All Our Fingers in the Pie

March Newsletter

2012-02-26T20:29:00.002-06:00

My March newsletter is out. I am changing the name to match my blog, All Our Fingers in the Pie. Made more sense to me than rebranding with yet another name. Two names are enough - Sarah and All Our Fingers in the Pie.

If you would like to receive my newsletter on a regular basis, please leave a comment or email me. I will not be posting it on my blog after this month.

Sarah Galvin

Food is my passion. This is the first time I have participated at a Farmer's Market and it has been a learning curve! It has been so much more work than I ever imagined. You feel like you are on a treadmill sometimes. I have cooking classes in my home, offer cooking class parties in your home and have a blog called "All Our Fingers in the Pie". This is my free monthly newsletter. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, there is an unsubscribe button at the bottom of this page. Or if you would like it sent to a different email address, just let me know! Thanks!

For more information on my cooking classes, call me at 773-2890 or email at sgalvin@ shaw.ca or just visit my blog and click on the cooking classes tab. http://allourfingersinthepie.blogspot.com

Vindaloo Basa
Basa is so cheap and it readily takes on any flavour you want to add. Tonight I used some of my Premala's Vindaloo Curry Sauce. Saute celery, onion, plantain and sweet pepper in canola oil. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add 3 - 4 tablespoons of the curry sauce. Add basa and brown on both sides. Add the vegetables back. Saute until the basa flakes easily. Serve immediately.

Brome Lake Duck
Brome Lake ducks set the standard for duck in this country. I could not believe my good fortune to find individually frozen legs at Co-Op today. I have a lot of rendered duck fat in my freezer so I will be making confit with these two lovely legs. They then can be turned into a risotto, a winter salad with bitter greens or just crisped in a pan to have with some pan fried potatoes. Such a nice treat on a cold winters day. And, did you know that duck fat is far healthier than butter but not quite as good as olive oil.

What Are You Planting This Year?

Please communicate back to me! I would love to hear what you have planned for your garden this year. My usual is mesculun greens for salad, multi-coloured chard, roma tomatoes, carrots and beets. I have a very small patch. My perennials are rhubarb, strawberries, French tarragon, and chives. I want to add a few more herbs. I want to enlarge my patch. But I would love to hear what exotics and lovelies you will be cultivating this year. And if we can create an exchange of plants, all the better!

Wine of the Month...
Heritage Road Bloodstone 2010 Shiraz was a wine that one of my cooking class participants recommended. I bought some, and yes, it is yummy! Full bodied and was great with our Cinghiale Sugo and Duck Breast with Pomegranate Chile Sauce. And only $14.

For the love of food...the love of creating...the love of eating...with friends.

Food is the great socializer. Whether we are gourmands or simply eat to survive there is no denying that we all eat with friends. Friends are offered coffee or family is offered a meal. Anyone who just drops in is offered some food in most cultures. Whether it is a simple picnic or an elegant dinner, we enjoy breaking bread with friends.

Make Your Own Ricotta

How many times do you use ricotta? I rarely use it for several reasons. Well, first of all it is expensive. And I don't eat much cheese or dairy. But I needed ricotta to make some gnocchi (little Italian dumplings). I priced out a quart of milk - $1.99 - versus a 250ml container of ricotta - $3.99. Well, if you use a quart of milk to make ricotta it equals 250 mls of ricotta. So I have just saved $2.00 and I also know there are no additives.

It is embarrasingly easy to make ricotta. Pour one litre of whole milk into a pot and scald. Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and cover. Let this sit for one hour. Then line a sieve with cheesecloth and strain the curds from the milk. I strain it overnight in the refrigerator for a drier ricotta.

Taste Travel to Italy.....We had a lot of fun and good food at the class this month. The menu included Cinghiale Sugo (Wild boar stew) with dried Okanagan cherries, black truffle sauce and other aromatics. We made local duck breast with pomegranate chile sauce, sweet potato gnocchi, risotto Milanese, antipasti and vanilla bean pannacotta as one of the desserts. It was a tasting menu with about a dozen recipes.

Register now for the next Dinner Club - Traditional & Contemporary Irish fare on March 17. 5:30pm. $50 per person...the recipes I have chosen are inspired by Ely Hq Gastro Pub in Dublin and The Spotted Pig in NYC. We use as many local ingredients as possible so you can recreate these dishes at home. Register now.

Make Your Own Yogurt
If you liked that ricotta tip then you will love this yogurt encouragement. I make all of my yogurt from scratch. Whole milk or light milk can be used. Bring one liter of milk to just the boil. It is called scalding. The reason for scalding milk is that an enzyme must be de-activated before a culture will flourish. Let the milk cool to 90F or lukewarm. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cultured yogurt or yogurt starter. Cover and insulate with a towel. Let this incubate for 4 or 5 hours. Let this sit until you reach the consistency you desire. Then refrigerate. When it is refrigerated it will no longer thicken. You can add fruit, maple syrup, jams or jellies to your taste. I love it with granola.

Yogurt starter can be found at Nutters. Alternatively, you could carefully read the label of store bought yogurt. If it has live culture, then you can use that as a starter.

At the end of the day, we are the only ones who can be accountable for how we feel. Yes, we can be responsible for our own health. I know I am speaking to the converted but if we truly want to be healthy, then, it is up to us. Choose your team wisely. You will want a physician, a pharmacist, a nutritionist, a naturopath and perhaps a coach to help put this all together for you. We deserve this. These people will help us make choices that will improve our overall health.

Have you met Caroline Barrington yet? Caroline is as passionate about your health as I am about my food. She is a personal health coach. This is what she says, "I received my training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I was trained in more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I will help you create a completely personalized “roadmap to health” that suits your unique body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals".

I met Caroline at the Farmer's Market. She walks her talk and has extensive knowledge that will help you get control of your body's health. You can reach her at carolinebarrington@sasktel.net.

Grana Padano is the best parmesan cheese. Co-op & Safeway have blocks of this wondeful cheese in a container with its own grater called Twist and Shave. You can have freshly grated parmesan so easily and without having to pull out a grater or buying a special grater. It is far better than the pre-grated cheese that doesn't even look like cheese. Cost? Around $9 and it will last for weeks, or months, depending upon how much you use.

Have You Checked Out Co-op....
I love browsing through Etc Etc or Scentiments but if you want something very basic and simple, have you been to Co-op? I have been here for a year and did not find this hidden gem. There is a wonderful selection of everyday essentials and a cache of essentials for making lefsa.

Published in Slow Food Canada

2012-02-22T22:05:00.000-06:00

Well, I asked them if I could. And they said, "Yes!" So I have published my recipe for haskap jam and haskap squares in Slow Food Canada. (Yes! This is so much fun!)

Check it out here Slow Food Canada February Newsletter

The recipes are on that link.

Weekend in Winnipeg

2012-02-21T22:58:00.000-06:00

In most provinces in Canada this is a long weekend. In Saskatchewan, where I live, it is Family Day and in Manitoba, it is Louis Riel Day. Louis Riel is credited with establishing Manitoba as a province.

At any rate, I decided to take a break and visit my good friends and former neighbours, Jerry & Greg. The best part is that we all love food! This is a pictorama (is that a word?) of the weekend.

Rosemary roast leg of lamb.....yummmm

We had a little bread making class. Looks like they aced it!

Greg & Jerry's recipe for Raincoast Crisps is to die for.

Miss Sugar was the best little kitty...no walking on counter tops, no scratching furniture....she just liked this chair. So they gave it to her for the weekend. And she really appreciated being at 'our level'.

Leg of Duck with Squash Risotto

2012-02-21T08:00:00.002-06:00

After making the duck breasts for my cooking class I had legs left over. Rather than make my usual confit of duck leg, I braised them.

Braising is a cooking method that employs both searing and slow cooking. I seared my legs in a hot pan with a little duck fat. Then I added aromatics, like parsnips, onion, celery and some duck stock. I returned the legs to the pan and slow cooked it for about an hour until they were very tender.

Then I made a classic risotto and added oven roasted spaghetti squash. I also added a whole clove and a couple of whole allspice berries to add some earthiness and sweetness to the risotto.

This is a delicious and nutritious meal.

Mozzarella Martini with Fresh Tomato Consommé

2012-02-19T08:00:00.003-06:00

I am sure my friend Scott will look at this and say, "What's the point? There is no gin!" This was a palate cleanser that I served at our Italian Tasting Menu night. One could probably add a touch of vodka or gin to make a real drink. It was very refreshing and a light bite between richly flavoured courses.

Mozzarella Martini with Fresh Tomato Consommé

3 to 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 mozarella cheese bocconcini, each 1 inch in diameter

4 grape tomatoes

basil flavoured olive oil, optional

4 fresh basil leaves

Chill the martini glasses in the freezer or refrigerator an hour ahead of serving. For the most stunning presentation, make sure the glasses are heavily frosted, so the freezer works best.

Salt and pepper the coarsely chopped tomatoes in a cheesecloth lined sieve suspended over a bowl and refrigerate for several hours. As the tomatoes release their juice, it wall fall into the bowl, giving you an almost gin-clear liquid with lots of flavour. Reserve the tomato pulp for another use.

Skewer a grape tomato, basil leaf and bocconcini on a short wooden pick. Pour tomato consommé into the chilled martini glass and garnish with the skewered salad.

Judging the Chili Cook-Off

2012-02-17T08:00:00.003-06:00

Yes, Monday was the day to judge the chili contest. I have never judged any food before and was really looking forward to this event. I was sure there wouldn't be anything too weird that I couldn't handle.

These are two of my fellow judges - a radio personality and the fire chief. The little miss is keeping the mayor's chair warm until he arrives. Isn't she adorable!

The contestants are ready. The chili is hot! Great play on words, eh? We are set!

There are ten teams. We are given 2 ounce samples of each. I should have done the calculation right then and there but I showed up hungry. The first one was 'good', the second was 'great'. Why wouldn't it be? It was garnished with cheddar and sour cream. I worked my way through the remainder of the first 5 samples.

The second set of 5 had 2 that really didn't appeal to me. Thank heaven. Because I ate the remaining 3 - 2oz servings. Then when it was all over, I just had to have another 2 oz of my favourite.

Now I am drinking San Pelligrino by the bottle and have this heavy feeling in my stomach with a little heartburn. I don't eat a lot of meat and what did I eat? About 16 ounces of various chilis. That equals two cups! Somehow it doesn't look like that much when you are eating it out of little 2 ounce plastic cups. (Note to self - next time, eat before I judge food.)

The recipes were all so different. The Phillippine style chili was interesting in a good way. One team used chunks of beef rather than ground meat and I really liked that, too. Some were dry and others more saucy.

You can see that the voting ballot is easy to use! There was a winner in both the traditional and in the creative categories.

Maritime Fish Cakes

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Daring Cooks have done it again! Another interesting challenge. This time it is 'patties' or 'croquettes'. I have been experimenting with a number of recipes for fish cakes. I really like this one. I had salt cod on hand.

The Daring Cooks’ February 2012 challenge was hosted by Audax & Lis and they chose to present Patties for their ease of construction, ingredients and deliciousness! We were given several recipes, and learned the different types of binders and cooking methods to produce our own tasty patties!

Fish Cakes

2 lb salt cod
1 lb potatoes
1 stalk celery, finey diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Soak salt cod in cold water for 48 hours and change the water a couple of times. Boil the peeled potatoes in water until tender. Gently mash potatoes. Cool.

Drain salt cod and rip into pieces. Boil in water for 5 minutes. Drain. Shred and chop the cod into small pieces.

Saute celery and onion in olive oil until tender.

Mash the potatoes, add celery and onion and shredded cod. Do not overwork. Form into cakes. Fry in hot oil. Serve with chow chow. The cakes can be frozen after forming into patties and cooked later.

Pumpkin Butter Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2012-02-13T10:17:00.004-06:00

I had 4 cooking classes last week so have not been blogging. It was a fun week though! Teens 'n Moms made Layered Taco Salad in a Homemade Tortilla Bowl and a Sukiyaki. Both relatively easy one dish meals that they can repeat at home.

Then it was a Men's Class and we cooked 'en papillote'. Men are very calm and straight forward in the kitchen. We tested the Mozarella and Basil Tomato Martinis that would be served at the next class.

Then I had two nights with a Taste Tour to Italy. That was more of a tasting menu with about a dozen dishes ranging from Cinghiale Sugo (Wild boar stew) and Risotto Milanese, Duck Breast with Pomegranate Chile Sauce, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, caponata, pannacotta and lots more. Needless to say, I have spent the day cleaning in my kitchen! And probably will spend tomorrow finishing the job.

Tonight I am off to be a judge in a Chili Cook Off. I am hoping I can take some pictures.

I have sour cream left over from another gig and pumpkin butter in my pantry. So they went together in this little coffee cake that I am taking to the office for my friends there. Click here for my recipe for pumpkin butter.

Pumpkin Butter Sour Cream Coffee Cake

½ cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup pumpkin butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped dried fruits

Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

3 Tbs butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×9” pan by lightly greasing it.
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar until fluffy.

Add the sour cream, pumpkin butter, eggs and vanilla to the bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
Gently add the dry ingredients to the cake batter.

Mix into a smooth batter.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry filling ingredients while the butter is melting.
Pour the butter in and stir until you get a crumbly mixture.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle half of the filling over the batter.
Repeat the process with the other half of the batter and filling.

Bake on the middle rack in your oven for 50-60 minutes until the middle has baked all the way through and a skewer comes out clean.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. (keeps well for several days)

Bao Nyguen Art

2012-02-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favourite pieces of art. I bought this pencil sketch when I was on a tour of Viet Nam. This artist is one of the country's best..

Vindaloo Basa

2012-01-31T18:21:00.000-06:00

Basa is so cheap and it readily takes on any flavour you want to add. Tonight I used some of my Premala's Vindaloo Curry Sauce. Saute celery, onion, plantain and sweet pepper in canola oil. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add 3 - 4 tablespoons of the curry sauce. Add basa and brown on both sides. Add back the vegetables. Saute until the basa flakes easily. Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Sorbetto

2012-01-29T14:04:00.002-06:00

Remember all that pomegranate juice I made awhile back? I have the juice frozen and took out a liter and made this amazing sorbetto. It is so rich and flavourful that only a little scoop satisfies the craving. Pomegranate has a sweet tart puckery quality about it that makes it ideal as a palate cleanser.

Pomegranate Sorbetto

Makes about one quart

4 cups freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice (from 7 large pomegranates)

1+1/4 cups (250g) sugar

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp Grenadine (pomegranate syrup, optional)

Juice the pomegranates by hand. See my link above for Pomegranate juice for instructions.

Stir 2 cups of pomegranate juice and sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Take off heat and combine with the remaining pomegranate juice. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice and Grenadine (if you’re using) and stir to combine. Taste and see if the mixture needs more acidity. Depending on the sweetness of your pomegranates, you might want to add another tablespoon of lemon juice.

Chill the mixture thoroughly then freeze it in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger

2012-01-28T14:32:00.001-06:00

I have been holding on to this recipe for at least 4 years. It was highly recommended by my neighbour, Eileen, in Calgary. I have never eaten ground turkey and even though I trusted her that this would be delicious, it didn't make it to my dinner table until now.

This is a discovery by Oprah at the Mar-a-Lago Resort owned by Trump. I love being a name dropper.

I would never in a million years have thought to pair Granny Smith apples with ground turkey. I just love how moist and juicy this is. I serve it with my homemade apple chutney. I will be making more chutney this summer just to have with this burger.

This is satisfying without leaving you feeling as though you have over eaten. I will be adding this to my barbecue menu this summer.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger

Oprah found a new favourite food when she tried this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lage, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. "I believe it may be the best turkey burger in the entire world," she says. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.
Serves 6

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon, juiced and grated zest
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney, pureed

Saute the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sauteed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8 - ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burger with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minute until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with chutney and your favourite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.

Southern Style Chicken Stew and Biscuits

2012-01-27T07:00:00.004-06:00

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

In all the time I lived in Tennessee I never did have Chicken and Biscuits. I have been wanting to make it for a long time. Chicken pot pie was one of the very first dishes I learned to make in high school home economics. This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten's recipe in Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken boullion cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3/4 cup flour
2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
rind of 1/4 of a preserved lemon

For the biscuits:

2 cups stoneground all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 1/4 inch dice
2 tablespoons rendered duck fat
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, preserved lemon and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, dried tarragon and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and duck fat. Work with your finger tips to break the butter into pea sized pieces. A variety of sizes is ideal to create a tender and flaky biscuit. Whisk one egg until foamy and add to the milk and quickly mix into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Drop these biscuits on top of the stew by using two tablespoons.

Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done. Biscuits can be frozen unbaked until needed. Drop onto parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. When frozen package and wrap tightly.

20 Mile Dinner

2012-01-24T17:46:00.000-06:00

I have duck breast in my freezer along with vegetables from my garden. In keeping with the theme of the 100-mile diet, I am enjoying a 20 mile dinner tonight.

The duck breast is from one of the local Hutterite colonies. The legs were used for confit. These yellow beans were from the Farmer's Market and I grilled them before freezing. The sauce for the duck is red wine poached rhubarb that was water bath canned. I only had to go as far as my freezer and cold room for this satisfying meal tonight.

I Made Pretzels Today

2012-01-23T16:42:00.001-06:00

Warm, salty and chewy pretzels are my treat today! My 'go to' blog for easy and failproof recipes is The Pioneer Woman. She actually got this recipe from my other 'go to' blogger Smitten Kitchen. So this is a recipe from The Pioneer Woman via Smitten Kitchen via Martha Stewart. Three great women who know their way around a kitchen. If you have not visited these blogs, you should just click and check them out. You will be addicted.

Soft Pretzels From Smitten Kitchen
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Makes 16 full-sized or 32 miniature

2 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1 large egg
Coarse kosher salt
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Pour warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar into bowl of electric mixer fitted with a dough hook* and stir to combine. Sprinkle with yeast, and let sit 10 minutes; yeast should be foamy.
2. Add 1 cup flour to yeast, and mix on low until combined. Add salt and 4 cups more flour, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium-low until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup flour, and knead on low 1 minute more. If dough is still wet and sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour (this will depend on weather conditions); knead until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly floured board, and knead about ten times, or until smooth.
3. Pour oil into a large bowl; swirl to coat sides. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to completely cover all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel, and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Heat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchmen paper. Set aside. Punch down dough to remove bubbles. Transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead once or twice, divide into 16 pieces or 32 if making miniature pretzels, and wrap in plastic.
5. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 18-inch-long strip. Twist into pretzel shape; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel. Continue to form pretzels; eight will fit on each sheet (you may need a third sheet if making miniatures). Let pretzels rest until they rise slightly, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, fill large, shallow pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add baking soda (and step back, it foams up quickly) and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Reduce to a simmer; transfer three to four pretzels to water. Poach 1 minute on each side. Use slotted spoon to transfer pretzels to baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels are poached.

7. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzels with egg glaze. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack, or eat warm. Pretzels are best when eaten the same day, but will keep at room temperature, uncovered, for two days. Do not store in covered container or they will become soggy.

Garlic Tasting

2012-01-22T16:53:00.001-06:00

A while back, my friend Val brought some organic garlic to a cooking class - "farm grown garlic from a friend's garden". Three different kinds were on the menu. "I would like to hear what you think," she commented upon giving me three little bags labeled Susan, Kazakhstan and Lorz. "My friends think they all taste the same."

I created a little chart for comparison purposes. I compared appearance, aroma in the raw state, flavour - sauteed chips and roasted.

In addition I also tasted garlic that I had purchased at the Salt Spring Island market when I was on vacation last summer.

I have often dreamed about being a 'taster'! However, garlic was not on my radar! It is interesting. Cleansing the palate between tastes is a challenge. I made naan yesterday and ate a small piece of it along with a drink of water. Plus I waited awhile between tastes.

Researching garlic is fascinating but it is difficult to know if you are comparing apples with apples with all the different names they are given. Lorz is an Italian garlic. It is touted to be sweeter and milder. Susan is probably Susanville. It is grown in California. It is probably what we are usually buying at the supermarket.

The farm garlic varietals I am tasting are Susan, Kazakhstan and Lorz. Here is what I thought -

The Susan was white with purple in the papery covering. The raw flesh was yellowy white. The raw state had a very mild aroma. It was the mildest of all the garlics. After sauteeing the sliced garlic in olive oil, I found the flavour to be strong and bitter. After roasting, it was also the strongest of the three. The individual cloves were the largest of the three.

Kazakhstan had a papery covering that was mostly purple. The cloves were of medium size. The flesh was the yellowest of of all. The sauteed garlic chips were mild and sweet. After roasting it was mild and sweet.

Lorz was all papery white. The flesh was the whitest. The cloves the smallest. After making sauteed chips, the flavour was mild with a bitter aftertaste. After roasting, it was very bland.

The Salt Spring Island garlic had large cloves, purple papery covering, slightly bitter when made into chips and sweet when roasted. They seemed ideal. But I don't know which type they were. With the purple papery covering, they might have been the Kazakhstan variety.

This is the garlic from the Salt Spring Island market.

After all this garlic tasting I had to make something with it. I mixed all the roasted cloves for this recipe and made the mushroom caps as an appetizer. The earthiness of the mushrooms married well with the earthiness of the garlic and blue cheese.

Garlic and Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushroom Caps

10 cloves of roasted garlic
2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1 dozen crimini mushroom caps
olive oil
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan
lemon zest
fresh parsley

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop finely. Toss them in a pan with a little olive oil and the mashed cloves of garlic. Saute until tender. Ad the panko and continue to cook until they are toasted. Remove from heat. Grate in some parmesan cheese and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

In another pan, saute the mushroom caps in olive oil for a few minutes then fill with the mushroom stem and panko mixture. Top with crumbled blue cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with lemon zest and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Making Horseradish

2012-01-16T21:05:00.000-06:00

I have had many cooking 'firsts' this year. This is another. Horseradish! I have had offerings of this root and kept some of it in my cold room until now. I swear I can smell it through my house so I had to deal with it.

Making horseradish is relatively easy. The most difficult part is peeling the root and preparing it for processing. After peeling, cut into small cubes and chop in a food processor. The longer the root is exposed to the air, the stronger the flavour. When it is as strong as you would like add white vinegar to cover. Process again and then strain. Bottle the horseradish. You can mix it with sour cream to make horseradish cream. Otherwise, use 'as is'.

Healthy Steel Cut Oats for Breakfast

2012-01-16T09:28:00.000-06:00

I love the nutty flavour and the texture of steel cut oats but the 25 minutes it takes to cook them is sometimes too much for me. I get lazy and fry an egg. Here is a trick for you! Soak them overnight in water and they cook in 5 minutes the next morning! I use one part oats to 2 parts water. Top them with chopped candied ginger, dried papaya and coconut for a tropical twist. Satisfying, healthy and quick.

Vegetarian Paella

2012-01-15T21:12:00.002-06:00

Paella is one of my favourite one dish meals. I had friends come over last night and one is vegetarian. So I made the vegetarian version of this.

There is a formula for this dish. Make a sofrito with diced onion, green pepper and tomatoes. To this add the rice. I use 1/2 cup of bomba rice per person and as many vegetables as I have on hand. Sweet peppers, asparagus, corn coblets, frozen peas, artichokes and olives are a sampling of what you could use. For each cup of rice, I add 2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock. Seasoning is saffron, smoked paprika and sea salt. So easy. Top it with lemons and you are ready to go.

Saute the sofrito with the rice. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Add all the vegetables. Saute for about 25 minutes or until the rice is tender. Do not stir. It is desirable to have a crusty bottom.

Braised Duck & Wild Mushroom Tamales

2012-01-14T07:00:00.002-06:00

After several months of not participating I am back cooking with The Daring Cooks. This month's challenge is tamales. I have made them a few times before and love to have them as a treat. Thank my lucky stars that I met a very supportive group on Chowhound a few years ago that said, "Yes you can!"

One young man of Mexican heritage passed on his mother's best tips for making a light and fluffy tamale. It works! These are not for the diet conscious so I have made mine tapas size. We can enjoy them without over indulging.

Maranda of Jolts & Jollies was our January 2012 Daring Cooks hostess with the mostess! Maranda challenged us to make traditional Mexican Tamales as our first challenge of the year!

Braised Duck & Wild Mushroom Tamales

Filling

1 cup of duck meat (breast, leg doesn't matter)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon anchilo chile powder
2 tablespoons dried mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
duck stock

Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil and add the dried mushrooms. Let them sit in the hot water for 20 minutes. Remove and reserve the soaking liquid.

Brown the onions in a little olive oil. Add duck meat and continue to saute until meat is browned. Add the rest of the ingredients including the soaking liquid from the mushrooms, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until fall apart tender.

Tamale Dough

4 c. instant corn masa mix

4 c. lukewarm water or broth

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 1/3 c. lard or shortening

Combine Masa Mix, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Work in the water or broth using a stand mixer, if possible, or otherwise your fingers to make a soft, moist dough. Beat this masa mixture until it is light and smooth and resembles a cake batter. Let sit for 20 minutes.

In another bowl, beat lard or shortening until fluffy. If you have a stand mixer, this is ideal. Beat it until very light and fluffy and until it almost triples in volume. This will ensure a light tamale.

Slowly add the whipped lard to the dough a little at a time and mix in gently until well combined. Refrigerate until you are ready to use it. At this point you can test the dough to see if it has been beaten enough. Drop a small amount, about the size of a raspberry into a glass of cold water. If it floats, you will have a light and fluffy tamale.

Hearty Winter Black Bean Soup

2012-01-10T14:17:00.003-06:00

This is another hearty winter soup. Black beans are so delicious and work well with pork. I used my sister's spicy venison sausage for this. I squeezed the meat out of the casing and browned it before adding to the soup. Corn adds a little colour. This freezes well and you can put it away for single servings. The only addition I might make next time would be some barley or rice or potatoes.

Black Bean Soup

1/2 lb turtle beans
1 meaty ham hock
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped & sauteed with the garlic
6 cloves garlic, squashed
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley

Soak the turtle beans overnight. Drain and rinse.

Fill a stock pot with about 8 cups of cold water. Add ham hock, soaked black beans, sauteed onion & garlic and all herbs & spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 hours or the beans are tender and ham falls off the bone. Remove the ham hock and shred the meat. Add the meat back to the soup. Sautee the sausage and add to the soup. Add the corn and flat leaf parsley. Serve. This would be nice with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

This freezes well. Put it away for instant lunches.

Launching my Newsletter - CurrentCravings

2012-01-09T19:48:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my newest project. I am publishing a monthly foodie newsletter featuring local news. This is the first issue. If you would like to be on my mailing list, please email me with your email address.

CurrentCravings

Sarah’s newsletter about the local food scene

Welcome to the first issue of my Current Cravings newsletter. I will send this out monthly until I get so crazy busy with the Farmer’s Market that I get behind! I will pass on to you all the interesting food related information that I come across during my daily routine. If you have something noteworthy to share, just email me and I will pass it on.

Panettone at Shopper’s.

My hands down favourite Christmas bread is panettone. When I was in Regina I was delighted to find it at the Italian grocery, The Star, on Victoria. I bought a few and brought them home. Then I was in Shopper’s here in Swift Current and they had my favourite label, Tres Marie. After sampling a few I still love Tres Marie the best. The pieces of candied citrus peel are so fresh and flavourful. In addition, they had Tres Marie pandoro. Pandoro means golden bread. It is the same thing but without the peel. Make a mental note of that for next Christmas. Regular price was $12 and it was on sale after Christmas for $10.

Wines and Libations

I am no sommelier but I do enjoy wine. New Year’s Eve is behind us but we can look forward to Valentine’s Day to enjoy some bubbly. The best buy on a nice sparkling wine is a French blanc de blanc that is on the shelf here. It prices out at around $25 which is a bargain compared to the Piper Heidsieck at around $50. I love them both but when price is a consideration, buy the blanc de blanc. It is a chardonnay of the champagne style.

In the meantime, if you would like to try something different Alvear Amontillado is a wonderful aperitif, or before dinner drink. It is an amber coloured dry port with lots of flavour. It prices out under $16.

Tip for Singles

I bought a Leg Tip Ham at Superior Meats. I have never seen this cut before. It is about one pound and cost about $5.00. It is smoked ham just like the big ones. What a great way to enjoy real ham without having to buy a lot.

Feature recipe

Soups taste best when it is cold outside. We are having such a wonderful mild winter but I still enjoy my soup. This is a great recipe and considering we grow field peas right here it should be on your ‘favourites’ list. Find a farmer and get a gallon! Just remember, when you are cooking whole peas the skins come off as they cook and should be skimmed off and discarded. They are indigestible and can cause gas. Oops! Did I say that out loud? They can cause digestive problems so you may as well scoop them up and discard them.

Dried Pea Soup (Ärtsoppa, in Swedish)

1 lb. dried yellow or green peas (whole if you can get them, but split ones work just as well)

8 cups water

2 finely chopped onions (2 cups)

1 peeled whole onion studded with 2 cloves

1 meaty ham bone -or- 2 to 3 ham hocks

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. grainy brown mustard

1 large carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1" pieces

1 pound Danish Canadian-style bacon (pork loin) or Canadian bacon

Rinse and pick through 1 lb. dried yellow or green peas. If using whole peas, soak the peas overnight in their soup water (this isn’t necessary if using split peas so long as you can let the soup simmer for 2 to 3 hours).

Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water (or 6 if you like a thicker soup. You can always thin it with water as you go along if it looks too dense). Add the peas, 2 finely chopped onions, 1 peeled whole onion studded with two whole cloves, and a meaty ham bone (-or- 2 to 3 ham hocks).

Bring to a boil, then cover pot and reduce to a simmer over low heat for 90 minutes.

If using whole peas, skim off any pea skins that have risen to the surface. Remove 2 to 3 cups of the soup, puree in a blender or food processor, and return puree to the pot (this helps to thicken the soup).

Add celeriac or celery, potatoes, diced carrots and Canadian bacon to soup during last 45 minutes of cooking time. Stir soup occasionally and check for desired consistency; if necessary, add a little hot water. 30 minutes before serving, remove the studded onion and the meat. Chop the meat (it should amount to about 1 cup) and return to pot. Season the soup with 1 tsp. dried thyme, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Simmer 15 more minutes.

Serve, passing around grainy brown mustard to stir into soup to taste.

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Cheddar & Jalapeno Biscuits

2012-01-08T15:10:00.000-06:00

Tonight I am attending a pot luck supper with my photography group. Oven roasted ham is the main course and the rest of us bring the side dishes. I have opted for cheddar and jalapeno biscuits. I think they will compliment the menu nicely.

I always refer to Dorie Greenspan when I make biscuits and scones. Her recipes work. Because it is post-Christmas and all that goes with the over indulgence of the season, I have opted for the basic biscuit dough rather than cream scones. I hope they are just as good.

For added flavour I cubed some cheddar cheese and diced pickled jalapenos.

Cheddar & Jalapeno Biscuits adapted from Dorie Greenspan

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cake flour
6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold milk
3 ounces aged cheddar, cubed
2 pickled jalapenos, finely chopped

Centre a rack in the oven and preheat to 425F.

Whisk the flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Drop in the butter and work with your finger tips until the mixture is pebbly. Add the cheese and toss.

Stir in milk and peppers. Knead a few times until all the flour is incorporated. 3 or 4 turns should be enough to work it all together.

Divide into 2 circles. Press each circle flat to about 1" thickness. Cut each circle into 6.

Bake the biscuits for 14 - 18 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Dried Yellow Pea Soup

2012-01-07T12:49:00.000-06:00

One day last fall during harvest season my back door neighbour had a 5 gallon pail of freshly harvested dried peas. "Would you like some?" he asked. Never one to turn down food, especially local food, I accepted a coffee can filled with the dried yellow peas fresh from the field.

This recipe can be made either with the whole yellow peas or split peas. If you have never cooked with whole peas then you must know that all the skins come off the peas as they cook. All these little skins should be skimmed off the surface of the soup as they appear.

This is a wonderful warming winter soup traditionally made from dried yellow peas and served on Thursdays in Sweden. Try a dab of grainy brown mustard on top of each serving to enhance both the presentation and the flavor.

Dried Pea Soup (Ärtsoppa, in Swedish)