Seasonal Ontario Food

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.

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.

Even though we eat a fair bit of frozen vegetables around here in the winter, I tend to give them short shrift on the blog. So this week I am going to put the spot-light on them for a bit of a change. 

 

Ontario frozen edamame can be hard to find, but check your local health food store - they may have them. Mixed with cabbage and greenhouse peppers and lettuce (you could throw in a cucumber too if you like) they make a great substantial salad. 

 

I've always tried not to put sugar in vegetable and salad recipes, but maybe my tahini was unusually strong/bitter; I really felt it needed a little smoothing out. It's up to you - maybe taste the dressing before you add it.  

I assume this is the main body of the meal; it would go further as a side salad but it seems like a main dish to me with all those edamame in it. Maybe add the entire lettuce if using it as a side salad.

 

2 to 4 servings

30 minutes prep time

 

 

1" piece ginger root 

1 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider OR rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

black or chile pepper to taste

 

Peel and grate the ginger finely into a small mixing bowl or jam jar. Mix in the tahini and soy sauce, then mix in the remaining ingredients, stirring well after each addition. 

2 cups frozen edamame, thawed

1/3 red, yellow, or orange greenhouse bell pepper

1 or 2 green onions

1 medium carrot

1 cup finely shredded Savoy cabbage

1/2 to 1 head greenhouse lettuce

 

Cook the edamame in boiling water for 3 minutes then drain them very well. 

 

Meanwhile, dice the pepper. Wash, trim, and finely chop the onions. Peel and grate the carrot. Wash, drain, and shred the cabbage. Wash, dry, and chop the lettuce fairly finely. Mix all these in a salad bowl. 

 

When the edamame are done, drain them and rinse them in cold water until cool. Drain well. 

 

Toss the edamame into the salad with the dressing and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Braised Tau Pok & Cabbage.

Yes, it's a little sweet for a salad - but nothing like as sweet as actual carrot cake, about which I was dreaming when I decided to make this instead (or perhaps I should say, at all). As such, it won't go with everything, but plainish grilled chicken or tofu would be lovely, or certain kinds of sandwiches would go nicely alongside it.

My raisins are not rotating like they used to, and they used to sit long enough to get pretty dried out, so I soaked them in a little of the pineapple juice. I added the left over juice, but I don't think it's a good idea; the dressing came out a little thin. My pineapple came out of a tin, and that's perfectly cromulent, but if you happen to have a fresh one around, a slice could be chopped to mingle unobtrusively with the other ingredients, but even more deliciously. 

Salt and pepper absolutely required - I peppered enthusiastically - because this is a salad, and not a cake, after all.

 

4 to 8 servings

 

2 cups grated carrots

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple tidbits 

1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut

1/2 head greenhouse lettuce

 

Peel and grate the carrots, and mix them with the raisins, walnuts, pineapple, and coconut. Wash and dry the lettuce.

 

1/2 cup thick yogurt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/16 teaspoon ground cloves

1/16 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

the juice of 1/2 lemon

Mix the seasonings into the yogurt, then mix in the lemon juice. Toss the carrots, etc, with this dressing then arrange the salad over the dried lettuce leaves. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Chocolate Cake with Roasted Strawberry Cream. 

This is a perfect salad for the summer, being cool and refreshing yet relatively substantial without being heavy. But it is also a perfect salad for the winter, since it can be made with readily available winter vegetables. Carrots and cucumbers make a good foundation, then add such things and green onions, celery or celeriac, turnip or winter radish, bean sprouts or cabbage. I used a little cabbage; I had been thinking bean sprouts but whottasurprise, my local grocery store had none. 

If you can't find sweet potato noodles (which generally seem to come in bundles of about 200 grams) then you could use mung bean thread noodles. They tend to come in bundles of about 50 grams, so you will need 3 or 4 of them. The treatment is similar, but do check the cooking time - I think they might need a little less. 

I did not get around to making this as quickly as I intended (so just as well there were no bean sprouts) and my shiitakes got a little dried out. Therefore, I fried them briefly in a smidge of oil before adding them.

 

4 to 8 servings

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons gochujang OR chile-garlic sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds 

Put the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, hot sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl or jam jar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 

The sesame seeds don't go directly in the dressing, but now is the time to toast them - a few minutes in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir them as they toast and be prepared to scrape them out at once onto a plate to cool - they will go from perfect to scorched very quickly.

 

150 grams to 200 grams sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon)

10 to 20 grams (1/2 ounce) dried wakame

8 to 10 shiitake mushrooms

1 medium carrot

1 or 2 small greenhouse cucumbers

1 cup other prepared vegetables (see introductory notes)

 

Put a fairly large pot of water on to boil. Boil the noodles as instructed on the package (probably for 5 minutes). LIFT them out of the water, keeping the water. Put the noodle in a strainer and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well. Chop slightly to make them more manageable, if you like.

 

Meanwhile, put the wakame into the boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Turn it over as it cooks several times, to allow it to re-hydrate evenly. You will need about a 3" x 8" sheet. Drain the wakame well, shred it into long thin "noodles", then cut it into bits about 2" or 3" long. 

 

Mix the noodles and wakame in a serving bowl. 

 

Remove and discard the shiitake mushroom stems, and shred the caps into thin julienne strips. Peel and slice the carrot very thinly, then slice the other way thinly to form fine julienne strips. Wash and trim the ends from the cucumber(s), and slice in the same way. Any other vegetables used should also be cut in fine julienne pieces. Toss them all with the noodles. 

 

Toss the dressing into the salad. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving (it can be kept for longer in the fridge) then sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over it and serve. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Jerk Sweet Potatoes.

I have come to love roasted salads in the late fall and winter; they do such an excellent job of hitting the sweet spot between hot and hearty fare, and a healthy pile of vegetables. Za'atar and tahini give this one a Middle-Eastern twist, although the veg are right out of the garden.  

In theory, you could make the dressing while the roasted vegetables cool slightly, but it's better to make it earlier, as soon as they go into the oven, so the flavours can blend and settle a bit.

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time 

3/4 teaspoon coriander seed

3/4 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon rubbed savory

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sumac

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grind the coriander and cumin seeds, then mix them with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 

2 cups cooked, well-drained chick peas

4 to 6 shallots

1 large carrot

1/4 cup olive oil

4 to 5 cups (1 kilo; 2 pounds) sliced Brussels sprouts

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the chick peas over it. Peel and sliver the shallots, and add them. Peel and thinly slice the carrot, and add it. Drizzle them all with the olive oil and mix, then sprinkle over the za'atar and mix again. Spread them all out as evenly as you can. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, wash, trim, and slice the Brussels sprouts into 2 to 4 slices each, depending on size. Mix them in with the roasting vegetables and return the pan to the oven to roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are browned in spots and the chick peas are dry and a bit crispy. Let rest for 10 minutes. 

1 large clove of garlic

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

the juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons mayonnaise (light is fine)

 

Peel and mince the garlic and place it in a small bowl. Grate in the lemon zest. Add the salt and pepper. Add the tahini and mustard and mix it all to a smooth paste. 

 

Mix in the lemon juice a little at a time to keep the dressing smooth and lump free. Once it is all in, mix in the mayonnaise. 

 

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or plates, and drizzle with the dressing. Serve while still a little warm.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Tau Pok & Brussels Sprouts.  

This is mostly about the pickled fennel, but what I mostly did with it was put it in salads like the one I describe below. It would also be good on sandwiches or hamburgers. It kept very well in the fridge and was very convenient to have on hand, as quick pickles generally are. I tend to think in terms of long-term canning, but I am getting to like the idea of making a small batch of something and having it for just a few weeks.

 

4 to 6 servings

3 days -15 minutes to prep pickles, 15 minutes to make salads 

 

1/2 cup filtered water

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon coriander seed

1/2 teaspoon dill seed

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

1 medium bulb of fennel (about 1 1/2 cups sliced)

 

Put the water, vinegar, and all the spices into a pot and heat until the salt is dissolved. 

 

Meanwhile, wash, trim, and shred the fennel into thin slices. Pack them into a very clean 500ml canning jar, preferably either sterilized or at least fresh out of the dishwasher. Pour the hot brine over them - with the spices - and cap with a clean lid and ring. Keep in the fridge for at least 2 days to up to a week before using. 

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons pickling brine

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix or shake all in a small bowl or jam jar - be sure to strain the spices out of the pickling brine first.

 

hydroponic lettuce

pickled fennel shreds

thinly sliced celery OR peeled celeriac shreds 

carrot shreds

finely chopped parsley

Parmesan cheese shreds 

Wash, trim, and tear or chop the lettuce, and arrange it in a salad bowl or individual salad bowls. Top it with fine shreds of the pickled fennel, celery or celeriac, carrots, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Duck Pasties and Acorn Squash Soup. 

As always, I like my salads with fruit and nuts in them! This one also has rich earthy beets and fragrant fennel to go with the zingy orange and crisp lettuce and nuts. You could use other nuts, but I think hazelnuts are perfect here. Otherwise, there isn't too much to say about this - it's a perfectly balanced and delicious salad.  

 

You do need to cook the beet in advance; either wrapped in foil and baked at 375° for 45 minutes to an hour, or covered in water and boiled for about 45 minutes - in both cases until tender. It will then need time to cool and doing it a day ahead makes a lot of sense. 

 

4 servings

30 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the beet 

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup hazelnut OR walnut oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, ground

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Mix all the above ingredients in a small bowl or jam jar. Whisk or shake until blended. 

 

Make the Salad:

1 large beet, cooked

1/3 cup hazelnuts

1 large orange

 

Wash and trim the fennel, discarding the tough base and stems. You can save a few of the fronds for garnishing the salad, if you like. Wash and dry the lettuce, and tear into bite-sized pieces. Toss these 2 items together in a salad bowl. 

Peel and dice or slice the beet, and scatter it over the salad. Toast the hazelnuts gently in a dry skillet over medium heat, then turn them onto a plate at once. When they have cooled sprinkle them over the salad. Peel and segment the orange, and add it to the salad. Toss the salad gently with the dressing. 

Last year at this time I made Duck Red Cabbage Rolls.

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

4 to 6 servings

45 minutes prep time - NOT including cooking the quinoa

 

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup finely diced white OR green onion

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed

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

1 cup chick pea flour

none to 2 tablespoons water

oil to fry

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1/4 cup tahini

the juice of 1 small lemon

a little water

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

chile-garlic sauce

mayonnaise

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

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

The first time I made this, we weren't too impressed with it, so there leftovers. The leftovers, on the other hand, were amazing! So thus I figured that this was better as a room temperature salad type dish (that Turkish zeytinyagli influence again) than as a hot vegetable. Also that it needed to be cooked longer than I usually cook vegetables. And I can attest that it will certainly do it no harm to wait (well covered) in the fridge overnight. 

I was much happier with this second attempt, which I made a couple of hours ahead. It might  be even better for a longer rest. I was expecting leftovers again, but Mr. Ferdzy pretty much inhaled it, so that hypothesis is untested. 

Go lightly with the nutmeg; just a whisper. I used water, but I believe I used stock the first time I made it. It adds to it, I'd say, but water is certainly good enough.

 

4 to 6 servings

40 minutes prep time - hours to rest

 

2 cups chopped green beans

2 cups sliced fennel bulb

2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, pepper & freshly ground nutmeg to taste

1/2 cup water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock 

the juice of 1/2 medium lemon

Wash, trim, and slice the green beans into bite-sized pieces. Trim the fennel bulb, discarding tough stems, any core, and the root plate. Slice into pieces similar to or a little larger than the green bean pieces. Peel and sliver the shallots. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the fennel for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until quite soft but not browned. Mix in the shallots, then the beans. Add a couple tablespoons at a time of the water or stock to help cook the beans down, and cook them, stirring regularly, until tender; another 10 or 15 minutes, adding the water or broth as needed. 

While they cook, season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste, and a little grate of nutmeg. 

When the vegetables look about done to your liking, add the garlic and mix it in well; let it cook for a minute or so. Then stir in the lemon juice. 

 

Let the dish rest for several hours to overnight (in that case refrigerate), and serve at room temperature. 

Last year at this time I made Ham & Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Roulades en Casserole.

You must have a panini (sandwich) press for this, or similar electric griddle which heats from both top and bottom. Possibly even a waffle maker will work, but I have not tried it. You must also have parchment paper. 

I should probably have posted about this earlier this summer, since one of the best things about this technique is that it keeps the heat down in the kitchen. The other best thing about it, though, is that it cooks duck, chicken, or fish pieces in 2/3 the time of pan or broiler cooking, with very little mess, and so I do cook this way all year. The result produced is somewhere between poaching and broiling; once you have the times down you can have perfectly cooked, tender and juicy poultry or fish. I haven't tried pork chops, because things really don't brown, although I guess like the duck they could be browned in a pan afterwards. But once you are using another pan, you lose a lot of the point of this technique.

If you are cooking duck breast it must still be finished in a pan in order to get that crispy skin which is what makes duck breast so special. Duck is the only poultry that has skin that will crisp even after it is otherwise cooked, so don't expect to be able to do that with chicken. Chicken cooked by this technique should be skinless. Fish could have skin, but it won't be nice - peel it off and discard it once cooked, or better, use skinless fish fillets to start with as well. 

 

It's duck in the photo; cooked the way we like it which is less rare than usually recommended. The panini press cooks at a reliable and relatively low temperature, but both sides at once, which is why it cooks things quickly (though not in half the time) yet keeps them tender and moist. 

It will depend on the size of your appliance, but for mine and for most of them, 2 servings will be the most you can cook at once. The times listed below assume 2 pieces; you may wish to check earlier for doneness if you are only cooking one piece.

 

per portion

5 to 10 minutes prep time

8 to 16 minutes cook time

5 minutes rest time

 

 

1 or 2 boneless portions of duck breast, chicken, or fish fillets

seasonings to taste

parchment paper

 

Lay out a piece of parchment paper of sufficient size to wrap around your portions of duck, chicken, or fish on the counter. Sprinkle the seasonings you wish to use lightly over it. Lay the portions on the seasoned paper so that they will fit properly in the appliance as they cook, but with a small amount of space between them if more than one piece. You can usually do 2 chicken or duck breasts, 4 chicken thighs, or up to a pound of fish pieces. Season the tops as well.  

 

Plug in the panini press or other griddle to preheat for a minute or so. 

Fold the top and bottom of the parchment paper up to meet each other, and fold them to interlock and lie flat over the pieces of meat. Neatly fold up the edges to make a flat, fairly rectangular package. Place it in the centre of the press, and close it firmly. 

Cook for:

 - 4 to 6 minutes for fish, depending on type and thickness

 - 6 minutes for chicken

 - 6 to 8 minutes for duck breast, depending on thickness and desired level of doneness

THEN rotate the package (not turning it over), press back down firmly, and cook for a further:

 

 - 4 to 6 minutes for fish

 - 5 to 6 minutes for chicken

 - 6 to 8 minutes for duck breast

 

Remove the package at once to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before serving, for fish or chicken. 

 

For duck breast, it should be unwrapped and placed in a hot, lightly oiled pan skin-side down until the skin is crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer, skin side up, to a serving plate, cover loosely, and now let it rest 5 minutes before serving. Tongs are the best tool for all of this. 

 

If the cooked meat is to be used cold in salads, transfer it to the fridge as soon as it is cool, well wrapped or in a container.

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Cauliflower Finnish Style. 

Found this one in an old cook book. As usual, I forgot to note which one, but it dated to 1916. I added some parsley because it needed something more. It's still a very simple salad and much depends on the quality of the ingredients, especially the bacon - be sure to get a good one. It does not need to be too lean because the fat will form part of the dressing, but it shouldn't be too fatty either. 

 

I've written this up on the assumption that you would make it from scratch, but in fact this is probably best as a use for leftover cooked cauliflower. Scale the other ingredients to match the quantity you have; but I suspect that if you are not terribly precise it doesn't matter much. 

 

4 to 6 servings

20 minutes prep time

 

4 cups cauliflower florets

1/3 cup finely minced chives

1/3 cup finely minced parsley

225 grams (1/2 pound) bacon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

 

Wash and trim the cauliflower, and break it into smallish bite-sized florets. Wash and dry the chives and parsley, and mince them finely. Chop the bacon.

 

Boil or steam the cauliflower until just tender; about 6 minutes. Drain well. 

 

Just before the water for the cauliflower comes to the boil, put the bacon in skillet sufficiently large for it, and cook it over medium heat until crisp. If there is too much fat - you want about 3 tablespoons worth - drain some off. Have the mustard, salt and pepper, and vinegar whisked together in a small bowl, and add them to the bacon as soon as you turn the heat off. Mix well, but be careful - it will spit and sputter quite a lot.

Pour this dressing over the very well drained cauliflower and mix well. Mix in the chives and parsley, and allow it all to cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature.

Here's a nice straightforward potato salad, but the addition of lots of other vegetables makes it prettier and more interesting than most. And dilutes those potatoes; not the best thing for me to eat.

 

I made this for a picnic, and it was lovely to dish it out of a cooler in the trunk of the car, and then sit and admire a lovely lake view while we ate. 

6 to 8 servings 

45 minutes prep time

Make the Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

the juice of 1 large lemon

Put the mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl or jam jar. Mix in the mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly mix in the lemon juice, keeping the texture of the dressing smooth and free of lumps. 

Make the Salad:

900 grams (2 pounds) potatoes

3 cups diced green beans

1 cup (2 medium stalks) celery

1 cup (1 medium) diced or grated carrot

1/2 cup diced red, orange, or yellow pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup minced parsley

Put the potatoes in a pot with water to cover them well, and boil for 20 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and cool completely. Peel them, cut them into dice, and put them in a mixing bowl. 

While the potatoes cook, wash, trim, and cut the beans into dice. Add them to the potatoes when they have about 6 minutes to cook; they should be drained, rinsed, and added to the mixing bowl with the potatoes. 

Wash, trim, and dice the celery. Peel and dice or grate the carrot. Trim, de-seed, and dice the pepper. Peel and dice the onion. Wash, dry, and mince the parsley. Add these all to the salad. Toss with the dressing and keep chilled until serving time. 

Last year at this time I made Batter Pizza with Squash Blossoms.

Well really, this is in fact a standard guacamole recipe, just chopped coarsely enough to be a salad rather than a sauce. Of course it depends on avocados, which are not exactly local, but almost everything else is straight from the garden. 

 

Naturally, if you want actual guacamole, just mash the avocados and chop everything else quite finely. Omit the olive oil 

 

And while we are on the topic of guacamole, here's a tip for cheater's guacamole: mash your avocados and then add prepared tomato salsa a very little at a time until you have a good balance. Add a little Mexican hot sauce to taste. Much better and fresher than buying prepared guacamole and hardly more work. 

 

We had the family over for a weekend visit and this was very well received. Why not; it's delicious!  

4 to 6 servings

20 minutes prep time

 

1 tablespoon finely minced pickled Jalapeños

1 small clove of garlic, minced (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

the juice of 1 medium lime

a pinch of salt

 

Mince the pickled peppers. Peel and mince the garlic, if using. Put them in a small bowl or jam jar and add the remaining ingredients; whisk or shake together. 

 

1 small sweet onion OR 3 green onions

1/4 sweet red, yellow, or orange pepper

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

3 large firm-ripe avocados

1 medium-large ripe tomato

lettuce leaves. 

 

Peel and chop the onion (or wash, trim, and chop the green onions). Wash, trim and chop the pepper. Put these in a strainer and sprinkle with salt; let them drain for about 10 minutes. Rinse well and drain again. 

 

Wash, dry, and chop the cilantro. Put it in a mixing bowl. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Cut the flesh in slices in one direction then again in the opposite direction to form small squares. Use a large thin spoon to scoop them from the shells, and add them to the mixing bowl. Wash, core, and chop the tomato, and add it. Add the well-drained onion and pepper. Mix well, and toss with the dressing. 

Wash and dry the lettuce leaves and arrange them in a serving bowl. Pile the salad onto them and serve at once.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Frittata di Pane e Pomodori.

First beets out of the garden! So sweet and tasty and tender when roasted. They shrunk a bit more than I expected but perhaps they are higher in their moisture content now than they would be later in the season.

As so often is the case we ate it all as our meal, but as a side salad it would go further, and unlike a lot of salads with cheese I think it would do well in that role. Note that the only added salt is a pinch in the dressing, because the salad will be plenty salty from the halloumi. I dithered a bit about putting the honey in the dressing, but I have to say it was well worth the sugar. Truly delicious.

 

2 to 6 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time 

600 grams (1 1/2 pounds; 6 medium) beets

3 tablespoons olive oil

250 grams (1/2 pound) halloumi cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the beets and cut them in bite-sized wedges or thick slices. Put them in a shallow roasting pan that will hold them snugly in a single layer, and toss them with the oil. Roast for 40 minutes. 

Cut the halloumi into bite-sized thick slices. When the beets have roasted for 40 minutes, give them a stir and scatter the halloumi over them. Roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is soft and browned.

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed oregano

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 more tablespoon lemon juice

 

Put the garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper into a small food processor bowl and process until finely chopped. Add the oil, a little at a time, processing well between each addition. Add the lemon juice slowly the same way, then add the honey. 

 

Have the parsley washed and finely chopped, then add it to the dressing and process again, until finely minced.

 

When the beets and halloumi come out of the oven, pour this dressing over them. Scrape it out well, use the last tablespoon of lemon juice to swish out the bowl of the food processor, then pour it over the beets and cheese as well. 

 

Mix the dressing gently into the beets and cheese, and let them cool for about 10 minutes.  

 

4 to 6 cups chopped lettuce

   OR mixed salad greens 

Wash and dry the lettuce or greens, and arrange them in a serving salad bowl or individual salad bowls. Arrange the roasted beets and halloumi over them, drizzling with all the dressing and accumulated pan juices. Serve at once. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Raspberry Vinegar Chicken. 

Just like North American egg salads, this has only a few simple ingredients and goes together very quickly. It's quite different though. No goopy mayonnaise, but a zingy lemon vinaigrette. Lots of fresh and sprightly herbs instead of, uh, nothing really. Instead of a smooth finely chopped texture, lots of big tasty chunks. 

Most of the recipes I looked at didn't call for either potatoes or peas, although a number included some other vegetable. Like most really simple recipes, you do it your way, with your way having a lot to do with what's around at the time. I used potatoes this time, but I plan to use peas soon, because this is something that's likely to become a regular menu feature.

 

4 servings

15 to 30 minutes advance prep

15 minutes to finish

 

225 grams (1/2 pound) new potatoes

OR 2 cups shelled peas, snap, or snow peas, blanched 

5 large eggs

If using potatoes, choose ones of equal size. Put them in a pot with water to cover, and boil them until tender; 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse them in cold water and let them cool. 

If using peas, shell or trim them and blanch them in boiling water until tender. Rinse in cold water and drain very well. 

Put the eggs in a pot of water to cover them, and bring them to a boil. Boil them for 1 minute, then remove them from the heat. Leave them in the water, covered, for 10 minutes then transfer them to cold water and allow to cool completely.

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground sumac

1/4 teaspoon rubbed basil

1/4 teaspoon rubbed dried mint

Aleppo pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl or jam jar and set aside until needed.

2 or 3 green onions 

1 or 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill

1 cup finely chopped parsley

Wash, trim, and finely chop the onions, dill and parsley. Put them in a salad bowl. 

Peel the potatoes, if using, and cut in bite-sized chunks. Add them to the herbs, or the peas if they if they are being used instead. Peel the eggs and cut them in bite-sized chunks and add them to the salad. Mix gently and drizzle with the dressing.

Salads with meat have become a mainstay here, as a brief look at the posts from the last month or so will show. I've even done a steak salad with lots of radishes already, although this one is a bit different; richer from the blue cheese and creamy dressing, and with a more traditional Canadian flavour profile (by which I think I mean the richness, and the horseradish). 

I'm calling for the steak to be cooked and served warm, but it would be perfectly good with cold steak, leftover from a previous meal. At this time of year if you do outdoor grilling, cooking a little extra for cold salads later is a great idea. 

And now it's the solstice. Hard to believe that from here on in (for the next 6 months, anyway) the days are getting shorter. But given the weather it seems like we've had a long summer already.

 

4 servings

45 minutes prep time 

 

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons thick yogurt or sour cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar OR lemon juice

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Mix all of the above in a small bowl or jam jar. 

 

1 small red onion

8 cups mixed salad greens

1 medium carrot

8 to 16 red radishes

600 grams (1.25 pounds) sirloin OR striploin steak

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

125 grams (1/4 pound) blue cheese

 

Peel and sliver the onion. Put it in a colander and sprinkle it with salt. Set it aside to drain. 

 

Wash, pick over, and chop the salad greens. Rinse well again and dry them thoroughly. Divide them over 4 dinner plates. Peel and grate the carrot, and wash, trim, and chop the radishes, and distribute them over the salads. 

 

Season the steak with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until done to your liking. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it into bite-sized pieces and distributing it over the salads. Crumble the blue cheese over the salads. Drizzle the dressing over the salads, and serve at once.  

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Herby Peas & Bulgur Salad. 

Some advance cooking required here - although either the lentils or salmon could easily be leftovers - but this is otherwise a very simple salad. It's quite substantial for its volume - I was afraid it wouldn't be quite enough for the 3 of us, but in fact there was a little leftover, even with Mr. Ferdzy still eating like a fence-building bear. 

I've taken to cooking fish or boneless chicken for salads (or sometimes just to eat at once) in my panini press. It's quick - about 2/3 the time of broiling it - it's clean - the parchment paper is just discarded, and sometimes the panini press doesn't even need to be wiped - and it produces good quality results somewhere between poaching and grilling. The parchment paper keeps all the juices in and you get very moist results. (If you use this technique and plan to eat the fish or chicken hot, leave it wrapped and resting for 5 minutes before you open and serve it.)

I went with a Mediterranean flavour profile here, but I think it would be just as good to replace the seasonings I used with some Furikake. I'd omit the dill, in that case.

 

3 to 4 servings

1 hour to cook lentils

15 minutes to cook salmon 

20 minutes to finish the salad

 

1 cup brown or green lentils

2 1/4 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

400 grams skinned and boned salmon pieces

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Rinse and pick over the lentils, and put them in a rice cooker with the water and salt. Turn on and let cook. Once they are done, remove the insert from the cooker and let the lentils cool completely. Cover. This can be done up to a day ahead, and the cooled lentils kept in the fridge. 

 

Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper, and wrap them in parchment paper, so that there is a good sealed seam on top and then fold up the edges so the salmon won't leak as it cooks. Cook it in an electric grill (panini press) for 3 minutes, then rotate the package of salmon and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Lift it out to a plate to cool, leaving it wrapped. Again, this can be done up to 24 hours ahead and kept in the fridge until needed.  You could also start with leftover cooked salmon; about 2 cups when chopped.

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/2 teaspoon rubbed savory

the zest of 1/2 large lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

the juice of 1 large lemon

 

Put the salt, Aleppo pepper, savory, and lemon zest into a small bowl or jam jar. Add the olive oil and stir until the salt is dissolved. Whisk or stir in the lemon juice. 

 

2 cups snow peas

2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives

2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley

2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill

1 small head Bibb (Boston) lettuce

 

Wash the snow peas, and top and tail them. Put a pot of water on to boil, and boil them for 2 minutes. Rinse immediately in cold water until they cooled, then drain very well. 

 

Wash, trim, dry, and mince all the herbs. Put them in a mixing bowl with the snow peas. Add the lentils and the salmon, broken into large flakes or chunks. Toss with the salad dressing. 

Serve the salad over the washed and dried lettuce leaves, or if you prefer chop them and toss them with the salad. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Chicken & Asparagus Salad with Hazelnuts & Miso-Ginger Mayonnaise Dressing.