Daily Unadventures in Cooking

Savoury Cheddar, Apple and Chive Scones

katerina — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:43:56 +0000

A good scone is 80% flaky crust and 20% mix-ins, so take the time with both and you will always be pleased. These savoury scones may not pair well with jam (though to each his own), but they are certainly wonderful with a spot of butter and a cup of tea.

If you want them to be even more attractive I suggest you use an orange rather than a white cheddar as it will give you a more dramatic colour.

Pineapple and Shrimp Fried Rice

katerina — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:56:37 +0000

This pineapple and shrimp fried rice is inspired by a Thai fried rice, but as with many of these kind of dishes there is lots of variation on the actual recipes and as such this isn’t necessarily authentic but it is tasty. Feel free to adjust the vegetables a bit: swap tomatoes for corn and peas or add raisins if you want to play with the recipe.

Plus, ask yourself why such a recipe (one designed to use leftovers) is not something you are making more often, I know I am. I love how easy this is for meal planning, simply add a fried rice recipe to the same week when you are having some white or brown rice for another dish (maybe a thai & ginger stir fry?) and you are already halfway prepared.

Next recipe I intend to work on is congee, it is also a great use of leftover rice.

Mushroom Soup

katerina — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:16:00 +0000

For creating richly flavoured dishes without the meat, few things can match the power of mushrooms. This vegetarian soup recipe uses dried mushrooms to provide the depth and basis of the broth as well as fresh mushrooms for their wonderful texture.

If you find dried mushrooms to be expensive you may want to search out a good source in your area, I have seen good quality ones on sale at costco and I believe there are good online sources as well.

Leftover Brisket, Swiss and Fennel Pickled Cabbage Sandwiches

katerina — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:57:05 +0000

Don’t throw away your leftovers: transform them. Brisket makes a great soup or a nice pasta but my favorite way to use up leftover brisket? In sandwiches for lunch.

These sandwiches use sharp mustard and swiss along with a very quickly pickled cabbage to make this leftover brisket not feel much like leftovers.

Red Wine Braised Beef Brisket

katerina — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:31:12 +0000

The robust flavour of beef brisket makes it my new favorite meat for stewing and braising. I find brisket to have a taste very similar to short ribs, but leaner and with less fuss as you only need to brown one piece of meat rather than several.

This simple braised brisket recipe uses red wine as the basis of the sauce so choose something you would be willing to drink. If you do make this, don’t forget to save some for leftover sandwiches the next day.
Note: There are actually two cuts of brisket, one which involves a fatty tip which makes it less lean, but this typically not the way it is butchered for consumers.

Rhubarb, Ginger and Apple Cobbler Recipe

katerina — Thu, 30 May 2013 08:09:23 +0000

I make cobblers rather than crisps on days when I really feel like dessert, but am lazy enough to expect it with little effort on my part. Plus, there is something really satisfying about the fluffy cake bits you get in a cobbler paired with the healthy fruit filling.

If you are feeling really indulgent try topping with some whipped cream. Tip: Be careful not to overmix the batter or it will be chewy rather than light.

Polenta Casserole with Kale and Bolognese Sauce

katerina — Tue, 28 May 2013 08:56:57 +0000

Why is it that the word casserole has such bad connotations?

I suppose I could avoid this by calling this a polenta and bolognese gratin or a layered polenta with kale and bolognese sauce, but let’s face it a casserole is a casserole and that makes this comforting, freezer-friendly and easy to make ahead.

This polenta recipe can be made with prepackaged polenta, instant polenta or you can feel free to make it from scratch. Because you will want it soft enough to be malleable – might I suggest instant?

Braised Chicken Thighs with Capers and Lemon Zest

katerina — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:12:41 +0000

Any recipe that requires the cook to open a bottle of wine is welcome on a Thursday in my house, but this one is great because chicken, lemon and capers are such a classic pairing. Plus since chicken braises in less than 45 minutes it is perfect for the weekdays.

Try serving this recipe with simple roasted potatoes or rice and asparagus.

Pan Roasted Cod with an Orange Butter Sauce

katerina — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:32:48 +0000

A real beurre blanc can seem hard, but it is easy enough to do a “cheat” version of a butter sauce and it goes so nicely with white fish. My cheat version of a butter sauce is just a bit of shallot and a quickly reduced splash of wine finished by whisking in cold butter.

Adding orange and dill make the sauce a bit more interesting, though endless additions are imaginable. Serve it right away as it is fragile and can break – and whatever you do watch the heat when you start adding in the butter. If you want a thicker, creamier sauce double the butter.

Focaccia Bagel Recipe

katerina — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:01:00 +0000

You know, I have been making this bagel recipe for years and so I thought it was time to dig it out of the archives, update the picture and recipe and share it with you lovely folks. Admittedly, the technique of this recipe is inauthentic but don’t worry just because you form them incorrectly, don’t have them rise more than once and use sugar in place of malt syrup you won’t lose out on chew or flavour.

Why do you think I have been making them since 2006?

The focaccia style is just the addition of rosemary and coarse salt, which makes these bagels a real treat when toasted and topped with a bit of butter. You can also use the same recipe to make different kinds of bagels, sesame is also great.