I house-sat once at a chef's house. I found myself in a kitchen where bones took up most of the freezer, grinders and ice cream makers and food processors lines the tops of the cupboards, and the spice cabinet rivaled my own. The recipe books, however, far surpassed my collection … [Read more...] about Stir-Fried Cabbage with Dried Chilies, Star Anise and Ginger (Yunnan Lajiao Baicai)
Archives for January 2011
Haitian Mango with Lime, Salt and Chartreuse Verte
I'm such a cheat, and not just on my fruit guy. All my locavore pride goes out the window when I buy Haitian mangoes. Walking into a fruit store at Jean-Talon for me is like waving a lit cigarette in front of a former smoker. I just can't resist. What's been stopping me mostly … [Read more...] about Haitian Mango with Lime, Salt and Chartreuse Verte
Chicken Pho’ Ga: What I almost did correctly
I've spent the last 7 years of my life away from Newfoundland exploring different kinds of foods. In my undergrad, once a month I'd take myself out to a (cheap) restaurant as an escape from residence meals. So, of course, it had to be the best restaurant I could find for the … [Read more...] about Chicken Pho’ Ga: What I almost did correctly
Vanilla Almond Chicken
I was told about this recipe for a good year before I made it. When you get an offer to come to someone's home and make a dairy-free, creamy dish with vanilla, you take it. I don't know how it took me a year and a plane ride home to Newfoundland to do it. Unfortunately I had to … [Read more...] about Vanilla Almond Chicken
“Raw” Cranberry-Pecan Spread for the Montreal “Raw” Foodists Meetup
Montreal "Raw" Food Potluck, January 2011. If you think "raw" food sounds complicated, well, it is, but the recipes themselves are usually ridiculously simple - Take a bunch of roughly chopped (or not at all) ingredients and blend. It's the kitchen two-step. The tricky part is … [Read more...] about “Raw” Cranberry-Pecan Spread for the Montreal “Raw” Foodists Meetup
Refined Quebecois Food = Less Fuss Than French, Just As Much Butter: Not-So-Seared Scallops in Orange Butter Sauce
Scallops in Orange Butter Sauce When you're in Newfoundland and you don't feel like cooking, you make seafood. It's so ridiculously easy and takes about 15 minutes from start to finish if your fish is thawed. You can put this orange sauce on anything from mackerel to char (which … [Read more...] about Refined Quebecois Food = Less Fuss Than French, Just As Much Butter: Not-So-Seared Scallops in Orange Butter Sauce
Indian Sambar in Newfoundland (aka Turkey Detox Food)
I've made a lot of sambhar, but I figured my family might be all turkey-ed out after Christmas and no-meat-Mondays weren't quite good enough. So I introduced my family to masala dosa and, more importantly, to sambhar. Ingredients: Sambar Powder2 tbsp coriander seeds 2-4 small … [Read more...] about Indian Sambar in Newfoundland (aka Turkey Detox Food)
Melomakorona: Greek Honey-Soaked Cookies
I thought these were going to be easy... ...and it's not that Melomakarona are 'hard' to make, so much as they're time-consuming. You need to shape each one by hand and then place them in batches in hot honey syrup. I figured they'd be like baklava where you pour the syrup over … [Read more...] about Melomakorona: Greek Honey-Soaked Cookies
Zabaione? Zabaglione? Either Way, Prosecco, Sugar, Egg Yolks, and Learning Italian
Though this is more commonly made with Marsala wine, and may actually have originally been made with beer, the light, bubbly sweetness of prosecco is absolutely perfect with the sweet egg yolk, frothed dessert. It's the cousin of the French sabayon a sweet or savoury sauce, but … [Read more...] about Zabaione? Zabaglione? Either Way, Prosecco, Sugar, Egg Yolks, and Learning Italian
Finally! Angel Food Cake with Maple-Honey Dessert Wine Apricots and Honey Ice Wine Figs
Basically the whole concept of the 3rd Annual Volk/Watson Christmas Extravaganza started because I wanted to make Angel's Food Cake. To me, that's more than reason enough to have a party. The fact that it was Christmas came second. I've made this recipe before, and it's … [Read more...] about Finally! Angel Food Cake with Maple-Honey Dessert Wine Apricots and Honey Ice Wine Figs