Meatless Mondays - Roasted Tomato and Swiss Chard Pappardelle

 

Roasting tomatoes and garlic brings out the sweetness inherent to both. When combined with the sharp cheese, creamy pine nuts and fresh herbs this dish is simple yet the flavours are full and comforting. I recently made this dish for a friend of mine who is expecting and does not want to eat anything but tomatoes!! For her, I removed the vermouth and used Parmesan instead of Chevre, which was equally good!

Roasted Tomato and Swiss Chard Pappardelle

2 pints mixed cherry and grape tomatoes
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh herbs (I've used rosemary, oregano, basil and thyme)
1 bunch Swiss chard
 2/3 cup dry vermouth

fresh or dry pappardelle pasta nests (about 375 g)   
10-15 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts
small bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped  

handful of fresh basil, chopped

olive oil
salt and pepper 

Chevre / Parmesan / Pecorino

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2.    In an oven proof dish, combine 2 T olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, bunch of fresh herbs (reserve parsley and handful of basil for later use), and a large pinch of salt and pepper (about 1.5 t of each). Roast for 10-15 minutes. (keep an eye on them, they are done when they are well blistered). Remove from oven and set aside (This can be done ahead of time and then you can reheat them when you make the sauce). When you are ready to use, remove the bunch of fresh herbs and discard. 

3.    Boil water for pasta and add 1 T salt to the water. Add the pasta, and cook according to package directions.  

4.    Meanwhile, in a separate saute pan, brown the pine nuts in the dry pan, remove, and set aside. 

5.    Chop Swiss chard. In the same saute pan as above, heat 1 T of olive oil, add Swiss chard, salt and pepper, and saute until Swiss chard is wilted.  

6.    When the Swiss chard is wilted, add the tomato mixture and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the flavours come together. Add half of the fresh chopped herbs (parsley and basil), and 3/4 of the pine nuts. Stir to combine. 

7.    When the pasta is done, drain, but retain at least 1 cup of the cooking water. Add pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss to combine. If it seems like it needs more liquid, add some of the cooking water, about 2 T at a time, until the sauce coats the pasta. 

8.     To serve, top with remaining herbs, pine nuts and the cheese of your choice. 

 

Summer Garden Salad

As summer winds down this week, I am coming to terms with the end of another warm season. The leaves are just starting to change and soon we will be seeking the warming comfort of stews, homemade bread and soups. Summer always passes too quickly, with so many exciting obligations, cottages, vacations, pools to be enjoyed! I never get as much time to blog as I plan!

I wanted to spend this last week celebrating our garden. This year we had a huge garden. It was a lot of work but we have been harvesting the benefits for months now. By far the star of our garden this year was the beautiful tomato. We planted, in total, 67 plants. Yes, a tad excessive. But we have had fun trying all of the new heirloom varieties. I can say that I have eaten tomatoes, in some form, at almost all meals for about two months now and I am still craving them. I think I could live on tomatoes like these, daily, for the rest of my life! So, many of the recipes this week have that theme (perhaps I will call it an homage to the tomato).

My first recipe, however, is created from a mixture of many of the vegetables in our garden. All of the veggies, herbs and lettuce used in this salad come from the garden (save and except for the pine nuts). This is an easy summer classic garden salad. I make it regularly throughout the season. It is an excellent way to celebrate the harvest, add whatever you have fresh on hand!

Summer Garden Salad

3 or 4 large handfuls of lettuce (I used arugula and Boston bib)

1 bunch of french breakfast radishes, sliced thinly

large handful of mixed herbs (I used chives, basil, mint, oregano and parsley)

large handful of fresh mixed grape tomatoes, halved 

garden cucumber, sliced thin

small handful of toasted pine nuts

Dressing:

 

Salt 

Pepper

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Dijon Mustard

White Balsamic Vinegar

Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Oysters with Herb Butter

In honour of Canada Day, here is one of my favourite recipes for grilled seafood, given that grilling is one of Canada's favourite pastimes, and definitely the way that I will be celebrating the day! There is something so fantastic about sitting outside, enjoying the weather, grilling with a beer in hand!

This recipe can be used for almost any type of seafood. Halved lobsters work well as do scallops, mussels etc. You can also change up the herbs to include whatever you have fresh on hand!

Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Oysters with Herb Butter

2 lbs jumbo shrimp

12 oysters

large handful of fresh herbs (tarragon, chives, parsley, mint), chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 t smoked paprika

2 T olive oil

3 T butter

salt and pepper

Remove vein and legs from shrimp and butterfly from the top, keeping shell attached.

Wash oysters well to remove all excess grit and sand.

Combine olive oil, 1 clove garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and shrimp in a bowl. Let marinate for twenty minutes.

Melt butter in a small sauce pan, combine melted butter with fresh herbs, and remaining clove of garlic.

Grill oysters and shrimp over medium high heat until shrimp is pink and oysters are opened. As oysters open, brush with butter and herb mixture.

Remove from grill and toss with butter and herb mixture.

Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy with crusty bread and a crisp refreshing white wine.

Happy Canada Day!!!

Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla and Basil Spiked Whipped Cream

I love love love strawberry Shortcake. I am speaking of the desert here, and not the cartoon, although I do have a special place in my heart for her as well. When I was little one of my favourite movies was "Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City". Strawberry is the big winner of a nation wide cooking contest and she wins a trip to "Big Apple City" in order to compete in a big bake-off at "the little theater off Times Pear!!" (she makes Strawberry Shortcake!) Sometimes I wonder why I am a lawyer ... I digress!!

The shortcake recipe was inherited from my Grandmother Gerrie! My mother has been baking it up for me for all of my life and it is my favourite. I always look forward to this time of year, when the local strawberry farms are full of beautiful sweet berries. The season is so short so take advantage while you can!

Grandma G's Shortcake:

2 cups all purpose flour

3 T sugar

3 t baking powder

1 t salt

1/3 cup shortening or lard

1 cup milk (2% or whole milk)

2 T butter - cut into small pieces

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Cut in shortening, then stir in milk until just blended.

Mixture will be thick.

Spoon Mixture into an 8" x 8" square greased pan and dot with butter.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Strawberries w/ Vanilla and Basil Spiked Whipped Cream

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

2 T basil

1/4 cup icing sugar

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 vanilla bean

Place Strawberries in a bowl, top with 1 T icing sugar and 1 t basil. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

In the bowl of a mortar and pestle, combine remaining basil and icing sugar. Smash until the basil is well bruised and the sugar and basil are well acquainted!

In a clean metal bowl, whisk together whipping cream sugar + basil mixture, and the insides of the vanilla bean, until soft peaks are formed.

Serve by slicing a piece of the shortcake in half, load the bottom half with as many strawberries and cream as possible, then top with the remaining half!

Bliss!!

Meatless Mondays ... Quinoa Burgers!

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's "Whole Living Website". The website is full of fantastic recipes which are healthy and really delicious! She also has ideas for life balance, green living tips, fitness ideas and lots more information designed to help the reader live a full, balanced and healthy lifestyle!

This recipe is my favourite veggie burger recipe. As summer has arrived (semi-officially, marked by the Victoria Day weekend last weekend and the Memorial Day weekend for Americans this past weekend) it is the beginning of burger season in my house!! The recipe calls for pitas, which are great, but I also love them on whole wheat English muffins!! If you skip the Tzatziki sauce and replace the egg with egg substitute, you can make this recipe vegan!

Quinoa Burgers

1/2 cup rinsed quinoa, cooked

1 medium carrot, chopped coarsely

6 T, chives, chopped finely

15 ounces white navy beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 T ground cumin

1 t coarse salt

1 t ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Tzatziki Sauce

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 T lemon zest

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, chopped fine

1/2 English cucumber, shredded and drained

Place the carrots in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade attachment. Pulse until the carrot is very finely chopped.

Add cooked quinoa, chives, beans, breadcrumbs, egg and spices to the carrot. Pulse until mixture is combined but still slightly chunky.

Form into four equal sized burger patties. Refrigerate for half an hour, or until firm.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet (I prefer a cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Cook burgers until browned and cooked through, approximately 8-10 minutes per side.

To make sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and serve!

The Ultimate Burger & Ceasar Salad

I have been on a search this summer, to find the ultimate burger recipe. I think this one is pretty close! I think it is always better to grind your own meat. We used top sirloin. Whatever cut you choose, you must ensure that there is enough fat included, otherwise the burger will be dry and mealy. Most of the research that I have found suggests a 15-20% ratio of fat to meat. If you are using a leaner cut of meat (like turkey), I would suggest adding some bacon to the mix, in order to up the fat ratio, so as to ensure a juicy burger!

I think a good burger needs no other accompaniment than an equally fantastic salad. Growing up in my house, salad almost always meant Caesar salad. This version (my mother's) is very garlicy, so I wouldn't suggest it prior to a first date or even if you have a job interview in the next week. But if you are happily in love (or happily single) and well employed, this salad is well worth the day or two of keeping your distance.

Ultimate Burger

~ makes 6 well sized burgers ~

2 lbs top sirloin beef, ground
1 egg

1/4 cup dry or fresh bread crumbs

1 T Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, chopped fine

4 drops liquid smoke

1/4 cup fresh Greek oregano (or rosemary), chopped fine

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

salt and ground pepper

fresh kaiser rolls

Combine all ingredients and form into six equal burgers.
Grill to medium.
Serve on kaiser rolls with sauce (recipe below)

Sauce:

1/2 cup mayo

large handful basil leaves, chopped fine

1 T lemon juice

1 T Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

Combine and serve!

Colleen's Caesar Salad

2 egg yolks

1 T lemon juice

8 shakes worcestershire sauce

2 t anchovy paste

2 T red wine vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 T Dijon mustard or 2 t dried mustard

salt and pepper

1/2 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large head romaine lettuce

1/4 red onion, chopped into rings

1 cup croutons

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Combine first eight ingredients with a hand blender.

Slowly add olive oil, while blending, until desired consistency is reached (should be very creamy).

Toss dressing with lettuce, onions croutons and cheese.

Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs

Is there anything more indicative of summer than barbecued ribs? But when I awoke this morning it was raining and so I thought to myself: this is an opportunity to use my oven to make Slow Roasted Ribs, instead. This recipe is fail-safe. It always results in ribs so tender that they are difficult to remove from the roasting pan because the meat is falling off the bone. This is my kind of medicine to cure rainy day blues!

Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs
2 sides baby back pork ribs
1 T smoked or hot paprika
1 T sweet paprika
1 T chili powder
1 T roasted garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T brown sugar
1 T sea salt
1 T black pepper
1 bottle beer (your choice)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Remove the silver skin from the bone side of the ribs.
Make a dry rub by combining all of the spices. Rub generously to liberally cover the ribs with a coating of the rub.
(At this point you can let the ribs marinate for a few hours, up to 24 hours)
Place the ribs in a large roasting pan, bone side down.
Pour beer over ribs.
Cover tightly with tinfoil.
Roast for 4 hours.

Remove ribs from pan and place on a rack to let them dry a bit.
Coat ribs liberally with your favourite bbq sauce.
Drain beer from pan.
Turn on oven broiler to 500 degrees.
Place well lubricated ribs back in roasting pan.
Broil until ribs are caramelized.

Fall off the bone goodness!

Strawberry Rhubarb Panna Cotta

On a recent trip to the St. Jacobs Market, I was delighted to find some beautiful Ontario strawberries. They were the first local strawberries I had found this season. I had a craving for panna cotta so I thought, what better way to celebrate my find.

Panna cotta (cooked cream) is an Italian desert, which is found on almost every trattoria menu, similar to creme brulee in France. The desert is shamelessly simple and fail-free.

Strawberry Rhubarb Panna Cotta

panna cotta:
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 cups half and half cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 t vanilla or 1 one vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 packets gelatin
6 T cold water

sauce:
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped in half
1/2 cup sugar
2 T Chambord liqueur

Dissolve gelatin by sprinkling over cold water and letting the mixture stand for about 5 minutes.
Heat cream, half and half and sugar over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.
If using vanilla: turn off heat and whisk in vanilla.
If using vanilla bean: split pod in half, lengthwise, scrape all off the seeds out of the pod and place pod and seeds in with cream mixture while still over heat. Cook cream until it almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Remove pod from cream, re-heat cream until very hot but not boiling.
Pour hot cream over gelatin mixture and whisk well so that the gelatin is fully dissolved in the hot cream.
Pour into eight, well-oiled ramekins or teacups
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) so that panna cotta has time to set-up
To unmold: run a knife around the edge of the panna cotta, turn upside down, pat the bottom of the ramekin and it should pop out!

To make sauce: add all ingredients to a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Cook until fruit is very soft. Pure half of the liquid in a food processor until very smooth and add back into pan to combine with the remaining fruit. Cool well and serve with panna cotta (also fantastic with pancakes, french toast and waffles!)

Based upon Secrets From My Tuscan Kitchen by Judy Witts

Grilled Lamb Kofta Kebabs

I first tried Kofta Kebabs while visiting my friend Jen in London, UK. She took us to this amazing little shop that sold hand minced lamb kebabs that were cooked in the restaurant, in-front of the patrons, over a roaring fire of coals and mixed wood. The make-shift campfire filled the restaurant (and half the neighbourhood) with an alluring perfume of smoke and grilled meat. Their plan was successful as the patrons were lined down the block. I immediately fell in love with the tender, full-flavoured, smokey kebabs.

I made homemade flat-breads, they turned out very well, and were very easy to make. Here is the recipe link.

Grilled Lamb Kofta Kebabs
~Makes 8 wraps ~

1 kilo ground or minced lamb (I used a boneless shoulder)
2 hand-fulls shelled pistachio nuts
zest of two lemons
1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 large red Thai bird chili, chopped fine
1 T chili powder
2 T ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients, other than the lamb, in a food processor and grind into a very fine crumb. Pour into a bowl, with minced lamb, and combine well. Skewer onto 4 large metal skewers or 8 smaller metal skewers. Cook on BBQ grill (charcoal is best), until cooked through, and nicely browned on all sides.

Toppings:
Sauce: 1 cup plain yogurt mixed with juice of 1 lemon, 2 cloves crushed garlic and 1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine.
Lettuce: mix of salad leaves, torn, picked whole leaves of parsley and mint, dress with good olive oil, lemon juice, 1 T white wine vinegar and salt and pepper.
Pickled Onion: combine 1 medium sized red onion, very finely sliced into rings, with the juice of one lemon, let rest for 1/2 hour before serving.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Jamie at Home" cookbook, which is one of my favourites.

Spaghetti with Clams (Spaghetti alle Vongole)

This pasta dish (which is also commonly made with Linguine) brings me back to Italy, in an instant. Originally developed in Naples, the dish is common throughout the southern parts of the country, including the Amalfi coast. It's simple, clean flavours and ingredients all work together to show off the sweet clam meat. As such, it is not common to put any Parmesan on the dish as the argument is, that it is too strong a flavour for the delicate seafood. However I say, to each his own, if you want to add cheese, carpe diem!

Spaghetti with Clams (Spaghetti alle Vongole)
1 pound dry spaghetti
large glug olive oil
2 T butter
large pinch red chili pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 kilo pasta clams (little neck or smaller)
1 pint tomatoes, halved
1 cup white wine
large bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine

Cook pasta, in well salted water, according to directions on package.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat olive oil and butter until butter is melted. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add chili flakes, clams and wine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until clam shells just open.
When pasta is quite al dente (it will continue to cook in the sauce), drain pasta, reserving a little of the pasta water aside, and toss pasta into pot with clams. Add tomatoes and half of the parsley and toss well to combine.
Cook pasta until sauce thickens and pasta is cooked according to your liking. If pasta is dry add reserved pasta water.
Serve sprinkled with remaining parsley.

Grilled Vegetable Panzanella

This late spring / early summer salad demands the freshest ingredients. The salad is so simple yet it is bursting with flavours. On a warm night when I don't want to cook in the house, I will grill up some fish or meat and accompany it with this salad. If you toast the bread on the grill outside, you can cook the entire meal without using your oven!

Grilled Vegetable Panzanella
1/4 loaf crusty day old bread, cubed
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 sweet pepper, cut into thirds, seeds removed
3 large leeks, white parts only
1 large bunch asparagus, tough ends removed
1 large bunch basil, chopped
zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toss bread with olive oil and toast until dry.
Combine tomatoes and bread in a large bowl.
Cut leeks in half, lengthwise.
Combine leeks, pepper and asparagus and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
Grill leeks, pepper and asparagus until vegetables are soft. Remove blackened skin from peppers. Chop all vegetables roughly, and toss with bread, tomatoes and basil.
Combine lemon juice, zest, vinegar and olive oil in a separate bowl. Pour half of dressing over salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing, as needed, until salad is dressed to your liking. Adjust seasonings.

Salmon and Avocado Cold Rolls

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover salmon. I used leftover miso-glazed salmon, which was a fantastic match to the other ingredients in the recipe. You could also use cooked shrimp, crab, lobster or chicken. This recipe is loosely based on Dinah Koo's of Toronto's "Tiger Lily's Noodle House".

Salmon and Avocado Cold Rolls
~ 8 rolls ~

Rolls:
5 oz brown rice vermicelli noodles
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup cucumber, de-seeded and shredded
bunch mint leaves, chopped fine
bunch basil leaves, chopped fine
bunch chives, chopped fine
6 oz salmon
1 avocado
1 T toasted sesame seeds
16 rice papers, two per roll

Sauce:
1 T dark honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T hoisin sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 T sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
juice and zest of two limes
pinch red chili flakes

Prepare vermicelli noodles by soaking in hot water until noodles are soft. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Add to large bowel. Drain excess water from shredded carrots and cucumber and add vegetables to noodles. Add fresh herbs (mint, basil and chives) to noodle mixture.
Prepare sauce by mixing all ingredients in a bowl.
Add half of the sauce to the noodle mixture.
Prepare a water dish by filling a large pie plate or large bowl with very hot water.
Soak 2 rice paper rounds, per roll, in the hot water for 1 minute.
Lay softened papers, one on top of the other, on a clean board.
Place a large mound of noodle mixture onto center of round.
Top with a couple of slices each, of avocado and salmon.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Fold the bottom of the paper above and over the mixture, tucking in the sides. Roll another quarter turn, re-tuck in the sides and then continue to roll until mixture is completely wrapped. The rice paper will naturally stick to itself, creating a seal.
Tip: soak two more papers while rolling each roll, in order to make the process quicker.
Serve rolls, cut down the middle, with remaining sauce.