Bretzel-Sonndeg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.