Seasonal Ontario Food

This is a more local take on one of my all-time favourite dips; artichoke caponata. Well, not really caponata because mine never had capers in it (nobody here likes them much). 

 

I made this a couple of times; the texture without the lemon juice was better but the flavour was better with it. The take-away is that you should dry the asparagus thoroughly, even pressing it a little, to get as much excess moisture out of the dip as you can. Not tried; a couple of mushrooms cleaned and tossed in might help blot things up. Or add more juice. I don't know. Worth trying, though.

 

8 servings

20 minutes prep time

 

 

450 grams (1 pound) fresh asparagus

1/4 cup finely minced fresh chives

125 grams (4 ounces) Parmesan cheese

plenty of coarse, freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (light is fine) 

 

Wash and trim the asparagus. Cut off the tips, and cut the rest into inch-long pieces. Put the pieces into boiling water and boil for one minute. Add the tips and boil for a further 3 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Drain very well - blot them with a tea towel until quite dry. 

Wash, trim, and mince the chives. Put them in a food processor with the grated Parmesan, the pepper, and the mayonnaise. Whiz briefly, then add the asparagus - pick out a few of the tips first to use as a garnish, if you like - and whiz briefly again. Scrape down the sides, and give the mixture a final whiz. The results should be chopped, but still retaining some texture. Transfer the caponata to a serving dish and garnish with the reserved asparagus tips. 

Last year at this time I made Roman Tomatoes.

Last time I was in a civilized place - and apparently my definition of "civilized place" is "has a Chinese/Asian grocery store" - I stocked up on tau pok. It freezes extremely well, and I freely admit it is my favourite form of tofu. In spite of consisting of deep fried chunks, it is really not greasy and the resulting chewy/airy texture is terrific. If you think you don't much like tofu and it is the texture that puts you off, this is a good way to try it again and see.

There are a number of traditional recipes for stuffing and steaming tau pok. My take on it combines things from 2 popular versions, mostly as a matter of expedience; other than the tau pok itself these are all ingredients I can get around here. 

I found the oyster sauce added a necessary punch of saltiness to these - in spite of the fish sauce, they were not really salty in themselves. If you don't have any oyster sauce, add a bit more fish sauce or double the salt in the filling.

 

16 to 20 pieces

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

assumes puffs are steamed in 2 batches

250 grams (1/2 pound) ground pork OR chicken

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon arrowroot OR corn starch

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

2/3 to 1 cup finely chopped green onion OR chives

2 teaspoons mild vegetable oil to oil dish

1 package (185 grams; 6.5 ounces) fried tofu puffs (tau pok)

about 1/2 cup chicken stock

oyster sauce

cilantro 

Put the ground meat in a bowl with the fish sauce, salt, pepper, and arrowroot. Peel and grate the ginger, and add it. Wash, dry, trim, and chop the green onions or chives very finely and add them. Mix everything very well. 

Set up your steamer; it should hold the stuffed tofu in a dish. Mine would only hold half at a time so I set up 2 dishes to go into it. Lightly oil the dish or dishes, and turn the heat on under the steamer. If you are doing it in two rounds, be sure there is plenty of water in it, or that you can add boiling water to top it up if needed. 

Meanwhile, stuff some tofu. Cut a slit in one side (top) of each puff and put in a bit of the filling You can stuff in more than you might think and I found it useful to score off the bowl of filling to make sure it was being more-or-less evenly divided. There were 18 puffs in my package, but they are plainly hand-cut and varied a bit in size so quantity may not be exact either. Arrange them in the oiled dish(es) in a single layer, stuffing up. Place them in the steamer and pour a little chicken stock on them; just enough for them to be sitting in about 1/4" of it. Steam for 20 minutes. If you have a rack or similar thing that can go under the plate to be steamed, and which has handles to allow it to lift the plate out, that is very helpful.

If you have a second dish, check the water level, and steam it for 20 minutes with a little chicken stock in the same way. 

These will be very hot when they come out, and the spongy tofu holds some of the broth to burst out and burn you when bitten, so let them sit for a full 10 minutes before serving. Garnish them with a drizzle of oyster sauce and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, if you like. 

Last year at this time I made Sorrel Soup.

I've seen this recipe around for years; it was definitely a little fad for a while. Finally, I got around to trying it myself. The theory is that is in a real Spanish tortilla, potatoes are slowly fried to beautiful golden-brown before having the egg mixture poured onto them and being cooked into a tortilla. It's a long, slow process! Here, potato chips are "reconstituted" in the egg mixture, and then become golden-brown, soft potatoes that are then cooked into a tortilla. 

My verdict - it's not bad, it's an okay tortilla, but not worth the buzz. It's something I'd do on a camping trip maybe, because it would save on the hauling around of actual potatoes and it's something you could do over a campfire, providing you had hauled in a good heavy skillet. Huh. This is already looking kind of problematic as an idea, actually. 

 

Needless to say, if you decide to try it, you should use the best quality potato chips you can find. They should be unsalted or only very lightly salted, and adjust any salt you add to the eggs accordingly. 

If the Spanish have a second civil war, it will be over whether one puts onion into a tortilla, or not. I am a firm concebollista, yesterday, today, and forever! But if you don't want it, it is conceivably possible to leave it out. Or use onion-flavoured chips, maybe.

 

2 to 4 servings

30 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

 

1 shallot OR small onion

6 large eggs

170 grams (6 ounces) thick potato chips

a pinch of salt (maybe)

freshly ground black pepper, other herbs to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Peel and mince the shallot or onion. 

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, whisking between each one. Add about 3/4 of the potato chips, pressing them gently into the eggs, and let them soak for about 15 minutes. Turn and baste them with the egg occasionally, and also season them with the salt and pepper, and any other seasonings you may wish to add. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in an 8" skillet and cook the onion gently over medium heat, stirring as needed, until softened and reduced in volume. Let it cool a minute then add it to the egg mixture. 

Wipe out the pan with a bit of paper towel, leaving as much of the oil as possible but getting up any little bits of onion which may scorch or cause the tortilla to stick. Add a bit more oil as needed to cook the tortilla. Heat the pan over medium heat - a little cooler than for most omelettes. 

Pour in the eggs and potato chips, spreading them out as evenly as possible and pressing the chips - by now they should be quite soft - down into the eggs. Cook gently over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking, until the bottom half is well set. 

Flip the tortilla onto a plate - be careful and do it over the counter because the top will still be somewhat liquid - then slide it back into the pan. Lift one corner to pour in any liquid egg etc that didn't make it back into the pan. Continue to cook and shake, until the bottom of the tortilla is set. Slide it out onto a plate - a clean one, whether you have washed and dried the first one or are using another - and let it cool to just warm or room temperature before serving. Serve it garnished with the remaining potato chips. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Creamed Carrots & Belgian Endive.

I was a bit startled to write up this post then go to last year's date and see that I had made something extremely similar then. The thing is though, I make a lot of fried patty things; usually some variation on Vegetable Patties. They provide carbohydrate, protein, and vegetable all in one dish. Sometimes I make a little salad to go with them, but usually it's just the patties, and they are lunch; quick and satisfying. 

 

Some sort of sauce is nice to finish them off. I don't make the Apple Butter Chutney much anymore, alas, as it has too much sugar, so it's usually garlic-yogurt or a mix of half and half chile-garlic sauce and mayonnaise. The yogurt is probably the best choice for these, as it was with last year's iteration. Leftovers? Not too carby for most people to put them into a bun with some sauce and a slice of tomato and lettuce leaf. If you want to reheat them, a minute or so on each side in a hot skillet is better than the microwave.

The only salt that should go in is with the wild rice; halloumi is salty and will provide ample more. I keep meaning to rinse halloumi before I use it, just to see if it could be a little less salty.

 

4 servings

1 hour to cook the wild rice plus time for it to cool

20 minutes to make and cook the patties

 

3/4 cup wild rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups water

Place the wild rice, salt, and water in a rice cooker, and cook. This can be done up to a day in advance. 

1 medium carrot

1 small onion

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

1/3 cup minced parsley OR cilantro

250 grams halloumi cheese

1/4 cup potato starch

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon rubbed savory OR thyme

2 large eggs

mild vegetable oil to fry

 

Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Heat the oil in a small skillet and cook the carrot and onion gently over medium heat until softened, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool slightly. 

 

Wash, dry, and mince the parsley or cilantro. Grate the cheese. Add both to the mixing bowl of vegetables, along with the cooked and cooled wild rice, with any clumps in it broken up. Add the potato starch, seasonings, and eggs. Mix well. The mixture will be very loose and lumpy, but don't worry. Once you get it into the pan and cooking, it will rapidly become more co-operative.

 

Heat enough oil to generously cover the bottom of a large skillet, and ladle spoonfuls of the mixture in. Spread them to form neat, 1/2" thick patties. For the first 30 seconds or so, you can push the edges inwards to form neater shapes. Then cook them over medium heat for a total of 3 minutes per side, until firm and well browned. Add a little more oil as you turn them or if making new patties, if needed to prevent sticking.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made... uh, this is embarrassing, actually... Carrot-Halloumi & Dill Fritters with Garlic Yogurt. Very much the same principle, with a slight change in ingredients. This one would also go well with Garlic Yogurt.

As an obsessive lover of potato chips, and as a lover of parsnips, you can bet I thought these were fabulous. You need to be picky about slicing them - getting them sliced evenly but thinly is the key to having this work.

 

I did 3 very large parsnips, and that's all of them on the plate. They really shrink down a lot in cooking so that's something to keep in mind. Next time I might decide it is worth breaking out the mandolin to slice them, and do twice as many. At least.

The line between "perfectly golden-brown and crisp" and "burnt and nasty" is probably about 15 seconds, so you must also really hover at the oven door for the last 5 minutes or so of cooking.

 

per serving

40 minutes - 15 minutes prep time

 

1 large parsnip

1 to 2 teaspoons mild vegetable oil

salt & freshly ground pepper OR other seasonings to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 

Peel the parsnips and discard the skins. Using the peeler, cut the parsnips into thin but even shreds. It helps to have a good sharp vegetable peeler here. You will probably get down to a point where what is left is very hard to peel into strips; give up and keep these pieces for another dish. Alternatively, and probably better; cut the parsnips into thin but even pieces using a mandolin. I wasn't going to break out the mandolin for 3 parsnips, though. 

 

Toss the parsnip slices with just enough oil to coat them evenly, then season them to your taste and toss them again. Spread them out as evenly as possible, ideally in a single layer.

 

Roast the parsnips for 20 to 25 minutes, checking them and turning them every 5 minutes. Make sure they are spread out evenly each time. Towards the end, most likely some will be done before others; pick them out and put them on their serving plate then return the rest for more roasting. Keep a really sharp eye on them for the last few minutes of cooking - they will burn very quickly once they are done.

They will cool off fast, which is fine - these are kind of like roasted potato chips, only parsnips. However, they won't keep crisp well and should be eaten promptly. 

Last year at this time I made Pulled Pork Caribbean Style.

Frozen puff pastry (not to mention all the other ingredients) makes this dish rich and elegant, but it's very simple to make. A crisp green salad is all it needs to be a complete meal, and balances out the richness very well. It does well made ahead, so it would be good for entertaining, but it can't be made too far ahead, or the pastry will go soggy. It's not this recipe - that's a hazard of puff pastry generally. A couple of hours is good though.

You could also make small versions of this; it would make an excellent appetizer or hors d'oeuvre. In that case, though, I'd expect to use twice as much puff pastry as the total area covered with the filling would diminish every time you make the tarts smaller. Expect 18 (3 x 3 squares) or 32 (4 x 4 squares) little tarts. Baking time would be a few minutes less as well, so start checking them sooner. 

I dithered a bit about making this with blue cheese; if anyone ever tries that I'd love to know about it.

 

6 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 45 minutes prep time 

plus allow some time to cool

 

 

4 medium (450 grams; 1 pound) Belgian endive

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon sugar

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Wash and trim the endives, and cut them in half lengthwise. 

 

Heat the butter in a skillet large enough to hold them in a single layer, and cook them over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Keep a lid on the skillet while they cook. As soon as they are turned over, sprinkle them with the sugar and season with salt and pepper.  

Once they are done, remove them from the heat and let them cool, at least enough to handle.

 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon wheat flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup whole milk or light cream

125 grams (4 ounces) cheese such as

   Gruyere, Gouda, Friulano - something tangy but melty

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

a few good grates of nutmeg

1 large egg 

Heat the butter, flour, and mustard in a saucepan and mix until they form a smooth paste; let it cook for a minute or two then mix in the milk or cream, a little at a time, to form a smooth sauce. Add the cheese, grated or cut in dice. Stir to melt it, and add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The amount of salt to add is going to depend very much on how salty the cheese is, but in general this dish calls for shakes of the salt shaker and not any kind of spoonfuls. 

When the cheese is melted, remove the pan from the heat. Allow it to cool enough that you can beat in the egg without the egg being in danger of cooking.

 

225 grams (8 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed 

a handful of walnuts

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out the pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment. Spread half of the cheese sauce over it, leaving an inch and a half to 2 inches all around. 

 

Slice the cooked pieces of endive, discarding the solid centres, and arrange them over the cheese sauce and pastry. Dot the remaining cheese sauce over them, and spread it out evenly.  Sprinkle with walnuts, and with the Parmesan cheese. Fold up the edges of the pastry to form low sides.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until set and nicely browned. Let cool to at least just warm, or to room temperature, before serving. 

Last year at this time I made Carrot, Halloumi, & Dill Fritters with Garlic Yogurt.

We really enjoyed these but as with a lot of dishes that include a carb, protein, and vegetables and yet don't seem quite sufficient to be the entire meal, I am at a bit of a loss as to how to classify them, and what to serve them with. They might make a nice appetizer, or if you want to serve them as a main course I think a bit of salad might be a good choice to accompany them; maybe this cold spinach salad. If you are serving a crowd, they could also just be one of an ensemble of other Korean dishes.

 

12 small omelettes - 4 to 6 servings

30 minutes prep time

2 bundles (100 grams) bean thread (cellophane) noodles

2 to 4 green onions

1 small carrot

2-3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

5 large eggs

mild vegetable oil to fry

parsley to garnish

chile-garlic sauce to taste

 

Put a small pot of water on to boil, then boil the noodles for 5 minutes. Drain them well and snip or cut them into short segments. 

 

Meanwhile, wash, trim, and finely chop the green onions. Peel and grate the carrot. Mix these in a mixing bowl withe the drained noodles, and season with the soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and sugar.  

Break in the eggs and whisk until well blended. Heat a griddle or frying pan with enough oil to cover the bottom. Ladle in the egg mixture to form small omelettes. Once the bottoms of the omelettes are set, fold them in half, and cook until done, turning them over as required. Once they are set and very lightly browned transfer them to a serving plate, and continue cooking more omelettes until they are all done. Add more oil as required. 

I put the parsley on just to give a touch of colour, but it went really well with them. Maybe next time I will put some right in. Chile-garlic sauce provided the finishing touch.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Pizza Strata.

As you can see, this is a quick and simple recipe - and yet, not so fast. I feel obliged to note that I had a terrible time getting the temperature just right. I would move the knob about a millimeter, and it would swing from "way too cool" to "way too hot" or back again. I mean, my stove does that all the time, but it seemed particularly egregious with these. Celeriac is a bit touchy, is what I'm saying. In the end, though, they were very tasty if not quite as beautiful as I would have liked. 

The batter seems skimpy and runny, but persevere in mixing them as well as you can - once they are cooking it works just fine.

The bottom 2 fritters were not made with celeriac. They were made with oyster plant. This was the second year that we've grown some, although last time I just looked at them and thought, "Okay, now what?" Progress! With the spices, it was a little hard to assess their flavour. They are considerably milder than the celeriac, which was quite intense. They also had a softer and - I have to use the word - gummier texture than the celeriac. I quite liked it, but it is a texture more common in Chinese cuisine than in Western cuisine. They were more inclined to brown nicely without scorching, which I was also in favour of. I used 2 roots which yielded 1/4 cup each when grated. They wanted to discolour rapidly, so I threw them into some acidulated water while I finished mixing the batter.

 

6 to 8 fritters

30 minutes prep time

 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1/3 cup potato starch

1 extra-large egg

2 cups peeled, grated celeriac

about 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil to fry

 

Grind the spices together and put them in a small bowl with the potato starch and egg. Mix well, working out all the lumps. 

Peel and grate the celeriac. Mix it into the batter. 

Heat the oil on a griddle over medium heat. Spoon the batter into even portions onto it once it is hot. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, until set and golden-brown. Add a little more oil when you turn them if it seems necessary. 

Last year at this time I made Paprika Braised Cabbage.

I served these as a side dish with steak, but they would make an interesting starter course. Mine were also filled with creamed spinach, but they are quite fine on their own. They might make a good way to serve potatoes if you are serving from a buffet.  You could make them small enough to be manageable as finger food, although in that case I suspect you should bake them for a slightly shorter time. 

It has to be admitted this is a bit of a gimmick, but it's one that is both do-able and eat-able (with pleasure), which is more than can be said of a lot of foody gimmicks.

 

4 to 6 servings

8 to 16 cream puffs

40 minutes - 10 minutes prep time

NOT including baking the potatoes

 

1 cup very smooth mashed potato (2 medium)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup potato starch

other seasonings to taste, such as pepper, nutmeg, or chives

2 large eggs

 

Bake the potatoes until tender then cool them, and run them through food mill. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Melt the butter in large heavy bottomed pot with the salt; mix in the finely mashed potato. Mix in the potato starch and seasonings - you want at least a little pepper, but season them to taste - until it comes together to form a ball. Remove the pot from the heat. 

 

In a few minutes when the mixture is sufficiently cool not to set them, beat in the eggs one at a time with an electric mixer. Beat for 2 minutes. Form the mixture into little buns spread out on the parchment paper, and bake them for 15 minutes. Reset the heat to 325°F and bake for 15 minutes more. Serve at once.  

Last year at this time I made Beet Mousse. Yeah, yeah: mid December is when I tend to have fits of playing with my food.

Marinated mushrooms were a popular party food when I was a kid, back in the '60s and '70s, and I really liked them. Our old family recipe from that time was: clean and prepare the mushrooms and put them in a jar with a bottle of commercial Italian dressing overnight. Various home-made efforts have frankly never been quite as good until now. 

 

The breakthrough I need to make them from scratch was the realization that they need enough oil. I was always trying to make them less oily, but the oil is absolutely required. This recipe is adapted from one I found in a cook book of recipes from Luchow's, a famous New York German restaurant, published in the 1950s, although in addition to omitting 2 cups of white wine (!) I have cut the brine in half. It's plenty. Strain it off in any case when you to to serve them. Next time I think I would also dust them with a tablespoon or so of fresh finely minced parsley as they get served, just to brighten them up a bit.

You can stick them on toothpicks as a picklish appetizer, or serve them with salad. They would make a nice topping for steak or chicken, or go into sandwiches.

 

8 to 12 servings

30 minutes prep time - 24 hours rest time

 

1 small onion OR 2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon rubbed savory OR thyme

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

the juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar OR white wine vinegar

 

Peel and mince the onion or shallots. Peel and mince the garlic. Put them, with all the other ingredients, into a 2-quart non-reactive pot (stainless steel or glass). 

 

450 grams (1 pound) small white button mushrooms

1/4 cup finely minced parsley

1 clove of garlic

Clean and trim the mushrooms. If they are larger than a single bite, cut them in half. Wash, dry and mince the parsley. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Bring the marinade to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and boil for 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool for another 10 minutes or so. When cooled to just barely warm, mix in the parsley and remaining garlic. Transfer them, with the marinade, to a very clean (or better, sterilized) 1-litre (quart) jar. Allow to cool completely and keep stored in the fridge until wanted; 24 hours to 4 days - best at the 24 hour mark. 

Last year at this time I made Red Cabbage with Pears.

This Italian dish is usually served at room temperature, as an antipasto, but it is also delicious hot as a main course. You could throw some other things into it, if you liked. Anchovies are a common addition, believe it or not. Good quality Italian tuna must not be quite as salty as what I buy at Costco, although to be fair, once the other ingredients were in it was not as salty as I feared it would be, and it could have absorbed an anchovy or two, especially if it was served as an appetizer. Capers or chopped olives could be used instead - just a few of them. 

I made a double recipe, and with three of us eating it, there was enough left over for another generous serving. The exact quantity of peppers is hard to pin down - it will depend very much on their size and configuration. Use tiny ones for an appetizer and larger ones for a main dish. If you use large peppers such as Red Shepherd, use smaller specimens of them  - they can get large enough that just one could swallow up an entire batch of the filling. 

You could omit the cheese if you don't want it. If you do use it, it should be a somewhat mild and lower salt cheese - aged cheeses tend to have a lot, and I think would be a bit too much with the tuna. I used Friulano, which I really like - it has all the delightful boingy qualities of mozzarella, with a more interesting flavour. I also threw in a few leftover potatoes to fill up the gaps around the peppers; if you want to add potatoes to your pan they should be at least par-cooked to be done in the same amount of time as the peppers.

 

2 to 3 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

 

 

6 to 8 small apple peppers (such as Doe Hill)

OR 3 or 4 medium sized peppers (such as Bell or Cubanelle)

OR 2 larger peppers (such as Red Shepherd) 

Wash the peppers. Cut a slit lengthwise in each pepper, then down and around the stem. Remove the stem and any seeds, etc, from the core of the pepper, leaving a hollow shell. Be careful not to break them. 

Broil them under the broiler until slightly softened and blackened in spots. Turn to broil them evenly. Set them aside to cool while you make the filling, and turn the oven to 375°F.

1 tin (133+ g drained) chunk or solid tuna

1 slice stale bread

1 medium egg

1 small tomato (about 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped)

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

freshly ground black pepper to taste

75 grams (3 ounces) Friulano, mozzarella, ricotta or similar mild cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

Drain the tuna and put it in a small mixing bowl. Cut or tear the bread into coarse crumbs, and add them to the tuna. Break in the egg. Peel (if you like) and dice the tomato, and add it to the bowl. Wash, dry and mince the parsley, and add it. Season with pepper, and mix well. If the mixture does not seem moist, you may need to add a little water - just a spoonful. It should be moist, but not wet, and hold its shape. 

 

Grate or finely dice the cheese, and mix 2/3 of it into the stuffing. Divide the stuffing amongst the peppers, and lay them in a shallow baking pan that will hold them fairly snugly, and which has been greased with the olive oil. Divide the remaining cheese over the peppers, and cover the pan, with foil if it hasn't got a lid. Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F for 30 minutes, then remove the lid (or foil) and bake for a further 15 minutes. These can be served hot or at room temperature, as a main dish or, if you have stuffed a number of smaller peppers, as an antipasto or appetizer.  

Last year at this time I made Cauliflower and Pepper Sauté.

Real falafels are not terribly difficult to make, but they do require the chick peas to be soaked in advance, and then they must be mixed in a food processor. All of which is very do-able! But sometimes you want something just a little simpler. Or maybe you are just out of chick peas, but have some quinoa, in which case you could make these instead. I don't think they are quite as good as the real thing, but somehow just cooking the quinoa in advance then mixing by hand makes them feel easier. They are still pretty darn good! Moreover, this is an excellent way to use up leftover cooked quinoa.

I do assume you have chick pea flour on hand; I use it for just about every kind of fritter and lots of other things too and could not get along without it. 

Unless and until you wrap these up in pita bread, they are gluten free. I haven't made these into a patty and eaten them in a bun yet, but I am very likely to. In that case I expect to get 6 patties.

 

The quinoa has some of the sandy texture of the soaked chick peas in the original falafel recipe but they are a little softer in texture. The flavour is really pretty close. 

 

I made these twice before posting; the first time they fell apart in the pan as I had not added enough chick pea flour. On my second go 'round, they were fine, but I found that, unlike the first time, I had to add a little water. This had less to do with the amount of chick pea flour, and more to do with differing moisture levels in the cooked quinoa. The second batch of quinoa sat a little longer, I think. In any case, you may or may not need to add some water at the end of mixing - it must be moist enough to form a ball when squeezed, but really no moister.

 

4 to 6 servings

45 minutes prep time - NOT including cooking the quinoa

 

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup finely diced white OR green onion

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1/4 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (to taste)

1 cup chick pea flour

none to 2 tablespoons water

oil to fry

 

To cook the quinoa: it is easiest to use leftover cooked quinoa, but to produce 2 cups cooked you will need approximately 3/4 cup of raw quinoa. To cook 3/4 cup quinoa, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 1/4 cups water. Cook it in the rice cooker, or in a small pot on the stove over low heat (once boiling); it will take approximately 20 minutes and should be cooled to room temperature before you start the falafels. 

Peel or trim the onion and chop it finely. Wash and dry the cilantro and parsley and chop them finely. Put them in a mixing bowl with the prepared quinoa. Be sure the quinoa is broken down so each of the grains is separate, not stuck into large clumps. 

Grind the salt and cumin seed, and add them to the bowl with the Aleppo pepper and chick pea flour. Mix well. 

If the cooked quinoa is moist enough that the mixture can be squeezed together to form a ball, do not add any water, but mix by hand until you have stiff, not very crumbly dough. If it is too dry for this, add a little water, a spoonful at a time, until you are able to get it to hold together, but do not add enough to make it moist and soft - it should be quite stiff. 

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. 

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or aebleskiver (or appam) pan over medium heat. If you are using the latter, a teaspoon or so in each compartment will be sufficient; otherwise add enough to shallow-fry the falafels. Cook over medium heat until browned and crisp, turning to cook evenly all over. They will need 2 or 3 minutes per side; if they are browning too fast reduce the heat. Set them on paper towel as they are cooked. 

Serve warm or at room temperature, with salad or wrapped in pita (with some salad). If you like, serve with one or both of the following sauces. 

1/4 cup tahini

the juice of 1 small lemon

a little water

Mix the tahini with a little of the lemon juice until smooth; continue adding and mixing until all the juice is in. Slowly add a little water and continue mixing until the sauce is the texture of mayonnaise. 

chile-garlic sauce

mayonnaise

Put as much chile-garlic sauce as you think is likely to be eaten in a small bowl. Add about an equal amount of mayonnaise or a bit less, and mix. If you think it needs more mayonnaise add more to achieve the balance you like. 

Last year at this time I made Beet Salad with Red Onions & Parsley.

North Americans tend to scream in horror at the mere sight of savoury things moulded in gelatine. Try not to wake your neighbours, okay? 

 

Hungarians on the other hand, still seem to make quite a lot of these dishes. Possibly because they have always used plain gelatine and avoided sugary artificially flavoured mixtures (*cough* Jell-o *cough*) and avoided combining bizarre ingredients in the name of novelty. Everything here classically goes together nicely; no novelty involved, and nothing is the worse for that. This is a lovely lunch for a stupidly hot day; cool and refreshing, and substantial without being heavy. A bit of bread and salad is all it needs to be a meal, or this is the sort of thing that looks attractive and is very practical for buffet entertaining.

 

16 slices

40 minutes prep time PLUS at least 3 hours to set

 

 

6 large eggs

1/2 cup finely diced dill pickle

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 cup ham OR chicken broth

1 tablespoon granulated gelatine

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup thick yogurt OR sour cream

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

10 thin slices (250 grams; 1/2 pound) deli ham

parsley and chives to garnish

Put the eggs into a pot with water to cover, and bring them to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then cover them and turn off the heat. Let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Put them in cold water to cool. Peel them, and cut them in half. Put the yolks in one mixing bowl, and mash them. Dice the whites and put them in another bowl with the diced dill pickle, parsley, and chives. 

Put the broth into a pot and sprinkle it with the gelatine. Once it has soaked for a few minutes, heat the stock until it is steaming and the gelatine dissolves completely when stirred, but don't let it boil. Let this cool as you continue. 

Mix the mayonnaise and mustard into the mashed egg yolks, then mix in the yogurt or sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. A good hit of pepper is desirable, but keep in mind that the ham, broth, mustard, and mayonnaise all contain salt - a brief pass over the bowl with the salt shaker is likely to be sufficient. 

Pour about 2 tablespoons of the broth into a large loaf pan, and make sure it runs all over the bottom and sides. Lay a slice of ham centred in the bottom of the pan, then place a slice at each end, overlapping the first slice but hanging over the side of the pan - this will be folded over the filling to encase it. Add two more slices in the same way to each long side of the pan. Set one slice of ham aside for the top.

Mix the remaining stock into the egg yolk mixture. Add the egg whites, etc, and mix them in. There should be 2 remaining slices of ham; chop them finely and mix them in as well. Pour this mixture into the ham-lined pan and spread it out fairly evenly. Fold the ham slices up to cover it, then top with the last slice of ham. 

My ham came with a piece of waxed paper; I pressed this onto the surface of the loaf and made sure it was completely flat and covered. Seal or cover the pan and set it in the fridge to set overnight or for at least 3 hours. 

 

To serve, set the pan into a large pan of warm (tap) water for a few seconds. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it, then place a serving plate over it and flip it over to unmould. Garnish with a little parsley and some chives, if you like. Serve in slices. 

Last year at this time I made Polpette di Zucchine.

This has been a crazy busy year in the garden - they all are, but with Mr. Ferdzy engaged in building a fence and installing drip irrigation, it's been worse than usual - and I have been leaning hard on making dips and spreads such as Hummus and Red Pepper Paté once a week to have with bread and crudités or salad for lunches all week. Deviled ham works well as one of those spreads.

It requires a little - only a little - effort to make, but a piece of ham will be less expensive to buy than deli slices, and quite possibly better quality too, providing you choose carefully. As ever, avoid anything pre-cooked or pre-sliced, or full of brine and gelatine. 

This is quite a lot like my favourite Ham Salad, but smoother and spicier, although just how spicy is up to you. You could make sandwiches with it, but I like to put it out and have us serve ourselves as part of the experience.

 

6 to 8 servings

20 minutes prep time

PLUS 3 hours to set

1/4 cup ham or chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon granulated gelatine

200 grams (1/2 pound) diced cooked ham

1 shallot OR 2 garlic scapes

1 tablespoon or more Dijon or hotter mustard

1 tablespoon or more prepared horseradish

chile-garlic or other hot sauce to taste

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon relish or sweet pickles 

2 allspice berries

Warm the stock, and put it in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over it, and set it aside for the moment. 

Cut the ham into dice, and put it in the bowl of a food processor. Peel and chop the shallot or scapes and add it as well. Add the mustard, horseradish, hot sauce to taste, the mayonnaise, and the relish. Grind the allspice berries finely, and add them. Process until the mixture is fairly smooth. Add the stock and gelatine, and process briefly again until blended. Taste it, and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Transfer the deviled ham to a serving dish, ideally with a lid, and keep chilled until serving time; allow several hours to rest. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Green Pea Cutlets & Shirazi Salad. 

I bought some good quality hamburger buns on impulse (and on sale), and since they are now actually a rare treat, I had to think of something rather special to do with them. Here it is! 

You are basically turning them into baked French toast, stuffed with creamed spinach. Spinach is mighty tedious to pick over and process, which is why I have listed such a long prep time. You could cut off at least 20 minutes by using frozen, and to be fair I am probably allowing too long because most purchased spinach will arrive in the kitchen in much better condition than mine does. Mine is generally bolting, and covered in dirt; 3 separate soaks are not too many. Still, give them plenty of time - if they sit a few minutes before serving, no harm done as they are probably better warm than piping hot. These would be terrific to take on a really fancy picnic - eat them cold, or wrap them in foil and reheat them on a grill.

Once you are past messing about with the spinach, these are very easy, and my guest (yes, all right, it was Mom, as usual) was very impressed by these. Me too, really. Definitely a worthy end for all those carbs.

 

4 servings

1 hour 30 minutes - 1 hour prep time

 

  

200 grams (scant 1/2 pound) cooked spinach

3 or 4 green onions 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon barley or other flour

salt  & freshly ground black pepper & nutmeg to taste

1/2 cup 10% cream

60 grams (2 ounces) old Cheddar cheese

Wash and pick over the spinach; steam it until just wilted and plunge it in cold water to stop it cooking any further. Squeeze it quite dry and chop it very finely. Wash, trim, and finely chop the green onions. 

Heat the butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add the green onions. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly, until well wilted down. Add the flour and seasonings and cook to a paste. Slowly mix in the cream to make a smooth sauce. Add the spinach and cheese and remove from the heat. Stir until the cheese is melted.

 

4 good large buns, but could be a bit stale

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 large eggs

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

3/4 cup milk

2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan which will hold the buns snugly with parchment paper, and butter it and the sides generously.

 

Use a steak knife, or other small serrated knife, to cut an inverted cone from each bun. Remove the inner crumbs from the cone, leaving a half-inch thick lid. Use a grapefruit spoon to scoop the crumb from inside the buns leaving a half-inch wall all around. The crumbs are discarded - by which I mean you toast them until dry then crush them and put them in your crumb jar; you do have one, don't you? - and the lids are put back on the now hollow buns. Set them aside for the moment.

Whisk the eggs, salt and pepper, and milk in a bowl which will allow the buns to be easily dipped into them. Dip each bun into the egg mixture, turning them and spooning egg mixture into them until the are well soaked. Put them into the prepared pan. There should be just enough of the egg mixture left for soaking the lids. 

Divide the creamed spinach amongst the soaked buns. Sprinkle a tablespoon or so of Parmesan over the spinach. Soak the lids in the remaining egg and milk, and put them in place over the spinach filling. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan over the buns.

 

Bake the buns at 350°F for 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Keep well-wrapped in the fridge once cooled if you are not serving them shortly. 

Last year at this time I made Rhubarb Soup.

I served this with bread and salad, which I think is fairly traditional, but less than ideal for me. Next time I will keep it simpler and healthier, and skip the bread - there's plenty right in the chicken - and eat it wrapped in whole lettuce leaves. We all really liked this, and it's simple and delicious enough that I intend to make it quite often this summer. You could make this at any time of the year, but as a cold salad I think it is perfect summer food.

 

It's Turkish, of course, although we did not happen to encounter it while we were there. The use of breadcrumbs as a "sauce" is quite unusual, but it's a great way to use up stale bread. I've seen a few recipes with yogurt instead of the breadcrumbs, but I think that changes it to something more pedestrian. However, if it comes out a bit thick I would not hesitate to loosen it with a spoonful of yogurt if I was short on the chicken stock. 

You can add some vegetables to it if you like, but any recipe I saw with other vegetables in it was not written in Turkish by Turkish cooks; take that for what it is worth. The number of portions assumes bread and salad at the lower end, and that it is part of a mezze spread with multiple dishes available, at the upper end.

 

4 to 12 servings

45 minutes prep time 

BUT it should be made somewhat in advance to cool and rest

 

  

450 grams (1 pound) skinless, boneless chicken pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

1 small carrot (optional)

1 small onion (optional)

1 small stalk celery (optional)

2 cups water

 

Put the chicken pieces into a pot with the salt and a bay leaf, and whichever of the seasoning vegetables you can round up. Cover with about 2 cups water and bring up to a simmer; simmer gently until cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool. 

 

Strain the stock, discarding the solids - other than the chicken - and keep it and the chicken cool in the fridge until ready to proceed. 

2 or 3 cloves of garlic 

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, ground

1/2 teaspoon coriander seed, ground

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup chicken broth, PLUS some more

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 cup crushed walnuts

walnut pieces

parsley

 

Peel and grate the garlic; keep it in 2 piles, one a little larger than the other. 

 

Grind the cumin and coriander seeds, and put them in a little bowl with the remaining spices. 

 

Be sure the bread crumbs and walnuts are prepared before you start assembly; the bread should be in bits the size of a pea or smaller (you can grind them in a food processor if you like). The walnuts can likewise be almost milled fine, or left in little chunks depending on the texture you prefer. 

Shred the chicken into fine pieces.

 

Heat 1 cup of the chicken stock with about 2/3 of the garlic. When it comes to a boil, add the bread crumbs and the bowl of spices and mix well. When it is a solid mass, remove it from the heat. Stir in the crushed walnuts, and the remaining (raw) garlic. You should have a smooth, soft, and pliable but not liquid paste. If it is too thick, thin it with a little more chicken stock (or yogurt). It will thicken a bit with sitting so that's something to keep in mind. Mix in the shredded chicken.

Spread or mound the chicken in a serving dish, and garnish it with larger walnut pieces and chopped parsley to taste. Drizzle it with the Chile Oil. Serve at room temperature, but keep it refrigerated if you are not serving it right away - just take it out about 10 or 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Don't put on the Chile Oil until you are about to serve it.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

a pinch of salt

Put the oil into a very small pan and heat it until it shimmers and smells of olives, and generally is quite hot but not boiling. Turn off the heat and add the spices. Mix them in well - they will probably sizzle a bit - and let the oil sit for about 10 minutes before drizzling it over the chicken.

Last year at this time I made Smoked Trout, Asparagus & Chick Pea Salad.

Reduced carb crackers have been a very handy thing for me. I've been making these ones off and on all winter, and while they are really very good they gave me a lot of trouble to perfect. I started by putting cheese in them, but they have so many other flavours going on that it could hardly be tasted, and at the price of cheese, that's a waste. Eat your cheese on top of the crackers. Then, I modeled them on other crackers I make including the oven temperature, and they would go from not done to scorched in a couple of minutes - eventually I figured these need to be cooked longer at a lower temperature. It's all the dried vegetables in them. On that note, I think it helps to have the dough rest for 10 or 15 minutes to allow them to absorb a little of the water, so don't preheat the oven until the crackers have been rolled out.  

These are allowing me to use up the backlog of years of dried tomatoes and peppers, but if you don't dry your own and can't find dried peppers (dried tomatoes should be much easier) you could try the mixed dried vegetables sold by Bulk Barn. Because of the flax seed, flavours in general are a bit muted; it may seem like I'm putting in a lot of spice but it is required.

 

36 crackers

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

 

1 cup chick pea flour

1 cup whole spelt flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup flax meal

1 teaspoon fennel seed

2 teaspoons rubbed oregano

1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot chile flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes

1/4 cup dried tomatoes, finely chopped

1/4 cup dried sweet peppers, finely chopped, optional

1/3 cup mild vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

a little spelt flour to roll out

Measure all the dry ingredients into a bowl. If you start with whole dried tomatoes or peppers, chop them very finely first; a food processor will not make them too fine - they should be in quite little bits, almost ground. 

Line a large baking tray with parchment. 

Mix the oil into the dry ingredients until it is evenly distributed. Mix in the water to form a smooth dough. It should be pliable, but neither soft nor sticky. Put it on the parchment  - it is best to move it back onto the counter from the baking tray - and roll it out thinly and evenly until it fits the dimensions of the tray. Score it with 5 lines in each direction with a pizza cutter to form 36 crackers. Poke holes in each cracker with a fork. 

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until they look dry, and fairly crisp. Keep a close eye on them starting at the 25 minute mark. They will continue to crisp up a bit as they cool. Once cool, store in a cool, dark, and air-tight spot (cookie tin). 

Last year at this time I made Strawberry Crisp.

Chebureki are a simple and straightforward Russian meat hand-pie, similar to Jamaican patties or Cornish pasties, but even simpler than those because they are made with a very basic unraised dough. What I used was not the traditional wheat flour dough, but one based on the buckwheat wraps I've been making lately. Well, it is the buckwheat wraps, with a little oil added. Much better for me, and even tastier, in my opinion. 

Here is where I have to admit I actually used rye flour instead of buckwheat. Sadly, it was okay but not something I intend to repeat. Rye has a slightly sticky quality to it, and here it came across as downright gummy, possibly because the flax meal tends that way too. Next time, it will be back to the buckwheat. But otherwise, these were really delicious and much simpler and faster to make than I would have expected.

These are often described as being fried, and some people do seem to deep fry them. Shallow frying seems to be at least as common, though, and you don't need huge amounts of oil to cook them - just enough to make the dough crispy. If you have patted the filling thin enough they will easily cook through in quite a short period of time.

 

6 to 8 chebureki (3 to 6 servings)

40 minutes prep time

 

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

up to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, if available

1/4 to scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

450 grams (1 pound) lean ground beef OR lamb

 

Wash, dry, and finely chop the herbs. Put them in a mixing bowl with the salt and pepper. Add the beef and mix everything very thoroughly - with your hands is best.

1 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup ground flax seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

oil to fry

 

Put the water and oil in a mid-sized saucepan and bring them to a boil. Meanwhile, mix the flour, flax meal, and salt in a small bowl. 

When the water boils, turn off the heat and dump in the dry ingredients. Immediately mix well to form a dough. Transfer it to a plate or clean counter top to cool slightly. (Soak the pan.) 

Divide the dough into 6 or 8 equal portions. Dusting them with buckwheat flour to prevent sticking, roll them out into thin circles. Divide the meat filling into 6 or 8 portions to match the dough, and flatten one portion onto each circle of dough, covering half of it to within about 1/2" of the edges of the dough. You need enough dough to pinch sealed, but the meat will shrink away from the edges as it cooks, so get it as close as is reasonable. Fold the uncovered half of the dough over the meat and press it sealed with a fork. You may wish to trim the edges with a pizza cutter to make a neat half-circle. Set each aside as they are formed. 

Heat a shallow skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan generously. Cook the chebureki for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat if they are browning too fast. Serve at once, although you can keep them warm in a 200°F oven as they are done to allow for them all to be ready at once.

Last year at this time I made Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Sorrel & Mushrooms.

These are probably better made with ripe tomatoes from the garden, but I made them with greenhouse tomatoes. They are a classic Italian summer dish. Usually they are roasted with potatoes and served just warm or at room temperature, like so many Mediterranean dishes. 

 

Usually they would also be made in quantity, with a tomato risotto at least partially cooked to stuff them with before they are baked. They are usually not made at home but purchased from bakeries and trattoria, when the Italian summers make it unbearable to cook. 

 

When I first came across this recipe, in an old cook book, my first thought was that it would be a good way to use up leftover rice - that slightly annoying quantity that is too much to throw away, but not enough to provide us each with a normal sized serving. But it may be enough to be thrown into soups, salads, or casseroles - or used to make these tomatoes.

 

4 tomatoes (2 to 4 servings)

1 hour 45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

allow time to cool

 

4 medium red tomatoes, firm but ripe

1 shallot 

1 small piece of celery

about 1/4 cup finely grated carrot 

1 clove garlic

salt

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2/3 to 3/4 cup cold cooked rice

1/4 cup fresh herbs, OR 2 to 3 teaspoons dried herbs 

Slice the caps off the tomatoes and set them aside. Scoop out the insides of the tomatoes. Salt the insides of the tomatoes and set them aside while you work on the other vegetables. Chop the tomato innards, and set them aside. Peel and finely chop the shallot. Mince the celery and grate the carrot. Peel and mince the garlic. Mince whatever fresh herbs you are going to add - mint is classic, as are basil and parsley. Rosemary could be used in small quantities. I don't think cilantro is traditional, but none the worse for that. I would certainly use some chives. It will really depend on what is available, and that's fine.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the shallot, celery, and tomato for a few minutes, until softened and reduced in volume. Add the garlic and the leftover rice, and fry for a few more minutes. Then add the tomato pulp. Continue cooking, and stirring regularly, until the tomato pulp has cooked down. Remove from the heat. 

Rinse the tomatoes out and drain them well. Divide the stuffing evenly amongst them. Place the caps back on and put them into a snug-fitting, lightly oiled shallow baking pan. Drizzle in a little water around them; just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until quite soft. Let them cool to just warm or room temperature before serving. (Refrigerate any leftovers; they can be gently warmed or brought back to room temperature again.) 

Last year at this time I made Experimental Pizza - Reduced Carbohydrate.