samirgianni

[samirgianni]

Roasted Rutabaga Fries

By this time of year there isn't much that's still available in the way of storage vegetables, at least not ones that aren't very, very tired. Rutabaga is one of the few. I haven't quite figured out where it stands in the new diet, but I've been eating a lot of it lately anyway. It doesn't make me feel off-kilter the way the last potato dish I made did, so there's that.  I'd certainly had the idea of roasting rutabaga as fries, but had never quite gotten around to doing it. Fortunately, Molly Watson at The Spruce Eats has done it already and I just did what she told me, although I did turn down the heat a little and I'm glad I did. Yummy! You do have to like rutabaga - the roasting really intensifies their flavour a lot. One cup (and all these measurements are highly approximate, it's that kind of thing) is probably closer to what most people will eat, but keep in mind they will shrink by about 1/3 in the roasting. per serving 1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

1 to 2 cups rutabaga, when peeled and cut 2 teaspoons mild vegetable oil, about salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste other seasonings, such as paprika, savory, etc Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel the rutabaga, whatever quantity you believe will be eaten, and cut it into thin French-fry shapes of about 1/4" across. I found it easiest to cut 3 slices at a time, then stack and cut them in the other direction. Put all the fries into a mixing bowl and toss with just enough oil to coat them lightly. Spread them out on a large baking tray and sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like; I used the ones mentioned above. Roast the fries at 425°F for 20 minutes, then turn them over and roast them for another 15 to 20 minutes. Watch them towards the end, as they will darken and burn fairly rapidly. Brown is fine, desirable even, but crunchy, in this case, is not good. Last year at this time I made Oatmeal Scones. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/roasted-rutabaga-fries.html

[samirgianni]

Turkish Celeriac Salad

Looks like I'm still feeling pretty Turkish or at least I still have the yogurt and garlic out. It's amazing how many countries have kind of similar yet distinctive takes on celeriac salad. So far I have done Denmark, Germany, and France. Is that all? I guess I've kind of done Turkey before. They do use a lot of celeriac there. I wish it was more popular here; it seems to be in a cycle of being expensive because it's an obscure specialty vegetable and it stays an obscure specialty vegetable because it's expensive. Essentially, this recipe is... this recipe. 4 to 6 servings 20 minutes prep time

2 to 3 cups peeled and grated celeriac the juice of 1/2 lemon 1 clove of garlic 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, light is fine 2 tablespoons thick yogurt 1/4 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon rubbed dry OR fresh dill (be a bit more generous with fresh) 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1 tablespoon olive oil Peel and grate the celeriac, and put it in a mixing bowl. Juice the lemon and strain out the seeds; drizzle it over the celeriac. Peel and mince the garlic, and mix it in. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, salt, pepper, dill, and walnuts and mix well. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and mix in gently. Transfer the salad to a serving dish and serve. Last year at this time I made Scottish Farmhouse Eggs.  from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/turkish-celeriac-salad.html

[samirgianni]

Beet, Lentil, Red Cabbage & Sprout Salad with Feta, Walnuts & Cranberries

Beets and feta cheese are a very popular combination and when you throw in some lentils along with cabbage, nuts, and cranberries you have a complete meal. The sprouts gave it some greenery and crispness but they can be hard to find these days. You could use micro-greens or even just hydroponic lettuce shredded up fairly finely instead. As usual, very easy and quick to put together once you have done the advance cooking which is very easy too, just not so quick. No problem to cook the beets and lentils a day in advance if that is helpful. 2 to 6 servings allow 1 hour plus cooling time for the beet and lentils 20 minutes prep time to assemble the salad

Cook the Lentils & Beet: 1/2 cup brown or green lentils 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups water 1 large beet Put the lentils into a rice cooker with the water and salt; turn on and cook. Let cool. (If you cook lentils some other way, or use tinned ones, you will need about 1 1/2 cups, well drained.) Put the beet into a small but deep pot and cover with water generously. Bring to a boil and boil steadily for about 45 minutes, until tender. Drain and let cool. Make the Dressing: the juice of 1 large lemon 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil Squeeze out the lemon juice and strain out any seeds. Put it in a small bowl or jam jar and whisk or mix with the remaining ingredients. Make the Salad: 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated or finely chopped red cabbage 1 1/2 to 2 cups sprouts or micro-greens 1 small head Belgian Endive 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/3 cup dried cranberries Peel the beet and coarsely grate it. Wash, trim, and coarsely grate the cabbage. Mix them with the well-drained lentils in a mixing bowl. Wash the sprouts and drain them very well. Pull them into little clumps and mix them into the salad. Wash, trim, and chop the endive and mix it in. Arrange the salad on a flattish salad dish or platter, and sprinkle the chopped walnuts, crumbled feta cheese, an cranberries over it. Drizzle the salad with the dressing and serve. Last year at this time I made Cocoa Crepes. Wow, was that just a year ago? I've made them several times since then and they are good. They are even on my new diet! from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/beet-lentil-red-cabbage-sprout-salad.html

[samirgianni]

Turkish Minty Lamb Meatball Soup

Ever since our trip to Turkey I have been cooking Turkish food regularly. There are a lot of foods from around the Mediterranean area which are exotic to us, but the climate and therefore the food materials from the north and central plains and mountains overlap quite a bit with southern Ontario, making them very adaptable to be made here. This lovely little soup is a good example. I have broken  it down into a lot of steps and it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it really isn't at all difficult or particularly time consuming, although making all those tiny meatballs got a little tedious. Most of the ingredients listed are just seasonings that get repeated in different components of the soup, and watch that barley flour - I call for it in several different places. The source recipes I looked at for this didn't use barley flour, but as you should know by now I really like it in soup. Most of the recipes I looked at called for chick peas, but some of them called for noodles instead, so you could make that substitution if you like. I'd cook them most of the way separately before adding them if I did that. I used our own home-canned tomato sauce, which is on the thin side. Most recipes called for tomato paste, and much less of it. You should use whatever tomato product seems best (i.e. you have it) to you, and use your judgement to adjust the quantity.  If you serve nothing else this will certainly be plenty for 4 people, and with some bread and maybe some Carrots with Yogurt & Garlic it should stretch to 6 without difficulty. 4 to 6 servings 1 hour prep time

Make the Meatballs: 2 medium onions, divided 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika 1 teaspoon rubbed dried mint 1 tablespoon barley flour 450 grams (1 pound) lean ground lamb 2 to 3 tablespoons barley flour Trim the stem end of the onions, and peel back the skin to have the onions with an onion skin "handle" at the root ends. Grate the onions, discarding the root end. Put about 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of the grated onion in a small mixing bowl, and set aside the rest to go into the soup. Measure and add all the spices, up to and including the first tablespoon of barley flour to the mixing bowl. Add the lamb to the bowl and mix it all well with your hands. The mixture should be quite smooth; most recipes I read used the word "knead" or "beat". Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of barley flour over a large flat plate. Use a level teaspoon to measure out the meat and form small - small! - meatballs. Drop them on the plate, and give the plate a little shake every dozen meatballs or so to coat them in the barley flour. Sprinkle on another spoonful of barley flour if it looks like it is running low. Mix the Spices: 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon rubbed dry mint 1 tablespoon barley flour 1 clove of garlic Mix the spices and barley flour in a small bowl. Peel and grate the garlic very finely, and add it to the spices. Have them standing by. Make the Soup: 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil 1 cup tomato sauce (see notes above) 4 cups water 1 540-ml (19 ounce) tin of chickpeas, drained Put the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the reserved grated onion and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly. Don't let it brown, it should just sizzle gently. Once it is cooked down and translucent, mix in the bowl of spices and garlic. Mix well until there is no dry material left. Add the tomato sauce, stirring relentlessly until the mixture is fairly smooth. That is, the onion bits will be obvious, but you want the barley flour and spices to have dissolved evenly and without lumps. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the water, a little at a time, to maintain a smooth lump-free soup. Meanwhile, open and drain the chick peas. (You could, if you like, use their liquid as part of the water to make the soup.)  Add them to the soup. Once it is all in, turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. When the soup boils add the meatballs. Give them a gentle stir to make sure they are not sticking together. When the soup begins to boil again, reduce the heat to keep it at a steady simmer. Simmer the meatballs for 15 minutes. This can be done up to a day in advance and the soup re-heated to serve, or you can continue from here. To Finish & Serve the Soup: 1 large egg 1 tablespoon barley flour 2/3 cup yogurt 1 teaspoon rubbed dry mint 2 tablespoons olive oil Whisk the egg and barley flour together until smooth in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the yogurt. Measure the mint and olive oil into another small bowl, and mix well. Set aside to infuse while you finish the soup. When the soup is just gently simmering, carefully stir in the egg and yogurt mixture. Let it heat gently and uncovered until the soup thickens, but do not let it boil again or it may curdle. It's a good idea to stand over it and stir it gently. Serve at once, with the mint oil drizzled over the top of the soup. Last year at this time I made Aloo Mattar Chowder - yes, it is still very much soup weather however much I would like it not to be. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/turkish-minty-lamb-meatball-soup.html

[samirgianni]

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Here is one of the first things that I have come up with on the new diet. Most bread, pasta, rice, potatoes - all out. I need something to fill the gap and home-made crackers look very promising. I found some red lentil flour at Bulk Barn and thought it looked interesting. It helps give these crackers that unearthly orange glow, along with the paprika. The cheese and lentil flour may make these lower in terms of glycemic load, but they make them high in calories too. They are also a lot more filling than regular crackers and I am having to train myself not to eat too many at once, because they are deceiving and I will regret it when they hit bottom in 20 minutes or so. It's hard, because the flavour is so good! Mr. Ferdzy loves them too. 36 crackers 45 minutes - 15 minutes prep time

1 cup red lentil flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/4 teaspoon hot red chile flakes (to taste)

150 grams strong hard Cheddar

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter

2 to 3 tablespoons cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix dry ingredients and finely grate in the cheese. Grate in the butter; it should be kept in the fridge until the last minute. Mix by hand. Add a little dribble of cream to help them come together. 

                                Roll out the dough as thin as possible, into as neat a rectangle as possible, on a sheet of parchment paper. I trim the edges and patch them to keep the sides straight. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 36 rectangular crackers (6 slices per side). You could sprinkle a little salt over the tops if you liked, but with the cheese they are already fairly salty.

Place the sheet of parchment paper with the crackers onto a baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the crackers are firm and beginning to brown just very lightly. They will continue to crisp up as they cool. You can keep them covered in an airtight container for at least a week. I assume. Mine have yet to last that long. 

Last year at this time I made Madras Curry Powder.

from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/cheddar-cheese-crackers.html

[samirgianni]

Butter-Infused Beans in Tomato Sauce

So what's new on the front of eating more dried beans? Not this, exactly, although this sort of thing is usually done with olive oil. I took a leaf from Marcella Hazan's justly famous tomato-butter sauce for pasta, and put beans in it instead. Since the sauce was going on beans instead of pasta I put the beans in early, and let them cook in the butter before the tomatoes went in. I think that did make the beans more buttery tasting. However, there was plenty left to thicken and flavour the tomato sauce. How was it? It was jolly good. Pardon the Britishism, but this is like British tinned beans on toast that died and went to heaven. Actually much better, is what I'm saying, because there was no tin but lots of butter involved. (Well, the tomato sauce, maybe, and if you wanted to use tinned beans to start with, you could. Two 540-ml tins should give the right amount.) 4 servings 45 minutes, not including cooking the beans

Cook the Beans 1 cup dried white beans 1 teaspoon salt Put the beans into a pot with plenty of water to cover them. Bring them to a boil, then cover them and turn off the heat. Let them sit for several hours, then drain them and re-cover with plenty of water. Add the salt and simmer them until tender. (These could be cooked in the instant pot - 15 to 20 minutes at high pressure after soaking, changing the water and adding salt.) Cook the Beans in the Sauce: 3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon rubbed savory (or thyme, basil, or oregano) 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 to 2 cups not-too-thick tomato sauce Drain the cooked beans very well.  You will need a medium-large, shallow, non-reactive pan in which to cook this. Melt the butter in it over medium heat, measuring and adding the seasonings as it melts. Let it sizzle for 3 or 4 minutes, and if the butter turns a little brown, so much the better. But watch it and stir it, because there's brown and then there's very brown, and you don't want that. At all. When the mixture is foaming and a bit browned, add the drained beans. Stir them in well. Cook for another 8 or 9 minutes, stirring regularly, until the butter seems to be mostly absorbed by them and they are fairly dry. Again, they may start to want to stick, so keep up with the stirring. My sugar, etc, formed hard brown lumps when I added the beans, but they dissolved again as the beans cooked so that was fine. Add the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to fairly low. The beans should be just simmering. Cook for thirty minutes, stirring regularly (but it will need less attention than during the first phase of cooking) until the sauce has thickened and everything is well amalgamated. I used our own home-made tomato sauce, which is not too thick. Most commercial sauces are likely to be thicker, and you might want cut back on the tomato sauce a bit and thin it with some of the bean cooking liquid. They're your beans so use your judgement on how you would like the sauce. Serve in a bowl or over toast or rice. These keep and reheat well - the sauce may need a little thinning when you are reheating.  Last year at this time I made Pan-Cooked Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Drizzle. I guess this is the time of year when I want hot, substantial food but don't really want to turn the oven on for hours anymore. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/butter-infused-beans-in-tomato-sauce.html

[samirgianni]

Chick Pea Choux Pastry

I made a half a recipe of this as a trial run, and when it was successful made a full recipe. I did learn a few things in making these twice. The first time I was worried there was not enough flour to make the batter the right consistency, and added a little more. The result was sturdy puffs that rose, but not a lot, and tasted very robust, almost cheesy. They were quite good and I was encouraged to try again. The second time I relaxed and trusted the original formula (this is a bog-standard choux recipe, just using chick pea flour instead of wheat flour) and also beat them for a bit longer. (You will need an electric mixer to make these, hand beating will not be sufficient.) The results were much lighter and puffier, and not quite so intense, although they are still sturdier and richer flavoured than wheat-based puffs. We thought they were really delicious. My original impression was that these would be best in savoury applications. I filled these ones with goat cheese thinned with a little cream, and Turkish Walnut & Red Pepper Paté, thinned with enough of the soaking water to make it fairly soft. The paté in particular was amazing with these puffs. Because these are so rich I would tend to stick to vegetarian fillings, although I would avoid things made with beans. Hummus would be right out - what a lot of chick peas. Guacamole would be good, or this Herbed Cream Cheese Dip. And I'm re-thinking my original idea that they should be savoury only. They'd need a sweet filling with some robustness that wouldn't fight with the chick peas, but some things might work well. A pumpkin or maple cream might be good, or maybe the type of cheese filling that gets put in cannoli. I used a 2 ounce (I think) disher to scoop them out, and got 22 of them. I don't think you would want them a lot smaller, or they would be hard to work with, although I'm sure you could eke out a few more than I got. You could make them larger, too - my original experiment would have made 8. At that size they should be formed like eclairs, long and thin. One of those with a good filling and salad would be pretty close to a meal, I would think. 8 to 24 puffs 45 minutes - 15 minutes prep time

1 cup filtered water 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup chick pea flour 4 large eggs

Put the water, butter, and salt into a 2 quart pot with good high sides, and bring to a boil. Dump in the flour, and immediately start beating it in with an electric mixer until thick, about 2 minutes. It is apt to form lumps, so the sooner you get beating it the better, and a spoon or whisk will not do. Remove the pot from the heat and continue to beat the mixture until cooled to warm. 

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Beat the eggs into the batter, one at a time, until thick and glossy – beat for 3 or 4 minutes. Dish out the batter onto parchment, leaving 2 or 3 inches clear between each puff. Bake them at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°F and bake them for a further 15 minutes. 

Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the pans, but on a rack. Slice off the top third and add whatever filling you like, then replace the top. Serve shortly - depending on the filling, it may make them soggy if they sit too long. Last year at this time I made Lorenzo's Pastel de Pescado. 

from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/chick-pea-choux-pastry.html

[samirgianni]

A Lamb Banquet with Ontario Sheep Farmers

It's been a while since we've been on an outing around here! So when I saw a poster advertising the 17th Annual Lamb Banquet, put on by District 2 of the Ontario Sheep Farmers, I told Mr. Ferdzy he was taking me out for dinner. It was a bit of a drive to the Egremont Optimist Club in Holstein (Holstein! There's that place again!) but the room was full. Lots of people are prepared to do some driving for a lamb banquet, I'd say.

In addition to the meal there was a silent auction with items running from the charming and whimsical...

... to the more practical.

Another view of a few of the silent auction offerings and the attending crowd.

As people found their seats and introduced themselves to each other, they were able to snack on lamb summer sausage (supplied by Jason Emke) and little lamb shishkebabs, which appeared in waves as they came off the grill, and so are not shown as they disappeared almost as quickly.

I stuck my head inside the kitchen, where the volunteers seemed to have everything under control just a few minutes before dinner was announced.

A lot of planning goes into this kind of event, with contributions of various kinds from a lot of different places and people, not to mention the planners and volunteers.

After a few very short introductory speeches, we were called up by table to help ourselves from the buffet. Of course we were on the side of the room that got called up last! We have a talent for getting the slowest line in the grocery store, too. We didn't mind the wait though, because shortly after we first sat down, a couple came and asked if the seats opposite us were taken. We said they weren't, and then they sat down and we all looked at each other, and said, "My! You look familiar!" It was Bill Stonehouse and his wife, from whom we bought our last couple of lambs, some of which is still in our freezer. It was nice to have someone we knew to chat with, and we hardly noticed the wait (which wasn't all that long, after all).

And here's what I ate, minus the summer sausage and shishkebabs, although you can see the discarded skewers. I was a bit amused by the fact that every vegetable seemed to have been chosen as something pre-diabetics should not eat, except for a couple of salads which I'm sure had sugar in the dressing. I skipped the desserts (sob!) and the roll, and just had a small spoonful of each of the veg, including some lovely real mashed potatoes. Oh well, more room for lots of lovely LAMB! And now I must confess that I am a bad reporter. I'm sure the post dinner time included speeches, and there was something about $5 lamb and mysterious buckets, there was the silent auction to conclude, and, well, I don't know exactly what, because mindful of the fact that our next day was pretty much scheduled and that we had an hour drive to get home, we snuck out before that part started. Last year at this time I made Garlicky Dill Vegetable Salad. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/a-lamb-banquet-with-ontario-sheep.html

[samirgianni]

Pineapple Parsnip Cake

Soooo... This seems as good a time as any to say that I've been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Things are going to have to change around here. I've always tried not to go wild with the sugar, being well aware that diabetes is not so much a possibility as a certainty on my Dad's side of the family. I've tried to pretend that I would take after Mom's side, but the observation that I am built like my Dad could not help but be made. Apparently that does include the tendency to diabetes. I do have the family sweet-tooth, however inclined I may be to cut the sugar in half when making desserts. Yeah, this recipe is part of the problem and not part of the solution. I made it before I got the word from on high, so it won't get made again any time soon, I regret to say. It was delicious though, so go for it if you can.  16 servings 1 hour prep time plus allow some time to cool

Mix the Dry Ingredients: 2 cups whole spelt flour 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 to 8 pods of green cardamom Put everything into a large mixing bowl. The cardamom must first be lightly crushed and the papery husks removed. Grind the remaining seed as finely as you can, and then add it to the bowl. Mix well.  Mix the Wet Ingredients & Finish the Cake: 3 cups (375 grams; 3/4 pound) grated parsnips 1 14 ox (400ml) tin crushed pineapple 3 large eggs 2/3 cup mild vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of 2 8" square pans with parchment paper, and butter and flour the sides. Peel and grate the parsnips, and put them in another mixing bowl. Add the crushed pineapple, along with all the juice. Break in the eggs, and add the oil and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together well. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine thoroughly, but do not over-mix. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans and spread it out evenly as well. Bake the cakes at 350°F for about 40 minutes, until they spring back when lightly touched, or pass the toothpick test (no wet crumbs adhere to an inserted toothpick). Let cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pans to finish cooling on racks. They can be frosted and stacked, or not, as you like. Last year at this time I made Barbunya Zeytinyagli.  from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/pineapple-parsnip-cake.html

[samirgianni]

Cheese, Onion & Potato Tarte Tatin

This is an idea I've been tossing around for a long time, but it always seemed so complicated. It's not the fastest and easiest thing I've made, but in the end it was not as bad as I feared. It worked out pretty well. The one thing I would change (and I've said so in the instructions) is to cook the onions on their own for longer than 10 minutes. That's how long I cooked them, and I rated them as only just barely done in the end. If they also picked up a little colour that would do them no harm at all. Next time I would crowd them more than I did, too - they shrunk a bit in the cooking. We ate some of this right out of the oven and it was nice, but we both agreed that the leftovers were better re-heated and served the next day. It had also set a bit better with cooling and re-heating, so it looks like what I am saying here is that it's a good plan to make this a day ahead and reheat it. 6 servings 1 hour 45 minutes - 1 hour prep time NOT including cooking the potatoes

Cook the Potatoes: 3 medium (450 grams; 1 pound) potatoes Put them in a pot with plenty of water to cover them. Bring them to a boil and boil for 30 to 40 minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Drain them and let cool. Peel them and mash them very smoothly. This can be done a day in advance. Make the Pie Crust: 2 cups soft whole wheat or spelt flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/4 cup mild vegetable oil 1/4 cup buttermilk Measure the flour and stir the baking powder and salt into it. Measure the butter, oil and buttermilk into a small mixing bowl. Cut up the butter with a pastry cutter or a couple of knives, then begin stirring in the flour. Keep cutting in the butter until it is pieces no larger than a small pea. Form it into a ball, cover it with a tea towel, and set it aside as you cook the onions and make the filling. Cook the Onions:  2 tablespoons unsalted butter 450 grams (1 pound; about 4 or 5) medium onions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the sides of a large (11") spring-form pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and spread the 2 tablespoons of butter evenly all over it. Draw out another circle of parchment paper (but don't cut it out) for use in rolling out the pastry. Trim the ends off the onions and peel them. Cut each one into 4 to 6 slices of approximately 1/4" wide. Arrange them as snugly as you can over the buttered pan base. It might be helpful to arrange half-slices all around the outside. Put them into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until softened and perhaps slightly browned. Keep an eye on them towards the end in particular Make the Filling & Finish: 2 tablespoons flour 3 extra-large eggs 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 cups whole milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 250 grams (9 ounces) grated Gouda, Friulano, Gruyere or similar cheese In a large, heavy bottomed pot whisk the flour and eggs together. Mix in the salt, pepper, and mustard. Slowly stir in the milk and drop in the butter. Grate the cheese and have it standing by, along with the mashed potatoes (re-mash them to loosen them up). Turn on the heat under the pot with the eggs, milk, etc. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly to constantly - more and more as it starts to cook and thicken. When it has thickened, stir in the cheese until it is melted. Stir in the mashed potatoes until the mixture is smooth. Remove it from the heat. Pat and roll the pastry out to an even circle, using the guide you drew earlier on a piece of parchment paper. When the onions are cooked, scrape the filling into the pan over them and spread it out evenly. Use the parchment to flip the pastry onto the top of the filling, then peel it off. Patch it up if it needs it. Return the tart to the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes until golden brown. Let the tart cool on a rack. Remove the ring after about 15 minutes. The tart can be served warm or at room temperature. It re-heats extremely well. Last year at this time I made Strawberry Pudding. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/cheese-onion-potato-tarte-tatin.html

[samirgianni]

Clay Pot Chicken - in the Romertopf

Clay Pot Chicken is a favourite dish of southern China, into Singapore and Malaysia. It is indeed traditionally cooked in a clay pot - just not one like this. Chinese clay pots were designed to cook over a charcoal fire, and the dish would subsequently pick up a bit of a smoky flavour. That's somewhat of thing of the past though, since charcoal fires have gotten pretty rare. And in the mean time, I have this other clay pot... and it turns out that it works very well. Of course we can't get lap cheong sausages anywhere within 2 hours of driving. However, it's amazing how well pepperettes do as a stand-in. Or maybe I'm just deluding myself? Do use the real thing if you can get it.  4 servings 1 hour 30 minutes - 30 minutes prep time PLUS 8 hours marinating time

Marinate the Chicken: 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon (2 or 3 cloves) finely grated garlic 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 4 medium (600 grams; 1.5 pounds) bone-in chicken thighs Peel and grate the ginger and garlic. Mix it in a container sufficient to hold the chicken thighs with the soy sauce and rice vinegar. De-bone the chicken thighs but leave the skin on. Cut each into 2 or 3 pieces. Mix them well into teh marinade, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours. Start the Rice: 1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice 2 1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock 1/4 teaspoon salt Soak the base and lid of the Romertopf in water for 20 to 30 minutes Drain the Romertopf. Put the rice, salt, and chicken stock in the Romertopf, spreading the rice out evenly. Put it in the oven and turn the oven on to 375°F. Set the time for 30 minutes. Finish the Dish: 6 to 8 medium shallots 125 grams (1/4 pound) fresh shiitake mushrooms 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil 2 lap cheong sausages OR 4 small turkey pepperettes 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 or 2 green onions Peel and sliver the shallots. Remove and discard (you know what I mean) the stems from the shiitakes. Cut them in slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the shallots and shiitakes and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly browned in spots. Transfer them to a dish. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the chicken pieces, skin side down. Let as much marinade drain off them as possible as they get placed in the pan. Save the marinade, it's going in shortly but let the chicken brown for 3 or 4 minutes per side first. Add the sausages, give them a minute to be stirred down into the pan, then scrape in all the marinade. As soon as it boils up remove the pan from the stove. Take the Romertopf out of the oven and remove the lid, with good thick mitts and being careful to place it on a dry and heat-proof surface. Gently mix in the vegetables, the chicken, and its sauce. Spread it all out evenly again, and cover with the lid. Return it to the oven for a further 20 to 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. To serve, drizzle the sesame oil and oyster sauce over the rice. Have the onions washed, trimmed, and finely chopped. Sprinkle them over the top as well. (A little cilantro is also commonly used, and can be added when it is in season.) Last year at this time I made Taiwanese Noodles. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/04/clay-pot-chicken-in-romertopf.html

[samirgianni]

An Ethiopian Feast - Ye'atakilt Wot (Stewed Vegetables)

Well, good news and bad news. The good news is, this is basically another very quick and easy dish. The bad news is that it requires 2 pots (and 2 burners) at a time when you are trying to finish up and serve everything. My suggestion is you finish it about half an hour before dinner time, leave it on the back of the stove or other convenient spot, and just re-heat it in the last couple minutes before serving. I would be very willing to serve this as a side dish to some other meal altogether; some simply cooked piece of fish or chicken for example. In that case I might try to use the cabbage and the green beans both. Since I am winding up our 2 week long feast (ha! ha! no, it was gone in half an hour like every other meal) this is probably a good time to say that any of the dishes I made this week could be made in ones or twos and served with rice. I don't think it's in any way traditional but it would be really very tasty and sometimes that's the way to go, especially if you just want to give something a try. 6 to 8 servings 30 minutes prep time

Make the Spice Blend: 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger freshly ground black pepper to taste Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger. Put them aside with the remaining spices measured and ready to go. Cook the Vegetables: 1 medium carrot 3 cups water 3 potatoes 2 cups chopped savoy cabbage OR frozen green beans Peel and slice the carrot. Put it in a saucepan with the water and bring it up to a boil. Set the timer for 10 minutes as soon as it goes on. Wash, trim (or peel if you like) the potatoes, and cut them into bite-sized chunks. Add them to the carrots when the timer goes off, and set the timer for 10 minutes again. Check Wash, trim and chop the cabbage, if using. Add it or the beans after 10 minutes and set the timer for another 5 minutes. Fry the Onions & Finish: 1 medium onion OR 3 medium shallots 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil Peel and chop the onion or shallots. When the cabbage goes into the pot put the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and translucent. Add the ginger, garlic, and spices and cook for another minutes, stirring as it cooks. Add the seasoned onions to the pot of vegetables and mix in well. Let simmer for a further 5 or 10 minutes until well amalgamated. This should be the right amount of water to end up with a soft, loose mixture, but if at any time during the making of this dish the water seems to have boiled away sufficiently to be insufficient, please do add some more. Last year at this time I made Celeriac Zeytinyagli.  from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/03/an-ethiopian-feast-yeatakilt-wot-stewed.html

[samirgianni]

An Ethiopian Feast - Doro Wat (Chicken Stew)

This is probably one of the best-known Ethiopian dishes. It's traditionally made with a whole chicken, but drumsticks or thighs seem ubiquitous in the restaurants I've had it in. They are really a lot more convenient! Especially if you are only serving 8 to 12 people. *removes tongue from cheek* But seriously, like and combined with all the other dishes made for this feast, a little goes a long way. Allow one chicken thigh per person, or if you really are serving a big group, I'd get fairly big ones, remove the bones and cut each one in half and serve half per person. Feel free to adjust the number of eggs in pursuit of convenience as well. I don't think big changes to the cooking sauce need to be made even if the quantities of chicken and eggs are somewhat rejigged. The Niter Kibe should be made a day in advance. The stew itself can be made a day in advance as well, or at least earlier in the day it will be wanted, and re-heated. Don't add the eggs until the stew is being re-heated or the last 10 or 15 minutes of cooking. You can haul them out and slice them just before serving, as I did, and it looks nice but it's not really required. 20 minutes prep time for Niter Kibe & Eggs 1 hour to finish the dish 4 to 8 servings

Make the Niter Kibe (Spiced Butter) & Boil Eggs 1 clove garlic 2 slices ginger 1 small shallot 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/8 teaspoon (4 or 5 pods) ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon rubbed basil 1/4 teaspoon rubbed savory 1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage 1/4 cup unsalted butter 4 large eggs Peel and slice the garlic, ginger, and shallot, and put them in a small bowl. Add the remaining spices. Heat the butter in a very small skillet over medium heat, until melted and just sizzling. Add the contents of the bowl and mix them in well. Let the mixture simmer gently - reduce the heat if required - for 10 minutes. Do not let anything brown. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes, then strain it into a small bowl - the one you have already been using is a good choice - and let cool. Keep refrigerated until wanted. This can be done a day in advance. Put the eggs into a pot with water to cover them well. Bring them to a boil and boil them steadily for 1 minute. Cover the pot and remove from the heat. Let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes, then drain off the water and cover them with cold water. Let cool completely. This can be done a day in advance. Peel them just before you want them. Prepare the Onions & Seasonings: 1 medium onion 3 shallots 1 tablespoon finely minced (3 or 4 cloves) fresh garlic 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger 1 to 2 teaspoons berbere 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ajwan seeds, ground Peel and chop the onion and shallots, and set them aside together. Peel and mince the garlic and ginger, and set them aside together with the berbere, salt, and ground ajwan seeds. Make the Chicken Stew: 4 large or 6 small chicken thighs 1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil, if needed 2 cups unsalted chicken stock 1 teaspoon (18 to 24 pods) ground cardamom 2 teaspoons ground chick pea flour Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in, skin-side down and cook gently until lightly browned and some fat is rendered. If it looks like you will not have enough (you will need it to cook the onions and shallots) add a tablespoon of mild vegetable oil. Add the onions and shallots around the chicken pieces and stir them down into the fat. Turn the chicken pieces over and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring and checking regularly to make sure the onions don't burn. When they are softened and translucent and the chicken is lightly browned, add the ginger, garlic, and spices. Mix in well and let cook for another minute or two. Add the Niter Kibe and let it melt into the mixture. Carefully pour the chicken stock over the chicken. Mix in well, to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly and turning the chicken every 10 minutes or so. If you are making this in advance and re-heating it, now is the time to take a break.  Grind the cardamom, discarding the papery husks. Mix it with the chick pea flour and sprinkle it over the chicken. Mix it in well. Add the peeled but whole hard-boiled eggs. Simmer for 10 minutes more, turning the eggs occasionally. If you are starting with the cold stew prepared in advance, bring it up to a good simmer before you add things and start timing then. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/03/an-ethiopian-feast-doro-wat-chicken-stew.html

[samirgianni]

An Ethiopian Feast - Yeshinbra Assa Wot (Chick Pea Paste)

This is a very interesting and unusual dish and one I liked very much. Unfortunately, mine was very thick and came out lumpy on reheating. I did thin this one to reheat it, I had to! I'm calling for a bit more water than I used, and unlike the other legume-based dishes, I suggest that you DON'T make it in advance and reheat it. It cooks so fast - really, about 7 or 8 minutes from turning on the heat - so just have everything ready to go and cook it at the very end. I have to admit I didn't see any recipes that called for prepared mustard, although my Ethiopian cookbook has a recipe for prepared mustard and a number of recipes calling for "mustard", although I think they mean ground mustard seed. So! I thought some ready-made mustard would not be going too far astray, and it works really well with the lemon juice. I used a bit heavier hand with the berbere here too, and made this really quite nippy. I'm thinking I will use this flavour profile for some other dishes. 4 to 6 servings 30 minutes prep time

1/2 cup chick pea flour 1 1/2 cups water the juice of 1/2 large lemon 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons berbere 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon prepared (Dijon) mustard 3 large shallots 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil Put the chick pea flour in a small bowl, and slowly stir in the water a bit at a time to form a smooth paste, then stir in the rest with the lemon juice until smooth. Set aside. Put the berbere, salt, and mustard aside together in a small bowl. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Heat the oil in a mid-sized saucepan over medium heat, and when hot add the shallots and cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, until they are softened and just slightly browned. Add the bowl of seasonings and mix in well. Cook for another minute or two. Stir up the chick pea and water and slowly mix it into the pot of oil and seasonings. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes or less. Stir constantly. Dollop it onto the "injera" or put it in a storage dish for reheating later. Last year at this time I made Gomel-Style Cutlets. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/03/an-ethiopian-feast-yeshinbra-assa-wot.html

[samirgianni]

An Ethiopian Feast - Ater Kik Wot (Dried Pea Stew)

In the last post I discussed the heavy use of shallots or onions, ginger, and garlic in Ethiopian cooking. I mentioned the common use of basil. Here, I am using another common Ethiopian herb - savory. Like the basil, it is probably not quite the same as the type used here, but it's close enough to go on with. (Perhaps it's closer to this.) All the comments about cooking first the legume and then the whole dish in advance of when it is wanted also apply here as with the Lentil Stew. It's almost as quick and easy to finish up, and like the Lentil Stew I should have thinned it a bit when reheating it.  40 minutes prep time, not including cooking the peas 4 to 6 servings

Cook the Peas: 1 cup whole or split dry yellow peas 4 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt Surprise! I didn't cook these in the rice-cooker, although I think I could have, using the amount of water listed. Instead I cooked them in the Instant-Pot (pressure cooker) and probably used another 2 cups of water. That took 30 minutes on high pressure. This can be done a day ahead; good idea. Save any cooking liquid. Mix the Spices: 1 to 2 teaspoons berbere 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed savory 3/4 teaspoon salt Mix 'em. Together in a small bowl. I found 1 teaspoon of berbere to be an elegant sufficiency, by the way, but you know your tastes. Make the Pea Stew: 1 medium onion 3 large shallots 1 tablespoon (6 large cloves) finely minced garlic 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger 3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil Peel and chop the onion and shallots, and set them aside together. Peel and mince the garlic and ginger, and keep them aside, together. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and shallots and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and very slightly browned. Add the ginger and garlic and mix in well; cook for another minute or so. Now add the spices, mix in well, and cook for another minute. Add the cooked peas along with 1 to 1 1/4 cups of their cooking liquid. (For me, that was all of it that was left. Use water if you are short.) Cook for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat (so, like, lower it). Stir frequently, especially towards the end as it thickens. Dollop it onto injera to serve, or reheat first. Making it in advance is probably a good idea. Last year at this time I made Warm Mushroom Salad. from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/03/an-ethiopian-feast-ater-kik-wot-dried.html

[samirgianni]

An Ethiopian Feast - Yedifin Miser Alicha Wot (Stewed Lentils)

Just about every Ethiopian recipe I looked at started off with shallots or onions, ginger and garlic. I've tried to keep the seasonings otherwise pulled in a few different directions to prevent everything from tasting the same (and in fact I picked this dish because there are no onions or shallots) but expect lots of onions, ginger, and garlic. Shallots are in fact the more authentic choice and you could go with all shallots if you like, wherever I call for onion. One other thing you might consider doing is adding up the quantity required for all the dishes you intend to make and do the chopping and mincing in one session. I put the ginger and garlic through through the food processor and that really sped things up a lot. Don't forget you can freeze any leftovers! For this dish and the Stewed Peas, it makes such a lot of sense to cook the lentils and peas the day before. It breaks up the work and I think they benefit from pre-cooking and a rest anyway. Once that is done this is actually a very fast and simple dish to make. Even making the finished dishes in advance is a really good idea - they reheat quickly and you are not trying to finish 5 or 6 dishes at the same time that way. In fact, we agreed that the left-overs were better! You will likely find you need to add a little more water when reheating. As you can see, I didn't and I really should have. That's a bit too thick. Ethiopian recipes call for a surprising amount of basil. Unfortunately, it's a different variety than the readily available Italian types most common in North America. It is often referred to as holy basil, but I do not know if it is the same as Thai holy basil or not. I'm afraid I just picked up my jar of basic dried basil and used it. Such is life. 30 minutes prep time PLUS time to pre-cook the lentils 4 to 6 servings

Cook the Lentils: 1 cup green or brown lentils 2 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt I did it in the rice-cooker, as always. Put in, turn on, wait. You can cook them in a pot if you like, by bringing them to a boil then reducing the heat and cooking for 30 to 40 minutes. Watch them carefully! Honestly? Rice-cooker. Make the Stew: 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons (about 6 large cloves) finely minced fresh garlic 1 tablespoon rubbed basil 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups water Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Set them aside together. Mix the basil, turmeric, and ginger together in a small bowl and set them aside too. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and add the ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 or 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the spices and cook for another minute. Mix in the lentils and the water. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, especially towards the end as the mixture thickens. Dollop onto injera to serve. This can, and perhaps should, be made in advance and re-heated. Last year at this time I made Friesian Thumbs - a very different take on spices from a different part of the world and a cookie I really love a lot.  from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/03/an-ethiopian-feast-yedifin-miser-alicha.html

[samirgianni]

Two Days Ago...

... but I keep forgetting to post! You know! The red winged blackbirds are back! from Seasonal Ontario Food https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2019/03/two-days-ago.html