Cuisine de Jan

Happy New Year 2012!

2011-12-31T21:45:00.001+01:00

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year 2012!

Paris Marché

2011-10-29T21:43:00.000+02:00

I can only say that I have been very very busy with other activities this year and rather uninspired food-wise with my local fare. Somehow vegetables packaged in plastic bags do not entice me. On my recent trip to Paris, I passed by my favourite marché and instead of being able to buy food, I took photographs. Who would not want to buy this produce and produce something exciting in the kitchen? It is such a shame that I stayed in a hotel with no cooking facilities!

Nanaimo Bars

2011-03-06T18:59:00.000+01:00

Recently one of my colleagues asked me about a tasty treat he sampled at the Canadian Stand at the Bazar International* in Luxembourg. He couldn’t remember the name but said that this Canadian specialty was so decadent that you could only eat 1 piece in a sitting and consisted of 3 layers including the chocolate topping. “Nanaimo Bars” was the first thought that came to my mind and sure enough after a google check he confirmed that was indeed the treat in question. It seems that these are so rare in Luxembourg that they are only imported for the Bazar and they sell out quickly.

Legend has it that Nanaimo Bars originated in the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Other places have also laid claim to this yummy treat and the search for documented proof of origin is on-going. Whatever the outcome these tasty treats are truly a Canadian speciality.

In my house we didn’t make Nanaimo Bars but a close and slightly simpler cousin called “Chocolate Squares”. These are also very decadent but the base layer doesn’t include egg and the middle layer omits the custard powder so the result is a little less rich and creamy. These days there are other variations of the squares that include mint and coffee flavours. I have my own ideas now for some more uniquely European spins on the recipe too.

Since this was my first attempt at the official Nanaimo bars, I used the classic recipe from the City of Nanaimo site http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/visitors/NanaimoBars.html but modified it to use ingredients that are more readily available here and adapted it to metric measurements. I replaced the graham cracker crumbs with crushed digestive biscuits, used a vanilla pudding powder and custard powder and chose a lower cocoa content chocolate than what I would normally use. I think the results were acceptably close to the original. At least I would hope that it will satisfy Nanaimo Bar cravings until the annual return of the imported “REAL THING” at the Bazar in Luxembourg.

Nanaimo Bars

Base

125 mL (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

60 mL (1/4 cup) sugar

75 mL (5 Tbsp) cocoa powder

1 egg, beaten

300 mL (1-1/4 cups) graham wafer crumbs (or digestive biscuits)

125 mL (1/2 cup) finely chopped almonds

250 mL (1 cup) shredded coconut

Melt butter, sugar and cocoa power in the top of a double boiler. Add egg; stirring until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Press firmly into an ungreased 20 cm square (8” x 8”) pan. Refrigerate.

Middle Layer

125 mL (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

40 mL (2 Tbsp + 2 tsp) cream

30 mL (2 Tbsp) vanilla custard power (Bird’s Eye or vanilla pudding powder)

500 mL (2 cups) icing sugar

Cream together butter, cream, custard powder and icing sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Spread over base layer. Refrigerate.

Topping

115 g (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate (+/- 45% cocoa content such as Cote d’Or Noir Puur)

30 mL (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter

Melt together chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler over low heat. Allow to cool then spread evenly over middle layer. Chill in refrigerator until set.

Remove from pan and slice into 16 squares.

* Bazar International is an annual charity event held at LuxExpo in Luxembourg in late November / early December.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T15:10:00.003+01:00

Europe is experiencing such extreme weather and travel chaos this year. I hope that all the stranded passengers find a way to enjoy the holiday. I was fortunate that my travel plans were not disrupted by more than a 1/2 hour delay in reaching my final destination but in the past I have missed flight connections and Christmas parties due to winter conditions.

As a child growing up in Canada, the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" didn't make a lot of sense to me since we could pretty much always count on having a white Christmas. I longed for a green Christmas. I moved to Europe to avoid the snow and extreme cold but annoyingly it seems to have followed me.

Christmas seemed to approach far more rapidly this year than usual and in spite of my early preparations, the execution of my plans to make (and beautifully decorate, I might add) lots of goodies did not happen.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Spinach & Pumpkin Curry

2010-10-13T23:36:00.000+02:00

Today is October 10th, 2010 or as it is known 10/10/10. Some are saying that this is a lucky date and since we had a lovely fall day with sunshine and warmth, I am in full agreement.

The grape harvest is in full swing along the Moselle. The vineyards are buzzing with machinery and people. I am sure the winemakers too are happy that the weather is cooperating.

Fall also brings Oktoberfest that mostly happens in September in Germany and isn’t celebrated as much in this wine making area. Although, I have seen signs for a few beer tents and celebrations while traveling around the region.

Fall also means pumpkins are in season. In Canada we mostly associate them with pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving and Jack o’lanterns at Halloween. But they are much more versatile food and can be used in muffins, cheesecakes, soups, side dishes and Indian inspired curries.

I tried this intriguing and delicious Spinach and Pumpkin Curry for a change from the usual soup or baked goods.

Spinach and Pumpkin Curry

1 kg (2 lb) pumpkin, peeled and chopped
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 mL (1 tsp) grated fresh ginger
1-2 small chiles, thinly sliced
5 mL (1 tsp) ground coriander
5 mL (1 tsp) ground cumin
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) turmeric
300 mL (10 oz) coconut cream
250 g (9 oz) spinach leaves
30 mL (2 Tbsp) fresh coriander, chopped

Heat olive oil in large pan; add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly coloured. Add garlic, ginger, chiles and spices; cook stirring until fragrant. Add pumpkin and coconut cream. Simmer until pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes. Add spinach and fresh coriander. Simmer until spinach is just wilted.

Tabbouleh

2010-09-19T22:03:00.000+02:00

Thanks to my new Luxembourgish golf friends Hana and Dan, I had large bunches of fresh parsley and mint at my disposal and Tabbouleh immediately sprung to mind. Tabbouleh is the Lebanese parsley salad made with bulgur or cracked wheat, tomatoes, green (spring) onion, mint, lemon juice and olive oil.

Many Mediterranean countries have their own similar versions of this dish. The Lebanese version uses more parsley than bulgur in the dish than the other versions.
The bulgur should be well drained to ensure that the salad is not too watery. Adjust the amount of dressing to suit the type of bulgur used and the time that it needs to absorb it. The salad can be served as an accompaniment to other dishes as you would rice or pasta, or it can be served as a starter or snack on lettuce leaves (romaine works especially well) or with pita bread.

Taboulleh
Serves 6-8
125 mL (1/2 cup) bulgur
250 mL (1 cup) boiling water
125 mL (1/2 cup) fresh lemon juice
125 mL (1/2 cup) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1250 - 1500 mL (5 - 6 cups) parsley, finely chopped
250 mL (1 cup) fresh mint, finely chopped
8 green onions, chopped
4 large tomatoes, finely diced
Rinse bulgur under cold running water; cover with boiling water and let soak for 20 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out excess moisture with hands; place in a large serving bowl. Stir in lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning. Set aside.
Combine parsley, mint, green onions and tomatoes; add to bulgur mixture. Toss and serve.

Shrimp & Mango Cocktail

2010-09-05T11:18:00.000+02:00

I thought of Shrimp Cocktail as one of the classic appetizers or starter courses, served in martini glasses with a dollop of dipping sauce of spicy horseradish and tomato in the bottom and peeled shrimp hanging from the rim. Or more elegantly served in specially designed two part shrimp cocktail glasses (the bottom glass to hold crushed ice and the top bowl for the dip).

That was until I tasted a version in Mexico that was a mixture of seafood and spicy sauce served in a taller tulip shaped ice cream sundae glass.

Ever since I tried this Camarone Coctal at Hacienda Xcanatun in the Yucatan, the shrimp and mango variation has become my favourite kind of shrimp cocktail.

Most basic shrimp or seafood cocktail sauce recipes call for either ketchup or chili sauce. I tried out both for this recipe and found to my surprise that the one with good old ketchup tasted better than the one with the chunky chili sauce.

Shrimp and Mango Cocktail
Serves 4

16 medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 small mango, chopped

Cocktail Sauce:
125 mL (1/2 cup) ketchup (or chili sauce)
15 mL (1 Tbsp) finely diced red onion
30 mL (2 Tbsp) freshly squeezed lime juice
Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, to taste
30 mL (2 Tbsp) freshly grated horseradish (black radish - radis noir)
15 mL (1 Tbsp) coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

Blend together all cocktail sauce ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour before using.

Stir in shrimp and mango; spoon into serving glasses.
(Or arrange alternating layers of sauce, shrimp and mango in serving glasses.)

Greek Salad

2010-07-28T21:14:00.000+02:00

Greek Salad has become one of my standard recipes that I can throw together. It is good in all seasons but best in the summer when the ingredients are at their best. It makes a great salad or main course. There are probably as many recipes for Greek Salad as the number of people who make it but a basic version is composed of tomatoes, olives, lettuce, feta cheese and oregano with a red wine and olive oil vinaigrette. Optional extras are cucumber, hot peppers and capers. Of course, if you can get the authentic Greek versions of olive oil, oregano, Kalamata olives, capers and feta - the better the salad will be!

Don’t worry too much about following the recipe, just throw it together with whichever of the ingredients you have on hand. 

Greek Salad
Serves 6

1/2 head of iceberg or romaine lettuce, torn
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped or sliced
1/2 red onion; chopped or sliced
1/4 English cucumber, chopped or sliced
125 mL (1/2 cup) feta cheese, crumbled
15 mL (1 Tbsp) red wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
45 mL (3 Tbsp) olive oil
5 mL (1 tsp) dried oregano
30 mL (2 Tbsp) flat leaf parsley, chopped
125 mL (1/2 cup) Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
6 hot yellow peppers (optional)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Line a large platter (or individual serving plates/bowls) with lettuce. Arrange tomato, green pepper, onion, cucumber and hot peppers on top. Sprinkle with the feta cheese. Blend red wine vinegar and olive oil; drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with oregano, parsley and olives. Season with pepper.

Espresso Granita

2010-07-25T13:47:00.000+02:00

For the last few years I felt like we had no summer. There were seemingly endless days of rain and grey and cool temperatures. So much rain that I wondered why no one was building an ark. But this year - weeks of sunshine and warm temperatures. Not quite as hot as ‘la canicule’ (heat wave) of July and August 2003 in France but hot none the less. Everyone is so much happier when the sun shines!

So instead of the usual hot morning coffee, I tried espresso granita - an iced version of coffee that is granular in texture. Yummy!!! You can always adjust the sugar content to suit your taste. I don’t take sugar in my coffee, but using sugar in the granita helps with the texture and tones down the very strong espresso. If you don’t have a food processor, stir the granita mixture every 20 minutes to keep it granular. When all the liquid has become granular, it is ready.

Espresso Granita
Makes 4-5 servings

500 mL (2 cups) water
60 mL (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
250 mL (1 cup) very strong espresso coffee, cooled
whipped cream (optional for garnish)

Heat together water and sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, remove from heat and let cool. Combine espresso with sugar syrup, place in a shallow container and freeze until solid. Remove from container by plunging the bottom in very hot water for a few seconds. Turn out frozen mixture and chop into large chunks. Place into a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until it forms small crystals. Spoon into serving glasses and top with whipped cream (if using).

Happy Birthday Canada!

2010-07-01T19:14:00.023+02:00

July 1st is Canada’s birthday. It is the anniversary of the enactment of the British North American Act in 1876. It is celebrated across Canada with special festivities and fireworks. The biggest party is probably the one on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. This year Queen Elizabeth II was in Ottawa to join in the celebrations. The future of the monarchy is often a topic for debate in Canada but when the Queen comes for a visit, Canadians line the streets to welcome her at the many stops along her route.

I wasn’t in Canada on July 1st but I celebrated by making these cookies topped with maple syrup flavoured cream and strawberries.

Cookies with Maple Cream and Strawberries

2 egg yolks

100 g (3.5 oz) butter, softened

200 g (7 oz) flour

100 g (3.5 oz) sugar

pinch of vanilla powder (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

2 pinches fleur de sel

Mix together flour, sugar, vanilla powder and fleur de sel. Stir in egg yolks then blend in butter. Let dough rest for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).

Roll out dough to a thickness of 6 mm (1/4”). Use a cookie cutter or glass to cut out cookie rounds or shapes. Place on a baking paper on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

250 mL (1 cup) 35% cream

15 mL (1 Tbsp) maple syrup

225 g (8 oz) strawberries, sliced

Whip cream and stir in maple syrup. Spread over cooled cookies. Top with sliced strawberries.

Licorice Ice Cream

2010-06-27T11:19:00.000+02:00

What a week it has been!

Last weekend in Luxembourg was the Fête de la Musique leading up to the summer solstice. There were many free music concerts around the country and fireworks to celebrate. Wednesday was Luxembourg National Day, the Grand Duke’s birthday.

Then there were the sporting dramas. The shameful antics and swift exit of the French team from the World Cup. The start, middle and finish of a 3-day 11 hour 5 minute unbelievable tennis match at Wimbledon, interrupted by darkness not rain) between the Frenchman, Nicolas Mahut and the American John Isner.

More natural disasters - tornadoes, floods and earthquakes. More concerns over the on-going oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Our cool, rainy weather turned into actual warm (hot even) and sunny summer weather. So in honour of the start of summer, I made Ice Cream. My first real ice cream made with eggs and cream. Not just any ice cream but Licorice Ice Cream. Licorice is one of my favourite flavours. This ice cream used licorice root infused in the milk and cream and has a subtle licorice flavour and a creamy colour.

Licorice Ice Cream

300 mL (10 oz) 35% (whipping) cream 

300 mL (10 oz) milk

 3 sticks licorice root* 

6 egg yolks

 110 g (4oz) sugar

Place cream, milk and licorice root into a saucepan and slowly bring up to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand to infuse for at least an hour, or longer if possible. Return pan to heat and bring back to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Pour the heated cream mixture through a sieve onto the egg yolk mixture and whisk well. Discard the licorice root. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat slowly. Gently simmer, stirring continuously, until thickened (do not allow mixture to boil). Let cool, then pour mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

* Available from health food and gourmet shops

Paris

2010-06-07T22:58:00.000+02:00

I spent the last two weeks in Paris to watch the French Open at Roland Garros. As much as I love shopping and cooking in Paris, on this trip I mostly ate out. Food is so important in Paris so it was no hardship to experience several new and old favourite restaurants.

Here are just a few photos from my meals.

A springtime salad from La Terrace near Ecole Militaire

Served with a panier du pain

The "Plateau de fruit de mer" and the lightest Millefeuille au Fruits Rouges from L'Ecaille de la Fontaine

A classic Croque Monsieur with green salad

Pizza Margarita and Macaron de Framboise from Le Jardin de Roland Garros

Mango Ice Cream

2010-05-09T21:22:00.008+02:00

This week I found the good non-fibrous tasty mangoes in Auchan. I couldn’t resist trying out my new sorbetièr (ice cream maker) to make mango ice cream with them. Delicious!!!

Mango Ice Cream

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted

250 mL (1 cup) 2% (partially skimmed) milk

45 mL (3 Tbsp) 35% (heavy or whipping) cream

30 mL (2 Tbsp) light brown sugar

10 mL (2 tsp) fresh lemon juice

Dice 1/2 of one mango and chill in the fridge. Purée remaining mango in a blender or food processor. Add milk, cream, sugar, and lemon juice; blend until sugar dissolves. Freeze the mixture according to ice cream maker recommendations (or use food processor method below*). When the ice cream is partly frozen, stir in chilled mango. Serve immediately once the ice cream is completely frozen or transfer to a container to store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

*Food Processor Method: Chop mango and freeze in a single layer for a minimum of 5 hours until solid. Pulse frozen mango with sugar until coarsely chopped. Add the mixture of milk, cream and lemon juice through the feed tube and process until smooth. Serve immediately or transfer a container to store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Sweet & Tangy Chicken Wings

2010-04-18T21:39:00.005+02:00

The skies over Luxembourg have been clear of clouds and airplanes this weekend. The ash from the eruption of Iceland’s Mount Eyjafjallajokull volcano arrived in Europe. In Luxembourg this created a slight haze in the distance and a very light powdery coating over everything. The airport was closed but I’m not sure how much of the Luxembourg closure had to do with the atmospheric conditions here and how much is due to the closure of the usual destination airports. Either way the skies were empty of the usual planes and their telltale trails.

A typical evening sky over Luxembourg

Clear Skies over Luxembourg this Weekend

Tulips are beginning to bloom. Daffodils are almost over. Trees are coming to life. Colour is returning to the world. Birds are sitting in their nests. Spring is really here.

In honour of this, and maybe partly because our local chicken wing ‘fleiten’ restaurant ‘Beim Bär’ will be moving soon to the nearby village of Wellen after about 40 years here in Nittel, I decided to make these sweet and spicy Asian flavoured chicken wings. I served them with a simple coleslaw.

Sweet & Tangy Chicken Wings

1 kg (2 lbs) chicken wings, tips and drumettes separated
10 mL (2 tsp) grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 mL (1 Tbsp) oyster sauce
30 mL (2 Tbsp) mild chile sauce
15 mL (1 Tbsp) honey
7.5 mL (1/2 tsp) cayenne pepper
7.5 mL (1/2 tsp) garam masala (or curry powder)

Combine ginger, garlic, sauces, honey and spices. Pour over chicken wings and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Place wings on a paper or foil covered tray and bake, uncovered, in a 180°C (360°F) oven for 25 minutes. Turn wings and continue to bake for another 25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

2010-04-11T21:14:00.006+02:00

Fudge is a wonderful homemade candy. It is easy to make and yet one that I had never tried in its classic form. I had made Divinity Fudge once but this Chocolate Walnut one is better I think. I very rarely ever eat fudge but it is a decadent treat that deserves a try. I made it a batch as an Easter treat for friends and wound up finding that it was too good to resist. I might just have to make some more!

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Butter
500 mL (2 cups) sugar
1 mL (1/8 tsp) salt
180 mL (3/4 cup) evaporated milk
5 mL (1 tsp) light corn syrup (or Golden Syrup)
60g (2 oz) chocolate
30 mL (2 Tbsp) butter
5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla
500 mL (2 cups) walnuts, chopped

Butter sides of a large heavy (2 L / 2 qt) saucepan (to prevent crystals from forming when the syrup boils). Combine sugar, salt, evaporated milk, corn syrup and chocolate in pan; cook, stirring over medium heat until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves. Cook to soft-ball* stage without stirring. Remove immediately from heat and add butter without stirring. Cool to lukewarm 43°C (110°F). Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture into a large bowl and beat until fudge thickens and loses its gloss. Mix in walnuts. Spread in a buttered or paper-lined 23x23x5 cm (9”x9”x2”) pan. Let cool completely and cut into squares.

* To test for soft ball stage:
Candy thermometer - Clip thermometer to the side of the pan after the syrup boils. The thermometer bulb should be well covered with the syrup and not touching the bottom of the pan. Thermometer will register 112°C to 114°C (234°F to 238°F) when soft-ball stage is reached.
Cold-water test - Drop a few drops of syrup into a bowl of very cold water. Syrup will form into a soft ball that flattens when removed from water.

Bretzel-Sonndeg

2010-03-14T11:35:00.009+01:00

Today is Brezelsonndeg (Bretzel Sunday) in Luxembourg. It is a typically Luxembougish tradition where boys offer their sweethearts bretzels (pretzels) to show their affection on the 4th Lenten Sunday or Laetare Sunday which is halfway between Ash Wednesday and Easter. If the affection is returned the boy will be rewarded with a decorated egg from his girlfriend on Easter Sunday.

Bretzels are handed on on the Grande Rue in Luxembourg City and celebrated at festivals across the country. There is even a Bretzel Queen crowned each year.

Bretzels are either pastry or soft bread pretzels that come in various sizes. They are sold in roadside cabins and bakeries. This one was made with pastry and covered in chopped nuts and icing.

Radicchio Salad

2010-02-14T22:48:00.005+01:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

A couple of weeks ago my Italian colleague was looking for the French names for a couple of ingredients. I soon realized that he was writing down a recipe for radicchio salad. I didn't know the name for radicchio in French so when I got home I looked it up in my handy “Guide des Aliments” and e-mailed him the response “chicoree de Treviso”. The next day, he told me that was not the right name for the small round radicchio but the name for the elongated endive like one. A short discussion on the different types of radicchio and chicory ensued. This prompted me to investigate further.

He was indeed correct that the elongated ones with red leaves and white ribs that are similar in shape to endive are “Radicchio di Treviso”. They actually have IGP – Indicazione Geografica Protetta – status in Italy. In Belgium and Luxembourg it is known as Rood Witloof. The small red ball-shaped radicchios that resemble small red cabbages are “Radicchio Rosso di Chioggia”. It is sometimes mislabelled in other parts of Europe and the US as radicchio de Treviso.

There are several different varieties of chicory including (Belgian or French) endive, radicchio, and curly endive. The leaves of these distant cousins of dandelion have a bitter peppery taste. They are wonderful in salads but can also be cooked. The red varieties add dramatic colour to salads. The taste of chicory works well with hazelnuts, walnuts, citrus fruit and blue cheese.

I threw together this simple but dramatic salad using radicchio, pine nuts, Roquefort cheese and a simple vinaigrette.

Lentil Soup with Cilantro and Tomatoes

2010-02-07T19:26:00.009+01:00

We had more snow during the week. Light flurries throughout the day that added up to a massive traffic jam in Luxembourg city by the evening rush hour. By the time I got home (3 hours after leaving the office instead of the usual 40 minutes) it was raining. The next day, it was +6°C and in the afternoon the grey blanket across the sky parted and the sun shone giving the ray of hope that we are nearing the end of winter. I have been noticing other signs that spring is just around the corner too. Birds have been building nests in the trees. Not sure why I never noticed this in previous years but it could be that they are a bit difficult to spot amongst the mistletoe we are used to seeing hanging in the branches. In the larger trees there are more robust twiggy nests and in the smaller trees more mossy looking ones. I also spotted shoots breaking ground for the early spring flowers.

Lentil soup seemed to me to be a good thing to serve during this bridge period between winter to spring.

Lentil Soup with Cilantro and Tomatoes
Serves 6

15 mL (1 Tbsp) olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
180 mL (3/4 cup) red lentils
2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) cans chopped tomatoes
2 L (8 cups) water
1 chicken stock cube
80 mL (1/3 cup) chopped cilantro*
10 mL (2 tsp) turmeric
5 mL (1 tsp) paprika
5 mL (1 tsp) black peppercorns, cracked
Pinch ground cumin

Heat oil in a large soup pot; add onion and garlic, cook, stirring, until onions are soft. Stir in lentils, chopped tomatoes, water, stock cube, cilantro, turmeric, paprika and peppercorns; bring to a boil, the simmer uncovered for about 1-1/2 hours (or until lentils are tender).
Remove most** of the solids from the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Blend puréed solids back into the soup and stir until heated through. Sprinkle with cumin and serve.

*Cilantro is also known as fresh coriander.
* *Amount will vary depending on the texture you want for the soup.

Beet and Chocolate Fudge Brownies

2010-01-31T21:29:00.004+01:00

It was another snowy weekend in Luxembourg and surrounding areas. I have not seen this much snow in the previous 10 years that I have spent in Europe combined. My colleagues have been commenting that this would be nothing for me being a Canadian and that I must be used to the cold and the snow. To which I point out that I came here to avoid the very snowy and cold Canadian winters. The impression here is that the vast wilderness of Canada is very beautiful in winter. It can be in urban areas when one does not have to go to work. In the cities the story is very different – the snow can turn to slush and then freeze making roads and sidewalks very hazardous. It is not fun to experience -20°C especially when wind chill factor is factored in. Fortunately we have not experienced such cold weather here (hope I am not jinxing that by stating it). The older I get the less tolerant of winter I become.

There is still work to be done in the vineyards even in the snow.

To compensate for the weather, I decided to make something chocolaty. Since I had raw beets (rather hard to come by in the grocery stores here), I cooked them intending to make salad but in the end sacrificed one for these moist and delicious brownies.

Beet and Chocolate Fudge Brownies

250 mL (1 cup) butter

100 g (4 oz) unsweetened chocolate (70% cocoa)

250 mL (1 cup) cassonade (or Muscovado) sugar

5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 large cooked beet, grated

250 mL (1 cup) all-purpose flour

2.5 mL (½ tsp) salt

Melt half of the butter and the chocolate in a double boiler. Let cool.

Cream together the remaining butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape bowl and blend in the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat in grated beet. Stir in flour and salt. Pour into a greased and floured 29 x 23 x 4 cm (11-1/2 x 9 x 1-1/2 “) baking pan; bake in 175°C (350°F) oven for 45 minutes (or until done). Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Haïti

2010-01-24T21:37:00.006+01:00

I was in Port-au-Prince, Haïti during the last week of November, 1985 just two months before President Jean-Claude (Bébé Doc) Duvalier was ousted from power and exiled to France. It was also the time that AIDS was spreading and Haïti was hit hard by the epidemic and the loss of tourism.
Haïti was once known as the "Pearl of the Caribbean" and was France's richest colony (owing to slaves working in the sugar plantations). It is now the poorest of the Caribbean nations. A striking example of that is just a stones throw from the Presidential Palace, Cité Soleil, the worst slum in the Americas. This nation that is the western third of the island of Hispanola has had a long and difficult history. It has suffered from invasions, political unrest, corruption, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. The poverty is overwhelming to the point that it has aggrivated the deforestation which in turn lead to mudslides that choked the ocean and killed the fish causing even more food shortages.

The people are very resilient and the smiles on the faces of the school children beam. My memories of Haïti include:
- the little boy who poked me with a stick (to see if I was real I guess) then laughed and ran off
- a visit to La Belle Epoch restaurant where I first ate conch soup and fried plantain chips
- the view of the very outside of Cité Soleil
- the amazing colourful paintings (which sadly I didn't buy)
- world's best vanilla and coffee
- visit to an orchid nursery
- seeing how snails are packaged for shipping to a US restaurant
- visit to the industrial park outside Port-au-Prince where they made baskets by hand

I feel for the losses of the survivors of the earthquake but live in the hope that they will be able to build a better Haïti out of the ruins.

Unfortunately I don't have any Haitian creole recipes to share but will work on finding some.

Tangy Tender Spareribs

2010-01-10T13:41:00.011+01:00

Europe is experiencing one of the most severe winters in decades. Snow has been falling and staying on the ground due to the freezing temperatures. Driving has been hazardous and there have been lots of train and flight delays and cancellations. Today on the Germany / Luxembourg border we have a light dusting of snow and a temperature of -3°C with more of the same expected for the rest of this week.

Snow covered vineyards beside the Mosel in Germany

With all this wintery weather I might be forgiven for thinking about posting a recipe for comfort food instead of something light and healthy to make up for excesses of the holiday season. Spareribs are probably thought of as summer food - parboiled and finished on the barbecue. In this recipe, they are covered in sauce and slow cooked in the oven. The pork will be fall off the bone tender but a bit greasy. You could wait until the ribs are partially cooked to remove some of the grease before adding the sauce. The barbecue sauce and lemon make this dish tangy. I suggest serving it with coleslaw and rice.

Tangy Tender Spareribs

½ cup water
1-1/2 tsp Bisto
½ cup barbecue sauce
500 g (1 lb) pork spareribs cut into individual ribs
1 onion cut in slices
1 lemon, cut in slices

Mix together water, Bisto and barbecue sauce. Place ½ of onion and lemon slices on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Place the ribs in a single layer on top, then the remaining onion and lemon slices. Cover with sauce and bake in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 2-1/4 hours to 3-1/4 hours, until ribs are tender.

Happiness Cake

2009-12-27T16:30:00.007+01:00

Today would have been my mother's 75th birthday. In the late 60's or early 70's she was fond of Graham Kerr's Galloping Gourmet cooking show and would laugh at his entrance of jumping over a chair with a glass of wine in hand. She would try to write down his recipes - her handwriting started off very neat and tidy but got larger and messier as the show progressed. The pace of the show was too fast to be able to copy down the recipes! Mum did try to introduce us to some new recipes but we kids weren't too keen at the time. It's a different story now but sadly she was not around to see how our cooking and tastes have progressed over the years.

While going through the binder where she kept the handwritten recipes, I found one which is different from all the rest. I don't know where this recipe originated but here is my Mother's copy.

Everyone's Favourite Apricot Squares

2009-12-25T18:47:00.009+01:00

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone all the best for the holiday season.

I first made Apricot Squares many years ago for Christmas. The recipe is adapted from a Canadian Living recipe magazine - Christmas Edition from the 1980's . I not only make this at Christmas but anytime when I have company visit and everyone loves it. My friend and former housemate, Suzanne, used to excitedly ask "Are you going to make THEM?" whenever I brought home dried apricots. My Aunts worriedly wondered why I was putting the rest in the freezer when they would be visiting for a couple more days. Almost everyone asks for the recipe so here it is!

Everyone's Favourite Apricot Squares

BASE:
125 mL (1/2 cup) butter, softened
250 mL (1 cup) all-purpose flour
60 mL (1/4 cup) granulated sugar

FILLING:
150 mL (2/3 cup) dried apricots
250 mL (1cup) water
2 egg yolks
175 mL (3/4 cup) packed brown sugar
125 mL (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 mL (1/2 tsp) baking powder

ICING:
425 mL (1-3/4 cups) approx. icing sugar
50 mL (1/4 cup) butter, softened
30 mL (2 Tbsp) lemon juice
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) grated lemon rind

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).

BASE:
In bowl, cream butter. Add flour and sugar; mix well. Press into bottom of 2.5 L (9-inch) square cake pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

FILLING:
While base is baking, chop apricots into small pieces. In small saucepan, combine apricots with water and bring to a boil; simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and apricots are tender. Set aside.
In bowl and using electric mixer, beat egg yolks for 1 minute; add brown sugar and beat for 1 minute. Stir in flour and baking powder; mix well. Blend in apricot mixture; spread over warm base.
Bake in 160ºC (325ºF) for 30 to 40 minutes or until top is golden and springs back when lightly touched. Let cool.

ICING:
In small bowl, gradually beat icing sugar into butter to a smooth spreadable consistency. Blend in lemon juice and rind. Spread over apricot filling. Cut into small rectangles to serve.

These freeze beautifully so you can make them in advance.

Fresh Ginger Cookies

2009-12-20T16:59:00.009+01:00

I awakened to a snow covered landscape and -14°C outside. Not much snow but for me any snow is too much and any temperature below +10°C is way too cold. We have more snow on the way but the temperatures should warm up a bit. Some think of a white Christmas as romantic and special. It can be as long as you don’t have to leave the house. After so many years of Canadian winters I know the reality of having to clean the car and the sidewalks of snow and ice, treacherous driving conditions, late flights and missed airline connections, and other such annoyances and hazards.

My idea of a White Christmas involves palm trees, white sandy beaches and warm temperatures. Something feels right about Christmas in the tropics.

Since I am not in the tropics and am surrounded by a winter wonderland, I decided to make some Fresh Ginger Cookies. These use freshly grated ginger and molasses to make dark and spicy cookies that are a cross between ginger cookies and gingerbread.

Fresh Ginger Cookies
Makes about 30

500 mL (2¼ cups) flour
5 mL (1 tsp) baking soda
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt
30 mL (2 Tbsp) grated fresh ginger
180 mL (12 Tbsp) butter, at room temperature
180 mL (3/4 cup) sugar
60 mL (¼ cup) molasses
1 egg
Additional sugar for rolling

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together ginger, butter and sugar. Beat in molasses and egg. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Chill for a minimum of 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Roll dough into cm (1-1/2”) balls and roll in extra sugar. Place 5cm (2”) apart on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until edges start to brown (centres will be slightly soft). Let stand on baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Christmas Fruitcake Cookies

2009-12-13T20:13:00.011+01:00

Fruitcake is a British specialty. These heavy cakes laden with preserved fruit and nuts are a Christmas tradition. There are two versions – dark and light. Fruitcakes have a mixed review. They are loved by some and hated by others. They can be soaked with rum or brandy.

My preference is for light fruitcake using some mixed peel, dried apricots, the traditional raisins and almonds. My friend Anne and I would get together in Ottawa to prepare the fruitcakes over Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. In recent years, I have switched from making fruitcakes to making fruitcake cookies, which seem to be more popular. The best ones are made from freshly prepared candied fruit (from my olive merchant at the marché in Paris or specialty food stores) mixed with dried apricots. The mixed candied fruit from supermarkets tends to all taste the same and should be avoided if possible. When it is not possible, use in combination with other dried fruit.

This recipe uses a combination of mixed candied fruit and peel, dried apricots, raisins and dried cranberries with almonds.

Fruitcake Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen

250 mL (1 cup) golden raisins
250 mL (1 cup) candied fruit (Macedonia mix, yellow & green pineapple, candied peel), chopped
125 mL (1/2 cup) dried apricots, chopped
125 mL (1/2 cup) fresh, dried cranberries, coarsely copped
125 mL (1/2 cup) slivered blanched almonds
125 mL (4 Tbsp / 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
250 mL (1 cup) granulated sugar
1 large egg
50 mL (1/4 cup) orange juice
425 mL (1-3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
5 mL (1 tsp) baking powder

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Combine raisins, candied fruit and peel, cranberries, apricots and almonds; toss with 50 mL (1/4 cup) flour. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg and orange juice. Combine remaining flour and baking powder; stir into batter. Add reserved fruit and mix thoroughly.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cookies can be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 weeks.

Tourtières

2009-11-29T17:46:00.016+01:00

Tourtière is a traditional French Canadian pork pie usually served on Christmas Eve. When I spent Christmas visiting friends in Ottawa, we would buy a very good one ready made from Sasloves in the Byward Market. It makes for an easy main course after winter days of shopping, visiting, tennis playing or other activities when you don’t have time to cook. Tourtière is traditionally served with chilli sauce but my friend, Anne, serves it with tomato butter, a richer tastier option.

I make this mini-version of tourtière and freeze it in preparation for holiday gatherings.

Mini Tourtières

Makes about 24 tourtières

Filling:

15 mL (1 Tbsp) butter

500 g (1 lb) ground pork (or a mixture of ground pork and beef)

50 mL (1/4 cup) finely chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

25 mL (2 Tbsp) all-purpose flour

1 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cloves

50 mL (1/4 cup) strong beef stock

Pastry:

375 mL (1-1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

1 mL (1/4 tsp) salt

150 mL (2/3 cup) cold unsalted butter

45 mL (3 Tbsp) approx. cold water

Glaze:

1 egg, beaten

10 mL (2 tsp) water

Filling:

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add pork; cook stirring constantly to break up the meat. Stir in parsley, garlic, onion and celery. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in flour, cloves and stock; cook, stirring until mixture thickens. Process pork mixture in a food processor fitted with a metal blade using pulse motion for 3 or 4 seconds or until finely ground. Transfer to bowl, cover and set aside.

Pastry:

In food processor, combine flour, salt and butter. Process with pulse motion for a few seconds. Sprinkle with water and mix until soft dough forms, adding up to 15 mL (1 Tbsp) more water if necessary. (Alternatively, place flour and salt in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with water and mix until soft dough forms.)

On lightly floured board, roll out half the pastry 3 mm (1/8”) thick. Use 7.5 cm (3”) round cookie cutter to cut circles. Place in 5.5 cm (2-1/4”) muffin tins. Fill with pork mixture. Roll out pastry scraps and cut into circles 1 cm (1/2”) in diameter; place on top of pork mixture.

Glaze:

In small bowl, beat together egg and water.

Brush small pastry circles with egg wash and bake in a preheated 220°C (425°F) oven for 25 minutes. Let cool slightly and remove from tins.

Freeze tourtières, uncovered, in single layer on baking sheets. Do not thaw before reheating.

To reheat: Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Bake frozen tourtières in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes or until sizzling.

Lemon Walnut Tea Loaf

2009-11-22T10:07:00.004+01:00

Darkness falls so early at this time of year and my thoughts are starting to turn to Christmas or more specifically Christmas baking. Of course this could also have something to do with being reunited with my KitchenAid mixer after a long while too! Since it is a bit early to start Christmas preparations, I decided to make this simple but delicious lemon walnut tea loaf to use some of the wonderful fresh walnuts from Onsdorf, in the Trier-Saarburg region of Germany, that were thoughtfully given to me by Helga.

Lemon Walnut Tea Loaf
Makes 1 loaf

125 mL (1/2 cup) butter, softened
160 mL (2/3 cup) sugar
2 eggs
500 mL (2 cups) flour
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) baking powder
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) salt
80 mL (1/3 cup) milk
125 mL (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts
30 mL (2 Tbsp) grated lemon zest
Lemon Glaze (see below)

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into batter in thirds, alternating with milk. Stir in walnuts and lemon zest. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 55 - 65 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Lemon Glaze. Brush loaf with lemon glaze and leave to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Lemon Glaze
60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
45 mL (3 Tbsp) sugar

Place lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Truffles

2009-11-15T10:58:00.011+01:00

Truffles are the pungent, rare, mysterious and much coveted mushrooms that grow underground. Truffles are born when the right combination of tree (notably oak, chestnut, hazelnut or willow), mushroom spore and environmental conditions (limestone soil, rain at the optimum time and quantity, favourable temperatures) exist. This does happen in nature but in very limited areas. Traditional truffle hunters in the forests of France and Italy guard their troves with utmost secrecy lest others catch on to where to find these rare delicacies. Truffle cultivation is developing and the theories on the best way to produce viable crops have changed over the last decade. The success rate is improving.

The most renowned and sought after truffles are of the ‘tuber melanosporum’ variety (also known as Périgord truffles). These come from the south of France, and in a limited way in Italy and Spain.
In northern France, in the Bourgogne, Champagne and Lorraine regions, it is the ‘tuber uncinatum’ or Burgundy truffle that adapts to the northern European climatic conditions. Harvesting truffles is relatively simple as they grow near to the surface. Finding them is another matter. For that you need a pig or a specially trained dog. Traditionally it was pigs that found the truffles. They are naturally attracted to the smell of truffles but the challenge is to keep them from eating them before you can get them into the basket. Dogs do not have the natural instinct to eat truffles and can be trained to find them successfully.
This weekend, on my first trip with Slow Food Luxembourg, we went to La truffière de St-Remy-La-Calonne in the Meuse department (Lorraine region) of France. We were met and given the guided tour by the very knowledgeable and welcoming M. Michel Garzandat.

Afterward, we were treated to a delicious lunch of truffle specialities – truffle butter, pâté, scrambled eggs then the main course of chicken with truffle cream sauce and mashed potato with truffle followed by brie with truffle. A truffle lover’s heaven, I can assure you!!

Truffière de Saint-Remy
14bis, rue André Maginot – 55160 Fresnes-en-Woëvre
+33 3 29 87 30 63
www.truffiere.org

The Truffière is located in the Lorraine region of northeastern France - approximately 40 km from Metz, 20 km from Verdun and 100 km from Nancy.

Truffle Butter

250 g (8 oz) butter (unsalted, half-salt or salted)
60 g (2 oz) truffles, finely diced
Salt, to taste

Mix butter, salt and truffles with a fork. Serve over bread, toast, rice or pasta.
The butter will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Prosciutto with Manchego and Quince Jelly

2009-10-11T18:36:00.007+02:00

Last week I started a new work assignment and one of my new colleagues was kind enough to offer the members of our team some homemade Gelée de coing or Quince Jelly. I had never tried quince before but this jelly is delicious. I am so lucky.

Quince (coing in French) is fruit that resemble apples but are firmer in texture and a vibrant yellow in colour when ripe. They have a stronger flavour than apples and are often added to pies, apple sauce and other apple recipes to enhance the flavour. Quince are usually cooked but can also be eaten raw.

I decided to do a variation of the Spanish tapas which pairs Manchego cheese with 'membrillo' a friut paté made of quince. In this recipe, I added proscuitto ham as the base for the appetizer. I think this is a very good match. I also tried it with some local Luxembourg cured ham and cheese but found their flavours to be too strong for the jelly.

Prosciutto with Manchego and Quince Jelly
Serves 4

4 slices of prosciutto di Parma, cut into 2.5 cm (1”) strips across the width
225 g (1/2 lb) wedge Manchego cheese, chilled
Quince jelly, enough for a small drop on each piece

Fold strips of prosciutto in two to make squares. Heat a non-stick pan and fry the prosciutto until firm and slightly darker in colour (add oil if you don’t have a non-stick pan). Transfer to paper towels to drain. Cut or shave pieces of Manchego cheese to match number and size of pieces of prosciutto. Place cheese on top of prosciutto and top with dollops of quince jelly. Serve warm.

Tea and Scones

2009-10-10T20:26:00.009+02:00

We all know how to make tea, right? Boil the kettle, pop a tea bag into a mug, add boiled water and let steep to preferred strength. Remove teabag, add milk, lemon, sugar or honey, if desired, then sit back and enjoy.
Or we could make a pot of tea using loose leaf tea. Remember to preheat the pot with hot water before adding the tealeaves and perfectly boiled water. Let steep to desired strength and serve in proper teacups. The debate continues about whether the teapot should be cleaned with soap and water or just rinsed out. My preference is to use soap and water (and occasionally baking soda) to clean my teapots. However you make your tea, these cranberry cream scones will go nicely with it.

Cranberry Cream Scones
Serves 6-8

500 mL (2 cups) all-purpose flour
20 mL (4 tsp) baking powder
5 mL (1 tsp) granulated sugar
1 mL (1/4 tsp) salt
50 mL (1/4 cup) butter, cut in cubes
125 mL (1/2 cup) chopped dried cranberries
2 eggs
150 mL (2/3 cup) whipping cream

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cranberries.
In small bowl, lightly whisk eggs with cream; pour into centre of the dry ingredients and blend quickly with fork until mixed.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Roll out to 2 cm (3/4”) thick and cut into 6 cm (2-1/2”) rounds.

Bake in 200°C (400°F) oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Mediterranean Pizza

2009-09-27T20:41:00.005+02:00

The Marché Saxe-Breteuil is my favourite marché in Paris. It is in the 7é arrondissement near UNESCO and l’école militaire. On my last trip there I bought tomates confits (sun-blushed tomatoes), artichoke and some of my favourite Kalamata olives. I also bought cheese, Pélardon des Cévennes aux garrigues chèvre fermier (AOC). This is a small soft-ripened goat’s cheese from the Languedoc region in the south of France.
These ingredients gave me the idea to throw together this Mediterranean Pizza.

I sliced the artichoke and sun blushed tomatoes, chopped the olives and scattered them over homemade dough (recipe can be found in Feb 2008 archive). I cut the cheese into small chunks and placed it on top with some fresh basil. Popped it into the preheated 200°C (390°F) oven for about 12 minutes.

Gâteau au chocolat

2009-09-13T21:42:00.007+02:00

The temperatures over the last week have been crazy, the mornings started out with cool temperatures and by afternoon we were in sweltering ones. It is not easy to dress for days that start out at 11°C and end up at 30°C. Fall is here!!

I had a craving for chocolate cake and decided that since I had all the ingredients including some good quality chocolate, I would make this flourless version. My preference is for Valrhona chocolate but this time I used Côte d’Or Culinaire chocolate (there was a special deal on it at Delhaize recently) and found it to be an acceptable substitute. This cake is intense in chocolate flavour and using a good quality one is very important. The cake is rich and gooey like a fudge brownie. As I was making it, I thought about what possible additions I would make for future versions such as pears, raspberries, mango, star anise or red chile pepper. It is very tasty on its own but I think adding something would really enhance the flavour and make the cake more unique. It can be served with cream (either drizzled over or whipped), ice cream or sorbet.

Gâteau au Chocolat
Serves 6-8

125 g (4-1/2 oz) bittersweet Valrhona chocolate, chopped
125 mL (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
175 mL (3/4 cup) sugar
3 large eggs
125 mL (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line bottom of a 20 cm (8”) round spring-form pan with parchment paper; butter paper and ring of pan.

Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler, stirring, until smooth. Remove top pan of double boiler from heat, whisk in sugar; add eggs and whisk until well incorporated. Add cocoa powder and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on middle rack of oven for 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes then transfer to a serving plate.
Serve warm or cold.

Completely cooled cake can be stored in an airtight container for 1 week.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-09-02T19:49:00.008+02:00

When I was on vacation in Ontario, my friends Suzanne and Carol told me about eating oatmeal. Apparently while I had been in Europe breakfasting on croissants or pain au chocolat and café au lait (“le petit dejeuner français”), my friends have been eating oatmeal for breakfast. My Dad used to make us oatmeal for breakfast when we were kids (breakfast was his domain) and he still eats oatmeal. Back then we had instant Quaker Oats in the single serving packages – just add boiling water, stir and in 5 minutes – breakfast was served with a spoonful of sugar added. It seems that my friends have rediscovered oatmeal and are profiting from its many benefits. It keeps you going until lunchtime by giving you that feeling of fullness due to its high soluble fibre content and it prevents the sugar lows. It promotes weight loss. Oatmeal provides the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants we need. The debate seems to be over whether to use rolled oats or steel cut oats. In my search so far in Luxembourg I have only found rolled but I am sure the steel cut can be found somewhere now that I know what it looks like!

Regular rolled oatmeal takes about 15 minutes to cook on the stove and about 3 minutes in the microwave using 125 mL (1/2 cup) of oatmeal and 250 mL (1 cup) water. For variety, add extras like raisins, dried cranberries, brown sugar, honey, fresh fruit and berries.

In France I never found oatmeal in the grocery store, but then I never spent much time looking in the cereal aisle. But a couple of years ago, my lovely and talented young 9-year old friend, Natalie, came over for a visit armed with oatmeal so that we could make her family’s secret Oatmeal Cookie recipe together. Natalie added Smarties to some and white chocolate chunks to others as her own special twist to the family recipe. I would not have thought of that! The cookies were a hit but as they were from a secret recipe, I had to research my own to use for this blog. I hope that Natalie would like these ones just as much.

Dried cranberries can be substituted for the raisins. I added chunks of dark chocolate to half of the batch.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes approximately 2 dozen

125 mL (1/2 cup / 4 ounces) butter, softened 
160 mL (2/3 cup) light brown sugar
1 egg 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) pure vanilla extract 
175 mL (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking soda 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon 
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) salt
375 mL (1-1/2 cups) rolled oats 
175 mL (3/4 cup) raisins

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar: beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop batter, 5 cm (2”) apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are golden at the edges but still just done on top. Let stand on the baking sheet for five minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Tapanade and Tarama

2009-08-23T21:33:00.013+02:00

A Martini conjures up images of elegance for me. Not that I have ever sipped one while wearing a ball gown and being surrounded by men in tuxes but it does somehow give off that illusion (perhaps from old movies). The closest I ever got was sipping one at the Hemmingway Bar in The Ritz, Paris. That WAS a sublime Martini - very dry, ice cold with a twist of lemon and servied with an exquisite tray of hors d'oeuvres. The 22€ price tag was worth it for the experience, ambiance and the sense of being in Paris at The Ritz.

This is not to take away from the cottage Martini experience. Sitting on the deck overlooking the lake, Martini in hand getting ready for the sunset with some of my favourite people and hors d'oeuvers - cucumber with tapenade and radish with tarama. Decadence!!!!

Our preference is a Martini made with Tanquaray or Bombay Sapphire gin. You can substitute vodka for the gin if that is your preference. We also prefer a twist of lemon peel (extracted with a tomato peeler to remove as little of the white pith as possible) to the olive.

Classic Gin Martini
Serves 1

75 mL (2-1/2 oz) Gin 
15 mL (1/4 oz) Dry Vermouth 
1 twist of lemon peel or 1 large green olive
6 ice cubes

Chill bottle of gin and martini glasses in the freezer. Pour gin and vermouth over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until combined and very cold. Pour into martini glasses over lemon peel or olive.

Gazpacho with Grilled Shrimp

2009-08-09T21:09:00.007+02:00

This is the perfect time of year to make the Spanish specialty of gazpacho, the refreshing chilled tomato based soup made with raw summer vegetables. There are many variations of gazpacho from smooth to chunky, mild to spicy and using different vegetables. How I would love to have a garden to raid for the tastiest ingredients – tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, green onions and herbs. Failing that, the next best thing would be to shop at a farmers or local market. Fresh ingredients are key to this soup since it is not cooked.

Gazpacho takes a bit of effort and time to prepare due to chopping the vegetables and the couple of hours to properly chill it. If you plan on making the smooth version, the vegetables are rough chopped then processed in a food processor before adding the tomato juice (or in a blender, adding just enough tomato juice to properly blend the ingredients). For a chunky version, chop all vegetables to approximately the same size dice depending on your preference. Or you can process some of the vegetables and blend them with the chopped ones. I prefer the soup to have the finely chopped texture and a little bit of spice.

Gazpacho with Grilled Shrimp
Serves 4-6

GAZPACHO
125 mL (½ cup) finely diced red or yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green or yellow pepper, finely diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
5 mL (1 tsp) honey
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice of 1 lime
15 mL (1 Tbsp) fresh basil, chopped
2.5 mL (½ tsp) ground cumin
60 mL (¼ cup) chopped parsley
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper and cayenne, to taste
1 L (4 cups) tomato juice

Combine all gazpacho ingredients in a large bowl or glass pitcher and chill well.

GRILLED SHRIMP
16-18 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Juice of 1 lime
15 mL (1 Tbsp) olive oil
15 mL (1 Tbsp) chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp chile powder

Whisk together limejuice and oil. Mix in cilantro, garlic and chile powder. Thread shrimp on skewers (to facilitate turning during grilling), place on platter; cover with marinade and let sit for at least ½ hour. Grill over medium coals until shrimp are opaque, about one minute per side.

To serve: Ladle gazpacho into individual bowls and top with 3-4 of the grilled shrimp.

Cottage Banana Bread

2009-08-04T14:48:00.003+02:00

As small kids, my brother and I got to visit a cottage in Pugwash, Nova Scotia for a few weeks in the summer. Our family did not have a cottage but thanks to our Dad, who is very handy at building things and just happened to help his friends, the owners, transform the cottage from a nice little cabin with outhouse, to a more luxurious place with indoor plumbing and a couple more rooms. This was our introduction to the cottage lifestyle, and the place where we learned about fireflies, tides, not stepping on jellyfish, sailing catamarans and salmon casserole made with potato chips instead of pasta.

In high school in Ontario, we learned that the summer tradition is to get out of the city and go to a cottage on a lake. Many families had cottages, small cabins hidden amongst the trees by a lake. In the good old days, mothers would take the kids to the cottage for the entire summer holiday and the fathers would show up on weekends and the couple of weeks for their annual vacation. A cottage is a step above camping as the structure is more permanent but the idea is still to bring in your supplies (food, water, other beverages, bedding and whatever you need to survive a week or month or two). It was still intended to be somewhat of a wilderness sojourn where there were some hardships to endure (outhouses, no running water, no hot water, mosquitoes, to name a few). Cottages were for casual living, a place where you spent every day in bathing suits, shorts, and t-shirts. Towels were thrown over deck railings to dry in preparation for the next swim. A canoe was the means of transportation to visit the neighbours. Meals were cooked on the barbecue and sundowners were served on the deck for the adults while watching the sunset over the lake. Still my family did not have a cottage, but I did have the pleasure of visiting some friends’ cottages.

I spent last week at my friend Anne’s cottage on Pike Lake, near Perth, Ontario. We stocked up on supplies at Foodsmith’sin Perth on our way in. This cottage has running hot and cold water, an indoor toilet, a full kitchen, 3 bedrooms, and now new windows. I enjoyed gourmet cuisine using fresh local ingredients (no grilled hot dogs for us) while enjoying the lovely scenery. Ontario is experiencing the same changeable weather that we are having in Western Europe this summer so I did not get in swimming but I did enjoy the sundowners on the deck served with canapés.

Another tradition of cottage life is baking and Anne made banana bread and fruit muffins for us to enjoy at breakfast.

Here is Anne's Banana Bread recipe:

Canadian Cottage Banana Bread

440 mL (1-3/4 cup) all-purpose flour, sifted
12 mL (2-1/4 tsp) double acting baking powder
2.5 mL (½ tsp) salt
80 mL (1/3 cup) butter
160 mL (2/3 cup) sugar
4 mL (¾ tsp) grated lemon rind
1-2 beaten eggs
250 mL (1 cup) ripe banana pulp
60 mL (¼ cup) sour cream (crème fraiche)
125 mL (½ cup) chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Blend butter, sugar and lemon rind until creamy. Add sifted ingredients to creamed batter a third at a time and beat until smooth after each addition. Fold in sour cream and nuts. Place batter in a greased 11 cm x 22 cm (8-1/2” x 4-1/2”) loaf tin. Bake for about 1 hour or until done. Cool before slicing.

Spicy Calamari Salad

2009-07-12T21:00:00.012+02:00

Calamari or kalamari (squid) was one of my favourite dishes from the Greek restaurants on the Danforth in Toronto. Calamari is cut into rings, lightly battered and quickly deep fried then served with tzatziki and lemon wedges. Done properly these are crispy and light - not greasy or rubbery. I rarely deep fry anything so it is a treat to find good fried calamari to eat when I go out.

When I get fresh calamari, I like to make this Spicy Calamari Salad instead. Cleaning the squid is not for the squeamish. It is not difficult to do but it is messy. First the head is separated from the body, the skin layer removed, the insides cleaned out and the spine removed. For this recipe, the squid tubes are cut open which makes the cleaning process a little easier. The tricks to avoid tough calamari are to score the inside of the tubes to break up the membranes and to stir fry quickly in small batches over high heat. I don't mind eating the tentacle part. To prepare it remove the tentacles from the beak just above the eyes and cut off the extra long tentacle.

The star anise adds a nice hint of licorice flavour that works well with the chilli sauce. If you are in México, ask for star anise as "anis estrella" at the pharmacy.

Spicy Calamari Salad
Makes 4-6 servings

500 g (1 lb) medium calamari, cleaned
10 mL (2 tsp) freshly grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2.5 mL (½ tsp) cayenne pepper
15 mL (1 Tbsp) chopped coriander leaves
2.5 mL (½ tsp) five spice powder
2 star anise, crushed
60 mL (¼ cup) mild sweet chilli sauce
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil
500 mL (2 cups) mesclun mix (mixed baby salad leaves)

DRESSING:
60 mL (1/4 cup) olive oil
15 mL (1 Tbsp) red wine vinegar
10 mL (2 tsp) sugar
10 mL (2 tsp) lime juice

Cut calamari tubes open, score shallow diagonal slashes in criss-cross pattern on the inside surface; cut into 2 cm x 6 cm (3/4” x 2-1/2”) pieces. Combine ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, coriander, five spice powder, anise and sauce in bowl; add calamari and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Heat oil in wok or pan, add calamari in batches and stir-fry over high heat about 1 minute or until calamari is opaque and tender.

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well to mix.
Serve warm calamari over salad leaves drizzled with dressing.

Vichyssoise

2009-07-05T16:04:00.005+02:00

The past few days have been so hot here that it makes thinking about cooking and eating difficult. It got me thinking about Vichyssoise. I love the sound of the name. Somehow the name Leek and Potato Soup does not have the same cachet. It is a lovely thick creamy cold soup that seemed perfect for cooling off.

One of my old favourite restaurants near my apartment in Paris (sadly is has been taken over by new management and no longer serves the same food) had it on the menu but for a twist added mussels. I quite liked that idea and tried it with the Vichyssoise I made this weekend.

Vichyssoise can also be served hot.

With mussels

... and without

Vichyssoise
Serves 4

30 g (2 Tbsp) butter
3 large leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
150 g (5 oz) potatoes, diced
1 L (4 cups) chicken stock
Salt & pepper to taste
125 mL (1/2 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream
60 mL (1/4 cup) 35% cream, whipped
15 mL (1 Tbsp) chives, chopped

Melt butter in a large pot; add the leeks, cover with baking paper and cook without colouring, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or just until tender. Add potatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the soup into a blender or food processor and purée. Pour into a large bowl and mix in the crème fraîche or sour cream. Let cool and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Pour into chilled bowls and serve cold. Garnish the soup with a dollop of whipped cream and the chopped chives.

Roquefort Sauce & CarChick.ca

2009-06-27T17:06:00.005+02:00

My friend, Lynda Sydney, a talented freelance copywriter working in Toronto, recently started her CarChick.ca blog to share her love of cars and driving with other like minded women. This is an informative and fun blog that covers driving and car care tips, service secrets, auto reviews, fun facts and more.
I was honoured that Lynda asked me to write an article related to driving in Paris and you can read my guest posting about when I got my little Peugeot here.

This was one of Lynda's favourite sauces to serve over grilled steak when she was in Paris.

Roquefort Sauce
Serves 4

15 mL (1 Tbsp) butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) black pepper, crushed
5 mL (1 tsp) fond de veau (veal stock powder)
80 mL (1/3 cup) white wine
60 mL (¼ cup) Roquefort cheese
80 mL (1/3 cup) whipping cream (35%)

Sauté garlic in butter until softened by not coloured. Add veal stock and wine; simmer until sauce is reduced by half. Add whipping cream and warm through. Add Roquefort a little at a time and stir to blend. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a metal spoon.

Pour over grilled steaks and serve with a bottle of Reserva Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile Concha.

Scottish Fish & Chips

2009-06-25T18:41:00.012+02:00

I spent the last week in Scotland visiting my family and didn't get much chance to cook but did

get to sample many different Scottish specialties. My family thinks the best fish and chips come from a "chippy" or chip shop that specializes in fish and chips rather than other types of restaurants.

On Tuesday, we went to the Pavillion Cafe* in Troon for our fish supper. The restaurant / chippy was recently renovated and the decor is basic and very clean. The place does a brisk business both inside and for take out so everything is very fresh.

This was one of the best fish & chips that I have tasted. The fish batter was light and crispy and neither the fish nor the chips were greasy. As you can see, I have dressed the chips Canadian style with ketchup rather than with the traditional brown sauce or vinegar.

* Pavillion Cafe
27 Templehill, Troon, Ayrshire KA10 6BQ
Telephone: +44 (0)1292 311766

Summer Salad

2009-06-14T21:16:00.007+02:00

This weekend brought back a return to summer with its sunshine and warm temperatures. Just the sort of weather that makes you think about serving simple salads and eating outside.

By coincidence or design I found that I had everything I needed to make this salad - peaches were plentiful in the store so I picked up a few, mint is overtaking our garden, yellow and red peppers in the fridge and mozzarella was on sale last week too so I had a couple of balls left over.

Summer Salad
Serves 4

500 mL (2 cups) mixed salad greens
2 sprigs mint, chopped
4 ripe peaches, peeled and torn or cut into chunks
2 balls fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks
½ roasted red and yellow peppers, sliced

VINAIGRETTE:
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Arrange salad greens and chopped mint on a platter; scatter peaches, mozzarella and roasted peppers on top. Shake together vinaigrette ingredients and drizzle over the salad.

Kung Pao Chicken

2009-06-07T18:00:00.005+02:00

The keys to making Chinese food are to have fresh ingredients and to prepare them (i.e. measuring and chopping) in advance of heating the wok. The stir-fry method of cooking is quick and requires your full attention to stir and to be aware of when each step is complete and ready for the next ingredient to be added.

I bought my 1st wok when I lived in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in the early 1980's and along with it a Chinese cooking class book that served as my "how to" guide on stir frying. I still have the book but it is packed away with my things in Paris. I bought a new smaller wok recently but I prefer my old one and look forward to being able to use it again. The old one is a classic rounded bottom one meant for use over gas stoves and the new one is a smaller flat bottom one for use over electric elements.

This weekend I was craving some kung pao chicken and decided to give it a try. It was spicy and tasty but not quite the same as I remember from years ago.

Kung Pao Shrimp
Serves 4

30 mL (2Tbsp) of chile garlic sauce
30 mL (2Tbsp) of oyster sauce
10 mL (2 tsp) of rice vinegar
2 chicken breasts, cut into 2.5 cm (1”) cubes
1 fresh chile pepper, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
125 mL (½ cup) of cashew nuts, roasted
30 mL (2 Tbsp) of peanut or vegetable oil
2 medium green onions, finely chopped
Sprigs of coriander, chopped, for garnish

Mix chile garlic sauce, oyster sauce and rice vinegar; set aside.
Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until light brown (about 3 minutes). Add cashews, chile pepper, red and green peppers and onion. Stir-fry until onion starts to become translucent (about 4 minutes). Add chicken, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add chile garlic sauce mixture, stirring to combine; stir-fry until chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Garnish with green onions and cilantro before serving.

Petit-déjeuner français 2

2009-05-27T19:07:00.005+02:00

As Henri commented on my October 3rd blog posting, tartine is also a part of le petit déjeuner français. Here is a photo of the 'perfect' version I enjoyed in the Paris sunshine.

Oriental Pork Chops

2009-05-16T16:36:00.004+02:00

We are getting very close to barbecue season here. Temperatures have been warming up ... now if we can just get it to stop raining we'll be all set!

This is one of my favourite ways to prepare pork chops. The flavour is really best if you can let the chops marinate for a few hours before grilling.

Oriental Pork Chops
Serves 4

8 thin pork chops or 4 rib chops

MARINADE
60 mL (4 Tbsp) soy sauce
30 mL (2 Tbsp) freshly squeezed orange juice
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil or corn oil
30 mL (2 Tbsp) tomato ketchup
30 mL (2 Tbsp) light soft brown sugar
5 mL (1 tsp) ground ginger
Grated zest of 1 orange
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small bunch spring onions, thinly sliced

Mix all marinade ingredients together; stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Place ½ the pork chops in the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon over ½ the marinade, sprinkle some spring onion slices on each chop. Repeat with a second layer. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, basting occasionally.

Remove chops from marinade and grill under high heat for about 4 minutes (7-8 min. for rib chops) per side. Baste with marinade after turning.

Serve at once on a warmed serving platter.

Oven Roasted Daurade with Sweet & Sour Vegetables

2009-05-10T16:57:00.008+02:00

As a consultant I spend most of my time working at client sites but this week I was between assignments and found myself in our office on the other side of Luxembourg. Luckily it is located very near to a large Delhaize grocery store. What a treat. The store is well designed and carries a great selection of products including enticing produce, fish, seafood and meats. When I saw the daurade royale I knew that I had to make a favourite of mine, Oven Roasted Daurade with Sweet and Sour Vegetables.

Daurade (sea bream) is a fish from the Mediterranean that comes in several different varieties but the ones I have seen most often in France are royale, rose and gris. It first came to my attention at my Paris marché because the daurade rose reminded me of red snapper which I loved at first bite in Cancun many years ago.

Oven Roasted Sea Bream with Sweet and Sour Vegetables
Serves 2

2 – 400 g (14 oz) sea bream or snapper, cleaned and scaled
30 mL (2 Tbsp) fish sauce*
30 mL (2 Tbsp) oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 mL (1/4 tsp) ground ginger
Pinch of ground chile pepper
30 mL (2 Tbsp) brown sugar
30 mL (2 Tbsp) white wine vinegar
30 mL (2 Tbsp) fish sauce
1 yellow pepper, cut lengthwise into strips
4 small carrots, julienned
60 mL (1/2 cup) water

Make 3 or 4 diagonal slits in both sides of the fish and brush with fish sauce. Heat oven to 200°C (400°F). Heat half of the oil in an ovenproof dish, add fish and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Fish is done when flesh separates easily from the bones.
Heat remaining oil in a saucepan, add garlic, ginger and chile powder; stirring until fragrant. Add sugar, vinegar and fish sauce; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the vegetables, turn down heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
Serve fish with vegetables.

* Fish sauce goes by the name of nouc mâm in Vietnamese and nam pla in Thai.

Stem Ginger Shortbread

2009-04-25T20:11:00.004+02:00

Being Scottish, shortbread has always been a part of my life. My mother always made shortbread in fingers (small rectangles) with the distinctive fork tine imprints. Scots are renowned for having a sweet tooth and shortbread is probably the simplest satisfier of it.

Shortbread is a combination of 3 parts flour to 2 parts butter to 1 part sugar. The key is to have the best ingredients – a flour that is not too soft, butter that is fresh and slightly salted and sugar that is not too fine. Or so it is said. The best shortbread is buttery and crispy/crumbly.

My mother, true to tradition, made shortbread for every New Year’s Eve. She had to adapt her recipe to the flour that was available in Canada but stayed true to the basic recipe. She probably made it at other times too but I remember more the platters with shortbread and mince pies at New Year’s. My Aunt Janet (my mother’s sister) told me that my mother was renowned for her pastry making. So by extension shortbread would have been a snap to make. My Aunt Christine (my father’s sister) is an amazing baker of all Scottish pastries (shortbread, cookies, pies, etc.).

I had to make my own way in the art of baking but would love to have sessions with my Aunts to find out the true techniques. I don’t get much opportunity to bake these days but I decided to give Stem Ginger Shortbread a go. Instead of kneading in the stem ginger, I pulsed it in at the end of the food processor step – this resulted in a mild evenly distributed ginger flavour rather than little hits of ginger in the shortbread. Not bad for a 1st attempt I would say.

Stem Ginger Shortbread
Makes 24 fingers

250 g (9 oz) all-purpose flour
85 g (3 oz) sugar
170 g (6 oz) butter, at room temperature
5 mL (1 tsp) ground ginger
4 pieces preserved stem ginger, chopped into pea-sized pieces
15 mL (1 Tbsp) cassonade (Demerara or other cane sugar)

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F).

Place flour, sugar, butter and ground ginger in a food processor and process until the mixture is thoroughly combined and forms a ball of dough*. Knead in the chopped stem ginger; press shortbread mixture into a 20 cm x 20 cm (8” x 8”) baking pan; level with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Score top of pressed dough into 24 small rectangles and poke evenly over the surface with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the shortbread is a pale golden colour. Allow the shortbread to cool in the pan for a few minutes; cut into 24 fingers. Carefully remove from pan when completely cooled to avoid breaking the pieces.

Shortbread can be stored in an airtight tin for about a week.

* This can also be done by hand: Cream together butter and sugar then work in the flour to form a ball of dough.

Easter Mini Meringues with Strawberries

2009-04-13T11:21:00.010+02:00

Happy Easter! Joyeuse Pâques! Frohe Ostern!

Easter has so many symbols – crosses, bunnies, eggs, chocolate, hot cross buns, chicks, lambs, bonnets and lilies. Easter to me is about colour – not just the yellow and purple traditionally associated with it. Easter marks the change from the sombre colours of winter to the ever-changing spring colours in hues from pastel to neon bright. Last Easter we had snow and this Easter weekend brings temperatures of +20°C and sunshine.

As a little girl, there was the promise of a new outfit complete with lovely new Easter bonnet. Somehow the weather never cooperated in Nova Scotia to be able to wear such an outfit leading me to wonder just where that tradition originated.

In Germany, there is a tradition of hanging coloured eggs from trees. The Easter bunny is also thought to have originated in Germany. As the hare and the rabbit being the most fertile of animals they are therefore the symbol of new life. In Luxembourg, men are waiting to see if the ‘bretzel’ they gave to their sweethearts a couple of weeks ago will be reciprocated with Easter eggs. There are pageants and parades to celebrate Easter.

Easter is rather unique in that the date changes from year to year. In France the school holiday of two weeks can start anywhere from mid-March to end of April. The statutory holiday varies between Friday and/or Monday. On Easter Sunday, children hunt for the hidden dyed and chocolate eggs. We normally buy brown eggs here but this year I spotted some white eggs, which would be more conducive to dying. The grocery stores version of coloured eggs looked gaudy and streaky to me. I think we only got to make dyed eggs one year at Easter as kids but after seeing the beautiful robin’s egg blue dyed eggs on Martha Stewart’s web site I wanted to give them a try, but alas it was too late and all the white eggs were gone.

I decided to make a sweet treat with strawberries since they are plentiful even though not in season for tastier local ones.

Mini Meringues with Strawberries
Serves 6

3 egg whites
185 mL (3/4 cup) sugar
5 mL (1 tsp) white vinegar
250 mL (1 cup) whipping cream (35%)
10 mL (2 tsp) icing sugar
6 strawberries, sliced lengthwise

Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, grease and dust with flour, shaking off excess. Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; gradually beat in sugar until dissolved. Beat in vinegar. Spread into 6 circles placed 4 cm (1-1/2”) apart on baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until meringues are dry and firm to the touch. Turn oven off and leave to cool in oven with door slightly open. Beat cream and icing sugar together until stiff; spread over meringues, top with sliced strawberries and drizzle with sauce*.

* STRAWBERRY & VIOLET SAUCE:
5-6 strawberries
5 mL (1 tsp) Crèmeux du Vigneron “Violette”** (cassis or other liqueur)

Purée strawberries, strain to remove seeds and mix with the liqueur.

** made by Château Beauféran

Tajine of chicken, preserved lemon and olives

2009-04-05T10:23:00.017+02:00

Springtime brought back memories of buying large bouquets of 50 tulips in Paris for a small price. Buying bouquets of flowers every week was a treat I gave myself for the first few years that I lived there. Flowers were inexpensive, at least in comparison to Toronto prices, and brightened up the apartment. Somehow it seemed to me to be a very Parisienne thing to do. And the spring arrival of the tulips was extra special. I even bought a large vase on one of my trips to Amsterdam to accommodate these large bouquets.

This bunch of tulips I bought in Luxembourg brought back the memories of the spring tulips in Paris.

Another bonus of this week was that I found preserved lemons. This gave me the chance to try another Moroccan recipe - a tajine of chicken with preserved lemons and black olives.

Preserved lemons are lemons (usually small ones like Myers but any will do), slit lengthwise about 2/3 of the way, then packed in salt, water and lemon juice in a sterilized jar for about a month. The tartness of the lemon is mellowed and the flavour enriched by this process. Preserved lemons are often used in North African cuisine.

Saffron is probably the world’s most expensive spice. These red filaments are the dried stamen of the crocus flower. There are large variations in the quality of saffron. Saffron is used to give dishes a yellow colour and add a subtle flavour. Saffron is common in Mediterranean and North African cuisine. Fortunately a little goes a long way with saffron.

Turmeric is a dark yellow power that also gives a yellow colour to food. It is sometimes referred to poor man's saffron. The taste is different and the two spices are sometimes used in combination.

The black olives that I used for this dish were of the large Greek Kalamata variety. They are probably my favourite black olives.

Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemon and Olives
Serves 2-3

15 mL (1 Tbsp) olive oil
500 g (1 lb) boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into large pieces
1 large onion, sliced
5 mL (1 tsp) finely diced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
Pinch of saffron pistils
2 tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 preserved lemons, quartered, peel only
2 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 2.5 cm (1”) pieces
250 mL (1 cup) water
250 mL (1 cup) black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

Marinade:
125 mL (½ cup) olive oil
7.5 mL (½ Tbsp) turmeric
7.5 mL (½ Tbsp) mild paprika
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix together marinade ingredients, add chicken pieces and leave to marinate for 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator). Heat olive oil in a large pot or Tajine. Brown marinated chicken pieces and set aside. Cook sliced onions until softened and lightly coloured. Add ginger, garlic, saffron, tomatoes, preserved lemon and carrots; cook for 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot or Tajine and add water; simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add olives just before serving.

Spring in Luxembourg

2009-03-21T10:19:00.007+01:00

Happy Spring!

Living in the SaarLorLux region means that I get introduced to many different traditions from France, Germany and Luxembourg. A lot of the traditions in Luxembourg and Germany seem to involve wine or beer and sausages. However this weekend, there is a uniquely Luxembourgish tradition that involves pretzels and not wine, beer or sausages. The 3rd Sunday of Lent is Bretzelsonndeg or Pretzel Sunday. The pretzels involved are not the small salty snack ones that North Americans are familiar with but large sweet pastries. I would not have known about this tradition except for asking one of my friends what the significance was of the stands along the roadside selling pretzels this weekend, thinking that maybe it was some rite of the first weekend of spring.

The Luxembourg tradition is that a young man gives the young lady he fancies a ‘bretzel’ on the 3rd Sunday of Lent and if she is interested she will return the favour by giving him an Easter egg on Easter Sunday. In leap years, the young women are the ones who give the bretzels.

Sadly I did not take a picture of one of the stands or the bretzels nor do I have a recipe for pretzels of any kind either but especially not one for the large sweet type that are the specialty here.

Vegetable Soup

2009-03-14T15:30:00.004+01:00

The weather is warming up but it is still a long way off from truly feeling like spring. It is too early yet for the first spring arrivals in the grocery stores. Here there are specials on the large and not very tasty strawberries. I admit that, against my better judgement, I did buy some but they were disappointing. I really should not support buying out of season things but I get a little desperate for something different here.

I decided to make a vegetable soup to increase my intake of vitamins and shake off the late winter blahs.

Vegetable Soup
Serves 2 - 3

15 mL (1 Tbsp) olive oil
1 leek (white part only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 small turnips (rutabagas or navets), diced
1 tomato, diced
750 mL (3 cups) water
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) dried thyme
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) harissa powder
15 mL (1 Tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and celery; stir for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and turnips; stir until leeks and celery are softened. Add tomato, water and seasonings; cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked.

Apricot Banana Muffins

2009-03-07T19:09:00.008+01:00

This winter seems to have been exceptionally long and severe so it is great to finally see real signs of spring. The first of the spring flowers are appearing along with buds on the trees. The colours of spring are making up for the grey skies and rain.

The taste of bananas changes as they ripen. I like them before they get too ripe - when they are past green and in the early days of yellow before they get speckled with brown. Once they are very ripe they are good for baking. I also had a bag of dried apricots so I thought why not combine the two for a change of pace.

Apricot Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

170 g (6 oz) dried apricots
Boiling water 
30 mL (2 Tbsp) vegetable oil
1 egg
300 mL (1 1/4 cup) plain yoghurt
2 ripe bananas, mashed 
80 mL (1/3 cup) brown sugar  
500 mL (2 cups) all-purpose flour  
10 mL (2 tsp) baking powder 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking soda 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt 
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) nutmeg 

Preheat oven to 180°C (375°F).

Cover apricots with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes; drain and coarsely chop.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; mix in apricots. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, egg, yoghurt, bananas and sugar: pour over dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins ¾ full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Moroccan Eggplant Dip

2009-03-01T08:39:00.008+01:00

This weekend the temperatures stayed above zero and even climbed to a balmy 13°C on Saturday making it feel like spring really is on its way. It was a relief not to have to scrape the car off before going anywhere. I decided to make an eggplant dip. Eggplant (aubergine) dips are very popular throughout the Mediterranean region like “Baba Ganouj” or “Baba Ganoush” made with tahini (sesame seed paste) in Lebanon, “Melitzanosalata” from Greece and “Caviar d’aubergine” from France. This time I made a Moroccan version with tomatoes, harissa and argan oil.

Argan oil is the rare and precious oil that is ground from pits of the fruit of the argan tree that grows in south-western Morocco. It has a rich golden colour and nutty flavour. The fruit is harvested and the oil produced by cooperatives of Berber women in Morocco. The cooperative provides the women with jobs that would not otherwise exist and ensures that the trees are maintained in a sustainable manner. As with most programs designed for women this one also benefits the entire community.

The oil has been highly praised for its nutritional and cosmetic properties. It was the Berber women’s beauty secret – the oil is very high in vitamin E and is excellent for dry skin and has anti-aging properties. As a food product it is best used in dips, salad dressings, couscous or drizzled over fish and meats. The 250 mL bottle I purchased in Thionville, France cost about 25€.

Moroccan Eggplant Dip
Makes approx. 250 mL (1 cup)

1 medium eggplant
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
10 mL (2 tsp) tomato paste
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) each of harissa, ground cumin and sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
60 mL (1/4 cup) each coarsely chopped parsley and cilantro
30 mL (2 Tbsp) argan oil*

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Use a fork to pierce eggplant all over. Wrap garlic cloves in foil. Place eggplant and garlic on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until garlic is soft. Remove garlic and set aside to cool. Turn eggplant, return to oven and continue roasting for an additional 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, stir together tomatoes and tomato paste in medium pan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until reduced to a thick sauce. Set aside to cool. Split eggplant in half and scoop out flesh; chop coarsely and transfer to a colander to drain off liquid. Squeeze garlic cloves into food processor bowl. Add tomato paste, lemon juice and zest, harissa, cumin, salt, pepper, parsley and cilantro; pulse to purée mixture. With motor running, add oil in a steady stream. Add eggplant and pulse until blended to a chunky consistency.

* Walnut oil or olive oil can be substituted for the argan oil

Glazed Orange Loaf

2009-02-21T12:06:00.010+01:00

Blood oranges were something new to me when I moved to Paris. The oranges look very similar to regular oranges on the outside but when cut open they reveal a surprising red and orange interior. The mix of the two colours varies from orange with a few spots of red to very red with little orange. The oranges produce a lovely red coloured juice. I used blood orange juice in this recipe.

Glazed Orange Loaf

160 mL (2/3 cup) butter, softened 
125 mL (1/2 cup) sugar 
2 eggs 
125 mL (1/2 cup) plain yogurt 
125 mL (1/2 cup) orange juice 
15 mL (1 Tbsp) grated orange zest 
625 mL (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking powder 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking soda 
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt 

GLAZE:
125 mL (1/2 cup) icing (confectioners) sugar 
10 – 15 mL (2 - 3 tsp) orange juice
5 mL (1 tsp) grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in yogurt, orange juice and zest. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and stir until well blended.
Pour into a greased 23 x 13 x 8 cm (9” x 5” x 3”) loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan; place on a wire rack to cool completely.

GLAZE: Combine icing sugar, zest and enough orange juice to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over loaf.

Valentina's Hot Chocolate Shrimp

2009-02-08T09:31:00.009+01:00

While trying to come up with some new recipes, my friend T creatively challenged me to make Hot Chocolate Shrimp. We knew that we liked chocolate and chocolate with chiles. We love shrimp in many different forms. There are lots of unusual taste combinations in South American cooking and the chocolate and chiles combination is used in mole sauces in México. So why not something similar for shrimp? I checked and this had been done before and as a main course even. I gave it a try and had some brave friends try it as well to rave reviews.

For me, I think this works best as an appetizer. A few chocolate coated shrimp on a plate garnished with orange or lime slices.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, why not surprise your favourite person with this interesting combination?

Valentina's Hot Chocolate Shrimp
Adapted from a recipe by Chef Jim Shirley

SHRIMP
16 jumbo shrimp (about 300 g or 10 oz), peeled, deveined and butterflied
45 mL (3 Tbsp) cornstarch

INFUSED OIL
125 mL (½ cup) vegetable oil
45 mL (3 Tbsp) freshly ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 chile pepper (Jalapeño, Habanero, Serrano, or other hot pepper), thinly sliced*

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
30 g (2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
30 mL (2 Tbsp) Tequila reposada
Juice of 1 orange

Heat oil in a skillet, add ginger, garlic and chile; sauté for 3 minutes, remove from heat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Strain solids and set aside.
Melt chocolate over double boiler (or in microwave). Stir in orange juice and tequila. Set aside. Reheat oil in large skillet. Coat shrimp in cornstarch and sauté in batches until opaque and lightly browned.
Dip shrimp in chocolate sauce. Serve hot or cold.

*Adjust amount of chile depending on the type used and personal taste.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

2009-02-01T19:01:00.003+01:00

There is something wonderful about the combination of hazelnuts and chocolate. It is the combination in Nutella, a favourite spread in France. It is used on bread, toast and crepes that are served for breakfast or snacks.

These cookies just melt in your mouth. And they taste so good.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Makes about 4-5 dozen cookies

250 mL (1 cup) butter, softened
250 mL (1 cup) icing sugar
375 mL (1-1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
80 mL (1/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
125 mL (1/2 cup) ground hazelnuts

GARNISH
170 g (6 oz) semisweet or bitter chocolate
180 mL (3/4 cup) hazelnuts, finely chopped

In bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix together flour, cocoa and nuts; stir into creamed mixture. Turn out onto waxed paper; shape into 2 logs about 3 cm (1-1/4 “) in diameter. Wrap in the wax paper and chill until firm.

Preheat oven to 160 °C (325°F).

Cut logs into 65 mm (1/4”) thick slices. Bake on ungreased baking sheets for about 15 minutes or until set. Leave to cool then dip cookies in melted chocolate*, place on a rack and sprinkle with nuts. Let stand until set.

* To melt chocolate, bring water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler, place chocolate in top and stir until melted. Alternatively place chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water or use the microwave.

Tzic de Rez

2009-01-24T15:34:00.006+01:00

A new ingredient I tried in México was sour oranges (naranja agria). These are similar to the Seville oranges that are used in marmelade. These are not particularly attractive oranges as they have a dimpled thick skin and very sour juice. In Yucatecan cuisine, sour oranges are used in marinades, pickled onion relish and sauces.

Under the guidance of Chef Carlos, we prepared a Yucatecan specialty called Tzic de rez. This is shredded meat with radish, onion and cilantro that is marinated in sour orange juice and served cold wrapped in tacos. We used the leftovers on grilled nachos with cheddar cheese, salsa de chile habanero and tomato.

Tzic de rez
Serves 4

500 g (1 lb) beef (boneless beef chuck)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oregano leaves, to taste
1 handful radishes, finely diced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
60 g (2 oz) white onion, finely diced
Juice of 3 sour oranges*

Season beef with salt, pepper and oregano; place in a large saucepan. Add water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is very tender (about 1 hour). Cool meat in broth then remove and shred using two forks.
Add shredded beef, radish, cilantro, onion and sour orange juice to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix well and place in refrigerator to chill. Stir occasionally.
Serve chilled on corn tortillas with tomato, avocado and chile.

*If sour oranges are not available, try the following substitution from Chef Rick Bayless
Makes approx. 250 mL or 1 cup
180 mL (3/4 cup) fresh grapefruit juice
90 mL (6 Tbsp) fresh limejuice
2,5 mL (1/2 tsp) finely minced orange zest (coloured part only not white pith)
Combine ingredients and let stand for 2 to 3 hours. Strain to remove the zest.
Use within 24 hours.

Huîtres / Oysters

2009-01-11T17:16:00.005+01:00

Oysters presented on the half shell and served with bread, butter, red wine vinegar with shallots, and lemon. Add a glass of white wine and lunch is complete.

My preference is the N° 3 size like these ones. I usually eat the Quiberon, Fines de claires or Oléron varieties in France.

The shells take a bit of care to open to avoid accidentally cutting your hand with the oyster knife.

Wrap the shell in a tea towel (or use one of the specially developed gloves or plastic mats) with the deeper half of the shell on the bottom to catch as much liquid as possible. Insert the tip of the oyster knife near the hinge and twist to pry the shells apart. Run the blade along the inside of the top shell to sever the muscle. Remove the top shell. Run the blade around the oyster to loosen it from the bottom shell.

Salsa de Chile Habanero

2009-01-05T01:59:00.007+01:00

Habanero chiles are native to Mexico's Yucatan region. They are probably the hottest chiles available anywhere. Habanero chiles are used to flavour some of the hot sauces. Habanero chiles are similar in look and heat to the Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Peppers.
While in the Yucatan, I had the opportunity to cook with Chef Carlos and one of the dishes we made was Salsa de Chile Habanero. This salsa is made with sour orange which helps to reduce the heat of the chiles but even so this is a salsa only for those who can take the extreme heat.
We used it sparingly as a condiment for meat and chicken dishes and to spice up a plate of beef nachos.

Extreme care must be taken to not touch any senstive areas after handling the chiles to avoid burning your eyes or skin. Remove the skins and seeds by using forks to avoid touching the chiles. Wear latex or rubber gloves if you are especially sensitive.

Habanero Chiles grilling.

Salsa de Chile Habanero

10 chiles habanero, grilled, peeled and seeded
1/2 red onion, finely diced
Juice of 2 sour oranges
Salt, to taste
2 cloves of garlic
sprigs of coriander (cilantro), to taste

Mash together the chiles, red onion, orange juice, salt, garlic and coriander using a mortar and pestle or food processor. Add a little water to thin the mixture, if desired.

Margarita

2008-12-31T18:15:00.013+01:00

Happy New Year 2009!

I am looking forward to finishing 2008 and starting the New Year with the view of blue sky and green-blue ocean and listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the sandy shore.

Yesterday we went to the beach at Cheburna where seashells are gather and can be picked up by the handful.

What better way to start the new year than with one of México's most famous drinks, a Margarita, even if you are not in sunny México?
I have learned that the real Margarita is not the frozen variety prepared in most Tex-Mex type restaurants (known in Progresso as a cruise ship slushy) but is made in a cocktail shaker and served over ice. To order here, it is a Margarita con rocas y con sal (o sin sal if you prefer not to have the salted rim).
There are many varieties of tequila available here ranging from harsh tasting to smooth. The true tequila is made from 100% agave. The smooth tasting ones are "reposado". I prefer Margaritas made with golden tequila to the ones made with white or silver tequila.

Margarita
Serves 1

1 lime wedge
Sea Salt, ground
60 mL (2 oz) tequila
25 mL (¾ oz) Controy (or Cointreau)
30 mL (2 Tbsp) limejuice
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) simple syrup or sugar
Lime slice for garnish
Ice cubes

Rub rim of a glass with lime wedge, then swirl in salt to coat rim. Combine remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and strain into prepared glass over ice. Garnish with lime slice.

Sablés au citron

2008-12-26T20:03:00.004+01:00

I decided to bake Christmas cookies this year and I can tell you they were a hit. One of the most popular was a new addition to my collection, Sablés au citron. I have eaten these crumbly, buttery, shortbread like cookies in Normandy where they originate but this is the first time that I made them. In Normandy, sables come in many flavours but my favourite flavours are lemon and caramel.

Sablés au citron (Lemon Sand Cookies)
Makes about 16 cookies

250 mL (1 cup) flour
125 mL (1/2 cup) ground almonds
60 mL (1/4 cup) sugar
15 mL (1 Tbsp) grated lemon rind
125 mL (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 eggs, separated

In bowl, combine flour, almonds, sugar and lemon rind. Cut in butter (using pastry blender or 2 knives or pulse setting of a food processor) until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in egg yolks to make a moist crumbly mixture. Form into a ball and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 5 mm (1/4”) thickness. Cut into 8 cm (3”) rounds; place on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush tops with lightly beaten egg whites. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Let cool slightly then transfer to a metal rack to cool completely.

Summer Salad

2008-12-25T18:38:00.002+01:00

In México, the array of fruits and vegetables available never ceases to impress me. The best part is that they are fresh and ripen to the proper consistency and taste. We have been stocking up on mangoes, papaya, peppers, chiles, limes, watermelon and other fresh produce. There are so many ways to serve tomato, chile, onion, cilantro and lime. Salsa fresca is a basic combination of these served with tortilla chips or as a side dish. Varying the amount or type of chile pepper will change the heat of the salsa. This combination makes a wonderful marinade for fish and shrimp or beef. Avocados are plentiful here and so easy to make into guacamole or to slice or dice them to add to omelettes, salads, fajitas, shrimp cocktails to name a few. When we feel like a light meal, I make this tasty and nutritious salad using whatever vegetables are
on hand. You can add tuna or shrimp to make this a hardier meal.

Summer Salad
Serves 4

500 mL (2 cups) mixed salad greens
2 medium beets, cooked and sliced or cubed
2 avocados, flesh only, sliced or cubed
125 mL (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
Vinaigrette (olive oil, limejuice, freshly ground black pepper)
Cilantro sprigs, chopped

Arrange salad greens on plates; top with beets, avocado, cherry tomatoes and egg. Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with cilantro.

Suggestions for other additions:
½ cucumber, cut into chunky cubes
6 radishes, sliced
½ green pepper, julienned

Mexican Breakfast

2008-12-14T18:23:00.008+01:00

This year I am spending the holidays in Mérida, México. The weather is glorious - sunny and warm during the day and cooling in the evenings to be perfect for sleeping. The Christmas festivities are well underway.

What better way to start off the vacation but to have my favourite breakfast of fresh fruit and yogurt? This colourful platter is combination of papaya, banana and raspberries. Just add a squeeze of lime juice.

Black Fettucini with Scallops in a Lemon Cream Sauce

2008-12-07T13:39:00.010+01:00

Scallops are one of my favourite foods. They have a delicate flavour and are tender if not over overcooked. I like them seared quickly over high heat so they are slightly carmelized. A few ways scallops can be prepared are: served plain with a sprinkling of lemon or lime, used in a seafood combination, paired with pasta or served on the shell as Coquille St. Jacques (with a cream, onion and wine sauce covered with cheese and broiled).
For a dramatic presentation, the white of the scallops pairs well with black (squid ink) pasta.
This recipe combines scallops, black pasta, lemon and cream.

Squid Ink Fettuccini with Scallops in a Lemon-Garlic Cream Sauce
Serves 2-4

500 g (1 lb) large scallops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
45 mL (3 Tbsp) butter
2 cloves garlic, minced or very finely chopped
60 mL (1/4 cup) white wine
250 mL (1 cup) heavy cream 
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
15 mL (1 Tbsp) Italian parsley or cilantro (coriander leaves), finely chopped
500 g (1 lb) squid ink fettuccini (fresh or dried)

Clean the scallops by removing and discarding the roe and small muscle. Dry scallops on paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear scallops on both sides (about 3 to 4 minutes per side), and remove to a plate. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant (about 1 minute). Deglaze the pan with wine, increase heat to high and reduce the liquid by half. Add cream and simmer until thickened. Season salt and pepper, add lemon juice, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Meanwhile, cook fettuccini in boiling water until al dente. Return scallops to the skillet and sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Drain pasta and add to sauce; toss until well coated. Increase heat to medium high and cook for 1 minute more to heat through. Serve immediately.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

2008-11-16T14:37:00.003+01:00

A fall alternative to pesto made with basil is one made with roasted red peppers. Roasting brings out the sweetness and a richer flavour in the peppers. I prefer to roast peppers on the barbecue but have also done it under the grill in the oven. I tried over the gas element but found that that was too much trouble. The skins should be blistered and blackened for the best flavour and ease of removal.

For this recipe, I also roasted the garlic which makes it milder in taste. Roasted Red Pepper Pesto makes a great sauce for pasta. It can also be used on pizza, as a spread for bread or crackers or as a dip for vegetables.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

3 medium red peppers, quartered, seeds and membranes removed
3 unpeeled cloves of garlic
60 mL (1/4 cup) olive oil
1 small red chile
30 mL (2 Tbsp) pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Grill peppers, skin side up, until skin blisters and blackens. Smash garlic cloves with the flat blade of a large knife. Add to peppers for last 5-10 minutes. Peel skin from peppers and garlic. Place the peppers, garlic, pine nuts and chile in a food processor. Turn on and add the olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. Add cheese and process until smooth. Remove to a bowl.

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

2008-11-09T16:31:00.007+01:00

It has been a few years since I made stir fry dishes on a regular basis.

The secret to stir fry cooking is to prepare everything in advance - chop and measure out the various ingredients. Woks are designed for hot and fast cooking. They do not hold heat like other pots and casseroles. Each ingredient will added according to how much time it needs to cook. The cooking time is short so you have to be prepared to add the next item or the first one(s) will be overcooked.

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves 4

700 g (1-1/2 lbs) beef, cut in thin strips
125 mL (1/2 cup) mild chile sauce
15 mL (1 Tbsp) lemon zest
60 mL (1/4 cup) lemon juice
60 mL (1/4 cup) water
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
15 mL (1 Tbsp) oil (vegetable or peanut)
250 mL (1 cup) broccoli florets
30 mL (2 Tbsp) fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

Marinate beef strips in chile sauce in a glass or ceramic bowl for 3 hours or overnight.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat until almost smoking; add beef and stir-fry until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Heat remaining oil in the wok; add garlic, chile and lemon zest; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli, lemon juice and water. Cover and steam, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the broccoli is tender, about 3 minutes. Return beef and sauté until heated through. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

2008-11-02T18:03:00.007+01:00

Muffins are no longer something that I make on regular basis but I do have some traditional ones that I like to make once or twice a year. I like to make Blueberry Muffins when the tiny wild blueberries are available in late summer and Pumpkin Muffins in fall. This year I cooked the pumpkin myself rather than buying it canned. I bought a small pumpkin, removed the tough skin and boiled the pulp. An alternative would have been to roast it in the oven. The taste of pumpkin works well with many spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. A combination of these are used in this recipe. You can always substitute an equal quantity of the 4 spice mix for the individual spices.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Makes 12

430 mL (1-3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
160 mL (2/3 cup) brown sugar
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) baking powder
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking soda
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt
5 mL (1 tsp) cinnamon
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) ground ginger
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cloves
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) freshly grated nutmeg
60 mL (1/4 cup) chopped walnuts
60 mL (1/4 cup) raisins
2 eggs
180 mL (3/4 cup) cooked pumpkin
60 mL (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; mix in walnuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla; pour over dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins ¾ full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Pancakes

2008-10-26T15:15:00.013+01:00

A typical Canadian weekend breakfast consists of pancakes with maple syrup, bacon, eggs, juice and coffee. It has been a long time since I had a full breakfast and I don't miss it but from time to time I do like to make plain pancakes from scratch.
I used to make these in an electric griddle but since that pan is in Canada and I have not bought a European one, I use either my non-stick or regular frying pan.

Basic Pancakes
Serves 3-4

375 mL (1-1/2 cups) all purpose flour
45 mL (3 Tbsp) sugar
7.5 mL (1-1/2) tsp baking powder
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt
375 mL (1-1/2 cups) milk*
45 mL (3 Tbsp) vegetable oil (or melted butter)
2 large eggs
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl; beat in milk, oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients; stir to blend. Batter should be lumpy.
Heat a large skillet. Brush with oil. Pour batter onto skillet in 60 mL (¼ cup) measures taking care not to crowd the pan.

* Adjust the amount of milk to achieve the consistency of batter and thickness of pancake that you prefer.

Chile con Carne

2008-10-19T18:56:00.010+02:00

Chile con Carne
Serves 6-8

30 mL (2 Tbsp) vegetable oil
1 kg (2 lbs) lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes discarded, finely chopped
1 red or green pepper, chopped
2 – 425 g (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
60 mL (1/4 cup) tomato paste
430 mL (1-3/4 cups) water
15-30 mL (1-2 Tbsp) ground ancho chile (or other chile powder)
10 mL (2 tsp) dried oregano, crushed
1 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 - 425 g (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese and green onion, for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven, add onions, garlic and peppers; cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Add meat and cook, stirring, until browned all over. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, chile powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently. Add extra water if needed to bring chile to desired consistency. Add beans and cook for 10 minutes longer.
Spoon into bowls and serve hot.

Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

2008-10-12T18:17:00.011+02:00

We are a couple of weeks into the grape harvest here in the Moselle region. Farm machinery is encountered on the roads but luckily here, on the German side at least, they tend to move over to allow people to pass where possible. The road along the Moselle has a lot of turns and twists making it difficult to pass.

The mornings here have been very foggy and cool. So between the fog of the mornings and the major financial crisis, I have been thinking about comfort food in the form of soup. What could be better than vegetable soup to give the vitamins and minerals to survive the day?

I made a pot of Roasted Tomato Fennel soup. Roasting the vegetables give a more robust flavour. The end product looks like carrot soup but I can assure you that it tastes nothing like that. The wonderful anise flavour of the fennel marries well with the tomatoes. For an extra anise flavour you could add a touch of Pernod just before serving.

Oven Roasted Fennel and Tomato Soup
Serves 2

1 fennel bulb, cored and roughly chopped
3 tomatoes, quartered
1 carrot, roughly chopped
500 mL (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
Salt
Olive oil
Gremolata*

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Roughly chop vegetables, place on a baking tray; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Oven roast for approx. 10-15 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Place vegetables in a pot, add stock and simmer for 8-10 minutes; blend into a creamy soup.
Serve hot, drizzled with olive oil. Garnish with gremolata.

*Gremolata
15 mL (1 Tbsp) fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, sliced
Lemon peel
Combine the ingredients on a chopping board and mince finely.

petit déjeuner français

2008-10-03T12:35:00.013+02:00

The classic petit déjeuner français consists of café, croissant et jus d'orange. Simple but iconic. What could be better than sitting on a terrace watching Paris come to life than this? Avoid the tourist places that charge a fortune unless it is a particularly good people watching location.

Coffee has many names, styles and prices in Paris:

“espresso” can be a “café normale’, “serré” squeezed for a smaller but stronger amount, “elongé” elongated for a larger amount or “noisette” with a dash of milk. “decaf” (silent “f”) is decaffeinated espresso.

“café American” is the typical large North American cup of coffee

“café crème” is usually a mid-sized cup of coffee with steamed milk like a cappuccino and can be ordered as simply “un crème” or a “un grand crème” if you want a larger size. Sometimes ordering a crème will result in a coffee with a plastic container of creamer and sometimes the English style of a separate jug of heated milk.

“cappuccino” is not like the Italian version but one with a hint of chocolate and whipped cream.

“café au lait” is a large bowl of coffee with steamed milk. Some places will bring you a “crème” and others a large bowl of café au lait at a price of up to €19. My conclusion is that this is what Parisians drink at home for breakfast on the weekend when time permits and not something to order out.

Sitting or standing at the bar is less expensive than sitting at a table. Sitting on the terrace often incurs an extra premium but often worth it for people watching. Unlike in Canada or the US there is not a time limit on tables and often it is more of a challenge to be able to get “l’addition” to pay and leave.

Tarte aux tomates

2008-09-21T17:29:00.011+02:00

This weekend I decided to make a Tarte aux tomates (tomato pie). To keep it easy and quick, I used store bought puff pastry. While I have made my own puff pastry, it does take time and effort to go through the many steps to incorporate the butter to make the flaky layers.

I rolled out the pastry into my quiche pan and brushed it with Dijon mustard, then added a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes and chèvre. Topped it off with chopped fresh basil leaves and popped it into the preheated oven (200°C / 400°F) for 30 minutes.

Ready for the oven:

Out of the oven and ready to be served:

Clam Chowder

2008-09-15T21:47:00.018+02:00

Clam chowder is one of my favourite soups. My preference has always been for New England style with cream over Manhattan style with tomatoes. I have read recently that there is also a clear version of chowder made with broth that I hope to try out one day.

In Canada, I made Clam Chowder with tiny canned clams but in Paris, I bought clams on the shell and steamed them open before adding to the chowder. In Luxembourg, I found cans of palourds, the larger clams, at the grocery store so decided to give them a try.

A plate of "palourds et crevettes" from Normandy cooked and garnished with a lemon slice in a tasty starter course.

Clam Chowder

Serves 2

1 slice of smoked bacon
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
250 g (1/2 lb) potatoes, thinly sliced or diced
15 mL (1 Tbsp) butter
375 mL (1-1/2 cups) milk
Approx. 250 g (8 oz) tinned whole clams
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper

Cook bacon in a large skillet. Add butter, onion and carrot and cook until onion is softened. Add potato and liquid from the clams; cover and simmer until potato is softened (about 15 minutes). Add water if the pan starts to dry out. Add milk and clams; simmer, stirring occasionally, until chowder is heated through. Ladle into bowls and season with pepper and cayenne. Serve immediately.

Verrine de carpaccio de saumon

2008-09-01T20:18:00.006+02:00

Verrines or single servings in small glasses have been around for a few years but are now beginning to hit mainstream. I think it started as an interesting way to serve appetizers or desserts. I have been intrigued by them since first seeing them served at a vernissage or art opening for one of my favourite French artists, Daniele Fuchs, in Versailles. There were tables laid out with rows of Chinese soup spoons each filled with a mouthful of smoked salmon or devilled egg and little glasses of dessert type goodies. Since then I have been searching for appropriate sized glasses and the right number of dinner guests to try out some combinations.

I think the "keep it simple" principle works best. These are small quantities we are taking about presented in artistic ways, if possible. It is an ideal way to present a cold summer soup starter. Or trios of desserts (a little sample of each). The downside is having lots of glasses or spoons to wash but a small price to pay for art I think.

In this example, I have just used salmon carpaccio mixed with lemon juice, scallions, olive oil, pepper, lemon zest and cilantro served in tiny vodka glasses and spoons. The salmon could be replaced by smoked salmon. This could also be served in layers alternated with chopped tomatoes or avocados.

The limit is really your imagination.

Penne and Peppers

2008-08-24T15:37:00.010+02:00

I found a brightly coloured multi pack of peppers at the Auchan supermarket in Luxembourg and decided to give them a try in

this quick and easy pasta dish.
The recipe can be varied by:
Replacing penne with fusilli (farfalle or bowtie) pasta.
Replacing fresh peppers with roasted peppers
Using different coloured peppers
Adding tomatoes
Adding parsley or chile peppers

In future, I will stick with regular red, yellow and green peppers. These exotically coloured ones lacked in flavour and texture for this dish.

Penne with a Trio of Peppers
Serves 4

400 g (14 oz) penne
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil
1 red or yellow onion, sliced in strips
1 each red, green and yellow peppers, seeded and cut in strips*
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook penne in a large pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion, garlic and peppers and sauté for 10 minutes or until tender.
Add pasta to the peppers and stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

* Peppers can be grilled, peeled and seeded prior to slicing and adding to the onions. This will give the dish a slightly smoky flavour and the peppers will be easier to digest.

Red & Green Tomato Salsa

2008-08-17T20:30:00.005+02:00

When I was about 8 years old we lived in Liverpool, Nova Scotia in a large house with a barn and gardens. In the summer we picked raspberries from a patch in our yard – we would go out with empty apple juice cans tied with string around our necks. We ate our fill of raspberries. My mother made jars and jars of raspberry jam with the bounty of the wonderful red berries.
At the end of the summer we had vines of green tomatoes. No one expected green tomatoes. After waiting to see if they would ripen to red, my father decided that they must have been a green variety rather than red ones that did not ripen. Undaunted, Dad harvested them and made Green Tomato Chutney. We had no recipe for it so he did what Dads do and improvised. I can’t say that I remember what it was like just that he made it.
Fried Green Tomatoes came to our attention in the wonderful movie of the same name. It is a southern US specialty that came about from the abundance of tomatoes and the need to pick some tomatoes early to prune the vines. In the southern US green tomatoes are available through out the summer, in the northern US and Canada they tend to be late ripening tomatoes left on the vine at the end of the summer and not a culinary treat.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in Ouistreham and saw green tomatoes at the Marché. I bought a few to give them a try. Green tomatoes have a firmer texture more like young green peppers and a tarter taste than fresh ripe red tomatoes.
The green tomatoes reminded me of tomatillos, a green fruit covered with a husk used in Mexican cuisine. They are of the tomato family although not the same thing as green unripe tomatoes. I thought I would combine the red and green tomatoes to make a salsa that took advantage of the differences.

Red & Green Tomato Salsa
Makes 500 mL (2 cups)

1 chile, roasted, seeded and peeled, finely chopped*
2 medium ripe red tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
2 medium green tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
15 mL (1 Tbsp) freshly squeezed limejuice
15 mL (1 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix. Let stand 30 minutes for flavours to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.

*Amount of chile to use will vary depending on the type and heat of the chile and how hot you like the salsa.

Summer Borscht

2008-08-10T18:12:00.004+02:00

The high natural sugar content (higher even that carrots and corn) has placed beets in the forbidden category for many diets. However, upon further study, it seems that these earthy, good for you tasting beets are really good for you AND your diet as they can help cleanse toxins from the kidneys, gall bladder and liver. This is in addition to their potassium, vitamins A and C, magnesium, riboflavin, iron, copper, calcium and zinc content. Beets are a good source of fibre and contain antioxidant properties. The diet angle is that an overtaxed liver can cause a person to gain weight, especially around the middle, so anything you can do to assist your liver with the elimination of the toxins will help with losing weight. It is recommended to drink three to eight ounces of fresh beet juice each day. Maximum benefit is derived from drinking it in the morning, mixed with other milder tasting juices such as carrot, cucumber, celery, lemon or apple juices combined with freshly juiced ginger root.

My first introduction to borscht or beet soup was at Ratner’s Deli in Manhattan about 25 years ago. I am not sure that I tried it there but it made an impression on me so I bought their cookbook and made it myself. There are two versions of the borscht - one for summer and a heartier one for winter. I make the summer version and have tasted a winter version made by one of my friends.
Take care when working with beets as the juice can stain your hands, clothes, countertops, etc.

Summer Borscht
Serves 6-8

6 medium beets
500 mL (2 cups) chicken stock
30 mL (2 Tbsp) sherry or red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
30-45 mL (2-3 Tbsp) dill pickle juice
60 mL (1/4 cup) sugar, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Crème fraiche or sour cream
Several sprigs of fresh dill, chopped

Rinse beets and cut stems approximately 8-10 cm (3-4”) from beet. Place beets in a deep pot, cover with water, bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until beets are tender.
Remove beets and set aside to cool. Reserve approximately 1-1/2 litre (6 cups) of cooking liquid. Peel beets and dice into bite-size pieces.
Return beets and beet broth to the pan; heat over medium low heat. Add chicken stock, vinegar, lemon juice and dill pickle juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir until sugar has dissolved and borscht is heated through. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature, garnished with a dollop of sour cream and chopped dill.

Bruschetta

2008-07-31T22:02:00.010+02:00

A summer favourite of mine is bruschetta. It is a perfect aperitif accompaniment. The bread can be grilled on the barbecue, under the oven grill or in the toaster/toaster oven. The best bruschetta is simple - lightly toasted baguette or Italian bread, rubbed with garlic and topped with fresh tasty tomatoes and basil.

A Spanish version is made by rubbing both garlic and tomato onto fresh bread but I prefer the Italian version. My personal twist is to replace the basil with cilantro (fresh coriander) and brushing the toast with a little chile oil for a Mexican flavour.

You can really personalize the bruschetta by varying the type of bread, thickness of the slice, herbs and amount of garlic.

Bruschetta con pomodoro (Bruschetta with Tomato)

Serves 4

3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, torn in pieces
8 slices of Italian or crusty bread
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
90 mL (6 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil

Place the chopped tomatoes and shallot in a small bowl. Season with pepper; stir in the basil. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Toast or grill the bread until it is lightly browned and crisp on both sides. Rub one side of each toast slice with the garlic clove. Arrange on a platter. Sprinkle or brush with olive oil and spoon over the tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Blossoms

2008-07-20T16:55:00.005+02:00

I found zucchini blossoms in the marché in Thionville, France on Saturday. The vibrant yellow colour and the chance to make something so delicate and seasonal were irresistible. I brought some home. I have been eyeing them in my neighbour’s garden with envy. It is so rare to see them in markets since they are so fragile.
Zucchini is a vegetable that seems to multiply in gardens – a little goes a long way or you will be looking to give a lot of it away to friends and neighbours. Eating the female blossoms could be a good way to curb the population. Trust the Italians to come up with a way to use every part of the zucchini, even the flower.
Only use firm, fresh blossoms that are slightly open (the lighter yellow ones). Do not eat the darker spent (wilted) flowers. An example of how it is advantageous to get to know your marché merchants in France so that you will get the “good” produce. Male zucchini blossoms have stems and stamen; female ones are attached to tiny zucchini and have pistils.

I chose to deep fry the flowers coated in a light tempura batter. Maybe next time I will chose to stuff them.
To clean the flowers, use a damp cloth rather than rinsing under running water as this can damage them.

Zucchini Blossom Tempura

Serves 4

1 egg
250 mL (1 cup) ice water
250 mL (1 cup) all purpose flour, sifted
12 zucchini blossoms

Prepare the of zucchini blossoms by trimming stems and removing pistils or stamen; wipe gently inside and out with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or insects.
Beat the egg in a bowl; add ice water and stir to mix. Add flour and mix lightly (batter should be lumpy).
Dip zucchini blossoms in batter and deep fry until golden; drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Moroccan Beef Tajine

2008-07-13T12:04:00.012+02:00

Moroccan cuisine is rich in spices. Cumin, coriander, saffron, chiles, ground ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and paprika are commonly used. The combinations are widely varied and each kitchen has its own secret blend (comprised of anywhere from a few to 100 different spices). Raz el hanout is typically a blend of cinnamon, turmeric, freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg, ground cardamom seed and ground clove that is used in couscous and tajines. In addition to dried spices, garlic, chiles and fresh herbs such as coriander (cilantro) and parsley are also commonly used. Harissa, a very spicy paste of garlic, chiles, olive oil and salt, is used during cooking and/or as a condiment on the side for those who want extra heat.

Thanks to my friends who brought me back some Moroccan spices from their trip to Marrakesh, I now have paprika, saffron, harissa dry mix and a blend of 4 spices (for grilled fish) to experiment with.

I decided to start with the paprika and made this spicy rich Moroccan stew. As I do not have a wonderful Tajine (a North African cooking pot with a dome-shaped top), I made it in a Dutch oven (large casserole). It tastes even better the next day. Serve it with the traditional couscous.

Moroccan Beef Tajine

5 mL (1 tsp) cayenne pepper
15 mL (1 Tbsp) paprika
15 mL (1 Tbsp) ground ginger
15 mL (1 Tbsp) turmeric
30 mL (2 Tbsp) ground cinnamon
10 mL (2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 5 cm (2”) cubes
2 large onions, chopped
60 mL (4 Tbsp) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
800 g (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes
125 g (4 oz) dried apricots, quartered
60 g (2oz) sultanas or raisins
5 mL (1 tsp) saffron, soaked in cold water
625 mL (2-1/2 cups) beef stock (preferably homemade)
15 mL (1 Tbsp) honey
30 mL (2 Tbsp) cilantro, chopped
30 mL (2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Mix together cayenne, black pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place half of the spice mixture into a large plastic bag, add beef and toss to coat well. Leave in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).

Heat half of the olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large casserole dish). Add chopped onion and remainder of spice mix; cook over gentle heat until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add garlic and cook a few minutes longer, until fragrant. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat the remaining oil; add beef and brown all sides (this might need to be done is several batches depending on the size of your pot). Add some of the juice from the tomatoes to deglaze the bottom. Return onions to the pan; add chopped tomatoes, apricots, raisins or sultanas, saffron, beef stock and honey. Bring to a boil, cover and place in the oven to cook for 2-2½ hours (until meat is tender). Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley. Serve hot over couscous.

Shrimp and Melon Salad

2008-06-29T21:41:00.004+02:00

This weekend both melons and shrimp were on sale so I decided to make a summer salad. This is more of a throw together salad than one that has a recipe. The shrimp were pre-cooked which is sadly the most common way to find them here. From time to time, raw shrimp is available.

Fruit is a wonderful addition to green salads. I have recipes of salads using fruits such as strawberries, peaches, nectarines, figs and melons.

I marinated the shrimp with a little chile oil (olive oil infused with chiles), garlic, cumin powder, ginger and freshly ground black pepper. I placed the shrimp and melon balls on a bed of bibb lettuce leaves and drizzled with a vinaigrette of olive oil, raspberry vinegar and sugar.

Beef Do Piaza

2008-06-18T21:58:00.005+02:00

My mother had one small spice rack in her kitchen that contained tins of mustard powder, white pepper, mild paprika, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, marjoram, thyme, sage and a couple of others. Cinnamon was probably the most commonly used one for baking and mixed with sugar for cinnamon toast. As far as I knew, the paprika was only ever sprinkled over mashed potatoes for colour. Curly parsley was probably the only fresh green herb that we knew.

Today I probably have over 40 different herbs and spices in my kitchen. All these are necessary to prepare the different types of cuisine that I make. Indian cuisine is one of the most fascinating for its unusual blends of spices and herbs. It is not unusual to use a combination of 5-10 different herb and spices in one dish. Some recipes call for the spices to be dry heated in a pan first. Some call for the herbs to be cooked in the dish then added fresh to the completed dish as well for two different tastes.

Beef Do Piaza (Beef with onions cooked in two different ways)
Serves 3-4

2 large onions
20 mL (1-½ Tbsp) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
7.5 mL (½ Tbsp) freshly grated ginger
1 mL (¼ tsp) chilli powder
7.5 mL (½Tbsp) ground coriander
7.5 mL (½ Tbsp) ground cumin
2.5 mL (½ tsp) ground turmeric
2 cardamom seeds, crushed
2 cloves
600 g beef, chopped into cubes
125 mL (½ cup) yoghurt
200 g can crushed tomatoes
15 mL (1 Tbsp) fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
15 mL (1 Tbsp) fresh mint, chopped
6 mL (¾ Tbsp) garam masala

Thinly slice one onion and dice the other. Heat half the olive oil in a large pan, add the sliced onions and cook until lightly browned. Remove onions from pan and reserve. Heat remaining olive oil and add the diced onion, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring until onions are lightly browned. Stir in spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add beef and brown on all sides. Add yoghurt in about 4 batches, stirring well after each addition. Add undrained crushed tomatoes; simmer, covered about 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Just before serving, add reserved onion slices, fresh herbs and garam masala; stir until heated through.

Insalata Caprese

2008-06-09T20:40:00.005+02:00

Summer means fresh tasty tomatoes and not the red globes that try to pass for them the rest of the year (those SHOULD be given another name). Even in summer real tomatoes are hard to find unless you are lucky enough to grow your own. Tomatoes and basil were meant to be together. This really is the taste of summer.

The first time I was had Caprese Salad was at my friend Jane’s home near Paris a couple of years before I moved there. This simple blend of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil with an olive oil and vinegar dressing has become a favourite in all its variations chez Jan. Jane is a fabulous cook and her version used “Vinaigre de vin aromatise noix” or walnut flavoured vinegar. It was such a fabulous new taste sensation that I had to import a bottle or two to Canada to impress my friends with my new secret ingredient. I did find it later in Toronto at one of the fruit and vegetable markets on the Danforth. My preference is the Maille brand (in Paris, buy it from Monoprix or other grocery stores rather than the Maille store on Place Madelaine for a better bargain).

Mozzarella is a semi-soft white cheese with a spongy texture. It is made from either cows milk or buffalo milk (mozzarella di Bufala). It is a cheese which can be found in un-pasteurized or pasteurized varieties. In Canada, think of Bocconcini, the small balls of mild buffalo cheese rather than the hard, stringy balls sold as mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella has a softer texture and slightly stronger flavour. In Europe, mozzarella balls are packaged in plastic bags with whey or water.

The recipe here calls for tomatoes and mozzarella to be cut in rounds. It can also be made with cherry tomatoes – for this I suggest that you either cut large mozzarella balls into chunks that roughly match te size of the tomatoes or use the tiny mozzarella balls.

Insalata caprese (Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Salad)
Serves 4

4 large tomatoes, sliced
400 g (14 oz/ 2 cups) fresh mozzarella, cut into rounds
8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
60 mL (4Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
30 mL (2 Tbsp) balsamic or walnut vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the tomato and mozzarella overlapping slices on a serving dish. Decorate with basil. Sprinkle with olive oil and vinegar. Season with pepper to taste.

Spinach and Mushroom Salad

2008-06-01T15:12:00.003+02:00

Spinach is one of the vegetables that have an earthy “good for you taste”. Spinach’s claim to fame was as the force giving food of Popeye the Sailor Man. It seems that sometime ago a scientist published a report with a typo that gave spinach 10x its actual level of iron and perpetuated the myth that spinach would make you very strong. However, spinach is good for you - it is packed with vitamins and minerals (A, B9, C, E, magnesium, manganese and iron to name a few). Spinach can be eaten raw, stir fried or quickly steamed. Boiling will destroy some of its nutritional value. Store fresh spinach for a few days only in the refrigerator. Do not reheat cooked spinach.

The dressing for this Spinach salad can also be used as a dip for carrot, celery and cucumber sticks.

Spinach and Mushroom Salad
Serves 4

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and dried
125 mL (½ cup) mushrooms, sliced
30 mL (2 Tbsp) Roquefort cheese
60 mL (¼ cup) sour cream or crème fraîche
15 mL (1 Tbsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, mash together Roquefort and sour cream; stir in lemon juice.
Remove any large stalks from spinach and tear into bite-size pieces. Place spinach, mushrooms and salad dressing in a large salad bowl; toss to coat well and season with black pepper.

Substitutions:
Another blue cheese such as Gorgonzola can be used in place of the Roquefort.
Silver beet (chard) can be used instead of spinach.

Penne with Julienne Vegetables

2008-05-25T09:41:00.009+02:00

The last week of May is often cool and rainy then followed by a hot and sunny first week of June. I remember this because it is when the French Open tennis is played at Roland Garros in Paris. For the first time in 9 years I will not be living in Paris or going to watch the action in person. I will not have friends visiting so we can talk about tennis non-stop for two weeks. The live internet video feeds are not available in Germany or Luxembourg and I have no TV so I will not be watching the tennis action (unless I can figure out an alternative). I do, however, have e-mail and Skype access to my friends and we will be sharing our match predictions and other tennis gossip but without the advantage of the usual ‘inside scoop’.

As major tennis fans (and players), we usually go to Roland Garros during the first week to see the newcomers as well as to catch up with our old favourites. We get to see the early surprise upsets. We take this very seriously and plan our activities for every day of the slam – the draw is scrutinized and the order of play matched with our schedule. When our coach could not be in Paris, we would send our updates and get his input on which matches to be sure to see next (and why). We try to get in a match or two ourselves hoping that some of what we have seen rubs off on our own play.

This is also the time I year when I throw the most dinner parties. Some casual ‘drop by after tennis’ ones and more formal ones for days when we are not on-site at Roland Garros. Dinner comes with the understanding that it might be late if there is an interesting match that interrupts the preparation (as when the then unknown Frenchman with the brilliant blue eyes, Marc Gicquel, was playing a couple of years ago – delaying both guests and dinner). Sadly no dinner parties are scheduled for the next two weeks but that could change.

This quick and easy recipe could be made for an after tennis day.

Penne with Julienne Vegetables
Serves 4
30 mL (2 Tbsp) butter
125 mL (1/2 cup) julienne carrots*
125 mL (1/2 cup) julienne zucchini*
125 mL (1/2 cup) green beans, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
125 mL (1/2 cup) frozen small peas
125 mL (1/2 cup) chicken stock
250 mL (1 cup) light cream
60 mL (1/4 cup) Romano cheese, freshly grated (optional)
60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh Italian parsley, chopped (optional)
30 mL (2 Tbsp) fresh dill, chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg
375 g (3/4 lb) penne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook penne in large pot of boiling water until al dente.
Meanwhile melt butter in a large skillet; add carrots, zucchini, green beans and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add peas and stock. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in cream, Romano, parsley, dill and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until heated through (do not allow to boil).
Drain penne and add to the sauce; toss to coat well. Serve in warmed pasta bowls. Season with salt and pepper.

*julienne = cut into matchstick shaped pieces

Rhubarb Muffins

2008-05-18T19:07:00.004+02:00

I spotted rhubarb in our garden the other day and immediately had visions of being in my maternal grandmother’s garden. She had a rhubarb patch at the side of her house in Greenock, Scotland. Gran Blair treated my brother and me to rhubarb stalks and paper cones of sugar for dipping. Rhubarb is tart and the sugar made the green and red stalks edible. Quite exotic for two kids who grew up in Canada and had probably only ever eaten cooked rhubarb.

Rhubarb falls into the “Is it a fruit or a vegetable?” category. It is a vegetable that is used as a fruit. It is one of the 1st food plants ready to be harvested in spring, generally in April/May in the northern hemisphere. Rhubarb needs a cold winter period and only grows in colder climates. Rhubarb has huge green leaves and tall stalks. Only the stalks are edible.
Rhubarb is one product I don’t think about buying but rather picking it from the garden. My mother generally stewed rhubarb and served on its own or over vanilla ice cream or used it as pie filling. Rhubarb is often mixed with other fruit like strawberries or apples to offset the tartness. Rhubarb is great in jams, jellies, muffins, cookies, crumbles and other baked goods. Although I have never tasted it, rumour has it, that it makes a great sauce for poultry, venison and fish. Something I will have to try now that I have access to a supply in the garden.

Rhubarb Muffins
Makes 12
125 mL (1/2 cup) crème fraîche
50 mL (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
1 large egg
300 mL (1-1/4 cups) flour
250 mL (1 cup) fresh rhubarb, diced
80 mL (1/3 cup) brown sugar
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) baking soda
1 mL (1/4 tsp) salt

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Blend together crème fraîche, oil and egg in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, rhubarb, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in crème fraîche mixture. Drop into paper-lined (or greased) muffin tins. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until browned and firm to the touch.

Whole Grilled Fish

2008-05-12T16:42:00.019+02:00

Temperatures have soared to 23°C in the daytime. The weather has been beautiful and sunny for a couple of weeks now in the SaarLorLux region. Everyone is wearing summer clothing. Last April and early May were like this too but then it turned cold, wet and miserable for most of the summer so we are taking advantage while we can. It stays light until 9:00 p.m. or so in the evenings and doesn’t cool off too much making for the perfect barbecue conditions

Canadians love to barbecue and eat outdoors - the season is short but that is probably what makes it so special. My Dad had a charcoal grill (barbecuing was a man’s domain after all - another reason it may have been popular as the mother’s got the night off from slaving over a hot stove). We had one of the simple round open ones and my Dad taught us how to pile the charcoal to get it started and to spread out the white hot charcoal when it was ready to cook over. When I left home, I bought a cast iron hibachi that served me very well for several years. It was ideal for grilling small quantities. In Paris, with nowhere for a barbecue, I had to make do with using my Le Creuset grill pan under the broiler. I used it many times for grilling “pavé de saumon” and steak. I would preheat the cast iron grill then add the meat or fish and replace the grill under the broiler. This way it cooks from both top and bottom. Convenient but not as exciting as an outdoor barbecue.

Here in Nittel, my friends burn wood in their brick barbecue pit. Wood gives a better flavour to the food but does require more skill to get it started, keep it going and have it last long enough to cook over. My favourite type of barbecue is a gas grill. In Canada, I had a large gas barbecue with a BTU thatallowed for winter grilling. I had a large patio however it was somewhat under equipped with lighting to permit winter grilling. These are great for parties but just remember to check that there is lots of gas in the tank so that you won’t run out half way though. It has been years since I grilled a whole fish on the barbecue. My very attempt at grilling fish was a salmon that I caught out fishing with my family in Victoria, British Columbia. My dad cleaned and scaled, froze and packaged it for my flight back to Edmonton, Alberta. As near as I remember, I stuffed it with lemon slices and herbs, wrapped it in foil and placed it on our hibachi. The neighbourhood cats were intrigued but the fish managed to escape their curiosity and made it to our plates unscathed. Delicious!One taste of grilled huachinango (red snapper) in Cancun and I fell in love with this fish. The lime flavour was so perfect, my friends and I were licking our fingers after picking the bones clean to make sure that we got every possible morsel. I have grilled it in Canada and it was good but not quite as good as the Mexican one. Happy Grilling!!!
Preheat the grill.Rinse the cleaned and scaled whole fish (use salmon, trout, red snapper, bass, sardines or sea bream). Pat dry (wet fish will tend to stick to the grill)Fill the cavity with lemon slices and fennel fronds or sprigs of other fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, rosemary, tarragon or thyme (or a mixture of these.
Cut small slits in the skin on both sides and rub with olive oil When grill is hot, throw on the fish and cook for approximately 10 minutes* per 2.5 cm (1”) of its thickest point. Turn the fish after 5 minutes. Be patient and don’t keep moving the fish around - this will cause it to stick. To test for doneness - press the tines of a fork into the thickest part of the fish - it is ready to remove from the grill when it hasslightly opaque flesh and milky white juice. The fish will continue to cook for about 5 minutes after it is removed from the grill

*Guideline only - this will vary depending on temperature,type of fish, type of grill, etc.