I was biking on the Maisonneuve bike path a few weeks ago and I saw a homeless man standing on the side of the road pointing at the ground ahead of me. Oh, he’s warning me about a pothole! I thought. How friendly and helpful! Now that’s something special about this city – the … [Read more...] about More About Montreal…and Potatoes
Sides
Green Tamalito with Smoked Haddock in Banana Leaf
I brought home tamal flour from Peru. I think it might be legal. No one told me it wasn't. It's ground white maize mostly. It's a rough grind and it's not as sweet as corn up here, so it'd be pretty hard to reproduce and probably very expensive to find the proper corn. You can, … [Read more...] about Green Tamalito with Smoked Haddock in Banana Leaf
In the Shape of Violins: Sautéd Fiddleheads
When I first heard the translation for fiddleheads it didn't click. Tetes de Violons - "heads of violins". To me a fiddle has never meant a violin. One plays Bach and the other plays gigs and reels. But when it comes to the dirty, toxin-bearing vegetable, it's all the same. You … [Read more...] about In the Shape of Violins: Sautéd Fiddleheads
Vegetarian Baked Beans with Maple Syrup and Beer
This is such a Quebec dish...except where did the pig go? Baked beans——or "fèves au lard" in this great province——are traditionally made with lard or bacon or lardons to give it a richness. The problem is I don't eat pork. Well, it's not so much a problem as an inconvenience when … [Read more...] about Vegetarian Baked Beans with Maple Syrup and Beer
Thick-Crust Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza for Meat-Lovers and Cheese-Lovers
I went home to Newfoundland for a weekend and cooked a lot, because that's what I do - cook a lot, not go home a lot. I always try to cater meals to my lactose-intolerant, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free mother, but also things that my dad will enjoy, things with milk and butter … [Read more...] about Thick-Crust Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza for Meat-Lovers and Cheese-Lovers
Gluten-Free Naan Bread
I had a cup of yogurt from my favourite biodynamic Ontario dairy farm left with only a few days before expiration. I also had leftover stir-fried okra with shallots, stir-fried bitter melon, and a red lentil dal. To me that means it's time to make naan. Normally you never make … [Read more...] about Gluten-Free Naan Bread
Stir-Fried Okra with Sour Shallots
When I see a ton of fresh okra on sale I buy it. You might look at this vegetable and think what's the big deal? You might even taste it and not be impressed. Maybe you won't like the slimy quality of it that perfectly thickens gumbo and is oh-so-good for you because of its high … [Read more...] about Stir-Fried Okra with Sour Shallots
Stir-Fried Bitter Melon
Have you ever cooked with bitter melon? (I'm going to assume you just answered no.) Yeah, I hadn't either. It's a hard-to-find item because I've never seen it grown here in Canada and is generally used in Asian cooking, not North American cooking. I had absolutely no idea what … [Read more...] about Stir-Fried Bitter Melon
My Indian kitchen: Sweet and Sour Butternut Squash
I find myself buying butternut squash three at a time. Is that ridiculous? I'll usually roast them and then eat the chunks with rice or kamut or barley for lunch or a snack or a side dish. But I have the attention span of a goldfish recipe-wise, and I get bored of making the … [Read more...] about My Indian kitchen: Sweet and Sour Butternut Squash
Back At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: South Indian-Style Green Beans with Sesame, Cumin and Mustard Seeds
I meant to make an Indian mustard pickle, but when I went to prepare the third dish for my small Indian dinner party - green beans - I couldn't remember which recipe I had decided to use. This one for South Indian style green beans is pretty boring, it's true, but it won't upset … [Read more...] about Back At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: South Indian-Style Green Beans with Sesame, Cumin and Mustard Seeds