Being indigenous to South American countries like Columbia, Physalis doesn’t exactly fit into the local food movement around here. However, they are in season right now.

Physalis, or Cape Gooseberries, come naturally wrapped, giving them a shelf life of over a month or more. Described as a cross between sweet cherry tomato and pineapple flavours, the Cape Gooseberry actually isn’t a gooseberry at all. In fact, it’s about the closest to the tomato, coming from the nightshade family.

An interesting combination of tart and sweet, they are a perfect and versatile match for desserts, preserves, salads or savoury dishes.

From the moment I saw my little package of Cape Gooseberries, it was destined for my grocery cart and clafouti. Most typically toped with cherries, clafouti is a French baked custard that’s super simple to make and rustic yet elegant to present.

Having not baked with Cape Gooseberries before, I still wasn’t so brave as to go it alone to tempt my clafouti solo. I opted to pair the Gooseberries with a handful of raspberries, which turned out to be a tasty choice. Both seedy, a bit tart but sweet, they balanced really well.

So well, my vegan friends thought I might just have been pulling a fast one this time.

CAPE GOOSEBERRY & RASPBERRY CLAFOUTI

1/2 Package Firm Silken Tofu, about 210g
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Soy Milk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Brandy
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Pint Cape Gooseberries, about 1/2 cups halved
1/2 Cup Raspberries, fresh or frozen
2 Tablespoons Demerra Sugar

Combine the soy milk, lemon juice and brandy; Stir and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
In a food processor, blend the tofu until very smooth
Add the sugar and vanilla, continuing to blend.
Pour in the soy milk mixture into the tofu.
Sift the flour and baking powder and add just to combine.
Pour the batter into a cast iron skillet, soufflé or oval baking dish.
Evenly top with fruit.
Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until the edges are browned and the center is set.
Cool and dust with confectioners sugar.

Thrusting from a vacation back into the continual chill known as November in my part of the world, rejolted my need for hibernation.

Part of this ritual naturally consists of no longer wanting to venture outside for long walks along the beach or having bird like meals made up of crunchy vegetables. Rib sticking, hearty, soft and warm is what I crave, and so what if all I want to do is have a nap afterward?

With my onslaught of deliciously sweet pumpkins awaiting my arrival, I’ve made my share of sweet treats. If anything, I’ve noticed from my humble, hearty gourds is that, as wonderful as pumpkin is with sugar and nutmeg, they go fantastically well with the acidic punch of a tomato. So in meeting my hibernation qualifications, I concocted this little twist on a traditional cheese stuffed manicotti.

So, after a bit of an absence, I’m about to check in with Ruth and my other Presto Pasta lover’s to see about the transition from salads to soups and sauces. I’m positive the round-up of dishes will be rib stickingly delicious, as usual.

PUMPKIN MANICOTTI

1 250g Box Manicotti, 14 pasta tubes
1 Package Firm Tofu
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, or to taste
3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast Flakes, optional
1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
2 Cups Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin, or any good quality pumpkin, roasted
2 Cups Basic Tomato Sauce

Remove the seeds and roast the pumpkin at 350ºF, face down in a small amount of water to cover the bottom of the pan.
Roast the pumpkin for about 90 minutes or until tender.
Remove the pumpkin flesh from the skin and allow to sit in a colander to remove any excess moisture, until ready to use.
Set a large pot of water to boil, add the pasta and cook until just tender, about 6 minutes.
Drain then rinse the pasta and set aside for stuffing.
In large bowl, crumble the tofu into very small pieces.
Add the oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and nutritional yeast flakes, if using and mix well.
Rinse and dry the basil. Lay the leaves on top of one another and roll tightly to chop into thin chiffonade strips.
Combine the basil and pumpkin to the tofu mixture and using a spoon, stuff the waiting manicotti tubes.
Evenly spread about 1/2 of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and lay the finished, stuffed manicotti in a single layer.
Spread the remaining sauce over the top of the finished manicotti, cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350ºF.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with additional thyme, nutritional yeast flakes or parmesan cheese to serve.

Here in Toronto, tucked a few blocks over from the mainland China Town is a small but wonderful Japanese store. After refilling my wasabi prescription, I gaze along the long aisles of offerings. Included are various teas, Hello Kitty Pocky sticks, every shade of miso, enoki mushrooms and of course, noodles.

Wheat, rice, green tea, tofu, ramen, udon and soba noodle varieties ready for any dish the Far East has ever created.

How elated was I to discover that soba is the name for buckwheat in Japanese?
For those of you who weren’t sure, like me, buckwheat is neither a grass or related to the wheat family. It’s a flowering plant which produces the seeds for great things like pillows and yes, buckwheat flour.

Asian noodle soup has to be in my top list of most amazing meals. The simplicity of them makes them satisfying and perfect. The noodles and broth create a host bowl for just about any combination imaginable.

SHITAKE + MISO NOODLE BOWL

1 (4g) Bundle Soba or Udon Noodles
1 Tablespoon Light Miso Paste
1/4 Package Extra Firm Tofu, diced into 1/2″ cubes
1 Sheet Nori
1 Scallion, finely diced
6 – 8 Shitake Mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1/4 Cup Red Cabbage, thinly sliced

Drop the noodles in boiling water and cook until tender, 6 – 8 minutes. Drain.
In a large saucepan, heat 4 cups of water and add the miso paste, stirring to dissolve.
Add diced tofu and mushrooms, bringing the soup to a low simmer.
Cook for about 3 minutes.
Break nori into small 1 – 2″ pieces.
Add the cooked noodles to two serving bowls.
Sprinkle over the diced scallions and nori pieces.
Ladle over hot soup and garnish with a topping of red cabbage.

Serve immediately.
Feeds 2.

Discover some of these photos and others in the CLICK and DMBLGIT galleries.

I went outside to try to find any scratch of this great Holiday going on. Any cars gathering for visits, the scent of roasting goodness traveling through a window screen, a football cheer, or the screech of a fork on a plate, but nothing. Nothing but cyclists, lawn mowers buzzing, the summer smell of the backyard grill, fans blowing and kids giggling with their dad on his day off.

I made soup last night, with feast leftovers, two kinds! This time of year, mind floods to comforting, feel good, stick to your ribs meals. But today, as I’m about down to my skivvies, I just can’t imagine any more hot and sticky.

Together with a little roasted pumpkin and grilled tofu, left over from yesterday, I whipped up a creamy spinach pesto to go over some quick, brown rice fettuccine. It was perfectly satisfying and didn’t add heat to the house.

Oh well, shouldn’t complain, it could have been snowing.

CREAMY SPINACH PESTO FETTUCINI

2 Cloves Garlic
8 Large Basil Leaves, fresh
3 Cups Baby Spinach Leaves, packed
1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Package Firm Silken Tofu
1 Package Firm Tofu, grilled or roasted – optional
700g Brown Rice Fettucini, 3/4 standard package
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
1/2 Cup Roasted Pumpkin, cubed

Place the brown rice noodles in a large bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover. Let the noodles sit to soften, changing the cooling water if necessary.

If using, grill tofu with a light spray of oil, salt and pepper until golden.

In a food processor, add 1/2 of the basil with the peeled garlic cloves, pulsing to chop.
Add the 2 cups of the spinach, salt, pine nuts and silken tofu. Combine well, stopping to scrape the sides, if necessary.
With the motor running, drizzle the oil through the feed tube, continuing to mix until an even, thin, paste-like sauce is created.

Once the noodles are al dente, drain and add them to a large bowl.
Pour over the tofu and toss the noodles well.
Chop the remaining basil and toss it and the remaining spinach to the hot rice noodles.
Serve topped with the cubed pumpkin, sliced, grilled tofu and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

Serves 4.

For this and more great pasta recipes, check out Ruth’s great weekly Presto Pasta round up.

I was just asked, via a group email, if anyone had a recipe for hummus.
A bunch of us are heading up to my family cottage for the weekend to soak up the last of the summery days and enjoy some early autumn fires to warm up the chilly evenings, oh, and eat.

So, of course I want to be helpful and the food maker generale by jumping over here, ready to send a link, when I realized it’s been sitting in my draft folder for about, um, I don’t even want to admit it.

I make this for just about every gathering, family birthday party or any other excuse snack.
I’ve tried others and this one is it. Simple, light and perfect.

CLASSIC HUMMUS

1 15-oz can Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/3 cup Tahini, roasted, organic)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Chopped Parsley for garnish, optional

In a food processor, combine the garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil until smooth.
Add salt, adjusting to taste, if necessary.
Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle chopped parsley.

Serve with vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread.
You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil, sprinkle over a little minced parsley and paprika, if you’d like, then toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips.

SWEET POTATOES & BLACK BEAN BURRITOS

3 sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onions, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons ground coriander
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup water
1 15-oz can black beans. drained & rinsed
1 -15 oz can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 Cup cilantro leaves
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
8 eight-inch whole wheat tortillas
Spray oil

Peel and boil sweet potatoes in a large pot of water until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain, mash and set aside.
Preheat a sauté pan with the oil, saute onions and garlic until tender
Add drained beans, cumin, corriander, cayenne, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup water.
Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
In food processor, combine beans, cilantro, lemon juice; purée until smooth.
Preheat BBQ or grill to medium.
Spoon about 2/3 Cup of the bean filling into center of each tortilla, top with a few spoonfuls of the sweet potato mash.
Fold opposite sides into the centre and again with remaining sides to make a square “package”.
Lightly spray with oil and grill for about 10 minutes to heat through, turning not to burn.
Serve hot, topped with salsa or fresh guacamole.

Oh Yeah! Who doesn’t like Quinoa?
Haven’t heard of it??
I think I have another post around here somewhere…but hmm. Let’s see, for starters, it’s got a similar texture to brown rice or a firm tapioca or couscous (but better, it’s tender with bounce) oh, and it’s landed a “Superfood” title.
Not only high in protein, it’s a complete protein, with all 8 essential amino acids. It’s gluten free and easy to digest…. that and it takes about seven minutes to make.

I’ve heard of it in so many rice bowl style recipes as well as served up for breakfast.
So before I continue to sound like an infomercial, what about you? Are you new to this superfood or have you already converted from rice?

CURRIED LEMON QUINOA

1 Cup Quinoa
3 1/2 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Red Onion, Finely Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, peeled & grated
1 1/2 Cups Cauliflower Flowerettes
1 15oz can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice and Zest of One Lemon
2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Ground Corriander
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne Powder
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
1Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
4 Fresh Mint Leaves, Finely Chopped
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and add the onion.
Once the onions begin to soften, add the garlic and
cauliflower, followed by the spices.
Stir and add 1 1/2 cups of the water.
Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 – 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a mesh strainer. rinse the quinoa very well for about 3 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the remaining 2 cups of water to a boil and add the quinoa.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and remove from heat after 5 minutes.
Keep covered until ready to use.
Once the cauliflower is tender, add the rinsed chickpeas,
lemon juice, cilantro, mint, salt and freshly ground pepper; stirring to combine well.
Adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a serving dish.
Spoon cauliflower and chickpea mixture over the quinoa and finish with the lemon zest to serve.

I think I could say I’ve been glamping for years but it’s finally fashionable to go camping in style without baked beans from a can. Honestly, it’s the only way I know how to camp and now there’s a name for it.

Having just returned from my first camping trip in over five six years, I can safely say that we are all unscathed. A few mosquito bites richer but certainly not any hungrier, our almost rain-out of a weekend finished up a sunny success.

Expecting an onslaught of this glamourous “Glamping” camping, I began to imagine froufy pink Gucci tents, pocket dogs with their own inflatable beds and a/c adapters for hair drying in the wilderness. Being not much of that myself, I thought more about the food. We pitched our tents with another two families, so there was certainly no shortage of it! There was Portabella Pasta Alfredo, Red Pepper Fajita’s, Campfire Roasted Baba Ghanouj and Cast Iron Fritata and that was just the first day – kidding.

All this gourmet glamping almost, just almost made me long for that can of beans and a hot dog on a stick – but not quite.

BLACK BEAN & FRESH CORN QUESADILLAS

1 Can Black Turtle Beans
1/2 White Onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Cup Filtered Water
2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
8 Soft Tortillas
2 Cobs of Corn
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Tomato Salsa

Set a pot of water to boil.
In a sauté or cast iron skillet, heat the oil and add the onion.
Once the onion has softened and become translucent, add the garlic.
Drain, rinse and add the beans.
Sprinkle over the spices and add the water allowing everything to absorb and simmer for about 3 – 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Mash the beans with a fork, potato masher or a hand blender until they are smooth but recognizable.
Set aside.
Drop the freshly husked corn into the awaiting pot of boiling water and sprinkle over the sugar.
Once the water returns to a rolling boil, remove the pot from direct heat. Let the corn sit for 5 minutes <only> then pull it out of the water.
With a chef’s knife, cut the kernels from the corn cobs.
Lay out 4 of the tortillas and spoon over a thin, even layer of the bean mixture,dot with salsa and sprinkle with the fresh corn before topping with the 4 remaining tortillas.
Place the tortillas in a heated skillet, or on a grill over the campfire coals.
Cook until golden and crisp. Flip and repeat.
Slice into wedges and serve with additional salsa or guacamole.

Seeking out yet another farmers market here in the city, I was a bit surprised by the standard fare of field tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes until I passed the last vendor of the lot. There I found baby courgettes, quarter sized, tender Sunburst squash and a rainbow of heirloom grape tomatoes. It wasn’t a tremendous leap from the fore mentioned “norm”, but a nice hop to say the least.

Although I’d gobbled almost half of my little tomatoes on the way home, I was still famished by noon. I wanted something quick and cool but filling. So while thinking about my presto pasta contribution, I wanted to incorporate my fresh finds. With the addition of tofu and rigatoni, I had a full meal to share.

SPINACH & SMOKED TOFU PASTA SALAD

500g Whole Wheat Rigatoni
1/2 Package Firm Tofu, marinaded in Sundried Tomato Pesto*
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Cups Baby Spinach, packed
1 Cup Heritage Grape Tomatoes, sliced
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, 6 or 7 chopped
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
4 Baby Courgettes, (zucchini) or 1 regular, sliced
4 Sunburst Squash (Patty Pan), sliced

*SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO

1 Cup Sundried Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Add the tomatoes to a 1 Cup measuring cup and fill with enough water to cover the tomatoes and allow to reconstitute until soft, about 20 minutes.
Drain the tomatoes and add them to a food processor. Add the garlic and pulse until well chopped.
Add the basil and thyme and with the motor running, slowly drizzle enough oil until everything is well blended and smooth.
Add salt to taste, incorporating well.

Drain and slice the tofu 1/” thick, lengthwise.
Place it in a single layer in a seal able bag, spreading enough of the tomato pesto to cover each side.
Seal and freeze for at least 20 minutes.
Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar; set aside.
Boil the rigatoni to al dente, as to the package directions.
Drain and toss with the waiting oil and vinegar.
Grill the tofu over a medium flame for about 4 – 5 minutes on each side, or until slightly crisp with grill marks, being sure to close the lid between flipping to capture that smokey goodness.
Slice the tofu into bite sized cubes.
Wash and thinly slice the courgettes and squash; add to the pasta.
Toss with the spinach, tomatoes and lemon zest and top with the cubed tofu.

Serve immediately or make in advance and chill.

CHILI THAI SPRING ROLLS

100g Whole Wheat Spaghettini (1/4 box)
1/2 Package Extra Firm Tofu (in Chili Lime marinade)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Carrot
1/2 English Cucumber
2 Scallions
1/2 Bunch Cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
8 Rice Paper Sheets

CHILI LIME TOFU MARINADE

5 Tablespoons Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Hot Chili Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic, minced

DIPPING SAUCE

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2/1/2 Tablespoons Sesame Seed Oil
2 teaspoons Hot Chili Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Ginger, minced
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds, for garnish, optional

Drain and cut the tofu into 1/2″ slices.
Place the tofu into a seal able bag or container.
Whisk the marinade and pour it over the tofu.
Put the tofu into the freezer for a least 1 hour.
Over a medium flame, grill the tofu for 5 minutes per side, or until golden and slightly crisp. Set aside to cool.
Cook pasta al dente, as to package directions; about 8 minutes in rapidly boiling, lightly salted water.
Wash and slice peppers, cucumber and scallions in to 1/4″ julienne.
Slice cooled tofu into 1/4″ strips.
Peel and slice carrot into 1/8″ matchsticks.
Whisk the dipping sauce ingredients together, reserving the sesame seeds, if using.
Add 2 Tablespoons of the dipping sauce to a medium sized bowl, add drained, cooked pasta and toss to coat. Set aside.
Add enough hot water to the bottom of a 9×12 baking dish, or other shallow pan to fit a rice paper wrapper.
Clear a work surface or a cutting board to assemble the spring rolls.
Submerge one wrapper in the hot water, gently moving it with your fingers to evenly moisten it. Once it is soft and flexible, remove it from the water and lay it gently on your work surface and smooth out the sheet to a flat circle.
In the center, lay a few cilantro leaves, carrot sticks, two of each pepper colour, two strips of tofu and enough of the spaghettini just to cover the vegetables. Top with two strips of cucumber and a few more of the cilantro leaves being sure to leave a 2″ boarder around the edges.
Fold the bottom towards the center, following with the top, then bringing one side over the filling, tucking it under as tightly as possible, without tearing the wrapper. Continue to fold and wrap over until you are left with a cylinder shaped package that is about 2″ thick and 5″ long.
Repeat with the remaining rice wrappers until the filling is gone, being sure to keep the soaking water hot.
Note that not all packages may be perfect, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts.
Slice or leave whole, serve with the remaining dipping sauce.