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30 Jun 2009 15:53
Cooking with beer Cheddar Beer Bread 3 cups flour 3 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 cup grated old cheddar cheese 1 bottle beer, at room temperature 2-4 Tbsp. melted butter, or canola or olive oil Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the cheese and toss to combine. Add the beer all at once, mixing as little as possible just until blended; the batter should be lumpy. Pour the batter into an 8"x4? or 9?x5? loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, and brush with the melted butter or oil. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.Beer Battered Sardines and Asparagus with Lemon Aioli Beer Batter: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup beer seasonings, if you like: chili powder, paprika, cayenne or black pepper sardines, with or without heads removed asparagus, trimmed 2 cups canola oil, for cooking In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, beer and salt, along with any seasonings you like. In a heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until a small chunk of bread sizzles around it, but it's not smoking. Dip a few stalks of asparagus at a time into the batter and cook them in the oil just until they turn golden; transfer to a paper towel lined plate. When your asparagus is all cooked, do the same to the sardines - if you do them second your asparagus won't taste fishy. Serve immediately, with lemon aioli. Aioli: 1/2 cup mayonnaise zest and juice of a lemon (or half as much if you want a subtle lemon flavour) salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Whisk together the aioli and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavours to meld before serving.BeeritosCooking with Booze, by Ryan Jennings and David Steele canola or olive oil, for cooking 1 large onion, chopped 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 lb. lean ground beef or bison 1 large Italian sausage, squeezed out of its casing 3 large tomatoes, chopped 1 cup beer 1/2 cup salsa 1 Tbsp. lime juice 6 large flour tortillas, warmed 2 cups grated cheddar cheese sour cream and extra salsa, for serving In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, garlic and red pepper for about 5 minutes, until soft and starting to turn golden. Add the beef or bison and sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Add the tomatoes and the chili powder and cook for a few more minutes, until the tomatoes release some of their juices and soften. Add the beer and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces and the mixture thickens. Stir in the salsa, lime juice and sugar, and divide the mixture between the tortillas. Garnish with cheese, sour cream and extra salsa, if you like, wrap up like a burrito and serve immediately. Makes 6 beeritos. 1 Tbsp. chili powder adapted from 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. baking powder 
pinch salt
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23 Jun 2009 13:10
Camping food Octodogs: Cut hot dogs in half lengthwise, starting from the middle and cutting through to the end. Roll it over and cut again, creating several "legs". Skewer a stick through the uncut end and cook over an open fire as you normally would. As the legs cook they will curl back, creating a sort of crazy looking octopus.Banana Boats: Cut a long slit lengthwise in an unpeeled banana, not cutting through to the bottom. Pry it open with your fingers and fill with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows; wrap in foil and nestle into the hot coals until it's warmed through, and the chocolate and marshmallows are melted.Stick Snakes: pack some biscuit mix (the kind that only requires water) or a tube of refrigerated bread sticks. Mix up the dough and shape it into ropes, or pull the bread stick dough apart; wrap the dough around the end of the stick, leaving enough space between each turn to allow the heat to cook it through more quickly. Eat warm, with jam.Camping Barbecue Ribs Do the initial cooking in the oven (up to a day or two in advance) and then finish them off on the grill. Dry Rub (enough for 2-3 racks of ribs) 2 Tbsp. paprika 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. salt 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. oregano 2 racks spareribs, trimmed of excess fat 1-2 cups barbecue sauce If you want to use the dry rub, combine all the ingredients for it and rub the ribs all over with the mixture, covering both sides. Let them stand at room temperature for an hour, or wrap them well in plastic and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours to intensify the flavors. If you aren't using the rub, just sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper. Keep any extra rub in an airtight container - it will last for about a year before it starts to lose its punch. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the ribs meat side up on a rimmed baking sheet, and cover the pan completely with foil. Bake them for 2 hours. Refrigerate until you need them (up to 2 days). When you're ready to take them to the campground, wrap them in foil (slather with barbecue sauce first, or bring it along to brush on) and at the campground throw them on the grill rack to heat through, or tuck the well-wrapped rack of ribs into the hot coals until warmed through.
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19 Jun 2009 02:56
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16 Jun 2009 23:20
Father's day brunch (no recipes to post) -
09 Jun 2009 15:14
Soul food month Green Peas or Fiddleheads in Cream adapted from The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis 3 cups fresh peas (shelled from 3 to 6 pounds peas in pods) or thawed frozen peas, or trimmed fresh fiddleheads 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chervil, chives, or mint Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil, then slowly add peas or fiddleheads, keeping the water at a boil. Stir in sugar and cook, uncovered, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander. In a medium saucepan, boil the cream for 2-3 minutes, until reduced by half. Add butter, peas or fiddleheads, salt and pepper to taste and cook over medium heat, stirring, until butter is melted and peas or fiddleheads are warmed through. Stir in herbs and serve immediately.Miss Lewis' Busy-Day Cake Adapted from The Taste of Country Cooking, by Edna Lewis From the book: Busy-day cake was never iced, it was always cut into squares and served warm, often with fresh fruit or berries left over from canning. The delicious flavor of fresh-cooked fruit with the plain cake was just to our taste and it was also refreshing with newly churned, chilled buttermilk or cold morning's milk. 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 1 1/3 cups sugar 3 large eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt a good grating of nutmeg ½ cup milk, at room temperature Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9" springform pan with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the vanilla. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add about a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and stir by hand or beat on low speed just until blended. Add a third of the milk, mixing just until combined. Continue adding flour and milk, finishing with flour and stirring each time just until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden (if it's browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil) and springy to the touch. Serve warm, absolutely plain or with fruit. Serves 10.Corn Pones Adapted from The Taste of Country Cooking, by Edna Lewis Excerpt from the book: When there was need for a quick hot snack, we would light the cookstove and stir up some cornmeal and make a number of corn pones, sometimes adding cracklings to make them more interesting, but they were just as delicious plain. The rather stiff batter would be shaped with both hands, fingers closed, to make a large egg shape-the shape of your hand. The pones were about 3 inches wide, and were placed an inch apart on a baking sheet. Baked in a fairly hot oven, when done they were golden brown in color and very crusty outside, which made them more delicious. We would cut them in half and butter them. 2 cups ground white or yellow cornmeal 1/2 tsp. salt 2/3 cup cold water 1/2 cup milk 1 Tbsp. melted lard or butter (or canola oil) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sift the meal, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the water and milk. Stir well, add melted butter or oil, and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Take the batter and shape it into pones by cupping both hands together and patting it into form. Place each pone upon a baking sheet (that has been sprayed with nonstick spray), placing them an inch apart, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes-no longer or the bread will dry out. Makes 4 corn pones.Edna Lewis' Oven Brisket (or Rolled Chuck) Adapted from The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis 3 lb. beef brisket or chuck canola oil, for cooking 1 Tbsp. butter 1 1/2 lbs. onions, peeled and sliced freshly ground black pepper 3 or 4 whole allspice berries 1 bay leaf salt Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add a drizzle of oil and sear the meat, browning well on all sides. Transfer to a heavy pot or ovenproof pan. Add another drizzle of oil and the butter to the pan and add the onions to it; cook for several minutes, until golden. Add to the pot with the meat. Grind some pepper generously over the meat and onions, and add the allspice berries and bay leaf. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and put it in the oven; turn the oven down to 225°F and leave to cook undisturbed for 2 1/2 hours. (I found the meat was still tough at this point, and it needed another couple hours.) When the meat separates easily with a fork, remove the meat and press the onions through a sieve. Add to pan drippings and season this sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with the beef. Serves 6-8.
1 tsp. baking powder
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02 Jun 2009 22:57
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02 Jun 2009 10:46
The perennial life of rhubarb Strawberry-Rhubarb Blintzes with Mascarpone For crêpes: 1 1/2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. melted butter or canola oil For filling: 1 475 g container mascarpone (soft Italian cream cheese) 1-2 Tbsp. sugar pinch salt For sauce: 4-5 rhubarb stalks, chopped 1/2-3/4 cup sugar, or to taste 1/4 cup orange juice or water 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, halved canola oil and/or butter, for cooking with To make the crêpe batter, combine the milk and eggs in the blender; pulse a few times to blend. Add the flour and salt and blend at low speed just until smooth. Let the batter stand for about half an hour. It should have the consistency of heavy cream. When you're ready to make the crêpes, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and brush with melted butter (or rub the open end of a pound of butter quickly over the pan - that's how I do it!) Pour about 1/4 cup batter into the pan and quickly tilt it around to coat the bottom of the pan completely, making them as thin as you can. Cook for a minute, until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the skillet and the bottom is golden. Flip using tongs or a thin spatula and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side. Slide onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter. In a medium bowl, stir together the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and salt. Place a heaping spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of filling in the center of each crêpe, spread it a little into a rough oval or rectangle shape, then fold it up like a burrito (one long side over the filling, then the two ends, and then roll it over to create a package). Set aside on a large plate. (This part can be done up to a day ahead; cover and refrigerate until you're ready for them.) To make the compote, combine the rhubarb, sugar and orange juice in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the strawberries and cook for another 10 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat and set aside. (This too can be done a day ahead; cover and refrigerate, and then rewarm when you're ready for it.) To finish your blintzes, brown them in a heavy skillet with a drizzle of oil and a dab of butter until they are golden and crispy on both sides. Serve with warmed strawberry-rhubarb compote. Makes 12-15 blintzes.Rhubarb Chutney canola or olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 4-5 stalks rhubarb 1 small apple, chopped (optional) a handful of raisins 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 3/4 cup sugar, white or brown 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1 cinnamon stick Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium saucepan and cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until soft and starting to turn golden. Add everything else, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for about half an hour, until everything is nice and soft and it looks like chutney. Ladle into clean jars and seal, or refrigerate. Serve with grilled pork tenderloin. Makes about 2 1/2 cups. 1 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. salt -
26 May 2009 11:21
Asparagus and this weekend's asparagus festival For more information about the Asparagus Festival, visit Edgar Farms at http://edgarfarms.com. Elna Edgar's Cold Asparagus with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette 1 lb. Edgar Farms fresh asparagus 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds* 1 garlic clove - crushed 1 tsp. fresh ginger - grated 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 2 Tbsp. orange juice 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 2 tsp. soy sauce ¼ tsp. red chili flakes ¼ tsp. sesame oil *To toast sesame seeds, put them in a small skillet and heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just golden. Watch carefully. Bring lightly salted water to boil in a medium skillet, add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes or just until tender-crisp. Immerse asparagus in ice-water to stop the cooking action. Pat dry and arrange on a platter. In a blender, combine the dressing ingredients (reserving half of sesame seeds) and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour dressing evenly over asparagus, sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4.Asparagus & Cauliflower Vichyssoise 1 Tbsp. each butter and canola or olive oil 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 2 leeks, chopped (white and pale green part only) and then washed in a bowl of cool water 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces 2-3 cups cauliflower florets 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken or vegetable stock, or some stock and some water salt and pepper 1/2-1 cup half & half or cream In a large saucepan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add all the vegetables and cook for a few minutes, until they start to soften. Add the stock and cook for 30 minutes, until everything is very tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cream. Purée the soup in the pot using a hand-held immersion blender, or do it in batches in the blender or food processor until very smooth. Serve warm, or chill and serve cold. Serves 8.
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19 May 2009 22:52
Lunchbox ideas for the Calgary Children's Festival Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies 3 large, very ripe bananas 1/2 cup all-natural (just peanuts) peanut butter, or almond butter 1/4 cup canola oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups old-fashioned (large flake) or quick oats 1/3 cup shredded coconut 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 - 1 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl mash the bananas with the peanut butter, oil and vanilla. Add the oats, coconut, baking powder and salt and stir just until combined; stir in the chocolate chips. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, or one that is sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake for 12-14 minutes, until just set. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.Green Pea Hummus When adding green peas to hummus you could use leftovers or quickly cook them, but today I threw them in and let them thaw in the food processor before adding everything else, and it worked just fine. 1 19 oz. (540 mL) can chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained 1/2-1 cup frozen peas, thawed 2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1- 2 garlic cloves, peeled Juice of 1 lemon (or 2-3 Tbsp.) 1/2 tsp. cumin Salt to taste 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil Put the chick peas, peas, tahini, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pureed. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until it's smooth and has the texture you want. If it's too thick, add a little extra oil, yogurt or water. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, lemon juice, tahini) to your taste. Serve with fresh or toasted pita chips and/or fresh vegetables. Makes about 2 cups.Fig Slab Cookies Fig Filling: 1/2 lb. (one 250g package) dried figs or apricots 1 cup orange juice Finely chop the figs (removing the tough stems) and put them into a small saucepan with the orange juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until it turns into a soft sort of jam. The texture will depend on the dryness of the figs - add more juice or water if need be. If the mixture seems too chunky, puree it in the food processor once it has softened. (It's tough to chop dried figs in the food processor alone - they tend to be too thick and sticky.) Dough: 1/3 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 large egg 1 Tbsp. molasses 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (optional) 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cup quinoa or oat flour (or all-purpose or whole wheat flour) 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until well blended and the mixture has the texture of wet sand. Beat in the egg, molasses, ginger (if using) and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the dough in half and roll one piece out into a rectangle about the size of your cookie sheet - this is easy to do on a piece of parchment or a Silpat baking mat, which can then be slid right onto the baking sheet. Spread the dough with the fig filling. Roll the second piece of dough out to the same size on a piece of waxed paper; lay it over the fig filling, and press it gently to seal the two together a bit. I usually roll the whole thing gently with a rolling pin, being careful that the filling doesn't spill out the sides. Bake for about 25 minutes, until pale golden and set. Cool for about 10 minutes, then trim the edges and cut the slab into squares or rectangles with a knife, pizza wheel or pastry cutter. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies, with plenty of edge scraps that are very tasty too.
pinch salt
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12 May 2009 13:55
A vegitarian's plea Portobello Pizzas with Tomato Bruschetta 2 portobello mushroom caps 1 clove garlic, crushed Olive or canola oil 1/3 cup (ish) chunky tomato bruschetta Grated mozzarella cheese Preheat the oven to 350°F or your grill to medium. Remove the mushroom stems and scrape the gills out with a spoon - only because they tend to be bitter. Stir the garlic into the oil and brush it all over the mushroom caps - both sides. Place the mushroom caps bowl-side up on a baking sheet and bake (or grill) for 8-10 minutes, until tender. Take them out of the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450°F, or turn up your grill a bit. Top your mushrooms with the bruschetta and cheese. Bake (or grill, with the lid closed) for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese melts. Serves 2 (recipe doubles or triples easily)Panzanella Skewers Mozzarella, cut into 1" cubes Fresh basil leaves Cherry tomatoes Crusty bread or focaccia bread, cut into 1" cubes 1 garlic clove, crushed Olive oil Salt and pepper Bamboo skewers, soaked for at least 10 minutes Cut a slit into each cheese cube and stuff it with a piece of basil. Thread tomatoes, chunks of bread and cheese alternately on the skewers. Stir the garlic into the oil and brush the skewers with the oil. Preheat the grill to medium-high and cook, turning as you need to, until everything gets crispy-edged and golden and the cheese begins to melt..
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