Warm Grilled Calamari & Prawn Salad

OPA!

I'm going to Greece soon and I although I won't be posting much (if at all), I'll be taking notes, trying new dishes and photographing every morsel for everyone.

I have some ideas to try but I've patiently waited for my time in Greece. I'll be using seasonal Greek produce and I'll be on the lookout for new dishes and I'll surely ask a taverna owner for any "must have" recipes.

In the meantime, let your self daydream...you're in Santorini, just finished exploring some of the island and you've made a rest-stop at a small fisherman's port. There's you and a smattering of other tourists, fishermen and all under the roof of one taverva.

There's no menu. You have to rely on international sign language or rely on your limited Greek and the owner's limited "Een-gleese".

Some communication is exchanged and you hope for the best. You want the best, you've got the best, freshest, "just caught from the sea" calamari.

This entry will count as my Weekend Herb Blogging contribution for this week. The round-up is hosted by the founder, Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen. I encourage you to take the time to read her blog thoroughly. I know, there's a lot of info there but by all means, bookmark the blog and you'll surely learn something from this foodblog hub!

On the subject of Santorini, capers can be found growing in corners of buildings and out of rocks and cliffs. Capers come from a shrub and are native to the Mediterranean region.

In Greek popular medicine, an herbal tea made of the caper root is said to aid against rheumatism.

Manual labor is required to gather capers, for the buds must be picked each morning just as they reach the proper size. After the buds are picked, they are usually sun-dried, then pickled in a vinegar brine.

Kali Orexi!

Warm Grilled Calamari Salad

Dressing

1 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 Tbsp of water
2 sun-dried tomatoes, minced
salt to taste

Salad

1 lb of squid, tentacles and tubes (cleaned) & Prawns
hand-torn romaine lettuce
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, roasted, cleaned and sliced
sun-dried black olives
1 heaping Tbsp of capers

1. Using a jar, mix all of the dressing ingredients and reserve.
2. Arrange your salad. Today, I'm using local cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onions, yellow peppers, black sun-dried olives and Greek capers.
3. Follow my easy steps to clean and grill calamari here.
4. When the seafood is done, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of dried oregano.
5. Toss your salad and then top with the seafood and serve warm.
   

Marinated Top Sirloin

I've been spoiled this summer, eating rib eye steaks that I found on sale but my stash of steak is dwindling and I needed to replenish my cache of carcass.

I found top sirloin to be on sale this past weekend and as always, I buy a little to test the tenderness & flavour of the meat. This cut is underated as it's very flavourful, inexpensive and more forgiving to grill than a flank steak.

I tried this steak with a basic steak seasoning and I also marinated it...both versions were juicy and easy to chew. Treat this cut like a flank steak, grill it to no more than medium doneness, cut it into slices against the grain and for a quick marinade, leave it to absorb your flavours of choice in a zip-lock bag for an hour in room temperature. As always....seconds are encouraged!

Marinated Top Sirloin

1 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp wasabi paste
salt & pepper to taste

1. Add the ginger, Worcestershire, olive oil, garlic and wasabi in a large zip-lock bag. Mix well and add your steak. Squish the marinate well to coat the steak well. Marinate for 1 hour in room temperature or in the fridge if grilling much later.
2. Season your steak with salt & pepper or your favourite steak seasoning. Grill on high heat for 3 minutes a side.
   

Arakas Latheros (Peas)

During grocery shopping last weekend I noticed alot more produce being offered from local producers and this is a good thing. You see, in Canada we're blessed/cursed to have such an abundant supply and array of produce come to us. I wish I could eat locally grown produce all year 'round but alas, Canada (in particular southern Ontario) remains to have a climate where snow usually appears in late November and we don't see our first green grass until the snow melts in mid-March.

Eat your locally grown produce while you can. I found Ontario fresh peas and I was not going to have another tin or a package of frozen peas again...that's what December's are for...it's July dammit and I'm eating local!

Arakas Latheros

5oo gr. fresh peas
4 scallions
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 ripe tomatoes, grated into a puree
About 1 cup water
3 Tbsp dill, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1. Shell, wash and drain peas. Chop white part of the scallions into small pieces and the green part into large pieces.
   
2. Heat oil and butter in a pot. Add the scallions and cook until soft but not browned. Add the peas and cook very lightly. Add the tomatoes, dill, salt, and pepper. Add enough water to half cover the peas. Cover the pot. Cook over medium heat until only the oil remains and the liquid has been absorbed (about 30 min.). Add the fresh chopped mint, stir in and serve warm.
   

Courgette Carbonarra

I recently caught an episode of Jamie Oliver's Jamie At Home and he featured recipes using courgettes or zucchini.

What struck me about this dish is that the taste matched it's marvelous presentation. Local zucchini are in season and using green and yellow zucchini will brighten the look of this dish.

I also found that thyme and zucchini complement each other very well. Use fresh thyme for this dish and it's also an herb that grows quite easily indoors if you have a harsh winter like here in Canada.

I'm offering this dish as my entry for this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging hosted byAnna's Cool Finds.

Here are some "did you knows" about thyme:

• The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing that thyme was a source of courage.
• The essential oil of common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is made up of 20-55%Thymol. Thymol, an antiseptic, is the main active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash.
  

Courgette Carbonarra

2 cups of penne rigate
1/2 onion diced
2 courgettes (1 green, 1 yellow), quartered, seeds removed then cut on a bias to mimic the shape of penne
1/4 red bell pepper, sliced & cut on a bias to mimic a penne shape
lots of fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5 slices of bacon, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 cup of heavy cream
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
some pasta water

1. Get a large pot of boiling water started. Add salt and boil your penne for 10-12 minutes.
2. In a large fry pan, add your bacon and some water and render the fat from the bacon. Eventually the water will evaporate and the bacon will cook off the fat and brown nicely. Reserve the bacon and take out excess bacon fat, leaving 2 Tbsp in the pan.
3. Add your chopped onion, zucchini, peppers and black pepper. Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes for the veggies to soften. Add your thyme, garlic and wine and simmer until the wine has reduced. Turn off heat and reserve.
4. In a bowl, whisk your egg yolks, cream and Parmesan. Reserve.
5. When your pasta is ready, save some of the pasta liquid. Drain your pasta and add it to the pan. Pour your egg/cream mixture over your veggies. Add some pasta water and toss the pasta to coat well. The residual heat of the pasta should cook your egg/cream mixture without turning it into scrambled egg.
   

Scalloped Potato Salad

This recipe comes courtesy of some leftover potatoes I had from a barbecue recently. I'm using potatoes that were sliced thinly with a mandoline and tossed in Montreal Steak Spice and you see the my original recipe here.

I'm adapting this recipe as if you were boiling potatoes to make this salad from scratch. You may just cut up the potatoes as you desire. I like a cold potato salad that is also zesty and, to be quite comforting in the summer. It's another way to take advantage of all those fresh herbs in your garden. The star of this salad is dill.

Scalloped Potato Salad

3 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup hot dog relish
3 Tbsp fresh chopped dill
2 Tbsp of grainy Dijon mustard
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
salt & pepper to taste

1. Boil your potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes and let cool, just until they are warm enough to handle (wait 15 minutes).
2. Mix together the remaining ingredients and add your potatoes and toss well. Season with salt & pepper and toss again. Serve cold or room temperature.
   

Traditional Pizza From Canada

I like the gourmet pizzas as much as anyone else but I always go back and never tire of the classic pizza with pepperoni, mozzarella, mushrooms and green peppers. I will in no way try to sway you from your favourite 'Za but please, take the the time to make it at home. If you have kids, let them help you...you'll have "sous-chefs" in-training in no time!

For those that are reading my blog from Greece, your pizza requires um, improvement! Greeks love pizza (Greekstyle), which is a super-thick crust, salami or ham, little tomato sauce, jarred/canned mushrooms and they use any white cheese save for mozzarella! Pizza is not one of the Greece's strong points.

Onto proper pizza. Make your own dough, it's not that hard (especially if you have a food processor). Use good & fresh ingredients and be generous with toppings, you're making this at home, baby! Make your own pizza sauce. You can once again control the salt content in your food and you can tailor the taste to your family's liking. I'm providing a recipe for 1 large pizza.

Traditional Pizza

Pizza Dough (food processor)
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 Tbsp active yeast
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

1. Pour in warm water. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Add the honey and salt. Mix on low for about 20 seconds. Add the yeast and mix on low for another 5 seconds.
   
2. Add 1 cup of flour, mix on low for 10 seconds. Add the olive oil and mix until blended (about 15 or 20 seconds more). Add the rest of the flour and mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.
3. Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a plastic grocery bag or a covered bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise.
4. After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size. Punch it down. That's right, give it a good smack so it deflates. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is now ready to be rolled out. Make sure you have plenty of four on your rolling surface. Before placing your pizza dough on in your pan, line the bottom with some flour and corn meal. This will prevent sticking and give your pizza that authentic pizzeria texture.
   

Tomato Sauce
I use a bottle of good pomodoro sauce. Look for the jars of Italian tomato puree. Pour the entire bottle into a pot and gently bring to a boil then lower to simmer. Add the following ingredients according to your tastes: salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano.

Toppings
Don't get too busy with the pizza. A traditional pizza has pepperoni, mozzarella, mushrooms and if you like, bacon.

I like to buy my pepperoni whole so that I can slice it to my desired thicknessand it's cheaper. Buy decent mozzarella. Not the best mozzarella, just good mozzarella ( I think the primo stuff gets lost in pizza). Slices of green bell peppers work well and slice fresh white or button mushrooms. As for the bacon, you'll need about half a package to cover your entire pizza.

Finally, this is the order in which I lay out my pizza:

1. Spread your sauce on the dough and do not oversauce, just cover
2. Spread out your shredded mozzarella
3. Lay out your pepperoni slices
4. Place your mushrooms and then your green peppers

Place your pizza on the middle rack of a pre-heated 400F oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edge of the crust has just browned.

Horiatiki (Greek) Panzanella Salad

Short of tossing expired jars and old fruits & veggies, I try not to throw anything out, even stale, old bread.

The Italians are well know for having dishes that stretch ingredients and make good use of of any leftovers, including old bread. Panzanella is any salad that includes bread in it.

I've taken the Panzanella and combined it with a Greek salad. Make a little extra dressing as your dried bread will suck up the juices and your salad will not be flooded in dressing.

There are many variations on the Horiatiki salad and I've stuck to the basics except for a couple of twists like using a roasted pepper and adding a Greek islands flare with some capers.

Get your fork out and stab this salad!

Horiatiki (Greek) Panzanella Salad

2 medium sized tomatoes, sliced
1 small red onion, halved & thinly sliced
1/2 roasted yellow pepper, peeled, sliced
1/3 cucumber, sliced
1 cup of dry/crusty bread, broken into fork sized pieces
1 slab of good Greek feta, crumbled
1 Tbsp dried Greek oregano
2 tsp of capers, rinsed salt & pepper to taste
3/1 ratio of extra-virgin oil and red wine vinegar

1. Combine all the ingredients down to the capers in a salad bowl. Add your dressing and toss well. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.
   

Maple-Bourbon Pork Chops

Sometimes, a recipe comes to you 2nd, 3rd, 4th hand and one hopes the recipe doesn't get muddled in the process.

This recipe was inspired by Janet of well, Janet is Hungry who in turn was inspired by Kirsten of Kirsten's Home Cooking.

Whenever I first try a recipe, I try not to screw around with it too much and the only changes I made were to add some fresh bruised rosemary and to save time, I marinated the chops at room temperature for an hour. They were succulent, a little smokey from the bourbon and great for a backyard barbecue.

Maple-Bourbon Pork Chops

4 bone-in pork chops
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup of bourbon
1 tbsp Dijon grain mustard
2 cloves of minced garlic
cracked black pepper
1 sprig of rosemary, bruised seasoning of choice

1. Into a large zip-lock bag, add your syrup, mustard, garlic, pepper, rosemary and mix well. Add your chops and mix to coat your chops well. Seal the bag and place in a plate or bowl and allow the marinade to do it's work for an hour.
2. Pre-heat your BBQ. Take out your chops and gently pat dry the marinade from the meat. Season the chops with salt or your preferred seasoning.
3. Grill on direct heat under a medium-high setting, cooking for 5 minutes on each side.
   

Soutzoukakia Smyrneika

Soutzoukakia are the smaller cousins of keftedes. These meatballs are quenelle-shaped (kinda like lil' sausages) but the two meat recipes are the similar. What's different here is the sauce and the use of cumin & cinnamon.

This dish is named after and brought to mainland Greece from the Greeks who used to live in Smyrna (now Izmir, Turkey) and it's name, Smyrneika simply is the description of the style of meatballs/sausages as in "sausages in the style of Smyrna".

This dish benefits from using very ripe tomatoes or very good jarred or canned tomato sauce. In this instance I used a can of plum tomatoes and I used a strainer to remove the seeds. Greeks will eat this accompanied by mashed potatoes, hilopites (egg noodles) or in today's dish, french fries.

Think of the sauce as sweet, aromatic Greek ketchup...yummy sauce to mop up with the fries.

Soutzoukakia Smyrneika

1 lb. of ground beef
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 slices of stale bread
1 egg
1 tsp. of ground cumin
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
4 Tbsp. of olive oil + extra for shallow frying
salt and pepper to taste
all-purpose flour

For the Sauce
1 onion, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of tomato juice
1 Tbsp. of tomato paste, dilluted in water
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. of sweet paprika
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pads of unsalted butter
1 small cinnamon stick
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the bread in a bowl of water and when it's soft, remove the crust. Squeeze it in your hands to remove the excess liquid. Add to another bowl with your ground beef and the other meatball ingredients. Knead the meat mixture with your hands to blend and fry off a small piece to sample and in the end, adjust the seasoning of your Soutzoukakia.
2. Mould the mixture into little quenelle or oblong hamburgers and dredge lightly in some flour and fry them off in hot oil. Set aside and reserve.
3. In the same skillet, add the olive oil and butter along with the onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes or until the onions have softened (about 5 minutes). Add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes and then add the dilluted tomato paste + tomato juice and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium an simmer for for about 15 minutes or until thew sauce has thickened.
4. Carefully add the Soutzoukakia into the sauce and move the pot around in a circular motion to coat and warm the meatballs through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (plus sugar if needed) and remove the cinnamon stick.
   
5. Serve alone as part of an array of appetizers or for main with rice, noodles or fries.
   

French Toast

As a kid, I always wondered what made French Toast...French? Not until my adulthood did I find out French Toast should be made with baguettes.

If you have some leftover baguette, cut them up and use them for french toast the next morning. One peeve I have about french toast is that people simply sink the bread in the egg/milk. Soak that bread! I think french toast should be crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Another peeve, for Pete's sake (no pun intended) use real maple syrup...the Japanese do, why not you?

Finally, use butter in the pan...oil makes them too heavy & greasy...even margarine (non-hydrogenated) is better than oil.

French Toast (2)

slices of baguette, cut into 3/4 inch slices
4 eggs, beaten
milk
some cream
1 tsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
a splash of orange juice

1. In a bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the remaining ingredients. Thoroughly dunk your bread in the mixture and allow them to sit in the egg/milk liquid while your pan is heating.
2. On a medium-high element, place a good dab of butter and pan fry your french toast in batches until golden brown on each side. If you're making large batches, place your done french toast in a pre-heated 200F oven to hold over.
3. Arrange on your plate, pour some good maple syrup, dust some icing sugar, cinnamon and add some berries.

Yogurt and Tomato Soup

Do you often find vacant stores that become converted into "bargain book stores"? I see a few around downtown Toronto and I picked up a book called The Mediterranean Cookbook (Paragon Publishing) and, some say a cookbook is good for 2-3 recipes and this book passes the test. This summer-time soup caught my eye because it was referenced as a Greek soup and I had never had it...until now!

I followed the recipe with the exception of adding cinnamon. I substituted it with cumin, which is another spice from the Near East that has influenced Greek cuisine. When many Greeks left Asia Minor (due to population exchanges between Turkey and Greece) one of the things these refugees brought back with them was the introduction of herbs & spices that were before foreign to Greek cuisine.

If you're looking for a change from summer salads, try this chilled soup. The sweetness of the over-ripened tomatoes are contrasted with the earthiness of the cumin.

Serves 4

4 large over-ripened tomatoes 2 ready-to-eat-sun-dried tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 garlic glove, minced
1 1/4 cup of strained yogurt
1 1/4 cup vegetable bouillon
salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pot, add the onion and garlic, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Coarsely grate your tomatoes into the pot, discarding the skins left in your hand. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add the bouillon, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, cumin, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, let the soup cool slightly, then puree in a food processor or blender. Add the yogurt and mix together. Adjust the seasoning.

If you choose to serve this hot, reheat the soup gently (do not boil, the soup will curdle). If serving cold, place in a sealed tupperware and chill for 3-4 hours.

Greek Horiatiki Salata

This thread goes out more to the Greek restaurants than households out there who have lost touch with their own cooking (not all but many).

One of the cornerstones of the Greek table is the salad and in particular the Horiatiki Salata. We've all had it by now at a Greek restaurant or at a Greek home, be it in Greece or abroad. What I find blasphemous is to eat a Horiatiki salata with bland, unripe, watery tomatoes! Furthermore, choose a good feta for your salad and that means avoiding the crumbled variety you find packaged in a bag.

It's back to basics here. The Horiatiki lives & dies by the ingredients in it. Pick your ingredients well and you'll realize why a Greek salad with some bread is a hearty summer lunch.

Greek Horiatiki Salata

3 ripe red tomatoes, halved & sliced
1 English cucumber (skin on, halved and sliced)
1 sweet banana pepper, halved & sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
extra-virgin olive oil &red wine vinegar (usual 3 to 1 ratio)
dried Greek oregano
1 slab of good Greek goat/ewe milk feta
Black Kalamata or sun-dried olives
chopped parsley for garnish

1. Incorporate all the ingredients in a bowl, toss well & serve immediately.
   

Saffron Rice Pilaf

I recently celebrated my birthday and one of the gifts I received was some Greek saffron! The timing couldn't have been better as I was about to make some rice pilaf for guests and I had heard of saffron being often used in rice and paella dishes.

I had heard of Greek saffron but not until now had I ever tried it. Greek saffron is cultivated exclusively in the northern Greek Prefecture of Kozani.

Saffron is my subject matter for this week's edition of Weekend Herb Blogging. This week The Chocolate Lady from In Mol Araan is hosting and I encourage you to also have a look at her site. Don't be alarmed, her blog is in both Yiddish and English.

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus. Saffron, which has for decades been the world's most expensive spice by weight, is native to Southeast Asia. It was first cultivated in the vicinity of Greece.

Saffron best grows in hot, dry climates and the main reason for it's high cost is all the fuss that's taken to cultivate it and labour. Saffron blooms within a narrow window of only two weeks so there's quite the rush to pick it at it's optimum time, in autumn.

The flavour of saffron is very subltle but the colour is a brilliant yellow. Do not make the mistake of using too much or you'll end up making your dish bitter. A little goes a long way and you grow to appreciate it's effect on making your dish a brilliant yellow with a mellow flavour.


Greek Rice Pilaf (for 8)

2 cups long grain rice
4 + 1 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced

1. Using a fine metal strainer, rinse your rice under cold water and throw it into a casserole dish.
2. Add a pinch of saffron threads to 1 cup of hot stock. Allow the saffron to "bloom" for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the saffron liquid, remaning hot stock, pepper, olive oil, peppers and stir until well mixed.
4. Place in a pre-heated oven at 400F and bake for approx. 45 minutes or until all the liquid is gone.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
   

Sole Gascogne

One of my earliest memories of food & cooking shows was watching flamboyant Graham Kerr as the Galloping Gourmet...remember him? The Galloping Gourmet's TV career actually began in Canada & his show was taped at CJOH in Ottawa for the CBC.

Still don't remember him? He used cook and always drink wine, sometimes be by the piano? He always had fun cooking, never took himself too seriously and I think he did alot for TV food shows too!

I found this recipe at The Food Network and noticed it credited to Graham Kerr. I've tried this dish many times, always with success. You can used any type of flat white fish and lately I've found Basa and John Dory filets to be affordable and delish.

I've also trimmed down the dish, made it simpler, not as "busy". Serve this dish with some rice, steamed vegetables and raise a glass of wine to the Galloping Gourmet!

Sole Gascogne

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon mild French (Dijon is OK)mustard 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
Salt and black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed

2 whole sole (4 whole fillets)
Salt and cayenne pepper
4 Tbsp of chopped green onions
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
4 dabs of butter
Salt and black pepper
Paprika, to garnish

1. Preheat your oven to 4ooF.
2. Place butter& oil in a saucepan and heat gently. Add spring onions, mustard, parsley, tarragon, tomato paste, tarragon vinegar, wine and season with salt and pepper. Add the crushed garlic clove and cook on a gentle heat for 2 minutes. Reduce until sauce thickens & wine is reduced and reserve.
3. Dry sole and season with salt, cayenne pepper. Place each filet side-by-side in your buttered/oiled dish and sprinkle with the mixed parsley and green onions and put a dab of butter over each fish.
4. Pour over the sauce and place your filets in a preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes. Dust with paprika and serve.
   

Poppy Seed Pappardelle

Here in Ontario, we have to buy our booze from a provincial monopoly of beer & liquor stores and that sucks! The freedom and the option to buy beer, wine and spirits should be allowed so that I may run to the corner store and pick up that bottle of wine or that case of beer for unexpected guests.

Sadly, the tax revenue gained by our provincial government is too great for them to let go of. You're probably asking, "isn't this a food blog"? Oh yes...on to food!

One of the few positives of the Ontario booze monopoly is that it publishes a seasonal magazine entitled, "Food & Drink" and often there are some interesting food ideas to be had, including this one.

This dish was a surprise to the eye and to the palette. The creamy flavour is juxtaposed with the crunch of the poppy seeds. It's one of those pasta dishes that's ready by the time your pasta's done...a sure-fire weekday meal-fix.

Poppy Seed Papardelle (for 2)

zest of 1/2 lemon & a squeeze of lemon juice
2 Tbsp of toasted poppy seeds
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup of whipping cream
2 cloves of smashed garlic
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Fresh ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil
2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, toast the poppy seeds for 30 seconds, then reserve in a plate. Using the same pan, pour in the olive oil and throw in your garlic and 2 chopped green onions. Saute under medium heat for a couple of minutes and then deglaze the pan with dry white wine until there's barely any liquid.
   
3. Add your cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds and reduce to a medium-low heat and stir for a minute or two to thicken.
4. When your pasta is done, strain and add to your sauce along with your cheese and the remaining chopped green onion and parsley. Grate some more Parmesan on top and serve.
   

Macedonian Sausages With Mushrooms

This recipe is inspired by a booklet I was reading that covered various Spanish Tapas ideas. The dish jumped out at me immediately and I had all of the ingredients save for the Chorizo.

I used Macedonian sausage. Greeks love their sausage but allegiances as to what type they like are very regional. In the south (Sparta), the Greeks enjoy a pork sausage with orange peel in it and they tend to shy away from anything spicy.

Head north to the provinces of Thessaly & Macedonia and you will find predominantly the Hot Pepper& Leek variety. A Greek butcher will often carry (make) both types of sausage. Being biased, I prefer the Macedonian one.

In creating this meze, I used ingredients that are found in the western mountains of Macedonia and in particular, Kastoria & Florina. Wild thyme grows in the mountains, grapes are cultivated for some of Greece's best wines, oregano grows all over Greece and wild mushrooms can be found in it's hilly forests soon after a rainfall.

Macedonian Sausages With Mushrooms

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Macedonian sausages, cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp of dried oregano
1 tsp of fresh thyme
1 large handful of cremini or button mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup good dry white wine
1/3 cup chopped parsley
sprinkle of hot chili flakes
squeeze of lemon juice
Bread for "mopping up"

1. Heat your oil in a large heavy frying pan, add the sausage and cook over medium high heat until the sausages are browned. Add your onions & garlic and salt and cook, stirring occasionally over low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the onions are soft.
2. Add herbs, white wine and mushrooms and stir to incorporate and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
3. Add parsley, chili flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with crusty bread.
   

Bolognese Lasagna

My gal, Christine Cushing hit a home run with this recipe when she had her Christine Cushing Live show. I had always found homemade lasagna to be a dish that often had varied results...it would flop like a blob upon serving and would be dry the next day.

Say goodbye to frozen lasagna and any old recipe you might be using. This method has no ricotta cheese but uses a Bechamel sauce to act as the glue to this Italian classic.

I can see this method being used to try different types of lasagna....vegetable, mushroom, seafood, or just a cheese & tomato lasagna.

In CC's show (Christine Cushing), she made her own pasta dough but I was quite happy using fresh made pasta from the grocer. Also, her recipe states that recipe should have 6 layers, whereas I could only get to 4 with the recipe. Four layers was plenty for this stacked, "mille feuille" style lasagna.

I found the flavour to be "Italian", tasty, creamy, it did not flop on me and it held up well as a moist leftover.

From now on, I'm making lasagna in this style.

Creme Caramel

It's done, it's over. I just finished my week-long B-day celebrations...I turned 40 and I capped off the week with having some good friends over for a barbecue.

The day (and food) all turned out well but I'm a bit tired from my Saturday night hearty imbibing!

I'm glad I chose foods that I were familiar with and dishes that could be made ahead or not too time consuming.

I chose to give my guests some Creme Caramel for dessert. I can't say the greeks invented it but it's surely in the greek repetoire of food.

Creme caramel is very easy to make and almost foolproof...temper your milk and egg/sugar mixture and have a watchful eye your your caramel and you're rockin'!

Creme Caramel (12 - 3 inch Ramekins)

• 5 cups scalded milk
  
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 200 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. Put the eggs and the 1 cup of sugar in a stainless steel bowl and mix them. Put the milk in a small saucepan and add your vanilla. Over a medium-high heat, bring the milk to just below a boil. Remove it from the heat. Pour the milk over the egg mixture stirring while you do so. Mix well. Let the mixture cool.
2. Meanwhile, make your caramel. Put the sugar (200 gr) and the water in a small non-stick pan over a high heat. Wait until the sugar caramelizes and turns a nut-brown colour (colour of a penny). Remove the pan from the heat and pour a small amount of the caramel into the bottom of each ramekin. Allow it to set.
3. Pour the custard mix over the caramel in each ramekin. Cook in a bain-marie filled half way with water. When cooked let the creme caramel rest in the refrigerator over night, then unmold them by running a knife around the edge, placing the plate on top then inverting the custard onto the plate.
   

Shrimp Salad With Metaxa Brandy

I've adapted this salad from a Lobster Salad that was displayed on Christine Cushing Live's show with restauranteur Costas Spiliadis.

He owns & operates Estiatorio Milos which has 3 locations (Montreal, New York and Athens) and he's renowned for presenting Greek cuisine in it's purest and freshest state. Costas prides himself on using only the best, freshest ingredients for his dishes. You're going to pay to eat at Milos but I think I'll soon splurge and dine like the Gods!

I'm using shrimp for this recipe and you'll find this salad's flavours to surprise your palette. Once again I'm using Metaxa Greek brandy but you may substitute it another or Cognac. What stands out in this salad is the unique flavour of the dressing against the sweetness of the shrimp. Stab that shrimp & eat...Bubba from Forrest Gump would love this salad!

Shrimp Salad With Metaxa Brandy

6 leaves of Romaine lettuce hearts
15 pre-cooked, thawed frozen shrimp
2 ribs of celery, chopped on a bias
2 green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp of fennel fronds
1 clove of garlic, fine mince

1. Add all of the above ingredients in a bowl & reserve.
   

Dressing

4Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1Tbsp of wine vinegar
1 Tbsp of Metaxa brandy
1 tsp of honey
1 Tbsp of orange juice
salt & pepper to taste

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well before dressing your salad.
2. Toss your salad with the dressing and serve.
   

Barbecued "Onion Soup" Ribs With Chipotle BBQ Sauce

I haven't been a fan of "boiling ribs"...what away to suck out the flavour of the meat I would always say. However, I came across the August issue of Chatelaine and it had a dedicated a section to it's most popular recipes.

I tried out this recipe out of curiousity and because I needed a "make ahead" ribs recipe. Enter Barbecued "Onion Soup" Ribs. Instead of sapping the flavour of the meat, this method actually infuses the onion soup flavour into the pork. I was pleasantly surprised by the result, which was a tender, tasty back rib and the barbecue sauce could still be tailored to my liking. The next time I make these I'll use more water than listed in the recipe. Follow me and you'll enjoy more "face time" with your guests at your next BBQ.

Barbecued "Onion Dip" Ribs

3 cups water
38 gr. pouch of onion soup mix
2 racks of pork ribs (back or side)
vegetable oil
black pepper
barbecue sauce (Diana's BBQ Sauce, garlic powder, Worcestshire Sauce, Chipotle Tabasco)

1. Rinse & pat-dry your ribs. Using a boning knife, scrape the end of the silverskin on the underbelly of the ribs. Once you have enough silverskin to hold on to, tear it off. This will later help your BBQ adhere to the ribs.
2. Pour water into a large wide saucepan and set over high heat. Place unopened pouch of soup on counter and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to crush contents. Add soup mix, barbecue sauce and Tabasco to water and stir to evenly mix.
3. Slice pork into 3- or 4-rib serving-size portions, then place in saucepan. They won't be completely immersed in liquid. Cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, turning ribs occasionally, until fork-tender, 50 to 60 minutes.
4. Remove ribs to a large platter. Bring liquid in saucepan to a boil over high heat. Boil, uncovered and stirring often, until liquid is thick and saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir often, especially for last few minutes, to prevent sticking. When sauce is thick, taste and stir in more your favourite BBQ Sauce, some Chipotle Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and some garlic powder, if you like. Then lightly oil grill and heat barbecue to medium-high.
5. Lightly brush ribs with oil, then sprinkle both sides with and pepper (they are salted enough at this point). Place on grill. Barbecue, uncovered, turning often, until lightly charred and heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. If serving on individual plates, place hot ribs in pan with sauce, then turn ribs to coat. Or place ribs on a platter and pour sauce overtop. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   

Zucchini Carpaccio With Mulberries

I've had this concept for sometime on my mind...Zucchini Carpaccio. Clotilde has been lauded for her version. I've read of people enjoying this plate on their Italian vacation and I've seen many on the internet give their own interpretation. Is there room for one more Zucchini Carpaccio? Let me squeeze in, Petey's got another one!

When I made this, I had some trepidation at offering a "raw" dish to Greeks who like everything "well-done" (sigh).

As you can see, it's a dish that's easy on the eyes but how will it taste? It tasted fantastic!
Every bite gave me a new taste..."there's some lemon"..."Ooh, now that's some cheese"..."yum, a mulberry"!

Mulberries are my subject matter for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging which is hosted this week by Susan of Food Blogga.

Mulberries may look like raspberries but they are of the Morus family. They grow quite easily and can be a little messy as birds go nuts for these berries. The tree we have bears fruits of a white, light purple and a dark purple berry....all wonderfully sweet!

A mulberry tree endures a Canadian winter so I assume these hearty plants are easy to grow, they just need direct sun.

If you're lucky, the birds in your neighborhood will drop some seeds in your yard and you'll have you're own mulberry tree!

Zucchini Carpaccio With Mulberries

1 zucchini, thinly sliced
300 oz. crumbled Manouri
3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 small clove of garlic, minced
juice & zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 pint of mulberries
Balsamic Vinegar

1. Using a mandoline, slice your zucchini into thin slices. Starting from the outside of the plate, place your slices in overlapping circular pattern on the plate, until you've reached the centre. (If you're making this ahead of time, cover with cling-wrap and refrigerate).
   
2. Ten to fifteen minutes before serving, add the olive oil, coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, Manouri, lemon zest and mulberries. Just before serving, drizzle some Balsamic vinegar.
   

Lamb Kleftiko

This dish has alot of folklore surrounding it. This recipe is an adaptation of a dish fixed in the mountains by guerillas (bandits) who needed to cook without being seen. They placed the meat on coals in a hole, covered it up, and let it cook for up to 24 hours. No trace of any stolen animal, and no smell of cooking meat to give them away.

In modern days, it's the name given to a dish where a packet of food is formed, be it foil, parchment paper or in this case, phyllo pastry. Although I've had this dish many times at Greek restaurants, I've never tried it at home until now.

Here in Toronto's Greektown or The Danforth, a popular eatery named Zinni's Mezes of Rhodes has had this dish on their menu since it's inception and it's still it's most ordered entree.

This recipe is adapted from a Christine Cushing Food Network Canada show and it's courtesy of Sue Zindros of Mezes. They used chicken on this program but I went hardcore Greek with the use of lamb.

Lamb Kleftiko

Spinach Filling

• 4 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp kefalograviera cheese or 1 tsp parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill

Stir-Fried Filling

• 1/4 pepper
• 1/4 medium green pepper, sliced, thinly
• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp white wine
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp margarine or 2 tbsp butter
• 8 sheets phyllo pastry
• 1 1/2 diced stewing lamb meat, seasoned & stir-fried
  
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 4 thin tomato, slices
• 4 tsp kefalograviera cheese, grated

Directions:

Spinach Filling

1. Sauté the spinach and onion in olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Drain spinach and add the pepper, feta, kefalograviera (or Parmesan) and the dill.
3. Blend and set aside.

Stir-Fried Filling

1. Sauté all the ingredients up to but not including the pastry together until the liquid is reduced and mixture thickens.
2. Set aside.

Assembly

1. Divide your lamb meat into 4 equal portions
2. Place 1 tomato slice on top of 1 good spoonful of lamb meat.
3. Cut tomato slice to fit if it overhangs the lamb.
4. Place one heaping tablespoon of the stir-fry filling on top of the tomato.
5. Continue by placing one heaping tablespoon of spinach filling and end with one teaspoon of grated kefalograviera cheese.
6. Place another spoonful of lamb meat on top and the sandwich is ready to be wrapped with the phyllo pastry.
7. Take 2 sheets of phyllo and place the longest side parallel to your counter.
8. Butter the top sheet. Place the lamb sandwich in the middle to bottom end of the phyllo sheet.
9. Fold the sides over the lamb and butter the folds.
10. Starting with the end with the lamb, fold phyllo around lamb until you make a little package.
11. Repeat this process with the rest of the lamb and place the lamb kleftikos on an ungreased baking sheet.
12. Butter the tops of all four kleftikos and bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

Spaghetti With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Basil

One of the things I like doing is having a look at what's in the "reduced" produce section. One can sometimes find some good deals for a perfectly fine product...as long as you use it in a day or two.

Yesterday I found some pints of cherry tomatoes and they were on sale for a buck a pop! I snapped up a couple of pints and while driving home, I was pondering how to use these sweet tomatoes.

I was going to roast them. I cranked my oven, put the tomatoes in an oven-safe pan, drizzle some olive oil, threw in some salt, tossed them and in they went. After just over a 1/2 hour I opened the oven to find these shriveled tomatoes that oozed of their sweet juices and a hue of red-tinged olive oil. This dish was gonna be good!


Spaghetti With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
(for 2)

2 handfuls of spaghetti
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 handful of fresh basil, chiffonade
salt & pepper
grated Parmesan
pasta water

1. Pre-heat your oven to 450F. Place your tomatoes in a oven-safe pan and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and toss. Roast your tomatoes for 30-40 minutes or until they are shriveled and have some brown colour.
2. Get a pot of water boiling. Throw in your salt and pasta and boil for 8 minutes (al dente).
3. Just before your pasta is ready to be strained, ladle out some pasta water into your pan of roasted tomatoes and deglaze the pan and add your garlic under medium heat and reserve.
4. When your pasta is done, strain the water and add the pasta to your tomatoes along with your basil. Add fresh ground pepper, some grated cheese and adjust seasoning.
5. Top with some grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
   

Keftedes

Keftedes are simply Greek hamburgers. You've probably already tried a keftai at a burger joint. You know the ones... where there's always a souvlaki and a home burger on the menu? Chances are the home burger is from a recipe from the greek owners!

Keftedes are versatile in Greek cuisine. They can be the meat portion of a meal or just an appetizer/meze or a part of a huge Greek onslaught of BBQ'ed meat.

I'm not reinventing the wheel here but some basics should be followed when making Keftedes:

• Grill them. Frying ground meat other than for browning is a waste of good ground meat.
• Allow the ground meat mixture to marry, the longer - the better a result.
• Brush and oil your grill. Dirty, crusty and dry grills will cause your meat to stick...every time.
• Test your batch to see if seasoning needs adjustments. Before I go & grill a tray of keftedes, I always make a little meatball and nuke it so I can taste and see if I need to add any seasoning or spices.
• Cook'em well done. In this day & age, no one should ask you how you'd like your burger. It should always be "well-done". If a restaurant asks you how you like your burger - RUN!

Keftedes

1 kg. of lean ground beef
2 medium onions, box grated
4 slices of bread, soaked and hand squeezed and then crumbled
1 tsp of garlic powder/1 tbsp grated fresh garlic
2 eggs (for binding)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chopped parsley
pinch of cumin
salt & pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well using your hands.
2. Form palm-sized patties with your hands and reserve in a platter. Cover with cling-wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
3. Before grilling, allow the keftedes to come back to room temperature. Grill on medium-high heat cook for3-4 minutes a side.
   

Grilled Polenta With Capsicum Salad

Capsicum. The new word of the day. It's simply another way of saying pepper!

This recipe was inspired by "things to try", "things to do" and "leftovers" to use up. Don't let the leftovers in this recipe get in the way of having you try it from scratch. It turned out to be a delicious summer appetizer, enjoyed with a Hatzimihalis Cabernet Sauvingon.

I have cornmeal in my pantry and I was reading yet another recipe using grilled polenta. Polenta is made from boiled cornmeal and it's American cousin is Grits. I was bored on this third day of a long weekend and I was left looking through a few recipes I had cut out to further peruse. Finally, I had some leftover roasted peppers and they had to be mopped up, today.

Grilled Polenta With Roasted Capsicum Salad

Polenta
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp chopped chives
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Roasted Capsicum Salad
1 green, yellow, red bell pepper - charred, peeled, seeded and sliced
1/4 extra-virgin olive oil
1 tomato, diced
3 tsp chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt cracked black pepper
5 black sun-dried olives, pitted & chopped

1. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a pot. Whisk in cornmeal and return to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, until the polenta mounds firmly on spoon as in very thick.
2. Stir in parsley, cheese, chives and garlic. Spread the polenta into a greased square baking pan and let cool. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before grilling.
3. Mix all the ingredients listed for the roasted pepper salad and refrigerate or reserve.
4. Cut cold polenta into squares and brush with some olive oil. Place on the grill over medium-high heat and grill for 5 minutes a side. Place on serving plates.
5. Spoon a large pile of roasted pepper salad onto each polenta square and serve warm.
   

Jalapeno Papoutsakia

Consider this entry to be my "the Greeks invented everything" post. I've taken a sports bar/rec-room staple and I've Greekified it.

Jalapeno poppers can be found on the menus of many sports bars, roadhouses and available at the supermarket for home prep.

Papoutsakia are literally translated as "little shoes" and it's a classic Greek dish of a baked, hollowed-out eggplant half that's filled with a meat sauce & topped with a Bechamel. I've combined both concepts to give you a new Greek appetizer, Jalapeno Papoutsakia. I'm also introducing you to a new Greek cheese, called Manouri.

Manouri is an exceptional traditional Greek whey cheese, and is exclusively manufactured in Central and Western Macedonia and in Thessalia. It is produced from whey of the milk of ewes or goats, or mixture of them, with the addition of milk and cream. The result is a soft rindless cheese with unique taste and flavor, a creamy white color, and a texture like a light cheesecake. It is very smooth and has a fresh, milky, slightly citrus flavor.

You will surely find Manouri at finer Greek delis in your city/town. If not, ask the store to order it. Krinos Foods supplies it to North America.

Jalapeno Papoutsakia

6 Jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded and ribs removed (use gloves to be safe)
3 oz. of crumbled feta cheese
3 oz. of crumbled manouri
1 green onion chopped
1 tsp or dried oregano
2 Tbsp of olive oil
12 strips of roasted red peppers

1. In a bowl, combine your feta, manouri, green onion, oregano and olive oil and use your mixer to incorporate.
2. Spoon in your mixture into each of the 12 Jalapeno boats and top each with a strip of red pepper.
3. Place in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes and serve warm.
   

The Sacher Torte Story

Next month I will be vacationing in Greece, recharging my batteries, reconnecting with my Greek heritage, catching up with family & friends and of course trying new dishes (along with the classics).

Before my holiday is done, I will also be making a stopover in Vienna, Austria for a few days. My understanding is the Austrians have a rich & talented base of savory and sweet foods. One of the most popular (other than Wiener Schnitzel) is the Sacher Torte.

Apparently, every tourist should buy one to take back home, in this nifty cigar-box-like container. My birthday is also coming up this week and one has to have a decadent dessert for a birthday, no?

I thought to try my hand at the Sacher Torte. Upon surfing the 'net I saw that there are many variations and desserts are not my strong suit so, I opted to try the easiest one.

I followed the Sacher Torte recipe verbatim with the exception of forgetting to sift the icing sugar for the glaze...a few lumps but a good end result.

Upon my return from vacation, I'll revisit the Sacher Torte and tell you how mine compared to the Viennese one!

Spaghetti With Fresh Mussels, Parsley and Lemon

The internet and technology has made recipe collection much easier. I don't have to keep mounds of magazines or recipe clippings around which also take up alot of space. However, to this day I still have a Bon Appetit issue from May 2002 titled "Islands of the Mediterranean".

It covers Europe and North Africa, talking about what to do, accomodations and of course recipes. What stood out was the recipe of Clams and Spaghetti which you can find here on Epicurious.com.

I used mussels instead of clams as I find them to be more economical and tastier but otherwise the recipe is close to the original. Wow your guests with this simple, summer seafood & pasta dish.

Spaghetti With Fresh Mussels, Parsley and Lemon

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp chili flakes
1 pound spaghetti
pinch of baking soda

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté until light brown, about 1 minute. Add clams and 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley; stir 2 minutes.
   
2. Add wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice and the pinch of baking soda. Cover and simmer until mussels open, about 4 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open).
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain.
   
4. Add pasta to mussel mixture, along with the lemon zest, chili flakes and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and serve.

Spiced Chocolate Budino

I love desserts but I can't say I'm a pastry chef. I'll show you all one day how my cookies turned out (EEEK), but that's another story.

Today I played it safe by trying out Giada DeLaurentis' Spiced Chocolate Budino. It's simply jazzing up some instant chocolate pudding and fooling your guests into thinking you slaved over double-boilers!

What's interesting about this recipe is the use of some red pepper flakes. I did not get a heat surge or any major screams for water but a spike of heat here & there...this was a hit and easy to prepare.

Whiz awayyyyyyyyyy!

Spiced Chocolate Budino

3 boxes store bought chocolate pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 small orange, zested
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Candied Orange Peel, for garnish

Make the pudding according to the package instructions. Add the cinnamon, orange zest, and red pepper flakes before chilling in individual cups/glasses. Before serving, sprinkle the top with chopped Candied Orange Peel.

Candied Orange Peel

1 large navel orange
3/4 cup sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, cut the orange part of the peel from the stem end of the orange down to the navel end, forming long 3/4 to 1-inch-wide strips. Bring a heavy small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and then rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat cooking the peels in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinsing under cold water 2 more times.

Stir the sugar and 1/2 cup of fresh water in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Add the orange peels and simmer over medium-low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peels to a sheet of parchment paper to dry slightly, about 1 hour.

Yield: about 10 candied peels

Tuna Salad With Toasted Pine Nuts

I'm always trying to exhibit/show something a little different when it comes time to write my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging. I made my tuna salad with toasted pine nuts and I I surmised that pine nuts would be a good topic. Before we go on to 101 pine nuts, make sure you click-on over to Chris' site Mele Cotte for her food musings and her round-up of the other WHB entries.

Pine nuts are exactly that, seeds/nuts from a pine (the Pinacaea family). Pine nuts can be found in native Indian, European and Asian cuisines. Pine nuts contain 31 gr. of protein per 100 gr (the highest of any nut or seed so, the next time you wince at the price of pine nuts be at ease that you're getting more bang for your buck! Pine nuts can go bad/rancid but a great way to preserve them is in a jar or ziplock bag in the freezer.

I have my stable of "go-to's" when it comes to sandwiches and tuna salad is right up there. It's not fishy, it's filling, inexpensive and nutritious.

I saw this recipe for tuna salad years ago but I can't cite the source, so if I've stepped on anyone's toes, mea culpa.


What stands out in this tuna salad redux is the tarragon and toasted pine nuts. Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Tuna Salad With Toasted Pine Nuts

1 tin of water-packed tuna, drained
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, diced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp creamy Dijon mustard
1 rib of celery, diced
2-3 Tbsp of mayonnaise
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a pan on medium-high heat, throw in your pine nuts and contstantly swirl the pan to shake your pine nuts while they toast. They should take about 5-10 minutes and you know they are toasted when you can smell them. Take off the heat and reserve.
2. Drain your tin of tuna thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a fork. Adjust seasoning and , mayo for creamyness.

Grilled Pork Chops in an Apple Juice Brine

I'm a big fan of brining turkey and I've started to see this method also being used with pork. I'm sure we've all encountered that the dry pork chop where the only way it's going down is washed with a drink.

This method is quite simple and I've tried 3 times with the same tasty success. You will need a plastic container that will hold your chops, some apple juice, 3 bay crinkled bay leaves, 5 tbsp. of Montreal Steak Spices.

One hour before you are going to grill your pork chops, place them in the plastic container and fill it up with apple juice until the meat is covered. Now take the chops out for a moment and throw in your steak spice, bay leaves and mix until dissolved. Leave the chops in the brining liquid at room temperature for no more than 1 hour. To do otherwise would cause the acid from the juice and the salts to break your meat down to way beyond enjoying them. Thoroughly rinse your chops, pat dry and season lightly.

In a preheated grill (minimum 400 f temperature), grill your chops and as always, flip them just once. I had 1 inch thick chops and grilled them 5 minutes/side. It is my understanding that medium-well pork chop ( light rose colour) is deemed safe for consumption.

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice, sprinkle with dried oregano and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before eating.