butter.

Turn the mixer on low speed and start adding the flour, a little at a time. When it comes away from the bowl and is not sticky you have added enough flour. If you have some left over, save it for dusting your prep board. Knead the dough by machine or by hand for at least 8 minutes. Grease the inside of a large bowl.

Put the dough in and cover with a damp tea towel. Let it rise in the sun or a warm place for about an hour. (If you don’t have a warm spot, fill a tea pot half full of boiling water and set the bowl of dough on top.) After the dough has risen, put it back in the stand mixer bowl and knead for another few minutes. Divide the dough in half (or thirds); roll each piece into a log and place them in two (or three) greased bread or loaf pans. Cover with greased paper or a clean damp tea towel. Let rise again until it fills three quarters of the pan. In the time that you are waiting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. When the bread has risen sufficiently, brush on the egg and oat milk wash.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the pans once during baking.

The time will be determined by the shape and type of pan you are using. Glass takes a bit longer than metal. The loaves should be golden brown on top. Cool and remove loaves from pan as soon as it’s safe to do so.

45

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD Makes 2 dozen muffins and 1 mini loaf or 2 loaves 90 minutes

$$

GF DF

V

1 c./250 ml. finely chopped toasted hazelnuts (substitute pistachio, pecan, walnut or a mixture) 1 c./250 ml. raisins (substitute currants) 2 dates, pitted and diced 3 or 4 very ripe bananas, mashed ¾ c./180 ml. white sugar ¾ c./180 ml. dark brown sugar 3 large eggs 1 tsp./15 ml. vanilla 1/3 c./60 ml. hazelnut oil 1/3 c./60 ml. camelina oil (substitute red bran or olive oil) 1 c./250 ml. all-purpose (gf) cake flour 1 tsp./15 ml. baking soda 1 tsp./15 ml. baking powder pinch of salt ½ tsp./7 ml. corn starch 1 tsp./15 ml. Chinese five spice (substitute cinnamon) 2 tbsp./30 ml. candied citrus peel (substitute candied Buddha’s Hand peel or zest from one orange) ¼ c. 75 ml. hemp seed (optional) ½ c./120 ml. desiccated coconut 1 c./250 ml. almond meal flour 1 c./250 ml. semi sweet dark chocolate chips

Even people who are not gluten intolerant will like this bread. It makes lovely healthy muffins too. However, if you are sending them to school be aware of all the nuts (in the bread).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Toast the nuts in a small frying pan until they start to turn brown, being careful not to burn them. When cool, chop finely. Soak the raisins and dates in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Combine bananas, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and oil together in a food processor or stand mixer. Blend well.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cornstarch, and five spice together. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, blending just enough to remove any lumps.

Stir in candied citrus peel, hemp seed, coconut, almond meal, chocolate chips, dates, raisins and nuts until just coated. Pour into two greased loaf pans (or 2 greased muffin tins and a mini loaf pan) and bake. Edges should nicely browned. Muffins or loaves will shrink away from the pan when done.

Muffins take about 25 minutes to cook while loaves take about an hour depending on the size. Cool before removing from pan to avoid loaf from sticking. It also helps to use paper liners, sprayed with cooking oil.

47

Italian Bread Rolls

ITALIAN BREAD ROLLS Makes 12 - 14 rolls 2 hours

$ 4 ½ tsp./2 x 8 g. pkg./24 ml. instant bread yeast 2 c./475 ml. warm water 7-8 c./840-960 g. bread flour, plus some for dusting 4 tbsp./60 ml. lard 1 tsp./30 ml. salt pinch of sugar pinch of saffron powder ½ c./50 g. grated parmesan cheese 1 egg, beaten

Put the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a large bowl. If you have a stand mixer, use the metal bowl. Let it soften for 10-15 minutes. Put the bowl under the kneading tool. If you don’t have a machine to help you with this, knead the dough on a clean counter-top dusted with flour for the same amount of time.

Turn the mixer on the lowest setting and begin to add the salt, lard, and flour, one cup at a time. Add the saffron. You may need more or less flour, depending on the type of flour you choose.

Knead on setting 2 for 8-10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add a little more flour until it is soft to the touch but not sticky. If it is too dry, add a teaspoon of water.

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap that has been coated with olive oil. Sit the bowl on top of a tea pot that has been filled with boiling water. Let it rise for 30 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap and knead again for another 15 minutes.

Cover with the plastic wrap again and let rise again for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Adjust shelves to the middle two if you have four rack positions; the top and the middle if you have three.

Cut the dough into 6 or 7 portions, depending on the size of roll you prefer. One at a time, roll them on a flour-dusted cutting board into a long rectangle. Cut them in half diagonally to form two long triangles, trimming the rough edges. Sprinkle cheese on before rolling. Roll it up like a croissant and dab a little water on the pointed end to secure it to the roll. Cover the rest of the dough with a tea towel so it doesn’t dry out while you are forming your rolls. Brush the egg over the rolls. This will give them a luscious shiny finish.

Place the rolls on two greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning the trays once during baking.

The time will depend on your oven and how large or small your (bread) rolls are.

49

Olive Wood Fired Oven

LUCIA’S GRISSINI Makes 2 dozen 1 hour

$

V

2 ⅔ c./340 g. bread flour 2 ¼ tsp./8 g./12 ml. instant yeast 1 tsp./5 ml. sea salt 1 tsp./5 ml. crushed fennel seeds (substitute rosemary, sage, caraway or sesame) ¼ tsp./pinch of smoked paprika ¼ c./25 g. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan) 1 c./235 ml. warm milk (use oat or almond milk for vegetarian) 3 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil

These bread sticks are like gold to Lucia’s friends. If you are lucky, you might get a bouquet of them as a gift.

Combine the flour, yeast, salt, fennel, cheese and paprika in a large bowl. Add the warm milk and olive oil. Mix by hand until the dough comes together. Knead the dough until it is smooth on a flour dusted work area for about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for an hour. Roll the dough out on a floured work area into a rectangle about 12 x 15 inches. Cut into strips about ½ inch wide. Roll each strip into a rope as consistent in size as possible. Place the strips in rows on a parchment-lined cooking tray, leaving space for them to rise again.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees f.

Cover them with a clean tea towel and let them sit in a warm spot for 15 to 20 minutes. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them half-way through. Cool completely. Use the rimmed baking trays rather than the flat cookie sheets. The cookie sheets are thicker and require more time in the oven and, with the rim, they won’t slide off by accident!

Photograph by Lucia White

51

Mistaken Identity Sweet Bread

MISTAKEN IDENTITY SWEET BREAD

When making gnocchi for a dinner party, Lucia and I experimented by making the gnocchi with orange sweet potatoes. The result was a disaster. We hated to waste the dough, so we decided to make bread on a whim. It was the most amazing bread ever. In Canada, we call the orange variety sweet potatoes, and the yellow variety yams, the opposite of our American friends.

Makes 1 loaf or 1 dozen buns

Preheat oven to 350 degree f.

2.5 hours

Bake the sweet potato in the oven for 45 minutes or until soft. I like to wrap it in parchment, so it doesn’t leak all over the tray.

Cool. Remove skin and press through a potato ricer into a large bowl. If you don’t have a ricer, try a sturdy colander or sieve.

$

DF

V

13 oz./375 g. orange sweet potato (a big one) 2 ¼ tsp./8 g. pkg./12 ml. instant bread yeast 3 c./360 g. all-purpose flour 1 small egg, beaten 1 tsp./5 ml. salt 2 tsp./10 ml. dried rosemary 1 tbsp./15 ml. Thai basil sea salt (substitute regular sea salt and dry basil) 1 egg, beaten for egg wash (optional)

Put the yeast in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the potato, yeast, egg, salt, and most of flour. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed.

Keep adding the remaining flour until you have a mixture that is soft and smooth. If it is too sticky add a little more flour. If it is too dry, add a little water. If you don’t have a stand mixer, this can be done by hand in a deep bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for an hour in a warm place.

Punch the dough down and add rosemary. Form into a log and place in a greased bread tin or loaf pan. Let it rise until double in size. If you think there is too much dough for one pan, pinch off a bit and make a couple of buns. Apply egg wash if you like.

Sprinkle the top with Thai basil sea salt.

Bake for about 45 minutes, checking periodically. Turn half-way through baking time. It should begin to pull away from the tin and have a golden-brown top when done. Remove from oven.

After 5 minutes, turn tin on side so the loaf falls out when it’s ready.

We used rosemary but you could substitute cumin or fennel seeds or whatever you have on hand. Ditto with the sea salt.

Special equipment: potato ricer or sieve

53

Braised Brussels Sprouts Candied Orange Slices Italian Meringue Cookies Nürnberger Elisenlebkuchen Panforte Poppycock Roasted Chestnuts Gramma D’s Scottish Skirlie Sticky Toffee Pudding Tom & Jerry’s

BRAISED BRUSSELS SPROUTS Serves 4 -6

$

DF

45 minutes

GF

V

1 lb/ 500 g. Brussels sprouts, uniform and medium in size 2 strips of thick meaty bacon, cut into small bits (omit for vegetarian) 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp./30 ml. good olive oil (optional) 2 tbsp./ 30 ml. thick balsamic vinegar salt & pepper, q.b.

People either love Brussels sprouts or they hate them. My mother used to refer to them as dirty little cabbages; she never was one to sit on the fence regardless of the topic. On the other hand, I love these darling little cabbages. This is a great make ahead recipe for Christmas dinner.

Clean the Brussels sprouts by soaking in cold water. Peel off outside leaves if they are discoloured or damaged. Score an X in the bottom of the stem to allow for even cooking. Steam for 8 minutes on medium high heat – until they are partially cooked.

Remove from heat, run under cold water, drain and cool. Cut them in half and set aside on a kitchen towel to absorb moisture. In a large heavy skillet, fry the bacon on medium high heat. When the bacon is half cooked, add the garlic and the sprouts and fry until they are crispy on the outside, about 8 minutes, or until they are browned on the inside cut. If there is insufficient oil left from the bacon, add some good olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired, but there should be enough salt from the bacon. If, during the process of frying the sprouts, your garlic begins to brown, remove it immediately and add it back in at the end. You want it to be crispy, but it does burn easily. Drizzle with a thick balsamic vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

55

Candied Orange Slices or Peel

CANDIED ORANGE SLICES OR PEEL Makes about 3 dozen 2 hours

$$

DF GF V

8 seedless oranges (medium sized) 4 c./1 L. water 7 c./1.4 kg. white sugar 1 c. /200 g. caster or berry sugar Lindor 80% cacao pre-tempered chocolate (optional)

I like to make these in November so I have the peel for making Christmas cakes and puddings. The oranges are at their best in the late fall. I have candied persimmons this way as well with lovely results.

Ask the grocer for the freshest, most flavourful brand of seedless orange. Wash the oranges in mild detergent and dry. Slice the oranges in half lengthwise, and then cut them into ¼ to ½ inch slices. Nip off the ends if they are rough. Put them in a large pot and add water to half the capacity of the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain. This step takes out any bitterness in the peel.

Bring the water to a boil in a large heavy pot and add the white sugar. Reduce heat to low and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the oranges and any little end bits. (You can choose to do strips at this point as well). Cover the mixture with a lid that is slightly smaller than the pot, so that the oranges remain submerged while they cook down. Simmer fully submerged for one hour. Cool to room temperature.

Lay the slices down on 2 layers of paper towel. Lay 2 more layers of paper towel on top and pat down to soak up some of the moisture. Lay some parchment or waxed paper on a large cookie tray. Place a cookie rack over top. Lay the orange slices on the cookie rack, allowing any excess syrup to drip onto the paper. Put the tray in the oven and leave the oven light on.

Dry for 24 hours. If it is very humid, you may wish to turn the oven on the lowest setting for several hours or dehydrate if you have that setting. Once they are dry enough to touch without being sticky, dust with caster sugar and store in an airtight container. A nice finish is to dip half of the orange slice into melted dark chocolate. Allow to dry on parchment paper before packaging.

You can also use this same method for candied orange peel, lemon peel, or Buddha’s Hand. Cut the ends off. Cut the orange in quarters; remove the pulp carefully, then cut the peel into ¼ inch strips. Remove any excess pith. Process in the same manner.

They make wonderful little bundles, especially if you dip some of them in chocolate. Store in a cool dry place up to 2 weeks.

Orange water syrup: Strain the leftover sugar water through a fine sieve. Bring to a boil in the same large pot. Simmer until it has reduced to the consistency of maple syrup – approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool and bottle. This syrup is wonderful on pancakes, waffles or as a glaze for ham or a cake. It will keep in the fridge for several months.

57

Italian Meringue Cookies

ITALIAN MERINGUE COOKIES Makes about 36 small cookies 1 hour, plus waiting time

$

DF

GF

V

8 large egg whites @ room temperature pinch of cream of tartar (substitute ½ tsp. of white vinegar) pinch of salt 1 tbsp./15 ml. corn starch 2 c./360 g./500 ml. berry sugar 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla extract

My Nonni used to make these for Christmas. I could, and often did, eat the whole works myself!

Preheat oven to 235 degrees f.

Flavour options include 1 or 2 tsp. of at least one the following: vanilla, cocoa powder, diced candied orange peel or ginger, peppermint flavouring, 1 c./250 ml. shredded coconut, or toasted and ground nuts.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking sheets. Make sure your bowl is very clean, with no oils or other material in it. In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on slow for one minute and then increase to medium until soft peaks form.

Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue whisking. Mix the corn starch into the sugar. Slowly add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time with 15 seconds between each addition and whisk on medium high for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pick a bit up between your fingers. The mixture should be very smooth and not granular. If you can turn the bowl upside down without it sliding out, it is done. At this point you can add flavourings and fold in coconut or ground nuts, if desired.

Use a star-fitted piping bag or spoon to create little 2-inch cookies on the sheet leaving a bit of space between in case they expand.

If you chose to add peel, nuts, or coconut for flavouring you will have to form the cookies with a spoon as they will clog up your piping nib. Bake for 1 ½ hours and then turn the oven off and leave them to dry in the oven for another few hours or overnight.

If you like them a little soft and chewy inside, take them out of the oven after the hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; however, the softer version will not keep that long.

59

Nürnberger Elisenlebkuchen Photograph by Lucia White

NÜRNBERGER ELISENLEBKUCHEN Makes 2 dozen 1 hour

$$

This is one of my dear friend Lucia’s wonderful Christmas recipes. You may find Back-Oblaten edible wafers in a German delicatessen in the fall. If you cannot source the wafers, which form the edible base, use sheets of rice paper (available at most Asian markets) and cut circles about 2 inches (50mm) in diameter. Dr. Oetker flavourings are also found in European-style delicatessens.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

DF GF V

24 Back-Oblaten edible wafers* 2 eggs 1 c./200 g. white sugar pinch of salt 1 package /70 g. vanilla sugar (from delicatessen) pinch of cloves and nutmeg 1 tsp./5 ml. cinnamon ½ small vial of rum flavouring (Dr. Oetker) (substitute 1 tsp./5 ml. rum) zest of 3 lemons, finely grated 3 oz./75 gr. almond paste, softened 4 oz./200 g. toasted and ground almonds 4 oz./200 g. toasted and ground hazelnuts ½ c./85 g. candied citrus peel 1 tsp./5 ml. baking powder

Toast the nuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes until they start to release their oils. Cool and grind in a spice or coffee grinder.

Careful not to burn them!

Beat whole eggs until foamy. Add sugar and vanilla sugar slowly.

Continue beating until thick and yellow. Add all flavourings, salt, softened almond paste, and lemon zest. Add the ground nuts into which the baking powder has been mixed. Finally, add the mixed peel. Roll the dough into tiny balls about the size of a nutmeg. It should be the consistency of a rum ball. Place one in the centre of an Oblaten wafer allowing a little room for expansion. Test the size by baking it for 22-25 minutes. If it fills the wafer you can proceed with the rest of the dough. Adjust the size of the balls accordingly. Adjust the heat as well if you find they are browning too quickly. If you can’t find the wafers, you can easily bake these on parchment but don’t try to eat it! Ice the cookies with prepared glaze right after baking. Cool and store in airtight container up to 14 days.

Special equipment: Oblaten wafers or rice paper. *The Oblaten wafers are not gluten-free, but the rice paper is.

Glaze – Mix together: ⅔ c./5 oz. icing sugar 1-2 tbsp./15-30 ml. hot water or lemon juice

61

PANFORTE Makes 16 squares 1 hour

$$

Panforte, meaning strong bread, is believed to have originated in Sienna in the 13th century. I like to soften it in the microwave for about 15 seconds before eating a piece, so I don’t lose my fillings. This is Lucia’s version of panforte which I am sure has been handed down for generations.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f.

DF GF V

½ c./125 ml. flour (use almond meal for GF) 2 tbsp./30 ml. cocoa powder, plus more for dusting 1 tsp./5 ml. cinnamon pinch each of nutmeg and clove 2 ½ c./315 g. chopped nuts (hazelnuts and almonds for example) 1 ½ c. /225 g. dried figs, chopped ½ c./ 45 g. candied orange peel, finely diced 1 c./170 g. dark chocolate chips ⅔ to 1 c./200-230 ml. honey 1 tsp. /5 ml. almond extract 1 tsp./5 ml. sherry

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, except the honey. Grease a 9-inch round pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides with parchment. Heat the honey in a small pot until it boils. Pour the honey over the mixture and stir quickly to combine. Press batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes turning twice while cooking. Remove from oven and cool. While still warm, cut into wedges or bite-sized squares. Wrap each piece separately if they are for gifting. Sift cocoa powder on top before serving.

63

POPPYCOCK Makes 13 cups 30 minutes

$

DF GF

V

13 c./3 L. popped popcorn (approximately ½ c. of kernels) 1 1/3 c./268 g. white sugar 1 c./225g. butter (substitute vegan butter for dairy free and vegan) ½ c./120 ml. Crown Lily ™ white corn syrup (substitute Roger’s™ Golden syrup) ½ tsp./pinch cream of tarter ½ tsp./pinch baking soda 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla extract (substitute flavouring of your choice) 2 generous handfuls of your favourite nuts (I love pecans or hazelnuts)

This is another great recipe Lucia gave me. It only seems to appear at her house at Christmas. She buys the popcorn already popped at the Dollar Store and it works out fantastically well.

But you can pop your own if you are so inclined, in which case I would recommend an air popper. Microwaved popcorn may be too tough for this purpose.

Bring the butter, sugar, syrup, cream of tarter to a hard boil stage (250 degrees f.) in a tall pot. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda, vanilla, and nuts. Lay the popped popcorn out on a parchment lined baking tray. Pour the hot mixture over the popcorn and mix it until the popcorn and nuts are well coated.

Let it cool and enjoy! You can store it in airtight containers, but it won’t last long enough to bother.

Special equipment: candy thermometer, air popper.

Photograph by Lucia White

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees f.

Serves 5 - 6 30 minutes

$$

At the beginning of the Christmas season, we would always have a feed of roasted chestnuts. Dad would bring them home from the Italian deli when they were fresh from Italy. In most cities in Italy and even Vancouver, you will find vendors roasting these on a brazier on street corners in the late fall and winter.

DF GF V

2 lbs/4.5 kg. fresh (edible) chestnuts (2 or 3 per person)

With a large sharp knife, score an X horizontally on each chestnut. Be sure to pierce the outer skin as they are like potatoes in the sense they will explode if you don’t. Put them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with water. Roast them in the oven, on the middle rack, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Take one out to test; it should be soft and moist inside.

Remove from oven and spread on a clean tea towel. Wrap them and put it in the centre of the table within everyone’s reach. To eat, peel the outer shell off and eat the flesh. Serve with Vin Santo or port at the end of a meal – or all by themselves as a snack.

65

GRAMMA D’S SCOTTISH SKIRLIE Serves 12

1 hour

$

GF

4 c./ 800 g. steel cut oats, gluten free if that is an issue 1 c./½ lb./225 g. butter 3 stalks celery, finely diced 1 yellow onion, finely diced ½ bottle /25 g. of dried sage or poultry seasoning ½ c./125 ml. white wine 1 c./235 ml. turkey or chicken broth salt & pepper, q. b.

This recipe is from Wayne’s mother. She died too young and I didn’t get to know her well but the few times we did meet we shared a common love of food (and, of course, her son). Wayne makes this dish whenever we have turkey. It’s a substitute for stuffing and is cooked on top of the stove rather than in the bird.

It’s pretty good fried up with eggs the next day if there are leftovers.

Sauté the celery in some of the butter. Add the onions. When they are both soft and translucent (but not browned), add the rest of the butter and the oats. Mix this all together. Add the wine and stir for a few minutes. Add the broth and poultry seasoning a little at a time. Taste as you go so you get the seasoning the way you like it. Some like it strong, others mild. Stir occasionally, to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.

Reduce heat to low and let the oats simmer until they have thickened and there is no liquid remaining (about 15-20 minutes), stirring often. Salt and pepper to taste. You can make this ahead and warm it up just before serving.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

This is a great recipe for making ahead of time and warming up before serving. If the meal has been a heavy one, try serving a smaller quantity of this in an elegant demi-tasse cup. It will wrap up the evening with a smile.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Serves 8 - 10

$$

1 hour

V

1 1/2 c./225 g. fresh Medjool dates, pitted ½ c. /120 ml. boiling water ½ c. /115 g. softened butter 1 c./200 g. sugar 2 large eggs, beaten 2 knobs of candied ginger, diced (about the size of a date) 1 ¼ c./150 g. cake or all-purpose flour 1 tsp./5 ml. baking soda 1 tbsp./15 ml. baking powder 2 tsp./10 ml. instant coffee 1 tsp./5 ml. Chinese five spice (substitute allspice) pinch of cinnamon 1/3 c./80 ml. table or light cream fresh lemon or orange peel whipped cream (optional)

Soak the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. If you are not using fresh Medjool dates, add 1 tsp. of baking soda to the water.

Drain, dice, and set them aside. Sift dry ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add dry ingredients alternately with eggs, adding one egg at a time. Add the dates, cream, ginger, and spices stirring until all ingredients are well incorporated, as you would if making muffins. Fill greased muffin tins ¾ full. Bake 22 minutes for small muffins and 30 minutes for larger muffins.

These will store nicely in a cool place in an airtight container for up to a week. Re-heat in a steamer or in the oven for fifteen minutes before serving. To serve, put the muffin in a teacup or a fruit nappy and pour warm toffee sauce over.

Toffee Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 5 or 6 minutes on low until sugar is melted.

Toffee Sauce: ¾ c. /170 g. unsalted butter 1 c./213 g. light brown sugar 6 oz./170 g English double cream (substitute whipping cream) 1 tbsp./15 ml. rum or Grand Marnier (optional)

67

TOM & JERRY’S Serves 14 - 16 20 minutes

$$

My parents hosted a Christmas eve party for dozens of years. The star of the show was this luscious drink. All of our friends would come, drink two of these and either pass out or move on to the next party. My father always made the batter on the spot and part of the fun was watching him prepare it. If you are trying to conserve on calories or budget, you can use boiling water instead of milk. (wink) Whisk the eggs, butter, sugar and spices together until very light and fluffy; about 8 minutes in a stand mixer.

GF

8 eggs ¾ c./150 g. white or brown sugar ¼ c./75 g. melted butter 1 tbsp./15 ml. vanilla extract 1 tbsp./15 ml. cinnamon 1 tbsp./15 ml. nutmeg 1 tbsp./15 ml. cloves 2 qt./2 L. warm whole milk rum brandy chocolate shavings, optional

V

Preheat the mugs. Pour a half ounce each of rum and brandy, give or take, in each mug. Add a generous spoonful of the egg mix. Fill the mugs with warm milk. Sprinkle with more spice or chocolate shavings. alla Salute!

69

Besciamella Sauce Homemade Ricotta Cheese Mom’s Blackberry Jelly Mango Jam Peach Chutney Soffritto Canned Tomato Sauce Fresh Tomato Sauce Catalina Style Dressing Chermoula Sauce Pesto Preserved Lemons Romesco Sauce Smoked Paprika Aioli Some-Like-It-Hot Salsa Rub-Me-Tender Spice Mix Advieh Spice Mix Colombo Spice aka Magic Spice Ginger Juice

BESCIAMELLA SAUCE - Bechamel Sauce -

This lovely white sauce is used in many recipes. French and English speakers know it as bechamel sauce. Wayne’s mother used to add cooked peas and carrots to it. Italians use it to keep lasagne and cannelloni from drying out while baking.

15 minutes

Makes 2 cups

$ 2 c./500 ml. hot milk 3 tbsp./45 ml. salted butter 4 tbsp./60 ml. all-purpose flour salt, pepper, nutmeg, q.b.

Heat the milk in the microwave until it is hot to the touch, but not scalded. In a skillet, melt the butter but not to the point of turning brown. Make a roux by stirring in the flour with a wooden spoon. Over a low heat, slowly add the milk a little at a time, while continuously stirring. If lumps develop, use a whisk to break them down. After a few minutes the sauce will be thick and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Nonni used to add a dash of nutmeg but you could try a dash of mustard powder instead.

Special equipment: whisk

71

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE Makes about 2 cups/500ml 2 hours

$$

GF

2 qts./2 L. whole milk 1 c./250 ml. heavy cream 1/2 tsp./2 ml. salt 3 tbsp./45 ml. fresh lemon juice zest of one lemon good olive oil

V

Be sure your milk and cream are fresh and not about to expire. I like to serve this with a little lemon zest and olive oil with crackers.

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Take off the heat immediately and let cool. Wait until it curdles. Pour into a strainer lined with two or three layers of cheesecloth. If you have a cheese drainer, put the cheese in the basket and allow to drain.

If not, suspend the ricotta in cheesecloth tied to a pair of chopsticks over a bowl and let it drip until quite dry (several hours). Place in an airtight container in the fridge until use. It should keep up to 10 days refrigerated.

Special equipment: cheesecloth, cheese drainer or coarse sieve

MOM’S BLACKBERRY JELLY Makes approx. 6 ½ - pint jars 1 hour, plus canning time

$

DF GF

Put the blackberries in a blender in several batches. Run the mash through a sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth until you have a quart or litre of pure juice.

Put the juice and sugar in a large heavy pot. Bring to a full boil for 4 minutes. Add liquid pectin and stir for one minute. Pour liquid into hot, sterilized pint or half pint jam jars using a funnel. Wipe the rim clean before applying a sterilized canning lid. Don’t be tempted to use old lids because they might fail. The jelly will take about 4 hours or even overnight to set. If it doesn’t set, repeat process using the other pouch of pectin.

V

1 qt./L. fresh blackberry juice 6 c./200 g. white sugar 1 85 ml. pouch liquid pectin* * Note that there are two pouches in each package of liquid pectin.

When we were kids, it was a tradition to pick blackberries in the dog days of August. We would bring them home for Mom to make jelly and if we were lucky and didn’t eat too many, maybe she would make a blackberry pie as well. To pick blackberries, you need an old long-sleeved jacket, a wide-brimmed hat, gum boots, 2 pairs of pants, and a long-handled rake. You’ll need to pick and clean about 5 lbs./2 kg. of fresh berries. Wash them under cold water.

73

Maui Sunset

MANGO JAM

Watch for specials on mangoes in the fall and winter. I prefer the red-green ones just for the rich colours, but they are all good.

Ripen, if necessary, at home inside a paper bag until there is a bit of give when you squeeze them.

Makes about 4 ½ - pint jars 2 hours, plus canning time

$ $ DF

GF

V

It’s a good idea to wear surgical gloves when handling turmeric. Put the ingredients in a blender and purée. Place in deep pot with a heavy bottom. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce to simmer and cook for approximately one and a half hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and jam-like. If you want to store it, pour into sterilized jars and process in a water bath. If you plan to eat it right away, pour into jars and refrigerate; it will keep for 2 or 3 weeks in the fridge.

4 c./970 g. ripe mango (about 3 large or 4 smaller mangoes), peeled, pitted and chopped zest of one lemon small knob fresh ginger, peeled small knob fresh turmeric, peeled ½ tsp./pinch ground cardamom 1 c./250 ml. water juice of one lemon 2 ½ c./495 g. sugar

75

This is the best condiment for ham or poultry or a nice round of brie. I could eat it right from the jar. We’ll be making double batches from now on.

PEACH

CHUTNEY Makes 6 ½ - pint jars 45 minutes, plus canning time

$ $ DF

GF

V

1 c./8 oz. raisins ¼ c./60 ml. Grand Marnier 1 large lemon 6 large ripe peaches, skinned and mashed 1 c. light brown sugar 1 c. white vinegar (substitute cider vinegar) 1 knob fresh ginger ½ c./100 g. brown sugar ½ c./113 g. dried cherries or cranberries ½ sweet onion, diced 1 tbsp./45 ml. ginger juice (bottled) - optional 4 slices candied orange peel, diced 1/3 c./3.5 oz. dried apricots, diced 4 juniper berries, ground 1 tsp./5 ml. mustard seed 1 tbsp./15 ml. sea salt 1 tsp./5 ml. mustard seed 1 tsp./5 ml. each, allspice, cinnamon, cardamon, and cloves ½ tsp./2 ml. fennel pollen ½ tsp./2 ml. white kampot pepper, ground 3 tbsp./45 ml. thick balsamic vinegar 2 pouches (85 ml. each) liquid pectin

Soak the raisins in a little Grand Marnier or other fruit-based liqueur. Zest and juice the lemon. Pour the juice over the mashed peaches to prevent them from turning brown. Bring the sugar and vinegar to boil in a large heavy bottomed pot. When the sugar is dissolved, add the rest of the ingredients, except the peaches and pectin. Bring this mixture back up to a boil.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the peaches and bring to a full rolling boil for 3 minutes, then add the pectin. Remove from heat and stir for approximately 3 minutes. Remove any white froth that may float to the top.

Fill sterilized jars using a canning funnel. Leave about ½ inch of room at the top. Wipe the rim carefully to remove anything that will prevent the lid from sealing. Apply new, sterilized lids and rings. Tighten slightly. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes making sure the jars are fully submerged with an inch of water above them. The jars must be fully submerged to create the vacuum to seal them. Carefully remove with tongs and let cool on a tea towel. When completely cool, tighten the rings and label. If you don’t have an insert for your canning pot, place a tea towel on the bottom to prevent the glass jars from breaking.

Special equipment: canner

SOFFRITTO Makes about 1 c./250 ml.

15 mins

$

DF GF

V

Rinse, dry, and mince parsley without the stems. Set aside.

Sauté the onions in the olive oil or lard over low heat until soft and translucent. Stir to prevent them from browning. Now add the carrots and celery and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. After about 3 or 4 minutes, add the garlic and continue to sauté another minute or two; be careful as the garlic will burn easily. The parsley or cilantro goes in last. This soffritto is the base for many Italian dishes so invest the time in making it in steps so the flavours develop and marry together to bring joy to your ultimate dish. It can be frozen from this point if you want to keep some on hand for convenience. Look for my Tomato Sauce recipe earlier in this section to see soffritto in action.

3 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil (substitute lard or pancetta fat) 1 medium white onion, finely minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 sweet young carrots, finely diced 1 celery stalk, finely diced handful of parsley, minced (substitute cilantro)

The soffritto (en francais: mirepoix) is the often hidden foundation of many Italian dishes. It is the base of many soups and sauces.

It’s not a stir-fry race; you cook the vegetables slowly so that they have a chance to caramelize and soften.

77

Canned Tomato Sauce

CANNED TOMATO SAUCE

To process the tomatoes, dip them in boiling water. Allow to cool in a colander. Skin them and then run through a food processor or if you have a juicing attachment for your Kitchenaid you can purée them, and the skins and seeds will be removed. This part takes some time so the more helping hands you have the faster it will go.

Makes 81 quarts 24 hours

$ $ DF

Dice the vegetables (except the tomatoes) in a food processor.

Cover the bottoms of three very large stock pots with olive oil.

Sauté one third of the vegetable mixture in each pot on low heat.

Add four cans of tomato purée and one third of the mushroom powder to each pot. Stir frequently as the high concentration of sugars tend to burn. Turn off the heat.

GF

V

6 very large Walla Walla sweet onions 10 large carrots, the fresher the better 1 head celery 5 heads of garlic 1 package of shitake mushroom powder (100 g.)

1 large bunch each of basil and parsley 81 bay leaves (one for each jar) olive oil 200 lbs./90 kg. field tomatoes 20 lbs./9 kg. beefsteak tomatoes 5 lbs./2.5 kg. heirloom tomatoes 12 small tins of tomato paste (156 ml. each)

This is a labour of love. It takes 3 adults the better part of two days to make this sauce and when we are finished, we are exhausted… but the result is tomato sauce you can use in so many recipes without having to start from scratch. Cost is about $10.00 a quart unless you have access to free tomatoes.

Pour one third of the pulp from the tomatoes into each of the three pots. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer until the sauce is cooked down by at least 25%. This could take all day or overnight.

Once the sauce has thickened, you can proceed to can it.

Sterilize 80 quart or litre-sized jars or the equivalent if using various sizes. Always use new sealing lids, not the leftovers from the year previous. Fill the jars with warm sauce through a canning funnel, leaving a half inch space at the top. Add a sprig of basil, parsley, or bay leaf to each jar. Wipe the rim so that it is very clean. Dip the sealing lids in boiling water for at least 10 seconds. Apply the warm sealing lid and ring. Tighten just enough so that sauce will not escape, allowing air out to create the vacuum. Fill the canner ¾ full of water and bring to a boil. Insert the rack. If you don’t have a rack, place a large tea towel on the bottom so the jars don’t come in contact with the bottom. Insert as many jars as you can. The water must cover all the lids by a good inch. Have some boiling water on hand to top up if necessary.

After it comes it back to a full boil, process for 20 minutes.

Using special jar tongs, remove jars carefully and place on a tea towel until they cool. Listen for them to ping indicating that they are sealed. If they do not seal, you have to remove the lid, clean the rim, apply a new lid and repeat the process. Once they are sealed and cooled completely, you can turn the lids tightly.

Special Equipment: 3 x 30 litre/quart pots for sauce 1 large pot for scalding 1 large canner, 2 would be even better canning tongs 8 dozen new canning lids; same size as your jars 80 quart or litre jars – or equivalent if using various sizes

79

Fresh Tomato Sauce

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE Makes 2-3 quarts or litres 2 hours

$$

DF GF

V

12 lbs./5.5 kg. ripe tomatoes 1 large sweet onion, diced 1 carrot, minced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 c./60 ml. good olive oil 5 oz./156 ml. tin tomato paste 1 tbsp./45 ml. powdered shitake mushrooms salt & pepper, q.b.

1 tsp./5 ml. baking soda (optional)

Maybe you are not into a 2-day marathon making 80 quarts of sauce, in which case, try this smaller version. If you know someone who grows tomatoes, look for a combination of large juicy tomatoes, Roma and San Marzano. The better the tomato, the better your sauce will be. If time permits, you can slice and roast the tomatoes on a rimmed cookie sheet in the BBQ - No need to peel them!

Wash the tomatoes and remove stems. Immerse them in boiling water until the skin breaks (less than a minute). Remove with a wire basket and cool. Remove the skins and hard core around the stem. Chop coarsely. Put tomatoes through a sieve or food mill to remove any leftover skin and seeds. If you don’t have a sturdy sieve or food mill, scoop the seeds out before chopping the tomatoes. Seeds tend to make the sauce too acidic and they annoy people with dentures or diverticulitis.

In a large deep pot, sauté the onion in olive oil for about five minutes, then add the garlic. When both the onion and garlic are soft and translucent, add the carrots. When the carrots are soft, add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring often to prevent scorching (medium/low heat) for five minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté them until they reach the desired consistency, about half the original volume. Reduce further if you prefer a thicker sauce. Season to taste. If the sauce is too acidic, add a teaspoon of baking soda.

Whatever you don’t use within a week can be frozen in individual freezer bags, in convenient sizes for your cooking needs.

Special equipment: food mill or heavy sieve.

81

CATALINA STYLE DRESSING Makes 3 cups/700 ml.

15 minutes

$

DF GF

V

1 c./235 ml. organic ketchup 1.5 c./290 g. sugar 1 tbsp./15 ml. salt 1 tsp./5 ml. smoked paprika 1 tsp./5 ml. chili powder 1 tsp./5 ml. celery seed 2 tsp./10 ml. dry mustard powder ¼ large onion, diced ¾ c./175 ml. apple cider vinegar 1 c./236 ml. grapeseed oil ½ c./115 ml. pumpkin seed oil (or another nut oil such as macadamia or avocado)

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Makes enough to dress a salad for 75 people. (See Kathie’s Bean Salad). This dressing will keep refrigerated for several months.

CHERMOULA SAUCE Makes about 3 cups/ 700 ml.

This perky North African sauce is lovely for basting meats, poultry, or roasting vegetables. It is best to use fresh turmeric but wear gloves when peeling and chopping it to avoid staining your hands and clothes. Tomato pureé is not typical in chermoula, but it gives the sauce another level of sweetness that complements the citrus.

15 minutes

Toast the cumin and garlic in a small skillet with a little olive oil until you smell the cumin toasting.

$

DF GF

V

1 tsp./5 ml. ground cumin 1 tbsp./15 ml. chopped garlic 1 tbsp./15 ml. sweet paprika 1 tsp./5 ml. smoked paprika 1 tbsp./15 ml. preserved lemon rind, well rinsed 1 tbsp./15 ml. fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp./15 ml. kosher salt pinch of black pepper ¾ c./175 ml. good olive oil ¼ c./60 ml. tomato paste or ketchup (optional) 1 tsp./5 ml. turmeric (fresh or powdered) pinch of saffron (optional) pinch of chili powder 2 tbsp./30 ml. parsley 2 tbsp./30 ml. cilantro

Rinse the lemon rinds to remove saltiness. Put all the ingredients except the parsley and cilantro in a blender and purée. Add the parsley and cilantro and blitz once or twice, so the structure of the herbs is still present. Pour into one or two small airtight containers and cover with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent browning. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

83

Pesto

PESTO

There is nothing like fresh pesto as a pasta dressing or in the centre of a grilled peach. Make up a batch and freeze it so you can enjoy this summertime sensation in the dead of winter. The key to a lovely pesto is in the grating of the cheese. Use a very fine micro-plane grater so your cheese is light and fluffy.

Makes about 3 small jars 1 hour

$$

GF

V

6 c./1 ½ l. loosely packed, small to medium-sized basil leaves (remove the stems and floret in the center) 1/3 c./45 g. pine nuts 1 clove of garlic ½ c./125 ml. best quality olive oil 1 tsp./5 ml. sea salt 1/3 c./80 ml. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute: grana padano or Valgrana) 1/3 c./80 ml. grated pecorino

Put your blender jar in the freezer for 20 minutes to get it good and cold. Soak the basil leaves in very cold water in the fridge for 5-10 mins. Toast the pine nuts on medium heat, stirring carefully as they burn easily. Set aside to cool. Gently lift the leaves out of the water, drain, replace the water, and soak them again to make sure they are soil and contaminant free.

Grate the cheese with a very fine grater. Set aside. Remove the leaves from the water and shake them gently and roll in a towel to remove most of the water or put them through a salad spinner. Put ¼ of the leaves in the blender jar and add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Pureé. Add the rest of the leaves, ¼ at a time until it is all incorporated and a beautiful green colour. Lastly, add the cheese and pulse once or twice to combine but do not over mix it. Pour into small airtight containers.

Cover with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent it from turning brown if not using immediately. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. You can freeze it in small amounts but be sure to remove all air to prevent freezer burn by covering the surface well with plastic wrap before freezing.

Special equipment: blender, micro-plane grater Other versions to try: walnuts and parsley mint and almonds

85

PRESERVED LEMONS Makes 2 lemons 30 minutes + 3 weeks

$

DF GF V

5 lemons, washed and scrubbed 1 c./235 ml. kosher salt ½ tsp./pinch fenugreek seeds ½ tsp./pinch dried thyme ¼ tsp./pinch allspice ½ tsp./pinch red Kampot peppercorns* 1 c./250 ml. lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from 3 lemons mentioned above)

*Kampot peppercorns are grown in Cambodia and can be found in most health food stores and specialty shops. I find them milder than most peppercorns available in our markets.

I always keep at least one jar in the fridge for recipes that call for preserved lemons or when you want a bit of tartness in your dish. Meyer lemons are available in the fall. They are a bit sweeter than most of our market lemons and will impart a sweet-sour flavour to your food.

Make this up when lemons are on sale.

Sterilize two one-cup mason jars by submerging them in boiling water for a minute. Carefully remove with tongs. Put a tablespoon of kosher salt in the bottom of each jar.

Squeeze three of the lemons to produce 1 cup of lemon juice. Cut the other two lemons in half, top to bottom, almost to the stem.

Cut again so that there are 4 quarters held together at one end.

Pour a teaspoon of salt into the centres of the fruit, along with half of the spices.

Push a lemon into each jar. Fill with fresh lemon juice until the lemons are covered. Add the rest of the salt on top. Seal the jar with a tight plastic lid and refrigerate for 3 or 4 weeks as they mellow. Turn them upside down periodically. You can keep them in the fridge for a couple of months as long as the lemon is covered in juice. Be sure to rinse the lemon before cooking to remove the salt and spices.

Special equipment: two one-cup mason jars with plastic lids

ROMESCO SAUCE

Makes a great sauce for fish, meats, frittata, or tortilla.

Preheat oven 350 degrees f.

Makes 1 ½ cups/350 ml.

Serves 6-8 1 hour

$$

DF GF

V

Slice, seed, and roast the peppers with garlic on a parchment-lined tray until soft and charred, about 30 minutes.

Allow to cool. Remove skins from peppers. (You can skip this step by using roasted peppers from a jar, in which case sauté the garlic first.) Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or Magic Bullet™. Purée until it is a lovely reddish orange colour.

Traditionally a slice of bread is added to the mixture; however, I prefer it without as its omission makes this recipe gluten-free.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3 garlic cloves, peeled 2 large red peppers ½ c./125 g. toasted Marcona almonds (substitute macadamia nuts) ¼ c./60 ml. tomato paste 1 tbsp./15 ml. minced cilantro 1 tsp./5 ml. smoked paprika 1 tsp./5 ml. sweet paprika 1 tbsp./15 ml. sherry vinegar 1 tsp./5 ml. white balsamic vinegar infused with saffron* 1 tbsp./15 ml. good quality olive oil 1 slice white bread, cubed (optional)

*available at Italian specialty stores. If you cannot find it, increase the amount of sherry vinegar to 1½ tbsp. and add a pinch of saffron threads if you have some.

87

SMOKED PAPRIKA AIOLI

I first tasted this brilliant sauce with a potato tortilla at a Spanish tapas restaurant in Victoria that is sadly no longer in business. You can find the finest Jerez sherry vinegar in Spanish delicatessens or through Amazon.

Makes 3 cups/700 ml.

Put ingredients in blender and purée. This aioli will keep refrigerated for two weeks. It goes well with frittata, tortilla, or fish.

10 mins

$

DF GF

V

14 oz./398 g. jar roasted piquillo peppers (substitute other types of red peppers), drained 1 tbsp./15 ml. sherry vinegar, preferably Jerez 1 c./250 ml. homemade or commercial mayonnaise 2 tsp./10 ml. smoked paprika salt & pepper, q.b.

SOME LIKE IT HOT SALSA Makes about 3 cups/750 ml.

2 ½ hrs

$

DF GF

Since you can always add heat to salsa, I start with mild chilies and let guests add more heat with chili pepper if they prefer it hotter.

Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil in a medium-sized pot until almost caramelized (10-15 minutes). Put the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and purée. Add the purée to the pot. Simmer for several hours, less if you are using canned tomatoes in which case one hour will be sufficient. Store in the fridge in an airtight container if using within 2 weeks. Otherwise, freeze or preserve by canning.

V

2 cloves of garlic, minced ½ sweet onion, chopped finely 2 tbsp./30 ml. good olive oil 2 or 3 c./500 to 750 ml. chopped (preferably roasted) fresh or canned tomatoes ½ small can/ 75 ml. chopped mild green chilies ½ small can/ 75 ml. tomato paste 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, diced (optional) 2 handfuls finely chopped cilantro juice of one lime ½ tsp./2 ml. ancho chili powder ½ tsp./2 ml. dried oregano ½ tsp./2 ml. ground cumin salt & pepper, q.b.

89

RUB ME TENDER

Try this meat and poultry flavour enhancer at your next BBQ.

Put these ingredients in a small blender. Blend until everything is pulverized. Store in small spice bottles or spice envelopes and use a tablespoon or two as a rub for roasts, chicken or pork chops.

Apply to the meat 20 minutes before cooking to allow the flavours to absorb.

1 cup / 235 ml.

10 minutes

$

DF GF

2 tbsp./60 ml of each of the following: Kampot peppercorns (white or black) dried sage dried thyme dried rosemary smoked or regular paprika garlic salt or dried garlic scape salt fennel seeds or fennel pollen mustard powder

V

If you make a bigger batch, portions make nice Christmas or hostess gifts.

ADVIEH SPICE MIX

This versatile spice mix will keep for a long time in an airtight container. I use this in many recipes including carrot cake, cookies, eggs, sweet potatoes, and tajines.

Put all ingredients in a blender and blitz until fine.

10 minutes

$

DF GF

V

Equal amounts of: cumin cardamom nutmeg coriander edible rose or hibiscus petals mace cinnamon.

Some folks will add turmeric and white pepper.

91

COLOMBO SPICE MIX - Magic Spice -

Makes 1 cup/250 ml.

15 minutes

$

DF GF

V

¼ c./60 ml. uncooked white rice ¼ c./60 ml. cumin seeds ¼ c./60 ml. coriander seeds 1 tbsp./15 ml. each whole clove, fenugreek seeds, black or white peppercorns, mustard seed, powdered ginger, paprika, bay leaf, sea salt, chili flakes. Use less chili if you prefer less heat.

1 tbsp./15 ml. powdered turmeric

This mix comes from the West Indies and can be used to make spectacular curries or for seasoning chicken, pork, and lamb.

Vegetarians will adore it with eggplant, sweet potatoes, or squash.

In St. Maarten they call it Magic Spice. Elsewhere in the Caribbean it is called Colombo spice. Use this incredible blend in place of curry powder or garam masala. The toasted rice acts as a thickening agent for your sauce.

Toast the rice in an ungreased skillet on low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until golden, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

In the same skillet, add all the spices except the turmeric. Toast them for about 3 minutes on medium until they start to release their oils – you will know when by the pleasant smells. Stir frequently so they don’t burn. Set aside to cool. Combine the rice, the toasted spices, and the turmeric in a Magic Bullet™ or similar food grinder. Blitz until it is all pulverized. Store in airtight containers. This mix is a great gift and will keep for about 6 months.

93

GINGER JUICE

You can purchase ginger juice from any health food store ($8.00 for 150 ml./5 oz.). It occurred to me that making it from scratch might be worthwhile and it is.

This will keep refrigerated in a glass container for months. I use it for stir fries, marinades, and baking. A half-teaspoon in hot water makes a refreshing tea-like drink. It works out to be 7 times cheaper than the store-bought product.

Makes 2 c./475 ml.

Ginger has some great health benefits such as anti-inflamatory, antioxidant, good for high blood pressure, digestion, and anti-nausea – all in one little tuber!

15 minutes

$

DF GF

V

13 oz./400 g. fresh ginger 1 c./236 ml. filtered or boiled water 1 tsp./5 ml. cream of tartar (substitute citric acid) 2 tbsp./30 ml. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Peel the ginger with a grapefruit spoon or a paring knife. Chop it up into small bits. Put the ginger in a blender with the lemon juice, water, and citric acid. Blend for a minute until puréed . If you have a jelly strainer with a frame – great! If not, find a deep bowl or 1 litre measuring cup and rest a pair of chop sticks on the rim. Pour the mixture into a jelly bag or a cheese cloth bag and tie it to the sticks so that it can drain into the bowl for a couple of hours. Squeeze out every last drop of the liquid. Store in glass bottles and label. Shake well before using.

Get double duty out of the ginger by laying the pulp out on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Set your oven on the lowest setting or dehydrate feature if you have one. Let it dry in the oven for 4 to 5 hours. Turn the oven off and leave the ginger in the oven overnight with the light on. When it is thoroughly dry, grind it into powder in a Magic Bullet™ or spice grinder. Store the ground ginger in an airtight container for up to a year. Shake well before using For optional colour and health benefit add 2 fingers of peeled turmeric to the mix. You will need to wear gloves because its luscious bright yellow and orange colour stains.

Special equipment: blender, grinder, jelly bag or cheesecloth bag, jelly strainer.

Frittata Harley’s Tribute Chili Kathie’s Bean Salad Marinated Mushroom Salad Panzanella Senza Pane Rod’s Curried Chickpeas Rod’s Drunken Salmon Wayne’s Sangria Ambur’s Ice Cream Parade

93

FRITTATA 1 hour

$

GF

V

The thing I love about frittata is that you can use almost anything in it. When we got married there was a lot of food left over from the evening’s festivities. I piled it all into a greased roasting pan (salmon, scallops, halibut, mushrooms, onions, leeks, potatoes, roasted peppers, you name it) and whipped up 2 dozen eggs with some cream and baked it. It was a great breakfast for a dozen people with heavy heads and it used up all that gorgeous food.

This recipe gives the instructions for a single serving and can be infinitely expanded depending on how many people you are serving. Use a skillet appropriate to the number of servings.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

For each serving: 2 strips bacon 1 tbsp./15 ml. olive oil 2 eggs fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced onions, sliced half a red or yellow pepper, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves or shallots, minced 2 tbsp./30 ml. heavy cream ¼ c. shredded cheese(s) such as parmesan or fontina salt & pepper, q.b. fresh parsley, minced

Grease a large oven proof skillet or baking dish with a bacon strip or vegetable oil. Cook bacon in microwave wrapped in paper towel for 2 minutes. Cool and repeat in microwave until crispy. Break into small pieces.

Sauté the vegetables in olive oil (in the skillet) for several minutes until soft. Whisk eggs and cream in a bowl. Pour egg mixture over vegetables, add the cheese, bacon, salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 minutes or until it rises and turns golden on top. If you are making a small one the time will be about 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve as soon as it is out of oven; cut into wedges. Romesco sauce is a nice accompaniment to this dish.

97

Harley's Tribute Chili

HARLEY’S TRIBUTE CHILI Serves 50

$$

3-4 hours

DF

We served this chili at my favourite brother-in-law’s celebration of life. It was a real hit and I heard one of his friends say it was the best chili he had ever tasted. The secret is the smokiness of the Peruvian Aji Panca Chili pepper (which is sweet and not terribly spicy) and cocoa powder. If you are cooking for that many people, it’s worth it to source out these ingredients and do it up well! If you have vegetarian friends, you could make a separate pot for them leaving out the meat altogether.

GF

½ c./120 ml. olive oil 1 head of celery, diced 1 large head of garlic, peeled and minced 5 medium onions, diced 1 lb./450 g. mushrooms, cleaned and diced ½ lb. bacon, diced 5 lbs./2.25 kg. ground lean beef 5 lbs./2.25 kg. ground pork 5 lbs./2.25 kg. ground turkey 5 - 27 oz/800 ml. cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 5 - 27 oz./800 ml. cans garbanzo or black beans, rinsed and drained 2 cans niblet corn, drained (optional) 2 or 3 dried mild Peruvian aji panca chili pepper (about 5 inches in length) ½ c./125 ml. cocoa powder 5 tbsp./75 ml. smoked paprika 3 qts./3 L. hearty tomato sauce 5 tbsp./75 ml. shitake mushroom powder 5 tsp./25 ml. mole poblano spice (substitute a combination of chili powder and instant coffee) ½ c./125 ml. molasses 1 small (118 ml.) can green chilies, diced salt & pepper, q.b. cilantro for garnish

Soak the aji panca peppers in hot water for a half hour. Take out the seeds and dice the peppers. Set aside.

You will need two (or three) large (16 to 20 litre) heavy-bottomed pots. Divide everything in half (or thirds) and cook half or a third in each pot.

Sauté the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and celery in some of the olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from pots. Add a bit more olive oil and fry the ground meats and bacon until they are cooked through. (You may want to do this step in 3 pots for ease of frying). If there is a lot of fat, strain some out with a soup ladle. Rinse the beans and add to the pots in equal amounts. Add your chili seasoning a little at a time until you get the heat you prefer. Add the rest of the ingredients divided equally between the pots. You can use canned or frozen tomatoes instead of tomato sauce, but you will need to add two or three small cans of tomato paste as well. Taste and adjust seasonings, salt and pepper. If you like it hot, add more of the chili pepper to one of the pots, so people have a choice. Bring to a boil and then turn it to low and simmer for two or three hours, stirring occasionally. If it starts to dry out, add a little water.

Garnish with minced cilantro. Serve with warm bread or buns and a nice salad.

99

Kathie's Bean Salad

KATHIE’S BEAN SALAD Serves 50

This salad is a must at large gatherings. The recipe comes from Kathie, who keeps us all in line at the office. You can make this salad a day in advance, kept it in zip bags, then add the dressing and chips just before serving. If you are in a hurry, use 2 large cans of chickpeas and 2 large cans of white navy beans instead of rehydrating. You can use any combination of beans you like but variety makes the salad visually very appealing.

2 hrs. plus overnight

$

DF

GF V

2 c./ 480 g. dried chick peas 1 ½ c./360 g. dried white navy beans 1 396 ml. can niblet corn 28 oz./820 ml. can red kidney beans 28 oz./820 ml. can black beans 28 oz./820 ml. Romano beans 2c./300 g. frozen edamame beans, thawed 1 large, sweet onion, finely diced 1 bundle green onions, finely diced 3 red and yellow (each) peppers, de-seeded and diced 1 head of celery, washed and finely diced 2 tbsp./30 ml. toasted fennel seeds 1 c./236 ml. raw quinoa 1 large bag corn chips

Soak the dried beans and chickpeas seperately overnight in a large bowl, in twice as much water as beans. Rinse and discard any bad ones. In a large pot, add 8 cups / 2 litres of water to the chickpeas and bring to a boil. Add some salt to taste. Boil gently for 60 to 90 minutes, checking to see if they are soft and tender to the bite. Do the same with the navy beans which may take up to two hours. Drain and set aside.

Toast the fennel seeds in a small skillet. When cool, grind in a clean spice or coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Soak the quinoa in water for a few minutes and drain into a sieve.

Soaking removes the bitterness. Bring the quinoa to a boil in 2 cups/500 ml. of salted water. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

Once the beans and quinoa have cooled, assemble all the ingredients in a very large bowl or two separate bowls. You can make this ahead to this point. Just before serving, add the dressing toss thoroughly, and garnish with corn chips.

1 c./ 236 ml. Catalina dressing See Condiments section

101

Marinated mushroom & Artichoke Salad

MARINATED MUSHROOM & ARTICHOKE SALAD Serves 50

$$

2 hours

DF GF

V

Marinade 1 ¼ c./295. ml. good olive oil ¾ c./175 ml. ver jus (substitute: white wine vinegar) 2 tbsp./30 ml. dry mustard powder 3 tbsp./45 ml. grated palm sugar (substitute: brown sugar) 1 tsp./5 ml. Kamut pepper (substitute regular black pepper) 1 tbsp./15 ml. sea salt 2 tbsp./30 ml. shitake mushroom powder

This is a great make ahead salad and fairly inexpensive considering how many it feeds.

Soak the capers in some water for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Toast until slightly crispy in a non-stick pan, with a dash of olive oil. Set aside. Slice the fennel bulb very thinly. Sauté the fennel in a little olive oil until tender. Cool. Drain and rinse the artichokes.

Cut them in half. Coat them with a bit of olive oil and grill on the BBQ until they are slightly charred. Set aside. At the same time, put the peppers on the BBQ until they are slightly charred all around. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, place them in a plastic bag and seal it. When completely cool, peel and discard the skin, stem, and seeds. Dice and set aside.

Divide the ingredients, except the parsley, equally into two large Ziploc™ bags or a large bowl. Check your marinade to make sure it pleases you and adjust seasoning to taste.

Pour half of the marinade into each bag of salad, mix them up thoroughly, seal the bags or cover the bowl, and keep refrigerated until serving (will keep for up to two days.) Discard bay leaves and excess liquid before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Salad ¼ c./60 ml. salted capers 4 tbsp./60 ml. olive oil (half for the capers and half for the artichoke hearts) 1 large jar artichoke hearts (marinated or plain) 1 large head of fennel 2 large red peppers 2 large yellow peppers 3 bay leaves 12 juniper berries 12 oz./340 g. frozen pearl onions, thawed 1 tbsp./15 ml. fennel pollen (substitute toasted fennel seed) 5 lbs./2 kg. of small mushrooms, cleaned and halved or quartered Garnish 1 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro

103

Photograph by Topher Mokrzewsi

AMBUR’S PANZANELLA SENZA PANE 2 1/2 hours

Serves 16

$

GF

V

Traditionally, this salad would be garnished with croutons, but so many of our friends are choosing gluten-free these days it’s just best to serve them on the side. If you don’t have basil oil, take some good olive oil and infuse it with a few torn basil leaves and let sit overnight.

Several hours before you plan to serve this salad, cut the red onion in thin, whole, round slices and soak in red wine vinegar for two hours. Drain and discard vinegar.

Peel and dice the cucumbers. Thaw edamame and put them on a tea towel to ensure they are fairly dry. Clean and cut the peas in half with a diagonal cut. Combine the cucumbers, peas, peppers, edamame, and marinated red onion. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then add the basil, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and toss.

3 English cucumbers, chilled 8 c./½ kg. fresh snap peas* 1 bag of frozen edamame (soybeans), shelled 1 large red onion 2 large yellow peppers ¼ c./60 ml. red wine vinegar 4 or 5 sprigs of fresh basil ½ c. /120ml. basil oil ¼ c./ 60 ml. white wine vinegar salt & pepper, q.b. croutons (optional and served on side)

* If the peas are a bit limp, you can restore them by soaking them in very cold water for an hour. Tear the stringy seams away before cutting them.

105

CURRIED CHICKPEAS Serves 16

$

30 minutes

DF

GF

V

½ tbsp./7 ml. cumin 3 tbsp./45 ml. good olive oil 3 large (19 oz./540 ml.) cans of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) 12 tbsp./175 ml. Colombo spice (substitute curry powder) 1 ½ c./325 ml. water 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

This recipe comes from our Barbadian friend, Rod. In the Caribbean, the markets carry a curry-type powder which they call Colombo spice. On St. Maarten, however, they call it Magic Spice. My recipe for that spice is in the Condiments and Sauces section. It includes toasted rice, which provides a thickener for the sauce.

Use a heavy-bottomed cast iron pot, if available. Brown the cumin on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add a few spoons of good olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the crushed fresh garlic and stir until the garlic is caramelized – just a few minutes. In a separate measuring cup, make a paste of the Colombo powder and water. Add to the pot and mix with the garlic and spices. When well mixed, add chickpeas and their liquid. Simmer at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. The liquid from the canned chickpeas will have salt in it so there is probably no need to add more at this point.

DRUNKEN SALMON Serves 16

$$$

30 minutes

DF

GF

Soak a handful of juniper berries in water or the B&B overnight, or at least for a couple of hours. Drain the berries, reserving the B&B (if using).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Grease a large roasting pan with olive oil or butter. Pour B&B into the pan. Place salmon fillets into the pan, skin side down.

Cover the fish with thinly-sliced onion and pre-soaked juniper berries. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the fish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Zest the lemon peel on top and slip into the pre-heated oven for appoximately 15 minutes.

8 salmon fillets (about 8 oz./225 g. each) a handful of juniper berries ½ large white onion, thinly sliced fresh herbs, (parsley, rosemary, fennel, thyme or cilantro or a combination) 1 large, juicy lemon ½ c./125 ml. B&B (Benedictine & brandy) liqueur (optional)

107

WAYNE’S SANGRIA Makes 3 quarts or litres Serves 8-10 15 minutes

$$

DF

GF V

750 ml. bottle of red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) 2 c./500 ml. orange juice with pulp 1 c./250 ml. triple sec (substitute Cointreau) 3 tbsp./45 ml. sugar (or to taste) ¼ c. /60 ml. lime juice 1 of each: apple, peeled orange, peeled lemon, peeled lime, diced into very small pieces 2 x 355ml. cans ginger ale 2 x 355ml. cans club soda

Use a good bottle of wine. If it isn’t good enough to drink it won’t get any better tarted up. This stuff sneaks up on you, especially in the heat, so easy does it.

In a large pitcher combine everything except the ginger ale and soda. Keep in refrigerator until cold and ready to serve.

Just before serving, add ice cubes, ginger ale and soda. Put a long-handled wooden spoon in the pitcher to hold the fruit and ice in place when pouring.

Olé!!!!

Matera, Basilicata, Italy

106

Photograph by Anya Shor

AMBUR'S ICE CREAM PARADE Serves 16 30 minutes, plus freezer time

$$

GF

V

1 pint/½ L. each of 4 various flavoured/ coloured ice cream or gelato. (For example, lime, passionfruit, blackberry, raspberry, or Bourbon vanilla).

1 large basket of fresh strawberries 2 c./250 g. roasted and chopped cashews or pistachio nuts

This is a great dessert for a hot summer day and fairly easy to assemble. The trick is to use very good ice cream and the nicest looking strawberries you can find.

Proceeding in layers, tamp the ice cream or gelato into a dome-shaped metal bowl. This should be done the day ahead to ensure it is frozen solid. Be sure to cover it well so that it doesn’t absorb freezer odours.

Just before serving, clean and slice the strawberries and set aside.

Toast the pistachios and crush them. Set aside. Invert the bowl of ice cream on a plate or cake platter larger than the circumference of the bowl. Arrange the sliced strawberries around the cake in a nice pattern.

Sprinkle the pistachio nuts over the top and tamp them in. In the 5 or 10 minutes it takes to garnish the cake it will soften enough to cut using a long warm knife. If you use three or four different coloured ice creams, the inside will be a layered delight to behold.

111

Beef Pho Soup Chicken Pho Soup Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup Carrot Soup Old Fashioned Chicken Soup Fish Broth Minestrone Pasta and Chickpea Soup Summer Borscht

109

Beef Pho Soup

BEEF PHO SOUP Serves 8

8 + hours

$$

DF

GF

The Broth 2-3 lbs./1-1 ½ kg. meaty beef soup or oxtail bones 3 carrots, cut up 1 ginger root finger, cut in half 2 onions, cut in half 2 garlic bulbs 1 daikon, cut in half rind of a watermelon, cantaloupe or winter melon 2 lb./1 kg. beef brisket, uncooked For Beef Pho ¼ c./60 ml. brandy 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise pods 1 tbsp./15 ml. coriander seeds 1 tbsp./15 ml. galangal 1 cardamom pod 1 tbsp./15 ml. fennel seed 1 tbsp./15 ml. whole cloves 1 tbsp./15 ml. black or white peppercorns 1 c./200 g. palm sugar, grated ¾ c./185 ml. fish sauce (substitute soya sauce; use gf soya sauce for gf version) 1 chicken bouillon cube ½ tsp./pinch MSG (optional) salt & pepper, q.b.

5 or 6 clean eggshells (optional) 9 oz./250 g. dry rice vermicelli noodles 3 oz./85 g. thinly sliced cooked brisket 3 oz./85 g. raw flat iron steak, sliced thinly a small bunch of cilantro, minced 2 tbsp./30 ml. green onion, diced 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced 2 c./400 g. fresh (mung) bean sprouts, well rinsed a small bunch of basil leaves, whole 1 lime, quartered hot sauce (optional)

The Broth Roast the bones on a rimmed cookie tray in a 350 degree f. oven for an hour. Transfer the bones to a large stock pot. Fill it ¾ full of water. Add carrots, ginger, onions, garlic, daikon, watermelon rind, and brisket. Bring to a boil and skim the white foam off the top as much as possible for at least 15 minutes to get the impurities out. This will ensure that your broth comes out clear.

Simmer for 3 hours and remove the brisket. Slice it up and refrigerate for use later in this recipe. Continue to simmer for another 4 hours. Remove the vegetables and bones. Skim out any other debris. Top up the pot with fresh water (about 3 cups).

For Beef Pho Soak the spices in brandy for a couple of hours. After soaking the spices, pour the brandy and palm sugar into the soup stock pot and wrap the spices in a spice bag and put them in the pot. Add fish sauce, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, and a dash of MSG if desired. Simmer for 2 or 3 hours. Remove spice bag and strain through muslin or a fine sieve. If the broth is not clear at this point, try adding clean eggshells. Let them sit in the broth for 20 minutes. They will absorb any free particles. Remove the shells.

Clean the pot and return the broth to a simmer. This will give you lots of broth for two meals. Use what you need and freeze the rest for another time.

Soak rice noodles in very hot water for 10 minutes until soft and pliable. Strain. In each warmed bowl put: • an ample serving of rice noodles • thinly sliced cooked brisket • thinly sliced raw steak • cilantro • thinly sliced green and white onions.

Fill each bowl with steaming hot broth. Serve bean sprouts, fresh basil, hot sauce, and a wedge of lime on the side. Most Vietnamese people like hot sauce in their soup - really hot sauce. The raw meat cooks in the hot broth.

CHICKEN & SEAFOOD PHO SOUP Serves 4

$$

30 Minutes

DF

GF

1 qt./1 L. homemade or best quality chicken broth 3 tbsp./45 ml. fish sauce 3 tbsp./45 ml. Kikkoman lime flavoured soya sauce *for GF version use gluten-free soya sauce and juice of one lime 1 cinnamon stick 1 stalk lemon grass, split in half and pounded (substitute 2 tbsp./30 ml. powdered lemon grass) 1 knob ginger, peeled 1 star anise pod 2 large pieces watermelon or cantaloupe rind (with some fruit left on it) salt & pepper, q.b.

1 large chicken breast, poached and thinly sliced 9 oz./250 g. dried vermicelli rice noodles 8 spot prawns, peeled and blanched 2 green onions, diced ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced chili flakes, to taste handful cilantro, chopped 4 basil leaves 1 lime, quartered hot sauce to taste

Bring the chicken broth, fish sauce, and soya sauce, cinnamon, lemon grass, star anise, and fruit rind to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the spices and rind. Adjust seasoning.

Soak rice noodles in very hot water for 10 minutes until soft and pliable. Strain. In each warmed bowl put: • an ample serving of rice noodles • thinly sliced cooked chicken • 2 spot prawns • cilantro • thinly sliced green and white onions • chili flakes.

Fill each bowl with steaming hot broth. Serve bean sprouts, fresh basil, hot sauce, and a wedge of lime on the side. The prawns will cook in the hot broth.

115

BROCCOLI & CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP Serves 4

$

30 Minutes

GF*

V

1 large broccoli crown 1 qt./1 L. chicken broth 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 8 basil leaves ½ c./100 g. sharp cheddar cheese, grated 6 tbsp./90 ml. whipping cream salt & pepper, q.b.

Try to find broccoli that is grown in your area and you’ll find the taste is much better than the grocery store variety which could be weeks old.

Remove the hard, woody part of the stalks from the broccoli. Peel the outside skin of the remaining stalks. Break the crown into similar-sized pieces, including the stalks. Bring the broth to a boil and add the broccoli. Simmer until the broccoli is soft.

Sauté the garlic in olive oil until soft. Put the broccoli, basil, broth, and garlic in a blender and purée. Adjust the seasoning.

Slowly simmer the cream and grated cheese in the same skillet that was used for the garlic. Stir constantly over low heat. When the cheese is melted, you can assemble the soup.

Warm the soup plate first with very hot water. Place a 3-or 4-inch baking ring in the centre of the plate. Pour the broccoli soup around the ring. Pour the cheddar cheese sauce in the centre of the ring. Remove the ring. Garnish with a piece of cheese or minced parsley. For something less formal, sprinkle cheese over the soup.

Special equipment: baking ring or a clean can with both ends cut out. Any cylinder shape will work as long as it is open at both ends.

CARROT SOUP 1 hour

Serves 4-6

$

GF

V*

1 ½ lbs./700 g. young carrots, scrubbed 1 medium onion, cut in half 3 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil 1 qt./1 L. chicken broth (*substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian) 1 shallot, peeled and minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 knob ginger, peeled and minced 1 tbsp./15 ml. ground coriander salt & pepper, q.b.

2 tbsp./30 ml. butter

The most important ingredient in this recipe is the carrots. They should be young and tender sweet; so young that you don’t even have to peel them. They are always sold with the tops still on, so you know they are really fresh.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees f.

Place the carrots and onion on a baking tray lined with tin foil.

Roll them around in olive oil. Bake for 40 minutes until tender and slightly charred. Remove from oven and cool. In a small skillet, toast the coriander. Set aside. Add a little olive oil to the skillet and sauté the shallot, garlic, and ginger until tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Put all the ingredients, except the butter, in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Put the soup in a blender with the butter, two cups at a time. Purée and pour into warm bowls.

Suggestions for garnish: chili pepper, sage, chocolate, orange zest, flavoured sea salt.

117

CHICKEN SOUP Serves 4

$

3 hours

DF

GF

carcass of a chicken, turkey or 2 Cornish game hens 2 stalks celery 2 large carrots 1 large parsnip 1 large onion 2 tsp./30 ml. shitake mushroom powder 2 cubes of Knorr chicken soup bouillon 2 bay leaves 2 sage leaves (or ½ tsp. powdered sage) ¼ c./50 ml. Arborio rice per person fresh cilantro or parsley, minced salt & pepper, q.b.

Nothing says “I care” better than a bowl of warm chicken soup when someone isn’t feeling well.

Whenever we have a bird for dinner, I save the carcass and either make the broth immediately or freeze it until I have more time. I freeze the broth in one litre containers, so I always have a supply of broth for risotto or soup. Sage has a distinctive flavour that may not pair well with other recipes. If you are making broth for later use, I suggest leaving it out or using rosemary instead.

Put the carcass and any giblets or necks in a large stock pot. Add 1 stalk of celery cut in half, 1 carrot cut in half, ½ of the onion, mushroom powder, bouillon cubes, and the herbs (except the cilantro). Fill the pot with enough water to cover the bird. Bring to a boil. Skim off any cloudy bits and reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Let cool completely. Strain through a large colander. Pick out any good bits of meat, then discard the carcass and vegetables. Run the broth through a fine sieve or cheese cloth to clarify.

Peel and dice the remaining vegetables. Sauté them in a little olive oil until soft. In a smaller soup pot, mix the vegetables, cilantro and the broth. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and turn down to simmer. Add the bits of meat that you have foraged, cut up uniformly. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables and rice are cooked. Adjust seasoning. Serve with warm buns.

FISH BROTH Makes 2 qts/2 L. 30 minutes

$

DF

GF

You can often get fish skeletons and crab shells where you buy seafood. During cod season, I always ask for a cod collar and take it home and throw it in the pot to make broth and freeze it for risotto or paella. Or, if you happen to go to a lobster dinner fundraiser, you can take containers and salvage the carcasses for your broth. However, I would not recommend salmon in this recipe because of its distinctive flavour and oils.

Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Sauté the fish heads and bones; remove and set aside. Sauté the onion and tomato. Combine the fish heads and bones, shellfish shells, clam juice and vegetables in the stock pot. Cover with water and add paprika. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and keep warm or freeze until ready to use. Adjust salt and pepper before using the broth in a recipe.

500 g./18 oz. shellfish heads and shells (prawns, shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops) 500 g./18 oz. white fish heads and bones (preferably halibut or cod) 1 large onion, diced 1 tomato, peeled and diced 1 tsp. paprika 1 small can/bottle of clam juice/nectar 2 ½ qt./L. water 6 tbsp./88 ml. olive oil salt & pepper, q. b.

119

MINESTRONE Serves 4

$

1 hour

DF

GF

2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 1 medium white or yellow onion 1 or 2 sweet young carrots 1 stalk celery 1 clove garlic 2 or 3 mushrooms 1 qt./1 L. good chicken broth 1 tbsp./15 ml. shitake mushroom powder 1 chicken bouillon cube 1 c./250 ml. canned navy beans (substitute lentils or white beans), rinsed and drained seasoning: basil, parsley, oregano, thyme (any or all) salt & pepper, q.b. ½ c./125 g. soup pasta (elbows, orzo, etc. optional – gluten-free if an issue)

One of my fondest memories was going to Nonni’s house for lunch from school. She would always have a pot of soup on the stove. Hers was the best! She served it with a grilled spam sandwich. Nonni’s soup would nourish the soul as much as the body because she made it with a lot of love.

Put the raw vegetables in a food processor and process until finely diced. Sauté them in olive oil in a 2-quart pot. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Crumble the bouillon cube and add to the soup.

Add herbs of your choice. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the vegetables (and pasta if you are using it) are almost cooked.

Add beans and bring back to a gentle boil for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper as desired. Serve with toast or gluten-free crackers.

PASTA E CECI ZUPPA - Pasta and Chickpea Soup Serves 4

$

I first tasted this soup while on an olive oil tour in the Sabine Hills northeast of Rome. One bite and I was hooked. Don’t be afraid to use anchovies! They will add a layer of saltiness to your dish without a fishy taste.

30 minutes

Fry the garlic in the oil until it starts to turn golden. Add the anchovy paste, tomatoes, broth and chickpeas. Bring to slow boil for 5-10 minutes so that the tomatoes can cook. Season with fresh herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme.

DF

Add fresh pasta for the last 2 minutes. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve with warm bread for inzuppare, which in Italian means to dunk.

2 tbsp./30 ml. good olive oil 2 tsp./10 ml. minced garlic 2 tsp./10 ml. anchovy paste (optional) 1 c./250 ml. tomato passata (thick tomato sauce, not ketchup or tomato paste; or put a small tin of peeled plum tomatoes in the blender – Molisana is a good brand) 1 qt./1 L. chicken stock, preferably homemade or organic 2 c./500 ml./16 oz. precooked or canned ceci (chick peas) parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme (or a mixture) salt & pepper, q.b. ¾ c./100 g. pasta, preferably fresh, in pieces no more than 2 inches long (*substitute dried pasta) a loaf of nice warm bread

*If using commercial dried pasta, cook it first separately to al dente stage, then strain and add to the soup. Use sea salt or shitake mushroom powder to season if you decide not to include the anchovy paste.

121

Summer Borscht

SUMMER BORSCHT

It’s a good idea to use surgical gloves and wear an apron when handling beets. The juice stains do not come out! For mincing garlic, onion, carrots, and beets, I use my handy-dandy Starfrit™ hand operated food processor. Nothing beats it!

2 hours

Serves 4

$

GF

V

5-6 fresh beets, medium sized, with greens and stems 1 large sweet onion, diced 4 tbsp./60 ml. good quality olive oil 1 qt./1 L. beef broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian version) 2 nice young carrots 1-2 cloves of garlic, q.b. ¼ head of green cabbage, shredded 7 oz./200 g. of cooked leftover roast beef or steak, diced into small pieces (optional) salt & pepper, q.b. fresh dill, mint, or oregano, minced 2 tbsp./120 ml. olive oil ½ c./125 ml. plain yoghurt (optional) good rustic bread and olive oil for toast (rice crackers for gf)

Top the beets and cook in a large pot of water for approximately 1 hour. When the beets are almost done (a little on the firm side but easy to pierce with a fork), take them off the heat. Strain the liquid into a bowl to remove any gritty bits. You can add as much of this liquid to the soup stock as you like. If you want a thicker soup, use less rather than more. Cool the beets until you are able to handle them. Peel them and then dice into small bits.

While the beets are cooking, dice the carrots, onions, garlic, and cabbage. You can even add a few of the red stalks from the beets.

Place them in a stock pot and sauté in olive oil. This is the most important part of making soup or sauce. (See the discussion of soffritto in the Condiments section, under Tomato Sauce.)

The vegetables should be sautéed until golden but not burned.

This allows all the flavours to be released. Add the beef broth and diced beef to the onion mixture and lower the heat.

Add the beets to the soup and simmer for about 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Marinate the herbs in a couple of tablespoons of good quality olive oil while the soup is simmering. Add fresh herbs to the soup just before serving.

If you like, place a large tablespoon of plain unsweetened yoghurt on the soup just before serving. Serve with fresh toasted bread which has been drizzled with the same good olive oil. Trust me, the oil makes all the difference. If serving as the main course, I like to add a nice fresh salad to the table.

123

Fresh Pasta Pasta Carbonara Citrus Peel Pasta Gnocchi Notes on Paella Traditional Valencian Paella Seafood Paella Polenta Gnocchi Alla Romana Hangover Heaven Risotto Milanese Timballo

124

Fresh Pasta

125

FRESH PASTA Serves 4 - 6 30 minutes, plus rest time

$

DF

V

For a traditional pasta Serves 4 14 oz./400 g. 00 flour (extra fine pasta flour) 4 medium eggs pinch of salt For richer pasta Serves 6 14 oz./400 g. 00 flour 7 oz./200 g. unbleached organic flour 4 whole eggs plus 6 yolks pinch of salt ½ tbsp. milk (optional and omit for DF)

Rule of thumb for pasta quantities: 100 grams of Double 0 (00) flour and 1 egg for each serving. Add ½ tbsp. milk to the mix if you plan to use the dough for a stuffed pasta such as ravioli; it will make it a little more pliable. I urge you to do a practise run to acquaint yourself with the process before cooking for guests.

Put the flour on a clean work area and make a well in the centre of it. Add the eggs to the well. Sprinkle the yolks with a pinch of salt. Start by moving the flour on the outside edges towards the centre with a pastry scraper or your hands. Knead well until you have it all incorporated and a ball forms that is not sticky; approximately 10 minutes. If it is sticky, incorporate a little more flour. If it is too dry, add another yolk or a ½ tbsp. milk. Cover in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut into 4 pieces, keeping the portions not used in plastic to prevent them from drying out. Dust your work surface with a little flour.

Flatten the dough with a rolling pin and cut off a piece the size of which will pass through your pasta machine. Keep passing it through, doubling it over, until it is well blended and very thin, but without holes or tears (about 1/8 inch for lasagne or ravioli, a little thicker for long pasta). To make strands of fettucine, fold the dough gently in layers like a towel and cut ½ inch strips with a sharp knife. Use a ravioli wheel to cut the dough into desired shapes (e.g., squares for ravioli, rectangles for lasagna). Some pasta makers include attachments for cutting these shapes.

Once the pasta is made, it can be set aside to dry in nests for use within a day or two. I often hang mine on a clothes rack to dry.

Put a sheet underneath to catch the flour dust and bits of pasta that might fall off. If you are making a stuffed pasta, such as ravioli, proceed to stuff it now. Dust with flour lightly and store in refrigerator with a tea towel over them until ready to cook.

Drop the pasta into salted boiling water and cook on rolling boil for about 3 minutes. Check to see that it is al dente. Drain, saving ½ c. of the cooking water. After you apply your sauce, if the pasta has soaked up all the liquid, you can add a little of the cooking water to restore the juiciness.

Special equipment: pasta machine

PASTA CARBONARA Serves 4

30 minutes

$

GF*

14 oz./400 g. dried pasta* 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil ½ medium-sized sweet onion, diced 4 rashers of bacon or pancetta, diced ½ c./125 ml. pesto, optional (recipe in Condiments section) 4 eggs, beaten ½ c./120 ml. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan), grated on a fine micro plane grater cracked pepper, q.b. fresh basil or parsley

This is an inexpensive but delicious and nutritious main course, and it takes very little time to prepare. Although the pesto is not a traditional ingredient in this dish, it brings a certain element of freshness.

In a large pot, salt and boil water. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the package, usually 8-11 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, sauté the onion, bacon and olive oil in a large skillet for 4 or 5 minutes until soft. Add the pesto and eggs to the skillet and stir until just warmed through. Drain the pasta when cooked to al dente, saving ½ c. of the cooking water.

Turn the heat off and pour the steaming hot pasta into the skillet and stir just enough to incorporate all the ingredients. If it is too dry, add a little of the hot pasta water. Sprinkle with cheese and serve on warm plates. Add cracked pepper to taste. Garnish with basil or parsley. * use gluten-free pasta if an issue for any of your guests Special equipment: Micro plane grater

127

Citrus Peel Pasta

CITRUS PEEL PASTA Serves 4

$$

GF

This is a refreshing dish on a hot summer day. It’s easy and quick to put together. As a rule of thumb, I allow 100 grams of pasta per person for a main course, and 50 grams for an appetizer size.

30 minutes

Peel the fruit with a very sharp peeler, trying not to include any of the white pith or fingers. Cut the peels into thin ribbons and cook them in boiling water for a few minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

V

Melt butter in a skillet (large enough to hold the pasta and the sauce) and sauté the onion and shallot for 5 minutes, then add the wine. Cut the oranges and lemon(s) in half and juice. Strain out any rogue seeds and set aside.

2 fingers of Buddha’s hand (optional) 1 lemon (2 if Buddha’s hand not available) 2 oranges 2 tbsp./30 ml. butter ½ large yellow onion, diced 1 shallot, diced 2 tbsp./30 ml. white wine juice from the oranges and lemons 1 c./230 ml. heavy cream 1 tbsp./15 ml. almond meal salt & pepper, q.b.* 14 oz./400 g. of your favourite (GF if need be) pasta handful of Italian parsley, minced

Boil plenty of salted water in a large pot. Add pasta. Cook per the instructions on the package (usually between 8 and 11 minutes). When al dente (meaning still firm when bitten), drain in a colander saving about ½ c. of the pasta water. Note that if you are cooking gf pasta, it generally takes about 4 to 6 minutes longer than regular pasta. While the pasta is cooking, add the drained peel, juice from the fruits, cream, and the almond meal to the onions and shallots. Simmer this gently for 5 minutes or until it is thickened enough for sauce. Add the drained cooked pasta to the skillet. If the sauce seems too thick, add one spoon of pasta water at a time until it is the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as you like. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with a nice crisp salad.

This recipe is only GF if you use GF pasta!

129

Gnocchi

GNOCCHI Serves 6 - 8

$

1 hour

DF

V

2 lbs./1 kg. Yukon Gold, russet, or purple fingerling potatoes 1 ½ -2 c./120 -240 g. all-purpose flour 1 egg yolk 1 tsp./5 ml. salt 4 tbsp./60 ml. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan) plus a little for garnish

Gnocchi is a favourite in our house. I remember learning how to make these over the shoulder of my Nonni. She made it look so effortless and I loved the way she rolled them over a fork to make the grid marks which allows the sauce to cling to them. You can make these ahead on a rainy day and freeze them for use at a dinner party. They will keep for several months in the freezer.

The gnocchi in the photo are made from a purple fingerling potato (solanum tuberosum) that I found in Keremeos. They are high in antioxidants and potassium.

Cook the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of water until tender. Use the same potato when testing to see if they are done, since piercing them will cause them to take on water which we don’t want. Drain and cool on paper towel. Remove skins and press through a potato ricer into a large bowl. If you don’t have a ricer, try a sturdy colander or a cheese grater. Add the egg yolk, salt, and most (80%) of the flour. Mix by hand. Keep adding the remaining flour until you have a mixture that is soft and smooth much like bread dough.

On a floured workspace, roll a handful of the dough into a long rope about half an inch wide, as consistent in size as possible. Cut the rope into one-inch pieces. If you have a gnocchi board, roll the pieces gently over the board to create little ridges, then set them aside on a flour-dusted tray. If you don’t have a gnocchi board, gently roll them across the tines of a fork or a strip of corrugated cardboard.

Before you roll the entire batch, freeze two gnocchi for 15 minutes and then cook them to test. Put one or two in a pot of boiling salted water; when the gnocchi rise to the top, they are done in usually no more than 3 minutes. Cool and taste. If the gnocchi are firm yet fluffy and not disintegrated in the water, you have the right consistency. This will depend entirely on the type of potato used and how much water it absorbed during the initial cooking. If the first two are a success, finish rolling and cutting the gnocchi.

If the gnocchi fall apart, add a little more egg and flour to your dough before proceeding to the next steps. Once you are comfortable with the consistency, finish rolling and cutting them.

Cover until they are all made, to prevent them from drying out.

Traditionalists would cook the gnocchi at this point, but I have had better results by laying them flat on a tray, freezing them for 45 minutes, and then transferring them to an airtight container or Ziploc™ bag. Keep them frozen until ready to use.

Just before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Break apart any gnocchi that might be stuck together. Add the frozen gnocchi to the water, in two batches to avoid crowding, and let them boil for about 2 or 3 minutes. As soon as they float to the top they are done. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel. Melt a little butter or olive oil and some sage leaves in a skillet. Fry the gnocchi briefly on all sides over medium heat.

Transfer to a warmed platter and serve immediately with the sauce of your choice. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Frying them after boiling is optional but I find it helps to firm them up.

Special equipment: potato ricer, gnocchi board

131

Notes on Paella ORIGINS Pronounced (pah-eh-yah). The Persians introduced rice to the Moors and the Moors introduced it to the Spanish – over a thousand years ago! Valencia, Spain is the home of this famous rice dish. We will use a short grain rice called Bomba. If you cannot buy Bomba, the Italian rice called Arborio will do just fine. The traditional version of paella is made with rabbit, beans, and chicken and is best cooked on an open fire made with olive or fruit woods. The seafood version of paella is called Arroz a la Marinera in Spain and does not include meats. The Spanish cooks have specialty burners that are wide enough to handle the paella pan. In the absence of a burner like that, I find using a lid helps to diffuse the heat sufficiently.

THE PAN The paella pan is a round, wide, shallow pan with two handles made specifically for paella. You can buy them at kitchen shops or order online. They are available in stainless steel, enamelled steel or most authentic, unfinished carbon steel. The latter requires regular seasoning and re-seasoning after each use to maintain its finish and avoid rust. I clean mine before each use and use liberal amounts of olive oil in the cooking process. I use the 16-inch pan, which is enough for 6-8 people. There is a special burner that you can purchase if you are really keen, also available online @ https://www.paellapans.com. Most home cooks will be cooking paella on the stovetop. In this case, I would use a heavier round pan (Staub has some beauties) or a large cast iron skillet on a 2-burner stovetop grill. It is important that the heat be evenly distributed. Turn the pan frequently during cooking.

THE SOCARRAT Once the rice is added to the pan, it is not to be stirred. Move the pan around frequently to attain the most even heat possible. The final minute of cooking on high heat produces what is called the socarrat, the crispy toasted underlayer that is delicious and highly sought after. In order to loosen it from the pan, place the hot pan on a wet tea towel and let it sit for 5 to 15 minutes before serving. The resting of the paella is the final stage of cooking so take it off the heat as soon as the rice is al dente; even if there is still a bit of liquid in the pan, it will be absorbed.

Traditionally, paella is taken out of the pan with a wooden paella spoon designed to scrape the good crunchy bits off the bottom. Paella is typically served at room temperature so there is lots of time for visiting before eating.

132

THE BROTH Most recipes use just plain water to cook the rice; I prefer to use a chicken broth when cooking the meat version of paella and fish broth for the seafood version. If you don’t have time to make a broth, you can purchase it or, if you are budget conscious, use bone-in chicken to impart additional flavour.

THE SAFFRON Saffron is the key ingredient in this amazing dish and comes from the red stigmas of a particular variety of crocus flower. It is very labour intensive to grow and pick crocus for this purpose, hence the high cost. Saffron is rich in magnesium, and vitamins A, D, and calcium. The best saffron is grown in La Mancha, Spain. Very good quality saffron is also found in Iran. Look for threads that are solid dark red or marked coupe quality. Yellow or golden threads are poorer in quality. If the word colourante is on the package it is a fake. If you cannot purchase saffron threads, there is a powder available at Italian delicatessens which is a good alternative. Soak the threads in a little hot water for 10-15 minutes before using. Expect to pay about $8-10 for the saffron for a large pan of paella. With all the expense of the rest of the components, why economize on the most important ingredient? For more information, see: https://saffrons.online or www.goldensaffron.com

133

Traditional Valencian Paella

TRADITIONAL VALENCIAN PAELLA Serves 6 - 8

$$

1 ¼ hour

DF GF

1/3 c./75 ml. good quality olive oil 9 oz./250 g. chicken legs, thighs, or wings on the bone 9 oz./250 g. rabbit cut into pieces (optional or substitute sausage cut into one-inch slices) 4 oz./115 g. wide runner beans, cut into one-inch pieces 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 sweet onion, diced or 5 small cippolini onions, peeled 4 oz./115 g. white lima or fava beans, fresh or frozen (substitute canned Greek butter beans in tomato sauce) 1 large tomato, grated (substitute a small tin of fire roasted tomatoes) 1 tsp./5 ml. smoked sweet paprika 5 c./1 ¼ l. chicken broth, – approximately (water can be used instead) 1 tsp./5 ml. saffron threads (preferably coupe quality) 1 fresh sprig of rosemary 1 tsp./5 ml. fresh or dried thyme (optional) salt & pepper, q.b.

1 ½ c./300 g. Bomba rice (substitute Arborio) lemon wedges for garnish

Remove most of the skin from the chicken. Pour olive oil into a minimum 16-inch paella pan or very large cast iron frying pan and check that it is level. Heat oil to medium-low temperature.

Add chicken and brown on both sides, remove it from pan, and set aside. Repeat with the rabbit or sausage. Set aside. Add the beans, garlic, and onion to the middle of the pan and stir fry gently for a few minutes. Move them to the side of the pan. Add the grated tomato. Cook gently until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the paprika to the tomato. Now add all the cooked ingredients to the pan and cook gently for another minute or two. Pour enough broth or water into the pan until it almost reaches the top.

Bring the mixture to a boil and add the saffron, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary (whole). Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Check the water level periodically and if half-way up a soup spoon placed in the centre vertically, add some more. In other words, it needs to be at least half full of liquid before adding the rice. Move the meat and vegetables to the outer sides of the pan. Remove the rosemary. Spread the rice out carefully so that the meat and vegetables are dispersed evenly. Turn the heat to medium high and cook for 4 minutes without stirring.

Lower heat to very low and cook for 12 to 16 minutes more.

(Total of 18 to 20 minutes.) The rice should be almost dry and al dente. Do not be tempted to stir the mixture while cooking.

To achieve the socarrat (toasted, crispy bottom), turn up the heat to maximum for one minute at the end of the cooking period.

Once you hear a crackling sound, remove pan from the heat and place it on a wet tea towel. Cover the paella with a tea towel and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

If the rice is still a bit too firm at the end of the cooking period, cover the top with a tea towel amply sprinkled with water and let it rest a few more minutes.

Special equipment: paella pan

135

Seafood Paella

SEAFOOD PAELLA Serves 4 - 6

$ $$

1 hour

DF GF

2 bratwurst or Italian sausages (150 g.) (substitute cut up chicken thigh meat) 1 leek, cleaned and diagonally cut into 1- inch pieces. Discarding the tough dark green ends ½ onion, minced 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 celery stalk, diced 1 red pepper, sliced in narrow strips 8 cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 large tomato, chopped 2 tsp./10 ml. smoked paprika (substitute regular paprika) 1 c./235 ml. Bomba or Arborio rice 2 ½ c./600 ml. organic chicken broth, heated 1 or 2 sticks of pepperoni, thinly sliced 6 large scallops soaked in milk 12 large prawns, beheaded and deveined 1 bag of fresh mussels, debearded (substitute clams) 8 oz./225 g. halibut fillet, cut into pieces 2 packages (0.125 g. each) powdered saffron or 1 tsp. threads of saffron salt, pepper, chili pepper flakes (optional)

Despite the fact that the traditional seafood paella has no meat, I like to include some in mine for a more robust flavour. I usually do the prep work early in the day, so I have more time with our guests. You can pre-cook and cut up the sausages and keep them in the fridge. Buy the seafood fresh that morning. To clean the mussels, pull out the beard-like threads, place them in a bowl, and store in the fridge covered with a damp cloth.

You can use any combination of seafood and vegetables for this dish. Traditionally this dish would not be cooked with the lid on.

Fry the sausages. Cool, slice into small rounds and set aside. In a large skillet or paella pan, sauté the celery, onions, and garlic in good olive oil on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the leek and pepper. Sauté for about 3 minutes longer, just enough to soften. In the meantime, heat the broth and add the saffron to it.

Add the tomatoes and paprika to the skillet and cook down gently until it becomes saucy. Add rice to the pan in a line from one side to the other. Pour 2 cups of the broth into the pan surrounding the rice, saving the rest for later if needed. Gently place the vegetables and sausage around the rice, trying not to disturb it. Cover with a lid or tinfoil and cook for 12 minutes on medium-high, gently stirring only once to ensure the rice is absorbing the liquid. Add the seafood and pepperoni. Cook, covered, for another 6 to 7 minutes. Check frequently. When the mussels are fully open, check the rice to make sure it is cooked.

It should be al dente. Add more broth if the rice is not done and there is no more liquid. Discard any mussels or clams that have not opened. If you use low sodium broth, you may want to adjust the seasoning before serving (salt, pepper, paprika). If you like heat, add some chilli pepper flakes. Now crank up the heat to high for one minute until you hear the rice toasting in the pan.

Set the pan on a wet tea towel. Put a clean damp towel on top and let it sit for ten minutes.

Traditionally, paella is served at room temperature so there is no hurry! Have a nice cool glass of wine while you are waiting.

Special equipment: paella pan

137

Polenta

POLENTA Serves 8

$

When we enjoyed this dish with our Italian friends, they recited a ditty from their childhood. It was so cute to hear a 70-year-old man singing a folksong that I thought the words, at least, should be included:

45 minutes

GF

V

3 c./700 ml. medium or coarse corn meal 9 c./2 L. water 2 tbsp./30 ml. salt, preferably truffle salt ½ c./100 g. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute Parmesan) ½ c./120 ml. whipping cream (optional)

Se il mare fosse poccia, E i monti di polenta, Oi Mamma che pocciate, Polenta e baccala

If the sea was sauce, And the mountains were polenta, How beautiful to dip the sauce, Polenta and baccala

In a large pot, boil the water and add salt. Sprinkle the corn meal into the water, a little at a time using a sturdy whisk to incorporate the cornmeal and to avoid lumps.

Cook on low heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture leaves or pulls away from the sides of the pan. Season with salt according to taste. Taste to ensure it is cooked through. It should be dense but not gritty. Add cream if desired and mix thoroughly.

Turn onto a wooden board covered with a clean tea towel. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into portions using kitchen string. It is traditional to do the cutting at the table when everyone is seated.

Serve with a Bolognese sauce or chicken cacciatore, and a generous shaving of parmesan cheese. If there is any leftover, it is delicious for breakfast fried in squares with tomato sauce and a fried egg.

Special Equipment: whisk

139

Gnocchi Alla Romana

GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA Serves 4

$

3 hours

GF

V

1 ¼ cups/ 300 ml. medium or coarse corn meal 1 qt./ 1 L. milk 1 tbsp./15 ml. salt 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 tsp./5 ml. mustard powder 1 tbsp./15 ml. shiitake mushroom powder ½ cup/ 100 g. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (substitute parmesan) + some for top 1 tbsp./15 ml. dried herbs such as sage or rosemary ¼ c./75 g. butter cut into cubes + some for top pepper, q.b.

Our daughter Morgan and I travelled to Italy when she was eleven to see a bit of the world and to meet distant relatives. An elderly aunt in Piedmont made this dish for us in her mini kitchen, using just one burner and a toaster oven. We couldn’t understand a word Auntie said but we sure appreciated the quality and simplicity of this meal.

This dish is very similar to polenta but with a few more ingredients which produce a heartier, more nutritious meal.

In a large pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil and add salt.

Sprinkle the corn meal into the water, a little at a time using a sturdy whisk to avoid lumps. Cook on gentle heat for about 7 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until well incorporated. Pour the mixture into a buttered cake pan. Pat it down so the dough is the depth of your thumbnail and chill for several hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees f.

Take the dough out of fridge an hour before dinner. Using a small juice glass or canning ring, cut the dough into round shapes.

Arrange them on a buttered heat proof casserole. Cut a bit of butter into little cubes and sprinkle on top of the casserole. (the extra butter is optional – you could sprinkle a little more Parmigiano on instead). Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until golden.

Use the broiler for the last 2 minutes if necessary, for a nice golden hue. This can be eaten on its own or with a nice tomato sauce, or with grilled mushrooms.

Special Equipment: whisk

141

HANGOVER HEAVEN Serves 1

30 minutes

$

GF

1 c./160 g. polenta, cooked ¼ c./40 g. mascarpone cheese (substitute whipped cream) 4 tbsp./60 ml. maple syrup, warmed bacon pieces, cooked until crisp and crumbled, 1 strip per person toasted hazelnuts or pecans, 4 or 5 per person raisins or dried cranberries, small handful per person

We came across this incredible breakfast in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. It has stayed in my mind because it is the perfect antidote to a thick head. The following makes enough for one person and is easily expanded if need be.

I suggest making the polenta (see recipe in this section) with a little more water than usual so the consistency is more like porridge. Toast the nuts and cook the bacon while the polenta is cooking. Warm the maple syrup. When the polenta is cooked (about 20 minutes), place a large scoop in a warm bowl, add the mascarpone cheese, crumbled bacon, nuts, and raisins. Pour the warm syrup all over the polenta and dig in. It’s worth the effort and your overnight guests will thank you. I suggest serving this with a large jug of orange juice enlivened with prosecco. You can’t go wrong.

Definition: hang·o·ver /haNGōvər/ Noun. Guest(s), suffering from crapulence, who ended up staying overnight because they didn’t want to drink and run.

143

Risotto

RISOTTO

Be patient! Don’t try to rush this age-old recipe. This style is traditionally served with osso bucco. The key element is the Arborio rice. Other types of rice that will work well are: Nano, Vialone, Canaroli, and Baldo.

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as an accompaniment

There are many variations for risotto - you can add blanched fresh asparagus, green peas, shrimp, or shaved fennel. Play with it, you can’t go wrong. In Italy, it is considered a sin to serve cheese with seafood so if you are adding seafood to this rice, omit the cheese. For mushroom risotto, as shown in the photo, substitute a cup of sautéed (almost crispy) mushrooms and 2 tbsp. shitake mushroom powder as a substitute for the cheese.

45 minutes

$ $ GF DF

V

½ medium sweet white onion, minced 3 tbsp./45 ml. butter 2 tbsp./30 ml. good olive oil 2 c./360 g. Arborio rice 1 qt./1 L. chicken broth, possibly more (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian) 1 c./250 ml. dry white wine 2 cubes GF chicken bouillon (substitute vegetable bouillon for vegetarian) 2 envelopes (0.125 g. each) powdered saffron or 2 good pinches of saffron threads 1/3 c./80 g. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (substitute parmesan) (optional) 2 or 3 tbsp./40 ml. heavy cream (optional) salt & pepper, q.b.

Sauté the onion in a large skillet in butter and oil until soft.

Crumble the bouillon cubes into the broth with the wine and heat it on the stove or in microwave. The broth must remain hot during the entire cooking process. Add the rice to the onion mixture and stir for 3 or 4 minutes over a medium-low heat until the rice starts to become translucent. Pour ½ c. of broth into the rice and stir until the mixture becomes dry. Repeat using ½ c. at a time on low heat, stirring after each addition. Add the powdered saffron when the rice is almost cooked. If you are using saffron threads, add them to the warm broth to let them open up.

Saffron will turn the rice and/or broth a lovely rich yellow colour.

Cooking the risotto completely will take about 20 to 25 minutes and is finished when the rice is al dente, still a bit firm. If it is too dry you may need to add a little more broth; this will depend on the rice. I prefer my risotto creamy but not runny. Just before serving, add the cheese and cream. Adjust the salt and pepper.

Serve on a warm platter.

You can make this ahead until it is about ¾ finished. Cover and set aside, then just before dinner warm it up and continue cooking while adding the last few cups of warm broth and saffron.

When the liquid is absorbed, add the cream and cheese.

145

Timballo

TIMBALLO Serves 4- 6

90 minutes

This is another of my husband’s favourites. Mind you, he loves eggplant in any form.

You can add cooked ground beef or pork to this recipe for a heatry all-in-one meal. If you cannot find long Japanese eggplants, you can use the oblong type (3 medium) but you may lose some of the beauty of the symmetry.

Preheat oven 350 degrees f.

$$

GF

V

6 oz./160 g. short pasta, gluten-free if need be (macaroni or penne) 1 tbsp./15 ml. salt ¾ c./180 ml. olive oil 4 or 5 very long (8 or more inches) Japanese eggplants 1 ½ c./375 ml. tomato sauce or passata 1/3 c./35 g. mozzarella cheese, grated ½ c./50 g. Parmigiano Reggiano (substitute parmesan) cheese, grated 4 white mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 tbsp./30 ml. shitake mushroom powder

Slice the eggplants lengthwise as thinly as possible, preferably with a mandoline. Lay them on a clean tea towel and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 20 minutes. Heat some of the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Wipe the slices of eggplant with paper towel to absorb the moisture and salt. Fry them 3 or 4 slices at a time for about 1 minute on each side. Lay them out on paper towel. Repeat until they are all cooked. You will need about 12 to 16 long slices.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Parboil the pasta for 3 or 4 minutes less that the instructions on the package. Strain into a colander and set aside.

Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment. Lay the fried eggplant slices in a fan starting in the centre so that it looks like the petals of a flower. The slices need to hang over the edges of the pan by at least 4 inches. Lay the mushroom slices on top of the fan. Put the par-boiled pasta in a small bowl and pour in the tomato sauce and cheese. Add shitake mushroom powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture into the cake pan and tamp it down with a spatula so that it is even and compact. Now fold the edges of the eggplant up and into the centre. If they don’t completely cover the top, add another strip or two on top.

Cover with tin foil or a pot lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 15 minutes. Turn upside down on a clean, nice-looking cutting board or platter. Remove the parchment. Cut into 6 slices with a long, sharp knife. Serve warm or cold.

Special equipment: mandoline, 8-inch round cake pan

147

Barbequed Chicken Bites Braised Short Ribs Cabbage Rolls Margaret’s Lemon Chicken Meatballs and Meatloaf Osso Bucco Pizzaiola Rub Eye Steaks Red Cabbage and Sausage Saltimbocca Turkey Meatballs Jubilee Veal Rolls Veal Scaloppine al Limone Vitello Tonnato

148

BARBEQUED CHICKEN BITES Serves 8 45 minutes, plus overnight

$

DF

GF

3 garlic cloves 2-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled 6 tbsp/90 ml. gluten-free soya sauce 4 tbsp./60 ml. Buran honey with black cumin seed 4 tbsp./60 ml. sake or rice wine 3 tbsp./45 ml. ver jus or lemon juice 2 tsp./30 ml. lemon grass, fresh sliced thinly or powdered 1 tsp./15 ml. Chinese five spice 6 tbsp./90 ml. peanut butter 4 lb./2 kg. chicken wings, drumettes & drumsticks lemon juice for rinsing chicken 3 star anise pods

Buran honey with black cumin is a specialty item found at middle eastern delicatessens. If you cannot find it, add 1 tsp./5 ml. of cumin to regular honey. Ver jus is made from unripened grape juice or sometimes crab apple. It is a nice tart substitute for vinegars.

Combine all ingredients, except the chicken and star anise, in a small blender and purée. Wash the chicken, rub with some salt and lemon juice, pat dry, put in a large Ziploc™ bag and add the marinade including star anise. Seal and store in refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours, but preferably overnight. Preheat BBQ to lowest setting. Grill the chicken parts on a grill mat to prevent burning, with the lid down, for about 20 minutes. Turn every few minutes. Check to see that they are thoroughly cooked by cutting into one, right to the bone. There should be no red showing.

If you don’t have a BBQ or it’s the dead of winter, bake on a foil-lined cooking tray for 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees f., turning periodically. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds or herbs.

Garnish: 6 tbsp./90 ml. toasted white sesame seeds

149

Braised Short Ribs

BRAISED SHORT RIBS Serves 4

$$

3 ½ hours

DF

GF

8 short ribs, bone in (approximately 2 lbs./1 kg.)

1 tbsp./15 ml. whole mace (substitute ground mace) 2 star anise pods 1 tsp./5 ml. cinnamon (substitute 1 stick) 1 tsp./5 ml. chai masala spice* 2 tbsp./30 ml. maple syrup 1 tbsp./15 ml. balsamic vinegar (substitute apple cider vinegar) 1 tbsp./15 ml. mango jam (see Condiments section) 1 tsp./5 ml. sesame oil 1 tsp./5 ml. fish sauce 1 tsp./5 ml. peppercorns 1 tsp./5 ml. juniper berries 1 tsp./5 ml. sea salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp./10 ml. grated fresh ginger 1 tsp./5 ml. lemon grass, chopped fresh or powdered ½ c./125 ml. brandy 2 c./500 ml. beef broth grated zest of one orange

I am including this recipe especially for our son Nicholas who has recently taken up cooking as a hobby. Way to go Nick!

Cooking low and slow is the key to this delicious meal. You’ll need 2 ribs per person because they shrink while cooking. The Asian spices make the meat burst with flavour. You can make this meal in a pressure cooker or InstantPot™ in about 45 minutes.

Just make sure you add enough broth to cover the meat and then some.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees f.

Sear the ribs in a non-stick frying pan. Grease a deep cast iron pot with a lid. Place the ribs in the bottom. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix. Pour over the ribs. Put a lid on the pot and place it in the oven on a rimmed cookie tray, lest it boil over. After 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 200 degrees f.

Cook for another 2 ½ hours, checking the meat every 45 minutes.

Turn the meat over several times. When the meat is falling off the bone, remove the ribs to a warm platter. Reduce the pot juices by half and pour through a sieve. Pour the gravy over the ribs and garnish with orange zest or a dollop of mango jam. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice and a nice fresh salad.

* Chai masala is a blend of spices typically used to make Chai tea.

They include cinnamon, ginger, green cardamom, cloves, black pepper, allspice, and star anise – all in powder form.

151

Cabbage Rolls

CABBAGE ROLLS Makes 12 - 16 rolls 2 hours

$

DF

GF

1 large green cabbage ½ lb./225 g. ground beef ½ lb./225 g. ground pork 1 qt./1 L. homemade tomato sauce (substitute 500 ml. best quality tomato sauce and 1 small can [396 ml.] of fire-roasted tomatoes) 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 c./200 g. basmati rice 1 tsp./5 ml. salt 1 tsp./5 ml. black pepper 1 tsp./5 ml. shitake mushroom powder 1 tsp./5 ml. smoked paprika 1 tsp./5 ml. dried thyme or basil

Put a pot of water, large enough to accommodate the entire head of cabbage, on to boil. Salt the water. Cut the core out of the bottom of the cabbage so that there is a funnel-shaped hole in the bottom. Carefully submerge the cabbage in the boiling water, bottom side down. Put a lid on the pot. After about 5-7 minutes the outside leaves will be cooked. Remove the outer leaves carefully with a pair of Teflon coated tongs or by hand with rubber gloves. Set them aside on a tea towel to cool. If they are not pliable enough, return the cabbage to the pot for another few minutes and repeat the process until you have 16. Submerge the remaining cabbage in cold water and drain.

Make an inverted V-shaped incision at base on the 16 largest leaves in order to remove the thick part of the vein. Slice the remaining cabbage into wedges. Place them in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f. Fry the meat and onions until cooked through. Drain and set aside.

Divide the tomato sauce into two equal portions. Boil the rice in 2 cups of water on medium heat for 10 minutes (parboiled). Drain and put into a large mixing bowl. When the rice is cool, add the beef, pork, onion and spices. Mix with half of the tomato sauce.

Use this mixture to spoon onto the cabbage leaves. Fold from left to right, right to left and then roll towards the top. Pin with a toothpick if the leaves are still a bit inflexible. Place them on the cabbage wedges in the casserole. Pour the second half of the tomato sauce over the rolls. Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 hour. If the sauce becomes too dry, add a little water or white wine. The cabbage rolls should be moist and soft.

If there are any left, they freeze well. Yes, they are a bit fiddly but well worth the effort.

153

MARGARET’S LEMON CHICKEN Serves 2

$

20 minutes

DF

GF

4 chicken thighs, with or without the bone 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil juice of one lemon (more if you like) zest of one lemon 1 tbsp./15 ml. rosemary 1 c./250 ml. chicken broth salt & pepper, q.b. lemon slices or parsley

I have fond memories of this dish. When my children were babies, my mother-in-law Margaret, at 80 years of age, would bring this dish to us often. After a day of work and baby care, it was a welcome relief not to have to cook. This one is easy and delicious.

Wash the thighs and pat them dry. Sear them in olive oil over a medium-high heat on both sides. Mix the lemon juice, zest, rosemary, and chicken broth together and pour over the thighs.

Cook on medium heat, turning every 5 minutes for 20 minutes (25 if bone in). The stock will evaporate, and the thighs will become golden and crispy on both sides. Season. Garnish with lemon slices or parsley. Serve with rice or potatoes and vegetables.

MEATBALLS & MEATLOAF

I think meatballs are by far one of my family’s most requested dinners. The shitake mushroom powder is essential. You can use this mixture to make meatballs or meatloaf. If you cannot find veal, use ground turkey or chicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Makes 4 - 6

$

1 hour

DF

GF

6 oz./150 g. each: lean ground beef, ground pork and ground veal ½ medium white or yellow onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, finely diced 3 tbsp./45 ml. rolled oats (gluten free if important) 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp./30 ml. shitake mushroom powder* salt & pepper, q.b.

For the meatballs: Mix the ingredients in a bowl. Wearing surgical gloves, form into uniform balls with a melon scoop. Place them on foil-lined cookie sheet. You should get 16 meatballs. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Tent on a warmed platter. If you are making these to go with spaghetti, take them out at 20 minutes, put them in an oven-proof serving bowl, cover with tomato sauce and cook a further 15-20 minutes.

Additionally, for meatloaf: Mix the celery in a bowl with the meat mixture. Mold it into a greased loaf pan. Lay two strips of bacon on top of the loaf and smother with ketchup. Bake 50-60 minutes or until nicely browned.

Additionally, for meatloaf: 2 strips of bacon 1 c./250 ml. ketchup or pizza sauce 1 stalk celery, finely diced

*If you cannot find shitake mushroom powder, you can make your own by putting any number of dried shitake mushrooms in a blender and pulse until you have a fine powder. Keep indefinitely in an airtight jar.

155

Ossco Bucco

OSSO BUCCO Serves 4 - 5

$$$

4 hours

DF

GF

1 tbsp./15 ml. lemon juice 1 large veal shank per person, plus 10 oz./285 g. veal stew meat, cubed 1 c./150 g. all-purpose flour and ½ tsp. seasoned salt for dredging* 1 tsp./5 ml. seasoning salt ½ c./120 ml. good quality olive oil 2 large cans San Marzano Italian canned tomatoes, puréed ½ small can of tomato paste, or 4 tbsp. from a tube 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion diced salt & pepper, q.b.

1 tsp./10 ml. dried oregano or thyme 1 bay leaf 1 c./250 ml. of good quality dry white wine Gremolata: 2 tsp./10 ml. cilantro or Italian parsley, finely minced 1 tsp./10 ml. lemon zest 1 clove garlic, finely minced (optional) 1 tsp./5 ml. Maldon or other flaked salt

The best veal in Canada comes from Quebec. Ask your local butcher if they can special order it if they don’t carry it.

Osso bucco literally means bone with a hole in Italian. This is my family’s favourite dish. The roasted bone marrow is what makes this dish so rustic. Traditionally this dish is served with risotto but in our house, we prefer it with pasta. Mangia, mangia!

Add the seasoning salt to the flour. Dip the meat, including the stewing meat, in some water with a little lemon juice. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Dredge meat in seasoned flour. Heat half (¼ cup) of the olive oil in a large skillet to medium high.

When hot, sear meat on both sides, 2 or 3 pieces at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the meat will be steamed rather than seared. Set aside. Repeat until all the meat has been seared.

In a heavy roasting pot with a lid (suitable for the oven) heat remaining olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions until golden.

If you make your own tomato sauce you can use two quarts of it instead of the tomatoes, garlic, onions, and tomato paste.

Otherwise, add tomato paste and cook a few minutes stirring so the paste does not burn. Add the puréed tomatoes, herbs, salt, and pepper. Add the veal and make sure the bones are covered with tomato sauce. Pour wine over top and mix together. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Bring to a boil on stovetop, then place in oven for 2½ to 3 hours. After 25 minutes, turn the oven down to 280 degrees f. Stir occasionally. It should be just barely simmering. We call this a low-slow cook. If the sauce is too dry, add some more wine. Check and adjust salt and pepper. When done, the meat should be falling off the bone. Remove bay leaf.

Garnish with gremolata. Give each guest a seafood fork for digging out the marrow. If you are opposed to eating veal, you can make this with beef shanks but look for the smaller sized ones. If they are too big, they may be tough and take longer to cook in order to achieve that melt in your mouth effect. *For a gluten-free version, use corn starch or very fine cornflour.

157

Pizzaiola

PIZZAIOLA Serves 4

$$

3 hours

DF

GF

1 ¼ lb./600 g. sirloin tip (marbled) beef, cut about ½ inch thick 3 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil 1 qt./1 L. jar good quality tomato sauce (see Condiments section) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp./15 ml. oregano, preferably fresh salt &pepper, q.b. fresh basil or cilantro

No – this isn’t another pizza recipe. I first heard about this dish on Everybody Loves Raymond. It piqued my interest, but I could not find a recipe that worked. At the top of the funicular in Naples, there is a small café where we finally found this dish and fell in love with it for its simplicity. It’s all about the cut of meat; it has to be thin yet marbled with fat. Pizzaiola means meat cooked to resemble a pizza.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Pound the meat with a meat tenderizing tool. Heat the pan first, then add olive oil. Sear the meat on both sides. Place it in the bottom of a enameled cast iron pot with a lid. Sauté the garlic in the same skillet and add to the cast iron pot with the meat. Pour tomato sauce over. Add the oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Put the lid on and bake for approximately 2 hours. Check every 15 minutes and when the sauce has started to simmer, turn the oven down to 280 degrees f. Check it often and turn the meat over periodically to prevent it from drying out. If the sauce begins to dry out, add a little water or white wine. It will be done when the meat is very tender and falls apart. You can also make this recipe in a pressure cooker. Sear first, then pressure cook in the sauce for about 35-40 minutes.

Serve with pasta or gnocchi or anything starchy to sop up the lovely sauce. Garnish with a chiffonade of cilantro or basil and a drizzle of good olive oil.

159

RUB EYE STEAKS 20 minutes

Serves 4

$$$

GF

4 rib eye steaks, about 6 oz./170 g. each 1 tbsp./15 ml. lemon juice Rub Me Tender spice mix (See recipe in Condiments section) 1/3 c./80 ml. salted butter

Wash the meat in water and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pat dry.

Rub both sides with spice mix. Put a bit of butter in a large cast iron skillet and heat to medium. When the butter begins to sizzle, add the steaks. Cook on each side for approximately 4 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Just before they are finished, add a pat of butter to the top of each steak. As the butter is melting, check the internal temperature. I prefer meat medium rare which is 140 degrees f. Tent and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with braised spiralized squash.

RED CABBAGE AND SAUSAGES 45 minutes

Serves 4

$$

DF

GF

½ large red cabbage, shredded juice of a half lemon 4 sausages 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 1 medium sweet onion, diced 2 cloves garlic 1 large firm apple, peeled and sliced 2 tsp./10 ml. balsamic vinegar 2 tsp./10 ml. fruit jelly such as grape, blackberry or mango (substitute honey) 1 tbsp./15 ml. caraway (or fennel) seeds 1 tsp./5 ml. chili flakes or chili sauce (optional) salt & pepper, q.b.

I love this dish because it is simple and takes no time at all. Use your favourite sausage and a nice crispy apple.

Put the red cabbage in a bath of ice water for 15 minutes. Squeeze a half lemon into the water to keep the colour fresh while cooking. Fry the sausages in a large skillet until partially cooked.

Remove and rest on paper towel to absorb fat. Clean out the pan.

Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Take the cabbage out of the ice bath with your hands and transfer to the skillet, allowing some of the water to cling to the cabbage.

Cover and simmer/steam for 6 minutes. Add the caraway seeds, balsamic vinegar, jelly, sausages, and apples to the cabbage. Mix together with a spatula. Cover and cook for another 6 minutes on medium-low or until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and the cabbage is still a bit firm. Check and adjust the seasonings. You may want to add chili flakes or hot sauce if the sausages are not highly seasoned.

161

SALTIMBOCCA Serves 4

$$

45 minutes

DF

GF

1 tbsp./15 ml. lemon juice 4 veal scallops, pounded and thinned out with a meat tenderizer 4 large sage leaves or 8 smaller 8 thin slices of prosciutto flour for dredging 1 c./250 ml. dry white wine 2 tbsp./30 ml. butter

Saltimbocca means jump in the mouth in Italian.

The flavours in this meat dish will certainly make your taste buds jump to attention! My friend Marj and I learned how to make this classic dish at a cooking school in Rome. The boys went off while we were at the market and then cooking. They came to collect us at 2 pm only to find that they were required to taste what we had cooked – all four courses! They had just eaten Saltimbocca at a nearby restaurant but wisely declared that ours was the best!

Rinse the veal in water and lemon juice. Pat dry with paper towel. Place veal between 2 sheets of baking paper and pound with a meat mallet to tenderize. Cut them in half. Dredge the meat in flour (for gluten-free, dredge in corn starch). Place one piece of prosciutto on top of each piece of the meat. Place 1 large or 2 small sage leaves on top and pin in place with a toothpick.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Fry the veal one or two slices at a time, about 2 minutes on each side, no more. They should be barely cooked but nicely browned. Set them on a heated platter and keep warm in a 175 degree f. oven while you finish frying the others.

Add the wine and butter to the skillet and, using a wooden spoon, break up any bits and reduce to a thin sauce. Pour the sauce over the warm meat and serve immediately.

Special equipment: meat tenderizing mallet

TURKEY MEATBALLS JUBILEE

When the cherries are harvested in the Okanagan each summer, you just want to eat as many as you can and do something with the rest. I pit them and freeze them in groups of a dozen for use in recipes like this one. The farmers also sell a box with a spigot of pure cherry juice. Once opened, you can keep it in the fridge for months. The sauce in this recipe could be used in so many ways or right out of the pan!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. f

Serves 4

1 hour

$$

DF

GF

Meatballs 14 oz./425 g. lean ground turkey meat 2 tbsp./30 ml. shallot, diced (substitute onion) 1 clove garlic, diced 3 tbsp./45 ml. gf rolled oats 1 small egg beaten 1 tbsp./15 ml. shitake mushroom powder 1 tsp./5 ml. dry mustard powder salt & pepper, q.b.

Meatballs: Mix the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Wearing surgical gloves, form into uniform balls with a melon scoop. Place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet. You should get 12 meatballs. Start making the sauce while the meatballs are cooking. Bake for 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Tent on a warmed platter.

Cherry Reduction Sauce: Sauté the shallots in olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the ginger, citrus peel, cherries, cherry juice and balsamic. Simmer until the juice has reduced to a thick sauce. Pour the sauce on and around the meatballs and garnish with lemon zest. Serve with a frisky white wine.

Special equipment: melon baller

Cherry Reduction Sauce 2 tbsp./30 ml. shallot, diced 1 tbsp./15 ml. olive oil 1 tbsp./15 ml. fresh ginger, peeled and diced 1 tbsp./15 ml. Buddha’s hand peel, diced (substitute mixed peel or lemon zest) one dozen fresh, frozen or canned pitted sweet cherries, halved 1 c./250 ml. fresh or frozen cherry juice 1 tbsp./15 ml. good balsamic vinegar zest of one lemon

163

Definition: A sweet young carrot would be one right out of the ground in early summer, ready to eat. It would be about 6 inches long. It would not have a nasty crown, or hairy roots coming out of it. It would taste sweet.

VEAL ROLLS Serves 4

$$$

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

1 hour

DF

8 thin slices of veal 1 tbsp./15 ml. lemon juice 8 large sage leaves 8 sweet young carrots, medium size 8 thin slices prosciutto or mortadella 1 qt./1 L. good-quality tomato sauce

GF

Scrub carrots. If they are young, you won’t need to peel them.

Place in pot of boiling water and parboil about 5 minutes, until partially cooked. Plunge them into an ice bath.

Rinse the veal in water and lemon juice. Pat dry with paper towel. Place veal between 2 sheets of baking paper and pound with a meat mallet to tenderize. Place a sage leaf and prosciutto (or mortadella- or both!) on the veal. Roll up with a carrot in the middle. Pin the meat bundle with a toothpick.

Lay the rolls in a greased baking dish suitable for presentation.

Cover with tomato sauce and bake approximately 30 minutes.

The sauce should be bubbling, and the carrots cooked through.

Remove toothpicks. Serve as is or cut in half on a diagonal to reveal the beautiful orange carrot in the centre.

Special equipment: meat tenderizing mallet.

165

Veal Scaloppine Al Limone

VEAL SCALOPPINE AL LIMONE Serves 4

$$$

30 minutes

DF

GF

¼ c./75 ml. salted capers fresh sage leaves ½ c./125 ml. good olive oil 1 tbsp./15 ml. lemon juice 2 veal scallops per person 1 tsp./5 ml. Lawry’s steak salt black pepper, q.b. flour for dredging. (for gf use corn starch or corn flour) small glass of dry white wine (4 oz./100 ml.) juice of two lemons 3 tbsp./45 ml. butter

Veal is hard to find these days. I get mine from the butcher at Granville Island. I ask to have it tenderized before they wrap it.

You will need about 125 g. per person. If the slices of meat (scallops) are large, cut them in half.

Scaloppine (plural and diminutive of scaloppa—a small scallop, i.e., a thinly sliced cut of meat; in English usage scaloppini, sometimes scallopini) is a type of Italian dish that comes in many forms. It consists of thinly sliced meat, most often beef, veal, or chicken, that is dredged in flour, sautéed, and served with one of a variety of reduction sauces.

Put the capers in a bowl and fill with water. Fry the sage leaves in olive oil until crispy, remove, and set aside.

Wash the veal in water and lemon juice. Pat dry with paper towel.

Pound the veal with a meat mallet to tenderize (if the butcher has not already done so). Add steak salt and pepper to the flour in a soup plate. Dredge the veal scallops in the flour. Heat the same olive oil used for the sage in a heavy skillet to medium.

Fry the veal one or two slices at a time, about 2 minutes on each side, no more. They should be barely cooked but nicely browned. Set them on a heated platter and keep warm in a 175 degree f. oven while you finish frying the others.

Rinse the capers and dry them on paper towel.

With all meat on the platter keeping warm in the oven, put the wine, capers, a sage leaf, and lemon juice in the skillet and deglaze. Add the butter at the end and keep stirring until it is reduced to a thin gravy. Pour over the meat and serve with vegetables of your choice. Garnish with fried sage leaves.

Special equipment: meat tenderizing mallet.

167

Vitello Tonnato

VITELLO TONNATO Serves 6-8

$$$$

24 hours

DF GF

2 ½ lb./500 g. boneless veal shoulder roast, ask the butcher to tie or net it tightly 1 c./250 ml. dry white wine 1 c./250 ml. chicken broth 2 c./500 ml. water 2 c./500 ml. chopped white onion, young carrot, leek, and celery mixed 1 tsp./5 ml. each of fresh rosemary, marjoram, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns, juniper berries Mayonnaise Sauce: 2 c./500 ml. best available mayonnaise ¼. c./60 ml. fresh lemon juice (more or less) 3 tbsp./45 ml. capers preserved in salt 6 anchovy fillets 1 tsp./5 ml. mustard powder 1 large (17 oz.) can of tuna packed in olive oil (Rio Mare brand if possible) 2 tsp./10 ml. organic tomato paste salt & pepper, q.b.

Garnish: 3 tbsp./45 ml. capers, soaked, rinsed and fried until crispy 1 or 2 lemons thinly sliced handful of grape tomatoes, made into rose garnishes (optional)

This is a luxury dish. Roll it out for your most seasoned guests and hope they bring a bottle of Arneis or Barbera to wash it down. Make it the day before your dinner party to give it ample time to marinate. Don’t even think of leaving out the anchovies.

Trust me, they will disappear into the sauce and elevate this dish to a meal fit for your most discerning guests. You’ll need to speak to your butcher to order this roast ahead.

The day before your dinner, take the roast out of the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature 45 minutes before starting.

Find a pot just big enough to fit the roast, vegetables, herbs, and liquids. Add the vegetables, wine, stock, water, and herbs and bring to boil. When it comes to a full boil, carefully submerge the roast. Add more boiling water if necessary, to ensure the roast is submerged. Return to full rolling boil, then turn the heat off and cover. Let cool for 2 hours then remove the roast from liquid and transfer to the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Bring the broth back to a rolling boil, cool, strain, and freeze for another use.

While the meat is cooling in the refrigerator, assemble the sauce.

Soak the capers in cold water for 20 minutes and rinse them to release the salt. Rinse the anchovies under water and rest on paper towel.

Drain the tuna, saving the oil and liquid for another use. Put all of the ingredients in a blender and purée. Adjust the flavours by adding more lemon juice or capers or salt and pepper (although there should be enough salt from the anchovy and tuna).

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Now the tricky part. Put the roast in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes to get it really cold. Slice on a meat slicer if you have one or, if not, slice with a long blade carving knife into very thin slices (¼ inch). Chilling the roast makes it much easier to slice. It should still be medium rare (pink) inside.

Reserve a quarter of the sauce and keep refrigerated. Smear some of the sauce on a nice platter. Arrange the meat slices in a fan-like arrangement, covering each slice evenly with sauce.

Spoon sauce on the top, just like icing a cake. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate 24 hours. Just before serving, bring to room temperature and garnish with lemon slices and fried capers.

Serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.

169

Beets Me! Caesar Salad with Prawns Crunchy Pea Salad Nonni’s Vinaigrette Dandelion Salad Hawaiian Slack Key Slaw Lyonnaise Salad Mushroom Salad Niçoise Salad Orange and Fennel Salad Roasted Beet & Glass Noodle Salad Tater Salad Valentine’s Day Salad Watermelon and Tomato Salad Lotus Blossom Salad

170

BEETS ME! Serves 4

$

This is one of those recipes where the freshness of the beets and the quality of the olive oil are of utmost importance.

1 ½ hours

DF GF

V

6 medium-sized in-season beets of various colours good quality olive oil salt & pepper, q.b. herbs, minced balsamic vinegar

Cut the tops off the beets leaving about 1 inch of the stalk. Put them in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 45 minutes, until you can pierce them with a fork easily. Drain and let cool. When cool enough to handle, wearing gloves, carefully peel away the skin leaving the stalk intact. At this point, you could coat them in olive oil, salt and pepper and grill them on the BBQ for about 15 minutes. This will caramelize them and add to the flavour. But if you don’t have a BBQ, or the time, it is just as delicious to serve them by cutting the beets in quarters and arranging them on a nice white platter.

Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs of your choice. Drizzle with a nice syrupy balsamic vinegar. Serve warm or cold.

171

CAESAR SALAD WITH PRAWNS Serves 4

$$

20 minutes

DF

GF

1 head romaine lettuce, cleaned and dried 2 eggs 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ c./60 ml. salted capers, rinsed well and dried 2 tbsp./30 ml. good olive oil 3 deveined prawns or shrimps per person (optional) 1 tsp./5 ml. salt 1 tsp./5 ml. mustard powder 4 tbsp./60 ml. olive oil juice of 1 lemon ¼ c./60 ml. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (substitute parmesan) cheese freshly ground pepper, q.b. croutons (optional and omit for gluten-free)

This is a classic style Caesar salad. I have used prawns as the protein, but you could just as easily use grilled chicken or fish, or serve as is for vegetarian version. Choose a romaine that is firm and pale green. In winter, if you must choose from lettuce in a bag, make sure the best before date is well in the future.

Wash the lettuce leaves and cut them up into bite-sized pieces.

Wrap them in a tea towel and keep in fridge until ready to serve.

In a small skillet, sauté the garlic and capers in oil until crispy being careful not to let the garlic burn. Set aside. In the same pan, sauté the shrimps until they are pink and cooked through (about 4 minutes). Soft boil the eggs (4 minutes at full boil).

In a small blender, blitz the soft-boiled eggs, salt, mustard powder, lemon juice and olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Place the lettuce in a bowl and pour on the dressing.

Garnish with capers, garlic, cheese, and your protein of choice.

Add fresh cracked pepper and croutons if you like.

CRUNCHY PEA SALAD 15 minutes

Serves 6

$$

GF

1 small bag frozen Sweetlet ™/young peas 1/3 bottle of Heinz™ salad cream 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and diced 3 green onions, diced (or ½ medium sweet onion, chopped) 3 rashers of bacon 1 envelope of powdered saffron

Let the peas defrost slowly in a bowl. Plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds. Place them in a strainer sitting on a tea towel to drain completely. Put the bacon on a heatproof plate and cover with two sheets of paper towel. Microwave for 3 or 4 minutes, turning twice, until the bacon is crispy. (Or cook bacon in a frying pan and drain on paper towel.) Cool and then chop into small bits. Combine all the ingredients and stir well.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is an easy salad and really delicious. If you are lucky enough to have fresh peas, cook them in boiling water until barely done (1-2 minutes), then place in ice water to prevent them from cooking further. Most of us will have to make do with frozen peas. I urge you to splurge on the Sweetlets ™. I find they use younger, sweeter peas and seldom are there any duds.

I recall tasting this salad at a fancy restaurant near Pike Place Market in Seattle at least 35 years ago. I can still remember the crunchiness of the water chestnuts melded with the hint of saffron in the cream. It was heaven. This is my version.

173

NONNI’S VINAIGRETTE Makes 1 cup

$

5 minutes

DF GF

V

2/3 c./160 ml. good olive oil 1/3 c./80 ml. white wine vinegar several drops of good balsamic vinegar, if you have 1 tsp./5 ml. dry mustard powder pinch of sugar salt & pepper, q. b

This is my go-to salad dressing. When we were kids, there was always a large fresh salad on the table. After my father dug into it with his fork, then we were allowed to follow suit. When the salad was all gone, brother Jon would drink the remaining vinaigrette straight from the bowl. Maybe that’s why he still has all his hair!

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a lid. Shake just before serving. This is enough for several salads and will keep on the counter (not in fridge) for some time.

Dandelion Salad

DANDELION SALAD Serves 4 1 hour, plus picking time

$

DF GF

1 celery stalk, sliced thinly ¼ red onion, thinly sliced 3 or 4 cups of dandelion leaves 1 or 2 anchovies, well rinsed and diced (optional) ¼ c./125 ml. good olive oil 2 tbsp./30 ml. tarragon vinegar (substitute white vinegar) salt & pepper, q.b. pinch of dry mustard powder 2 coddled eggs (boiled for 4 minutes) Optional garnish: Bee Pollen

V

Every spring, around the Ides of March, dandelions are popping up in the garden and fields. Picking and cleaning dandelion greens is hard work but well worth it. In our Italian family, eating dandelion greens was a treat for the first few weeks of spring. They are very rich in iron and vitamin D. I find that using the prongs on a hammer or a conventional weeding tool works well to loosen the weeds from the ground.

You only want to dig up the youngest. If they have buds or flowers already, they are too old to eat. Spray them with the garden hose to remove most of the dirt. At the kitchen sink, begin cleaning them by removing the older leaves. Choose leaves the size of young arugula, with the tender white shoots, but not the roots. When you have enough for a salad, clean them again and leave them in cold water until ready to use. It is not unusual to have to clean them 4 or 5 times so plan your time accordingly.

Dry the dandelion leaves. Place them in the bowl with the onion, anchovies and celery. Make a dressing with the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and then mix in the coddled eggs (without the shells of course!). If you are shy about anchovies, try putting all of the dressing components in a blender. Blitz and pour over your greens. The fish flavour will dissolve and leave you with a nice, rustic dressing. I promise.

HAWAIIAN

SLACK KEY SLAW Serves 6 - 8

$$

30 minutes

DF GF

V

Slaw A combination of any or all of the following: 1 red or green cabbage 1/2 sweet onion 2 green onions 2 carrots 1 bunch of broccoli or kale 1 slice pineapple 1/2 c. toasted nuts 2 stalks celery 2 slice jicama 1 slice mango

The term slack key in Hawaii refers to a style of guitar playing in which the instrument’s tuning key is loosened. When we are on Maui, that is exactly how we feel – slack key! On vacation, it’s nice to have a salad that you can make with local ingredients. I make slaw in large quantities and have it handy for guests who drop in. It keeps for several days in the fridge and seems to get better the longer it marinates. For storing over several days, I put it in a Ziplock™ bag, so it doesn’t dry out.

In a food processor, make a slaw by shredding/chopping any combination of red cabbage, sweet Maui onions, green onions, carrots, kale, green cabbage, broccoli, pineapple, toasted macadamia or pecan nuts, jicama, mango, and celery. You need about 6 to 8 cups of slaw for this dressing. Add ½ cup/120 ml. of raisins or other dried fruit, if you like.

Mix the slaw with the dressing and let it sit for several hours or overnight in the fridge.

Dressing 2 tbsp./30 ml. lime juice (substitute lemon or passionfruit) 1 tsp./5 ml. powdered lemon grass 3 tbsp./45 ml. local honey (substitute agave) 2 tbsp./30 ml. sesame seed oil 1 tsp./5 ml. soya sauce (substitute fish sauce) 6 tbsp./90 ml. grape seed oil (substitute olive or nut oil) 1 tsp./5 ml. mustard powder pinch of fennel pollen (substitute fennel seed)

177

LYONNAISE SALAD Serves 4 - 6

$

DF

15 minutes

GF

V

1 head of fresh firm lettuce 1 tbsp./15 ml. shallot, diced 1 tbsp./15 ml. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp./15 ml. water ¼ c./60 ml. good olive oil 2 tbsp./30 ml. white wine vinegar (one for dressing and one for cooking eggs) 1 anchovy, rinsed and diced 2 fresh eggs

I prefer endive, butter, radicchio, or romaine lettuce (or a combination) for this salad. It needs to be perky and slightly bitter so if the lettuces are a little limp you can freshen them up by plunging them in an ice bath for several minutes and then rolling in a towel (or salad spinner) to remove moisture.

In a small bowl or food processor, whisk the mustard, 1 tbsp./15 ml. vinegar and water. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, a few drops at a time. Add the anchovy and shallot and whisk again. Set aside.

Wash and chill the lettuce. Cut into small pieces. Dry thoroughly in a salad spinner. Place the lettuce in a chilled salad bowl. Poach the eggs in a dash of white vinegar until they are just barely cooked – 5-6 minutes. Slide them out with a slotted spoon and let rest on a towel. Pour the dressing into the salad bowl and mix. Adjust seasoning especially if you prefer more salt than the anchovy offers. Slide the eggs on top, allowing the yolks to run into the salad.

Suggested garnishes: cracked pepper, fresh croutons, bacon bits are always welcome, fried capers.

MUSHROOM SALAD Serves 4

15 minutes

$ $ DF GF

V

1 lb./450 g. fresh edible mushrooms of various varieties 1 handful Italian parsley or cilantro, minced 1/3 c./45 g. pine or macadamia nuts 2 green onions or a small sweet Maui onion, thinly sliced 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced good olive oil 1 tsp./5 ml. truffle oil (substitute truffle salt) salt & pepper, q.b.

This salad can be made an hour to two ahead and kept in the fridge; if you choose to make it ahead, add the oil and seasoning just before serving so the mushrooms don’t get soggy.

Carefully toast the nuts in a small sauté pan on medium heat.

Nuts have lots of oil, so they burn very easily. Keep an eye on them as toasting should only take a few minutes. Cool.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a slightly damp cloth or paper towel. Slice them as thinly as possible and put into the serving bowl. If you have a mandoline slicer this would be a good use for it. Add the nuts, parsley or cilantro, onions, celery, truffle oil or salt, and a couple of glugs (tablespoons) of olive oil. The better the oil, the better the flavour will be. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, although it is unlikely that you would need more salt if you used truffle salt.

Special equipment: mandoline

179

NIÇOISE SALAD Serves 4

$$

30 minutes

DF

GF

Salad: pickled or roasted beets, sliced cold roast chicken, sliced hard boiled eggs (one per person) green beans, blanched for 8 minutes red peppers cut into strips boiled new potatoes canned or marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered canned tuna, drained (I prefer Rio Mare) fresh greens (arugula, spinach, endive) a few nice olives; niçoise are traditional capers, rinsed and toasted parsley or cilantro, minced Dressing: 1 tbsp./15 ml. dry mustard powder ¼ c./60 ml. good olive oil 2 tbsp./30 ml. apple cider vinegar 1 coddled egg (boiled just 3-4 minutes) salt & pepper, q.b.

This is one of my favourite salads. It’s a perfect use for leftovers.

Adjust the quantities depending on the number of people you are feeding.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a blender.

Arrange the vegetables, eggs, tuna, and chicken on a platter (quantities according to the number of guests). Pour over the dressing. Sprinkle with capers and olives, and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.

ORANGE & FENNEL SALAD Serves 4

$

10 minutes

DF GF

V

1 large fresh fennel bulb juice of one lemon or lime 1 large navel orange ¼ c./75 ml. Nonni’s vinaigrette

When buying fennel, be sure to choose a bulb that looks healthy.

It should be white all around, the fronds should not be wilted, and it should not be bruised. If the bulbs are small, buy two.

Remove the outside petals of the fennel if bruised. Otherwise, wash and dry. Cut the green stalks off and save the fronds.

Freeze the green stalks for use later in pho soup. Slice the fennel very, very thinly, preferably on a mandoline. Squeeze a lemon or lime over the shaved fennel to keep it from browning. Set aside.

Peel the orange removing as much of the pith as possible. Slice it thinly. Just before serving, pour the vinaigrette over the fennel and arrange the orange slices on top. Garnish with fronds and/or bee pollen for a bit of crunch.

Special equipment: mandoline.

Garnish suggestions: Bee pollen, fennel fronds

Italians eat their salad after the main course to help with digestion. This is a perfect salad for a heavy meal. Fennel and oranges are generally available in the winter months, just when freshness is so welcome.

181

Roasted Beet & Sea Kelp Noodle Salad

ROASTED BEET & SEA KELP NOODLE SALAD Serves 4

Preheat oven 350 degrees f.

Boil the beets for 30 minutes. Cool. With gloves on, peel and slice into bite sized cubes. Place them in a parchment bag or wrap them in tin foil with 2 tbsp. olive oil and fresh rosemary.

Roast in oven for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Cool.

2 hours

$ $ DF GF

I love the look and texture of this salad! The kelp noodles, available in a health food store, are translucent but they will take on the lovely magenta colour of the beets. If you cannot locate them, another possibility is Harusame Japanese cellophane noodles.

V

8 small to medium-sized beets 2 tsp./10 ml. rosemary (fresh or dried) 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 1 cucumber, peeled and diced 2 green onions, diced 1 handful of fresh cilantro, minced 12 oz./350 g. sea kelp noodles, ready to use (substitute cellophane noodles) 2 stalks celery, cut on diagonal ¼ c./60 ml. toasted macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds, toasted

Rinse the sea kelp noodles and cut into manageable sizes. If you bought them dried, you will have to re-hydrate them according to the directions on the package. When properly hydrated they will be clear and very flexible. When ready to assemble salad, combine the beets with the rest of the ingredients in a salad bowl.

Just before serving, taste and adjust seasoning in the dressing. Add the dressing and toss well to mix in those lovely colours. Garnish with freshly toasted macadamia nuts.

Add freshly ground pepper if you like.

Dressing: ¼ c./60 ml. olive oil 1 tbsp./15 ml. raspberry champagne vinegar (substitute white wine vinegar) pinch of mustard powder pinch of powdered ginger 1 tsp./5 ml. salt pepper, q.b.

183

Tater Salad

TATER SALAD - Potato Salad -

My son-in-law, Todd, recently asked me for my potato salad recipe and after looking high and low, I realized I had never written it out. This recipe gives a general idea -- you can also add or substitute capers, diced cherry tomatoes, and dill. Using older eggs will make the peeling of them a breeze.

45 minutes

Serves 10

$

GF

V

2 lbs./1 kg. new nugget or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed 10 hard-boiled eggs (preferably 2 weeks old) 2 stalks celery, diced 1 large dill pickle, diced 3 green onions, finely diced 1 ½ c./350 ml. mayonnaise 1 tbsp./15 ml. powdered mustard 1 tbsp./15 ml. paprika 1 tbsp./15 ml. smoked paprika 1 tbsp./15 ml. salt (a good time to use specialty salts) pepper, q.b

Boil the new potatoes for about 12 minutes. Pick one for testing. I like the potatoes in my salad to be firm, not mushy.

The cooked potatoes should give but still be firm when pierced with a fork. Take the smaller ones out when they are done and allow the larger ones to cook for a few more minutes. Drain and plunge them into an ice bath to halt cooking. Or if they are still a bit undercooked, turn the heat off and let them cool slowly as they will continue to cook a bit in the water.

You can boil the potatoes and eggs early in the day or the day before. Make sure the potatoes and eggs are cool or at room temperature before you start to assemble the salad. Peel and dice the eggs. I leave the potato skins on because they are good for you, but it's your choice. Dice the potatoes. Combine all the ingredients, saving some of the paprika for the top. I use gloves to mix this salad by hand. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remember that this salad is highly perishable so if you are serving it on a hot day, sit it inside another bowl that is lined with ice to keep it cool and safe.

185

VALENTINE’S DAY SALAD Serves 4

$$

45 minutes

DF GF

1 large beet, cooked and skinned 1 can hearts of palm, drained 1 celery heart, cut in quarters 1 can artichoke hearts, drained 1 fat juicy tomato 2 green onions 1/3 c./80 ml. Nonni’s vinaigrette 2 tbsp. parsley or cilantro, minced

V

I came up with this idea one Valentine’s Day. I wanted something colourful with pinks and reds. I gathered all the heart-related foods I could think of and put them in a salad for my love. I found a little heart-shaped cutter at the dollar store to make tiny hearts out of the vegetables.

Slice the beets into ½ inch (1 cm.) pieces. Cut the beet slices into various-sized hearts and arrange them around the serving dish.

Arrange the celery heart leaves around the edges.

Cut the hearts of palm and the artichoke hearts into bite sized pieces. If you put the hearts of palm in with the beets for a few minutes they will take on a lovely pink hue. Dice the tomato and onions. Combine in a bowl with the vinaigrette and toss. Place this mixture on the salad platter in a decorative fashion. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.

Happy heart day!

WATERMELON & TOMATO SALAD 20 minutes

Serves 4

$

DF

GF

This salad is best in the peak of summer when all the ingredients are fresh.

Cut the watermelon into cubes, discarding any seeds. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and add the watermelon, olive oil and balsamic. Be sure to taste it and adjust seasoning if need be.

V

1 small to medium-sized seedless watermelon (about 2 lbs./1 kg.)

9 oz./250 g. of diced cherry or heirloom tomatoes 2 stalks celery, diced 1 english cucumber, diced ½ sweet onion, diced 2 tbsp./30 ml. fresh mint, chopped 2 tbsp./30 ml. fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp./30 ml. basil, torn ¼ c./60 ml. good olive oil 2 tbsp./30 ml. good balsamic vinegar salt & pepper, q. b.

187

LOTUS BLOSSOM SALAD Serves 4

$$

There is a Vietnamese market on Maui. I am always interested in trying new things so when I saw these blossoms, I asked how they cook them. They are slightly bitter almost like endive or radicchio. Fish roe is found in Asian markets. This is what I came up with.

30 minutes

DF

1 lb./500 g. lotus flower blossoms 1 fat shallot, diced 1 tbsp./15 ml. olive oil 2 oz./50 g. fish roe 1/3 c./75 ml. Nonni’s vinaigrette (see Condiments section) 1 tsp./5 ml. chili pepper (optional)

GF

Rinse the blossoms and put them in vegetable steamer. Steam for just a few minutes. Plunge into an ice bath. Drain and set them on paper towel to remove all the liquid. In the meantime, sauté the shallot in olive oil until soft. Mix the steamed blossoms, shallot, and roe in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve. Add a few chili peppers if you like heat. Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving.

189

Big Shrimp Curry Deep Dish Fish Pie Miso Halibut Mussels in Tomato Sauce Tuna Casserole Sweet Potato Crab Cakes Spring Orzo Seafood Dungeness Crab Cannellon Pesce All’acqua Pazza Curried Spot Prawns Faux Crab Curry Halibut Cheeks Marinated Artic Char with Grilled Peaches Salmon Cakes

190

BIG SHRIMP CURRY Serves 4

$$

45 minutes

DF GF

V

4 slices of eggplant ½ large sweet potato (orange), peeled and cubed 3 tbsp./45 ml. coconut oil 1 finger ginger, peeled and diced 1 finger tumeric, peeled and diced 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced ¼ large sweet onion, diced handful green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces 12 jumbo shrimps or prawns, peeled and deveined (3 per person) 2 tsp./10 ml. powdered cumin 2 tsp./10 ml. garam masala 2 tsp./10 ml. Colombo powder* (substitute curry powder) 2 c./500 ml. unsweetened almond or coconut milk

The frozen jumbo shrimps from Argentina work well in this dish.

If you are using the smaller spot prawn you will need about 8 per person. Let them thaw slowly at room temperature, rather than nuking them.

Slice the eggplant, and place the slices on paper towel and salt liberally. Leave for 20 minutes then wipe off moisture. Cut into cubes. Sauté the sweet potato in coconut oil for 5 minutes, then add the eggplant. Continue to sauté until both are beginning to soften. Add the ginger, turmeric, garlic, onion, and beans.

Continue to cook for about 4 minutes and then add the shrimp.

Turn the shrimps until they are pink on both sides, a further 4 minutes.

In a separate small frying pan, heat the powdered spices on medium until they start to darken and smoke (without burning it). Add coconut or almond milk and whisk. Reduce until thickened. Pour the milk mixture over the shrimp and serve with a bowl of fluffy rice.

Options: •Add ½ tsp. of red pepper or chili flakes for heat, if desired.

•Substitute tofu for shrimp for a vegetarian/vegan version.

*Colombo powder is a Caribbean spice mix that resembles curry powder.

See Condiments section for a recipe.

191

Deep Dish Fish Pie

DEEP DISH FISH PIE Serves 4 - 6

$$

45 minutes

GF

2 packages of frozen deep-dish pastry shells (2 in each box) 4 small new yellow potatoes 4 stalks asparagus, diced ½ large onion, diced 2 large mushrooms, diced 2 thin slices of fennel 1 halibut fillet, about 150 g.

1 salmon fillet, about 150 g.

6 prawns, unshelled 1 14 oz./400 ml. jar of alfredo sauce (Newman’s Own is GF) ⅔ c./160 ml. heavy cream or whole milk 1 ½ tbsp./45 ml. corn starch 1 tsp./5 ml. fennel pollen (optional) 1 tsp./5 ml. shitake mushroom powder 1 tbsp./30 ml. rosemary 2 bay leaves salt & pepper, q.b.

We love this pie, and it is so flexible. You can use whatever vegetables and seafood you have on hand. I often use frozen peas and carrots in the winter in place of the fennel and asparagus.

Thaw 4 frozen double deep-dish pie shells.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees f.

Parboil the potatoes for about 10 minutes. They should still be firm. Immerse in an ice bath. Slice thinly. Sauté the other vegetables in olive oil for about 10 minutes until soft.

Cut the seafood up into small pieces. Separate the pastry shells and place two of them on a large rimmed baking tray. Prick the bottom of the shells all around to prevent them from rising during the cooking process. Place half of the vegetables, potatoes, and seafood in each shell. Season with the fennel pollen, mushroom powder, herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix the alfredo sauce, cream, and corn starch together and pour half over each pie. Gently place the other two shells over top and prick them with a fork. Bake in oven for approximately 25 minutes.

The pies should be bubbling all around and the crust golden. If you are serving 2 or 3 people, you can cut this recipe in half and just do one pie.

For a gluten-free version as shown, use gluten-free pie shells, or boil and slice twice as many potatoes. Line the bottom of a greased ceramic pie plate with potatoes. Fill with vegetables, seafood, herbs and sauce. Cover the top with more sliced potatoes. Baste the tops with olive oil. Bake for the same amount of time. The potatoes will become brown and crispy.

193

Miso Halibut

MISO HALIBUT

Preheat oven to 375 degrees f.

Serves 4 - 6 30 minutes, + marinating time

$$$

Whisk the marinade together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When cool, put the fish and ¾ of the marinade in a zip lock bag and store in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Reserve the rest of the marinade for later.

DF GF

4 6 oz./170 g. pieces of halibut or firm white fish such as Hapu’upu’ u, Mahi Mahi, Basa or Monchong. (Sole would be too flaky).

Whichever you choose, buy all the same size and weight.

Marinade ⅔ c./180 g. muscovado (light brown) sugar ¼ c./60 ml. sake ¼ c./60 ml. rice vinegar ⅓ c./80 ml. Shiro (white) miso paste 2 tsp./10 ml. ginger juice (substitute ½ tsp. fresh shredded ginger) 1 ½ tbsp./25 ml. Kikkoman (Blue label) gluten-free soya sauce

Combine the oils in a large stick-free skillet and heat to medium high. When very hot, place the fish fillets in the pan and sear for 2 minutes. If your pan is not large, sear two at a time to keep the heat at optimal level. They should be golden brown underneath. Carefully lift them out and onto a parchment-lined cookie tray, seared side up. Cook a further 5 to 6 minutes in the oven. If it’s a hot day in paradise and you don’t want your oven on, you can finish these in the skillet. When the flesh starts to flake and the white albumin seeps out, it is done. Better to be slightly under cooked than over cooked with fish. While the fish is in the oven, re-heat the remaining marinade in the same skillet.

Using a warm plate or platter, arrange artfully with a green vegetable such as steamed asparagus, green beans, or broccoli.

Garnish with chili flakes and spoon the remaining warmed marinade over the fish and vegetables.

Oils 1 tbsp./15 ml. coconut oil ½ tsp./3 ml. sesame seed oil 1 tsp./5 ml. chili flakes 3 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil

195

MUSSELS IN TOMATO SAUCE Serves 4

$$

30 minutes

DF

GF

1 bag of fresh Vancouver Island or PEI mussels, washed and debearded 1 shallot, diced 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 1 qt./1 L. best quality tomato sauce ½ c./250 ml. dry white wine generous pinch of saffron threads handful of parsley or cilantro, minced

Remove mussels from plastic wrap and netting. Wash and debeard them. Store them in the fridge in a bowl covered with a wet towel until ready to cook, but no more than overnight.

Soak the saffron threads in a small amount of hot water.

Sauté the shallot in olive oil in a large skillet for one or two minutes. Add the tomato sauce, wine, saffron, and mussels. Cover and let cook on medium heat until all the shells are open, about 8-10 minutes. Discard any unopened shells. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with warm bread.

TUNA CASSEROLE

Now here’s a recipe from the past! It’s a winner every time and so quick and easy.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f.

Grease a medium-sized casserole dish with butter or olive oil.

Serves 4 - 6

1 hour

$

GF

14 oz./400 g. gluten-free pasta (fusilli, elbows, rigatoni, for example) 1 tbsp./15 ml. olive oil or butter ½ onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced ½ c./100 g. mushrooms cleaned and sliced ½ c./100 g. Italian olives, pitted 1 large can Rio Mare tuna in olive oil, slightly drained pepper, q.b.

1 tsp./5 ml. dried mustard powder 1 tbsp./15 ml. dried rosemary 1 14 oz./397 ml. jar of four cheese pasta sauce* scant amount of milk ¼ c./125 g. grated parmesan cheese ½ c. /100 g. ripple potato chips, pulverized

Boil the pasta in salted water until it is partially cooked, that is 3 or 4 minutes less than the time recommended on the package.

Drain and add to the casserole dish.

Sauté the onion, mushrooms, and celery for several minutes in some butter or olive oil. Add them to the casserole dish. Add the olives, pepper, rosemary, mustard powder, drained tuna, cheese sauce, and cheese. Pour a little milk into the cheese sauce jar and give it a good shake. Pour that into the casserole (waste not want not). Mix together and sprinkle with crushed potato chips. Bake for about 45 minutes until it is crispy and golden on top. Serve with a nice green salad.

*make sure it is a gluten-free brand if that is important.

197

SWEET POTATO CRAB CAKES Serves 4 as main, 6 as an appetizer, makes about a dozen 2½-inch cakes.

30 minutes

$$$

DF

GF

1 large (orange) sweet potato, peeled and baked or boiled until just soft enough to pierce 1 c./250 ml. cooked white or brown rice 8 oz./250 g. cooked fresh crab meat 2 large spring onions or ⅓ of a sweet onion, minced 1 small tin of corn, drained (about a cup) salt & pepper, q.b.

1 tsp./5 ml. fish seasoning or combination of tarragon, cumin and mustard powder (adjust to your taste) 1 small egg, whisked 1 tsp./5 ml. cayenne pepper (optional) 2 c./ 500 ml. fine breadcrumbs or finely crushed gluten-free corn flakes* canola or safflower oil for frying *Another good substitute for the breadcrumbs would be instant mashed potato or GF Panko.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees f.

I like to keep cooked rice and baked sweet potatoes on hand so I will often cook a little more than needed just so when I feel like it, I can make this quick and delicious dinner.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for the breadcrumbs. If they don’t stick together, add enough of an egg to bind together.

Form into patties and roll in breadcrumbs (or corn flake crumbs for the gluten-free version.) Heat a ½ inch of oil in a large skillet to medium-high. Fry the cakes four at a time until they are golden on both sides, about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Keep warm on a serving platter in the oven until they are all cooked. Garnish with fresh parsley or tarragon. Serve with a salad or salsa.

S.O.S. SPRING ORZO SEAFOOD Serves 4

$$

30 minutes

DF

GF

9 oz./250 g. uncooked orzo pasta (GF if important) 4 c./1 L. soup stock (optional) olive oil 1 bundle of asparagus, cut into pieces 1 red pepper, diced 1 large sweet Maui or Walla Walla onion, diced 10 oz./300 g. mahi mahi or other firm white fleshed fish, cut into cubes 10 oz./300 g. uncooked, shelled shrimp or prawn salt & pepper, q.b. parsley

This is something I created while on vacation in Maui. Try to find the freshest possible fish and you can’t go wrong. I use soup stock to enhance the flavour. A couple of bouillon cubes (chicken or vegetable flavoured) will also work just fine. Not all bouillon cubes are gluten-free.

Snap the bottom part of the stalk off the asparagus. They will snap naturally where the stalks are too tough to eat. Freeze the bottoms for making stock later.

Put the pasta on to boil according to package directions in salted water or soup stock. Most orzo takes only 9-11 minutes to cook.

In the meantime, in a large skillet sauté the onions, pepper, and asparagus in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the seafood and turn up heat to medium. Cook until the fish starts to flake, and the shrimps turn pink, approximately 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and combine it with the seafood in a lovely pre-warmed bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Garnish with parsley. Now that’s fast, fantastic food!

199

DUNGENESS CRAB CANNELLONI Serves 4 as a main, 8 as an appetizer 1.5 hours

$$$$ 8 cannelloni pasta shells 2 tbsp./30 ml. butter or olive oil 1 besciamella sauce recipe (see Condiments section) 1 lb./500 g. fresh crab meat 8 oz./226 g. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated (substitute Grana Padano) garnish: fresh basil, cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Reserve the claw meat for the garnish. Check that there is no shell left in the remaining crab meat. Grease a baking dish (9 x12 or 8 x 8) liberally with butter or olive oil.

Parboil the pasta shells in salted water until they are almost done, but still firm (about 2 or 3 minutes less than the package recommends). Drain and cool. Smear some of the besciamella sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Fill the shells with one spoon of crab meat and a couple of spoons of besciamella. Lay them in the baking dish. Spoon a bit of besciamella sauce over top and sprinkle with cheese. Reserve some of the sauce for plating. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top browns nicely.

Remove from oven. Plate by smearing some besciamella on the plate, put one or two cannelloni on the top. Garnish with one spoon of crab meat and/or crab claw, basil, and cherry tomatoes.

PESCE ALL’ ACQUA PAZZA - Crazy Fish Serves 4

$$

Place the capers in a bowl of water to soak. Rinse and repeat several times over 20 minutes.

30 minutes

DF

This is a Neapolitan recipe. A whole fish can be used instead of filets, but I find the filets are easier to handle and sooner to the table. Basa filets work well in this recipe as they stay intact during the cooking process.

GF

In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the oil to medium. Sauté the onions for several minutes, then add the tomatoes and wine.

Cook gently until the tomatoes are saucy, approximately 10 minutes, then add the fish, capers, and olives. Lower the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, turning the fish once to ensure it cooks through. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper (or hot pepper flakes) if desired.

1 ½ lbs./700 g. firm-fleshed white fish filets, such as cod, halibut, or basa 2 c./500 g. cherry or heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped ½ c./120 ml. good olive oil ½ medium onion, minced 4 oz./120 ml. dry white wine ¼ c./60 ml. salted capers 12 pitted and sliced green or black olives salt & pepper, q.b. hot pepper flakes (optional)

201

CURRIED SPOT PRAWNS Serves 4

$$ $

20 minutes

GF

1 large carrot 1 large parsnip 1 sweet onion, diced juice of one lemon 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 2 tbsp./30 ml. curry powder 12 oz./340 g. raw prawns, thawed, beheaded and shelled ¾ c./170 ml. English double cream (substitute canned coconut milk)

This is a quick and easy dinner that is sure to impress. Adding the vegetables makes this dish go further. If you caught the prawns yourself, or had them given to you, feel free to increase the numbers! If you cannot get local prawns, try the frozen Argentinian variety. Thaw them slowly at room temperature.

Peel the carrot and parsnip and cut into julienne strips. Sauté the onion, carrot, and parsnip in a large frying pan with the olive oil and lemon juice until soft. In a small frying pan, toast the curry powder until it begins to smoke, stirring to prevent burning. Add the curry to the vegetables, along with the prawns.

Cook the prawns with the vegetables for 2 minutes, then add cream and cook until the prawns are pink, approximately 2 more minutes. If you prefer a little more sauce, add some white wine or more cream. Serve over a nice bed of fluffy basmati rice.

FAUX CRAB CURRY 20 minutes

Serves 4

$$ 3 c./400 g. water 1 ½ c./200 g. basmati rice 1 tbsp./15 ml. butter 1 tsp./5 ml. salt 1 squeeze lemon juice

Of all my kitchen creations, this is the one that strikes a chord with family as comfort food. They ask for it often. It’s so simple and I am embarrassed to even be sharing it because I rarely use canned soups. For a gluten-free version, I use a jar of Newman’s Own (GF) alfredo sauce instead of the mushroom soup. Here goes.

Put the rice on to cook. Once it comes to a boil, add butter, lemon juice, and salt. Cover and reduce to low and cook for 17 minutes. In the last two minutes of cooking, remove the lid and stir with a fork. Set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the Colombo powder on low heat until it begins to smoke or brown. Add the mushroom soup, marsala wine, and milk. Add the imitation crab meat. Adjust the seasoning by adding more Colombo powder, curry, or black pepper if you prefer more heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Put your jammies on. Pour the crab meat and sauce over cooked rice.

Turn on the TV and enjoy!

454 g. package of imitation crab meat 1 284 ml. can condensed mushroom soup ½ can of milk 1 tbsp./15 ml. marsala wine or cooking sherry 2 tbsp./90 ml. Colombo powder (see Condiments section; or substitute curry powder)

203

Halibut Cheeks

HALIBUT CHEEKS Serves 4 as a appetizer, 2 as a main course 15 minutes

$$$

DF

GF

4 halibut cheeks, about 2 oz./50 g. each + 1 for testing 2 tbsp./30 ml. coconut oil (substitute red bran oil or any oil that has a high heat resistance) salt & pepper, q.b.

4 tbsp./60 ml. Romesco sauce (substitute Charmoula sauce: for both, see Condiments section) 1 tbsp./15 ml. Advieh spice mix – optional. (see Condiments section) 2 tsp./10 ml. minced parsley or cilantro

Halibut cheeks are taken from the head of a halibut and vary in size. Ask the fishmonger to give you similar-sized cheeks for consistency in cooking them. They will cost about $5.00 each but, trust me, they are worth every penny! They taste just like scallops, perhaps even finer. If the cheeks you buy are large, you could use this as a main dish. I prefer the smaller ones; they seem to have a finer texture. The smaller ones are an appetizer size.

Place 2 tablespoons/30 ml. of Romesco or other sauce in the centre of each of 2 (or 4) white plates. Heat the oil to medium high in a small skillet. Pat the cheeks dry with paper towel.

Remove any white tendon with a sharp knife. Put them in the hot oil and cook for one minute. Carefully turn them over and cook for one more minute. If the halibut cheeks are bigger than 50 grams each, you will need to cook them about 30 to 45 seconds longer. They should sizzle and become slightly browned.

They should be slightly translucent in the centre but be careful not to overcook them! Dust with salt and pepper or Advieh spice mix. Place them on the sauce. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. I suggest doing a test run with one cheek before you cook them all.

205

Marinated Arctic Char With Grilled Peach

MARINATED ARCTIC CHAR WITH GRILLED PEACH Serves 4 - 6 20 mins. + overnight

$$$

DF

GF

2 Arctic Char fillets, deboned and cut in halves or thirds, approximately 12 oz./340 g. each Marinade ⅓ c./80 ml. muscovado brown sugar 2 tbsp./30 ml. rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp./30 ml. Japanese sake 3 tbsp./45 ml. miso paste 1 tsp./5 ml. ginger juice (substitute grated fresh ginger) 1 tbsp./15 ml. gluten-free soya sauce or tamari ½ tsp./3 ml. sesame seed oil

Whisk the marinade ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Put the marinade and the cut-up fish into a Ziploc ™ bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Preheat BBQ or oven to 400 degrees f. Put your serving platter in hot water or in a warming drawer.

Place the fish skin side down on a cooking mat or a tin foil-lined baking tray, preferably rimmed. Cook for 4 minutes (with the lid closed if using a BBQ.) Turn the fillets carefully with a pancake flipper. Cook a further 2 minutes. The tail parts which are the thinnest will be done first. When the flesh in the thickest part has started to flake open and the white albumin oozes out, it is cooked. It is much better to slightly undercook rather than overcook this delicate fish. It will cook a bit more while you are plating it. Transfer the fish to a warm plate and arrange artfully with grilled peaches (see below) and drizzle with basil oil and basil leaves. You can make your own basil oil by putting some fresh clean basil leaves in a cup of olive oil and let it sit for the day or overnight. Strain before use.

Grilled Peaches: Bring a pot of water to boil and gentle place the peaches in the water. Remove them after 45 seconds. Cool. Set aside until you are ready to grill. Peel the peaches and carefully slice them in half, removing the pit. Grill them on a BBQ mat until both sides are slightly charred, about 3 or 4 minutes. Drizzle with your choice of basil oil, balsamic reduction, or honey.

2 basil leaves per serving and basil oil, to garnish Grilled Peaches 2 or 3 medium-sized ripe peaches (depending on the number of servings; half a peach per plate)

207

SALMON CAKES Makes 4-5 patties

Garnish with lemon slices.

30 minutes

$

DF

GF

I use red bran oil for this one because it tolerates high temperatures. You can use leftover cooked salmon in this recipe as well, but the canned salmon offers a more robust flavour.

1 tin sockeye salmon (approx. 200 g.), drained 1 c./250 g. cooked rice 1 c./250 g. mashed potatoes ½ medium onion, minced 1 egg yolk, beaten 1 green onion, diced 1 tsp./5 ml. Advieh spice mix (see Condiments section or substitute thyme) salt & pepper, q.b.

½ c./120 g. flour (for GF use corn flour) ½ c./120 g. fine corn meal (substitute ground corn flakes, panko crumbs or breadcrumbs) ¼ c./60 ml. red bran oil (substitute coconut oil) Garnish: lemon slices

Combine all the ingredients except the last three in a bowl and mix with a fork. Combine the flour and cornmeal in a shallow dish. Form patties. Pour oil into a large heated skillet. Dredge the patties in flour/cornmeal mixture and fry on medium-high heat for approximately two minutes. Turn and fry opposite side for two minutes or until both sides are nicely browned and crispy.

Serve with a chutney, tomato ketchup, or mayonnaise.

Pier at Sidney

Morgan’s Carrot Cake Austin’s Lemon Meringue Pie Basic Ice Cream Hay Ice Cream Basic Meringue Meringue Cookies Pavlova Meringue Shells Cocoa Chiffon Cake Italian Plum Cake Bravo Brownies Lu’s Celebration Cake Saffron Almond Cake Lu’s Olive Oil Cake Orange & Cardamom Madeleines Poached Pears in Chestnut Cream Lucy’s Flan Lucy’s Manjo Branco Zabaglione

211

Morgan's Carrot Cake

MORGAN’S CARROT CAKE Serves 8

$$

1 hour

GF*

V

1 ¼ c./145 g. cake and pastry flour* ¼ c./25 g. almond meal pinch salt 1 ½ tsp./7 ml. baking soda 1 tsp./5 ml. cinnamon 1 tsp./5ml. advieh** spice mix (See Condiments section) pinch of ground mace 1 tsp./5 ml. ground cardamom 2 eggs 1 ¼ c./275 g. white sugar ½ c./125 ml. mayonnaise 5 oz./200 ml. canned crushed pineapple, partially drained (re-purpose the juice) 1 ¾ c. carrots (approx. 3 medium) shredded ½ c./125 ml. raisins 1 knob of candied ginger, finely diced 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla ½ c./125 ml. toasted macadamia nuts coarsely ground (substitute pistachio, pecan)

This recipe came from our daughter, Morgan. It is as sweet and lovely as she is.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Carrot Cake: Grease a 9-inch round pan or small rectangular pan and line the pan with parchment paper. Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, and sugar until well blended. Add the pineapple and blend well.

Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients, a quarter at a time.

Fold in the carrots, raisins, ginger, vanilla and nuts. Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Bake approximately 45 minutes.

Test with a toothpick. Cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing: Whisk the cream cheese, butter, and juice together until smooth.

Add the icing sugar and advieh. Blend thoroughly. Ice the cake when it is cool. Sprinkle advieh spice mix on top. Can be kept in refrigerator overnight (covered). This cake actually tastes even better the second day so it’s a good choice for a make ahead dessert. *To convert this recipe to gluten-free use ½ cup gluten-free cake flour, 1 c. almond flour and ½ tsp. corn starch. Add 5 to 8 minutes to the baking time.

Cream Cheese Icing 1 ¼ c./250 g. cream cheese (substitute mascarpone) 2 tbsp./30 ml. butter 2 tsp./10 ml. fresh lemon juice 1 ¼ c./300 ml. powdered (icing) sugar 1 tsp./ 5 ml. advieh spice mix, plus some for garnish (See Condiments Section)

213

Austin's Lemon Meringue Pie

AUSTIN’S LEMON MERINGUE PIE 1 hour

Serves 6

$

Preheat oven to 400 degrees f. (375 f. if convection) One 9-inch-deep dish frozen pie shell or homemade pastry for a single crust pie.

Thaw pie shell and prick when thawed. Place on a cooking sheet and blind bake as per instructions. (To blind bake means to put beans or other pie weights in foil over the crust to prevent the crust from puffing up during baking. However, I find that the frozen pie shells won’t puff up if you prick them it all over before baking. If it appears that the dough is rising up, open the oven and prick that area with a fork, and it will go down.) Bake for the absolute minimum time because you will be baking it again to toast the meringue. No need to brown the edges. Once you remove the pie shell, turn oven down to 350 degrees f.

While the pie shell is baking, prepare and cook the filling.

2 large lemons, or 3 medium 6 egg yolks 1 1/3 c. /330 ml. water 1 c./ 180 g. sugar 1/3 c./40 g. corn starch Pinch of salt 2 tbsp./30 ml. butter

We have a tradition in our family - the birthday boy or girl gets to eat the whole pie!

Thus, I double this recipe and make two pies, one for the family and one for the honouree.

This is the recipe for one pie but heck, if you are going to spend the time, why not make two and share the love.

Wash and zest two large lemons before cutting them. This loosens up the inside and produces more juice. Cut them in half and juice them. You will need ½ c./125 ml. of juice. If you are short, use another half lemon or you could also use lime or orange juice.

Mix the sugar, corn starch and salt together in a small bowl.

In a deep pot, combine the sugar mixture, water, and lemon juice.

Whisk to prevent lumps.

Bring to a gentle boil and turn the heat down to a simmer. Whisk the yolks in a separate bowl. Introduce a tablespoon or two of the hot liquid to the yolks, stir, and then add them all to the pot.

Simmer, whisking constantly as the mixture cooks for a minute or two. It is done when the mixture coats the back of a spoon without sliding off. Add the butter and zest. If you don’t like the texture of the zest, it is okay to leave it out or substitute a smidge of lemon extract. Mix thoroughly to ensure the butter has melted. Pour this mixture into the baked pie shell.

Prepare meringue: see Basic Meringue Recipe in this section.

Apply meringue to the top of the pie, making sure it touches or covers the outer edges of the crust. This will allow the meringue to adhere to the crust and prevent it from floating around in the middle of the pie. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees f. for about 13 minutes, or until the top is golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

215

Basic Ice Cream

BASIC ICE CREAM Makes 1 qt./1 L.

GF

The most critical thing in making ice cream is to ensure your dairy products are really fresh – not even close to expiring.

Otherwise, your custard will split (curdle), and you will have sweet scrambled eggs.

Freeze your ice cream maker bowl overnight or at minimum 15 hours.

1 hour, plus overnight

$$

Muscovado sugar is from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It has a distinctive caramel flavour and is well worth the investment. I use duck eggs in this recipe, because they are bigger and produce a thicker, richer custard base. This is the base for ice cream; flavourings can be added during or after cooking the custard.

V

Basic Ice Cream: ¾ c./135 g. light muscovado brown sugar 2 c./500 ml. whipping cream (substitute heavy cream) 2 c. /500 ml. whole milk (3.25% mf) 7 large (duck) egg yolks, whisked (substitute 10 chicken egg yolks) 1 tsp. /15 ml. vanilla paste (substitute 1 ½ tsp./7 ml. vanilla extract) pinch of salt Basil Ice Cream - Add: 1 cup of clean basil leaves for each cup of the milk used in the recipe.

In a double boiler, add just enough water to the bottom pan so that it doesn’t touch the top pan. Bring water to a simmer.

Warm the brown sugar in the top of the double boiler until it starts to melt. Add the cream and milk. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring with a whisk frequently. Whisk the yolks in a separate bowl and add a few spoons of the warm milk to them. Add the yolks to the warmed milk and whisk continuously until it is cooked and thickened (approximately 10 minutes). It will thicken to the point where it will cling to the back of a metal spoon. Once it thickens, strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove any lumps. Allow to cool completely. When it is lukewarm you can move it to the refrigerator to speed things up. Process according to the instructions of your ice cream maker.

This is the point at which you can make all kinds of ice cream by adding flavours. If you are making an herbed ice cream or anything with spices, you can add these while the custard is cooking. Perhaps even let them sit in the custard until it is cool and then strain it.

Special Equipment: double boiler, ice cream maker.

Basil Ice Cream: In a small blender combine 1 cup of clean basil leaves for each cup of the milk used in the recipe. Purée with a few spoonsful of the warm milk and add to the custard while it is cooking.

Use the same method for mint, lavender or tarragon - any of the milder herbs will work.

217

Hay Ice cream

HAY ICE CREAM Makes 1 qt./1 L.

Freeze your ice cream maker bowl the night before making this ice cream.

24 hours

$$

We first experienced this at a restaurant in Whistler while enjoying an anniversary dinner. I was blown away by the unexpected flavours. It tasted like a summer day! I have found that older hay (from last season) imparts a deeper flavour. When you are asking a farmer for hay, explain what it’s for so she knows not to take it from the barn floor!

GF

Rinse the hay in boiling water and lay it on a tea towel in the sun to dry out. Place it in a turkey dressing sock (or a nylon knee sock) and tie the end.

V

1 large handful of clean (but older) dry hay 1 recipe basic ice cream

Cook the basic ice cream custard mixture in the top of a double boiler. Leave it fairly thin, however, as this step will be repeated. Remove from heat. Place the hay sock in a bowl sufficient to hold a litre of custard. Pour the hot custard over the bag so that the hay is well covered. Let it cool for about an hour.

Pour the custard through a fine sieve. Bring the custard back to a gentle boil, sans sock, in the clean top of the double boiler. This will kill any lurking germs.

Stir frequently and, once it is thick and coats the back of a metal spoon, remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes. Process in an ice cream maker. Pour into an airtight container. Add a layer of cling wrap to the top of the container before sealing, to prevent crystals from forming. Freeze until ready to use.

219

Basic Meringue

BASIC MERINGUE Enough for two pie toppings 45 minutes

$

DF GF

V

8 large egg whites @ room temperature 2 c. /400 g. berry (castor) sugar pinch of salt pinch of cream of tartar (substitute 1½ tsp./10 ml. white vinegar) 1 ½ tbsp./20 ml. corn starch (optional for more structure) 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla paste (substitute vanilla extract)

Use this meringue as the base for the following recipes in this book: Lemon Meringue Pie, Pavlova, Italian Meringue Cookies, and any recipe that calls for meringue.

A few pointers: • Use a glass or metal bowl; do not use a plastic bowl as it may retain traces of grease or fat, which prevents the whites from • getting stiff.

• Make sure your bowl and equipment are spotlessly clean.

• Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature.

• Add the sugar very slowly, a tablespoon at a time.

• If you don’t have berry sugar, put regular sugar in a blender and pulverize.

• Meringues don’t do well in high humidity, so if it’s raining out, better to wait for a dry sunny day.

While the eggs are cold, separate them carefully so that no yolk gets into the whites. I crack them one at a time using 3 bowls to avoid this problem. The first bowl is the cracking bowl; separate the egg over that bowl, then put clear whites into a second bowl and yolks into the third. Repeat. Yolks accidentally falling in the egg whites will prevent the whites from whipping up properly. Set them aside to come up to room temperature – at least 30 minutes. Save the yolks for other recipes such as zabaglione or scrambled eggs.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the egg whites on low to medium/low for a few minutes until soft peaks begin to form.

Add the cream of tartar and salt. Very slowly, a tablespoon at a time, add the sugar while beating on medium-high. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Halfway through, test it between your fingers; the meringue should be smooth and not granular. If it is not, whisk longer between additions of sugar. The mixture should be thick, shiny, and stand up in peaks. Finally, add the corn starch, if using, and vanilla and mix in well. If you can turn the bowl upside down without its contents sliding out, the meringue is done.

221

MERINGUE COOKIES 1 dozen large cookies/ 2 doz. miniatures 2 hours

$

DF GF

V

1 Basic Meringue Recipe, including the corn starch and whatever flavourings interest you

You can make them in dainty little sizes, or a nice four-inch cookie is heavenly with your morning coffee.

Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees f.

You can divide the meringue into several bowls and use different flavours in each. Some suggestions: cocoa powder, raspberry powder, lemon zest, maple extract, chestnut purée, almond extract, allspice, fennel pollen. The amount of meringue you have for each will determine the amount of flavouring you need.

For example, if you wanted to flavour all of it with cocoa use ½ c. of powdered cocoa. For an extract use ½ to 1 tsp./5 ml.

Fill a piping bag with the meringue mixture. Pipe cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie tray, leaving two inches between them for expansion. Bake for 2 hours. Keep an eye on them. They should be slightly browned on top, firm, and dry to the touch.

Turn oven off and leave them to dry for another hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks if the humidity is low. In our house storage is not a problem as they would be eaten within 24 hours.

Pavlova

PAVLOVA 2 x 12-inch pavlovas

2 hours

$

DF GF

V

1 Basic Meringue Recipe, including the corn starch Filling: 2 c./250 ml. diced fruit such as peaches, raspberries, blueberries, mango 1 ½ c./236 ml. whipping cream (or real cream spray bomb) 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla extract ½ c./120 ml. fruit syrup or fruit and balsamic reduction mint leaves

I learned about ‘Pavs’ in Australia where they are served for birthdays and family celebrations. It is by far my favourite dessert. There are endless possibilities with varying fruits and garnishes.

Place parchment paper on two cookie trays. Draw a circle slightly smaller than the size of your serving plate in the middle of each sheet (approximately 12 inches in diameter). Using half of the meringue on each sheet, form a round cake shape. Make little peaks on one of the cakes with a spatula or off-set knife. On the other cake, raise the outside edges slightly so that it looks a bit like a crater. The crater will be filled with fruit and cream later.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

After placing your trays on the middle rack, turn the oven down to 300 degrees f. Bake for 1 hour if you like your meringue to be soft inside and 2 hours if you like it to be crispy and dry throughout. Turn the oven off and leave them in the oven until ready to use, even overnight.

Make a fruit salad with as many different fruits as you can find.

Whip the cream and vanilla until stiff. Refrigerate the whipped cream until you are ready to serve. You can make the cream earlier in the day to have more time with your guests. Peel the paper off the meringues and place bottom layer on a cake platter.

Pipe half the cream around the edges and centre of the bottom layer – the one that looks a bit like a crater. Spread half the fruit in the middle. Add the top layer and repeat with decorative piping around the outside edges and fill the centre with cream.

Add the other half of the fruit as the crown jewels. Drizzle with fruit syrup and mint. Serve immediately.

225

MERINGUE SHELLS Makes approximately 8 shells

Preheat oven to 190 degrees f.

Line baking tray with parchment. Put a couple of sprinkles of water underneath the paper to keep it from slipping. Form a 4-inch circular cookie shape with a piping bag. Using a star nib, create a fence around the edges. Bake for 2 hours and turn the oven off. Leave them in the oven until ready to use or store in airtight container.

2 hours

$

DF GF

V

1 Basic Meringue Recipe, including the corn starch Our daughter-in-law, Angie, who is a very creative pastry person, gave me her tips on a perfect meringue shell. She uses a ratio of ¼ c. white sugar to 1 large egg white.

Photograph by Angie Therrien

Salt Spring Island Pink Apple

Cocoa Chiffon Cake

COCOA CHIFFON CAKE

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f. and remove the other racks.

Set your oven rack on lowest rung

Use a 10-inch ungreased tube pan, the largest available; if you have a smaller one, use only 6 eggs.

Combine coffee and cocoa and dissolve in boiling water. Cool.

1 ½ hours

Serves 10 - 12

$

DF

V

8 eggs, separated and at room temperature 1 tbsp./15 ml. instant coffee (or espresso coffee) ½ c./ 120 ml. good quality cocoa powder ¾ c./180 ml. boiling water 1 ¾ c./200 g. cake and pastry flour, sifted 1 ¾ c./300 g. white sugar 1 tsp./ 5 ml. salt 1 tsp./5 ml. baking powder 1 ½ tsp./7 ml. baking soda ½ c./125 ml. good olive oil (substitute vegetable or nut oil) 2 tsp. /10 ml. vanilla ½ tsp./5 ml. cream of tartar (substitute 1 tsp. white vinegar)

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large glass or metal bowl. Mix together and make a well in the centre.

Add egg yolks, oil, vanilla, and the cocoa mixture and mix well with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Whisk egg whites in separate large bowl or stand mixer. When almost stiff, add cream of tartar. Continue whisking until the whites hold firm peaks and you can turn the bowl upside down without them sliding out.

Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, a little at a time until it is all blended. It is important to fold rather than stir because you don’t want to lose the air in the whites. Pour mixture into ungreased tube pan and run spatula through mixture once or twice in a circular manner around the tube to remove any large air pockets.

Bake for 55-65 minutes. Check to see if it is done at 55 minutes and then every 5 minutes. If a toothpick comes out wet continue to bake until it comes out dry. Invert pan on top of a can until it cools. Then carefully remove and transfer to a large cake plate.

You can serve as is, use a glaze, frosting, or dust with a mixture of icing sugar and cocoa.

I don’t know where this recipe came from, but I remember making it for my cousins, Alan and Ron, about 50 years ago. Their mother, my aunt Ines, would cluck at the thought of using that many eggs in a cake!

229

Italian Plum Cake

ITALIAN PLUM CAKE Serves 8 - 10

90 minutes

$ 8-10 slightly underripe Italian plums, depending on size, no need to overcrowd 1 tsp./5 ml. apple pectin (optional) 2 tbsp./30 ml. sugar (if plums are tart) 4 eggs 1 c./250 g. unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ½ c./270 g. sugar 2 c./240 g. all-purpose flour 1 tsp./5 ml. salt 1 tbsp./15 ml. baking powder 1 tsp./5 ml. cinnamon ½ tsp./2 ml. ground cardamom pinch of ground cloves 3 tbsp./45 ml. applesauce 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla 1 tbsp./15 ml. orange zest 2 tbsp./30 ml. confectioner’s sugar (substitute berry sugar) – optional, for dusting

This cake can look like stained glass especially if you use ruby red or golden yellow plums. You’ll notice that it doesn’t have any liquid and that is because the juice from the plums is more than enough. Only use as many plums as you need to make a nice pattern. They should be on the firm side rather than soft. If they are too soft, they will cook down like applesauce and make the cake soggy.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Wash the plums and split them in half, removing the pit. Sprinkle them with sugar if they are tart.

Grease a 10-inch spring form pan and line it with parchment paper. Lay the plums cut side down in a nice pattern in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with apple pectin if using. This will help the plum juice to become jam-like. Put the pan on a rimmed baking tray to capture any liquid that might escape.

Better on the cookie tray than on your oven floor!

Cream together the eggs, sugar, and butter until fluffy and light, about 8 minutes. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl, twice. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture a little at a time, beating as you go. Add the applesauce, vanilla and orange zest and mix in.

Pour the batter over the plums. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes using a toothpick to check for doneness. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Turn the cake upside down on a 12-inch cake platter. Remove the parchment and voila! Dust with icing or berry sugar just before serving.

Special equipment: spring form pan.

231

BRAVO BROWNIES Serves 8 - 10

$$

DF

45 minutes

GF V

1 c./200 g. white sugar 1 c./200 g. almond meal (Bob’s is recommended) ½ c./50 g. black cocoa powder (I like Cote D’Azur) 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla paste (substitute vanilla extract) ½ tsp./ pinch baking powder ½ tsp./pinch baking soda 1 tbsp./15 ml. molasses 2 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil or butter Pinch of salt 2 eggs, beaten ½ c./85 g. semisweet chocolate bits or chips, coarsely chopped ¼ c./40 g. toffee bits ½ c. /85 g. toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (substitute pecans)

Chocolate is the most important ingredient so keep an eye out for top quality cocoa powder.

Preheat oven or BBQ to 350 degrees f.

If using the BBQ, try putting some moistened wood chips in tin foil to give the brownies a smoked flavour. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl by hand. (A mixer tends to spray the cocoa powder all over and pulverize the chips.) Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 8 (square or round) tin lined with parchment. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. (Slightly more time may be required for the BBQ method.) They are done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool before cutting. Dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar. These are great on their own but even better with ice cream!

Piazza San Marco Venice

233

Lu's Celebration Cake

LU’S CELEBRATION CAKE Serves 12

2 - 3 hours

$$ Pralines: ½ c./120 ml. water 1 c./200 g. white sugar ½ lb. /250 g. whole almonds Cake: ¼ c./30 g. all-purpose flour pinch of salt 1 tsp./5 ml. baking powder 1 ½ c./200 g. roasted hazelnuts 1 c./142 g. roasted almonds 7 eggs, separated and at room temperature 1 c./200 g. white sugar 1 tsp./5 ml. pure vanilla extract Buttercream: ½ c./120 ml. water 1 1/3 c./265 g. white sugar 12 egg yolks 1 lb./450 g. unsalted butter at room temperature 1 tsp./5 ml. pure vanilla extract 1 ½ oz./40 g. semisweet chocolate, melted 1 tsp./5 ml. regular instant coffee 1 ½ tsp./7 ml. boiling water.

My dear friend Lucia only makes this queen of all cakes on very special occasions and only for people she really loves. It’s a feast unto itself - no need for the rest of the meal.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees f.

To make the pralines, place the sugar and water in a heavy bottom saucepan over high heat. Stir just until the sugar is dissolved, then boil uncovered and undisturbed until the mixture turns caramel coloured (approximately 10 minutes). Stir in nuts and turn out mixture onto a greased cookie sheet. When cool, break up and grind, between finely and coarsely, in a food processor.

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottom and sides with parchment.

Measure flour, baking powder, and salt and sift into a bowl. Grind nuts in a food processor until you reach a coarse mealy texture. Stir the nuts into the flour mixture and set aside. Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Place the yolks in the top of a double boiler set over hot water. Using medium speed on a hand mixer, beat the yolks until lemon in colour. Continue to beat, gradually adding half of the sugar. Continue to beat until the mixture is light and pale yellow (about 5 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla. Clean the beaters, then beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar one tablespoon at a time until the whites will hold stiff shiny peaks. Stir half of the nut mixture into the warm yolks, followed by the rest of the nut mixture (it will be thick). Stir in a quarter of the egg whites, then gently fold in the remainder of the whites. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake 18-20 minutes until the cakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre. Remove and place on a cooling rack until completely cool. Slice each cake in half horizontally to form four layers.

To make the buttercream: The yolks must be at room temperature.

Place water and sugar in a small heavy bottom saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 236 degrees f. (soft boil stage) on a candy thermometer. As soon as the sugar syrup is ready, start beating the yolks, using the high speed on an electric hand mixer. Continue to beat and very, very gradually add hot syrup. Continue to beat until the mixture is cool; about 8 minutes. Turn the mixer speed down to medium and add the butter a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture will hold soft peaks. Place approximately two-fifths of the buttercream in a separate bowl for icing the outside of the cake. Divide the remainder into 3 portions. Stir vanilla into one portion, melted chocolate into the second, and coffee dissolved in boiling water to the third. If it splits, don’t fret. This happened to Lu and I recently. Look on YouTube for instructions on how to salvage.

Assembly: Cover one layer with chocolate buttercream, top second layer with vanilla buttercream, and third layer with coffee buttercream. Top with final layer of cake, then cover top and sides with remaining buttercream. Press crushed pralines (or shaved hazelnuts) on sides and top of cake.

Tip: Ice the outside of the cake sparingly ( just enough to give the pralines something to cling to), saving enough to pipe and make decorative roses around the top and bottom rim of the cake.

Special equipment: Stand mixer, double boiler, candy thermometer. If you do not have a double boiler, a deep metal bowl nestled inside a tall saucepan will work.

235

Saffron Almond Cake

SAFFRON ALMOND CAKE Serves 8

$$

1 hour

DF

GF

V

1 ½ c./150 g. firmly packed almond meal pinch of salt 1 tsp./5 ml. baking powder 1 tsp./5 ml. baking soda ½ c./50 g. desiccated coconut 1 envelope of saffron powder (1 tsp. saffron threads, ground)

⅔ c./150 g. butter (substitute vegan butter) 1 c./235 ml. white sugar 4 small eggs (or 3 large eggs) ½ c. /120 ml. plain oat milk (substitute milk) 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla paste (substitute vanilla extract)

This cake deserves a standing ovation. It is so moist and sumptuous. A bit expensive to make but worth every penny. My favourite drizzle for this cake is passion fruit syrup, which can be made by taking equal amounts of pure passion fruit juice and sugar and simmering it down to a thick syrup. Use a tall pot and keep an eye on it so as not to bubble over.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f.

Grease a 9-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment on the bottom and around the sides.

Combine the dry ingredients in mixer bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, milk, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the wet and dry ingredients a little at a time and then whisk on high until well combined. The batter may be runny.

Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, depending on your oven and altitude. It is done when it is golden and springs back in the centre. Test with a toothpick to ensure the centre is set. Let cool. After 30 minutes remove from pan to a cake plate. Before serving, add sliced fruit and drizzle with your favourite fruit syrup.

Garnish: sliced peaches, pears or other soft fruit passion or other flavoured fruit syrup

237

Lucy's Flan

LUCY’S FLAN

This recipe comes from my sweet Brazilian friend, Lucy. Flan is essentially a baked custard and similar to the French crème caramel. It is easy and inexpensive and can be served at room temperature or cold.

Preheat oven to 345 degrees f.

Serves 8 1 hour, plus overnight

$

GF

V

Caramel: 2 cups. white sugar 1/4 c. of water Custard: 1- 14 oz. (320 ml.) can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz./320 ml. milk 4 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla or vanilla bean paste

To make the caramel: Pour the sugar and water into a heavy saucepan and simmer over medium heat. Stir the mixture only at the beginning and just enough to disperse in the pan. Watch it very carefully to avoid burning. When the sugar is golden in colour, remove from heat and pour into an 8-inch round tube pan. Swirl it around in the pan to make sure it covers the entire bottom. Use a pastry brush to bring the syrup up the sides as well. Cool.

To make the custard: Set the 8-inch cake pan in a roasting pan making sure it is level.

Boil water in a kettle.

Whisk eggs in a bowl (stand mixer or blender). Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend on medium/high until frothy.

Pour this mixture through a fine sieve into the round caramel-lined pan. Pull out the middle oven rack and place the roaster on it. Pour boiling water around the pan so that it comes halfway up the sides of the round tube pan. Carefully slide the oven rack in and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it. If it is not browning evenly, turn it gently while cooking. It is done when a thin knife comes out clean and it stops wiggling in the middle when you shake the pan. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly. Cover with tin foil or cling wrap and keep in fridge at least five hours but preferably overnight. To serve, invert quickly onto a plate that has at least a 9-inch well in it so that the syrup doesn’t escape. It really doesn’t need a garnish, but you could put a dollop of whipped cream on it or some fresh blueberries.

Special equipment: pastry brush.

239

Lu's Olive Oil Cake

LU’S OLIVE OIL CAKE Serves 10 - 12

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Grease and line a 10- inch x 3-inch round aluminum cake pan lined with parchment. The pan is important. It needs to be lightweight for the cake to cook through nicely. The better the olive oil, the better the results.

90 minutes

$$

Lucia’s olive oil cakes are legendary. Once you master this recipe, you will use it often.

GF

V

2 c./240 g. all-purpose flour* 1 ¾ c./400 ml. white sugar 1 ½ tsp./7 ml. salt ½ tsp./3 ml. baking powder ½ tsp./3 ml. baking soda 1 1/3 c./300 ml. good quality extra virgin olive oil 1 ¼ c./295 ml. whole milk 3 large eggs or 2 duck eggs ¼ c./60 ml. Grand Marnier liqueur ¼ c./60 ml. fresh orange juice zest of one large orange 1 tbsp./15 ml. finely chopped rosemary

Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together in a stand mixer and then add the orange zest and rosemary and the dry ingredients a little at a time. Just combine; don’t overmix.

Pour into prepared pan and bake in oven for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. There should be a spring to the cake, it will have fallen away from the edges slightly, and it should be golden. As the cake cools, slide a knife around the outside edges. When completely cool, invert onto a cake plate.

Garnish with any or all of the following: 3 tbsp. fresh chopped rosemary, mint or basil leaves, candied orange slices, a drizzle of thick orange syrup, or sweetened mascarpone.

*For gluten free version substitute the following for 2 c. all-purpose flour: 1 ½ c./144 g. Bob’s almond flour, ½ c./70 g. Bob’s gluten-free baking flour, and 1 tsp./5 ml. corn starch

241

Orange and Cardamom Madeleines

ORANGE AND CARDAMOM MADELEINES Makes about 3 dozen cookies 1 ½ hours

This recipe requires a proper madeleine pan; sometimes you can find them in second-hand stores. These little French cookies are glamourous because of their shapeliness. They should be consumed the same day you bake them or keep them in an airtight container for no more than a day. If you don't know how to fold a batter, check it out on YouTube before you start.

In a small bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt.

Brown the butter in a frying pan being careful not to burn it.

Turn it off and let it cool.

$

V

2 c./240 g. double O or all-purpose flour (for gf version use fine cassava flour and ½ tsp. corn starch) 1 tsp./5 ml. baking powder 1 ½ tsp./7 ml. ground cardamom ½ tsp./3 ml. salt 1 c./250 ml. unsalted butter 4 eggs @ room temperature 1 c./250 ml. sugar 3 tbsp./45 ml. orange zest, finely grated 1 tsp./5 ml. pure orange extract 1 tsp./5 ml. vanilla extract ¼ c./75 ml. melted butter for greasing pans Optional Glaze 1 c. icing sugar 1 tbsp./15 ml. orange zest, finely grated ¼ c./60 ml. fresh orange juice

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, zest, and extracts.

Whisk together for about 8 minutes until light and fluffy.

Gradually fold in the flour mixture until well incorporated. Add a small amount of melted butter to the batter and fold. Add the remaining butter and mix just until it is fully incorporated into the batter. Handle this delicately because you don’t want to lose any of the fluffiness. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes before proceeding. At this point you can preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. If you are using the heavier stick-free pans, lower the temperature to 340. Set the racks in the middle of the oven. Brush the madeleine pans with melted butter. Spoon one heaping tablespoon of batter into the centre of each depression in the pan filling it ¾ full. Do not be tempted to smooth the batter out; just leave it as placed. The butter will melt, and the dough will slide right into place. Bake 10-12 minutes and check to see if they are golden on the bottom by lifting one gently with a fork. Cool on wire racks. Apply glaze with a brush if desired after they have cooled.

Special equipment: madeleine pan, pastry brush.

243

Poached Pears in Chestnut Cream

POACHED PEARS IN CHESTNUT CREAM Serves 4

$$

Overnight

GF

V

4 c./1 L. sweet cherry juice ¾ c./175 ml. honey (substitute white sugar) 4 medium firm pears ½ c./ 120 ml. whipping cream 2 tbsp./30 ml. chestnut purée ¼ c./60 ml. toasted ground hazelnuts

Combine the cherry juice and honey in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Peel the pears and make a hole from stem to bottom with an apple corer. Save the stems for later. Place them gently in the juice and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes depending on how firm or ripe your pears are (less time for softer pears).

Leaving them in the pot, let the pears marinate in the refrigerator at least overnight to absorb the luscious colour of the cherry juice. Turn them occasionally for consistency.

Just before serving, whip the cream until it has firm peaks. Fold in the chestnut purée and place the mixture in a piping bag.

Remove the pears from the juice and drain on paper towel. Cut the bottom of the pear flat so it will sit up straight on the plate or bowl. Pipe the cream into the hole of each pear, leaving a bit for the top. Replace the stem. Garnish with toasted hazelnut, shaved chocolate, or fresh mint.

Instead of discarding the cherry juice, simmer it down until it becomes a rich, ruby-coloured reduction that can be added to a salad dressing, or used to marinate a pork tenderloin.

Try putting a clove and some star anise in when it is simmering to give it another element.

Special equipment: apple corer.

245

Manja Branco with Guava Syrup Photograph by Lucy Lacet-Stevens

MANJA BRANCO WITH GUAVA SYRUP Serves 8 - 10 30 minutes, plus 3 hours

$

GF

V

1 qt./1 L. box Roi Thai coconut milk 1 can of sweetened condensed milk 4 tbsp./60 ml. corn starch 1 c./250 ml. half & half cream ¼ block of guava paste /approximately 100 g. (substitute quince paste) ¼ c. to ½ c. /75-125 ml. boiling water

This is another Brazilian recipe from my dear friend, Lucy. You can use any fruit syrup to dress the pudding, but she tells me that guava is traditional.

Butter a fancy flute or tube pan and set aside.

Put the first three ingredients in a pot and cook on the stovetop on medium heat until it is a thick custard. This will only take a few minutes. Use a whisk to remove any lumps. Add half & half cream and continue to cook for another two minutes, stirring to prevent lumps or scorching. When it coats the back of a spoon, pour custard into the buttered flute or tube pan and refrigerate for several hours.

Cut up a quarter of a block of guava paste into little bits and mix with ¼ c. of boiling water to melt. You may need to add a little more water to make the paste turn into a thick syrup.

When ready to serve, put pudding pan in a little warm water to soften and release. Invert onto a plate that is larger than the circumference of the tube pan and that will hold any excess syrup. Pour the cooled syrup over the pudding. Serve at room temperature.

Special Equipment: flute or tube pan.

Photograph by Lucia White Lucy, Laurie, Lucia

247

Zabaglione

ZABAGLIONE Serves 6 - 8

$

20 minutes

DF GF V

8 large organic egg yolks 1/3 c./70 g. berry sugar, q.b. ½ tsp./4 ml. vanilla paste or extract 1/3 c./189 ml. Moscato (or other sweet dessert wine such as Marsala) Options: fresh berries ½ c./120 ml. dark powdered cocoa 1 envelope of powdered saffron

This is a wonderful, luscious, and very inexpensive dessert. Our favourite Italian restaurant in Frankfurt makes the chocolate version and serves it right from the mixing bowl (no point in dirtying more dishes). Everyone gets a long spoon and just digs in. Of course, that was pre-COVID-19.

It is preferable to use a copper bowl as the top of the double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, fill a pot with about 2 or 3 inches of water and bring to a slow boil. Rest a rounded metal bowl over top.

Simmer water in the bottom of a double boiler. Place the round-bottomed bowl on top so that the water does not touch it. In the top of a double boiler, whisk the yolks until light and frothy. Slowly add the sugar, one spoon at a time. Whisk constantly over low to medium heat until the mixture becomes frothy taking care not to let the water touch the bottom of your bowl. I suggest a hand mixer for whisking as it takes a good 8 to 10 minutes in total. After 4 minutes take it off the heat and keep mixing for two minutes. Add the vanilla and the sweet wine then return it to the heat. Repeat. Eventually it will thicken. To test, dip a metal spoon in the mixture. If the mixture remains on the spoon, it is done. It should have a thick, pudding-like consistency with no liquid settling in the bottom. Take care not to overcook or you will have sweet scrambled eggs.

Serve warm with fresh berries, a pinch of powdered saffron, or whisk in ½ c. dark powdered cocoa. Serve in cocktail nappies with an amaretti cookie, biscotti, or a madeleine.

Special equipment: double boiler, hand mixer

249

Around the World Lentil Stew Baked Onions Cauliflower Steaks Celeriac and Parsnip Sauté Eggplant Parmigiana Potato Leek and Cauliflower Tortilla Potatoes Swimming in the Bay Pumpkin Soufflé Roasted Pineapple & Eggplant Salad Rod’s Portobello Mushrooms Smoked Squash Pizza Sweet Potato Mushroom Caps

Around the World Lentil Stew

AROUND THE WORLD LENTIL STEW Serves 4 60 minutes, plus overnight

$

DF GF

V

2 c./500 ml. red or yellow lentils 1 tbsp./15 ml. salt 1 tbsp./15 ml. ground cumin 1 tbsp./15 ml. masala cayenne pepper to taste 1 tsp./5 ml. each, fresh parsley and thyme 3 shallots, finely diced 1 large tomato, diced ½ c./125 g. butter (substitute coconut oil or vegan butter) ½ large onion, diced 5 cloves garlic, minced Optional Salsa 2 large tomatoes 2 shallots, finely diced 1 knob of ginger, peeled and minced 1 green chili pepper, deseeded and diced (optional – for heat) squeeze of fresh lemon 2 tbsp./30 ml. olive oil 2 tbsp./ 30 ml. diced cilantro salt & pepper q.b.

This recipe came from my friend Susan, who got it from someone who brought it from Africa. It is truly memorable. It’s a great recipe to showcase our Canadian-grown red football lentils.

Cover the lentils with water and let them soak overnight in plenty of water. Bring a large pot of water to boil (about 4 cups). Add salt. When it comes to a boil, add the drained lentils and let them cook on a simmer until they are soft; the time will depend on the type and size of the lentils used, but approximately 15 – 20 minutes. Taste to determine when they are al dente.

When the lentils are cooked, drain them and aset aside. Mix the cumin, cayenne, and masala with a bit of water to make a paste.

Add butter to a large skillet and sauté the onion, tomato, garlic, shallots and herbs until they start to brown and caramelize. Add the spice mixture to the onions. Add the lentils and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Optional Salsa Coat the tomatoes with olive oil and wrap them tightly in foil.

Place directly on BBQ grill, turning occasionally so that they char. Alternatively, if you have a BBQ cooking mat, cook the whole tomatoes on the mat, turning frequently so that they char all around. A hot oven (425 degrees f.) will work as well but be sure to put a cookie tray underneath to catch drips. Allow to cool.

Add all ingredients to a small blender and pulse briefly.

Spoon the salsa over the hot lentils.

253

Baked Onions

BAKED ONIONS Serves 4

$

1 hour

DF GF V

This dish is dead easy. You can make it even more spectacular with flavoured olive oil, such as basil or smoked.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees f.

Peel the onions without disturbing the root. Parboil in salted water for about 10 minutes. Drain the water from the onions and plunge them into an ice water bath. Cut the tops off. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Crinkle some tin foil into a nest inside a small roasting pan. Bake the onions for 30-40 minutes. When soft and slightly caramelized, remove from oven and garnish with fresh herbs.

Drizzle with good quality balsamic vinegar.

4 medium-sized red or yellow onions ⅓ c./80 ml. olive oil salt & pepper, q.b. sage or rosemary sprigs balsamic vinegar

255

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS Serves 4

$

30 minutes

DF GF V

1 large cauliflower salt & pepper q.b. ½. c./120 ml. good olive oil 2 tsp./10 ml. ground cumin (substitute smoked paprika or coriander) ¼ c./60 ml. toasted and ground almonds (substitute any favourite nut) Garnish: 2 tsp./10 ml. minced parsley

This is a great main dish for vegetarians. It can be served with potatoes prepared the same way or a nice pasta.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Wash the cauliflower thoroughly and dry with a tea towel. Slice across the whole width of the head into ½ inch steaks. Brush with olive oil on both sides. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toast the nuts and cumin in a small sauté pan, watching carefully so they don’t burn. As soon as you smell the oils being released, they are ready. Sprinkle this mixture over both sides of the steaks and place them on a foil or parchment-lined rimmed cookie sheet.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning once or twice, until they are soft when pierced with a fork. They should be a bit crispy and nicely browned. These can also be grilled on the barbeque. Serving these on a dark plate will make a more dramatic presentation. Garnish with minced parsley or salsa.

CELERIAC PARSNIP SAUTÉ Serves 4

$

30 minutes

DF

GF V

Have you ever wondered what to do with those unfortunate looking celery roots? This Turkish dish was introduced to us by a great cook, Cihan Girgin. I find it captivating and have made it over and over again.

Peel and cut root vegetables into pieces of equal size. I use a French fry style. Sauté onions in olive oil until soft then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook slowly on medium heat until the vegetables become soft when pierced by a fork, approximately 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour any remaining juices over the vegetables and garnish with dill or fennel fronds. Dill is the traditional herb used in this dish but one I seldom use.

However, in this dish it makes all the difference!

1 medium onion, diced 3 tbsp./45 ml. olive oil 1 celeriac bulb (substitute fennel) 1 potato (substitute a sweet potato) 2 carrots 1 tsp./5 ml. sugar 1 parsnip (substitute 1 firm pear) juice of 1 large orange or 2 lemons 1 c./250 ml. dry white wine, water, or vegetable broth 1 tbsp./15 ml. fresh or dried dill salt & pepper, q.b.

257

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

This is one of Wayne’s favourites. Choose your eggplant wisely!

They should give a little when you squeeze, feel heavier than they ought to, and the green collar should be starting to loosen around the neck. If it is too spongy it will be overripe and brown inside.

I suggest you buy one or two more than you need in case you get an old one by accident.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Serves 4

$$

1 hour

GF

V

5 medium-sized (young and supple) eggplants 2 c./475 ml. tomato sauce (choose one with mushrooms, basil, garlic, or your favourite) 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced 1 or 2 garlic cloves, depending on your taste basil, cilantro, oregano, any or all, finely chopped salt & pepper, q.b. pinch of sugar 2 eggs, well beaten flour for dredging (use corn flour for gluten-free version) 6 oz./170 g. buffalo mozzarella cheese (substitute regular mozzarella, fontina, or provolone) 4 to 5 oz./150 g. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan) 1 ¾ c./415 ml. olive oil 1 tbsp./15 ml. truffle oil (substitute 1 tsp./5 ml. truffle salt and omit additional salt)

Wash the eggplants and cut off stems. Cut eggplants into rounds about the thickness of a pancake and place on a clean tea towel. Sprinkle with salt (sea salt is fine) and let them rest at least an hour. Use a paper towel or clean towel to absorb the moisture and leftover salt. This process removes the bitterness from the eggplant and prevents the slices from turning brown.

Crush the garlic and sauté with the onions in some of the olive oil until soft. Add tomato sauce, a handful of the herbs, a dash of salt and pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Simmer about 20 minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper to your taste. The eggplants will have salt residue so be cautious with the salt.

Coat the eggplant slices in beaten eggs. Dredge in flour on both sides. Heat some of the olive oil and some of the truffle oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium high heat. Fry the eggplant slices for 2 minutes on each side without burning them. Don’t crowd in the pan. Repeat the process, including heating more oils, to cook the remaining slices. Note: if the frying pan is not hot enough, the eggplant will absorb too much oil and become soggy.

Grease a baking dish (about 8” x 8”). Spoon some of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish. Starting with the eggplant, layer eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano as you would to create a lasagna. Repeat until all ingredients are in the dish, reserving some cheese for the top.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, depending on your oven, until almost all the juices have been absorbed or have evaporated. If it is still too watery, cook a little longer or drain some of the juice, saving it for a soup later. The cheese should be thoroughly melted and slightly golden.

259

Potato, Leek and Cauliflower Tortilla

POTATO, LEEK, & CAULIFLOWER TORTILLA Serves 8 as a main course or 16 as an appetizer 1 hour

$

DF GF V

1 lb./450 g. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 medium) 4 cauliflower florets ¼ sweet potato, (orange in colour) peeled and sliced thin (about ¼ inch) 1 leek, cleaned with dark green parts removed (substitute one medium onion), thinly sliced 6 mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 tbsp./15 ml. shitake mushroom powder ½ tsp./2 ml. cayenne pepper 1 tsp./5 ml. smoked paprika salt & pepper, q.b. ½ c./120 ml. olive oil 9 eggs Optional: Charmoula sauce is a nice accompaniment for this dish. (See Condiments section.)

This Spanish-style tortilla bears no resemblance to a Mexican corn tortilla. It is essentially a vegetable omelette.

Boil potatoes for 7 minutes on full boil. Reduce heat and add cauliflower; simmer for further 5 minutes until they are blanched but still slightly firm. Put the potatoes and cauliflower into an ice bath. Drain and dry them on a clean tea towel. Slice the cauliflower florets in half and set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms and leeks with the sweet potato slices in a skillet with 2 tbsp./30 ml. of olive oil. When soft, put them aside in a bowl lined with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Peel and slice the potatoes with a mandoline if you have one.

Coat them with about 4 tbsp./60 ml. of olive oil. Preheat clean skillet to medium, then add the potatoes. Fry them until they are crisp and golden. Set them aside. Preheat broiler and adjust the oven rack so it is six inches from the top element.

Beat together the eggs, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and shitake mushroom powder until they are light and frothy.

Preheat two clean stick-free skillets (8 or 9 inches) to medium heat on the stove top. Add 2 tbsp./30 ml. of olive oil to each pan and swish it around.

Add the potatoes and all the remaining ingredients to the egg mixture. Let this sit for 10 or 15 minutes so the potatoes absorb some of the liquid. Pour half of the mixture into each pan. Cook over medium heat for two minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently lift one edge of the tortilla and tilt the pan so that any liquid flows underneath the tortilla. Continue with this method by lifting the tortilla around the edges until all the liquid is cooked and the bottom is golden. Pop the frying pans under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the top, about 2 to 5 minutes, keeping an eye on them to prevent burning. They need to be firm with no lingering liquids. Slide the cooked tortillas onto a clean cutting board. Allow to cool, then slice and serve warm or cold.

Special equipment: mandoline, 2 small stick-free frying pans.

261

POTATOES SWIMMING IN THE BAY

This is such a simple dish it hardly bears recording. But it does justice to those lovely new potatoes that start to show up in August, especially the colourful fingerlings that come in gold, white, and purple.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Serves 4

$

1 hour

DF GF V

1 ½ lb./750 g. new or fingerling potatoes, consistent in size 1 c./250 ml. olive oil 6 bay leaves, fresh or dried sea salt & pepper, q.b.

Cut the potatoes in half if they are large. Pour the olive oil into a shallow oven-proof pan of suitable size and elegance for serving.

Coat the potatoes with the olive oil by rolling them around – give them a good swim. Add the bay leaves and sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn them and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until golden. This could take 45 minutes in total depending on the size of the spud and the temperament of your oven. Insert a fork to be sure they are thoroughly cooked.

PUMPKIN SOUFFLÉ Serves 6

$$

1 hour

GF

V

1 lb./450 g. ricotta cheese 2 c./400 g. fresh squash or pumpkin, peeled and cubed 2 c./400 g. zucchini, cubed 1 c./225 g. green onions; chopped finely 10 fresh mint leaves, torn 1 egg, beaten ½ c./400 g. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan) salt & pepper, q.b.

1 tsp./5 ml. fennel pollen, optional but worthwhile olive oil 2 tbsp./30 ml. butter (substitute vegan butter) mint leaves for garnish

This is a popular dish in Sicily. It’s even better made with homemade ricotta.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f.

In a food processor, pulse the squash, zucchini, onions, mint, and salt and pepper, leaving the mixture on the chunky side. Pour a generous amount of olive oil and butter into a heavy skillet.

Transfer the mixture to the skillet, and sauté on medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir continuously so that the mixture is well blended and evenly cooked. Add more oil and butter if needed.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add cheese, egg, fennel pollen, and ricotta. Blend together using folding action, keeping the ricotta in small chunks.

Pour the mixture into an attractive greased baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve warm with bread.

263

Roasted Pineapple & Eggplant Salad

ROASTED PINEAPPLE & EGGPLANT SALAD Serves 4

$$

45 minutes

DF

V

1 fresh pineapple 1 fat eggplant 2-3 tbsp./30-45 ml. olive oil 1 watermelon radish Catalina Style Dressing (see Condiments section)

I made this dish in Maui where the pineapple is juicy and the watermelon radishes are enormous. Watermelon radishes originated in China and come from the daikon radish family.

They can be grown in BC. They are sown in mid-summer for a fall harvest. They are bright pink to red in the centre with a lime green frame. Look for these gems in Asian markets; they are about 3 inches in diameter.

Trim the outer skin from the pineapple, removing all the little thorns. Don’t throw the skin away! You can boil it in a couple of inches of water, then discard it, and keep the water for pineapple tea – an antioxidant which reduces inflammation.

Slice the pineapple into ½ inch rounds. Use a sharp cylinder cutter or knife to remove the inner core, which is too tough to eat.

Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds. Set them on a tea towel and sprinkle with salt. After 20 minutes, wipe them dry with paper towel and baste both sides liberally with olive oil.

Place a cooking mat on the BBQ and grill the pineapple and the eggplant until both sides are slightly charred but cooked through – about 15 minutes. The eggplant slices should be soft and pliable.

Wash the watermelon radish. Slice it into ¼ inch slices with a mandolin if you have one. Arrange the plate with the pineapple on bottom, then the eggplant. Spoon on some Catalina dressing and top it with the watermelon radish. Garnish with pea shoots or pretty micro greens and purples.

Special equipment: mandoline, cylinder cutter such as an apple corer.

265

Ostuni moon rise

This is a winning recipe from my friend, Rod Laurie. Rod is an amazing chef and we have had many wonderful cooking adventures together. These are so sensational that we serve them as a separate course. Rod’s father used to say that if I married Rod my name would be Laurie Laurie. Well, that’s not going to happen, but we still love each other’s company.

ROD’S PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS Serves 4

$ $ DF

20 minutes

GF

V

4 portobello mushrooms, sliced ½ c./120 ml. butter (substitute vegan butter) ¼ c./60 ml. good balsamic vinegar – fruit flavoured even better ¼ c./60 ml. blackberry syrup (substitute blueberry or black currant) ¼ c./60 ml. Grand Marnier (substitute triple sec)

Slice the mushrooms about a quarter inch thick (1 cm). First, make sure your large skillet is hot. Add the butter and let it melt down being careful not to let it burn. Add the balsamic vinegar and when sizzling, lower the heat a bit and start to sauté the mushrooms. The pan needs to be hot otherwise the mushrooms will become soggy. Let the mushrooms cook for about 5 minutes, turning them frequently. Add the syrup and sauté for another 5 minutes until they are thoroughly cooked, soft, and even a bit blackened. At the last minute, turn the heat up to high, add the Grand Marnier, and let it sizzle in the pan briefly.

267

Smoked Squash Pizza

SMOKED SQUASH PIZZA Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as an appetizer 45 minutes

$$

DF

V

1 recipe for pizza dough (See Bread section) 1 c./240 g. roasted butternut squash or other earthy squash, peeled and cut into small bits 2 c./60 g. baby spinach or arugula leaves, washed and dried ½ sweet onion, very thinly sliced ½ c./72 g. roasted pistachio, macadamia, or pine nuts 1 c./225 g. smoked scamorza or mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 c./225 g. fresh feta cheese, in small bits cornmeal or corn flour for dusting

Preheat oven or BBQ to 475 degrees f.

Dust a work surface with flour and fine corn meal. Preheat your stone, if you use one.

Roll out the dough so it’s a little less than ½” (1.25 cm) thick. Place it on your pizza pan, preferably one with holes in the bottom to let the pizza breathe.

Brush dough liberally with good olive oil. Put a large cookie sheet on the oven shelf below to catch any melting toppings.

Apply the toppings, give the pizza another squirt of olive oil, and bake in a very hot oven or BBQ for about 5 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn. Cheese should be melted and slightly golden. Garnish with fresh herbs.

If you have a pizza stone and peel, put dough directly on the peel which has been dusted with cornmeal, dress it with the toppings, and slide it onto the pre-heated stone. When it is toasted on the bottom and golden on top, remove it with a jerking motion back onto the peel.

I like to make this pizza the day after I have made a dinner with roasted squash or other vegetables. The leftover squash is slightly caramelized, and the flavours join in perfect harmony. You can even freeze roasted vegetables for use in this recipe.

Special equipment: pizza stone, pizza peel, BBQ.

Garnish: shredded basil leaves, oregano, or tarragon

269

SWEET POTATO MUSHROOM CAPS Serves 4

$

1 hour

GF

V

4 portobello mushrooms 1 large orange sweet potato, baked 1 c./250 ml. cooked barley (substitute millet or rice to be gluten free) 4 tbsp./60 ml. olive oil 1 sweet onion, diced 1 tbsp./15 ml. shitake mushroom powder salt & pepper, q.b. ½ c./125 ml. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute parmesan) ½ c./125 ml. shredded fontina cheese herbs, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

These can also be baked in a BBQ if it’s a fine summer’s day. I prefer barley in these because it makes for a heartier meal.

Whenever I cook rice or sweet potatoes, I make extra to have on hand for recipes like this one.

Clean the mushrooms with a soft brush. Remove the caps and dice the stems. Sauté the stems with the onions in olive oil until the onions just start to caramelize. Peel the sweet potato and mash it in a medium sized bowl. Add the barley or rice, onions, mushroom stems, salt, pepper, half of the herbs, shitake mushroom powder, and the fontina cheese. Brush the caps inside and out with plenty of olive oil. Fill the caps with the sweet potato mixture and sprinkle the tops with the parmesan cheese. Place them on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with tin foil.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted and the centre is sizzling. Remove from oven and garnish with the rest of the herbs.

Olive Me goes everywhere...from Sidney-By-the-Sea to Maui and back again...and everything is delicious.

From the comforts of home in beautiful British Columbia to the sunny Mediterranean, Olive Me takes the reader on a private culinary journey with author Laurie Salvador, a seasoned traveler and gourmet cook, as she shares with us some of her favourite recipes.

Buon appetito!

Italian Cuisine *2nd Place First Cookbook *3rd Place