Seasonal Ontario Food

Well, I'm going to confess; I made this in the winter with frozen peas and saved it for now. In a funny sort of way there are lots of things that can be made in the winter but late spring and early summer are difficult. I'm also a little ahead of things here; the peas are starting to form but are not yet ready to pick. Soon, though! And I think things are a tad later than usual this year. 

 

Snow peas will be ready before shell peas, and they would work well in this recipe. I do see snow peas used in Turkish cooking regularly, so there's that. It's hard to come up with recipes for snow peas that are better than steaming them and serving with a dab of butter, but this is lovely and would make a nice change.

 

Serve this with rice or pita; it will also go well with any kind of simply grilled fish, chicken or meat. It would also be delicious with poached eggs. 

 

2 to 4 servings

30 minutes prep time 

NOT including shelling the peas

 

 

1 medium onion

1/4 to 1/3 orange or yellow bell pepper

1 clove of garlic 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bay leaf

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon rubbed mint

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or to taste)

1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

2 cups shelled peas

Peel and finely dice the onion. Wash, trim, and dice the pepper into pieces just a little larger than the peas. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the onion, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened and reduced in volume. 

Add the minced garlic and remaining seasonings and mix in well. Let it cook for a minute, then mix in the crushed tomatoes. Simmer for a further 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.

Add the peas and be sure they are all down in the liquid. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the peas are tender. (If using frozen peas, note that 4 minutes will likely be enough, and the same goes for snow peas.) 

Serve at once. 

Last year at this time I made Circassian Chicken.

This has been a very strange year for weather, so pretty much normal, then. Normal for now, anyway. As a result of the combination of mostly rather cool days interspersed with the occasional heat-wave level stinker, my rhubarb plants have only just reached a sufficient height to pick from them, but already they wanted to send up flowering stalks, which generally signals the end of rhubarb season. I pulled the flowering stalks out and put them in the compost and generally intend to pretend that never happened. 

 

The actual rhubarb I picked was not the most tender, but it is generally useable and tastes good. Once it got simmered into this tasty melange it was just fine. 

I'm sure there are a lot of things you can serve this chutney with, but I know that I will probably eat about 90% of it with good sharp Cheddar and crackers. 

One of the things I am finding is that as I reduce the amount of sugar that I put into things, the amount of spices must also go down, or they will be out of balance.

 

5 x 100 ml

1 hour 30 minutes - 1 hour prep time 

 

4 cups diced rhubarb

2 cups diced onion

1/4 cup peeled slivered fresh ginger

1 teaspoon pickling salt

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

 

Wash and trim the rhubarb, and cut it into short pieces. Put it in a canning kettle. Peel and chop the onions, and add them. Peel and slice the ginger thinly across the grain, then into thin slivers and add them.

 

Add the raisins, vinegar, and sweetener of your choice. 

 

Grind the pepper and allspice with the salt, then add them to the kettle along with the rest of the spices. Turn the heat on and bring the mixture up to a simmer, then simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly, until the rhubarb has completely disintegrated and the mixture has thickened. It will be fairly thin at the start as the rhubarb begins to break up, but it will be quite thick by the end and will need more frequent stirring the thicker it gets.

As soon as the chutney has been started, place 5 or 6 canning jars in the canner (along with a half-sized jar or 2, just in case) and cover them with water to cover them by about 1". Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. This will take about 45  minutes, conveniently enough. Add a ladle and funnel to sterilize as well.

While the chutney cooks and the jars sterilize, prepare the lids and rings. They need go go into boiling water to cover them for 1 minute (or according to manufacturers instructions) once you are ready to bottle the chutney. 

Remove the sterilized jars from the canner with a jar lifter, draining them well and place them on a heat-proof board. Use the sterilized funnel and ladle to fill the jars with the chutney. Wipe the rims of the jars clean with a bit of paper towel dipped in boiling water and seal with the prepared lids and rings. Return them to the canner full of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes before removing them. Let cool and check that they have sealed properly. 

Jars should last for up to 1 year, unopened, when kept in a cool, dark spot. Refrigerate once opened. Use it to give a little verve to cheese, baked chicken or fish, samosas, or whatever else you can think of. 

Last year at this time I made Lentils with Sorrel & Poached Eggs.

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 found myself poking around at Portuguese recipes quite a bit the last few months. It started with a (continuing) interest in Spanish recipes, and not surprisingly there is some degree of overlap. Portuguese cuisine is a bit different though, and it has some really delicious dishes. 

 

For one thing, my impression is that Portuguese bread and pastry baking is the better of the two. This dish would usually be made with corn bread - mostly wheat, in spite of the name, but with enough corn flour in it to turn it golden and give it a marvellous flavour. Alas, while you can find it at Portuguese bakeries in larger cities there is none around here. Where you find good bread, you also find recipes to use up the stale leftover bits. 

 

This is usually made with black-eyed peas, but navy beans make a good substitute. Despite the simple technique and very short list of ingredients, we thought this was really delicious. For our bread crumbs, I used two ciabatta type rolls and they were fine, although I do regret that corn bread. 

The Spanish also make a lot of "Migas" (crumbs is what it means) dishes, but I have yet to see one with beans, and while cilantro seems to be quite common in Portuguese cuisine (which for some reason surprised me) it is rarely used by the Spanish. Likewise, Piri-Piri hot sauce is a popular Portuguese condiment but the Spanish rarely apply any kind of chile to their food beyond a little very mildly hot paprika.

 

2 to 4 servings

30 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the beans and greens

 

 

1 cup dried navy beans OR black-eyed peas

4 cups chopped turnip or rutabaga greens, OR kale OR spinach OR rapini (raab)

200 grams (5 ounces) diced stale bread

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 small onion

3 tablespoons olive oil 

a little minced fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

 

The beans should be cooked in advance in the usual way; cover in water and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and soak for at least one hour. Drain, replace the water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer until tender OR cook them in an Instant Pot for 5 to 7 minutes, with natural pressure release. 

 

The greens should also be cooked in advance; wash them very carefully and pick them over, then wash them again. Plunge them into boiling water or steam until just wilted, then rinse in cold water. Drain them again; in fact, squeeze them to remove excess liquid. Chop finely. 

 

It is possible and even reasonable to speed this dish up considerably by using tinned beans (one tin of the beans of your choice) and frozen greens - you will want about 300 grams or 10 ounces. This also makes it a good dish to make in the winter.

 

NOW, let's get started: peel and mince the garlic. Peel and chop the onion finely. Slice the bread, and crumble it into pieces about twice the size of a bean. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and let it soften and get fairly translucent, then add the bread crumbs and toss well. Cook gently for several minutes, turning regularly, until they are dry and toasted in spots all over. Add the garlic and mix it in well; give it a minute to cook. 

Add the drained beans and chopped greens. Mix in well, and let everything heat through. You may wish to add a little of the cooking water from the beans or the greens. The finished texture of the dish may range from fairly dry and crisp through moist, through almost soupy - it is a matter of taste. I prefer a drier texture, and my bread was not that stale to start with, so I did not add any but you must use your own judgement - it is that kind of dish and all the proportions are also somewhat up for grabs. 

Serve it as a meal by itself for 2 people, or serve it as a side dish with grilled meat, poultry or fish for up to 4 people. A poached or fried egg on top would also go very well.

Last year at this time I made Chicken Pozharski.

Egg pies are very common in Ukrainian cuisine, often in the context of Easter and mostly made with a yeast-raised dough. This one is more like the Russian "lazy" pies I have been making for the last few years, with a baking powder batter encasing, in this case, hard boiled eggs and green onions along with some other herb if you can get it. The result is an excellent breakfast, brunch, or lunch dish that goes together very easily and doesn't take all that long to bake either. 

 

I used spelt flour, as I so usually do; it worked very well. 

 

4 to 6 servings

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time

 

4 large eggs

1 bunch green onions

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley OR dill

salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

Put the eggs in a pot of water to cover, and bring them to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and cover. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then place them in cold water to cool. 

 

Wash, trim, and chop the herbs. Peel the eggs, chop them coarsely, and add them. Season with salt and pepper.

1 1/4 cups whole spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup thick yogurt

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon unsalted butter 

Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda, ideally right in the measuring cup. Mix the mayonnaise and yogurt in a mixing bowl, and break in the eggs and mix one at a time. 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9" pie plate with the butter. 

 

Mix the flour into the wet ingredients until well blended. Spread about half the batter in the prepared pie plate, then sprinkle the eggs and herbs evenly over them. Dollop the remaining batter over the eggs and herbs until they are covered. 

 

Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until cooked through. Let rest until just warm or room temperature before serving. Keep any leftovers well wrapped in the fridge, but bring them back up to room temperature to serve. However, this is best freshly made.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Leek & Sorrel Quiche.

Here is a lively take on one of my favourite ways to prepare pasta: the pasta and some vegetable are cooked together then dressed with something richer and perhaps fried. In this case not fried, so much as infused into a generous but not too greasy amount of olive oil. (If your anchovies come with a certain amount of oil, by all means start with that when you measure the oil.) All the flavours are very strong, but in spite of that they get along with each other excellently. I used whole wheat pasta - I mostly do these day, on the rarish occasion I eat pasta at all - which can be a bit robust for more delicate sauces but which mingles well with all these equally robust ingredients. Use whatever pasta you like, though. 

 

Rutabaga greens are, as I've said before, the best (non)turnip greens, but turnip greens could be used, or Swiss chard, kale, or collards in their season. Rapini or broccoletto too, would be good, meaning this is a dish that can be made any time there are good, astringent greens around. Spinach? I think it's a little too refined to be ideal for this hearty dish, but it would work well enough if that's what you can get. Apply it with a little heavier hand, maybe. 

I'm saying 20 minutes, which is about the time for the water to come to a boil and then cook the pasta and greens, but if your greens are at all obstreperous about needing picking over, allow a little longer.

 

2 to 4 servings

20 minutes prep time

300 grams (10 ounces) rutabaga greens

6 to 10 cloves of garlic

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes

freshly ground black pepper to taste

25 grams (1 ounce; 1/2 small tin) anchovies

225 grams (1/2 pound) pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

 

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.

Wash and trim the greens, and chop them. Peel and mince the garlic, and put them in a small bowl with the chile flakes and pepper. Drain and mince the anchovies. 

When the water boils, add the pasta and set the timer for 1 minute longer than the recommended cooking time. When the pasta has 6 minutes left to cook, add the green, mixing them in well. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a smallish skillet. When it is hot, mix in the garlic with the spices, and the anchovies. Allow them to sizzle gently in the oil until very fragrant, then remove from the heat and set aside. 

When the pasta and greens are cooked, drain them well and return them to the pot. Toss them with the hot seasoned oil and toss well to combine. Serve at once.

Last year at this time I made Cipollata.

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.

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.

Well so much for the theory that spring is on the way. It is, I guess, but so far, not so good. I did manage to scrounge a little spinach, sorrel, and mache (corn salad) from the garden just before the cold settled back in; enough for a salad with a little help from some lovely local greenhouse lettuce I've been able to get this winter.  

Greenhouse tomatoes aren't quite so good - I notice they have changed from just a year or two ago, and now stay very firm, not to say outright hard - but they taste okay, and even though I'm using them less often, they really did add to the colour and texture of this salad. I used 2 medium tomatoes and did not think them too prominent; if you are a tomato lover you could add another.

We both really liked the dressing, and I think I will be making it fairly often. It's a fairly standard tahini sauce, spiced up a little. 

If you don't want to cook the onions, it's a good idea to salt them and let them drain for 15 minutes before rinsing and draining them well. At least, the older I get the better an idea I think that is. If you are up for eating raw onion, good for you.

 

4 servings

30 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the lentils & onions 

(15 minutes PLUS cooking and cooling time)

 

 

Cook the Lentils & Onions:

1 cup brown or green lentils 

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 or 2 medium onions

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Rinse the lentils and put them in a rice cooker with the water and salt. Turn on; cook. Let them cool completely before assembling the salad. This can be done up to a day in advance. 

Peel the onions and cut them into slivers. Cook them gently over medium heat in the oil until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add them to the lentils to cool.

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (to taste)

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup tahini 

the juice of 1 large lemon

a little water as needed

 

Grind the cumin with the salt, and put in a small bowl with the pepper and Aleppo pepper. Peel and mince the garlic and add it. Add the olive oil and mix, then add the tahini and mix thoroughly until as smooth as you can get it. Slowly add the lemon juice, a little at a time, to make a smooth paste. It should be the consistency of thick cream; add a little water, a teaspoon at a time and mixing well after each addition, until this is achieved. 

3 to 4 cups mixed shredded salad greens 

 - lettuce, spinach, sorrel, mache etc.

1 to 3 medium greenhouse tomatoes

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Wash and dry the greens, and shred or tear them up fairly small. Wash and core the tomatoes, and cut them in dice. Wash, dry, and mince the cilantro. 

Mix the onions into the lentils well, then layer them with the greens, tomatoes, and dressing on a serving platter. For best looks, finish with a sprinkle of tomatoes and a drizzle of the dressing. You may not use all the dressing; in that case put it in a little jug to be passed for anyone who would like extra. 

Last year at this time I made Coconut Beef & Cabbage Curry.

Everybody knows Swedish Meatballs! And they're delicious, no question. But rich, very rich. You would expect the Danes - who make some wildly rich dishes themselves - to try to out-do them, but in fact this popular Danish meatball dish is fairly restrained, especially if you use ground chicken. Or turkey. I didn't list it but more because I was running out of room than because I don't think you could use it. So this is really more suitable for cooking on a regular basis, and it's also quicker and easier to make.

Just like any Canadian "curry" from the past, it calls for an apple to add a little sweetness. A touch of lemon then sharpens it up. It's usually served with rice, but potatoes or noodles would be good too. Just add a green salad or vegetable to finish your meal.

 

4 servings

45 minutes prep time

 

 

500 grams (1 pound) ground veal, chicken, OR pork

1 small onion 

1 large egg

3 tablespoons wheat flour OR toasted barley flour

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon, optional

a little milk if needed

2 or 3 tablespoons minced parsley, if possible

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Put the meat into a mixing bowl. Peel and mince the onion, and add it, along with the egg and all the seasonings. Mix well and form into 20 or 24 equal balls. 

Bring the broth to a boil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Gently add the meatballs and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

1 small onion

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large apple

3 tablespoons wheat flour OR toasted barley flour

2 tablespoons Madras curry powder

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

the juice of 1/2 lemon OR 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Meanwhile, peel and mince the onion. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently. While it cooks, wash and core the apple, and cut it into dice. Add it to the onion to sauté. Stir regularly. 

When the onion and apple are softened, sprinkle the curry powder and flour over them. Mix in well and let cook for another minutes until no dry powder is visible. Season with the salt and pepper. 

Scrape them into the pot of meatballs, and mix in gently but well. Add the lemon juice. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.

Serve at once over steamed rice.

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Spinach Tortilla Wraps. 

Like most stews, there's nothing complicated about this; it just needs a little advance planning. Get the split peas and lamb cooked the day before; put everything together and simmer the next day for perfect winter comfort food. Getting towards the end of the season for that, I hope, though. It looks like after a slow start spring is finally gathering some steam. 

The recipes I looked at used lamb shank and coarsely chopped cabbage so I followed suit. However, I think that this would be just as good and certainly less expensive to make with lamb stewing meat, with or without bones although bones are better if you can find it. If you are buying your lamb from a butcher you maybe able to score some soup bones. Even a little beef bone would be better than none. In fact, if lamb is not an option I would make this with beef and still expect it to be really very good.

 

My lamb shanks were the biggest I've ever seen, so I used two for the three of us, cutting off the meat and removing the bone before serving. There was enough left over for Mr. Ferdzy and I to have it for lunch the next day. So smaller pieces of lamb are better, in my opinion, and also I would chop the cabbage more finely. With those minor changes, this is one of the best stews I've had in quite a long time. 

 

This is traditionally made with dried limes, but good luck with that. I just put in a little squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end. 

You can serve it with rice, or bread on the side. It's definitely soupy/stewy, so in any case be sure to supply spoons.

 

4 to 6 servings

2 hours 45 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

1/2 cup split yellow peas

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon olive OR mild vegetable oil

2 kilograms (4 to 6; 2 pounds) small lamb shanks

OR 1 kilo bone-in stewing lamb

water

1 teaspoon salt

 

Put the split peas, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a rice cooker and let them cook. Alternatively, put them in a pot and simmer gently until the peas are softened. Stir regularly. 

 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the lamb evenly. Put it into a heavy-bottomed stew-pot with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover, and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until cooked through. 

OR put it in an Instant Pot with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 30 minutes then allow it to release naturally.

 

Both of these can be done up to a day ahead. 

1 tablespoon coriander seed 

3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons cumin seed

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 or 3 bay leaves 

Grind the coriander, peppercorns, and cumin with the salt. Mix them in a small bowl with the remaining spices and set aside until needed.

 

2 medium-large onions

6 cups chopped cabbage

2 cups crushed tomatoes

the juice of 1 medium lime

chopped cilantro of parsley to garnish, if possible

Peel the onions and chop them fairly coarsely. Wash, trim, and chop the cabbage. 

 

Add the spices and cooked peas to the meat, in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for half an hour, stirring regularly. Add the onion and simmer for 15 minutes, then add the cabbage and lime juice and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the cabbage is done. 

If you can serve it garnished with a little chopped cilantro, so much the better. 

Last year at this time I made Onion, Mustard, & Red Pepper Bulgur.

Greenhouse peppers at this time of year; but keep this dish in mind for late summer and early fall as well. Really, this is something I would happily eat all year long, as long as I could get the peppers.

 

I know I usually refer to them as chick peas, but this dish is so distinctly Spanish, it's going to have to be garbanzos. I also have to say that if you have an Instant Pot, there is no reason not to be cooking beans from dried. If you really have to use canned beans, though, you will need 2 cans.  

There was none around at the moment, but a little parsley on top would have been ideal.

 

4 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 40 minutes prep time 

NOT including cooking the chick peas

 

1 1/3 cups raw chick peas

  OR 3 1/2 cups cooked chick peas

1 medium onion

1 to 3 cloves of garlic

1/2 large red bell pepper

1/2 large orange bell pepper

1/2 large yellow bell pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 or 3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 teaspoons sweet OR smoked Spanish paprika

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

600 grams (1.5 pounds) chicken pieces

1/4 cup barley OR wheat flour

salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil  

Cook the chick peas by putting them into a pot and covering them generously with water; bring to a boil, then turn it off and cover them. Let them soak for one to several hours. 

Drain the chick peas and either return them to the pot and re-cover with plenty of water and a teaspoon of salt then boil them gently until tender, or cook them in the Instant Pot - I give them 8 to 10 minutes with natural release. If cooked on the stove top, they will need 1 to 2 hours.

When you are ready to start the stew, peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Wash, core, and chop the peppers into dice a little larger than a cooked chick pea. 

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced. Add the seasonings and mix in well, then the chicken stock and vinegar. Let this mixture simmer while you prepare the chicken to be added. 

Coat the chicken in the flour, into which the salt and pepper have been mixed. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the chicken on all sides until nicely browned. Add the pieces to the pot of chick peas. Use a little of the cooking broth to de-glaze the skillet, and add it back into the stew. 

Simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is well done and everything is thick and stewish. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve. 

Last year at this time I made Strawberry Sponge Pudding.

Our spring leeks have re-appeared, albeit they still look a bit tatty. This winter was very hard on them, what with the constant freezing and thawing, but they are at least usable. They are classic with mushrooms and both of them go really well with the rough, nutty flavour of buckwheat. The result is not a complicated dish, but it's best served with simply-cooked chicken or fish, and a green vegetable. 

 

If I wanted to have this as a vegetarian dish, I would nestle some fried tofu puffs (cut in half) into it as the liquid goes in. I can see that being really good. 

 

4 servings

1 hour prep time

 

 

3/4 cup buckwheat groats

1 large leek

300 grams (10 ounces) button mushrooms 

up to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, oil, OR chicken or bacon fat

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon rubbed savory OR thyme

2 cups boiling chicken OR vegetable broth

Toast the buckwheat groats in a dry skillet - one that has a lid - until slightly darker in colour, with a toasty smell. Immediately tip them out onto a plate to cool and set them aside. 

Wash and trim the leek, and slice it into rounds. Clean and trim the mushrooms and slice them. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of your chosen fat in the skillet over medium heat, and gently cook the leeks until softened and reduced in volume, but don't let them get brown. When they are ready, lift them out of the pan to another plate, pressing them against the side of the pan to squeeze out as much fat as you can before transferring them. 

Add a bit more fat, enough for the mushrooms, and add them. Mix well then let them brown on both sides, stirring occasionally. Season them with the salt and pepper, and a bit of herb. Return the leeks and mix them in, then mix in the toasted buckwheat. 

Have the chicken stock at least steaming hot if not simmering, and slowly pour it into the pan of buckwheat, etc. Mix well. Leave the pan to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until much of the liquid has been absorbed. Cover the skillet with the lid and reduce the heat; continue cooking for about another 10 minutes until it is completely absorbed and the buckwheat is done. Remove the skillet from the stove, leaving the lid on, and let it rest 5 minutes before serving. 

Last year at this time I made Yellow Split Peas Loaf.

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.

I've made meat patties with potato in them before, quite early in the history of this blog, in fact. Much as I liked those Gehacktes Rinderschnitzel, these are more complex and spicy and have quite a different feel (and taste!) to them. 

 

As ever, when grating potato to be cooked in a pan, it is so important to squeeze out as much liquid from them as possible. That hasn't changed. Also dredge them generously in flour - I prefer barley flour for this - to give them the distinct crispy finish.  

Eat them with rice and salad, or in a wrap with lettuce and pickles. You could make them a bit larger and put them in a bun too, I suppose; why not? 

These are Ürgüp Köftesi because they are koftas (meatballs) from Ürgüp, in Turkey.

4 to 6 servings

45 minutes prep time

 

2 tablespoons semolina OR bulgur

1 medium onion

2 to 5 cloves of garlic

500 grams (4 medium; 1 pound) potatoes

1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

500 grams (1 pound) ground beef or lamb, or mix

1 large egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon allspice berries

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup barley or wheat flour

mild vegetable oil to fry

 

If using semolina, it can go straight into the mixing bowl. But if you are using bulgur, it should be soaked in boiling water while you prepare the other ingredients, then drained. 

 

Peel the onion but leave the base plate on. Use that to hold onto while you grate the onion finely into a strainer. Peel and grate the garlic. It can go into the mixing bowl. Wash the potatoes and trim them, or peel them if you like, and grate them onto a board. Then, take them by handfuls and squeeze well over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. Add the drained handfuls to the mixing bowl, then give the onion a final press and add it too. Wash, dry, and finely chop the parsley and add it. Add the ground meat and egg.

 

Grind the salt and allspice berries together, then add them with the remaining seasonings. Mix very well by hand. 

Spread the flour over a plate. Form the mixture into 12 to 18 equal sized balls, and flatten them to a 1" thick disk. Dredge them in the flour. 

Heat a good layer of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the köftesi for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Test one to be sure the juices are running clear, then let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

The mixture will keep, well-sealed, for 24 hours in the fridge, so they can be made ahead or cooked in 2 batches. 

Last year at this time I made Bean, Belgian Endive, & Blue Cheese Salad.

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 as simple a little lentil soup as one could make; but very tasty nonetheless. Summer savory and paprika are typical seasonings in Bulgarian cuisine. When I first discovered this, I exclaimed "I'm a Bulgarian cook and didn't even know it!" 

 

Well, not quite. But I have gotten more interested in Bulgarian cuisine this winter, as you may have noticed. This is not quite the original Bulgarian soup as I found it, but close enough. The original did not have the vinegar added as it cooked, but vinegar was mixed with garlic and salt and swirled though the finished soup. I prefer to add it to the soup in good time to allow it to mingle and mellow, and to use a more Turkish finish of garlic yogurt. Since the Bulgarians also use garlic and yogurt in quantity, I'm sure I am not the first to do so. If you don't want it you don't have to; but we thought it a very good addition.   

I'm saying 15 minutes prep time, but you can't wander away for the hour of cooking - it does want stirring every so often.

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 15 minutes prep time

 

 

2 teaspoons summer savory

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

 

In a small bowl; set them aside.

 

1 large onion

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 medium carrot

2 tablespoons sunflower OR olive oil

1 cup green or brown lentils

6 to 7 cups of water

3 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar OR white wine vinegar 

 

Peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the carrot finely. 

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Cook the onion and carrot gently over medium heat, for 5 to 10 minutes,  until softened and very lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, give it another minute, then add the lentils and 4 cups water. 

Simmer gently for about 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the lentils are tender. Add more water as it cooks down to keep a thick but soupy consistency. When the lentils seem to be done, add the seasonings and the vinegar. Simmer for a further 15 minutes or so, again stirring regularly and maintaining the consistency. 

Serve plain, or with a dollop of Garlic-Yogurt.