Kitchen Journal

There are many scribblings in my kitchen journal and among them are some gems or as we put it in our house "keepers". Here are just a few favourites that are easy on the wallet with simple to find ingredients. 

June 17, 2012

Farmhouse Pie

Ingredients:

4 herbed, cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp rubbed thyme

1 tsp rubbed basil

2 tbsp flour

1/4 c chicken broth

salt and pepper

3 c cooked mashed potatoes
2 tbsp butter

Saute onion, carrot, celery one minute. Add garlic, red pepper, thyme, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook until softened. If necessary add more fat to pan before adding flour. Cook 1-2 minutes to eliminate flour taste and add broth. Bring to boil and stir until thickened. Add to greased 4L casserole with chicken. Top with mashed potatoes. Cook in 375 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until potatoes are browned and fluffy and juices are bubbling at the sides of pan.


June 17, 2012

Cider, Onion and Parsnip Soup

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 large onions, thinly sliced

2 large or 4 small parsnips, washed and diced

2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

4 c chicken broth or stock

21/4 c apple cider

11/4 c cream

salt and pepper

1 tbsp fresh thyme

2 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp brown sugar optional

Suate onions in butter for 30 minutes until caramelized. Add parsnips at the 15 minute mark with the brown sugar if using. Add garlic and celery after 30 minutes and cook for 1 minute. Add apples and cook 3 minutes. Add seasonings; cook 1 minute more. Add broth and cider; cook for fifteen minutes at simmer. Process with hand mixer and stir in cream. Reheat gently and adjust salt and pepper. Serve with chunks of pumpernickel bread.

June 8, 2012

Moroccan Stuffed Pork Loin

This is something delicious I threw together on Saturday as I had picked up a whole big loin of pork on Friday. I cut it up into a roast, chops and stew meat and it makes for a good sized roast for 4 or 5 people.

Ingredients:
2-3 lb pork loin, 'unfolded' into thirds*
6 slices of bacon, three into lardons
175 g golden raisins
2 gala apples (use any cooking apple you prefer), peeled, cored and diced
1 vidalia onion or other sweet onion, diced
125g rolled oats
1 tbsp melted butter or bacon fat
1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp + moroccan spice blend (1 tsp each cumin, ginger, salt
                                             3/4 tsp black pepper
                                             1/2 tsp cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice
                                             1/4 tsp cloves)

Saute onions and bacon until cooked then toss apples in to soften slightly. Remove from heat and add to bowl with oats, raisins and 2 tbsp spice blend. Include whatever bacon drippings there are in pan or if not using bacon, add melted butter. Slather applesauce over cut side of pork and spoon filling across meat. Fold edges together and tie with butcher string. Cook at 350-375, sprinkled with 1 tbsp spice blend and covered with 3 bacon slices over folded edges to keep meat and stuffing moist. Cover with foil and cook for 2 hours approx until stuffing reaches 165 degrees. At that time the meat should be cooked to tender. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before carving into 1/2' thick slices.

Leftover hints: makes a yummy sandwich with applesauce, mustard, a garlic pickle and bit of arugula on harvest grain bread.

* lay meat flat on board. With sharp knife cut from one side to the other, without cutting all the way through, about 1/3 depth of the roast. Cut down to 2/3 depth and reverse back the way you started. You should now have a 'book' you can unfold and stuff.

Pork Tenderloin Dinner

with Bacon-wrapped Asparagus 

Heirloom Carrots in dill butter

Simple Arugula Salad

                                                    Fresh from my local market                                   photo by Chelle Elle

This menu can be eaten together, which I recommend, or individually. It's all good. This pork recipe is also good "en croute" (wrapped and cooked in pastry). Skill level required: intermediate

Ingredients:

2 tenderloins, silverskin off and opened up

at this point you can, if you like, marinate the tenderloin for 2-4 hours

150g pork pate, mashed in bowl   (I used a peppercorn pate)

2 tbsp (one per tenderloin) mustard (I used my homemade Blueberry Mead mustard)

1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme

11/2 tsp Herbes de Provence

1 whole shallot or

3 scallions chopped

1 garlic clove minced

salt and pepper

bacon strips for 'larding'      (optional)

Saute onions and garlic just until softened. Let cool slightly and add to bowl with pate. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well. On plastic wrap, roll two cigar shapes and refrigerate until needed.

Spread mustard over the inside of your opened and flattened pork. Sprinkle some of the thyme over the mustard. Remove pate from wrap and place in centre of pork. Roll and tie with butcher string. Brush mustard over tops and sprinkle more herbs. Alternatively you can drape a few bacon strips to keep it moist as tenderloins are relatively light on fatty deposits. Roast at 375 for 40-50 minutes basting often. Remove bacon with 5 minutes left to brown the meat. Let sit for 5 minutes then carve into thick medallions.

Bacon-wrapped Asparagus

Ingredients:

2 good handfuls of either skinny or thick Asparagus (makes about 6 servings)

12 slices of smoked bacon

4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme per bundle

pepper

Steam asparagus until al dente. Let cool, divide into 6 bundles and roll two slices of bacon around bundles leaving tips free. Broil until bacon is browned. Season to taste. Salt would be frivolous because of the bacon.

Heirloom Carrots in Dill Butter

Ingredients: 

6 nice sized carrots of different colours, washed and julienned*

butter

salt and pepper

1 tsp dried dill weed

Julienne carrots and steam until softened. Toss in bowl with butter and seasonings.

Simple Arugula Salad

Ingredients:

400 g baby arugula

1 ripe pear, skinned, cored and thinly sliced

Balsamic vinaigrette:

1 tbsp EVOO

3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Toss arugula with vinaigrette. Top with pear slices.

                                                   Mango Galette

The novelty of using pizza dough instead of a flakier "dessert" pastry is a bit of a double take but I love the chewy texture and bready flavour of the crust combined with the soft texture and tart flavour of the fruit. The savoury bits of the onion just sends it over the top--nothing beats a sweet and savoury dessert for me! Skill level required: basic 

Ingredients:

I frozen pizza dough, thawed overnight

I can apricot halves, drained and chopped

5 ripe Atalfo Mangoes, peeled, stoned, and chopped

1 lb cream cheese, softened

I red onion, halved, thinly sliced, sautéed until just softened

Coarse sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

Real Maple syrup for drizzling

Let dough sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so to make rolling either with pin or pressing out with fingers, easier. Make sure not to roll too thin or you'll risk a soggy crust that will fall apart. Place rolled dough onto cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Spread softened cream cheese over base of galette. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter red onion slices across and add both fruits, spreading evenly. Sprinkle more salt and pepper. Drizzle with maple syrup now and before serving. Fold up edges around galette making approx. two inches of cover, leaving center bare. Bake in oven, 400 degrees for approx 15 or until crust is brown and filling is bubbling slightly. Let cool until warm. Cut into wedges; thick for just-warm finger dessert or thicker for very-warm dessert in a bowl with vanilla ice cream.

Extras:
This dessert lends itself well to other types of pastry such as puff pastry with the filling spread almost edge to edge; phyllo folded up into a rectangle and brushed with butter before and maple syrup after; mini-tartlets (from freezer) filled with the savoury fruit filling and topped with light whipped cream or marscapone.

                                       Asparagus Tangle

We went to the nearby farm market on Monday and picked up some lovely asparagus, rhubarb and some early strawberries. I prepared the asparagus greek-style--a simple, nourishing dish that shows off these slim strands of yummy spring flavour! Skill level required: basic

Photo by Chelle Elle

                                          

Ingredients:

2 bunches of slim asparagus, washed and woody ends snapped off

1 tbsp EVOO and butter combined 

Coarse sea salt 

Freshly ground pepper

1 lemon, cut into quarters

Steam washed and prepped asparagus in even, alternating layers in pan. Remove from heat once softened, 1-2 minutes. I use the bottom of my steamer pan to sauté the asparagus in EVOO and butter to save on dishes but any large sauté pan will do. Sauté until soft enough to twirl but not overdone, approx 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Toss in salt and pepper to taste. Arrange your asparagus tangle on plate and squeeze lemon juice over top. And stand back or be trampled by the stampede for seconds! I'm not joking.         Makes 5-6 servings

                                    Fresh Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta

While fresh homemade pasta is ideal, store-bought fresh or even dried pasta will be an okay substitute. Skill level required: basic.

Ingredients:

750-900 grams fresh or dried pasta

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, washed, halved

I tbsp fresh basil, washed, chiffonade*

1/2 c drained feta cheese, rinsed if desired

1/2 c 4% cottage cheese

EVOO

Butter

Salt & pepper

Prepare pasta according to tastes, drain and toss with EVOO. Remember that fresh will take only a few minutes so time your 'sauce' accordingly.

Meanwhile in saucepan, saute tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper in butter. Once softened, add cheeses and remove from heat. Toss with pasta and serve immediately. Makes 3-4 servings.

Another version I call pasta salsa:

3 roma tomatoes, super ripe, chopped

5 basil leaves, chiffonade*

1/2tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 c grated parmesan

Mix and let sit five minutes to blend flavours.

For a really fresh note squeeze half of a lemon on top of pasta after salsa has been added.

*chiffonade: lay washed leaves one on top of the other, roll into cigar shape, slice thinly into small strands.

                                                    Leek and Potato Flan

Serve this with a simple green salad drizzled with olive oil, lemon and a bit of salt and pepper. Skill level required: basic.

Ingredients:

3-4 yellow, white or red potatoes

100-150g pancetta, chopped

1 c thinly sliced leeks

125g goat cheese, crumbled

3 egss, beaten lightly

2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

2/3 c 10% cream

1/3 c milk

Salt & pepper

1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

Parmesan for topping

Cook whole, skin on potatoes until almost done. Let cool slightly. Slice into 1/4" and put into large bowl.

Cook pancetta until barely crisp. Saute leek, thyme, salt and pepper in same pan until softened. Add to potatoes with goat cheese and parsley. Add all but 2 tbsp pancetta; toss to combine. Spread into greased 10" quiche pan or pie plate.

Whisk eggs cream and milk together; pour over potato mixture. Sprinkle with remaining pancetta.

Bake at 375 degrees until puffed and just set in centre, about 35 minutes. Serves 3 with leftovers.

Here is a Mexican Feast that is a bit high in calories but it's okay for once in a while. In our home, once or twice a year is more than enough for dishes like these--we like them too much!

                                               Chicken Quesadilla Supreme

I used leftover chicken made the night before:poached in a mix of chicken stock, white wine, dried onion flakes and herbs(enough liquid to come halfway up the sides of the chicken pieces). Skill level required: intermediate.

Ingredients:

2-3 leftover chicken breasts, thinly sliced, cut into 1" pieces or strips

100g goats milk cheese

2 avocadoes, cored and skinned, diced, tossed in lime juice

1 lime for juice

1 celery, thinly sliced

1 scallion, chopped

1 small red pepper, thinly sliced

1 small yellow pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 c grated old cheddar

1/2 jalapeno minced fine

spinach tortillas

optional homemade fruit salsa (I used my pineapple & chili salsa)

Saute scallions, celery and peppers a few minutes until almost softened, adding chicken at last minute to warm some. 

Assemble quesadillas in layers: Spread goats milk cheese then add avocadoes, celery mix, chicken, and cheese. Fold tortilla in half( or used two whole tortillas and cut in half to serve two people) and fry in a bit of oil until browned and cheese has melted. Serve immediately.                                                                     Makes 4-6 servings.

                              served with            Spanish Rice

I came up with this while staring into the fridge on a Wednesday night wondering what to feed the men. Since I love using up leftovers at these times I emptied a jar of medium Pace salsa and approx 1 cup of The Works Clamato Juice for this dish but I recommend you use a homemade salsa of your choice and any tomato juice you like.

Rice for 4 people (read instructions on pkg)

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

1 celery, diced

1/2 jar salsa & clamato juice to liquid level for rice preparation

1/2 jalapeno, minced

1 tsp dried cumin

1 tsp dried thyme

Saute vegetables until tender. Add rice and saute 1 minute. Add liquids and herbs. Cook as per rice instructions.

                                  served with        Mexican Beans

This is where you make use of your pantry goods. Just make sure they are locally sourced,  low in sodium and rinse them well. I know most home cooks prefer dried beans but the point of sharing these recipes is to offer a middle ground for most cooks. By all means, use dried beans--just soak and partially cook them before starting this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can mexican beans, rinsed

1 can mixed Fava and Chick peas, rinsed

1 scallion, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 celery, diced

3/4 c beef broth, homemade or boxed. Cubes of bouillon tend to be too salty.

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp tomato paste, optional

Saute vegetables with herbs and spices. Add beans and broth and cook for a few minutes. Mash roughly and continue cooking til thick and goopy.

                              
                            Greek-style Peppers with Lemon-tossed Arugula

Use the freshest, firmest peppers you can get your hands on and remember to wash those same hands after dealing with the peppers!

Ingredients:

3 large poblano peppers, washed, tops cut off and membrane removed
150g goats cheese, softened
150g grated hard cheese, cheddar, monterey jack, colby etc
100g seasoned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
5 roasted red peppers, drained of oil and chopped
1 anaheim pepper, washed, minced
4 slices worth of smoked bacon lardons*, divided
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 c Kalamata olives, pitted and rough chopped
Blend: salt, pepper, oregano, dried garlic
1 lemon
EVOO
300g washed baby arugula

Cook lardons thoroughly, drain and put in large bowl. Saute scallions and anaheim peppers until softened. Add to bowl along with cheeses, olives, red peppers and the herb blend. Mix well. Stuff peppers with mixture and secure tops with toothpicks in three places (or more if you are paranoid). Brush peppers with EVOO and either broil in oven, turning once, or fry in cast iron pan until crispy and insides have heated.

Toss arugula with lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper. Arrange on plate and serve with one pepper each person. Makes 3 servings. 

Makes a great lunch when served with a nice crusty peasant bread and whipped butter or eat it as an appetizer or late afternoon snack.

*lardons are small cut strips of bacon 

That was just a start on sharing my recipes with you all. Hope you enjoy making them as much as I did coming up with them. Good eating, everyone!