Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

Bread Baking Day #12: Small Breads

2008-07-24T19:45:00.004-04:00

Bread Baking Day is an event started by Zorra at 1x umrühren bitte, dedicated to getting bread makers together every month to expand their bread baking repertoire and experiment with new breads together. This month's theme is small breads and is hosted by Aparna at My Diverse Kitchen. Visit her site to find breads and vegetarian dishes to delight the senses.

Aparna was kind enough to provide a list of ideas for small breads and I immediately jumped on the pretzels. I have always wanted to make them but needed a gentle shove.

I had a recipe from Alford and Duguid's Home Baking and just adjusted the directions a bit.

Baker’s Sign Pretzels
Makes 8

.
Ingredients
1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp wheat malt syrup or barley malt syrup
2 ½ - 3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
Shaping and baking
1/3 cup baking soda
1 ½ cups water
2 egg yolks, beaten with 4 tsp milk, for egg wash

Place the milk in a medium bowl and stir in the yeast to dissolve it well. Add the malt syrup and 1 cup of the flour and stir until you have a smooth batter. Sprinkle on the salt, add the butter, and stir well to incorporate. Add 1 ¼ cups more flour and stir and turn the dough to incorporate it. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, incorporating more flour as necessary.

Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic and let rise 1 ½ hours until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

Turn dough out to lightly floured surface and cut into 4 pieces, cut each piece in half.

Working with 2 pieces at a time, roll them out like long, skinny snakes. About 24 to 30 inches and tapered at the ends. Twist into pretzel shape and place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest and when you are done let them rise 10 minutes.

Heat water in med/large saucepan until almost boiling. Add baking soda and stir well to dissolve. Reduce to constant simmer.

With large heatproof spatula, pick up first pretzel and dip into simmering water, keeping it on the spatula, for 20 seconds.

Let drain, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a little salt, sesame seeds or poppy seeds if you wish. Place back on baking sheet and repeat with the rest.

Bake pretzels for 10-12 minutes in upper third of oven until deep golden brown. Cool on rack and serve warm or room temperature.

The pretzels were wonderful and very forgiving as I shoved them here and there while I was getting the flow worked out. The only thing is - do not put on anywhere near the salt that I used. I had to scrape most of it off. And I am a salt fiend. A little goes a long way. Otherwise, we loved them. (They were particularly good dipped in the smoked salmon spread) I can't wait to make them again.

Barefoot Blogging - Smoked Salmon Spread

2008-07-24T07:04:00.004-04:00

This week in Barefoot Blogging, the Smoked Salmon Spread from Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 35, was chosen by Ashley from The Spicy Skillet. Click here for the recipe.

This was a nice, simple dish to make and came together fairly easily. The ingredients were a little costly but it was worth it, smoked salmon is hubby's favourite.

I made this for him to come home to the other night when he had to work late. I served it with some homemade pretzels that I will post later. He had a happy look with his little pot of smoked salmon spread, his pretzels and his beer. He felt loved.

The recipe says that the spread gets better over time so this can be made a day or two ahead of time for a gathering which is great. The more I can pre-assemble the better.

I still have a little in the fridge, breakfast?

Click here for the Barefoot Bloggers blogroll or to see how you can play along.

Whisk Wednesdays: Veloute Agnes Sorel and another Meme.

2008-07-23T07:28:00.005-04:00

This week's lesson from Le Cordon Bleu At Home is Veloute Agnes Sorel.

Cream of Chicken Soup Agnes Sorel. Pages 444,445.

The recipe starts with a history lesson that I will share with you.

"Agnes Sorel (1422-1450) was a favourite of Charles VII of France. Several dishes have been made in her honour, most of which contain chicken and a garnish that includes ham or tongue. The whiteness of these dishes echoes Agnes's purity, and the red the blushing beauty of 'Dame Sorel.'"

I quite enjoyed this soup. Until last week I had never poached a chicken before and now I have done it again. I am starting to feel like a pro. This soup was heartier and more flavourful than the Julienne Darblay, in part due to my more heavy handedness with the herbs and salt and pepper. I liked the way the ham added a bit of a zing to the chicken soup. I decided on the ham over the tongue as I am a bit squeamish regarding the latter and if old Aggie was so pure she doesn't need any.

I also left the darker parts on the mushrooms as I had creminis and thought it would be a losing battle. I hope that this in no way casts suspicion on Agnes's purity.

I didn't find that the soup thickened much at the end, certainly not enough to coat the back of a spoon. After several minutes I decided to pull it from the heat and not risk separation.

We greatly enjoyed it. It was hearty and satisfying. I served it with some homemade dilled bread and a whipped herb butter.

The book says it serves 6 but I think that if it is the main meal it serves 4.

What did hubby think? He loved it and took the leftovers to work for lunch.

Next week - Bisques de Langoustines.

Check out Whisk: a food blog for the blogroll, detailed instructions on the soup, and information about playing along.

Memememe

I have been tagged by Debinhawaii from Kahakai Kitchen - here are 29 things you may or may not have wanted to know about me.
(Deb - you are in trouble! You are lucky I love you so much.)

1. Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theatre?

Iron Man, with my 15 year old son. I love Robert Downey Jr., such a cutie.

2. What Book Are You Reading?

I just finished Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires last night. Ruth Reichl is the editor of Gourmet magazine. I also just finished rereading Waiting for Godot (don’t ask me why) and am currently reading Beyond the Great Wall, Alford and Duguid. I am also still in the middle of Crust and Crumb, Peter Reinhart. I am just starting How to Cook a Wolf, MFK Fisher. I have a habit of keeping a lot of balls in the air.

3. Favourite Board Game?

I like Trivial Pursuit. I haven’t played in a while though.

4. Favourite Magazine?

Uh, GourmetBonAppetitSaveurFoodandWine. Martha didn’t make it as, as much as I love the rest of the magazine - I can’t get into the crafting and cleaning. Or that doctor.
5. Favourite Smells?

Good fruit, hubby, garlic and lemon. Rain.
6. Favourite Sounds?

Pugs snoring - too cute!

7. Worst Feeling In The World?

Shame.

8. First Thing You Think of When You Wake?

Why do I have a man who needs to get up at 5 am? Why do they always play the most obnoxious music at 5 am? I have to pee.

9. Favourite Fast Food Place?

Licks! - Hamburgers - Canadian.
10. Future Child’s Name?

If by child you mean puppy - maybe Virgil for a frenchie, Nigella for a black pug, Sailor and Lula for dachshunds.

11. Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,"

I would have a big house in B.C. with lots of land and hired help for the enormous veggie garden that I would have. Also sheep, I would like to make cheese.
12. Do You Drive Fast?

Don’t drive. Sometimes walk fast.

13. Do You Sleep With a Stuffed Animal?

I have one man, two dogs and me on a double bed - no room for stuffed animals.
14. Storms—cool or scary?

Cool! Hubby built me a deck for watching thunderstorms. It has a clear roof.

15. What Was Your First Car?

Pass.
16. Favourite Drink?

Daiquiris

17. Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…"

Travel - assuming I had some money to go with this time.

18. Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli?

Yes. I don’t like to waste.
19. If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be?

Perhaps a rich, dark red. Really I am too lazy and cheap to get my hair done all the time. I am enjoying my silver highlights.

20. Name All the Different Cities In Which You Have Lived -

Toronto. Unless you count being schlepped around by hippie parents for the first several years of my life. Then everywhere.

21. Favourite Sport to Watch?

Ew. No sports.
22. One Nice Thing About The Person Who Sent This To You

Debinhawaii is a lovely lady. She makes delicious meals and is a faithful and supportive friend.

23. What’s Under Your Bed?

Dust - I may like to cook but I don’t much like cleaning. I am tidy however, go figure.
24. Would You Like to Be Born As Yourself Again?

Probably not. Could be worse though. Do I get to choose?

25. Morning Person or Night Owl?

I like the evening. 5pm-10pm.

26. Over Easy or Sunny Side Up?

Over easy, ew to the runny whites.

27. Favourite Place to Relax?

Home. With puppies.

28. Favourite Ice Cream Flavour?

Strawberry or orange.

29. Of All the People You Have Tagged, Who Is the Most Likely to Respond First?

I am still hearing back from the last people that I tagged so I am leaving this one open to all who want to participate.
If you made it this far - you are it!

TWD - Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler

2008-07-22T07:18:00.005-04:00

Ah Tuesday, was there ever a sweeter day?

This week Amanda from Like Sprinkles on a Cupcake has selected Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler on page 415 of Dorie Greenspan's amazing book: Baking, from my home to yours. If you would like to see the recipe, please visit her site.

I quite liked the last cobbler that we did - the blueberry with the biscuit topping - and was excited about this one.

I found an orchard shop outside of our town that sold frozen fruit in large bags for a good price. I now have enough fruit to last the summer baking season! It is funny reading the others' comments about not knowing rhubarb or not being able to find it. It is almost a weed up here, once established in you garden it will outlive you and your grandchildren.

Unfortunately we live in the world's smallest house so I don't have room to grow it myself but I am now the proud owner of a large bag of frozen rhubarb.

This recipe starts in the food processor. Dorie is the reason my food processor now just lives on the counter. It is getting a good work-out.

There is a mix of white and whole wheat flour in the crust. While our tummies are probably the better for it, I found the whole wheat to make it taste a little "bready". I do prefer the previous cobbler and would probably do that one again rather than this one. We did, however, find that it tasted better this morning straight out of the fridge. (Yeah, we do that, hedonists that we are.) We preferred the firmer texture of the crust that chilling gave it. It went especially well with the leftover Fig&Honey ice cream!

To see how the others did, check out the blogroll here.

Royal Foodie Joust - Inside-Out California Rolls

2008-07-21T21:24:00.003-04:00

I am almost afraid to enter this month's Royal Foodie Joust. The entries so far are beyond amazing. If it were not for my daughter's pleading for me to make sushi, I might have procrastinated until the end of the month.

I have made California rolls before. They are fun to do and not as hard as you would think. This time, however, I decided to do inside-out rolls to display the sesame seeds that are part of the three required ingredients. The other two being cilantro and seafood.

Rather than try to explain how to roll sushi rolls (maki), here is a good link with videos.

To make inside-out rolls, I lay a piece of plastic wrap down on my rolling mat on a wood cutting block and spread the seasoned rice* over it. I covered it with a sheet of nori and a little more rice. I spread a little mayo and wasabi on the top rice and placed crab meat, avocado, cilantro and cucumber in a row in the middle. I then rolled it tightly and carefully from one end like a cigar. When I got to the last inch of nori, which I had left free of rice, I sprinkled some rice vinegar on it and finished rolling until it was sealed. I rolled the completed roll in black sesame seeds and placed the it aside on the seam for a bit to rest. Then I sliced the roll into rounds, dipping a thin knife into rice vinegar to keep it clean.

The inside out roll was a lot harder that a traditional California roll, it was not as tidy in the end but it still tasted great. The sushi was served with gari - pickled ginger - soy sauce and wasabi.

Notes from my kitchen -

Sushi rolling mats are cheap, cheap, cheap. Get a couple and practice with friends and family. Even if you make a mess the first few times it will still taste good.

Put all your fillings out before you start - mise en place. Cucumber, crab leg (made from fish, not crab usually) and avocado are traditional for California rolls, but you can put in whatever you want.

The mayo may sound odd but it is good. Try it!

Wasabi is strong, better to put too little in the roll than not enough. You can always add more to your dipping sauce (soy sauce).

Sushi is finger food. Hands are allowed.

"Sushi" refers to the rice. You can make sushi without fish but not without rice. The raw fish without the rice is called sashimi.

I make my sushi rice in my rice cooker. Then I empty it into a wooden bowl and cut through it with a wooden paddle, adding rice wine vinegar to taste. They say to buy unseasoned vinegar and season it yourself with a little sugar and salt, but I found a seasoned one that I really like - President's Choice (Canadian).

Keep a bowl of the vinegar handy for keeping your hands and knife clean.

The cook gets to eat the ends!

Magazine Monday - Honey Tamarind Baby Back Ribs

2008-07-21T07:31:00.006-04:00

I love a recipe that I don't have to shop for. This rib recipe contains all ingredients that I have at home and has just the right balance of tart, sticky and sweet. Ribs are not a first date food, you need to be with people that you are comfortable with as you gnaw and slurp and lick your fingers. Served with an Asian slaw, they are a perfect rustic family and friends meal.

Honey Tamarind Baby Back Ribs

From Food and Wine, August 2008

Ingredients

2 racks baby back ribs (5 1/4 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup clover or other mild honey
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Asian chili paste, such as sambal oelek

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put the ribs on the baking sheet and season on both sides with salt and black pepper. Bake the ribs, meaty side up, for 2 1/2 hours, or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the honey, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, tamarind, garlic and chili paste until smooth.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°. Drain the fat from the baking sheet. Brush the ribs with the barbecue sauce. Roast the ribs, bony side up, for 10 minutes, until richly browned. Turn the ribs over, brush with more sauce and roast for 5 minutes, until browned. Brush the ribs with the remaining barbecue sauce and roast for 5 minutes longer, until deeply browned and glossy. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut the racks into ribs and serve.

Variation: Grill the ribs over moderately low heat, turning and brushing frequently with the sauce, until cooked through.

Notes from my kitchen

*Being me, I doubled the garlic. (Unrepentant garlic lover that I am.)

*I used beef ribs as they were what I had in the freezer but I think pork would be even better.

*If you have an Asian market near by, look for tamarind puree in a jar. It is so much easier to work with than the little bricks that you have to soak and strain.

Magazine Mondays is the brainchild of Cream Puffs in Venice as a way to encourage us voracious foodie magazine readers and collectors to actually test recipes from them on a regular basis. Feel free to visit Cream Puff to play along or just to drool over her latest creations.

When Life Gives You Figs....

2008-07-20T10:35:00.006-04:00

Two days ago hubby brought me home a half flat of figs. They were on sale as some were going a little soft. He knows that I have a special place in my heart and kitchen for soft fruit - ice cream!

Inspired by my last posted dessert of figs, cheese and honey - I decided to make a Fig&Honey ice cream. I served it with toasted almond slices, a fresh fig half and a drizzle of honey on top.

This is the sort of dessert that makes you want to lay back on your chaise while honey-toned attendants fan you with rushes and leaves and the sweet, salty scent of the ocean tickles your nostrils.

Fig&Honey Ice Cream

16 oz very ripe black figs, woody stems removed.
½ cup liquid honey
Pinch of salt
½ cup milk
3 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups whipping cream

In a small/medium bowl whisk yolks, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla, set aside.
In food processor blend figs, milk, salt and honey.
In medium pot, heat cream on medium, stirring, until almost bubbling.
When cream is up to temperature, add some to yolk mixture, spoonful by spoonful, whisking constantly until you have added about half a cup.
Reduce heat to medium/low, add yolk mixture to pot and heat 5 minutes more, stirring gently but constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in fig mixture.
Pour into a lidded container and refrigerate overnight.
Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Freeze at least 4 hours before eating.

Lie back and listen to the waves lapping the shore and feel the sunshine kissing your skin.

*In support of my local honeybees and honeybee keepers, I buy Ontario honey. The honey I used for this recipe is from Herbguy's Honey House, which I picked up at the farmer's market.

This ice cream is my contribution to the Anonymous New York Ice Cream Contest. You still have time to play along!

Viva Italia!

2008-07-19T08:42:00.009-04:00

Buongiorno!

Come stai? (How are you?)

Vuole qualcosa da mangiare? (Would you like something to eat?)

Please, make yourself at home.

Today I have an all Italian menu, borrowed liberally from the man in orange shoes, Mario Batali.

Pour a little wine, I have to make the fresh pasta first.

Fresh Red Pasta - Pasta Sfoglia

makes 1 1/4 lbs.

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

5 eggs

2 tbsp tomato paste

pinch of salt

Combine together, knead 10 minutes until leathery and smooth. Let rest 30 minutes at room temperature, wrapped in plastic. Process in pasta roller, adding a little more flour when needed.

(I use KitchenAid)

Care for a little antipasto? How about a little Insalata di Olive? (Marinated Olive Salad)

Instalata di Olive

1 cup mixed imported olives

juice and zest of 1/2 an orange

1/2 fennel bulb, shaved on a mandoline

2 roasted red peppers, roughly chopped

handful of fresh oregano leaves

chopped chives

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Toss together in a medium bowl until combined. With tongs, lift salad into a fresh bowl or platter for serving. This way it does not sit in it's juices and wilt. The salad is fine to sit at room temperature while dinner is being prepared.

A little music? Sarebbe molto bello! I love Andrea Bocelli too!

Ah, dinner is ready. Please, let me fill your glass with a little Chianti Classico. It is Rocca delle Macie, 2005. You approve?

Tonight we are having pasta with mussels, spaghetti con le cozze, with a fresh baked loaf of bread subtly seasoned with rosemary from my garden. Buon appetito!

Spaghetti con le Cozze

1 lb fresh pasta

2 lbs small mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded

6 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 1/4 cups dry white wine

3/4 cups olive oil

salt and pepper

1 cup parsley leaves

1 heaping tablespoon hot red chili flakes

Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook your pasta in boiling salted water. Fresh pasta takes only about 4 minutes to become al dente so have everything set up. (Mise en place)

Heat the oil in a 12 inch saute pan on medium/high and add garlic. Cook until golden brown, stirring, about 1 minute. Add white wine, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Add mussels and cook, stirring and tossing, until open and plump. 4 minutes. Add parsley, salt and pepper and chili flakes. Toss. Add al dente pasta and toss all together until combined and pasta has had a chance to soak up some of the juices.

Serve in large bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with a little bread to soak up the juices at the bottom.

Dolci? Ah yes, I am fairly sated too. Perhaps a few figs, some soft provolone and a little honey. I will make us a little espresso, do you take sugar?

My friend, I have enjoyed our trip to Italy tonight with My Kitchen, My World. Mille grazie. I hope to see you again soon, ciao.

See you soon, a presto.

WHB - The Party Goes Herbal

2008-07-18T10:28:00.006-04:00

In continuing with my pub fare theme from yesterday, I have decided to highlight how you can use herbs from your garden to make simple pub fare more exotic and healthy while costing less.

Minted cocktails - all you need is a long glass (Collins), a muddler, lots of mint and a refreshing cocktail recipe. If you haven't used a muddler before, it is just a small baton used for bruising mint and other herbs in the bottom of your glass. This bruising brings out the essential oils that give great flavour to your cocktails. If you do not have a muddler, a wooden spoon will do.

Minted Gin Collins - adapted from LCBO Food and Drink

2 oz gin

20-30 mint leaves

1 1/2 oz simple syrup*

fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

4 - 5 oz soda water

sprig of mint

wheel of lemon

1. To a highball glass, add torn mint leaves, and simple syrup.

2. Muddle or mash thoroughly.

3. Fill the glass with ice and add gin and fresh lemon juice.

4. Top with soda and stir.

5. Garnish with a large sprig of mint

*Simple syrup is just equal parts sugar and water, heated in a pot until sugar is dissolved, and cooled. Keep in refrigerator in a sealed jar.

Munchies

Everyone loves cocktail nuts but let's face it - they are expensive, fattening and filled with goodness knows how much salt, sugar and chemical based flavourings.

I take simple soy nuts from the bulk store (plain) and dress them up myself with herbs from my own garden. Feel free to adjust the seasonings for your own taste.

Herb Roasted Soy Nuts
Makes 1½ cups

1 ½ cups plain soy nuts
1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
¾ tsp kosher salt (or a nice coarse sea salt, not table salt)
Fresh ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread soy nuts out on small baking tray to make 1 even layer if possible.
Drizzle with a little olive oil, about 2 tbsp.
Toss with herbs, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Roast in oven 10 minutes.
Allow to cool.

For tips on drying herbs, look to my previous post here.

These will be more impressive to your guests than anything you can get out of a can or jar and you won't have to feel guilty for eating them!

Weekend Herb Blogging is a weekly event created by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, her site provides an abundance of healthy dishes to delight the senses.

This weekend's Weekend Herb Blogging is hosted Archana from Archana's Kitchen. Check out her site for some beautiful Indian and international cooking. Click here for the round-up.

Ok, this has nothing to do with herbs but, how cute is it that Bella is reading my Ruth Reichl book? Ok, give it back now, mommy's reading that. Please?

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!

2008-07-17T10:35:00.005-04:00

We are into the dog days of summer here in Southern Ontario, no offense puppies. It's all about the humidex which is second only to 'wind chill factor' for striking dread into our weary hearts. What to do to shake ourselves out of our heat induced apathy? A party!

The Happy Sorceress has declared bloggers choice for this month's Blog Party in celebration of 3 rockin' good years.

For the occasion - I decided to go spicy.

I am of the philosophy that spicy foods are great for hot weather and I love the element of surprise that fresh chilies give. You never know just how hot or mild each one is going to be until you bite into it. Even chilies from the same branch will have varying levels of heat. I try to go for just hot enough to be exciting but not so hot that hubby accuses me of trying to kill him.

For this month's Blog Party (#36!) I have made Baked Stuffed Jalapenos and Strawberry Margaritas, enjoy!

Stuffed Jalapeno Bites - hot!
This recipe can be adapted for as many people as you are serving. Just allow 2 halves per guest.

Large jalapenos, halved lengthwise
Feta cheese
Parmesan cheese
Lots of fresh herbs - cilantro, oregano, parsley and chives
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Grated Parmesan cheese
garlic

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush olive oil on both sides of jalapeno halves and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven and let cool until comfortable to work with.
In mortar and pestle, bash some garlic with some kosher salt. When it is smooth, add lots of herbs and keep grinding. Stir crumbled feta in with spatula and stuff jalapeno halves. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Serve warm, can be made ahead and reheated.

Strawberry Margarita - makes 1, multiply for guests
1 ½ oz tequila
1 oz simple syrup
½ cup frozen strawberries
Juice of ½ lemon
Puree together and serve in margarita glass.

-please enjoy your margaritas responsibly - there is plenty of room on the lawn to sleep them off.

Whisk Wednesdays - Julienne Darblay

2008-07-16T09:51:00.003-04:00

Shari of Whisk: a food blog has been diligently following a culinary home course working primarily out the book Le Cordon Bleu at Home. I have been admiring her detailed and documented posts for some time and now, part way through lesson 13, I have decided to join in the fun. This is different from other cooking groups as it is focused on teaching specific culinary skills. Each skill learned may or may not become part of my repertoire but I will have greatly expanded my range in the kitchen.

This week we made a soup, Julienne Darblay. It is a creamed leek and potato soup with julienned vegetables. The soup had two parts as a stock had to be made as well. I made the stock the day before, to give myself a bit of a break in the kitchen.

I have never made a stock out of a whole chicken before. I have always used the bones, lots of aromatics and simmered in the crock pot until the bones start to break down (a la Alton Brown) usually 6-8 hours. With this stock you fish the chicken out after an hour and set it aside for any other purpose you might have for the meat. I just shredded it with two forks, tossed it with Franks Red Hot sauce and layered in on soft tortillas with cheese and veggies for lunch. Yum.

Back to the stock. The aromatics continue to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, then you strain it and chill it down as quickly as possible. At this stage I found the stock to be quite mild in flavour but it had a nice colour and texture.

The soup needed only 6 cups of the stock so the rest is reposing in the freezer for another use.

My first booboo was with the leeks. I was to julienne the greens and slice the whites into thin rounds. I misread the instructions and julienned both. I don't think it made too much of a difference.

The whites and the potatoes become part of the soup proper and the carrot, turnip and greens are all julienned, parboiled and added at the end for presentation. The soup is creamed, ladled over the veggies and topped with parsley or chervil.

The outcome? The soup was very pretty. I have nice soup bowls for dinners that revolve around a soup and I am always happy to bring them out. I got to use my food mill that hubby gave me for my birthday and I was proud of how hard I worked. The flavour? Very mild. I actually brought salt and pepper to the table to punch it up a bit. I haven't checked to see how the others fared yet (this little blogger took a wee morning nap after too many days of getting up at 5am with hubs), and am interested to see if they had the same results.

Hubby, always the gentleman, was very enthusiastic about the obvious hard work and technique that went into it and brought up a nice bottle of wine to go with it. Good man.

To learn more about Whisk Wednesdays or to see the blogroll, please visit Shari's site Whisk: a food blog.

TWD Chocolate Pudding and an Award!

2008-07-15T07:03:00.006-04:00

It's Tuesday, time for Tuesdays with Dorie and this week Melissa from Its Melissas Kitchen has picked Chocolate pudding on pg. 383 of Baking: from my home to yours. If you would like to see the recipe written out, please visit Melissa's site.

Melissa, my son thanks you. He is a bit of a minimalist when it comes to his food and a simple chocolate pudding was just the antidote for all the fruit laden desserts I had been making, as far as he was concerned.

I had never made a pudding in the food processor before and was quite happy that mine was a large 14 cup model. I think that if it was smaller I might have had trouble with the volume of the whirling pudding. (The big daddy food processor in the picture is my Hamilton Beach Big Mouth, a very reasonably priced model for the size and power, I think. One day I would like a Cuisinart or KitchenAid large wide mouth food processor, with lots of blades! I also have a 5 cup KitchenAid and a Cuisinart mini chopper)

My daughter helped me with this one, she manned the cookbook and reminded me of the steps. This was one of those recipes that is not too difficult but you have to have all of your ingredients and equipment ready as the steps happen quite quickly.

The recipe states that it serves 4 - 6 people but I found 4 to be the correct portioning for our family. Piggies that we are!

And the verdict? Well they did all but lick the bottom of the pudding dishes so I think we have a winner!

Please feel free to visit the TWD blogroll to see how the others fared.

* a note on the picture of the pudding. It was late when we ate and I could not get a good picture in the dim lighting. Finally I put a pudding on top of my printer and put the desk lamp over it. It gave the pudding a neat, floating quality. I might try that again!

The Award

Debinhawaii from Kahakai Kitchen has bestowed upon me this YUM-YUM blog award and has said such kind and generous things about me! I am to pass it to 5 deserving candidates with the intention that they post it on their site and confer the honour to 5 other delicious food bloggers.

"Living In The Kitchen With Puppies: Natashya is also a fairly new blogger like me and has the two most adorable dogs; Merlin and Bella (and an incredible pond and home for toads her husband built!). She is a total foodie and I enjoy her delicious recipes and the wonderful pictures on her blog."

I had a hard time deciding who to pass it to as there are just so many delicious sites that I love to read. These are some of the sites that I visit most often and who constantly inspire me with their writing, recipes, photography and good nature.

Here, in no particular order, are my 5 choices for the YUM-YUM Blog Award.

Shari from Whisk: a food blog - musings of a cooking school wannabe.
Shari is a gentle teacher and student of culinary technique. She has taken it upon herself to master the craft of cooking and quite generously has included those who want to learn. Her attention to detail is commendable and balanced with a light heart. And the food! Delish!

Aparna from My Diverse Kitchen, A Vegetarian Kitchen in India.
Aparna makes the most delicious vegetarian food and has a lovely manner to her posts. As a mother to a vegetarian daughter, I look forward to the wonderful dishes that Aparna creates and the loving way that she imparts her culinary knowledge.

Coffeepot from Coffee and Cornbread
Who makes the blogging world seem small with her neighbourly way of keeping in touch, dropping in to say hi, and encouraging me along my foodie blogging way. Coffeepot creates delicious dishes in her Southwestern Virginia spread while learning to live simply and as self-sufficiently as she possibly can - sharing her experiences with with us along the way. I also love the way she supports Canadian chefs and cooking clubs!

Laurie from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska - Recreating the flavors of the Mediterranean using ingredients readily available in Alaska and North America.
Laurie and her husband live in Alaska and on a rural Greek island. She shares her passion and skill with Greek cooking on her blog, making sure that the ingredients that she uses are not too difficult to find in North America. She has a book out on Greek recipes and all the proceeds go to charity. (The Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church Building Fund)
Her posts are informative and fun and the recipes make your mouth water.

Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict - omnivorous ramblings by a habitual eater. Jasmine, another fellow Canadian, writes with poetic beauty, wicked irreverence and journalistic integrity, all at once. She presents wonderfully delicious dishes with simply stated recipes, beautiful photography and a laugh out loud tale of how it all came to be.

Ice Cream, You Scream - Cardamom Banana Ice Cream!

2008-07-14T10:43:00.004-04:00

I am a huge fan of cardamom. If you haven't tried it - it is a woody, earthy spice that behaves much like cinnamon although does not taste like cinnamon. (I think it tastes better!)

It can be paired with sweet and savoury applications and once you try it you will be wondering why it is cinnamon that is so popular.

I first tried it years ago when a Pakistani friend brought me home a bowl of a sweet rice/nuts/ cardamom/edible gold leaf (or silver, I can't remember) dish that was delicious and really, really filling. The cardamom stood out in my memory and I have added it to my repertoire ever since.

In sweet applications I think that it pairs best with banana. They just seem to have a natural affinity. So for this Ice Cream, You Scream event, hosted by Nik Snacks, I chose to make a cardamom banana ice cream. You will notice that I write cardamom first - that is because I have prepared this ice cream so that the spice could be the star. If you are new to cardamom, or prefer subtle flavours, feel free to cut the cardamom down by half. The lime is there to wake up the flavours and also keep the banana from browning before it is added to the cream. The brown sugar gives good colour and added flavour to the ice cream.

I dedicate this ice cream to my fellow Canadian food blogger Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict - for obvious reasons!

Cardamom Banana Ice Cream

3 egg yolks
¾ cup brown sugar, divided
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 ripe but not black bananas
Juice of 1 lime
½ cup milk
1 ½ cups whipping cream
2 tsp cardamom powder

In a small/medium bowl whisk yolks, ¼ cup brown sugar and vanilla, set aside.
In food processor blend bananas and lime juice.
In medium pot add milk, cream, ½ cup brown sugar, cardamom. Heat on medium, stirring, until almost bubbling.
When cream is up to temperature, add some to yolk mixture, spoonful by spoonful, whisking constantly until you have added about half a cup.
Reduce heat to medium/low, add yolk mixture to pot and heat 5 minutes more, stirring gently but constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in banana mixture.
Pour into a lidded container and refrigerate overnight.
Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Freeze at least 4 hours before eating.

Weekend Herb Blogging - Herbed Asparagus Bundles

2008-07-12T10:11:00.005-04:00

It's the weekend! Time for Weekend Herb Blogging with Kayln from Kayln's Kitchen. A celebration of cooking with herbs or finding interesting and innovative ways of using spices and new plants in a delicious dish. This week's guest host is Simona from Briciole, check out her site for some interesting dishes with herbs and some valuable lessons on Italian food. Click here for this week's round-up.

I was back to the garden this week. The mix of heat and rain has made my herbs very happy, especially my parsley, and I decided to do a bit of a deconstructed pesto in my dish. Pesto means paste, at it's most basic definition. We normally associate it with a blend of herbs (usually basil), nuts (usually pine nuts), olive oil, garlic and cheese (usually Parmesan - never the stuff in the green can).

I have found that I enjoy the basil paired with another herb to round it out - parsley is mild and bright enough for the job. Pine nuts are fine but not my favourite (bad foodie!) and rather expensive, I like almonds. You will notice that I added the almond slices after grinding the herbs - I like the crunch factor. Parmesan is a gift from god but I like to mix it up once in a while so here I have used Macedonian feta. The Macedonian feta is creamier like a young goat cheese but regular feta will be fine in this dish.

For some tips on phyllo pastry, go to my last post here.

Herbed Asparagus Bundles
Makes 6 - 8

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed of woody stems. Arrange in groups of 5.

Herb Blend
4 sun dried tomatoes, cut up
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup basil leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

Pulse all herb blend ingredients together in small food processor or mortar and pestle.

1/3 cup feta cheese
¼ cup sliced almonds & more for sprinkling

6 - 8 phyllo sheets
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
Stir herb blend in with crumbled feta and sliced almonds in small/med bowl.
Lay one sheet of phyllo down on work surface in landscape position.
Brush right half with butter and fold left side over to cover it.
Brush new right side with butter and fold left side over to cover it.
Now you have a long strip about 4 inches wide.
Lay the first asparagus bundle across the strip of phyllo, top with herbed cheese mixture and lightly brush the pastry with butter. Roll up and place on lined baking sheet seam side down.
Brush with butter and sprinkle with slice almonds.
Repeat with the rest of the bundles.
Bake until golden brown and flakey, about 25 minutes.

As my friend Peter says, everything tastes better when it's wrapped up like a present. Enjoy!

Anna Olson's Field Berry Parcels - Food Network Canada Cooking Club Challenge

2008-07-11T09:10:00.007-04:00

This month's Food Network Canada Cooking Club Challenge is Anna Olson's Field Berry Parcels. This recipe is perfectly timed for berry season where I live and I was excited to make them.

I love love love fruit recipes. I am sorry to confess that I am not a chocoholic, I don't dislike chocolate but there is only so much of it that I can eat without feeling really full and really thirsty. Fruit based desserts, however, are tart and sweet at the same time. Lighter and refreshing they don't seem to weigh you down so much. One could almost convince one's self that they were moderately nutritious. Almost.

I made this recipe almost to a "T", I just subbed a lime for the lemon, doubled up on the blueberries instead of using blackberries, used mango pieces instead of the raspberries and walnuts for the cream. Let me just say....YUM! These were very good and quite easy to make. You just have to give yourself some time. I made the cream in the morning and the bundles in the evening. It is always less stressful to break recipes down if you can.

If you have never used phyllo before - do not be afraid. You buy it frozen at the grocers, put it in the fridge the night before you want to use it. Carefully unroll it and place the pile on your clean, dry counter and cover it up with a damp dish towel. Use the sheets one at a time as per your recipe instructions - usually brushing melted butter or oil in between the layers - and fold or layer as stated. It does rip easily but that's okay. All those layers means that a little rip will be covered by another layer and nobody will know. Try to use the rest of the phyllo up in a day or two, it does dry out. To see what I did with the rest of my phyllo, come back tomorrow.

Field Berry Parcels

Yield: 6

• 1 1/2 cups of fresh raspberries (I used frozen mango pieces)

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries

• 1 cup of fresh blueberries

• 1 cup of fresh blackberries ( I doubled up on the blueberries)

• 2/3 cup of sugar

• 1/3 cup of honey

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice (I used lime)

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp of cornstarch

• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter

• 1 tsp of finely grated lemon zest (I used lime zest)

• 12 sheets of phyllo pastry

Pistachio Cream

• 1/3 cup shelled pistachios (I used walnuts)

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 1 cup table cream (18%)

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Field Berry Parcels

1. Stir berries to crush lightly and spoon into a sieve over a bowl. Let berry juices drain for an hour. Set berries aside and whisk sugar, honey, lemon juice, vanilla and cornstarch into juices. Heat juices, whisking, until thick and shiny. Set aside to cool completely, then stir into berries.

2. Melt butter with lemon zest (to infuse flavour). Layer four sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing lemon butter over each sheet. Cut phyllo in half and spoon ½ cup of berries into center of each half. Gather up edges of phyllo and twist to hold. Chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining phyllo and fruit.

3. Preheat oven to 375 °F. On a lightly greased baking tray, bake parcels for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before lifting and serving with pistachio cream.

Pistachio Cream

1. Pulse pistachios and sugar in a small food processor or with a mortar & pestle to grind as smooth as possible.

2. Heat cream to just below a simmer. Whisk egg yolks and vanilla into pistachio paste and slowly pour in hot cream, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pot and stir with a wooden spoon over medium-low heat until it coats the back of a spoon. Chill completely before serving.

3. To serve, pool pistachio cream in a bowl and place a warm berry parcel on top.

A note on cream and milk. You have probably noticed that when you work from a variety of recipes during the week they give a certain percentage of milk fat that your milk or cream should have for the recipe. Skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, homo milk, 10% cream, 18% cream, 35% whipping cream. If we all had this many types of milk and cream in our fridges there would be no room for the rest of the ingredients. What I do is keep 1% milk and whipping cream (35%) . This 1% milk is what we use every day and the whipping cream has a long fridge shelf life. For any of the other required milk fat contents - I just stir the two together to approximate the milk fat content. It may not be what the pros do but it works out very well for me.

Barefoot Blogging - Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins

2008-07-10T06:44:00.003-04:00

It's Barefoot Blogging day! Every 2nd and 4th Thursday a group of fun lovin' and highly attractive bloggers tackle Ina Garten's (aka the Barefoot Contessa) recipes and share our results. The recipes are all from her 5, soon to be 6, cookbooks and most can be found online at the Food Network website.

Wanna play? Click here to join in the fun.

This week we made Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread from Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 154. It was chosen by Sabrina and Alexander of Cooking with the Kids - how cool is it that the kids are cooking?

I made the cornbread the other day and, as I had read some of the comments about the softness of the bread, I decided to make it in my muffin tins for crunch.

The Good - The corn muffins were very tasty indeed. They had a good crunch outside, great flavour - I was generous with the jalapeno and green onions - and tender crumb. It is true that the ratio of flour to cornmeal made them more bready or cakey than traditional cornbread but I was fine with that. Hubby gave them 2 thumbs up.

The Bad - due to the high oil content of the muffins, and perhaps because I should have not filled them so high, they dripped cheezy buttery oil all over the oven and smoked out the kitchen. I put a cookie sheet under them when I saw what was happening but some still made it to the bottom of the oven. They still tasted great though!

The Ugly - I forgot about the state of my poor oven by yesterday and preheated the oven to 450 for some baguettes and went out onto the deck with the puppies to watch the rain. When I came in 15 minutes later the air was on the smokey side and the smoke alarm was sounding furiously.

The Outcome - the corn muffins were wonderful, the baguettes too. The dogs are over the sound of the alarm and I made dessert last night in the toaster oven. Clean the oven has been added to the honeydew list and all is well in Casa de Puppies.

TWD - Double Crusted Blueberry Pie

2008-07-08T06:20:00.004-04:00

Tuesday is the sweetest day. This week in Tuesdays With Dorie, Amy of South in Your Mouth has selected Double Crusted Blueberry Pie on pages 361-363 of Baking from my home to yours.

As always, this is a great recipe. But this was also very well timed as blueberries have been on sale in my neck of the woods. Serendipity at it's finest. Dorie starts us off with a good go-to crust, a layer of breadcrumbs on the bottom of the pie to soak up the juices and a generous serving of ripe blueberries to awaken our senses.

I had my mise en place going on - everything laid out so that I could bake unhindered when I realized that I didn't have my lemon. I had specifically bought 1 lemon for the task. (Lemons being almost a dollar each here this summer!!) I searched the fridge, shoving produce here and there and cursing hubby under my breath as by now I was sure that he had procured said lemon to use for his own purposes, likely in a gin and tonic. In defeat, I used an orange.

I have a feeling that my oven is running a little hot these days as my pie was done about 15 minutes before the hour was up but the crust was perfect. I know that ring around the edge looks a little dark, but I assure you - it was only the last millimeter that over browned. The bottom and centre were golden and glistening. The funny thing was that I was sure I had a pie crust protector. One of those rings that sits on the edges of your pie to keep it from getting too dark. I looked in all of my drawers of cooking accessories (yes, I said all) and could not find it. This would not be the first time I couldn't remember if I actually owned an item or was so used to seeing it every day at work that I thought I owned it.

The final verdict of the baked pie? Very good. My only wish is that my blueberries had more flavour. This has nothing to do with the recipe but I have found that the big, plump berries at the grocers are remarkably mild in flavour. I would like to try this again with wild blueberries. As it was only the two of us eating it, it lasted in the fridge a couple of days. Any other crust would have disintegrated but this crust maintained it's shape and great flavour. Definitely a winner. I can't wait until next Tuesday.

Oh, and the lemon? It rolled out at me and all but stuck out it's tongue when I went to make dinner.

Check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll on the sidebar of the TWD site to see how the others fared.

Magazine Mondays and a Glimpse at Toad Nirvana

2008-07-07T22:29:00.008-04:00

Magazine Mondays is a casual weekly affair created by Cream Puffs in Venice to put to use all those recipes that we read and bookmark but never end up making. Stop by and check out Cream Puff's amazing creations with strawberries this week.

I almost skipped creating a recipe from a magazine as we are still working on some leftovers but at the final hour I decided to make a cocktail from the LCBO Food and Drink magazine. This mag is a large glossy affair put out by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and is somewhat similar to Food and Wine magazine.

Berry Mint Ice

In the blender - combine 1 cup ice, 1/4 cup fresh blueberries, 1/4 cup chopped strawberries, 1 1/2 oz blueberry vodka, 5 torn mint leaves, 1 oz lemon juice and 1 oz simple syrup. Blend, pour into your favourite cocktail glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Summery, fruity and refreshing, what more could a girl ask for?

This recipe makes 1 large cocktail, multiply for guests.

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, boiled to combine and cooled. Make a batch of about 2 cups and store in the fridge for summer drinks.

I thought that I would pair this simple cocktail with some pics of the pond DH built me this summer for our teeny tiny backyard. It has become quite the toad hot spot and I have built stairways out of rocks so that they can freely pass in and out of the pond. Yesterday we added some fish, just the little $0.27 feeder fish from the pet store. I didn't want to have to worry too much if they got scooped by local wildlife.

The pond is a 4x6 fiberglass pond shell given to us by a friend. Eight years ago. It has been leaning up against the house all this time. Now that we have it in I can't remember what we looked at while we were on the deck. Like a fireplace it holds your attention in a gentle way.

And best of all, the toads. Maybe not too exciting for any of you who were raised in the country but I am a city girl, now plunked in the suburbs. I am loving the toads.

They like all the layers of rocks and nooks and crannies. The one in the sunshine is Ned and the one under the overhang is Orson. And this is their toad nirvana.

Paper Chef #31

2008-07-07T08:23:00.009-04:00

Move over Iron Chef, it is time for the Paper Chef. The monthly ingredient-driven challenge hosted by Ilva of Lucullian Delights.

This month's Paper Chef ingredients are fresh oregano, walnuts, chickpeas or chickpea flour and fish steak. The challenge will be judged by the winner of last month's challenge, Hank from Hunter Gardener Angler Cook.

I have chosen to present these ingredients in a Moroccan style, also taking full advantage of BBQ season.

I chose my fish steak by a very scientific method called whatisonsale? As I live nowhere near an ocean, good fresh fish is very dear. My local grocers sell it by 100grams to try to fool you into thinking you won't need a second mortgage. I did manage to spy an in-store special for salmon steaks and the decision was made. Oregano, on the other hand, was not a problem as I have a patch of it in the backyard that is threatening to take over the world. Who knew it could get so tall?

My submission for the Paper Chef is Grilled Salmon Steaks and Vegetables in an Oregano Chermoula with Walnut Couscous. I have harissa on the side as a condiment.

Grilled Salmon Steaks and Vegetables in Oregano Chermouloa - serves 4

4 salmon steaks
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and then width ways
1 sweet potato, sliced ¼ inch thick, width ways
1 zucchini, sliced ½ inch thick, lengthwise

Oregano Chermoula
¾ tsp kosher or sea salt
3 cloves garlic
1 pinch saffron
¾ tsp cumin seeds
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 dried chilli peppers
1 cup fresh oregano leaves
1 shallot, chopped
½ tsp coriander seeds
Few grinds fresh black pepper
¼ cup walnut oil

Puree all chermoula ingredients in blender.

Toss vegetables in ½ of the chermoula, brush remaining half on both sides of the salmon steaks. Marinate 2 hours. (refrigerate salmon steaks until ½ hour before grilling)
Grill vegetables on medium until tender, move to cool side of BBQ when getting dark.
Sear salmon steaks on med/high then turn heat down and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Serve on Moroccan Couscous

Moroccan Couscous with Walnuts and Harissa -serves 4

2 tbsp butter
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 ¼ cup chicken stock
1 can chickpeas - 19 fl oz, rinsed and drained
½ cup fresh oregano leaves
½ cup toasted walnut halves
½ cup golden raisins

Spice blend
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp turmeric
Small pinch Spanish saffron threads
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Few grinds fresh black pepper

In medium pot with lid, heat butter on medium. Add spices and stir until combined with butter and fragrant. Add couscous and stir constantly 1 minute. Add stock, chickpeas, oregano, walnuts and raisins. Stir and place lid on pot. Reduce to low and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with fork and let sit 5 minutes more - off the heat. Serve.

Harissa - a spicy pepper condiment
8 dried chillies, soaked in hot water for 40 minutes.
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
¼ cup walnut oil
½ tsp kosher or sea salt

Blend together in mini food processor, serve as a condiment to Moroccan food.

You will be happy to know that my saffron contains no alcoholic or animal matter!