Pizza

It is hard to imagine now but the first time I ate pizza I did not like it. My friend’s mother made it as a weekend treat at her house. As a teenager, the pizza we made at home came from a Kraft pizza mix box (we didn’t care too much for the other brand) – a tin of tomato sauce, package of parmesan cheese, a pouch of dough mix (just add water) and the dried herb mix to top it all off. Even before I knew what it was I liked the fennel seed addition. When I had the chance, I would jazz up the pizza by adding ground beef. By this point my family had been fully indoctrinated into packaged foods and special enhancements from the “Kraft kitchen”.

Pizza in Italy was a revelation to me. As a student of architecture/project management in Toronto, I was surrounded by Italian classmates who had told me that pizza in Italy was not like the thick crusted, heavy cheese and pepperoni laden thing that passes for pizza in Canada. It was not until I went to Italy that I saw what pizza could and should be. A thin crust topped with fresh ingredients. My favourite is avocado and tomato topped with arugula. Margarita pizza is simplicity at its best – tomatoes, oregano and mozzarella - the colours of the Italian flag.

Mozzarella is an Italian semi-soft fresh cheese made from either cow’s milk or water buffalo milk (mozzarella di bufala). For my Canadian friends who are more familiar with the hard stringy, gooey mozzarella, please think of bocconcini instead of mozzarella.

I make my own pizza dough now using my food processor. This recipe yields enough lovely soft dough for 4 pizzas. For toppings – keep it simple, fresh and tasty.





Pizza Dough
Yields 4-20 cm (8") Pizzas

1 package (8g / 2-1/4 tsp) active-dry yeast
375 mL (1-1/2 cups) very warm water (45°C / 110°F)
560g - 1000 mL (4 cups) all-purpose flour; plus more for dusting
7.5mL (1-1/2 tsp) salt
30 mL (2 Tbsp) olive oil

Dissolve the yeast in warm water and set aside.
In the meantime, add flour and salt to a food processor fitted with the steel blade; process briefly to mix. With the machine running, add the water-yeast mixture in a steady stream. Turn food processor off and add oil pulsing a few times to mix.

Scrape soft dough out of food processor and onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough into a ball incorporating any remaining bits of flour. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a tight, smooth ball, kneading to push the air out.

Place the dough on a floured surface, cover with a clean dishtowel and let double in size (about 45 min.). Preheat oven to 240°C (500°F). If possible, use a pizza baking stone preheated in the oven.

To use dough tomorrow:
Place dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a clean dishtowel, cover with plastic wrap leaving room to double in size. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 15 min. before using.

The dough can be frozen for up to one month by dusting them generously with flour as soon as they are made and place each one in a separate freezer bag. To use, thaw in refrigerator for 10-12 hours or at room temperature for 3 hours.

A few topping suggestions:
- Sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil
- Prosciutto, olives, sliced tomatoes and mozzarella
- Pesto with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan
- Tomato, avocado and arugula – cook pizza with chopped tomatoes then add avocado and arugula when it comes out of the oven
- Caramelized onions, fresh sage or thyme leaves, grated pecorino and/or Parmesan cheese
- Seafood – a thin layer of tomato sauce topped with a mixture of clams, shrimp, mussels, squid, etc. If using frozen seafood, be sure to thaw and drain well otherwise the pizza will be soggy.

Moussaka

My obsession with kitchen gadgets can be summed up with the gesture of a friend on my 1st trip to Provence. She bought me a postcard from a little card shop in Avignon that pictured all kinds of kitchen gadgets because it reminded her of my Paris kitchen.

Some of my very favourite kitchen gadgets and the places I bought them are:

The fine wood rasp I purchased from Lee Valley Tools in Ottawa, Canada more than 10 years ago.
Lee Valley is candy land for woodworkers and gardeners but this small woodworking tool had caught the attention of chefs. Lee Valley carries more kitchen equipment these days - not too surprising as women have been raiding the workshop for years and converting tools to kitchen uses. The micro rasp is pure tool – stainless steel with tiny sharp blades and no handle. It is perfect for zesting citrus fruit while leaving the white pith behind. It makes short work of grating ginger, garlic, parmesan cheese and chocolate. More expensive kitchen store versions of these started to appear a few years ago with practical shapes and handles but I have stayed with the original.
Another favourite, the Taylor Instant read thermometer to check the temperature of cooked meats also came from Lee Valley Tools.

My “chalumeau” or small kitchen blow torch to caramelize brown sugar toppings for Crème caramel was purchased from Mora in the Les Halles area of Paris.
Mora is a store for professional chefs and carries just about everything a cook could want. Other useful gadgets that I have purchased from this store include a palate knife and off-set palate knife, putty knife (large wide spatula), and large tweezers for removing fish bones.

On my wanderings around the Saar region of Germany, I happened upon the Silit warehouse store in Mettlach. This is the place for beautifully styled and useful gadgets in addition to carrying a large selection of pots and pans. Silicone pot holders, tomato peeler, pastry brush, pasta tester, pasta measure, and tea infuser are just a few of the new gadgets that I have purchased lately.

This week’s recipe is the perfect dish for winter – hearty but full of Mediterranean flavours that will let you escape to sunny Greece.



Moussaka
Serves 6

1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
Coarse cooking salt
Olive oil, for brushing over vegetables
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
45 mL (3 Tbsp) grated Parmesan cheese

MEAT LAYER:
15 mL (1 Tbsp) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 kg (2 lbs) minced lamb
60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh parsley, chopped
425 g (13 oz) can crushed tomatoes
30 mL (2 Tbsp) tomato paste
125 mL (1/2 cup) red wine
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) dried oregano leaves
1 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cinnamon

CHEESE SAUCE:
30g (2 Tbsp) butter
80 mL (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
500mL (2 cups) milk
125 mL (1/2 cup) cream
1 mL (1/4 tsp) freshly ground nutmeg
125 mL (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Sprinkle eggplant with salt, let stand for 30 minutes, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Grill eggplant and potato slices (or heat oil in a large frying pan, cook potatoes and eggplant in batches until tender. Drain on paper towels.)
Prepare the meat sauce: Heat oil in large frying pan; add onion and garlic, cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add minced lamb; cook stirring, until well browned. Stir in parsley, undrained crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, oregano and cinnamon; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.
Lightly grease 2 L (8 cup) ovenproof dish. Layer half the eggplant in dish, sprinkle with 1/3 of Parmesan cheese and spoon over ½ the meat sauce. Add potatoes in a layer; sprinkle with another 1/3 of Parmesan cheese, then spoon over remaining meat sauce, finish with a layer of eggplant.
Prepare the cheese sauce: Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour; cook, stirring, for 1 min. Gradually stir in milk, cream and nutmeg; stir constantly over heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes; stir in Parmesan cheese and egg.
Pour sauce over eggplant; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 1 hour.

Sautéed Chicken with Chiles and Coconut Cream

Thai cuisine to me infers beautiful fresh tasty food. Thai cuisine blends different flavours (sweet, sour, salty bitter and spicy) and uses fresh ingredients (chillies, herbs) rather than dried. Some of the commonly used ingredients are lime, garlic, noûc mam (fish sauce), chiles, Thai basil, coriander, coconut milk qnd lemon grass.

I have two memories of Thai food from Toronto - Pad Thai from ‘The Bamboo’ (I loved that restaurant on Queen St. West with its Jamaican theme and live music nights) and Thai soup (a spicy broth with tomatoes, lemon grass and shrimp) from the tiny take out restaurant near my house at the corner of Queen and Coxwell.

In Paris I had the good fortune to go to Blue Elephant http://www.blueelephant.com for a work dinner. We ordered the tasting menu and everything was amazing. Blue Elephant has restaurants in several cities now and more to come. In Bangkok, they have a cooking school in addition to the restaurant. Some of the Blue Elephant products (high quality prepared dishes and sauces) are available at some of Paris’ grocery stores like Monoprix and La Grande Épicerie.

Try this spicy chicken dish. Please take care when handling hot chiles – protect your hands or be careful wash your hands afterward and not touch your eyes or other sensitive areas.

Thai Sautéed Chicken with Chiles and Coconut Cream
Serves 4

500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
30 mL (2 Tbsp) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
10 mL (2 tsp) small red chile pepper, finely sliced 60 g (2 oz) fresh basil leaves, cut in strips
30 mL (2 Tbsp) nuöc mám (Thai fish sauce)
5 mL (1 tsp) fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) sugar
250 mL (1 cup) coconut cream

Remove any fat and sinew from the chicken; cut into strips.
Heat oil in a wok, add onion and chile pepper; cook stirring until onion is tender but not coloured. Turn element to high, add chicken; cook, stirring from time to time, until done. Add the basil, nuöc mám, cilantro and sugar. Cook 1 minute longer. Pour in the coconut cream and stir until heated through. Serve with a bowl of jasmine or basmati rice.

Colourful Cauliflower and Tomato Curry

I was excited when the first Starbucks came to Paris. But then they expanded and now there seems to be one on every corner. I had a Starbucks coffee at the Frankfurt Airport on my way to Ottawa for Christmas and reflected on how it is not special to me anymore. It can be found everywhere. I remember madly hunting for a Starbucks in Chicago with my friend Carol quite a few years ago since we both love strong coffee and lattes and it was a struggle to find a good coffee in downtown Chicago. I used to bring back coffee beans to Paris from Canada before Starbucks invaded the market. Now I rarely ever go to Starbucks or buy their coffee beans. Globalization can be too much of a good thing.

One of the special things about travelling is that you can find things that you can’t get at home. Today, I can find almost every food product I want anywhere. There are very few cravings for things but more for the atmosphere of different places. Some things belong where they originated where they are more authentic.

Jobs are becoming global too. Package a piece up and ship it to somewhere that it can be done for less money. I love working globally and getting to know people from all over the world. Sometimes never even meeting them in person but collaborating remotely. One has to learn how to communicate – to be understood and not offend anyone. Sometimes things in one culture have a totally different meaning in another – being aware of that is the key to effective communication.

As a lot of today’s high-tech jobs are going to India and we are working with an Indian vendor/partner, I wonder how they fare in finding ingredients to cook their home cuisine in Luxembourg.

Here is one of my favourite Indian recipes.

Colourful Cauliflower and Tomato Curry
Serves 4

1 lg. onion, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
10 mL (2 tsp) butter or oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5-10 mL (1 – 2 tsp) curry powder
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cumin
1 med. size cauliflower, broken into florets, slice base
4 lg. ripe tomatoes, quartered then halved
125 mL (1/2 cup) light sour cream
Toasted cashews or sesame seeds (optional)
Fresh coriander, chopped

Heat butter or oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic. Sprinkle with curry and cumin. Sauté over low heat for 5 min., stirring often. Add the cauliflower and tomatoes. Turn heat to med-high and stir frequently until cauliflower is done and sauce is formed, about 10 – 15 min. Stir in sour cream and serve over rice. Sprinkle with coriander.

For a complete vegetarian entrée sprinkle each serving with toasted cashews or sesame seeds.

Boeuf Stroganov

Happy New Year!

Best wishes for health, happiness and prosperity in 2008.

Here is an easy and delicious dinner idea for cold winter evenings. This dish can be prepared in advance and reheated just before serving making it perfect for entertaining. Adjust the amount and strength (mild or hot) of the paprika to your taste. Complete the meal with plain white rice or rice pilaf and a tossed green salad.

Bœuf Stroganov

Serves 4

45 ml (3 Tbsp) olive oil
600 g (1-1/4 lbs.) filet of beef, cut into strips
30 g (1 oz.) butter
3 large shallots, finely chopped
15 mL (1 Tbsp) paprika
60g (2 oz.) mushrooms, sliced
30 mL (1/8 cup) white wine vinegar
60 mL (1/4 cup) cognac
250 mL (1 cup) chicken stock
200 mL (3/4 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream
Pickles, cut into julienne strips
Beet, cut into julienne strips

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add beef; sauté for 3-5 minutes, stir to brown on all sides. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan; add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, without colouring. Add paprika and mushrooms; cook over high heat until the liquid has evaporated. Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute until the pan is almost dry. Add the cognac; cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and keep warm. Add the chicken stock to the pan; cook until reduced by half. Add the crème fraîche or sour cream; return the beef and mushrooms to the pan to reheat.

Garnish with pickles and beets.

Spaghetti alla Vongole

Spaghetti alla Vongole (Spaghetti with clams)
Serves 4

1 kg (2 lbs) pounds small fresh clams, scrubbed
60 mL (1/4 cup) olive oil
2 - 4 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced
60 mL (1/4 cup) Italian (flat) parsley, minced (reserve 30 mL /2 Tbsp for garnish)
7.5 mL (1/2 tsp) dried red pepper, crumbled
500 g (1 lb) of spaghetti
125 mL (1/2 cup) dry white wine
60 mL (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté until light brown, about 1 minute. Add clams and parsley; stir 2 minutes. Add wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice. Cover and simmer until clams open; about 6 minutes (discard any that do not open).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Add pasta to clam mixture and toss to coat. Season with pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Canard à l'orange

When I think of duck, the classic French dish ‘canard à l’orange’ comes to mind first or more its anglicized name ‘duck à l’orange’. In Canada, I made roast duck with one of the ‘President’s Choice Memories of’ sauces – a tangy blend of red fruit if I remember correctly. Shortly after they changed the marketing names and flavours and I couldn’t find it again. The tiny recipe card that came with it explained the secret of crispy skin – pour boiling water over the duck before roasting.

In France, duck is rarely roasted whole but is prepared as either ‘magret de canard’ or ‘confit de canard’. ‘Magret de canard’ is the lean duck breast and ‘confit de canard’ is cooked then preserved in fat. Duck is one of the favourite Bistro dishes and is generally served with potatoes – fries for the confit and purée with the magret. Duck breast is also sliced and served in a variety of salads. A version of Sheppard’s pie replaces beef with ‘confit de canard’. Many restaurants in Paris specialize in cuisine from the south-western region of France, especially duck and fois gras dishes.

Duck marries perfectly with all kinds of fruit - apples, peaches, cherries, grapes, mangoes, oranges, limes, grapefruit, and pineapple. It can be seasoned with many different spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, curry, cumin and ginger. It is also complemented with almonds, walnuts, red wine, honey and mustard.

The version in the photo, used duck wings and replaced the orange with lime.

Cuisses de canard à l'orange
Serves 4-6

6 duck legs
1 carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 oranges
1 lemon
200 mL (3/4 cup) chicken stock
75 mL (1/3 cup) oil
30 mL (2 Tbsp) white wine or sherry vinegar
30mL (2 Tbsp) Cointreau or Grande Marnier
15 mL (1 Tbsp) cornstarch or arrowroot
15 mL (1 Tbsp) orange marmalade
35 g (1 oz) sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Cut the rind and pith off one orange; cut between the membranes to remove the orange segments. From the other orange, cut off the zest (removing as little of the white pith as possible) and cut into fine strips. Juice the orange and lemon and set aside.

Score the duck skin with a sharp knife. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat; season the duck with salt and pepper, and place in pan skin side down to brown for 15 minutes. Add carrot and onion and continue to sauté for 10 minutes. Place in the oven and roast the duck for 15 minutes on each side. Pour off fat from pan. Add chicken stock and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the sugar in a small pot over low heat until golden in colour. Add orange and lemon zests and juice. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Turn off the oven; remove duck to a heated serving platter and return to oven for 10 minutes.
Add vinegar to the sugar sauce; remove from heat and stir for 1 minute then add the Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water and add to sauce. Reheat the sauce and add the orange marmalade to melt. Set aside.
Garnish the duck with the orange segments and serve with the sauce.

Wine suggestions: a red Bandol or Côte de Brouilly

Spicy Pear Loaf

The brilliantly funny comedian, Eddie Izzard http://www.eddieizzard.com/, says something like "Pears are gorgeous little beasts but they are ripe for half an hour and you're never there to see it. They are either rocks or they're mush."

I have found this to be true but in fall we stand a good chance of actually having edible pears.

Pears come in a variety of shapes, tastes, colours and textures. The most commonly found varieties at my marché in Paris were: Williams, Comice, Conférence, Anjou and Bosc.

I don't have a preference and tend to choose by what looks best and seems most suited to what I plan to make. This delicious recipe is adapted from “Cake aux poires très épicé”, Saveurs N° 156 Sept. – Oct. 2007.

Spicy Pear Loaf

Makes 1 loaf (23x13 cm/9x5-in)

150 g (125 mL/1 cup) all-purpose flour
50 g (2oz) ground almonds
130 g (125 mL/1 cup) Demerara or light brown sugar
5 mL (1 tsp) baking powder
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) cinnamon
7.5 mL (1-1/2 tsp) ground ginger
5 mL (1 tsp) ground cardamom
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) ground cloves
1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) freshly ground nutmeg
2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) salt
115 g (4 oz) butter, melted
5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla
3 eggs
2 pears, peeled, core and stem removed, diced

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

In large bowl, blend flour, almonds, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt. Stir in melted butter and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in diced pears. Pour batter into buttered loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until loaf springs back when lightly touched in center. Let cool for 10 minutes, loosen sides with knife and remove from pan.

Cream of Fennel Soup

Fennel is not a common vegetable in Canadian cooking. It is very versatile and used a lot in Mediterranean cooking - in salads, soups, pasta dishes or on its own as a side dish.

Today was very grey and rainy day so my thoughts have turned to making soup and what better than a cream of fennel soup to combine the idea of sunny southern European countries with the need for a warm meal.

Cream of Fennel Soup

Serves 4-6

60 mL (4 Tbsp) olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 L (4 cups) chicken stock
125 mL (½ cup) dry white wine
125 mL (½ cup) cream or crème fraîche
10 mL (2 tsp) fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fennel fronds for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Sauté onions and fennel in a frying pan over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a soup pot; add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fennel is very tender, about 15 minutes.
Purée the soup using a hand blender in the pot or transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade (alternatively into a blender or through a food mill fitted with a medium disk). Add 1 cup of cooking stock and process until smooth. Return purée to pot and add cream or crème fraîche and tarragon; season with pepper. Simmer until heated through. Add shaved Parmesan to the soup, if using, and stir until melted. Sprinkle with fennel fronds. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Happy Thanksgiving!

This recipe is for my friend Anne. We spent many wonderful Thanksgivings together in Ottawa. We had turkey with all the timmings and made Christmas fruitcakes. One year I made this cheesecake as a change from Pumpkin Pie and it was a bit hit.

In Europe we do not celebrate Thanksgiving but there are many festivals this time of year. The local wineries are in full swing with their harvest. Octoberfest festivities have started.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Makes 10-12 servings

CRUST:
500 mL (2 cups) graham wafer crumbs
150 mL (2/3 cup) unsalted butter, melted
45 mL (3 Tbsp) granulated sugar
Pinch of each cinnamon and nutmeg

FILLING:
500 g (1 lb) cream cheese*, at room temperature
125 mL (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
50 mL (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
6 eggs
500 mL (2 cups) canned or fresh pumpkin purée
5 mL (1 tsp) cinnamon
4 mL (3/4 tsp) nutmeg
1 mL (1/4 tsp) allspice

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)

CRUST:
Mix together wafer crumbs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Press onto bottom and side of 3 L (10”) spring-form pan. Refrigerate while making filling.

FILLING:
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in flour. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until barely firm to the touch. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen the cake. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Open oven door and leave for 30 minutes longer. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Garnish with whipped cream and chopped nuts if desired.

*In France, St Morêt can be used in place of the cream cheese.