The Appetizer

Making Love In The Kitchen: Weekly Recap June 29th - July 3rd

Meghan Telpner — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:31:00 GMT

What a sweet, summer holiday week. Well- I think it was summer. I was up North in Haliburton and it was far from summer weather, but the heat is coming. I swear it will show up any minute now. Lot's of good cooking anyhow. Have a great weekend!

Monday: My Chocolate Sol
Nothing sweeter than a street fair that is focused around the best chocolate ever.

Tuesday: Film Screening: Get Fresh With Me (video)
I invite you to to join me this coming Tuesday night for a screening of this fabulously important film. Screening is on Tuesday July 7th, at 7:30 pm at The Centre for Social Innovation, located at 215 Spadina Avenue. Free of charge.

Wednesday: Beans Beans Good For The Heart (Recipe)
Beans are so good for us... but unfortunately they can be toot-ariffic. I offer you a great solution to this little problem with maybe the best bean salad recipe ever created... ever.

Thursday: Reading and… Chatting with Byron Katie
In preparation for my upcoming interview with the world renowned and wonderfully inspiring Byron Katie, I ask you what you would want me to ask her. Keep the questions coming! I will be speaking with her on Tuesday afternoon.

Friday: Mix and Match Lunch (Recipe)
Keeping it light and easy, eating up what's already prepared in my fridge. Mixing together an assortment of dips and things to dip with recipes of course. Great ideas for things to keep on hand through the summer.

Shelf Life: Your kid’s lemonade stand has competition

NP Editor — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:15:00 GMT

By A. Brouwer and A. Wilson

Let’s start with the pips. Yes, some people associate lemonade with old ladies’ porches and kids’ birthday parties; yes, it’s usually too sweet or too watery; and yes, it’s not an obvious power drink (Shelf Life can’t imagine, say, Christian Bale as Terminator hero John Connor taking time out to glug down lemonade — come to think of it, we also can’t imagine Christian Bale off work, as himself, pausing to sip a refreshing citrus drink between swear words). But make no mistake, the yellow stuff packs serious mojo. As this week’s guest mixologist notes, the ideal lemonade — simple, natural, supremely pleasurable — is difficult to get right. “In a lot of bartending schools, it’s a test — the first thing they ask students to do is to make a good lemonade. If you can’t put together the proper balance of sweetness and bitterness, then you shouldn’t be making drinks,” says Christine Sismondo, author of Mondo Cocktail. Like so many things in life, the challenge with this everyday icon is to harmonize the schmeck.

Without question, homemade lemonade tends to be best, chiefly because the vitamins in fresh lemonade don’t deteriorate from sitting on a shelf. But store-bought lemonade has one thing going for it, which is surprise: You never know where you might find the good versions. Shelf Life has encountered listless lemon drinks in the finest restaurants; conversely, we’ve discovered pert lemonades in cheap cartons. And once we find something we like, we know exactly what to do: Work that sucker. To continue with the summer-action-movie theme: Lemonade is the Transformer of thirst quenchers because it can magically change into something else. Sugar, water and lemon add up to the perfect platform for summer tipples (including the non-alcoholic variety). Accordingly, Shelf Life asked this week’s panel to raid the bar and get creative with the winning pucker-upper.

Declaring that “when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, but then actually drink tequila” are this week’s expert judges: chef and TV consultant Howard Dubrovsky, overlord of Food Cult; libation authority Christine Sismondo, author of Mondo Cocktail; and food TV producer Sandra Watson, currently food stylist with Food Network’s Fresh with Anna Olson, all in Toronto. Space limitations prevent us from evaluating every brand in a given category; entries reflect the luck of the draw. Items are blind taste-tested and awarded between zero and five stars.

President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Lemonade with Pulp
1.89L, $2.49
Available at Loblaws and wherever President’s Choice brand is sold; presidentschoice.ca
Howard Real lemonade isn’t all that yellow, so you should beware of brands with an over-the-top canary colour. Brand 1 is pale, opaque, smells natural and tastes very good. Nice balance of acid to sugar. 4 stars
Christine I’m seeing faint traces of pulp, which is promising. There’s nothing sadder than an overly sweet lemonade — you keep drinking it in an effort to quench your thirst, which never happens. Brand 1 satisfies my thirst and isn’t too sugary. 5 stars
Sandra Great finish — Brand 1 really works in the mouth the way lemonade is supposed to; it tastes genuine. It’s very citrusy. The other day I was reading up on Meyer lemons, which are a cross between a lemon and an orange — they’ve been around since 1980, which surprised me. 5 stars
Total: 14 stars

Pucker Up Lemonade
1L, $4.97
Available in some grocery stores, and fine foods stores; puckerup.ca
Howard Meyer lemons have a cachet, which restaurants can really play up. Featuring them on the menu means you can charge an extra two bucks. There’s a fair amount of pulp in Brand 2, which should indicate a good lemonade, but I’m getting a metallic taste. Nice scent, but overall — meh. 2 stars
Christine Brand 2 contains pulp, so based on appearances, I’d give it a try. Unfortunately, the taste doesn’t live up to the look. It’s got traces of the flavour I
associate with concentrated lemon juice in plastic squeeze bottles. 3 stars
Sandra The sugar and lemon flavours aren’t balanced, and there’s something else, a soapiness. It’s too bad because the pulp tells us that they did put in the lemons. 3 stars
Total: 8 stars

Compliments Lemonade
1.89L, $1.29
Available at Sobeys stores and wherever Compliments brand is sold; compliments.ca
Howard Aha. Brand 3 is my nostalgia choice. It’s actually kind of average but somehow triggers my childhood memories. It doesn’t taste very fresh — more like a powdered mix — but I don’t mind; suddenly I’m six years old again. 3 stars
Christine I can see the attraction, but for me the thrill wouldn’t last. A couple of sips and I’d be back to reality. It doesn’t really have a lot of lemon, but having said that, Brand 3 isn’t bad. 3 stars
Sandra I like it — I like its familiarity. I find myself finishing the glass. It’s got a smooth texture, the right amount of sourness in the taste, and sits well on the ice. I’m happy! 5 stars
Total: 11 stars

Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade
946mL, $2.99
(Available at health and fine foods stores; scojuice.com)
Howard Brand 4 has no personality — it tastes as pale and insipid as it looks. On the positive side, its neutral and unassertive qualities might make it a good mixer. Brand 4’s problem is simply that there are better brands out there. 3 stars
Christine It has one virtue — it’s not too sweet. I find its taste inoffensive, but not interesting. 2 stars
Sandra Light colour, light taste — it’s just light all over. If I were blindfolded, I couldn’t say it was lemonade. If you put ice in it, the extra water would dilute its taste even further. 2 stars
Total: 7 stars

The results Top scoring President’s Choice produced the juice. Compliments brand squeezed into second place, while Pucker Up proved to be disappointing and way too expensive to boot. Nobody wanted to revisit Santa Cruz.
Off the Menu Each judge was assigned winning brand President’s Choice lemonade and asked to add a little extra kick, zing or wow. Shelf Life completed the lineup with an alcohol-free made-in-the-shade special. While you’re raising a glass, why not visit an essential website to accompany your essential drinking? For further entertainments — including a look at our treasured 1968 Gilligan’s Island Cookbook — go to shelflifetastetest.com.

Howard Dubrovsky’s Led Zep Lemon Shooter
- ½ oz vodka
- 1 oz lemonade
- 1 drop of vanilla
- ½ tsp (2mL) maraschino cherry juice
Dip the rim of the shot glass in water, then in granulated sugar. Mix the vodka, lemonade, and vanilla (on ice, if desired), and pour into the shot glass. Spoon the maraschino cherry juice gently into the shot glass.

Christine Sismondo’s Lemon Lucy
- 2 slices cucumber
- 5 mint leaves
- 2 oz Victoria Gin
- 2 oz lemonade
Muddle the cucumber and mint together in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Add Victoria Gin and lemonade. Shake and strain, if desired, into a tall glass with ice. Fill with soda. Garnish with a mint sprig or a cucumber slice.

Sandra Watson’s Lemonade Ginger Punch
- 3 cups (750mL) lemonade, chilled
- 3 cups (750mL) Stone’s Original Green Ginger flavoured wine, chilled
- 3 cups (750mL) lime-flavoured sparkling water, chilled
- lemon slices, for garnish
Combine lemonade, ginger wine and sparkling water in a punch bowl. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve over ice, if desired. Makes 9 cups (2.25L)

Shelf Life’s Niagara Lavender Blush
- 2½ cups (625mL) lemonade
- ¼ cup (50mL) dried organic lavender flowers, crushed
Bring 2½ cups (625mL) lemonade to a boil. Add lavender to the heated lemonade. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Strain mixture and discard lavender. Pour infusion into a pitcher. Add remaining lemonade from carton. Stir well and watch lemonade change colour. Pour into glasses half-filled with ice or refrigerate until ready to use. Serves 6 to 8

[The victor: President's Choice Old-Fashioned Lemonade with Pulp.]

Bonnie Stern: One is the tastiest number

NP Editor — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Everyone eats alone at some point, whether once in a while or most of the time, and according to award-winning cookbook author Deborah Madison and graphic designer Patrick McFarlin, what we eat when we are alone defines us. Part cookbook, part memoir and part unofficial psychological study, their new book What We Eat When We Eat Alone (Gibbs Smith, $32.95) covers the wide range of reasons why people eat alone — kids going off to college, people who are single, people who are divorced, couples whose partners are away and people who have lost their partners. The book also examines the different ways men and women think and talk about food, what it’s like to cook only to please yourself and how everything changes when another person is at the table. One conclusion they drew after interviewing their family and friends and those friends’ families and friends is that most people who eat alone are happy to prepare a meal as long as it doesn’t require too much work. Here are three recipes adapted from the book that are easy to make, delicious and just for you.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WITH GOAT CHEESE
This is my new go-to dinner when I eat alone — right up there with omelettes, grilled cheese sandwiches and poached eggs on toast.

- 1 sweet potato (orange variety)
- 2 oz (60g) fresh tangy goat cheese (or more)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- crunchy sea salt (such as Maldon’s)
- chives (optional)
1. Pierce sweet potato in a few places. Place in a shallow baking dish and bake in a preheated 375F (190C) oven for 1 to 1½ hours or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, allow cheese to come to room temperature. When sweet potatoes are tender, cut in half and season with salt and pepper. Soften flesh with a fork. Place goat cheese in the centre of each hot sweet potato half. Sprinkle with additional pepper and some sea salt. Garnish with chives. Makes 1 serving

SPAGHETTI WITH TUNA AND CAPERS
While the spaghetti is cooking, crisp the bread crumbs and make the sauce. Use leftover tuna for sandwiches or salads.

- 3 oz (100g) whole wheat or regular pasta
- ½ cup (125mL) fresh bread crumbs or panko crumbs
- 2 tbsp (25mL) olive oil
- ½ tin (184g) tuna in olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15mL) capers, rinsed
- pinch hot red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon (juice and zest to taste)
- 1 tbsp (15mL) chopped fresh parsley
1. Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until al dente or as you like it.
2. Meanwhile, place bread crumbs and 1 tbsp (15mL) olive oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp (15mL) oil in a skillet large enough to hold sauce and spaghetti. Add tuna, capers, pepper flakes, garlic and a generous grinding of pepper. Cook a few minutes, breaking up tuna with a wooden spoon.
4. With tongs, lift spaghetti out of the pot and place in the pan with tuna. Allow some of the water to drip into the tuna. Add a little lemon juice and zest and parsley. Scatter bread crumbs over the top. Makes 1 large serving

SALMON CHOWDER
Soup makes a great main course when you eat alone. Lean wild salmon, in season now, would be great in this.

- 1 tbsp (15mL) butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 oz (250g) Yukon gold or russet potato, peeled and cut into 1" (2.5cm) chunks
- 2 tsp (10mL) each, chopped fresh parsley and celery leaves
- ½ tsp (2mL) smoked or regular paprika
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups (500mL) milk, fish stock or water
- 2 tbsp (25mL) cream (optional)
- 4 oz (125g) boneless, skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1" (2.5cm) pieces
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add onion, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Add potatoes, half the parsley, all of the celery leaves, paprika and ½ tsp (2mL) salt. Cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add liquid. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Mash a few potatoes against the sides of the pan to give the soup body. Add cream, if using. Adjust seasoning with salt, paprika and freshly ground black pepper. Add salmon, cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Makes 1 large bowl

[A roasted sweet potato is Bonnie Stern’s solo meal of choice. Peter J. Thompson / National Post]

Microalgae may relegate corn back to just being food

Brad Frenette — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:20:00 GMT

Remember when corn was just that lovable vegetable on a stick?

Over the last few years, as it has become a leading contender for Fuel Of The Future, corn has become a serious point of controversy. Sure, it's great that we want to move away from oil, but should we really be putting consumables in our cars? After all the more corn we need to make our cars go, the less corn we have to feed ourselves.

Enter microalgae.

As reported in Science Daily, researchers are examining the feasibility of mass producing microalgae to harvest for use as a biofuel. Once they can ascertain that the microorganism can be grown en masse and not mess with other food crops, then the benefits would be great. Aside from letting corn off the hook (husk?), the mass growth of microalgae would also be beneficial for its CO2 filtering.

However, if you're come to love grandma's chocolate and microalgae cookies, here's fair warning: stock up before the rush.

[That's just regular algae in the sea in the photo abov, but it's the closest we've got. Besides, if I posted an image of microalgae, you wouldn't be able to see it anyway. Credit: China Envoronment Society]

Making Love in the Kitchen: Mix and Match Lunch

Meghan Telpner — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Meghan Telpner is a Toronto-based nutritionist and holistic lifestyle consultant. Her Making Love In The Kitchen video series will bring you tips on how to prepare healthful, nutritious goodness from whole foods. Visit her site for more love .

I'll admit that I find the food blogs where people post photos of everything they eat oddly fascinating. I would love to do that but I just never remember until after I am done eating. This lunch, however, looked so pretty that I took a photo and am now sharing it with you.

My lunches often look like this- a mix of the good things I have been whipping up in my kitchen in the week. It's also a great way to serve lunch for guests- they just take what they want, relieves the need to make a whole big meal and everyone feels light, nourished and satisfied after. So what do we have here?

Raw kale (though of course you could also bake up a batch of kale chips)
Carrot Sticks
Chickpea Hummus (recipe below)
Parsley Pesto
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Horseradish (one of my absolute favourite foods- odd I know)
Brown Rice Tortilla Chip Chips

Here is my recipe for Traditional Hummus

Traditional Hummus

1 can organic chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini or olive oil (or blend of olive oil and flax oil)
1/2 – 1 tsp celtic sea salt or Himalayan rock salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 clove mashed garlic
1 inch fresh ginger root, grated
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
pinch of cayenne

Process all ingredients in food processor or hand held blender
If consistency is too thick, add some water
If serving as a dip- pour some olive oil on top and sprinkle with some paprika, cumin and chopped parsley.

Printer friendly recipe: Traditional Hummus

Canada Day Recipe: Sambussi, courtesy of the Madbakh Women’s Initative

Brad Frenette — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:18:00 GMT

Toronto's Harbourfront Centre will see plenty of food as part of its Canada Day celebrations today. Below is a recipe of some of the fare you'll be able to find at the festivities:

Madbakh is the Somali word for "kitchen". Toronto-based Madbakh Women’s Initative are a community-based non-profit organization that develops community kitchens and uses the communal preparation of healthy food as an entry point for them to build community and bridge women to existing community supports and services. They take a family-centred, holistic approach to their work, grounded in an in-depth understanding of the cultural context, assets and aspirations of their community and participants. The initiative will be presenting a demonstration at Harbourfront on how to prepare the traditional Somali pastries called sambussi.

SAMBUSSI
Filling:
     • 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
     • 1 small onion finely chopped
     • 1 lb of ground beef (lean)
     • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
     • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
     • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
     • ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
     • Salt to taste
     • 1 jalapeno chopped (optional)
     • ½ cup of cilantro finely chopped

Method:
Heat oil in heavy pan, add the small chopped onion and sauté: add the ground beef and continue to sauté. Add cumin, coriander, garlic, black pepper, salt and jalapeno. Cook until it is done, it should be dry when it is done. Remove from the heat and let it cool. Add the chopped medium onion, spring onion and the cilantro and stir. Put aside until the Sambuusi dough is ready.

Dough
     • 2 ½ cups of all purpose flour
     • Salt to taste
     • ¼ cup of unsalted melted butter
     • 1 cup of water
     • Extra flour as needed for rolling
     • ¼ cup vegetable oil for brushing
     • Vegetable oil for frying

*If you do not want to make the dough from the search, you can use egg roll wrappers from the grocery.

Method:
Combine the flour and the salt in a medium-sized bowl, make a well in the center; add the butter and rub the mixture between the palms of your hand. Add the water and continue kneading until the dough comes together and becomes smooth. Cover the dough and put aside for about 20-30 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 round pieces, roll each piece into a 3-inch diameter circle, and brush a ¼-teaspoon of oil on the top surface of each piece. Make two stacks with four pieces in each stack. Then roll each stack into a thin circle and heat each stack separately until dry. Remove the stack from the skillet and cut it in half with a sharp knife. Cut the other stack similarly. Now you have 16 semi-circle pieces of Sambuusi dough in four stacks; separate them using each piece, from a cone, overlapping the seams. Brush with water to glue the seams together. Fill the cone with 1 ½ teaspoon of the filling and press the edges together to seal tightly; make sure there are no voids or opening around the edges. \place each completed piece on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oil in a large pot or a deep-frying pan over medium heat. Add the Sambuusi in batches and fry until golden-brown, turning each Sambuusi frequently until they are golden and crisps. Use a slotted spoon to remove the Sambuusi and drain the oil. Place the Sambuusi on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and serve while hot.

Happy Canada Day (or, if you like 'Happy National Cook With Beer Day')!

NP Editor — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Canwest's Ron Eade has compiled some great beer-driven recipes to add some hops to your Canada Day celebrations:

SZECHWAN BEER SAUCE
Makes 7 cups (1.75 L)
     • 2 cups (500 mL) bottled Szechwan sauce (not spicy)
     • 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
     • 1/2 cup (125 mL) honey
     • 1 cup (250 mL) orange juice
     • 3 teaspoons (15 mL) crushed fresh gingerroot
     • 3 cups (750 mL) Heritage Traditional Dark Lager

Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together well.
Tip: Sauce keeps 2 weeks in a sealed container, refrigerated.
Use with: Add to any vegetable stir-fry, or as a final glaze for roast or barbecue chicken and pork.

Source: Chef Mark Roper, Prime 360

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MILL STREET COFFEE PORTER BROWNIES
     • 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
     • 3/4 cup (175 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
     • 3/4 teaspoon (4 mL) salt
     • 6 tablespoons (90 mL) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
     • 8 ounces (225 g) dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
     • 3/4 cup (175 mL) white chocolate chips
     • 4 large whole eggs, room temperature
     • 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
     • 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) Mill St. Coffee Porter (may substitute other porter beer)
     • 1 cup (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
     • 2 tablespoons (25 mL) icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a 9- by 13-inch (3-L) baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt until evenly combined. Set aside. Melt butter, bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate chips in a double-boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in coffee porter. The batter will seem a bit thin. Drop semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter.
4. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes on centre rack in the oven, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out almost clean. Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Dust with icing sugar.

Source: Mill St. Brewery, Toronto

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TRADITIONAL DARK LAGER AND CRANBERRY SALAD DRESSING
Makes 4 cups (1 L)
     • 4 small fresh eggs (may substitute 1/2 cup/125 mL pasteurized egg product, sold in small cartons near eggs in the grocery store)
     • 1/2 cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
     • 1/4 cup (50 mL) rice wine vinegar
     • 2 tablespoons (25 mL) honey
     • 1/2 cup (125 mL) cranberry juice
     • Pinch, salt and pepper
     • 2 tablespoons (25 mL) dry Greek seasoning mixture (may substitute Italian seasoning)
     • 2 cups (500 mL) Heritage Traditional Dark Lager (may substitute Sleeman Honey Dark Lager)

1. Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl, Whisking constantly, slowly add olive oil to form an emulsion,
2. In another bowl, mix together well the remaining ingredients.
3. Slowly whisk the beer mixture into the egg/oil mixture until smooth.
Note: Keep, refrigerated, up to 3 days.

Source: Chef Mark Roper, Prime 360

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MILL STREET COFFEE PORTER CAKE
Serves 12 to 16

     • 1 cup (250 mL) Mill St. Coffee Porter (may substitute other porter beer)
     • 1 cup (250 mL) butter
     • 1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
     • 2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar
     • 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
     • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
     • 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
     • 2 whole eggs
     • 3/4 cup (175 mL) sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease 10-cup (2.5-L) Bundt pan very well.
2. In large saucepan, bring porter and butter to a simmer over medium heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add cocoa; whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
3. In large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and sour cream; whisk in cooled porter mixture until well blended. Pour egg-porter mixture over flour mixture. Using wooden spoon, stir just until blended. Pour into prepared cake pan.
4. Bake in centre of oven for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Gently unmould onto rack. Cool to room temperature.

Source: Mill St. Brewery, Toronto

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HERITAGE BABY BACK RIBS
Serves 2
     • 2 racks pork back ribs, each about 11/4 pounds (570 g)

For the braise:
     • 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
     • 1 medium carrot, chopped
     • 1 stalk celery, chopped
     • 1 cup (250 mL) white vinegar
     • 1/2 cup (125 mL) white sugar
     • 1/4 cup (50 mL) brown sugar
     • 1/4 cup (50 mL) pickling spice mixture
     • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) condensed, canned consommé
     • 1 bottle (12 ounces/341 mL) Heritage Traditional Dark Lager (may substitute Sleeman Honey Dark beer)

1. Combine all braising ingredients in a casserole or baking pan large enough to hold 2 racks of ribs in a single layer. Place ribs in a single layer in the mixture.
2. Add just enough water to cover ribs, then cover with foil and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 21/2 hours. Remove foil, baste with your favourite barbecue sauce and place ribs under oven broiler 2 minutes to caramelize the sauce.

Source: Chef Mark Roper, Prime 360

Canada Day Recipe: Wilkie's Bakery Butter Tart

Brad Frenette — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:10:00 GMT

Toronto's Harbourfront Centre will see plenty of food as part of its Canada Day celebrations today. Below is a recipe from one of the featured restaurants offering its tastes at the celebrations:

The renowned Wilkie’s Bakery of Orillia ON, will be showing the audience how to make the perfect butter tart. Wilkie’s Bakery has won multiple awards for their now famous butter tarts, and they will be sharing some of their tips on how to bring some of this pure Canadian culinary goodness home with you!

WILKIE"S BAKERY BUTTER TART

Pastry
Ingredients
     • 14 Cups cake & pastry flour
     • 2¾ lbs. of your favourite shortning
     • 2½ cups of cold water
     • Pinch of salt

Method
1/ In a large bowl, stir in the flour and salt
2/ Break shortning into grape size pieces and mix into flour
3/ Make hole in the centre of the bowl
4/ Slowly add water while stirring with your hand
5/ Bring together into a ball
6/ Refrigerate 24 hours
7/ When ready for a tasty tart or pie, roll out on table to desired thickness (use bakers flour on table so the pastry won’t stick)

Butter Tart Mix
Ingredients

     • 1 lb. butter
     • 2 cups of raisins
     • 1 cup brown sugar
     • 2 cups corn syrup
     • Pinch of salt
     • 4 eggs
     • 2 teaspoon vanilla

Method
1/ In a large bowl mix the eggs, butter and vanilla
2/ Mix with your hand or an electric mixer until yolks are broken (approx. 1 minute)
3/ Add brown sugar and mix together
4/ Add corn syrup and mix
5/ Add your favourite raisins, nuts or chocolate chips
6/ Refrigerate or scoop mix into pastry shells

Making Love in the Kitchen: Beans Beans The Muscial Fruit

Meghan Telpner — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Happy Canada Day!

Between Canada Day and July 4th weekend, we have officially entered BBQ and picnic season. I am not a huge BBQ lover. Mainly because grilled meat, mayonnaise covered potato salads, sour cream and onion potato chips and two liter bottles of Coke do little for me.

I also know better then to send you on your way to a typical summer BBQ with a bowl of quinoa tabouli and expect you not to be taunted for being a rabbit-food-eating-hippie. This is where the beans come in. For whatever reason, bean salads can happily cross the bridge that between man's man BBQ'd food and healthful vegan fare.

Beans, however, are synonymous with tooting. Cooking the beans with a piece of Kombu (a seaweed) helps reduce the gas factor. I have tried to find out why this works but have come up with nothing. If you know, please share.

Here is my cooking method to reduce the fart factor.

Soak the beans overnight (for about 12 hours)
In the morning, drain the water and rinse thoroughly
For every cup of beans you'll be cooking, use 4 cups of water.
Add a strip of Kombu (a seaweed) to the pot and bring the beans to a boil.
Allow beans to boil for about 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 2-4 hours until beans are tender.
Drain and rinse again.

My bean salad is a mix of cooked beans and lentils, some roasted veggies as well as some fresh, raw vegetables. Of course I accessorized it with a little home sprouted mung beans.

Toot-Free Sweet Potato and Mixed Bean Salad

1 cup dry beans (or 2 cups cooked, equal to 1 can) - choose whichever you like best- I went for a mix of black eyed peas, black beans and green lentils- 1/3 cup of each)
1 cup cucumber, cubed
1/2 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 tsp Paprika
1 Tbs Parsley flakes
1/3 cup fresh cilantro or parsley
sprouted mung beans (or sprout of choice) to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing
1/4 cup flax oil
1/4 balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs Dijon Mustard
1 tsp grated ginger

Preheat oven to 400
Toss together sweet potato, onion, garlic, olive oil, parsley flakes and paprika
Lay out in roasting pan and place in oven, set for 30 minutes
While sweet potato is roasting, rinse and drain beans and place in large mixing bowl and allow to cool
Add in cucumber and red pepper
Mix dressing in a jar
Once sweet potato is lightly browned and soft without being mushy, allow to cool slightly and add to mixing bowl.
Mix in fresh parsley or cilantro.
Add dressing and toss. Sea salt and pepper to taste
Serve immediately with sprouts on top or allow to sit in fridge to marinate.

Printer Friendly Version: Toot-Free Sweet Potato Bean Salad

Lunchbox Revival: A sandwich is just a sandwich, until you start with great bread

Karen Hawthorne — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:02:00 GMT

[Photo: A German bakery has shelves of fresh loaves. Credit: Ina Fassbender/Reuters]

Pulling a sandwich out of your lunch bag might not be the most gourmet meal to get your mouth around when it has two nondescript slices of bread with something slim in between, squished into a plastic baggy. That's humdrum. No wonder kids like to ditch their lunch for a bag of chips or fries at school.

But my homemade egg salad with finely diced vidallia onion and peppery arugula is delicious.

Part of the satisfaction comes from fresh ingredients and a mix of mayonnaise and yogurt for the egg, instead of full-on mayo. The other part — the essential part for me — is the pumpernickle bread. It's the fresh, lighter pumpernickle from a superstore grocer, not an artisan baker, so it's not the dense, malt-tasting version. This pumpernickle makes a tasty envelope for my delicate egg salad and greens.

While fresh-baked breads may cost more and need to be consumed faster than those packaged from the factory, one option is to freeze part of the loaf — or make sure you eat it at every meal in your day or make croutons when it starts to harden.

No need to disappoint your sandwich filling ever again.

—Karen Hawthorne, National Post

Fancy Fast Food gives rapid assembly line cuisine a makeover: 'Yeah, it's still bad for you – but see how good it can look!'

Brad Frenette — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:32:00 GMT

For a lesson in food presentation, take a minute and check out the new Tumblr called Fancy Fast Food. The site's creators take everyday fast food and give it a dramatic makeover, presenting it in a manner which actually makes some of it look appetizing.

The site tagline reads: "Yeah, it's still bad for you – but see how good it can look!"

Indeed:

Tacobellini (Fancy Burrito Supreme)

McSteak & Potatoes (Fancy Big Mac)

BK Quiche (Fancy Croissan’wich & Biscuit)

There more, including step-by-step instructions, here.

Venison: The other red meat

Jason Rehel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:47:00 GMT

By Liane Faulder, Canwest News Service

Terry Osko sits astride his all-terrain vehicle and gazes at his herd of 40 deer. Their white tails are like flags strung across the landscape as they spring through the 25 acres of fenced field on his farm near Vegreville, Alta.

“It takes me three times as long to do chores in the summertime because I just like to watch them,” says the 47-year-old farmer.
Watching him, watching them, it’s easy to see the stuff his dreams are made of.

With a PhD in wildlife ecology and management, Osko is concerned about issues like land stewardship. He sees whitetail deer as a near-perfect kind of meat to be raised for eating in the area.

That’s because deer meat, also known as venison, is lean, with less fat and higher protein than that of other ruminants, including cows. The flavour of farm-raised deer is pleasing; full and robust, but not gamy like wild meat.

Osko served us slices of smoked venison as well as venison peppered salami on lightly toasted rounds of baguette sprinkled with fresh parsley and cilantro. Both were mild, smooth and pleasing to the eye. His barbecued strip loin, peppered lightly with a barbecue rub, was grilled to pink perfection. It was dense and delicious.

Osko says there are two main ways to cook venison. A low and slow braise works well for offcuts, to get the maximum flavour and tenderness from the meat. A quick grill makes them good for evening meals on summer weekends when people like to have more time outside and less in the kitchen.

This recipe comes from How to Grill, by Steven Raichlen. It’s great on venison but would work well on other meats, including ribs or chicken.
Use two or three teaspoons (10 to 15 mL) of the rub per pound (500 kg) of meat. To make a spicier rub, substitute hot paprika for some or all of the sweet paprika.

Osko’s Basic Barbecue Rub
1/4 cup (50mL) firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (50mL) sweet paprika
3 tbsp (45mL) black pepper
3 tbsp (45mL) coarse salt
1 tbsp (15mL) hickory-smoked salt or more coarse salt
2 tsp (10mL) garlic powder
2 tsp (10mL) onion powder
2 tsp (10mL) celery seed
1 tsp (5mL) cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix. (Actually, your hands work better for mixing than a spoon or whisk. Use your fingers to break up any lumps of brown sugar.) Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat or light; it will keep for at least six months.

Osko has adapted this marinade from a recipe in How to Grill by Steven Raichlen. He uses venison sirloin steaks, but it also works with filet mignon steaks.
Osko’s Sirloin Marinade
6 venison sirloin steaks, about 6 ounces (170 grams) each, or 6 filet mignon steaks of a similar size
2 cups (500mL) dry red wine
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver
2 bay leaves
2 springs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon (5mL) dried
1/4 cup (50mL) extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and black pepper
2 tbsp (25mL) butter
Place the wine in a non-reactive bowl or measuring cup and stir in the shallots, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Generously rub the steaks on both sides with some of the oil and place in a baking dish. Pour the wine mixture over the meat. Pour any remaining oil over the meat and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 to 4 hours, turning the filets 2 or 3 times.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.
Remove the meat from the marinade and drain well. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper and arrange them on the hot grate. Grill until cooked to taste, 4 to 6 minutes each for the top and bottom for medium-rare. With venison, be careful not to overcook as it becomes dry. Transfer the steaks to a platter, rub the tops with the butter and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

[Terry Osko grills white-tailed deer steak on his barbecue — it's his tasty way of not letting the graceful creatures distract him from his chores around his farm. Photo by Bruce Edwards / Canwest News Service]

Making Love in the Kitchen: My Chocolate Sol

Meghan Telpner — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Chocolate and sunshine are for sure two of my favourite things and they first came together for me last year when I had the opportunity to visit Fond Doux Estate in St. Lucia. Before this visit, I don't think it actually ever occurred to me to wonder about chocolate and where it came from.

I certainly didn't think it grew in pods such as this one. But it does. And so began my interest in chocolate, mainly in raw cacao and the many wonderful things that can be done with it (such as tossing some in my Morning smoothies, making a Raw Chocolate Pudding and my Superhero Balls).

My go to source for fair-trade raw cacao in Toronto is, of course, ChocoSol. If you have been to any farmer's markets around Toronto (Sauraren on Monday's, Riverdale on Tuesdays, Dufferin Grove on Thursday's) you have seen the guys from ChocoSol whipping up the best chocolate drink you've ever had- blended together with their peddle powered blender.

When I heard that they were having a little street fair last weekend on St. Joseph street, just outside the building that houses their ChocoLoft, you know I turned up.

It was a sweet afternoon and everyone was there- Slow Food Toronto, Not Far From The Tree, Retire Yoru Ride and even a guy singing some hippie songs about sustainability and growing your own food. I also sampled some of ChocoSol's freshly mixed up chocolate drink (dairy-free of course). So delicious. I even got to have a peak inside the chocolate making head quarters. You've never smelled anything so good.

ChocoSol points out that their chocolate products are not candy. They are foods that contain the many wonderful benefits of cacao including flavanoids and antioxidants, theobromine- a mild stimulant, only minute traces of caffeine and many essential minerals including magnesium (keeps us calm), calcium (keeps our muscles in good form), and iron (for healthy blood). Mustn't forget to mention the vitamins too- Vitamin A (fat soluble vitamin that helps keep our vision sightly), B1, B2, B3, and B5 (all necessary for energy production and keeping our nerves in check and PMS at bay), vitamin C (boosts immune function and reduces allergic sensitivities), and vitamin E (tissue healing and repair as well as nervous system balance).

Isn't that a tasty bit of chocolate health food? I happily replenished my stores of raw cacao beans and picked up a little sampling of their freshest chocolate creation: raw cacao and vanilla bean. I put it all in my basket and enjoyed the rest of my ChocoSolicious day.

Chocolate pod image courtesy of: http://www.rausch-schokolade.de

Recipe: Celebrate strawberry season with Voya's Yogurt Panna Cotta, Strawberry Salad and Strawberry-Tarragon Sorbet

Brad Frenette — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Maurizio Persichino, Pastry Chef at Voya Restaurant and Lounge (located in the Loden Vancouver Hotel) helps celebrate BC's strawberry season with this panna cotta and berry combination.

“A creamy Panna cotta, paired with sweet berries and sorbet, is the perfect finish to a lovely summer meal,” says Maurizio.

YOGURT PANNA COTTA, STRAWBERRY SALAD AND STRAWBERRY-TARRAGON SORBET
Panna Cotta 
     • 150 g yogurt (Greek style)  
     • 75 g cream 
     • 40 g sugar 
     • 2.5 g gelatin (1 ¼ sheets soaked in a small amount of cold water) 
     • 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped) 
     • Zest of ½ lemon
Method
1.  In a saucepan combine cream, sugar, vanilla bean and zest.
2. Gently warm over medium heat.
3. Remove from heat; add gelatine (squeezing out excess water).
4. Pour over yogurt, mix well, and strain through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Transfer to moulds and place in the fridge. Allow at least 6 hours to refrigerate.  Makes 4-5 servings - depending on the size of the moulds.

Strawberry Salad :
     • 150 g fresh strawberries (hulled and cut in half)
     • 2 tsp sugar 
     • Juice of ½ orange 
     • 10 g mint leaves (minced)
Method
1. Place strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle orange juice over strawberries, and sprinkle with sugar.
2. Stir gently to combine.
3. Add mint leaves. Cover, and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Strawberry-Tarragon Sorbet :
     • 300 g fresh strawberries
     • 85 g water
     • 60 g sugar 
     • 20 g glucose
     •  2.5 g fresh tarragon
     •  Juice of ½ lemon
Method
1. In a saucepan combine water, sugar, glucose and tarragon. Bring to a boil for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Chill, then strain.
2. Meanwhile, combine strawberries and lemon juice and puree in a blender. Combine syrup and puree. Process in an ice cream machine following manufacturer’s instructions. Store in freezer.

Assembly
 Remove the Panna cotta from the fridge and unmold onto plates. Top each Panna cotta with strawberry salad and micro herbs (mint, arugula or lemon balm). Place a scoop of strawberry sorbet on the side. Garnish plate with finely ground pistachio crumbs.

• Voya Restaurant and Lounge is located at  1177 Melville Street in  Vancouver (604.639.VOYA).

Making Love In The Kitchen: Weekly Recap June 22th-26th

Meghan Telpner — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Between the garbage strike, the heat wave and the crazy midday thunderstorm, it has been quite the week. Summer is here and if only the garbage juice would stop running down the sidewalks, all would be sweet.

Monday: Switzerland Rocks My Breakfast (Recipe)
Summer is here and so I have retired my hot mush breakfast in favour of a cold mush breakfast. The Swiss know how to do breakfast muesli, and so I simply copied them and shared with you the secret of how they climb those alps.

Tuesday: Straight From The Teat (Video)
We're talking raw milk- the good and the bad and letting you know how I weigh in on this hotly debated nutritional issue. Your thoughts, comments or testimonials are always appreciated. Three cheers for raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt.

Wednesday: Chip Chips (Recipe)
I do keep snack food in my house, I just have to make it first. That cuts down on the snacking. This is one of my favourite snacks- turning brown rice tortillas into a crispy, crunchy dippable chip.

Thursday: Kitchen Scraps Fruit Crumble (with The Thistle) (Video + Recipe)
Meet Green As a Thistle's writer, my dear sweet friend Vanessa as I rummage through her cupboards in attempt to put together ingredients that would actually make something we could eat. Fruit crumble it is!

Friday: A Food Inc. Fig (Video)
I loved this film, though I do believe emotional eating kicked in as my friend Josh and I devour a massive spelt chocolate chip cookie while on the big screen before us little chicks are tossed about and cows can't even carry their own body weight due to their rapid, drug induced growth-rate. My two cents on Food Inc.