Seasonal Ontario Food

The first of the strawberries have been picked! They seem a little early to me, but in spite of some persistent cool weather there have also been some hot days where things have leapt forwards. It's exciting to see them but a little daunting to think about all the picking in my future, when the weeding is so far behind. 

Really, though, this recipe is about the sponge cake fingers, aka lady's fingers. They are designed to be okay on my "better carb" diet, and incidentally they can be gluten free as well. I may fiddle with the recipe in the future; they were not more exciting than lady's fingers usually are which is to say a bit dry and bland. Mostly useful for soaking in sherry and syrup and covering with custard, fruit and whipped cream. Actually, they would also be nice dunked in tea or sherry to moisten them. 

They also came out flatter than ideal, but they plainly need no more in the way of starch, and the texture was still light and fluffy enough. I may try baking them as a thin cake then cutting them afterwards. I took the leftovers and re-baked them in the oven at 200°F for 40ish minutes, and that made them quite dry and crisp. I suspect just baked as directed they have a shelf-life of a few days but re-baked crisp that they would keep for some time. 

While I would describe the sponge cake fingers as surprisingly quick and easy to make, this whole thing is really best suited to a special occasion - Canada Day coming up in the near future, although strawberry season is a special occasion in itself as far as I'm concerned.

 

6 servings

45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time to make the sponge fingers

15 minutes prep time to make the custard 

15 minutes prep time to assemble the trifle

 

 

 

 

1/4 cup arrowroot starch

1/4 cup potato starch

2 tablespoons coconut flour

Sift these together into a small bowl.  

Line a large baking tray with parchment and preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

In Bowl #2:

3 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons sugar OR sweetener OR combo 

Beat with an electric mixer until the egg whites will form stiff peaks.

 

In Bowl #3:

3 large egg yolks

the finely grated zest of 1/2 small lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar OR sweetener OR combo 

Measure all the ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat with the electric mixer for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened and become a much lighter yellow in colour. It is not necessary to wash the beaters after beating the egg whites.

Fold half the dry ingredients gently into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in half the beaten egg whites. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites. Gently spoon the mixture out onto the parchment, in fingers with a bit of room to spread. You should get 12 of them at about 1/4 cup batter per finger.

Bake them at 350°F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pans and bake for a further 10 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing them to a rack to finish cooling. These can and should be made a day or 2 in advance.

 

Make the Custard:

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

4 tablespoons sugar OR sweetener OR combo

a pinch of salt

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk OR light cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Mix the arrowroot, sugar/sweetener, and salt in the top of a double boiler. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. 

Turn the heat on under the double boiler and bring it slowly up to a simmer. As it heats, whisk in the milk or cream a little at a time until it is all in. Continue whisking the mixture regularly as it heats, then more frequently as it begins to thicken. Towards the end you must whisk it constantly until it thickens. Remove it from the double boiler at once, then whisk in the butter and vanilla. Let it cool, whisking occasionally to prevent it from forming a skin on top. 

This should be done enough in advance to be cool, and can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated if you wish. 

 

3 cups fresh ripe strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar OR sweetener OR combo

1 cup organic whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar OR sweetener OR combo

a little sherry OR rum, optional

Set aside a nice selection of the best-looking berries for garnishes; about 1/2 cup of them. Wash and trim the remainder, and mash them with a tablespoon of sugar or sweetener.

Beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer with the remaining tablespoon of sugar or sweetener, until stiff. 

 

Put a puddle of the mashed strawberries in the bottom of each individual serving dish. Break a sponge finger into 2 or 3 pieces and set them in it, on their sides. Spoon a little custard around them on every side then spoon more mashed strawberries over them. A little sherry or rum can be drizzled in at some point during the assembly. Or, this could of course be done in one large serving dish. Something in clear glass so you can see the layers is traditional.

Finish each trifle with a dollop of the whipped cream and a few washed, stemmed strawberries for garnish.

 

These were so yummy! We had no trouble (do we ever?) eating them all ourselves, with rice and peas on the side. If you were serving other Indian dishes with them, though, they would go further. Also they would go further if you are not the complete piggies that we are. You could cut the recipe in half but I suspect you could easily keep half in the fridge for cooking the next day. 

I liked the touch of red pepper, but it's not particularly traditional. Next time I might broil the peppers a bit before threading them on the skewers; they stayed pretty crisp even when the chicken was cooked.

 

2 to 4 servings

20 minutes to prepare chicken and marinade

2 to 24 hours to marinate

15 minutes to cook

 

 

4 to 6 cloves (1 head) garlic

2" piece of ginger

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 to 1 teaspoon hot red chile powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

2 tablespoons very thick yogurt

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

   OR 1 large lime

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

2 or 3 (600 grams; 1.5 pounds) skinless, boneless chicken breasts 

1/2 large red or orange bell pepper OPTIONAL

Peel and slice the garlic, and put it in the bowl of blender with the ginger, also peeled and sliced. Add the spices and salt. 

Wash and dry the cilantro and mint. Trim the stems off the cilantro, chop it coarsely, and add it. The mint leaves should be picked off the stems and the stems discarded, except for the tender tips. Add the yogurt and purée the mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Scrape as much of it out as you can into the container in which you are going to marinate the chicken. 

Add the lemon juice to the blender and process to wash down the sides. Pour it into the rest of the marinade and add the oil. Mix well. 

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Add them to the marinade and turn them to coat them in it. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight. 

If using bamboo skewers, soak them for at least 30 minutes first; several hours is better so I try to remember to start soaking them as the chicken begins to marinate. Thread the chicken on the skewers, keeping as much marinade on them as possible. If you like, put bite-sized pieces of red or orange bell pepper in between each piece of chicken. Lay them on a broiler pan and spoon half the remaining marinade evenly over them.

 

Broil for 5 to 6 minutes per side (2 sides) until cooked through. When you turn them over, spoon the remaining marinade over them before broiling again. Serve at once with rice or naan, and the vegetable dishes of your choice. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Pizza Crackers. 

It's still greenhouse cukes, of course. We're only just planting ours today. Mint, parsley and cilantro are all up and useable by now, however. I didn't use any cilantro here, but you could. Other optional additions: a few chives and/or radishes now, melon or watermelon later in the season.

 

4 servings

20 minutes prep time

 

 

the juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

a pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

 

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl or jam jar. 

2 or 3 small greenhouse cucumbers

100 grams (4 ounces) feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 or 3 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

 

Wash, trim, and chop the cucumbers. Crumble the feta and mix it into them. Wash, dry, and chop the mint and parsley.  

Toss the salad with the dressing. This can be done up to an hour ahead to allow the flavours to blend, then sprinkle the salad with pumpkin seeds just before serving it. 

Last year at this time I made Potage Argenteil - Asparagus Soup.

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.

There are a lot of versions of this simple but substantial German salad; here's mine. You can eat it as-is, but I think it is most often eaten piled on a good sturdy slice of rye bread as it's almost as close to being a sandwich filling as it is to being a salad. I'd be happy to put it in a wrap with a leaf or 2 of lettuce and call it lunch, certainly. But one of my favourite things in the summer if I can round up a few eaters, is to have a salad buffet with a variety of salads, and this would make an excellent candidate for that. Also nice with a bowl of soup on the side.

 

4 servings

15 minutes prep time

 

1/2 teaspoon honey 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 teaspoons dill pickle brine OR apple cider vinegar

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix the honey and mustard in a small jam jar or bowl. Mix in the mayonnaise, then the brine or vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that other ingredients in this salad are salted - it's better to under-salt, and have to pass salt at the table than to overdo it here.

 

1 1/3 cups slivered radishes

2/3 cups slivered Gruyere, Emmentaler, Gouda or similar cheese

1 slice dill pickle

2 tablespoons minced chives OR green onion

3 tablespoons minced parsley

 

Wash, trim, and sliver the radishes. Cut the cheese into similar sized and shaped pieces. Dice the dill pickle fairly finely, and wash, dry, and mince the herbs. 

 

Mix everything together and toss with the dressing. Serve with buttered rye bread.

Last year at this time I made Baked Trout with Creamy Leek & Dill Sauce.

I've made Saag Paneer a few times over the years with the idea that I would post it on this blog. All my attempts have been okay, but did not leave me feeling like it was the best Saag Paneer ever. I'm not sure this is either, although we found it very satisfactory. I suspect the best Saag Paneer ever contains more in the way of butter and cream. 

 

This is a dish that also tends to contain tomato; while it's not really in season at the moment, canned crushed tomatoes would be perfectly fine. However, so many of the Indian (inspired) dishes I make have tomatoes in them that I wish to have a few in my repertoire that don't have any, just to supply a little contrast. 

 

Garden spinach should be at its peak right now, but alas - the up-and-down weather we've had all spring (and through the winter too, really) was very hard on it and the mice have found it too. This may be it for our spinach this year. 

 

4 to 6 servings

1 hour prep time

600 grams (20 ounces) blanched spinach OR other mild, tender greens

1 large onion

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

 

Wash the spinach or other greens very well, and chop them coarsely. Put them in a colander and pour boiling water evenly over them to wilt them thoroughly. Rinse them in cold water, drain them well and squeeze them dry. Chop them finely and set them aside. 

 

Rinse and drain the paneer, and cut it into small cubes or lozenges (small bite-sized). Heat a skillet over medium heat with the oil - just enough to put a film over it - and cook the cheese on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a dish and set aside.

 

Peel and chop the onion. Heat the oil in the skillet, and cook the onion gently over medium heat until softened and translucent. Add it to the prepared greens. 

 

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 teaspoons coriander seed

1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon hot chile powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

3 or 4 cloves of garlic 

Grind the cumin and coriander with the salt, then mix them with the remaining spices in a small bowl. Peel and grate the ginger and garlic and add them. Set aside.

 

2 teaspoons mild vegetable oil

2/3 to 3/4 cup thick yogurt  

1/2 lemon, cut in wedges (optional)

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bowl of spices, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the blanched spinach and onion and mix in well.  Begin working in the yogurt, a scoop at a time until the mixture has reached a level of creaminess that seems right to you. Once it is hot through, add the cheese and continue to simmer until it too is hot through. Serve at once, although this re-heats quite well so it could be made in advance.

Last year at this time I made Barley with Sorrel.

Classic meat and potatoes, the Turkish way! I see a lot of versions of this on Pinterest, with the meat portion and potato portion shaped in different ways, but the dish overall consisting of all the same parts. The dishes get different names, but really, it's these components in some configuration. 

The easiest way, and the most like a classic shepherd's pie, would be to press the meatloaf mixture into a shallow baking pan, and then when the time comes, pour on the sauce then spread the potatoes evenly over the top. I've seen that done. But this shaping the meat into individual cups to hold the potato topping is even more common, although the exact shape varies quite a bit. For some reason Turkish dishes often are made into a group of clearly delineated portions like this. Perhaps it's so that if you have a large family, you know the dish will make it all they way around the table without running out because the first people to be served take too much? Or maybe I'm over-thinking it. 

At any rate, these were cute, not hard to make, and a very satisfying take on the theme of meat and potatoes. I used lamb, which is always the proper meat to use in a shepherd's pie; otherwise it's technically a cottage pie although few people seem to stick to that convention these days.

 

4 to 8 servings

2 hours. This is going to take 2 hours, with 1 1/2 hours being prep time.

 

freshly ground black pepper to taste 

1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

2 teaspoons rubbed dry mint

Grind the salt and allspice berries, then mix all the remaining spices with them in a small bowl.

1 medium onion

1 small carrot

1 cup shredded cabbage

1/4 medium red pepper

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

500 grams (1 pound) ground beef OR lamb

1 large egg

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a baking pan. 

 

Peel and finely dice the onion. Peel and grate the carrot. Wash, trim, and shred the cabbage. Deseed the pepper and dice it finely. Peel and mince the garlic.

Heat the oil in a small skillet and cook the onion and carrot until softened. Mix in the little bowl of spices. Add the garlic then the cabbage, and cook, stirring until just wilted down. Transfer it all to a mixing bowl and let it cool. 

Mix in the ground meat and the egg by hand, until you have a smooth evenly blended mixture. 

Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions, and form each one into a ball. Then press in the middle and shape each ball into a shallow bowl. Place them in an oiled baking pan, that fits them snugly but in a single layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (the time necessary to cook the potatoes).

Last year at this time I made Vietnamese Style Noodle Salad.

Essentially, this is a fancier French toast - Spanish toast, if you like - or a kind of pancake, more than an omelette, which is what Spanish tortillas usually are. Just to get distracted for a moment, I've come to realize by going through old cook books that what we now call French toast used to be referred to as German toast at least as often, but two world wars brought that to a definite end. Really, the first one was enough to do it. 

 

This will taste mostly quite familiar, although the touch of lemon zest along with the cinnamon is distinctive. I think it is best with fruit preserves, but have it with whatever you would normally serve with French toast or pancakes. Maybe some cream cheese and a drizzle of honey. Like the traditional Spanish tortilla of eggs and potatoes, it is customarily served at room temperature, which would make it a good choice for a breakfast or brunch buffet. If you prefer it warm, though, it will certainly be just fine that way.

 

6 servings

40 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

 

150 grams (5 ounces) stale bread

6 tablespoons milk or light cream

1 to 3 tablespoons sugar

the zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil to cook

 

Grate or crumble the bread very finely into a mixing bowl. Drizzle the milk over the bread, and mix it in well. Let it sit for a few minutes to soak thoroughly. The bread should be moist, but not soggy - no puddles. 

In another bowl. mix the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt. Break in one egg and whisk it in thoroughly. Whisk in the remaining eggs. 

Fold the egg mixture into the soaked bread. Let it sit again, for a few minutes. Whisk it if the bread does not seem well broken up. 

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Scrape in the mixture and spread it out evenly. Cook it slowly until set and slightly browned on the bottom. Slide the tortilla out onto a plate, flip the pan over it, the flip it back to right side up with the tortilla in it. Cook the second side until set and slightly browned. All of this will require a fairly low temperature; adjust it early in the process if the tortilla seems to be browning faster than it is setting. 

Serve warm, or allow the tortilla to cool to room temperature before serving. 

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.

Late March oaty baking goodness, right on schedule. Actually, I've been making these somewhat regularly all winter because I'm kind of addicted to them. They are barely sweet enough to count as a cookie, and their high fibre count makes them really quite virtuous. Although we won't discuss the butter, sigh. I knew there was a reason I can't keep away from them.

 

My estimate of 1 hour baking time assumes they all go into the oven at once, and of course they will need time to cool. 

 

36 biscuits (cookies)

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time

 

1 cup quick cook rolled oats

1 cup whole spelt flour

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup wheat bran

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Sucanat OR coconut sugar

2/3 cup cold unsalted butter

6 tablespoons light cream Or whole milk 

Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Grate in the butter, and work the mixture with your fingers until there is no powdery, floury material left; everything should be in buttery crumbs. Mix in the milk or cream to make a firm dough. 

Roll the dough into a cylinder in parchment paper, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the cylinder of dough into 36 even slices (I find a serrated bread knife the best for this) then lay them on a parchment-lined baking tray (or two, if needed). They don't expand much but should not be overcrowded. I find it best to pat and press them down to an even thickness and shape by hand. Alternatively, you could roll the dough out with a rolling pin and cut them that way. 

 

Bake the prepared biscuits for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F, until dry and slightly browned. Store in a dry, air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. 

Last year at this time I made Hot Cross Naan.

What is there to say? It's curried and roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes; a little sweet, a little spicy. Root vegetables are amazing for carrying on all winter and into the spring. 

 

4 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

 

300 grams (10 ounces; 3 medium) parsnips

300 grams (10 ounces; 2 medium) sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

salt and pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Peel the parsnips, and cut them into large bite-sized pieces. Wash, trim, and cut the sweet potatoes into similar chunks. Toss them with the oil in a shallow baking pan, in which they can be spread snugly but in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Stir them and roast for a further 15 minutes. This 15 minutes is the time to prepare the spices.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons chick pea flour

1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon allspice berries

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a good grate of nutmeg 

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1/2 cup thick yogurt

Measure the cumin, coriander, and fennel, and set them aside in a small bowl. 

Peel and grate the ginger and garlic, and put them in smallish mixing bowl. Add the chick pea flour. Grind the fenugreek, peppercorns, and allspice with the salt, and add them. Add the turmeric and cinnamon. Grate in some nutmeg. 

Heat the oil in not-too-large skillet over medium heat. Add the bowl of whole spices, and cook, stirring, for a minute or two until they toast slightly and become fragrant. Add the other bowl and seasonings and mix in well. Cook for another minute or so, until it is a bit dry and pasty. Turn it back into the mixing bowl and mix in the yogurt. 

When the vegetables have roasted for the 15 minutes, take them out and stir the spiced yogurt into them until they are all evenly coated in it. Return them to the oven and bake for a final 15 minutes. Serve at once.

Last year at this time I made Baked Penne or Ziti.

I'm giving instructions for making this as 1 large pie, but I actually made one medium pie (for my mother and I) and a couple of individual pies (for Mr. Ferdzy). This will all make sense when I also tell you that the medium pie was made with chopped lamb liver (could have use beef, or chicken for that matter) and the smaller ones had regular ground beef in them. The kind of meat you use in these is really very flexible; it just has to be chopped up fairly finely. 

This is another relative of the Russian pies made with some combination of yogurt/sour cream/mayonnaise, and no complaints here. It was lovely. 

As with the meat, the herbs can be changed around. If there's anything that's immutable, I'd say that lots of onions are required. 

It feels strange publishing a Russian recipe at the moment, but let's try to remember that people are not their nation's politics. I'd like to share a story I heard of a woman in our town, a friend of my mother-in-law's. She used to go around and share her history with high-school students. She came from Poland (I think), and was a teenager during WWII. When the Russians came in from the east, she was on the road as a refugee. She was seized by a band of Russian soldiers, raped, and left to die in a snow-bank. A little while later another band of Russian soldiers came along, who pulled her out and gave her medical treatment and took care of her until she could get to a better situation. 

Let's remember that every society has its smashers and its menders. Let us be on the side of the menders and support them wherever we can find them.

 

8 servings

1 hour 30 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

 

 

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup thick yogurt

 

Mix the spelt flour with the salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Grate in the butter, pausing to dust the flour over it every so often. Rub the butter into the flour until evenly distributed but still in little lumps. Mix in the yogurt to form a ball of stiff dough. Cover and set it aside.

 

3 medium onions

3 cloves of garlic

1 medium carrot 

1 tablespoon bacon fat or mild vegetable oi

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Peel and chop the onions. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and grate the carrot. 

 

Heat the fat or oil in a large skillet and cook the onions and carrot gently over medium heat, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced. Add the garlic and seasonings. Add the ground or finely chopped meat, and cook until browned but still with a fair bit of pink showing. Remove the pan from the heat. 

Wash, dry, and chop the herbs. 

Roll out the pastry to fit your pie plate(s). Spread the filling out in it evenly, and sprinkle with the chopped fresh herbs. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

1 cup thick yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk the mayonnaise into the yogurt, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Season with the salt and pepper, and whisk again. Pour this evenly over the prepared pie(s). Shake them gently to settle the topping into the meat. 

Bake at 375°F for 45 to 50 minutes for a single pie, or for 30 to 35 minutes if you have made 6 single pies. In any case the filling should be just set in the middle, and show some brown spots. 

Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving; also fine at room temperature.

This is the time of year when people often find themselves with a lot of hard-boiled eggs left over, and it's always nice to have something a little different to do with them. These are quick and simple, and who doesn't like cutlets? (Yeah, I know - somebody doesn't. Not me though; I just love them.) 

 

Eat them plain or put them in a sandwich. Have them for breakfast or lunch. Add a little sautéd garlic andd/or mushrooms. Bind them with a little leftover mashed potato instead of the flour. There are lots of possibilities with these. 

 

5 or 6 cutlets - serves 2 or 3 

30 minutes prep time

4 large eggs

1 or 2 green onions or 1/4 cup minced chives

salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon barley or wheat flour

1/4 cup grated firm cheese, optional

1 large egg

1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons mild vegetable  oil

 

Put the 4 eggs in a pot with water to cover and bring them to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then cover the pot and let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Rinse under cold water until they are cool. 

 

Peel and mash the eggs fairly finely. Season them with salt and pepper to taste. Add the flour, and the cheese if you are using it. Break in the raw egg, and mix to smooth mash. 

Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate. Divide the mixture into 5 or 6 equal portions, and flatten each one into a patty. Press each one into the breadcrumbs on both sides. 

Heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the patties until golden-brown on each side; about 3 minutes per side. Serve at once. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Carrot & Sauerkraut Soup.

I'm finishing frozen vegetable week here with this delightful dish that harks to the '20s. The 1920s, that is - good gosh, that's 100 years ago! I'm not old enough to remember them, but when I first became aware of their existence, they were a mere 50 years past. I don't understand why they haven't stayed there. (Although I guess in that case I would still be 10, so no.) 

 

Anyway! These were originally a little plain and stodgy, but seasoned up to modern tastes they are excellent. Rich peas (and eggs, if you like) with a creamy sauce, soaked up by crunchy toast, and not too thick and gummy, so be sure to supply a spoon. Also be sure to use a good quality bread - French or Italian style - to get that chewy crust. You could replace the seasonings with some curry powder if you like, or more subtly, use a smoked or slightly hot paprika. 

 

 2 or 3 servings

30 minutes prep time

 

1 small onion or large shallot

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 cups thawed frozen peas

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon barley or wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon rubbed savory

1/2 teaspoon rubbed mint

1/2 cup light cream or whole milk

2 to 4 large eggs, optional 

toast to taste

 

Peel and finely chop the onion or shallot. Heat the butter over medium heat in a fairly large skillet; one which has a lid. Gently cook the onion until softened and reduced in volume, and lightly browned. Add the thawed peas and water, cover, and bring it up to a simmer. 

Mix the flour and seasonings in a measuring cup, then slowly stir in the cream or milk. When it is smooth, stir it into the simmering peas. At this point you can cover the peas and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened, and serve over toast, OR you can break in the eggs. Cook them covered as well, for 6 to 10 minutes until done to your liking, before ladling them over the toast. 

Last year at this time I made Pickled Red Cabbage.

I like to kid myself that things made with dates are "low sugar" but I'm afraid they are mostly just delicious. Still, this has a lot less sugar than most cakes.  

Like quite a few cakes with a lot of fruit in them, this can be a bit awkward to mix at the end, because the fruit seems so excessive to the quantity of batter, hence the slightly odd instructions for a combination of layering and mixing. It all works out fine in the end though, and this makes a tasty end to a meal, a good snack, or even a breakfast treat. 

Because of the amount of apple chunks in this it will not store outstandingly well. As usual, I can't say I find that a problem... it just has to be eaten. Too bad; so sad.

 

12 to 16 servings

1 hour - 15 minutes prep time

 

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 large eggs

1/2 to 1 cup diced dates

4 medium apples

1/2 cup milk or light cream

Measure the spelt flour and mix in the baking powder and salt. Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and beat in the honey. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Chop the dates, discarding the pits, if any. Peel, core, and dice the apples fairly finely. 

Mix about half the flour into the creamed butter etc. Mix in the milk or cream, then the remainder of the flour. Mix in the dates. Because of the very large quantity of apples going into this, I found it easiest to spread about 1/3 of the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the apples over this, and press them gently in. Mix the remainder of the apples into the batter and scrape it all into the pan. Spread it out evenly, pressing down slightly to remove any air gaps. 

Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch (done). Let cool 5 minutes then remove from the pan to a rack to finish cooling. 

Keeps for several days well-wrapped and refrigerated.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Roasted Onions with Sherry & Vinegar. 

There are a lot of versions of yogurt-marinated chicken in Indian cooking; this is my own take on them. It was extremely well-received and I liked it a lot too. I can see it becoming a regular menu item. 

The flavours are less complex than in some dishes, but they are lively and almost sweet from the fennel and cinnamon. I didn't put any heat into this, other than generous quantities of pepper. I suspect that sometimes I will want to add some, and sometimes I won't. If you do want heat, simply add whatever quantity you would like with the other spices, or a finely-chopped fresh hot pepper or two if they are in season. 

The yogurt marinade will, of course, curdle as soon as it is heated. Once it thickens up again, however, all will be well. 

Do check the chicken regularly towards the end of the cooking - you will need to stir up the sauce hard to be sure it doesn't scorch. 

I used skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs but I think this would be just as well made with skinless, boneless ones.

 

4 servings

15 minutes to prepare marinade

marinating time

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time

 

2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon peeled and grated garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup yogurt

1 kilo (2 pounds; 8 medium) chicken thighs

Peel and grate the ginger and garlic, and put them in a coverable container which will hold the chicken. Add the salt and pepper, and stir in the yogurt. Add the chicken pieces, coating them completely with the yogurt marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.

1 tablespoon fennel seeds 

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

4 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

4" to 5" piece of cinnamon bark

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

Grind the fennel, cumin, and coriander seeds. Mix them in a small bowl with the turmeric. Break the cinnamon into 1" to 2" pieces. Peel and mince the garlic and add it to the bowl.

2 medium onions

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, if available

Peel and chop or thinly slice the onions. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced in volume, and slightly browned. Add the bowl of spices including the cinnamon and garlic, and mix in well. Allow to cook for another minute or so, then add the chicken, nestling it in one piece at a time. Scrape in all the marinade. 

Cover the chicken and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and turn the pieces over. Simmer for a further 12 to 15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced to a thick coating. Stir occasionally. 

Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with rice or roti. 

Last year at this time I made Nutty Turnips.

Here's a quick and simple soup to make, and it can be eaten at once or it will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge - in that case you might not want to add the cream until you are re-heating it. I'm calling fairly softly for both the curry powder and chile-garlic sauce; taste it and add more if you like, but I'm mindful that it's far easier to add more than to fix it once you've added too much, and both of those are subject to a high degree of personal taste modifications.

I didn't put any in, but it occurs to me that a tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup would be very good in this.

 

4 servings

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

 

450 grams (1 pound) rutabaga

2 bay leaves 

3 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons Madras curry powder

1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup 10% cream

Peel the rutabaga and cut it into dice. Put it into a heavy-bottomed 2 litre (quart) pot with water to cover it by an inch. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and boil steadily for 40 to 45 minutes until tender. There should be about a cup of cooking water left once they are done, but check the pot several times during the cooking period to ensure it does not run dry - add a little more water if necessary. 

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Purée the rutabaga with the cooking water, then leave it in the blender while you melt the butter in the cooking pot. Add the curry powder and let it sizzle in it for a minute or so. Add the puréed rutabaga. Swish out the blender with some of the stock, then add it to the pot as well. Taste, and season with chile-garlic sauce and salt to taste; adjust the amount of curry powder now too if you think it needs a little more. 

 

Bring the soup up to a simmer, then add the cream. Continue heating the soup until it is on the edge of simmering again, then serve at once. As always with cream soups, don't let it boil again for fear of curdling.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Pickled Onion & Lentil Salad with Beet, Feta, Nuts, & Cabbage. 

Here's a last-minute treat for Valentine's day, which you can possibly make with things already around the house, at least if you are in the habit of keeping a can or 2 of evaporated milk at hand, as I do.

 

This traditional Indian sweet is somewhere between a thick pudding and soft fudge in texture. I could probably have improved mine by grating the carrots more finely or even putting them through the food processor, but, oh well. It was still delicious. As usual I cut the sugar way back and replaced some of it with sweetener. Or, don't add sugar at all and instead of condensed (unsweetened) milk, use evaporated (sweetened) milk; that's quite a common way to make it, actually. 

I made mine thick enough to mold, but cook it to a thickness that looks good to you, keeping in mind that it will set a little more as it cools.

 

8 servings

1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes prep time

 

450 grams (1 pound) carrots

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

354 ml (1 tin) condensed milk

12 pods (1/2 teaspoon) green cardamom

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup ground almonds or other nuts

1 teaspoon chick pea flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar OR Sucanat

1/4 cup sugar OR erythritol-monkfruit sweetener

1/4 cup chopped nuts, raisins, dessicated coconut, 

   chopped dried apricots, preserved ginger, etc - OPTIONAL

Wash, peel, and grate the carrots finely. 

Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat and add the carrots. Cook gently, stirring regulary, until softened and reduced in volume, about 10 minutes. 

Add the evaporated milk and mix well. Let it simmer gently while you grind the cardamom pods with the salt. (Remove the green husks as they are broken.)

Add the cardamom and salt. Mix the nuts, chick pea flour, and sweeteners, and mix them in. Continue to cook gently, stirring regularly, for another 30 to 40 minutes until thickened.  Add any of the possible add-ins that appeal to you, appropriately chopped if they require it. Mix in well, and simmer for a few more minutes. 

You can serve this as a warm pudding, or press it into a mold and cut it (serve at room temperature) according to how you would like it and how thick you let it get. I am told it is very good with vanilla ice cream. I can  also picture some thin custard.

Last year at this time I made Kimmel Beef Stew.

I'm calling this a strata, but it's basically French onion soup that has solidified into an equally delicious main dish. Serve it with a salad, and that's a meal. 

 

It's a little amazing to me how long long it takes onions to cook down, and also how many of them you will need. You can't wander off and leave them, either. It does make this feel a little luxurious. However, once it's in the oven all the work is done, so this is a good dish for casual entertaining, or just for days when you are pottering around the kitchen anyway.

 

4 to 6 servings

2 hours - 1 hour prep time

6 medium-large (8 cups sliced) pink or yellow onions

2 tablespoons chicken or bacon fat, or mild vegetable oil

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon rubbed savory

1 teaspoon rubbed thyme

1/4 teaspoon rubbed rosemary

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

300 grams (10 ounces) stale but good quality bread

2 tablespoons chicken or bacon fat, or mild vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock

250 grams (1/2 pound) Gruyere, Gouda, Comte, or Havarti cheese 

Peel the onions, and cut them in half from pole to pole. Slice them into thin half-moons. Heat the fat or oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the onions for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Stir regularly; towards the end you will need to stir them frequently. They should be a fairly even golden brown. 

Meanwhile, peel and mince the garlic, and when the onions are about done, mix the garlic into them with the seasonings, and let it cook for another minute or two. Transfer the onions to a plate and set aside. 

Also meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the bread into moderately thin slices, and drizzle them with the remaining fat (melted) or oil, in a shallow 8" x 10" baking (lasagne) pan. Toss them to distribute the fat and to allow them to stand as separately as possible. Bake them for 15 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Reduce the oven to 375°F.

 

Whisk the eggs, then whisk in 1 cup of the stock. Dice one half of the cheese and slice the other half thinly.

 

Toss the caramelized onions into the toasted bread. Mix in the diced cheese. Drizzle the eggs and stock evenly over the bread and mix again. Let rest for 5 minutes, then drizzle with more stock if necessary. The mixture should be moist, but all the broth should be absorbed and the bread should not be soggy. Spread it all out with the additions evenly distributed, and top with the remaining sliced cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Last year at this time I made Chocolate-Sweet Potato Mousse or Frosting.

Potato pancakes are popular all through Eastern Europe. This version is from Bulgaria, and it's pretty similar to most, although the addition of cheese is a little different. Normally, it would be sirene cheese but good luck finding that around here - feta is pretty close. The result is quite substantial, and we made it our lunch with a salad on the side. If you want to serve it with more dishes, you might want to cut back on the feta.

Feta is quite salty so be careful with adding more salt. It will need a little, but only a little. If you decide to omit the cheese you should add about 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt. You could replace the mint with basil in a pinch, but dried mint is actually an underused herb, in my opinion. It's worth getting it and seeing what you think of it. It's good with cheese dishes generally.

As with any dish made with grated raw potatoes, the difference between complete success and a soggy yet crumbly mess is *squeezing* those potatoes to remove as much liquid as possible. It makes all the difference. 

I actually broiled my Patatnik for 6 minutes at the end, and it looked like it. As a lover of dark crunchy potatoes I regret nothing; but I am recommending a somewhat shorter time.

 

4 servings

1 hour 20 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

600 grams (1 1/4 pounds) baking potatoes

2 tablespoons potato starch

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (consult the feta)

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon rubbed savory

1 to 2 teaspoons rubbed dried mint

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/2 cup feta or sirene cheese, crumbled

1 large OR 2 small eggs

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, again

Generously butter a 9" pie plate or similar shallow baking pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Wash, trim, and grate the potatoes coarsely. Squeeze them hard over the sink by handfuls, to remove as much water from them as you possibly can. Put the handfuls of dried potato shreds into a mixing bowl. When the potatoes are all squeezed, add the potato starch and seasonings. Toss well to combine. 

Crumble in the feta cheese and mix. Break in the egg(s) and mix thoroughly. The potatoes should be coated enough to stick together, but not noticeably eggy. Scrape them into the prepared pan, and press them gently but evenly into a layer. Dot with the remaining butter. 

Bake the Patatnik for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. If you feel it is done, but not quite as brown as you would like, put it under the broiler for 3 or 4 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

This can be cooked on a griddle as pancakes as well; oil it well then ladle in thin pancakes. Cook until well-browned on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Expect to get 6 to 8 fair sized pancakes. I have not tried this as I tend to think that the oven is both easier and not much slower given that you are unlikely to be able to cook all your pancakes at once, but I'm putting it out there.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Almost Whole Stuffed Cabbage.