April 2, 2010

Turning Trees + Settling Into Spring

Having just returned from the cottage, we explored the forest in behind. Learning the subtle differences of the bare trees, we examined bark, found maples for sugaring and appreciated the wonders of nature and the coming spring.

From a hobby now past, my aging grandfather used to celebrate his trees in his own way through carving. As trees fall and wood is collected, some may be used to heat my grandparents home and cottage through the winter, but occasionally, there are the interesting logs.
Those are spared for special things.


My grandfather started into his collection of those reserved logs, turning them on a lathe into various spindles and vessels.
Especially egg cups!
Looking at the variety of the wood and the different shapes of each cup, I couldn’t help but feel inspired.
After all it is Easter.

I grabbed for my phone and made a quick, impromptu set to shoot his crafty masterpieces. Being at the cottage, having visitors, and access to a few farms, I happened to have a nice selection of eggs; white, brown, blue, duck, and even quail!

Happy spring, planting season, Ostara
& Easter!



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October 3, 2009

Early Autumn Harvest BBQ

The sun may have set on the summer, but in these parts, we were *finallly* gifted with warmth. In what’s left of our shortening days, it’s turning out to be the best parts of the summer. The sum has been warm and the garden bountiful.

Zucchini, beets, blueberries, beans and potatoes are bursting from the ground.

What’s better than the shifting seasons and an overhaul of ready produce from a new garden to prompt a quick and fantastic equinox gathering? Just a simple supper with friends with food as fresh as the night air.

What’s best, is that with a BBQ and a brick to deal with the chicken, the house was cool enough and the oven was free to roast a plethora of Earthen veggies.

GLAZED BEET WITH FENNEL SALAD
As adapted from Donna Hay’s No Time To Cook

1 Bunch Beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1 Bulb Fennel
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Large Leaf Italian Parsley, a big handful
1/3 Cup Goat Milk Feta, Broken

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Trim the stems and scrub the beets. Place them into a baking dish, drizzle over a small amount of any type of oil, if desired, then cover tightly with foil. Roast for about an hour or until tender.
Allow the beets to cool. Once they can be handled, peel them with a paring knife and quarter. Set aside.
Thinly slice the fennel into strips, reserving some of the fronds.
Roughly chop the parsley and toss with the fennel.
Heat a sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the vinegar and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve and thicken.
Add the beets to warm and coat to caramelize.
Once ready to serve, top the prepared fennel with the warm beets, cheese and reserved fennel fronds.



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July 27, 2009

Viva Nostalgia

Remember the super sticky sweetness that was the mallow cookie? A seventies treat that grew into a wagon wheel fit for a brown bagged lunch. The sweet classic with a dollop of strawberry jam under the marshmallow for just a little extra kick of sugar.

I would pick off the outer chocolate coating to reveal the marshmallow mountain only to carefully separate it from the cookie support to get to the jam in the centre. Ahh memories.

How delightful it was to discover that the July Daring Baker’ challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of The Food Network.

Not only have I never thought to recreate this childhood treat, being a bit of a make if from scratch kind of gal, I hadn’t yet shared this sweet delicacy with my own kids. Until today.

My God. I don’t think I have ever seen their eyes pop quite so far from their heads. I had them at the chocolate blobs long before they even realized the marshmallow surprise inside. I’m not exactly sure why I hadn’t attempted my own marshmallows before, but having recently making a big batch of summer strawberry jam with them, I made two bowls. One vanilla and the other a fresh strawberry marshmallow, so sweet and pink it could make your teeth ache just by looking at it. Either way, with the dollop of jam or the whole pink mess, the combo was perfect with the dark chocolate and lavender bar I’ve been hoarding for a little while now.

Naturally, I was out of a few ingredients, and a challenge wouldn’t be a challenge if I didn’t have to go and change the recipe and wing it, so here’s my version. A bit smaller of a batch and actually a smidge healthier (all considering) with a sifted whole wheat flour for the cookie. I’d have to say they were quite tasty. Just as guilty, but smile inducing and sticky finger licking, just as I remember them all the same.

MARSHMALLOW COOKIES
Adapted from Gald Gand’s Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies

BISCUITS

3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour, sifted with bran removed
1 1/4 Cups Self Raising Cake Flour
1/3 Cup Sugar
pinch salt
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, chilled
Zest 1/2 Lemon (organic or very well scrubbed)
2 Eggs, whisked

Combine the two flours,  sugar and the lemon zest in the food processor.
With the motor running, add the butter. Once it resembles coarse crumbs, add the eggs and reduce the speed.
Continue to mix until everything just comes together in a ball of smooth dough.
Wrap in plastic and flatten into a disk. Chill in the fridge or freezer for at least 1/2 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out using a 2″ round or ornate cookie cutter.
Bake on a Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet for about 10 minutes or until just golden around the edges.
Cool completely.

MARSHMALLOWS

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin, one packet
2 tablespoons cold water
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil until soft-ball stage, or 235ºF on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff. Transfer to a pastry bag.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

12 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water or in the microwave in a glass container in 45 second intervals.

ASSEMBLY

Pipe a dollop of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours to set.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.



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July 13, 2009

Rainbow Connection

Line caught while on a summery cottage expedition, this rainbow trout was a gift from a friend who knows my love of food. I couldn’t help but create something with it to share with another.

There’s something about fish that always seems to remind me of the same flavours; lemon, fresh herbs and smoke. I love grilling fish but lately, I’ve been itching to try tea smoking and this was the perfect fillet to do it. Simply done with a wok and a round cooling rack, I combined the smoking ingredients of green tea, rice and sugar on aluminum foil, propped the fish over top of the rack, salt and peppered then sealed everything in with more foil.

During the ten or so minutes it took for the fillet, I picked a fennel bulb and a big handful of parsley from the garden. The fennel, was thinly sliced and sautéd in a dribble of olive oil. When it was tender, the fish was done, so I plated the fennel along with the parsley and some slices of preserved lemon, topping it all with some flaked trout and reserved fennel fronds.

Fast and elegant, yet simple enough for a picnic.
From friend to friend this fish made quite a few people happy.



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July 4, 2009

Celebrating With Lobster

The beginning of summer also marks the start of lobster season for me. I’m not entirely sure why but maybe it was the childhood trips out East to visit our relatives. The journey was always in July and there, we could buy them by the dozen as the fishermen strung their boats on to the docks or freshly steamed from just about anywhere. We would stop at a scenic overlook and eat them cold by primitively smashing onto the shells with found rocks. Ah, memories are made of this, as my grandmother would say.

The warm breezes conjure up ideas of beach lobster boils, where getting messy and eating with your hands is half of the fun. With BBQ and picnic season upon us, either way it’s outdoor food.  Celebration food is meant for sharing. There’s nothing else like it that can bring such relaxed laughter and decadence from one meal.

Surprisingly, lobster also one of those things that I will rarely eat if not just out of it’s shell. By that I mean straight up, no other flavour than butter. But, every so often, there’s a good haul to drive the price down and tease the lobster lovers, making this delicacy become relatively inexpensive. I can’t help finding myself making up an occasion to celebrate. Thankfully in this case it’s summer! Time to bring a gathering of friends to celebrate and share something delightful.

Paired with fresh basil and mint to soothe the heat, this crisp Thai salad, along side the fresh, sweet lobster still stole the July fireworks show.

THAI LOBSTER SALAD
Serves 4

2 Lobsters, 1 1/4- 1 1/2Lbs., steamed
1 Mango, peeled, pit removed and cut into matchsticks
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 English Cucumber, sliced into strips
3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seed Oil
2 Tablespoons Olive or Peanut Oil
1 Lime, freshly squeezed of juice
3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Chili Sauce (I used Rooster) or 1 thai chili, finely minced
1/3 Cup Mint, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Basil, finely chopped
1/4 Cup Cilantro, torn
2 Scallions, finely chopped
1 Handful of fresh mixed greens per serving, Arugula, Bibb or leaf lettuce etc.

Break open the lobsters and carefully remove the meat.
Slice the tail meat into large bite sized pieces but set aside the claws for garnish.
In a large jar or pourable measuring cup, combine the fish sauce, oils, lime juice, vinegar and chili sauce and stir or shake well.
Combine the mango, peppers, cucumbers, scallions, chopped herbs and lobster into a large bowl.
Pour over the prepared dressing and toss to coat.
Place a handful of salad greens on each plate and top with the dressed vegetables and lobster.
Place one of the reserved claws on top to serve.



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