Seasonal Ontario Food

This came about after I read a description of "the best thing [Blanche Vaughan] ate this year" in The Guardian, and thought, yes; that does sound utterly delicious.

Mine was considerably more rustic than the dish described, my mushrooms were foraged at the local grocery store and not on Bodmin Moor, and I didn't do the faffing around with egg yolks or pre-poaching the celeriac. I'm sure the textures of my dish suffered accordingly.

Next time I might pre-poach the celeriac, and I would add the mushroom stems to the broth then strain them out to wring out every drop of flavour from them. But even this simplified version was very, very tasty and a joy to eat. The top layer of celeriac got a little dried out rather than braised, but it was cooked through. If I wasn't going to pre-poach the celeriac, I would at least make sure the broth and cream come right up to the top layer of the vegetables next time. I'm also calling for more crumb topping than I made; mine was skimpy. And watch that butter - there's a total of 5 tablespoons called for, but used in different places, not all at once.

4 to 6 servings
1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time


2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
225 grams (1/2 pound) button mushrooms
125 grams (1/4 pound) shiitake mushrooms
125 grams (1/4 pound) oyster mushrooms
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons rubbed savory OR thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary leaves, ground
1 teaspoon ground ginger
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
900 grams (1 large; 2 pounds) celeriac
1 to 1 1/4 cups vegetable OR chicken stock
1/2 cup 10% cream

Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of butter and rub them together until there are no dry crumbs left and they form moist clumps. Set them aside until needed.

Clean, trim, and slice the mushrooms, discarding the tough stems from the shiitake mushrooms (definitely) and the oyster mushrooms (maybe).

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Use 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a 9" x 13" shallow baking (lasagne) pan or similar. Put the 2 tablespoons of butter into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until melted and bubbling. Add the mushrooms and cook them, until softened and browned. Give them a good stir when they first go in to distribute the butter as well as possible, but then let them cook and get brown so don't stir them too much.

Meanwhile, peel and cut the celeriac in half. Then slice it as thinly as you can. Lay a layer of slightly overlapping celeriac slices over the bottom of the prepared baking dish (half of them). Turn in the cooked mushrooms and spread them out evenly. Top with the remaining celeriac slices in a covering layer. Mix the stock and cream and pour it all over the vegetables, wetting the celeriac as much as you can. Sprinkle the buttered crumbs evenly over the top.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the celeriac is tender. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.




Last year at this time I made Beans with Sweet Potatoes in a Spicy Peanut Sauce.

Mujadara is a traditional dish from the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, particularly Lebanon. Traditional, that is, when made with rice rather than barley. Amusingly, brown rice and lentils has always been one of Mr. Ferdzy's favourite dishes, although his version never had the caramelized onions. There is no question the onions take this to the next level, but there is also no question that caramelizing onions is a slow process. We haven't usually had a Turkish-style garlic yogurt with it either, but that too is an improvement, and one much easier to do. Between the onions and the yogurt and the fact that it's better for me, Mr. Ferdzy hardly missed the rice.

Me? I have to say I think it's better with barley. Less mushy, more chewy, in a very pleasant way. I think this is going to be a regular menu item in the future.

Update 28/03/2020: Subsequent attempts have shown that the barley and lentils need to be cooked with a bit more water - so adjusted. 

4 to 6 servings
1 hour - always busy or attentive


Cook the Barley & Lentils:
1/2 cup pot barley
1 cup brown or green lentils
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups water

Put everything into a rice cooker; turn it on and cook. If it is done before the onions, unplug the cooker but leave the barley and lentils covered.

Cook the Onions:
3 large (450 grams; 1 pound) red or pink onions
1/4 cup sunflower OR olive oil

Peel the onions. Cut each one in half from top to bottom, and lay them flat on the cutting board. Cut them in half again, from top to bottom, and then in medium-thin slices.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are softened, reduced and evenly quite browned. The browning process should not really start until near the end of the cooking process, so be careful not to cook them at too high a temperature.

When the onions are cooked, mix in the barley and lentils. If they have cooled noticeably, cook them in the pan long enough to heat through. Be sure the onions are well mixed into them. Transfer them to a serving dish and serve, with garlic yogurt if desired.

Garlic Yogurt:
1 cup yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic

Put the yogurt and salt in a small bowl.

Peel and mince the garlic, and mix it into the yogurt well with the salt.





Last year at this time I made Gingerbread Cake.

Not too fancy, but a quick and easy salad with a nice balance of sweet and bitter, sour and sharp.  Hooray for winter salads! Fight the stodge.

My red cabbage was a bit pale but isn't it pretty with the other very pale green vegetables?

4 servings
20 minutes prep time


Make the Dressing:
the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Squeeze and strain the lemon juice and mix it in a small bowl or jam jar with the mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix in the olive oil. 

Make the Salad:
1 1/2 cups grated red cabbage
1 1/2 cups peeled and grated celeriac
1 large OR 2 medium Belgian endives
1 large crisp firm apple

Trim and grate the cabbage and put it in a bowl. Peel and grate the celeriac and add it to the cabbage. Wash and trim the endives, and cut them in quarters lengthwise. Cut them into thin slices widthwise. Add them to the salad. Wash and grate the apple, and add it.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve at once. 




Last year at this time I made Russian Cabbage Fritters. 

"Ah" said my brother-in-law, just before this was served to him. "I have a recipe like this - I call it "Burn the House Down Chicken".

Yeah, this would have been better cooked outside on a grill, it would appear. But once we turned off the smoke detector and opened the windows for a few minutes all was well, and the chicken was very much enjoyed.

I forgot the trick of covering the bottom of the broiler pan with water, which undoubtedly would have helped - I suggest you do that.  

3 to 4 servings
15 minutes to make marinade - 8 to 12 hours to marinate
30 minutes to cook


Make the Marinade:
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1 teaspoon rubbed savory
1 teaspoon rubbed mint
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper
the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
the juice of 1 medium lemon
6 to 8 cloves of garlic (1 medium head)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Grind the cumin seed, salt, and peppercorns. Put them in a small bowl with the remainder of the dry seasonings (up to and including the Aleppo pepper) and mix well.

Grate the lemon zest into a shallow dish which will hold the chicken thighs snugly in a single layer. Add the lemon juice. Peel and mince the garlic, and add it along with the olive oil. 

Marinate & Cook the Chicken:
6 large or 8 medium chicken thighs

Blot each chicken thigh dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle it with some of the dry seasoning mix. Put them into the dish of lemon juice, garlic, oil etc and turn them over a couple of times. Once they are all in sprinkle any remaining dry seasoning over them and cover. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours before cooking

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Meanwhile, arrange the chicken in a single layer on a baking tray with a rack. (Put some water in the baking tray to keep it from smoking.) Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.




Last year at this time I made Greek Lima Beans. 

Ontario leeks seem to be available for much longer than they used to be, right through the winter if we are lucky. I also seem to be doing a series of vegetable dishes consisting of a changing array of vegetables cooked with leeks and butter. Now I'm doing rutabaga, and like almost everything else it goes beautifully with leeks and butter. How could it not? And then I upped the ante and added cream. Wow! Yes, this is very rich and commensurately delicious with it.

I'm proud to say I grew both the rutabaga and the leeks that went into this dish.

4 servings
1 hour - 20 minutes prep time


4 cups rutabaga, peeled and grated
2 cups (2 medium leeks) finely chopped leeks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups unsalted chicken OR vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
3/4 cup 10% cream
1 teaspoon arrowroot OR cornstarch

Peel and grate the rutabaga. Wash, trim, and finely chop the leeks.

Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the rutabaga and mix in well. As it begins to wilt down, mix in the stock. Cover and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Add some water if the stock looks like boiling off - the liquid can and should be getting fairly low by the end, but don't let it disappear.

Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. 

Add the leeks, and continue simmering for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly and watching the level of the liquid. By the time they are tender, the liquid should be about gone. Mix the starch into the cream and add them to the pot. Stir in well. Reduce the heat to a very slow simmer and let cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the cream has thickened and coated the vegetables. Serve at once.




Last year at this time, apparently, a new obsession was born as I made Spaetzle - Quick Austrian Egg Noodles (Dumplings).

This photo was taken hastily, while I swatted Mr. Ferdzy away with one hand. He has been amazingly good at supporting me in my new diet, which let's be real, is basically his new diet too. But when there were fresh banana muffins, right out of the oven, they plainly called to him!

I'm pretty pleased with these. Banana is not the ideal fruit for pre-diabetics to eat, but it's a reasonable sometimes thing. Mix it with whole, high-fibre grains, and no further sugar (really not required) and the results are excellent. Like most muffins, they are super simple to make. You could get 12 little muffins out of this recipe, but I got 9, and I can see as few as 8 being possible. Other than the need to adjust the baking time slightly, there is no reason not to make whichever number of muffins you like. 

8 to 12
40 minutes - 15 minutes prep time


Mix the Dry Ingredients:
1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup oat bran
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
a little scrape of nutmeg OPTIONAL

Measure them into a mixing bowl and, er, mix.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put muffin liners into your muffin pan. In theory, it could be oiled and floured, but in practice, has anyone done that in decades? 

Finish the Muffins:
2 cups (4 large or 5 small) mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup mild vegetable oil
1 large egg

Peel and mash the bananas thoroughly. Mix the oil into them, then break in the egg and mix it in.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined and no dry ingredients remain, but do not over-mix. Spoon the batter out evenly between the muffin cups.

Bake at 375°F for 22 to 26 minutes, until firm and very lightly browned. They really should sit and cool for at least 15 minutes before being eaten, but good luck with that. I got 9 muffins and they took 25 minutes.





Last year at this time I made "Tandoori" Tofu. 

I got this recipe from Mr. Ferdzy's brother. Admittedly, it was simpler then: instead of the list of spices, it called for a packet of Club House pickling spice, the vinegar, and the meat. How and why he suddenly came up with this dish from his youth decades later, I am not sure.

I looked the ingredients up on line and reverse engineered the list below. I'm glad I did, because the package has been changed since then and I don't know if it is the same size or not. At any rate, there is no guarantee that commercial products will be around forever.

When I made this recipe the first time, it was for a family gathering with both of Mr. Ferdzy's brothers, and all three of them were aflush with nostalgia, so I think I must have the spice blend reasonably correct. Quite apart from the family history, this is a very simple and delicious way to prepare a shoulder pork roast. I've now made it both slow-cooked in the oven and in the Instant-Pot. As usual, the oven technique produces the better result, but the Instant-Pot is fine and even quicker and easier. Mr. Ferdzy's mom would have made it in a more old-fashioned pressure cooker, but that was, in fact, the original method of cooking this.

6 to 12 servings
about 15 minutes prep time
plus 1 hour per pound in the oven
OR plus 15 minutes per pound plus 45 minutes pressure cooked


Measure the Spices:
1 2" piece of cinnamon
2 to 6 bay leaves
6 cloves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole mustard seed
1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
2 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian OR smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Measure everything into a small bowl or directly into the pot in which the meat is to be cooked. Don't bother to grind anything. 

Cook the Pork:
2 to 3 kilo (4 to 6 pound) pork shoulder roast
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon bacon fat or mild vegetable oil

Trim off and discard much of the skin and fat from the roast. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides. You will need your ventilation fan set on high!

To cook the roast in the oven: put the roast into a cover-able roasting pan with the spices and the vinegar; cover. Use the higher number of bay leaves. Put it in the oven and bring the heat up to 225°F. Remove the lid about halfway through the process. Cook for approximately 1 hour per pound, but expect that it may take a little longer. The meat should be falling apart when done, and the bone will pull right out. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

To cook the roast in an Instant Pot: put the rack into the pot, and put in the roast. Pour in the spices, the vinegar. Use only 2 bay leaves. Seal the pot, and cook on "Meat/Stew" (high pressure) for 15 minutes per pound. Allow the pressure to drop naturally; 20 minutes to half an hour.

In either case it is not a bad idea to cook the meat in advance, cool it, and remove the bones and fat. It reheats very well, in a little of the cooking juices. They are, however, very intense being mostly vinegar, and don't really work too well as sauce. Serve the meat with enough to keep it moist and tasty, but don't think of it as gravy.




Last year at this time I made Haluski.

I love mushrooms and these were delicious. Serve them with just about any kind of meat, with omelettes, with pasta, polenta, or simply pile them on toast. 

This is a great treatment for slightly tired (but still good!) mushrooms - if you find a decent package on the half-price table of your local grocery, for instance, this would be a very good use for them. 

I'm saying the parsley is optional, but really, do try to have some. It adds a highly desirable touch of green and fresh, bright flavour and crunch to balance out the earthier mushrooms.

2 to 4 servings
30 minutes - 15 minutes prep time


250 grams (1/2 pound) mixed or button mushrooms
3 medium shallots
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
1 cup unsalted chicken OR vegetable stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or other fresh herb to garnish, OPTIONAL

Clean and trim the mushrooms, and cut them in halves or quarters according to size and your desire. Peel and mince the shallots. Put both these in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or skillet (not cast iron; non reactive). Peel and mince the garlic and set it aside.

Add the stock, butter, soy sauce, sherry, and pepper to the pan of mushrooms. Bring up to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

At about the 10 minute mark the liquid will be disappearing. Watch the pan more closely, and stir more frequently. When all the liquid is gone, and the mushrooms are beginning to sizzle and brown, add the garlic. Mix in well and cook for another minute or two. Turn out into a serving dish and sprinkle with the chopped parsley or other herb before serving.




Last year at this time I made Barley Dressing Pilaf. 

This is more something to do with left-over squash than a recipe to make from scratch, but given the size of most squash, leftovers are not exactly unheard of.

I hope you can find squash at this time of year. I can still get lots just by walking into the laundry room, but you may have to go to a farmers market if you don't grow your own. By now they are a little starchier and less sweet than they would have been in the fall, so a touch of apple butter helps bring that back. You may wish to apply it with a slightly heavier hand than I did. At any rate, you scale the ingredients to the amount of cooked squash you have. Baked, boiled, or steamed; just make sure it is well mashed. 

1 to 2 servings per cup
15 minutes prep time not including first cooking the squash


1 cup cooked mashed squash
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp apple butter
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
a few gratings of nutmeg OR 1/8 teaspoon gr cinnamon

Put the squash in a saucepan with the remaining ingredients and heat until steaming hot. Stir, from frequently to just about constantly, to prevent it from catching.

Aaaaand serve it.

Wait; that's it?

Yes. Yes, it is.




Ha ha! Last year it was Butternut Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice & Mushrooms and I said the exact same things about finding squash at this time of year. 

Like pumpkin pie, only with sweet potatoes. As ever, they bring their own sweetness and don't need much more to be added. I have to say, this was fabulous - really, really amazing. It's one of those things I'm almost sorry to know about, because it is so good, and now I will want it all the time.

This is a traditional pie in the southern United States, although it traditionally has a lot more sugar. I can't even imagine it! I thought this was perfect. It's a big, filling pie, so it is definitely 8 servings. Other than the need to roast the sweet potatoes in advance, this is also ridiculously simple to make.

As usual, it set up better once it sat overnight. As usual, it was cut long before then. But also, I think the flavours improved with a night in the fridge too, so do try to make it a day ahead of when you want it.

8 servings
1 hour 45 minutes - 45 minutes prep time
not including baking the sweet potatoes


1/2 recipe pastry, (enough for bottom crust) of your choice
2 cups (2 to 3 medium) roasted sweet potato, peeled and mashed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg (about 1/6 nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rum
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Roll the pastry to fit a 9" pie plate. Transfer it in, and press it into place. Prick it all over with a fork, then bake for 10 minutes until set and lightly coloured.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Mash and measure the sweet potatoes, and put them in a mixing bowls with the eggs, spices, and sugar. Whisk well  until smoothly and evenly combined. Whisk in the rum and whipping cream.

When the crust has baked for 10 minutes, set the oven temperature to 325°F. Scrape the filling into the crust and spread it out evenly. Return the pie to the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour, until the filling is set. Let the pie cool completely before cutting and serving.




Last year at this time I made Coconut Oat Blondies. 

Here's an easy alternative to traditional hummus, a little more mellow without the sometimes faintly bitter tahini, and with walnuts and carrots instead. This makes an awful lot, but I don't see that I can cook many fewer lentils in my rice cooker, and the balance with the carrots, etc, is right. Fortunately it will keep in the fridge for up to a week and this is a dish that will make a terrific party appetizer or fit right in with healthy daily eating.

makes about 4 cups
45 minutes - 15 minutes prep time for first round
20 minutes prep time to finish
allow time to rest


Cook in the Rice Cooker:
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 bay leaf

Peel and grate the carrots. Measure everything and put it all in the rice cooker. Give it a stir and make sure everything is below the surface of the water. Close, turn on and cook. Remove from the rice cooker promptly and let cool.

Finish the Hummus:
1 cup walnut pieces
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons walnut oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
the zest of 1/2 medium lemon
the juice of 1 medium lemon

Toast the walnut pieces in a dry skillet until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer them to a food processor. (You may want to save a few to garnish.) Peel the garlic and add it. Process until both are finely chopped. Add the oil and process some more. Add the pepper and lemon zest.

Add the cooked, cooled carrots and lentils (remove and discard the bay leaf). Process until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice as necessary. Add the lemon juice and blend in well. Taste and adjust the seasonings. This hummus will be at its best if it can sit for several hours to allow the flavours to blend.




Last year at this time I made Turkish Walnut & Red Pepper Paté. 

One of the benefits of reading a lot of Turkish recipe sites is that I have become much more adventurous in using my panini grill. I cook chicken breasts on it often, seasoning them and wrapping them in parchment paper; 4 or 5 minutes, turn them over and cook another 4 or 5 minutes, rest for another 4 or 5 minutes then unwrap and serve. There is also still the occasional grilled cheese sandwich. But I digress.

Here is another very popular Turkish recipe that requires a panini press. There is a surprising number of variations on this theme out there. The technique is mostly the same, except unlike as with the chicken, the potato tosts don't get wrapped up snugly to prevent leakage; the steam must get out. There will almost certainly be some leakage, though, so be sure there is a tray to catch it. 

I'm not sure these are quite so crisp and perfect as pan-cooked potato pancakes (which is what these are, basically) but wiping-up requirements notwithstanding, they are much neater and easier to make. Eat them while they are hot and crunchy. I suspect if they got cold, they could be re-heated in a hot skillet very quickly, but we had no leftovers so who knows for sure.

2 to 4 servings
45 minutes - 15 minutes prep time


450 grams (1 pound; 4 medium) white potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  OR dried oregano OR za'atar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons sunflower OR olive oil
100 grams (3 ounces) grated old Cheddar cheese

Wash and trim the potatoes; peel them if you like. Grate them coarsely and squeeze them in handfuls until as dry as you can get them. Place them in a mixing bowl as you go. Add the seasonings and toss.

Add the egg, oil, and grated Cheddar, and mix well.

Cut a piece of parchment large enough, when folded in half, to fit your sandwich press with several inches hanging out on all three open sides. Spoon the mixture onto the parchment and spread it out evenly to fit the grill exactly. Press the top grill plate with its covering of parchment paper closed firmly. The parchment should not be tucked up around the potatoes; steam (and possibly some liquid) must be able to escape.

Cook the potato tost for 30 to 35 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through. Cut into pieces and serve at once.





Last year at this time I made Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes.