Flank Steak

I've never made a flank steak before, but I was pretty happy with the way this one turned out. Flank is a pretty tough cut that needs to be marinated, cooked rare and thinly sliced.

I marinated mine in:

• 1c red wine
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
• shake of worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbs fresh rosemary

I left it all day and turned it once.

Then I fired up the grill and let it heat up until it was really hot. The steak only needed about 4 mins on each side. I definitely could have sliced it more thinly, but I was a happy camper.

Balls.

Meatballs. Yes. My kids love 'em. I know that's probably not surprising to most people, but to me it is. You see my kids are meat haters. So I was pleasantly surprised when they devoured these!

• 1lb ground beef
• 2 or 3 sausages - I used some Hungarian ones
• half an onion
• garlic
• parsley (optional. I opted out because the green in the balls would have put off my kids)
• wine
• a can of San Marzano tomatoes
• fresh basil

chop your onion really finely and crush or microplane a couple of cloves of garlic.  Plonk the beef and peel the membrane off the sausages and add the sausage meat to the bowl. Using your hands, mix this up well, adding a bit of salt and pepper. Remember that the sausage was already seasoned so go with a light hand. Add your parsley if you're using it.

Now heat a dutch oven or saucepan and add some olive oil. Roll up your balls (wet hands makes this easier) and put them in the pot. When they are browned, turn them gently, trying not to let them break up. Turn a couple more times until they are evenly browned all over. 

Take your wine and slosh in a good 1/2-1 cup, depending on your mood. use a wooden spoon to scrape those yummy browned bits up. Put your tomatoes in, crushing them with your fingers as they go into the pan (I put each one into my hand and crush it as I pour them in). Let this simmer for about 5 mins and then taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper. If you didn't use San Marzanos you'll probably want to add a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity. Roll up the basil leaves and slice finely. Mix through the sauce.

What I like to do with all my pasta sauces is to only mix half through the actual pasta and then serve the rest on top of each serving. This ensures that there is ample coverage but gives you a bit of control of the "good bits" on each plate.

Three Cheese Mac

If one cheese is good, then three are better, right? I'd say so. I made this super-cheesy Mac and Cheese the other night and it was a bit of a hit. Most of the cheesiness will come from cheddar and we'll also use some parmesan for bite and Jarlsberg for yumminess.

Here's how you too can be the hero of the day:

Put a big pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Throw in a pound (a whole box) of pasta. I used rotini. Now start on your cheese sauce.

• 4 Tbs butter
• 4 Tbs flour
• 3-ish cups of milk
• Dry mustard
• 1 lb cheddar, grated. It's a lot, I know.
• 1/4 c parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 1/4 c Jarlsberg/swiss cheese, grated

Melt the butter and add the flour. Cook this out, stirring, for a few mins. Don't let it colour. Now you should heat your milk but I live dangerously and throw about half the milk in and then whisk like a crazy person. Whisk all those lumps out. Then add teh rest of the milk and keep on whisking. Stir it constantly until it's nice and thick. It can simmer, but not boil. Add a really good shake (1 tsp) of mustard powder and all of your cheeses. Set this baby aside while the pasta cooks. Scoop some of the pasta water out and set it aside in case you need to thin the sauce. Drain the pasta and then mix the sauce through. If the sauce is crazily thick, add some of the water. You probably won't have to. Now put some in a dish (I used this adorable vintage skillet) and set it under the broiler for a few mins to brown the top. Mmmm.

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Hmmm....a melting, bubbling vat of melty, browned cheese served on homemade tortillas? Yes please!

I saw this on a TV show and knew this had to be made. Immediately.

First, I made a batch of my homemade chorizo. I cooked it up and put it in the bottom of this baking dish. Then I grated a pound, yep a pound, of mozzarella and put it on top. It should probably be some sort of special Mexican cheese, but it's a nice bland accompaniment to the chorizo.

I then baked it at 400F for about 25 mins, until it was bubbly and brown. I served it with some homemade tortillas and Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa.

Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa

Tomatillos. Wow. How did I live so long without them?

They had some gorgeous ones at the farmer's market this week so I decided to whip up this yummy salsa. It's pretty saucy so it's definitely for use as a sauce for tacos etc than for chip-dipping.

• 1/2 a sweet onion (I used Mayan Gold. Vidalia would also be ok)
• 1 Quart Tomatillos, de-husked
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• juice of half a lime
• 1+ green chilli peppers. Jalapeno would be nice, but I only had a big green one from the garden (plus I didn't want it too hot for the kiddoes)
• salt

Plonk everything into a food processor and whizz up until everything is smooth. Chill. That's it. yep.

How to cut up a Mango

Since I have lived in Canada I've witnessed all sorts of strange and wacky ways to remove the flesh from a mango. Usually they seem to involve removing the skin first. Sorry guys, but that is not the best way. All that will happen is that you'll have a lot of mushy mango bits.

Basically, you'll cut the "cheeks" off the mango (the sides on the flat part of the seed), score them and then turn it inside out. Here's a vid from youtube to explain it really clearly. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes

When tomatoes are at their cheapest and most delicious, I love to roast them. It's such a versatile way of preparing them. Once they are done you can do so much with them! Here are some ways I have used them:

• Eaten right off the baking tray! Addictive!
• As bruschetta - toast some ciabatta slices, rub them with garlic, plonk a basil leaf and a tomato on top!
• Made into delish roasted tomato sauce for pasta
• Freeze them for roasted tomato soup during the winter

So next time you see them at the farmer's market, get as many as you can carry. Then halve them (or slice them thickly if they are big and fat) and put them on a baking dish which you've oiled with some olive oil. chop up a whole lotta garlic and sprinkly them generously. Lots of salt and pepper. Another drizzle of oil and into a 350 F oven until they are starting to caramelize beautifully around the edges. Don't let them or the garlic burn! Finely slice some basil leaves over and devour.

Red Wine Chicken Breasts

I don't often buy chicken breasts, but when I do, I marinate them. Yep. Always. I like to ensure a moist breast and this makes it foolproof. Today I used this marinade, based on one in the Joy of Cooking:

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup red wine 
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbs. chopped thyme
• 1 tbs. chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of half a lemon 

I let the breasts do their thing for about 2 hours and then dumped them into a baking dish and heated the oven to 425F. I had some mushrooms in the fridge, so put them in the bottom of the dish and then put the breasts, marinade and all, on the top and cooked them, uncovered, for about 30 mins. The result was delish!

I also put some chopped up cauliflower in to roast at the same time and steamed some fresh peas!

Fish Tacos with homemade Corn Tortillas!

I'm no longer a fish taco virgin! I've always heard people raving about them, but had never actually tasted them. Now I know why they get such great reviews!

THe big news here is that I bought a tortilla press!

Basically, it allows you to squish your tortilla dough (equal parts masa and water) into these:

You then cook them in a dry skillet and get a stack of these:

Nice, huh?

I then fried some fish in a basic batter (I used tilapia).

 And I have to admit that I also used a bought salsa as I had some already opened. Can't wait for my next tortilla-fest!

Greek Eggplant Dip

We're all familiar with Babaganooj - the Lebanese eggplant dip. I love it, I really do, with its smoky flavour and tahini. But sometimes I want something with a cleaner finish. That's when I make Melizinosalata - Greek eggplant dip.

Here's how you do it:

• 2 eggplants (choose large dark ones)
• parsley
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 2-3 slices white bread
• lemon juice

Bake your eggplants (skin on) at 350 farenheit until they are easily pierced with a sharp knife. If you're in a rush you can cut them lengthwise and put them cut side down on an oiled baking dish. Unlike Babaganooj, you're not going to BBQ or flame the skin to char it. Now let it cool a bit and peel off the skin.

Plop the flesh into a food processor and add your bread (tear it up). Today I only had some flax seed grainy stuff and I used that, but it's best with nice (i.e. bakery) white bread. Grab a handful of parsley, a couple of cloves of garlic, an the juice of half the lemon. Whizz it up until it's really smoooooooooth. 

Now add a really good pinch of salt, some pepper and set the processor into action again. This time, start drizzling the oil through the lid. I'd figure on about 1/4 cup. Taste it and see what it needs. Maybe some mroe lemon (depends on the sourness of your lemons), maybe more salt, maybe more oil.

It'll be pretty soupy. Put it in the fridge and it'll firm up perfectly.

Smoked Fish Summery Pasta

I love getting inspiration form new dishes, don't you?

My friend Jennifer is a wonderful cook and I happened to have lunch at her house the other day. She served a completely delicious pasta with smoked fish (home smoked!) and I couldn't wait to attempt to recreate it!

Here's how I did it:

Boiled some pasta. While this was happening I chopped some cherry tomatoes, yellow zucchini, basil, and flaked up some smoked fish (this was whitefish from the farmer's market). I also shelled some local peas. A couple of minutes before the pasta was done, I threw in the zucchini and peas. When the pasta was done, the veg were too!

I drained the pasta/veg and threw in my other ingredients, along with some olive oil, lemon, and lots of salt and pepper! It was delish!

Spaghetti Pie

Maybe I'm just late to the party, but I'd never heard of this until the other day.

It's a great way to use up leftover pasta and my kids devoured it. So did we!

I beat 4 eggs with a whole lotta cheese. I used a sharp cheddar but I think a blend of a few cheese would work well. Season it well and throw in some cooked spaghetti. Now preheat a pan and put about a Tbs of butter in there. Once it's pretty hot, put in your egg/noodle mix.  When it's golden on one side, oil a plate and flip in out and then slide it back into the pan so you get a nice crust on both sides. Flip it out, slice and serve with some veg!

Jello Popsicles

Today I decided I was sick and tired of making healthy popsicles with yogurt, berries and greens in them, so we went trashy and I made Jello Popsicles.

All you do is make up Jello according to the instructions and put it in your molds. They freeze super fast too and make less marginally less mess than a regular one because the gelatine holds them together. Naturally, the kids loved them!

Smoked Pork Chops with Sauerkraut and Apple

The smoked chop was something unfamiliar to me. I'd seen them sitting there at the farmer's market for ages until I finally decided to take the plunge. And, oh baby, was it worth it!

The chops are fully cooked, so all you need to do is warm it through and give it some colour on the outside.

Heat some oil in a skillet and throw in your chop/s. While they are happily sizzling away, chop and onion and an apple. Turn the chops and put your onion into the pan around the sides of the chops. Now take your chops out and tent them with foil. Throw in the drained sauerkraut (about a cup for 2 people) and the apple. Let it sizzle for a bit and then glug in about 1/2 cup of beer, apple juice, or other flavourful liquid. Use this to scrape any yummy brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Season with pepper (you won't need salt because of the sauerkraut and chops) and serve with a hot mustard. Yum!

Butter Chicken. Yum.

Who doesn't love Butter Chicken? I've made it a couple of times and always been impressed with the result - you'd be pretty happy to get this at a restaurant (in my opinion).

This recipe is heavily tweaked from Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall's The Meat Book.

What you'll need to marinate the chicken:

• 1.5 kg bones chicken thigh fillets, chopped into inch cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs plain yogurt
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 Tbs Garam Masala
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 Tbs grated ginger (fresh)
• 6 cloves of garlic

Mix the ingredients together and let marinate for 2-6 hours, but no more ideally. Fire up your oven to 350F and put some oil in a couple of roasting dishes. Drizzle some oil in there and then plonk the chicken and marinade in there (single layer, please!) and bake until just cooked.

While this is happening, make the sauce:

• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (don't use pureed or you'll have burns on your arms from the spitting. Ask me how I know)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 sticks of butter
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 4 tbs honey
• 1 Tbs fenugreek
• 1+ cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper

Start my melting your obscene amount of butter in a large pot (it's called Butter chicken for a reason!). Now add the onions and saute until golden. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, fenugreek, and fry until the spices are smelling great. Don't let them burn. Toss in the tomato paste and fry for a bit. Then add the water and use it to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 20 mins. Puree this sauce with a stick blender (or regular one). Now add the cream and honey. Taste it. You'll want to add a fair bit of salt and pepper. If it's too tomato-ey, add more cream and/or honey. It shouldn't taste specifically of tomato, but rich, creamy and delish. Now add the cooked chicken, stir and let the flavours mingle over very low heat for about 10 mins. 

Serve with basmati rice and other curried things.

Sweet Potato and Sausage Salad with Garlic Scape Kefir Dressing

Borne out of necessity (and fridge contents), this salad was a triumph! I had some farmer's sausage that I sliced and fried until brown and yummy. Then I cubed and steamed some sweet potato until it was cooked. I then sauteed it in some butter until it went brown and caramelly.

For the dressing I simply whizzed up a few garlic scapes and kefir together in the food processor. If you don't have kefir, just use plain yogurt. I then seasoned the dressing really well.

To serve - I washed and dried a big pile of fresh mesclun from the farmer's market and then put the sausage and sweet potato on top. A drizzle of the dressing finished it up. I was quite tempted to lick the bowl when we were done.

Risotto Milanese with Garlic Scapes

My family is into risotto. Big time.

Last night's version was my take on a risotto milanese - the classic. Homemade stock is key here because the flavours are so delicate.

What you do is follow my basic recipe and add a pinch of saffron threads while you're cooking it. No veg other than the onions and garlic. A glug of white wine in with the stock and lots of parmesan at the end.

And that's your Risotto Milanese. Except this week I had some garlic scapes from the markets. What is a garlic scape, I hear you ask? Here'a bad photo of some:

You can only get them at farmer's markets and only for a limited season. They are the curly tops of hardneck garlic plants which are cut to strengthen the bulb. They also have a marvelous garlic-y flavour. Chop them up and put them in anything that you'd put Asparagus in (they take about the same amount of time to cook).

Anyway. I chopped some up and put them into my risotto towards the end of the cooking. And it was divine! I love seasonal produce, don't you?

A Raita to Cool You

With the temperature going up, I decided some Indian-inspired food was in order. Whenever I have Indian food I love to make a Raita - the traditional yogurt and cucumber condiment. It cools you between bites of the hottest curry and is so easy to make!

Take a whole English cucumber (the really long ones), then peel and grate it. Put it in a sieve or colander in the sink and sprinkle with well with salt. Let it drain for at least 10 mins, preferably 30 mins. Now squeeze it out well. Lots of juice/water will come out. Plonk it in a bowl and then put in about 2-3 cups of full-fat yogurt (you need the fat to cut the chilli oils if you're using it as a cooling thing), and a good pinch of Garam Masala. Mix it up and chill it. There. That's it. If you want, you can also add a handful of chopped mint, but I was going to serve mine with something minty anyway so I didn't bother.

How are you staying cool this week?

Cake Wreck

If you're wondering what you're looking at, it's a cake fail.

When I moved to the States I bought this lovely Nordicware bundt pan:

Squires Shop

It's wonderfully heavy and I just love the design! However, I've never manage to unmould a cake without it leaving little bits behind.

I was determined to do it yesterday, so I went and bought the Pam Baking spray  - it has flour in it. I was assured that this was the way. So I make my cake.

I used this recipe from the Pioneer Woman, except I omitted the flavourings and used the seeds of a vanilla bean instead. I suppose I should have been suspicious that she didn't show a pic of her's unmoulded.

When I tried to unmould, the bottom half came out, leaving the entire top half in there. Ugh. So I had to take the top out and reassemble it. Luckily (I suppose), it was only in 2 pieces, not more.

So I checked out the Nordicware site for answers. Apparently, once you take it from the oven you should leave it to sit for precisely 10 mins, then shake from side to side, and then unmould. And now I'm obsessed with doing it right. Stay tuned!

By the way, the cake tasted amazing. How could it not, with 5 eggs and 3/4 of a pound of butter?

Game Day Steak

My husband and I are avid Ice Hockey fans and it was an important game on the weekend. We decided it was necessary to eat a Man-Sized Steak.

We got a couple of strip steaks and cooked them using the Gordon Ramsay method:

This method produces really yummy steaks. We season it really, really well.

To go with it, we boiled some whole potatoes and then cut them up once they were cooked. We then sauteed them over high heat in some butter and olive oil. A sprig on rosemary is delish here!We prepare these before we start the steak as the steak doesn't take very long.

After the steak was done and was resting, I threw some asparagus, olive oil and salt and pepper into the still-hot pan. Once they were almost done, I squeezed some lemon juice onto them. Yum!