Starts like this: Turns into this: Then turns into this: Weird, huh? Yeah, I thought so too. So you take a butternut squash, peel it, cube it (1-inch cubes), soak the cubes for 8 hours in cold water (or overnight), drain, put them on a baking sheet, and stick it in the oven … [Read more...] about One of the Strangest Things I Ever Made: Dehydrated Butternut Squash
Sides
Extraordinary Eggplant: Indian Bringal
I've gotten into the habit of roasting or even boiling (in a rush) eggplant and then seasoning it with a blend of "hot", "salty", and "sweet" (ex: cayenne + soy sauce + oyster sauce; chili paste + fish sauce + hoisin; red pepper flakes + miso + mirin, or some combination of these … [Read more...] about Extraordinary Eggplant: Indian Bringal
A Peck of Pickled Peppers Not Picked By Peter
I'm not sure if that's actually what I meant to write or if it's just tactile stuttering because I can barely feel my fingers... It was a long bike ride from Jean-Talon this morning and the Tunisian dates and the bison rib didn't keep me warm from the inside out as I'd hoped. I … [Read more...] about A Peck of Pickled Peppers Not Picked By Peter
When Life Gives You Lemons You Roast Jerusalem Artichokes (Part 1)…
...Or maybe that's just me. The thing is, I love lemons, but if they were all life gave me, I'd be a well-fed, yet unhappy person. Until today I'd had four beautiful items sitting in my kitchen waiting to be cooked and no time in which to cook (or 'un-cook') them. So when life … [Read more...] about When Life Gives You Lemons You Roast Jerusalem Artichokes (Part 1)…
Lemon and Thyme Roasted Fennel: “How Did I Get So?”
Dear Fennel, I feel as though a beautiful song by Ingrid Gatin aptly reflects how I feel about our relationship. Please watch this video before reading the rest of my letter: "Time swelled the moment that we started"...I washed you and cored you carefully, then thinly sliced … [Read more...] about Lemon and Thyme Roasted Fennel: “How Did I Get So?”
South Indian Sambar: Tamarind, Lentils and Spices
I love making recipes when I don't need to go buy any ingredients. It's only kind of fair because I happen to have a lot of weird ingredients that normal people don't usually stock in their kitchens (chana dal, asafoetida, curry leaves, and even soaked and sieved tamarind in my … [Read more...] about South Indian Sambar: Tamarind, Lentils and Spices
Herbes Salées and Roasted Potatoes
Salted herbs: take some herbs and add salt. Or buy a small container of minced herbs preserved in salt. I found a nice bottle at an organic place I like and decided to give it a test drive. Seems to wasteful, I know, but there had to be something special about it. See, there are … [Read more...] about Herbes Salées and Roasted Potatoes
I Pickled! Daikon Radish Threads and Easy Red Chilies
I feel like I'm one step closer to grandmother-hood. No, there is no man involved, or God forbid, children, but there is canning. I made my first canned things and if they don't get all mouldy in the next few weeks I'll feel an even great sense of accomplishment. So after an … [Read more...] about I Pickled! Daikon Radish Threads and Easy Red Chilies
Zucchini and Tomatillos Cooked In Chilies
I'm a big believer in using what you have. What I had was a pot in which I'd just made the most delicious chile sauce. The pot still held the remnants of the sauce and I hate wasting a delicious thing. I wanted every last bit of heat. So I quickly chopped some zucchini and diced … [Read more...] about Zucchini and Tomatillos Cooked In Chilies
Eggplant with Ground Venison and Cilantro
Sometimes I make things that don't look very appetizing. If I'm just making them for myself I don't put a whole lot of extra effort into making them look pretty, but then in you come, reader, making me add garnishes. I have this feeling you will think I'm a better cook if I add … [Read more...] about Eggplant with Ground Venison and Cilantro