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Bye bye Blackbird...

and no, it is neither about the bird nor the song as sung by the incomparable Ms. Ella Fitzgerald.

However, before we get to that intriguing headline, thus begins another semester of school and another chapter in Theory of Food II, as taught by Chef Professor Jean-Pierre Centeno.

Today marked the inaugural “changing of the flowers” in the planters around George Brown Chef School.  Gone are the beds of summer herbs and tomatoes - rather incongruously, I thought, they are again putting in hydrangeas...

Now back to the subject we are supposed to be writing about.  As you will remember from last Semester that Chef Professor Centeno always gets us to write about creative that has to do with food.  This assignment to was to go find a piece of meat, poultry or game at your local market, butcher or grocery shop.

Cost out the cut of choice.  Finally, to suggest a meal and recipes built around your “cut” of choice.  And so, without further ado - may I present to you, Dinner.

She’s a looker, isn’t she? The Silkie (sometimes spelled Silky) is a breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk and satin. It was originally discovered in South East Asia in the 1800′s by Marco Polo and made its way Westward via the Silk Road.

The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only have four.  Fascinating stuff so far, I know...

And now here is how Sheila looks en deshabille.

Reminds me of a few blind dates that I have been on, you expect one thing but get another.

One of the other stipulations set out by Chef Professor Jean Pierre was that we had to include a “key” object to take with us to said shop and use that o identify your choice and he would be looking at said keys in class to ensure this was our photo and not stolen from the internet by students too lazy to actually research the assignment themselves.  Quite clever I thought.

My key item of choice was my sterling silver statue of Lord Ganesha, that I bought in Mumbai.  In Hinduism, Ganesha is the Lord of Obstacles, both of a material and spiritual order. He is popularly worshipped as a remover of obstacles, though traditionally he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. He is supposed to also bring wealth - still waiting on that one...

Ready are raring to go - we set off to one of my favorite places to shop for new and interesting ingredients. Chinatown at Spadina and Dundas.

You go past the Asian ladies making all forms of dumplings by hand,

past the shop with the sign reading “Suger cane juice, coming soong”, I was apparently still too early.

Eventually, you arrive at the Hua Sheng Supermarket at 293 Spadina Ave.

past the shrimp pastes and soy sauces -even past pretty much any form of fresh noodle you could ever possibly image until you reach the butcher shop - not for the faint of heart.  In China, like in so many countries, they tend to eat the entire animal - basically the only part of the animal not eaten is the “oink”... or in this case “cluck”.

If you were good at “where’s Waldo”, you might have noticed a certain personage hiding in some of the other photos as well - it was quite the outing.

Ganesha and I chose a few Asian inspired ingredients that I knew would go well with the staples of coconut milk and pastes in the fridge.

Theirs

Mine. Personally, I think my Kimchi from last Semester looks far superior to theirs...

At the cost of $10.99 for 1 of these rather small and odd looking birds, I thought some form of Thai dish.

So, originally enough, I called the dish - Thai Silke Silke Chicken in a Red Curry.

Ingredients.

1 black silkie chicken, quartered - keep trimmings for stock if desired

4 cups chicken broth - make your own or shop bought is fine

1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon Chinese 5 spice powder

4 garlic cloves, minced on a microplane or finely minced with a knife and sea salt

1 small onion, chopped finely

Salt and pepper

Sauce:

2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil (or vegetable)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

1 can coconut milk/cream if you can find it - much richer and thicker

1 Tablespoon red curry paste - you could make your own - my personal favorite is from MasterChef Australia. LINK HERE Yes I did use the lemongrass and chilies etc to make my own.

2 Tbs fresh Thai basil, chopped - regular Italian basil is fine if you can’t find Thai Basil

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 zucchini, cut into ribbons

1 cup fresh King mushrooms - see photo above

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime

Method:

1. In a large pot, simmer the chicken pieces, broth, Chinese 5 spice powder, ginger, garlic, and onion over low heat for 1 hour. Strain out the chicken and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. In a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, reserved cooking liquid, and curry paste and cook over medium heat until combined. Use the back of a wooden spoon against the side of the pot to blend in the paste.

3. Add the zucchini mushrooms and chicken pieces and simmer on low for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Serve in bowls over rice with basil and scallions.

ANd now for the moment of truth...

How did it taste?  Not surprisingly, just like chicken!

If you do not have access to a fresh or frozen Silkie chicken - a regular old Chuck would do just fine.

Until next time - another interesting experience in the world of Culinary.

Respectfully submitted to Professor Jean-Pierre Centeno, Food Theory II. Monday, September 18th, 2017.

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Blog 5 the Fruit Hunters.

And so, we have finally reached our penultimate blog for this Semester of Food Theory taught by Chef Jean-Pierre Centeno.  But don’t worry, I have registered for Semester 2 and Jean-Pierre will be back teaching us Food Theory 2 - with lots more blog entries about meat and game and other fun cookery items. 

We were asked to make a documentary - but I am not a fan of filming myself so instead it is a narrative with some documentary items thrown in. 

Growing up as I did in Englad, we had a very large garden and it was full of pear and apple trees, quince vines, red and black currants, gooseberries and much more.  For me fruit is one of those items that always causes an aha moment - much like it did to anton Ego in Ratatouille...

 https://youtu.be/uXPlzdTcA-I

Eating a daquoise with raspberries and cream will always remind me of the mornings i would sneak downstairs early after my parents had held a dinner party and there it was in all its glory - her hazelnut meringue cake with fresh raspberries from the garden and whipped cream directly via our Jersey Cows... utterly amazing!  And not anywhere in sight was some mean dairy inspector telling us we were not allowed to drink our own milk unpasteurised, the opposite to the Milk Marketing Board in Canada. 

https://vimeo.com/227934168

Having been in the food and hospitality industry for a while, I have these certain “aha!” moments. Pixar did a very visual way of explaining this phenomenon that is so applicable to us as human beings.  That of memory and taste.

However taste has always been a big part of my culinary growth, and when given the opportunity to write about these topics, brought joy to my heart!

As I have said before, my mother was an excellent cook. She was also not one for effusive praise.  However, she did study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris during her time as an au pair.  This, of course, led to her becoming a top hostess for all of the Governmental dinner parties in Zambia entertaining my father’s business partners and President Kenneth Kaunda after the dissolution of Northern Rhodesia and the formation of Zambia.  The food was always exquisite - however, later in life, my mother would tell me that she hated the dinner parties and only found those in the secret service interesting.  She, like I, detested politics!

We moved back from Zambia when I was just an infant and do not remember the first few years.  Dinners were fairly pedestrian in my opinion, but it was not until I was six or seven that I discovered that an entire world was happening downstairs after we were put to bed.

I thought bedtime was very unfair at that point in my life.  I was 6, why did I have to go bed when the sun was still out? I have said before, I was a very precocious child, full of questions that drove my mother to the point of distraction.  That and I was very very naughty.  

I know you are thinking that butter would not melt in that mouth - I was so mischevious though.  I set fire to the chicken coop and “freed” the neighbours peacocks after finding the Crocker’s stash of Port, put down when their son Richard was born.  All of that before I was the age of 10.  It is no wonder I was sent to boarding school.

 My parent’s had just entertained the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as Lord and Lady Oaksey.  Clearly to this day, I remember a perfect slice left over.

Still, to this day I do not like desserts, but some amaze me if the flavour combination is right.  Raspberries, cream and hazelnut meringue, is in my opinion perfect.  Citrus  as well alwaystastes amazing to me!

After that epiphany i was the world’s worst child pest, I was obsessed by fruit.  On summer holidays, we grew and picked blackberries, raspberries, black currants, red currant, gooseberries, apple, rowan berries, hawthorn berries, crab apples etc...

them with some amazing pastry techniques as set out by Allastair Little.  Known as the Godfather of Modern Cooking!

As you will know from my prior blogs, I used to work as a flight attendant and only got into the food industry as my mother introduced me to a study program in the UK as taught by a Chef with 1-star Michelin.

Now it was time to get serious.  I became a bit obsessed with Allastair Little as he sparked the British Food Movement in my opinion.  He trained Marco.  But he was ever so humble. His restaurant in London was amazing and on several layovers, after I had save up for it, a few coworkers and I would visit for lunch.  

He made this equisite sweet shortcrust  pastry that was heavenly.  So i nicked it and have used it to put together my passion fruit and lemon tart.  The lemon custard recipe, I nicked from Nick Nair when I was training with him.  This time I added passionfruit pulp to the custard to get that lemony/passion fruit burst that is so nice and sour. 

Little has long since gotten out of owning a restaurant and instead he now caters to the It crowd in Notting Hill where he runs a small deli and minimal lunch service.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/3341039/Recipes-Alastair-Littles-delicatessen-delight.html

He is also set to open up in Sydney... http://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/british-celebrity-chef-alastair-little-to-open-in-sydney-20170407-gvfsr5

Let’s take a quick look at my final bake for this semester...

Passion fruit and Lemon custrad Tart.

Pastry Shell The quantities given make three tart or crostata shells.

150 g caster sugar 100 g ground almonds 500 g plain flour 500 g butter, cut into small dice  1 whole egg  2 egg yolks  1/2 tsp grated lemon zest  1 tsp rum  a pinch of salt

You will need three 20-25 cm loose-bottomed flan tins and one or two baking sheets. 

Put the sugar, almonds and flour into a food processor and turn on at full speed for a few seconds Add the  butter dice and work again. until just blended in.  The mxture will resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and yolks the lemon zest, rum and a minute pinch of salt, and work again unti the pastry forms into a ball . Scrape this out onto a sheet of clingfilm and roll up like a big sausage. (of 5 cm.). Chill . for at least 2 hours.

The dough is im imposs1ble to roll out, so cut thin discs off the end of the cylinder and overlap them slightly to cover the bottom and sides of the tin. Pushing down with your fingers to make as even a pastry shell as you can.  It should be slightly more solid around the edges. 

Cover with clingfilm and make sure it is pressedtightly into the shell and freeze until needed. 

Blind Baking. 

One of the most tedious techniques in cooking is the blind baking of pastry cases. It involves sheets of parchment paper, assorted beans to weigh the shell down to prevent it from warping and the sides falling down.  Two things generally happen.  1.  The pastry collapses down the sides anyway, and when you attempt to remove the beans, a large section of the pastry a large section of the bottom is attached to it. 

This pastry recipe is so simple and easy, it is so short that when baked directly from frozen at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, without any beans, it will form a near perfect shell.  I must stress that the shell must go directly into the hot oven frozen hard.  It must not defrost even for a minute!  My success rate with this is over 95%, but if you follow the instructions to the letter and you still have a problem, you have two more pastry cases sitting in the freezer to try. Bake until golden brown to ensure NO soggy bottoms. 

Listen to an interview with Little on the BBC Radio 4.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08tvmcq 

Nom onto Nairn’s lemon custard. 

Ingredients

300ml double cream 6 eggs 4 lemons - zested and juiced Juice and pulp of 6 ripe passion fruit 280g caster sugar mascarpone to serve icing sugar for the caramelised top

Method

For the filling, turn the oven down to 150C/gas 2. Remove the zest of all the fruit. Break the eggs into a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the fruit and add the juice to the eggs and mix well. Work in the cold cream and strain the mix into a clean bowl and cover. (Chill for 3 days in the fridge, this ensures that the zest and juices are absorbed by the eggs and cream and delivers a sour hit). Bake until the centre of the tart is just done and does not wobble; 20-25 minutes.

For the raspberry coulis, place the raspberries, icing sugar and lemon juice into a blender and whiz for 45 seconds. Pour this through a fine sieve into a bowl, cover and refrigerate before using. This will keep for up to three days in the fridge, or three months in the freezer. 

An alternative method is to pour the sugar over the raspberries and lemon juice and leave for 20 minutes before forcing the mix through a fine sieve. This avoids splitting the raspberry seeds, which can make the sauce bitter. When the tart is cool, cut it into wedges to serve, dust liberally with icing sugar and using a blowtorch, lightly caramelise the top of each portion. Serve at room temperature with raspberry coulis and a dollop of mascarpone.

http://www.nicknairncookschool.com/Nick-Nairn/Biography/

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Blog 4 - Fermentation & Preserved/Pickled Foods

Why Fermented Foods Matter!

Long before refrigeration was available, Lacto-fermentation was the method used to preserve food from the time of harvest into the winter months. It has the side benefit of actually increasing the nutritional value of certain foods and of keeping our guts optimally healthy. The gut is where more than 95% of our digestion and absorption of nutrients take place, after all, so this is vastly important.

Thus, here are ten reasons why you should eat at least one fermented or cultured food every day:

Fermenting vegetables increases their nutritional content

Fermented foods heal the intestinal tract from damage and restore optimal health

Beneficial bacteria provide enzymes which aid in digestion

Lactic acid bacteria stimulate and support the immune system

Lactic acid bacteria fight off pathogenic bacteria

Fermented and cultured foods taste good! (Think lox, cream cheese, pickles – these are fermented foods!)

Fermenting and culturing your own food is cheap and easy

Fermented foods are better than supplements

Fermented food promote dental health

You can ferment pretty much anything to increase its nutritional value (as well as increase its shelf life)

So with this task presented to us by Professor Jean-Pierre Centeno of our Theory of Food Class, it was off to Kensington Market we went on July 9th, 2017.  To forage for some common ingredients, but for some other uncommon ones as well.

We started our search at the corner of Nassau & Bellvue - where years ago I had my own catering company.  It was a wee little place, but it worked for several years. However, as we are told by JP-Centeno - know when to get out.  

I was sad to see that Zimmerman’s had gone - at least it was converted into a natural foods store and not yet another vape-lounge.

I began my search here and soon found some likely candidates for what I had in mind for this blog...

Ontario sour cherries would have been delicious as a preserve or a compote.

As would have, these fresh Ontario Scapes.  and yes I am sure they would have been.  Unfortunately, they ended their plant-lives on my supper table that evening.

After a quick stop for a restorative cup of coffee - back at it.

Another landmark was gone, alas St Andrew Poultry has flown their proverbial coop.   

Also while this tea smoked duck is delicious - it is not fermented, preserved or pickled, and that is what this assignment was all about.

Home and the ingredients and recipes will now be revealed!!!

So having the ingredients sort - what to do about the actual recipes?

Before starting this rather grand endeavour, I shall say that we had been given several months notice... So, let us begin.

Recipe 1 

THIS INDIAN LIME PICKLE RECIPE MAKES YOUR MICROBIOTA HAPPY

Indian lime pickle is all up in your face with intensely sour, hot, spicy, salty flavours. It refuses to be ignored. If you’re eating anything sort of bland or boring, like lentils for instance, just add some of this lime pickle!

PRESERVED FOODS AND THE GUT MICROBIOME

We like naturally fermented stuff because it’s good for our gut. Right? Or so everyone tells us. This science of the gut microbiome is still in its infancy, and it’s pretty fascinating. It’s pretty clear that the makeup of microorganisms in our gut is related to our health in significant ways. For instance, did you know that:

Infants born via Cesarian section delivery have a significantly lower bacterial richness and diversity in their little baby guts than children born via vaginal birth. Apparently, it’s true. You get your first bacteria from your mum, and not just from breast milk and swapping spit. And getting this bacteria is important. For instance, there is demographic evidence that suggests that people born via Cesarian section have a higher incidence of Celiac Disease than the rest of the population. Consequently, some researchers suggest slathering c-section babies with their mother’s microbes to compensate.

People with a more diverse gut microbiome tend to be leaner than people with less diverse microbiota? It’s true. Imagine this: researchers take identical twins, one of whom is lean and one of whom is obese. And they insert some gut bacteria from each into some mice. The mice who got the obese twin’s gut bacteria gained more weight and fat than the mice who got the lean twin’s gut bacteria.

It’s possible to treat and even cure some diseases via gut microbe transplants from another person to import good bacteria into the sick person’s gut. It’s a little nasty to think about (ahem! faecal transplants), but it’s been done.

There have been rare cases where a person’s gut get’s overrun with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) to such an extent that every time that person eats a lot of carbs that person’s gut literally ferments those carbs into alcohol, making that person drunk! Hey, I’m not making this shit up! It’s called Auto-Brewery Syndrome, and while it sounds like a cheap way to catch a buzz, I bet it sucks!

The diversity and richness of gut microbiota in humans who have had relatively little contact with the modern world is vastly richer than that of the typical modern American, who eats processed foods, takes antibiotics, and sanitises the hell out of everything. This is horrible. Many of the critters in our guts are dying out, and a lot of them are beneficial, and this very well may have a lot to do with many modern ailments.

There’s a growing body of evidence that suggests that the makeup of the gut microbiome is related to auto-immune inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis (which I have), Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and type 1 diabetes. It may also be implicated in cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes (which I also have). And we already mentioned obesity. These tend to be modern Western diseases, and it’s highly likely that the increasingly impoverished modern Western gut microbiome is a contributing factor. 

The rub is no one really has a good idea about how all of this works. What microbes are good? What ones are bad? How do they work in combination? How to we attract or combat them? We’ve barely begun to scratch the surface. There’s a lot of research going on, so the next decade or so should be very interesting. 

That brings us to Nimbu Ka Achaar and this Indian Lime Pickle Recipe, which is a fermented food that is probably good for your gut.

Prep time 15 Mins Cook time 8 Mins Total time 23 Mins Nimbu Ka Achaar: An Indian Lime Pickle Recipe that's easy to make and good for your gut microbiome. It adds a spicy-hot, salty-sour kick to food.

Ingredients 5 - 7 Limes (whatever fits in a quart jar) 2 Tablespoons Turmeric Powder 1 Tablespoon Paprika 1 Tablespoon Cayenne 1 Serrano Chili, chopped 1 Cup Kosher Salt 1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon Cayenne

Method 1. Sterilise a litre sized canning jar. 2. Wash, and completely dry the limes. Keeping moisture off of the limes from now on is key. They’re not submerged in a brine like other pickles. Rather, is the high salt content that inhibits mould and other spoilage. 3. Cut the limes in half, then quarter each half (i.e., you’ll get 8 segments out of each lime). 4. Lay the lime sections in a glass casserole dish and sprinkle with two tablespoons of salt. Then sprinkle on the spices and the chilli. Mix well.

5. Place a layer of limes in the canning jar (or crock). Layer on a thin layer of salt. Repeat with layers until all the lines are in the jar. 6. Seal the lid loosely and leave the jar in a warm place where it gets sunlight for three weeks. Shake the jar daily to mix the lime. The limes should begin to turn brown by the end of the three weeks. 7. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Cook until the seeds begin to sizzle and pop.

8. Add the pickles to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.

9. Place in another clean, sterilised jar and refrigerate. If everything is sterile they’ll keep for six months to a year. You can leave them unrefrigerated if you are willing to eat them within the next two or three months.

Recipe 2 - Moroccan preserved citrus. 

Preserved lemons enhance the cooking of North Africa with their pronounced saltiness and a sourness that is oddly mellowed, rather than enhanced, through fermentation.  Even with no other ingredients but salt and lemon, preserved lemons take on other unique and complex flavour profiles that can become even mint-like over time and after proper fermentation.

While you can buy them at speciality stores and online for up to $15 for a jar, you can make them yourself with just a little investment in salt, lemons and time.

Ingredients

2½ pounds lemons, (preferably Meyer lemons)

¼ cup unrefined sea salt

I added limes and grapefruit to one batch in order to see how they would fare under the same method. 

Method

Trim the ends off lemons, taking care not to cut into the flesh, then slice the lemons as if to quarter them - keeping the base of the lemon intact.

Sprinkle the interior of the lemons with unrefined sea salt then layer in your mason jar, crock or fermentation device. Sprinkle with unrefined sea salt then mash with a wooden spoon or dowel until the rinds of the lemon begin to soften and the lemons release their juice which should combine with the salt to create a brine conducive to the proliferation of beneficial bacteria.

Continue mashing, salting and mashing until your lemons fill the jar and rest below the level of the brine.

Ferment at room temperature for three to four weeks. Lemons can be kept for one to two years.

Recipe 3 - Masala-Spiced Pickled Guavas

Ingredients:

– 12-15 crisp, barely ripe pineapple guavas (also known as feijoa)

– 3 tablespoons of pickle masala (available at Indian grocery stores)

– kosher salt (if masala is unsalted)

– ½ cup sugar

– 1 ¾ cups white wine vinegar

– ¾ cups water

Method

Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered. Cut guavas into quarter slices and pack into sterilised jars within an inch of the top.

Add masala spice to jars, about 1 tablespoon per 16 ounces. (The jar shown here is 26 ounces.) If masala is unsalted, add a pinch of salt to each jar.

Pour hot pickling syrup over guavas, leaving a half-inch of head space at the top of the jar. Gently tap jars to remove any air bubbles trapped between the guava slices.

Wipe rims and apply lids and rings. If preserving for shelf stability, process the jars by carefully lowering them into a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Otherwise, wash jars once cool, and store in the fridge. (We went this route.)

It’s always snack time somewhere, right?

Recipe 4:  

PINEAPPLE TURMERIC SAUERKRAUT

HEALTH BENEFITS

This sauerkraut is full of health benefits. The turmeric and ginger make it a powerful anti-inflammatory.  Other benefits include…

Probiotic – fermented foods like this sauerkraut contain more probiotics than a probiotic pill and research has shown that the good bacteria are more likely to survive the digestive system than ones from a pill.

Enzymes- the enzymes in fermented foods help assist in breaking down food, making meals easier for your body to digest.

Fibre – sauerkraut is rich in fibre and feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut, moves food through your digestive tract and makes you regular (poo).

Relieves diarrhoea and constipation  – the friendly bacteria in fermented foods balance the inner ecosystem in the digestive tract.

It also relieves gas, heartburn and improves mood and mental health.

The brine from the sauerkraut is packed with beneficial bacteria and enzymes. If you have an upset stomach or nausea, try a shot and it will calm your stomach. It will also give your immune system a boost. The gut shots are a quick way to get the benefits of fermented foods and they taste great too. Try mixing it with soda water for a bubbly spritzer or really let loose and mix it with champagne like my friends and I did over the weekend. Cheers!

I am really proud of this recipe. It tastes great and packs a super punch of health benefits. You have to try this kraut. I think it could turn people who don’t normally eat fermented foods into a fermented food lover. Make it this weekend and if you have any questions, leave a comment below.

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cabbage (shredded)

½ pineapple (chopped)

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)

1 tbsp sea salt

Brine:

1 tbsp Sea Salt

1 tbsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

4 cups purified water

Other Tools:

2 Quart Size Mason Jars or 1 half gallon mason jar

Method

Shred the cabbage in a food processor, mandolin or chop with a knife. Add it to a big bowl.

Chop the pineapple into small chunks and add it to the bowl with the cabbage.

Add the grated ginger and sea salt to the bowl.

Massage the cabbage mixture with your hands for 5 minutes or until it starts to break down and become soft.

Let it sit for 15 minutes in the bowl.

After the 15 minutes, the cabbage will become very soft and wet. If you squeeze it now, the juice will come out.

Add the turmeric to the cabbage. You can either mix it with your hands or a spoon. The turmeric could stain your hands and fingernails orange so you may want to use a spoon.

Pack the cabbage halfway into the mason jars if you are using two or halfway into the large mason jar if you are using one.

Now we are going to make the brine and add it to the jars for the gut shots.

Make the brine by combining 1 cup of hot water with the sea salt. Once the sea salt dissolves add the remaining water and the apple cider vinegar.

Pour the brine into the mason jars, leaving about an inch from the top.

Stir the brine and cabbage together in the jar so it's all combined.

Place a lid on the jar loosely so gas can escape as fermentation takes place.

Set on the counter for 4-7 days in a cool, shaded place.

During fermentation, the sauerkraut will bubble a little and become cloudy. If scum appears, remove it with a spoon.

Every day or two, shake the mason jar up so the cabbage submerges under the brine and doesn't develop mould.

Place in the fridge and serve cold.

Gut Shots: The extra brine from the sauerkraut is the gut shots. Pour the extra brine into shot glasses and don't forget to share with friends and drink to your health.

*** Note - I also added toasted fennel seeds to this recipe as I am interested to see how the aniseed flavour works with the others. 

Recipe 5: 

Easy Kimchi Recipe | Simple Fermentation

This recipe used only the super potent, smelly and strong ingredients to set the flavour, including daikon radish, leeks, garlic, ginger and chillies. That is medicinal power, not to mention a gorgeous rainbow of goodness.

I massaged the bejesus out of this mix until it got soft and juicy. Packed it into a jar, and let it sit for about five days. It started to foam at one point but I just scraped that off and let it sit a few days more until it was soft, fermented and, I gotta say, so delicious!

And so here is my super easy, almost fool-proof, kimchi recipe. I say almost fool proof as you really can't give any guarantees when it comes to fermentation. Every time around is an experiment. That's just part of the fun.

Ingredients

1 head napa cabbage, cored and shredded (makes about 8 cups)

1 leek, chopped

2 carrots, grated

1 daikon radish, grated

5 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp grated ginger

2 Tbsp sea salt

3 Tbsp chilli flakes or 1½ Tbsp chilli powder

Homemade fermented Ghost Pepper sauce - from a friend. 

Method

Prep all vegetables as directed in ingredients and place in large bowl. Add salt and chilli flakes. Use a larger bowl than you think you might need, as it leads to better veggie massaging.

Massage cabbage mix for about 10 minutes and then set aside. While resting, the salt will help the veggies to 'sweat', releasing some of their water.

Return to massage for another 10 minutes, until cabbage and other veggies are softened and a few tablespoons worth of water has been released.

Divide the mix between two 1 gallon/1 litre mason jars.

Press kimchi mix down, helping get out any air bubbles and ideally have some of the liquid come to the top.

Seal jar loosely and place in a warm spot (like on top or beside your fridge). Let sit for 4-5 days. If foam starts to form, you can skim that off. After about 4 days, taste the kimchi (with a clean fork, never double dip) and decide if you want to let it ferment longer or you're ready to enjoy it.

Once ready, seal the jar and store in your fridge. Will keep for 2-3 months sealed.

The fruits of my labours: 

Left to right:  Pineapple Turmeric Sauerkraut, Pickled Masala Guavas, Traditional Moroccan Preserved Lemons, Lime Pickle, Preserved Lemons, Limes & Grapefruit and finally Kimchi. 

Respectfully submitted for Professor Jen-Pierre Centeno - GBC Theory of Food class. 

As I had a jar left over and some of the German cabbage, I decided what better way to fill up that jar than with some traditional Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut.

Tangy, crisp, flavorful sauerkraut is so refreshing on a hot day! It makes the perfect side to many grilled types of meat. Culinary benefits aside, it’s also healthy for you! In my recipe, I  share a little secret that makes for a no pound sauerkraut. No more pounding your cabbage for 15 minutes in this recipe! It’s so easy.

First, make sure that all dishes used for this project are very clean. You will need a crock or a large nonreactive bowl, such as the glass one I used, a plate that fits snugly inside and something to weigh the plate down. I used a food grade plastic bucket full of water, a mason jar full of water, another bowl full of water, or a jug full of water, are all options.

1-Shred cabbage (if you have one, a food processor makes this step a cinch) and place in the bowl or crock you will be fermenting in. Toss with the salt and cover with some kitchen towels. Leave for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the salt to draw out the juices of the cabbage. This is the secret that makes this recipe pound free. I learned it in a Russian cookbook.

2-Using a mallet, or whatever you have on hand gently pound the cabbage down so that it’s tight fitting in the bowl. Place the clean plate on top and weigh it down with whatever you are using for the purpose. Press down gently, but firmly. The liquid from the cabbage should rise to the top. You will want the liquid to cover the plate with room to spare within in 12-24 hours. If it hasn’t risen above the plate by that point, make up some salt water my mixing one cup of filtered water with one teaspoon of sea salt and use as much as you need. Cover with kitchen towels or a clean pillow case to protect it from flies and dust.

3- Each day you will remove the plate, and rinse it. If there is any “scum” on the surface of the water, remove as you much of it as you can with a spoon. Start tasting the sauerkraut after a few days. It will start to sour within a few days and will continue to “ripen” as the days go on. How quickly it ferments will depend on the temperature of your house. I like it after about ten days. Before that point, I just think it lacks the depth of flavour we want. But the lovely thing is that you can stop the fermentation process when it tastes good to you.

4-When it’s fermented enough for your taste, Bottle it up in clean mason jars, and place in the refrigerator where it will keep for a long time.

When this is ready to be jarred I will post more. 

Oh and a footnote - I have stumbled upone another preservation method at home... drying.  I usually buy a lot of fruits and quite often I do not use them so i took to dehydrating them - mainly citrus.  

Yes, those are also dried avocados!  When friends come round, they usually make fun of me for doing this, i just think they look kind of interesting. Then the other day I stumbled upon a middle eastern/persian website which list dried limes as ingredients... 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/dining/02power.html

Who knows, maybe i will find a use for dried avocados as well. Until next time. 

[juliangbc-blog]

[juliangbc-blog]

Sensory - Blog 3...

Homo sapiens (Latin: "wise man") is the binomial nomenclature (also known as the scientific name) for the only extant human species. Homo is the human genus, which also includes Neanderthals and many other extinct species of hominin; H. sapiens is the only surviving species of the genus Homo. Modern humans are the subspecies Homo sapiens sapiens, which differentiates them from what has been argued to be their direct ancestor, Homo sapiens idaltu. The ingenuity and adaptability of Homo sapiens has led to it becoming the most influential species on Earth; it is currently deemed of least concern on the Red List of endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

In a study published by Nature Communications, led by Markus Bastir and Antonio Rosas, of the Spanish Natural Science Museum (CSIC), high-tech medical imaging techniques were used to access internal structures of fossil human skulls. The researchers used sophisticated 3D methods to quantify the shape of the basal brain as reflected in the morphology of the skeletal cranial base. Their findings reveal that the human temporal lobes, involved in language, memory and social functions as, well as the olfactory bulbs are relatively larger in Homo sapiens than in Neanderthals. "The structures which receive olfactory input are approximately 12% larger in modern humans than in Neanderthals," the authors explain.

The above image illustrates which of our 5 common senses relate.  Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight and Hearing.

This was an especially difficult Blog post to write for Chef Jean-Pierre Centeno for our Food Theory class at George Brown.  

Having been professionally diagnosed via the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - I am a true INTJ:

INTJ PERSONALITY (“THE ARCHITECT”)

It’s lonely at the top, and being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, INTJs know this all too well. INTJs form just two percent of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population – it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like manoeuvring. People with the INTJ personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy.

“Nothing Can Stop the Right Attitude From Achieving Its Goal”

With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, INTJs are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. While this may be intended as an insult by their peers, they more than likely identify with it and are even proud of it, greatly enjoying their broad and deep body of knowledge. INTJs enjoy sharing what they know as well, confident in their mastery of their chosen subjects, but owing to their Intuitive (N) and Judging (J) traits, they prefer to design and execute a brilliant plan within their field rather than share opinions on “uninteresting” distractions like gossip.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.”

Perhaps this is why the often crazy life in a professional kitchen always inspired me and was for most of my life, a home away from home.

I was continuously learning and even when I left the world of stainless steel and copper pots in 1999 to become an adjunct professor for 17 years at Ryerson Univerity and the University of Toronto - the ‘itch’ was still in my blood and I missed the organised chaos of a professional kitchen. 

Dairy farmer, hospital orderly, barista with Second Cup, cosmetician for Clinique, flight attendant, cook, University Professor, cheese manager at Whole Foods Market and paralegal are some of the many and varied careers to whit I have been modestly successful at.

In November 2013 I was admitted to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre emergency as I could not get out of bed, literally.  I woke up that fateful Saturday morning without the ability to stand and my vision was also seriously compromised. This is why this is such a hard article to write - being private I do not like to engender sympathy.  However, I called 911 and an ambulance with a team of paramedics was sent to my house.  I then spent the next 17 hours in the Sunnybrook ER ward undergoing tests for everything from HIV, std’s, heavy metal poisoning diabetes and a complete neoplastic panel to test for cancer. 

Unfortunately for myself, all tests were negative and after the 17 hours was over, the physician in attendance came to visit and told me that I was going to be released and could go home!  As I have always been a person who can advocate for myself, at times quite vociferously - one learns how to stand up for oneself after one’s Headmaster breaks one’s jaw due to the inability to correctly conjugate the verb Amo in Latin...

[First Conjugation amo:I love amas: You love amat: He, She, or It loves amamus: We love amatis: You (plural) love amant: They love ] - 

I said quite adamantly that I wanted a second opinion. Upon the medical opinion of the subsequent doctor (who apparently held a MD) - who was quite gobsmacked at my being sent home - as I couldn’t see, couldn’t stand, and had complete sensory loss in both my hands and legs - was admitted forthwith to Ward 3 where I was to spend 3 months undergoing a multitude of tests and becoming the fast favourite of the neurology department.  Bed-ridden, but hated being a specimen. 

Occam's razor teaches doctors to: “think ‘horses’, not zebras” when one hears hoofbeats.  

I was certainly a zebra and it was not until the brilliant, (my opine), Dr Arun Sundaram, consulting neuro-ophthalmologist, diagnosed my condition as being an extremely rare form of demyelinating Acute Axonal Neuropathic Disorder - akin to Multiple Sclerosis - but a diagnosis of only 1 in 750,000 persons.  

I certainly won the ‘disabilty lottery’ that day!

Residual effects were a loss of sensory perception in my hands and feet requiring a walking frame to ambulate - now thank G-D I can function with the use of my cane, but the most significant “sensory” loss was my vision.  My official diagnosis was that I was twice (2x) the legal level for blindness. Further, cranial nerves, according to Sundaram, do not regenerate. It was officially permanent. 

I read a very interesting article by a Dr Peterson who attempted to detail the levels of legal blindness in patients, and whom is recognised by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB): 

You Too Can Be Legally Blind for $5.99! Well, at least you can experience legal blindness for next to nothing. We’ll get to that in a minute.

The recent news of a legally blind man becoming governor of New York has the world rethinking the capabilities of the blind. To recap the media coverage, Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson took over the office of the morally-blind Eliot Spitzer. Governor Paterson, as reported by the New York Times, is totally blind in his left eye and legally blind in his right eye. He is reported to have 20/400 vision, which means he can barely see objects from 20 feet away what the average person can see 400 feet away.

All the media coverage is also dispelling myths regarding legal blindness. In this blog post, I want to do my professional duty to demystify and demonstrate legal blindness.

My vision is demonstrated in the last photo. Life s a blur!

If you’ve ever wanted to experience 20/400 vision just visit your local pharmacy. Find a pair of reading glasses labelled with a power of +6.00 and put them on (that’s the $5.99 part), or if you already wear vision correction, put them on over your current glasses or contacts. Now, look off in the distance. Instant 20/400 vision!

In no way do I wish to diminish the severity of blindness. The achievements of these individuals is astounding, especially in a world that is designed for those of us with 20/20 vision.

Thusly leading me to write this rather personal Blog posting dealing with the “senses” I have already had 2 of the 5 severely handicapped by a genetic fluke.  However, it has in a way helped me to hone the remaining senses - taste, hearing and smell have become almost super-heightened in order to compensate. 

Enough with the pity party already - now on to the Blog as required for Chef Centeno. 

On to the sensory exploration of citrus!

Criterion: 

Blog Assignment #3 - Sensory Evaluation (SUBMIT HERE)

In your next Culinary blog entry, choose a "new" food that you have never tasted before. Try to avoid overly processed junk foods, or something that is familiar to you. Perform a sensory evaluation using the criteria discussed in this weeks lesson. While evaluating your chosen food, think about the following:

How does this appeal to The five basic tastes - salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umame?

Use your sense of Taste, Smell, Sight, Hearing and Touch; what do you observe with each?

Are there relatable or similar flavours that you detect? "Tastes like....."

How is this food unique?

Try to avoid words such as "good", "nice" and "flavourful", be specific in your observations, using proper and precise terminology.

Reflect on your experience:

What did you learn about your palate?

Did you enjoy this food?

Would you eat it again? Why or why not?

Are there certain flavours you find more or less appealing?

How has this experience changed the way in which you will taste, analyse and use foods in your cooking?

Document your findings throughout, and post them to your blog. Invite someone to look at and share your experience. Feel free to make multiple blog entries of this nature, trying to experience new flavours as often as you can.

In order to complete this Blog assignment, I invited 3 friends over for a supper party on Friday Night.  One was a former chef and protégé of mine and his fiancée.  The third was a culinary student at George Brown. 

Having trained in 1995/96 with Nick Nairn, the youngest Scottish Chef to be awarded 1 Michelin Star, http://www.nicknairncookschool.com/Recipes/Show-All/ for his restaurant “Braeval, Old Mill” in Aberfoyle, Stirling, Port of Monteith UK.

The signed frontispiece is from his first published book.  He remains my friend and mentor to this day.  

I was saying to my friend Eli on Friday night that I have had an interesting culinary career - one that Chef Tomaselli would call “Cowboy Cooking” I was taught how to get to the finished dish - the steps did not really matter as it was a sense of intuition and how the finished dish would be.  However, one does not become a starred Michelin Chef if one does not know a thing or two - Nairn trained under the likes of Marco Pierre White and Alistair Little. 

For the soup course:  Chilled Pea & Mint with Shrimp Ceviche &  Chilli Oil. 

As Chef Centeno stipulates, as well as Chef Tomaselli & Chef Barone, the function of a soup is to ideally be vegetarian.  It appeals to all tastes.  Nairn does away with the stock component and instead taught us that one should use 25% onions of the weight of soup ingredients as well as a 1/4% butter... unsalted of course. 

The onions add the missing umami taste from the stock and the butter adds richness.  

Course 2. - Moroccan Poussin. 

served with Pommes Gartin Dauphinoise, cauliflower puree, burnt onions, pickles and Jus. 

I love asparagus season so I had to use some of the beautiful local produce in the dish. 

Dessert:  Glazed lemon-lime tart with a chocolate orange ganache and pistachio praline. 

The pastry is essentially a shortbread as it is 50%butter and 50% flour with a dash of almonds and lemon zest marinated in rum. The curd is a basic one - it incorporates eggs, sugar, zest, juice and heavy cream and is left to sit for 3 days in the fridge to intensify the citrus flavour. 

The “guessing game” was the theme that tied everything through the supper.  Eli guessed it correctly - after a few hilarious anecdotes about Peru and Morocco.

Lime juice and lemon zest were used in the ceviche.  The poussin was marinated in fresh orange juice and Moroccan spices, the tart was a citrus delight with a very bitter chocolate orange semi-fredo to add relief to the sourness. 70% dark chocolate with orange and grapefruit zest. 

What I learned from this assignment was not to have guests over for dinner on a Friday night after a full week of Chef studies at George Brown.  

What I have also learned from my amazing Chef-mentors at George Brown College are as follow: 

Chef Centeno. Having to think critically and honestly about the finished dish.  Does it fill the brief?

Chef Tomaselli: Be passionate and honest about cooking - as long as you have the love to do it, you will never be alone in the crazy world of Cuisine.  I also admire his strict attention to detail - 100% agree that one has to show up for lectures in appropriate uniform.  Chef jacket starched and ironed, black safety shoes - the day the lady showed up in stilettos and was sent packing was hilarious - who really comes to a kitchen to work in 5″ heels? 

Chef Barone is stellar and I have learned so much about attention to detail and knife cuts from him.  It would be easy to illustrate above as due to my vision loss that it is hard to see, but never let that be a barrier -I welcome the criticism and realise that my knife cuts need to be perfect as well as his teaching me to trust my seasoning!!! 

Professor Sean Clapham - who actually holds a PhD and so can be called Professor is great with our Math for Hospitality course  Extremely knowledgeable and patient with students in a very professional way - I am learning things. I am like a sponge 

Lastly but not finally, Chef Joel Rousell; - In my humble opinion, he is probably the strictest, but also the most real.  The food that we prepare in Cafe Production must be up to his exacting standards as it is to be sold in the Chef on the Run store.  Exactly the same as food that would go out of a professional kitchen - I am learning many things from him - he has amazing recipes and an obviously great palate.  So sorry if you do not like getting your head bitten off - but as all the talented Chefs at GBC say - this is honestly how it is in the real world.  One puts 2 Tablespoons of white pepper in a dish - instead of two Teaspoons and the dish is instantly ruined.  Fuck the ‘cinnamon challenge’ on YouTube - you try a dish with too much white pepper and you would reject it instantly. 

Last, but not least I am actually quite in awe of Carla Diano in my Nutrition course.  I feel I shall learn a lot from her! Especially as I wish to matriculate into the post-graduate Diploma in Nutrition Studies. 

I realise my shortcomings and somewhat lazy knife skills, I try and correct them and I am very humbled to be taught by such talent that is employed at GBC.

So, to conclude my ‘sensory blog’ - I give you the verbatim response by Eli and his fiancee, Mijung: 

Julian invited us to share dinner with him and to report on our experiences. Below are our reflections on the three-course meal that he prepared for us.

The first course was a soup, which was very creamy with herbal notes that complemented the 🍤. The soup was an interesting play on a ceviche recipe. The soup had all of the ingredients of ceviche but reimagined them in a way that was fun and refreshing. There was a hint of spice from chilies and also coolness from mint in the soup. This food was unique because it was made of very simple ingredients but achieved complex and clean flavours. I would make the soup again. It changed the way I think about how some ingredients are used such as peas (used as the base) which made for a very creamy and smooth texture.

The second course was Moroccan chicken that was roasted with a with a glaze similar to a

mole

. The chicken was roasted with orange and lemon inside which gave it also a clean flavour. The chicken also had a subtle curry flavour which was very pleasant. The chicken served with potatoes dauphinoise, onion petal, pureed cauliflower and assorted pickles which included asparagus. Each element of this meal was very well executed. The chicken was perfectly cooked without being dry. The potatoes were crispy on the outside, and also smooth inside. Our only criticism of this course was that the potato and the cauliflower were both very creamy and rich. We feel that one of them could be eliminated (if the next course was very light it might have complimented this very rich course). The pickle helped with the richness of the meal a great deal and was a very nice consideration of the chef to include these on the plate. Overall this was very delicious and was of a very high-quality. I would expect to have paid a lot of money for this meal or at least this course.

The dessert course was chocolate ice cream served with a lemon tart and raspberries. The plate was well presented and had an exciting flame / brule element to it. It was a very traditional and welcome element to conclude the meal. The ice cream was handmade and had a balanced flavor of chocolate and oranges. The lemon tart was creamy and also citrusy. The crust was flaky and was a good compliment to the creamy tart.

The theme of citrus on the menu was subtle but it was a creative way to make us think about what we were eating. Playing

'Guess the common theme'

was a fun and interesting way to focus us on the food.

Thanks so much Julian! We had a great time and had a wonderful meal!!!!

E + MJ

In closing, it was also a great pleasure to chat briefly with Chef Higgins and to see Chef Alvares.  I am totally going to explore my senses by taking the India and Thailand Program next year!!!

Funny how I am only barely passing in College English with a 60% - apparently my writing style is too controversial - I am here to study food, not to write “The Great Gatsby”. 

Best, 

Julian. 

Written and submitted to Chef Jean-Pierre Centeno June 4th 2017

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Soup. Blog 2.

Curried chickpea and potato soup.  Aloo Chana. 

Soup Food historians tell us the history of soup is probably as old as the history of cooking. The act of combining various ingredients in a large pot to create a nutritious, filling, easily digested, simple to make/serve food was inevitable. This made it the perfect choice for both sedentary and travelling cultures, rich and poor, healthy people and invalids. Soup (and stews, pottages, porridges, gruels, etc.) evolved according to local ingredients and tastes. New England chowder, Spanish gazpacho, Russian borscht, Italian minestrone, French onion, Chinese won ton and Campbell's tomato...are all variations on the same theme.

Soups were easily digested and were prescribed for invalids since ancient times. The modern restaurant industry is said to be based on soup. Restoratifs (wheron the word "restaurant" comes) were the first items served in public restaurants in 18th century Paris. Broth [Pot-au-feu], bouillion, and consomme entered here. Classic French cuisine generated many of the soups we know today.

Advancements in science enabled soups to take many forms...portable, canned, dehydrated, microwave-ready. "Pocket soup" was carried by colonial travellers, as it could easily be reconstituted with a little hot water. Canned and dehydrated soups were available in the 19th century. These supplied the military, covered wagon trains, cowboy chuck wagons, and the home pantry. Advances in science also permitted the adjustment of nutrients to fit specific dietary needs (low salt, high fibre, etc.).

"Cereals, roasted to make them digestible and then ground and moistened or diluted with water to make a paste, either thick or thin, did not become gruel or porridge until people had the idea and means of cooking them. They may initially have been cooked by hot stones in receptacles of natural substances, and then in utensils which could go straight over the fire. Soup, in fact, derives from sop or sup, meaning the slices of bread on which broth was poured. Until bread was invented, the only kind of thick soup was a concoction of grains, or of plants and meat cooked in a pot. Gruel or porridge was thus a basic food, a staple from of nourishment, and long held that place in Western countries, for in practice bread was a luxury eaten only in towns. A thick porridge of some kind is still the staple food of many peoples, and it is not always made of cereals, but may consist of other starch foods: legumes, chestnuts or root vegetables." ---Food in History, Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, translated by Anthea Bell [Barnes & Noble Books:New York] 1992 (p. 177)

"Soup...This category included liquid foods for invalids, such as beaten egg, barley and emmer gruel...and the water from boiling pulses, vegetables or other foods...soups or purees made from vegetables or fruits...broth made with meal of legumes or cereals with added animal fat...and soup in the usual modern English sense, based on meat and vegetables...Medicinal spices and herbs might be added to these various soups, especially if they were intended for invalids as part of a prescribed diet." ---Food in the Ancient World from A to Z, Andrew Dalby [Routledge:London] 2003 (p. 307)

"Soups. General Observations. The culinary preparations included in this section are of fairly recent origin in their present form, dating from only the early part of the 19th century. Soups of the old classical kitchen were in fact complete dishes in themselves and contained, apart from the liquid content and its vegetable garnish, a wide variety of meat, poultry, game and fish. It is only the liquid part of these classical dishes which has retained the name of soup. Examples of old style of soup which still survive are the Flemish Hochepot, the Spanish Oilles and the French Petite Marmite...On this point as on many others, culinary art owes much to Careme...." ---The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, A. Escoffier, first translation of Le Guide Culinaire [1903] by H.L. Cracknell and R.J. Kaufmann [John Wiley & Sons:New York] 1979 (p. 65) [NOTE: Escoffier's notes regarding soup classification and serving are also contained in this book.]

I chose this soup as it is versatile and makes use of common everyday ingredients that many will have at home.  The soup is also cheap and yet tasty with a punch of my favourite Indian spices.  Much like the concept of drinking hot tea on a hot day, this soup is hearty enough to be served as a supper dish. 

My Father used to consistently have soup for supper and the largest meal of the day was breakfast - he said that eating this way helped him to lose weight by having something light before bedtime. 

Recipe Type gluten-free, vegan Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Total Time 30 minutes 

Servings

6-8

Calories 498 kcal.

3 tablespoons palm oil ( you can sub for any other kind of oil)

4 medium white onions, sliced

2″ fresh root ginger, peeled. 

900g | 4 cups potato cubed

5 tablespoons of curry powder - see below for my mix

3 cups vegetable stock, or water

410g | 2 cups cooked chickpeas, (1 19oz/540ml can)

398mls | 1 can canned coconut milk, full fat will give a richer, thicker texture but light can also be used if you don't mind your soup slightly thinner

1 large can tomatoes - I prefer Unico

1 - 2 teaspoons salt, add to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar, optional but lifts the flavour (i use palm sugar)

Juice of 1 large lemon

Method

Heat the palm oil in large soup pan

Saute the onion until just starting to turn golden brown.

Add the curry powder and cook for a few more minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.

Add the potatoes.

Add the stock/water and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender (about 15 minutes).

Add chickpeas, coconut milk and sugar.

Season with salt and pepper.

Simmer over a medium/low heat until hot.

Puree and serve.

Garnish with deep-fried chickpeas, long chilli and bitter melon.

For my curry powder or masala, I use equal quantities of:

Clockwise - red chilli flakes, cumin, ajwain seeds, Kashmiri chilli pepper, turmeric, Indian chilli powder and black mustard seeds. 

Kashmiri powder is degi mirch. They are made from Kashmiri chillies which are small and less spicy but do lend a bright red colour to dishes like rogan josh. Regular Indian chilli powder is lal mirch and is made from fiery chillies, comparable to cayenne pepper.

Heat palm oil. 

Gather mise-en-place. 

Sautee the onions until golden - For a regular curry, one would take the onions much darker as it lends body to the curry and richness.  As this soup will be blended or pureed the onions need not be taken that far. 

Add ginger root and soften. 

Add masala and allow it to toast with the onions and ginger. 

Add potato cubes. 

Add tomatoes and chickpeas. Add coconut cream.  Add stock or water and simmer until potatoes are tender. 

Blend with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and the juice of 1 lemon. 

Serve.  I made some fresh chapati breads along with a garnish of chilli oil, deep fried chickpeas and a light pickle of bitter melon, long chillis and bitter melon. 

Sensory evaluation:  I gave 2 cup containers of my soup to 3 members of my class and it was well received.  It was certainly spicy said one eater, another said it was delicious and the last said that it was slightly bitter as he was not used to the flavours of this cuisine. 

I think this soup was a success it was also pretty straightforward to make.  Perhaps next time I might use ghee - but that would then take away from its being vegan. 

Blog written for Food Theory GBC. Professor Jean-Pierre Centeno. 

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George Brown College Blog 2 Soup... and a bit of history thrown in for good measure... Ok too early for puns! 

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Marco Pierre White | Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union

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Anderson Cooper sits down with Anthony Bourdain to talk about the first episode of his new season of "Parts Unknown."

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GBC Blog 1 - Week 1.

Having initially been born in Zambia, I grew up on my parent’s dairy farm in a small village called Upper Minety in Wiltshire, a stone’s throw from Stonehenge and the heart of the Cotswolds.

In Africa, my father had been a financial comptroller working with Meridian BIAO Bank who were helping to finance the transition of the country from Northern Rhodesia into its present day Zambia.  My mother, was in essence, a hostess and a mother.  However,  this was in no way disparaging of her culinary achievements.  She had studied with Le Cordon Bleu and had also worked for several years as an au-pair in France when younger.

From an early age, she instilled a love of cooking in me as she felt it was important that, yes even men, should be able to cook. Much to the horror and disgust of my Grandfather - a rather staunch Georgian patriarch.  My Grandfather actually walked out when visiting one Sunday for our roast beef dinner upon discovering that I had helped make some of the dishes - as he left, he muttered none too quietly - “that’s a woman’s job, cooking is not for a man to do!”

As I was rather a precocious child, this merely instilled in me the interest in the culinary field - as long as it did not interfere with my rather large collection of snakes, lizards, insects and other creepy-crawlies that I kept housed in various crates and jars in my “zoo”. 

Upon moving to Canada in 1982, I became more interested in food and would often help with making items from cakes to meringues as well as a variety of savoury items.  I even tried my hand at cheese making and could turn out a respectable unpasterised Cheddar.

Later in life, now aged 17, I attended Carleton University in Ottawa to complete my degree in Microbiology - I only lasted until year two as my heart was not in it.  My Father told me that if I was not in school, then I had to find a job to support myself.  I moved to Toronto and became a flight attendant. That showed him...

For me it was great, I got to travel around the world for free and had the rare opportunity to sample all these new and interesting cuisines. From the amazing and redolent curries of India later in my own travels later in life, to the spicy concoctions in Sri Lanka, I loved it all.  France was an eye opener and I fell in love with bread and cheese and Normandy butter.  It was a good thing I was young as being a fat flight attendant was frowned up.

Whilst working at the airline, I met the boyfriend of someone who would become a very good friend to me, Charles P. MacPherson - author of “the Butler Speaks” & “the Pocket Butler”.  Two books he published after opening his own Butlering School in Toronto and later in New York City.  Charles had worked as the Major Domo to the Eaton Family for years, until its dissolution, he then went his own way.

At around summer of1995, my parents had moved back to the UK and lived in central UK, Leicestershire.  One Sunday afternoon, my Mother called me asked me when I was going to get a real job?  As she rather bluntly put it, you are not 20 any longer… She then, proceeded to tell me that she thought I should follow a career in food.  She said that I had always liked cooking and it had far better prospects in her opinion than layovers in Spain or Portugal.

After having mulled the idea over for a while, I contacted the owner of this Chef School in Glasgow that my Mother had told me about.  The owner was a very young ex Merchant Navy Navigation Officer, who said very early on that his attempts at cooking initially were disastrous… how soon things changed for him.  He trained with the likes of Marco Pierre White and Alastair Little. Shortly after opening his restaurant in the Trossachs Mountains just north of Glasgow, he became the youngest Scottish Chef to win 1 Michelin Star.  On the tails of this success, he had decided to open a Chef School and now has two of them, both in Scotland and remains my mentor, as well as a culinary hero of mine. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/tv-chef-nick-nairn-how-7364539 I called Mr Nairn and said that I was interested in coming and taking his classes.  After his initial sort of amazement as to the logistics as to how I would do so, I informed him I would simply move back in with my parents and commute. 

A few weeks later and it was chocks away and I was on my way to my new career, as well as having the opportunity to train in a Michel Starred Restaurant.

Upon completion, and whilst gaining industry experience in the now flourishing food world of the UK, I moved back to Toronto and soon found a position working as the Executive Sous Chef at Movenpick Palavrion on Front Street. I kept in touch with Charles and he was over for dinner on several occasions.  After working for Movenpick for a while, I was appointed to the position of Private Chef for Hilary Weston when she was our 26th Lieutenant Governor, at Weston’s Family home on Dunvegan in Forest Hill. It was interesting, to say the least, however, I did get the opportunity to work with Galen Weston Sr’s Corporate Chef at the Weston Centre on St Clair and attended several new product development session with Ted Reader who was heading up President’s Choice at that time.

Upon leaving the Weston job, I ended up in large scale Corporate Catering.  We mainly did Corporate Luncheons, Lawyer’s Office parties and dinners as well as weddings and the usual slew of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs as well as catering on most of the Harbourfront booze-cruises - some were elegant and some were just an outright nightmare. The start of one’s Honeymoon is never going well when the groom has to be fished out of Lake Ontario after passing out drunk and toppling over the rail.

The 90′s were good to me professionally. However, I became a bit burnt out from the excessive long working hours - at one point I was up to 90 hours per week.  This really does not allow much of a life or the chance of getting to the cottage etc… So in 1999-2000 I switched careers and went back to school, this time taking a film and television digital graphic design diploma as well as a diploma in web programming and design.  The internet was in full swing and business seemed to be booming.  Upon graduation, I was offered a position teaching at Ryerson University in their Internet Technology Studies division.  I taught there for 8 years, however, even a few years in - if I needed some more hours, I would always pick them up working in a restaurant.  Something about the smell that a professional kitchen has always felt almost like a home away from home to me.

Leaving Ryerson, I went on to teach at U of T in their Business & Professional Studies Department, teaching Web Marketing and Visual Design. 

In 2008, following the death of my Father, I took a sabbatical for a year and you guessed, returned to the world of food. This time I worked for a year at Whole Foods Market in Vancouver assisting the Manager of the Cheese Counter.  Have I mentioned how much I love cheese?  It was actually extremely interesting learning about cheeses from around the globe, as well as being able to sample them all and attend cheese training courses.

In 2010 I returned to Ottawa to assist with Estate matters and took a job as Sous-Chef at Big Easy’s Seafood and Steakhouse - primarily a Cajun/Creole restaurant- with some more French style specials thrown in - the Chef at the time was a recent graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa. He would later become my nemesis - ah the dramas one can find in kitchens all over the world.   My friend, Dot Janz, who was overseeing the day-to-day operations, whilst still  continuing to run her own restaurant, the Black Dog Bistro in Manotick - recently named “Best Restaurant in Ottawa”-  and I decided that one of us would have to go as there was no apparent way to resolve the animosity he felt towards me - either that or she smelled a potential lawsuit.  I ultimately returned to Toronto to pick up again at U of T.  I did, however, get the opportunity to assist in executing a dinner for Chef Michael Smith - who was in town for his new book launch.  What a lovely individual - and so tall, I am 6′2″ and he towered over me, much like Julia Child would have at one of Charles’s book launches at the Cookery Book Store in Yorkville - but alas it was not meant to be, Ms Child had to cancel due to illness and shortly after passed on.

In 2014 I was hospitalised with a variant of Multiple Sclerosis, a  hereditary neuromuscular disorder which left me bed-ridden for nearly 3 months and with a permanent disability.  Not one to be discouraged, I did not go the dark route that quite often people do go down - seeing no hope at having any semblance of normal life again, but not one to be discouraged, I worked my physiotherapy and hundreds of visits to Drs and specialists and neurologists - it’s really fun spending 50% of your time in hospitals and Dr’s offices for nearly 2 years. 

In 2016 I decided I was well enough to return to work - however U of T had summarily dismissed me - they are not as inclusive as they make out to be.  Never one to back down from a challenge, I enrolled for my accelerated paralegal diploma and am graduating May 17th, 2017. After I earned my diploma, I thought long and hard if that was a route that I wished to go down. - did I have the passion and drive to a field, that to be truthful, is more often than not filled with rather less than desirable people.  Don’t get me wrong, the hospitality industry has it’s fair share of prize individuals as well - the drunk sous-chefs, the pastry chef who steals all your mise-en-place and feels that she can get away with it because she is screwing the chef! 

After deliberating for a few days, I decided that the answer was a very resounding no - I like having the legal knowledge and did most of my specialisation work in the field of disability law and human rights.  My heart wanted to go back to cooking and food.  

George Brown was the logical fit as I wished to take the H119 Program Nutrition, however, this does not start until September, and as you might realise by now - patience is not really one of my virtues when it comes to getting things done in the present. I am not a fan of waiting for opportunity - I feel one has to ultimately do what is best for you - having overcome some not so insignificant hurdles in the past, I met with Chef Alvares and we discussed starting in May, since most of the core classes are the same in H100 and H119, he assured me that come September it will be easy to simply to a transfer into the H119 program. My intent is to focus on the nutrition for the lower income/disabled communities as well as product development and marketing.

So that, in a nutshell, is my first blog for Chef Centeno at George Brown College who is teaching us our Theory of Food I class. Whilst, not a novel - maybe let us call it a novella!

Life, lemons… I think there might be something to the time old adage about lemonade!!!  Until next time… 

Oh and in conclusion - I am not a fan of blogs - I rarely find other people’s experiences are as interesting as they think they are -  mine included,  nor are they usually particularly well written.  If I were to associate whom I feel might have actually been worth following as a blogger - then that would have to be the great man himself.  The man who told the world to  “tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are!”  That of course was the brilliant gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/18327/the-physiology-of-taste-by-jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/9780307390370/

Respectfully submitted May, 9th 2017 for Professor Centeno George Brown College.