Quinoa Ambrosia Salad

Dinner parties are the highlight of my busy schedule. There is something completely satisfying about breaking bread with good friends, savouring fine wines and engaging conversations. Most of all I enjoy creating dishes that are not only delicious to taste, but are delectable to the visual and olfactory sensibilities. Good food is sensual. Now what kind of music would accompany such a dish? Please comment if you have any ideas.

To make this slightly sweet and fragrant dish first pre-cook 1 1/2 cups of quinoa. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, finely chop the following:

1 red bell pepper

1 ambrosia apple (or variety of choice)

Wash and remove stems of one bunch of cilantro (set aside half)

Peel and remove seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate

Ribbon two medium carrots

If in season, select naturtium flowers for garnish

Once the quinoa has cooled add the chopped pepper, apple, half the cilantro leaf, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp allspice or garam masala, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil and stir well until all the flavours are well blended.

Turn this medley onto a bed of ribboned carrots and garnish with pomegranate seeds and nasturtium flowers. Can be enjoyed as is or apply my favourite homemade cilantro and honey vinaigrette. (See below)

Clare and Kevin pause from their highly animated conversation to lubricate

Rowdy dinner guests on the occasion of Margo's birthday

Cilantro and Honey Vinaigrette

Combine the following ingredients:

1/2 bunch of finely chopped cilantro

1 tbsp honey

1/2 cup of fruit yogurt

1/8 tsp sesame oil

3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp light soy

1 small clove of garlic minced

2 tbsp olive oil optional* (or thin with 2 tbsp of fruit juice)

Combine and shake well. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to two

weeks.

Pav Bhaji

One of my fondest memories was traveling by motorcycle to the cave temples and hill stations in the Maharashtrian state of India. India is famous for her delectable "road foods" and one of my favourites is Pav Bhaji. "Pav" simply refers to a small bun or bread and "Bhaji" is the Marathi word for a vegetable dish. This spicy snack is made of garden fresh vegetables stewed in spices, topped with butter, chopped red onion and coriander leaf and accompanied by buttery Pav.

In a saucepan, chop 4-5 cups of the following vegetables:

Potato, cauliflower, green pepper, carrots and tomato. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let the vegetables simmer covered until soft. Add 1 cup of shelled or frozen peas and cook for 3-5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the excess water, drain the rest and  mash vegetables with potato masher. 

To a medium heat pan add 2-3 tbsp of ghee or vegetable oil and
1 small onion chopped. Stir until lightly browned and then add the following:

1 tsp garlic paste
1 thumb of finely chopped ginger
1-2 green chilies chopped

 Stir until aromas are released, then add prepared Pav Bhaji Masala *(see below). Fry until oil begins to separate then add the 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid. Stir until a good paste forms and add the mashed vegetables. Combine all materials well. Add salt to taste. 


Serve on top of buttered Pav and garnish with butter, chopped red onion and coriander leaf.

*Pav Bhaji Masala

2 tbsps coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 black cardamom pods
3 pods green cardamom seeds removed
2 red chilies
1 tbsp amchur ( dry raw mango ) powder
6 cloves
1"piece of cinnamon
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tbsp turmeric powder

pinch of asafoetida

Slowly dry roast the listed ingredients in a pan until aromas are released,  then grind in a spice grinder. 

Add 1 tbsp of garam masala for final grind.

Chunky Chipotle Corn Salsa

When I hear the word 'salsa', visions of sexy Latin dance and rhythms make a party in my head. If a breakfast quesadilla or fajita could break into hand clapping and toe tapping, it might be with the aid of some saucy sauce. I have created a variation on the old standard to make a spicy, chipotle and corn salsa. It might just bring a little hip-shake to your morning eggs.

To make 'Chunky Chipotle Corn Salsa' chop the following ingredients in nice large chunks and add to a large steel vessel:

3-4 lbs tomatoes or 8 cups chopped

2-3 green peppers or 3-4 cups chopped

2 large white onions chopped or 5 cups

4 cups of corn

8 cloves of garlic chopped

6 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped

Add the following and bring slowly to a boil:

2 tsps ground cumin

1/3 cup of white vinegar

1/3-1/2 can of chipotle peppers chopped

1 whole can of crushed tomatoes 796 mL

3 tbsp brown sugar

3 tbsp of kosher salt

Cook until tomatoes soften and gently boil for approximately
10 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of corn starch to a cup of warm water
and add to entire mixture. This helps to set the salsa and prevent
it from being too runny.

Remove from heat and add:
1 bunch of cilantro chopped

juice of one lime

Ladle into sterilized jars. Process for 10 minutes. Be sure that all the jars have sealed. Any jars that haven't sealed can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Bitchin' Kitchen Highlights

Kitchen expeditions are way more fun with friends. 

Larkin.....the apple seed

Drew and Shauna

Larkin, Rena and Shauna

Someone's thumb might have ended up in this batch

Mediterranean Palate

Spanish vino tinto, bocconcini salad and thin crust pizza with fresh figs and prosciutto

"Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly." MFK Fisher   

The other night we broke bread with our friends Carolina, Francisco and Paloma, who shared with us; among many delights, a pizza topped with fresh sliced figs and thinly shaved prosciutto. Wow! The taste was so unique and mouthwatering. They had gleaned the combination from their friends and we enjoyed it so much  that we decided to serve the same thing, (with some variation) the next evening with our dinner guests. While visiting my friend Rosa in Barcelona, I came to love those countless epicurean creations called "tapas". Coupled with a good bottle of wine, I am perfectly satisfied with the casualness of Mediterranean inspired finger foods and lite eats.
 
We dressed a thin multi-grain crust with the following:
1 small can of pizza sauce
fresh pesto
kalamata olives
chopped, cooked spinach
grated mozzarella and smoked provolone
fresh, thinly sliced figs
shaved prosciutto
Bake at 350 fahrenheit until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned

thin multigrain pizza crust dressed in the freshest quality ingredients

Bocconcini salad, fresh figs and grapes

Good food is better shared with good friends. Pat (left) and Rosa (right) enjoy wine and tapas on the garden patio

Zesty Apricot BBQ Marinade

Being an olfactorally driven nostalgic, there are many aromas than transport me to the summers of my childhood. Running flat-footed on beaten backyard, forest paths wearing bandaids and koolaid moustaches I recall the smell of arnica and spruce, coconut suntan oil, bug repellant and if course the unmistakable smell of the neighbourhood barbeques. Such is the smell of summertime, and what is a good backyard cookout without some kick-ass BBQ sauce! So here is my accidental first, (and hopefully not last) zesty apricot BBQ marinade. 

First of all it's important to understand that many great things are created by accident. Take the Slinky for example! What would growing up in the 70's be without the invention of the Slinky?

So, the first step in making Zesty Apricot BBQ Marinade is to take your favourite recipe for low-sugar apricot jam, and leave it unattended on the stove. Yes, a crucial step in achieving that smoky BBQ flavour. To 6 quarts of slightly burned jam I added the following:

5 onions chopped finely

4 tbsp ginger garlic paste (homemade)

handful of black cardamoms

handful of coriander seed (homegrown)

handful of star anise

handful of black peppercorns

5 dried red chilies

2 tbsp red chili powder

1/2 cup of finely chopped crystallized ginger

5 whole cinnamon sticks

2 tablespoons of chipotle paste
2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 can of tomato paste

1 1/2 cups of soy sauce

Stir ingredients while bringing mixture to a boil, then ladle into sterilized jars as you would if it were jam. Process for 10 minutes until the lids are sealed and store in a cool place. 

Use as a marinade or brush it directly onto your favourite BBQ fare.

Zesty Apricot BBQ Marinade Chicken

Get Pickled

This morning my dear friend Toni pulled one of her classic ambushes, leaving a full bag of fresh garden cucumbers at my door. I had no choice but to get pickled. It's summertime after all.

Scrub, trim and slice approximately 24 four inch cucumbers and soak overnight with cold water and 1/3 cup of kosher salt.

Then prepare a brine of 8 cups of water, 1 quart of pickling vinegar, and one cup of kosher salt. Bring to a boil. 

Boil lids and rings in a separate pot to sterilize them.

Sterilize 6-8 pint jars in the oven at 225 F for 10 minutes. Stuff the jars with the sliced cucumbers, sprigs of fresh washed dill, one or two garlic cloves, one red chili pepper and a teaspoon of pickling spices. Ladle the hot brine into the jars and shift the contents with a spoon until all the air bubbles are released. Using tongs, place sterilized lids and screw the rings into place. Process for 10 minutes or let stand until you hear the lids snap. Once cool, store in a dark place for several weeks. Any jars that do not form a seal, store in the refrigerator and eat within a week.

Rhubarb Pear Jam

One of the first fruits of the season; which is technically a vegetable,  is the ever-gorgeous rhubarb. Vermillion stalks boast jurassic leaves, and although the leaves are toxic, the stalks are packed with a zingy tartness like no other. Paired with the gentle sweetness of pears, this jam will leave your taste buds in the abyss of springtime bliss.

In a deep saucepan combine the following ingredients:

3 lbs of chopped rhubarb

2 lbs of pared and cored pears

juice of 2 lemons

3 cups of sugar

1 packet of pectin

1 cup of water

Bring to boil then reduce heat and let simmer until fruit becomes very soft (45min - 1 hour)

Spoon into sterilized jars and let stand until lids are sealed and jam has cooled.