Raw foodists will scoff at fermenting and then boiling this hot sauce. Why go to all the trouble creating that healthy bacteria if you're just going to kill it and drown it in vinegar? Well, raw foodists, I do it because the recipe says so, and in a pickling or fermentation … [Read more...] about 3 Days for Fermented Sriracha (and Chinese chili paste with sesame oil)
Cucumbers, Peppers, Zucchini, Tomatoes & Eggplants
Stir-Fried Bitter Melon: A Recipe with Salt, Sugar, and a Slimy Crunch
Really appealing title, right? If you don't like okra or purslane or Vietnamese spinach or marrow bone or fois gras, then this dish isn't for you. Because that's the onctuous texture of bitter when cooked. Unlike the marrow bone and fois gras, however, the creaminess is combined … [Read more...] about Stir-Fried Bitter Melon: A Recipe with Salt, Sugar, and a Slimy Crunch
Nun’s Island Farmers Market Recipes: Spiced Eggplant Confit and Deconstructed Greek Salad
Today I'm at the Nun's Island Farmers Market cooking in the fall chill. I guess I should be pan-grilling pumpkin with parsley and lemon zest, but I'm staying less autumnal with olive oil-simmered eggplant and a tomato-heavy Greek salad. It was about time I took advantage of the … [Read more...] about Nun’s Island Farmers Market Recipes: Spiced Eggplant Confit and Deconstructed Greek Salad
Roasted Zucchini with Pecans
It's zucchini season and I'm so jealous of my community garden neighbours with their trellises overflowing with gorgeous summer squash. There are some as long as my arm, and some fatter (than my arm). I can eat just zucchini as a main course. Roasted with garlic, olive oil and … [Read more...] about Roasted Zucchini with Pecans
Up In the Air: A Salad for Lightness
This was me three weeks ago. I flew through the air at Parc Jean-Drapeau on a trapeze set up for the Festival du Monde coinciding with Le Festival Complètement Cirque in Montreal. Definitions Festival du Monde: A two-weekend event celebrating the cultures of different … [Read more...] about Up In the Air: A Salad for Lightness
Andalusian Green Grape and Almond Gazpacho: A taste of summer
A little while ago a friend of mine sprained his wrist falling off his bike after hitting a pothole on a poorly-maintained Montreal street. This significantly impaired his ability to chop vegetables, open packages, and wash dishes, resulting in a slew of lackluster - and … [Read more...] about Andalusian Green Grape and Almond Gazpacho: A taste of summer
Summer Nights Sweet-and-Sour Chipotle Slow-Cooker Chili
There are two schools of thought on chili: 1. It's a winter-only food, meant for heating you up from the inside out 2. It's a year-round food, meant for heating you up in winter and cooling you down with mind-numbing and shiver-inducing sweating in summer. I fall into the … [Read more...] about Summer Nights Sweet-and-Sour Chipotle Slow-Cooker Chili
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Maple Syrup, Lemon and Pecans
Sorry for the tardiness in getting recipes up lately. I've been busy testing recipes for an article on cooking with kids for Alive Magazine. From a list of over fifty I whittled the options down to ten, and I've been busy testing them. This one did not make the cut, not because … [Read more...] about Stuffed Acorn Squash with Maple Syrup, Lemon and Pecans
Wild Arctic Char Chirashizushi: Scattered fish on sushi rice with homemade pickled ginger
This is what you do with leftover sashimi. You don't eat it raw since it's not as fresh and safe the day after. That would be like challeging the anti-microbials in the soy sauce and wasabi to a duel. At least if your immune system is as sketchy as mine has been known to be. So … [Read more...] about Wild Arctic Char Chirashizushi: Scattered fish on sushi rice with homemade pickled ginger
Spanish (Basque-ish) Chicken with Olives
Why can you find a recipe only when you're not looking for it? I feel as though I've spent my life avoiding chicken à la Basquaise. I remember that whole slew of recipes to involve olives and paprika and a whole chicken cut up and slow-cooked. Turns out when I go to look for a … [Read more...] about Spanish (Basque-ish) Chicken with Olives