cold cake

so i guess i've been going with the alliteration theme here. whatever-- it works. all i can say is i've been in a funk. walking through the aisles of "Provigo," only ready-made food seems to catch my eye. amy's frozen mac 'n' cheese, bagel bites, wait for it...POP TARTS. yes i said it. i'm embarrassed. i would like to take back those 400 calories per serving pleaseandthankyou...

with ultimate season winding down now i've had time to browse through the septemper edition of "bon appétit" (though really mostly on the toilet). but alas! it's near Thanksgiving time for all you expats reeling to get through the next few weeks in the great white north up here in canadia. i figured it would be appropriate to wring in the next month and next issue of bon appétit with a recipe to ease me into the cooking swing again. i actually made this family cake recipe for rookie night in september-- just threw out the last 2 pieces my roommates never got around to munching down-- but the perfect combination between ease and taste fits my mood quite well-- for now.

the holy trinity:

petit buerre biscuits, baker's semi-sweet chocolate, and *jello* instant vanilla pudding

the "how-to": cream together a pint of heavy cream with a packet of instant vanilla pudding

make 2 cups of hot coffee, then scald your fingers by dipping the buttery biscuits into said coffee (just before becoming too mushy to take out as a whole) and layer them in a pan

spread some cream on top and repeat

finish off with a layer of coffee-dipped petit buerre and then melted semi-sweet chocolate (it is better if the chocolate is more liquid-y so that it doesn't freeze over in the fridge. i suggest adding butter when melting it). looks willy-wonkafied

let sit for at least a few hours in the fridge, this cake gets better with age


...just like my mom

soul soup

i was sick last week. so i made chicken soup. a lot easier than you think. water, veggies, chicken. chicken stock (prefer consommé). salt. Poof! soup for the soul.

only trick before setting it to a low-boil for 45 minutes over the stove is to first boil water with the raw chicken, once it boils empty the pot, clean it and the chicken, and then dump all the good stuff back in (this process gets all the gross stuff out of the way).

it may not be your mama's but it sure ain't bad for ya

i'm baaaccckk!!

no i have not gone entirely 5 months without cooking. yes i probably gained 15 pounds this summer. but please let me explain...let's face it- there is nothing better than home-cooked food. also, fact: there is no other city on earth with as good and as many food options as New York. so with that killer combo, you can understand why i took somewhat of a hiatus from the kitchen myself.

that being said i think i owe you a recap of the culinary delights that i discovered this summer...

1) Smorgasburg. a Brooklyn flea food market. in other words- my nirvana. situated on the East River in Williamsburg, with a view of the New York City skyline, it is a home to the cream of the crop- the best food purveyors in the metropolitan area. with everything from banana soft serve to pickles to maple syrup to lobster rolls- this place has got it all. not only is there a wide variety of goodies to suit any taste buds, but the creativity is astounding. i mean hibiscus lime soda? come on!

2) my dad's knack for Grecian style fish. i can say with unequivocal certainty that the simpler the food, the tastier it is. take for example a basic white fish stuffed with veggie goodness and slathered in olive oil, salt & pepper, roasted on the bbq. nothin' betta.

3) Olive & Gourmando. discovered this hidden gem on a weekend sojourn to MTL with some good friends. the meal lasted approximately 2.5 hours and consisted of multiple orders of the same dishes. we just couldn't get enough of the spring pea soup and turtle bars.

4) burrata."burrata" means "buttered" in Italian- for good reason. this scrumptious, creamy, rich cheese is best when used as a spread on fresh baguette with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, top with roasted tomatoes and fresh figs. to me this screams heaven on a slice of bread. but please see for yourselves. you can usually find it at a farmer's market or Italian grocer- ours is "Dante's"- notice the little old Italian ladies, aren't they cute!

5) the 3 g's: grapefruit. gin. ginger. a refreshing summer cocktail if i ever heard of one. men- don't despair, it is not the girliest of drinks, even my dad drinks it. the recipe: 1 part gin, 1 part canton (ginger liquor), the rest fresh grapefruit juice. to add a little zing we put some fresh ginger syrup that we purchased at Smorgasburg.

believe you me, there is way more where this came from, but i understand that i should not overload your epicurean fantasies all at once.

passover: not for chumps

we need not be chumps on passover and let our stomachs writhe in agony over the loss of bread for an entire...WEEK! take the sephardic root (middle eastern/mediterranean tradition) and make yourself a scrumptious bowl of the recipe below. it will be sure to fill your stomachs and allow you to forget (for at least 3 days given the quantity i made) that you are barred from bread. while the veggies took a while to prep, i was able to "discover Bonnaroo 2011" through grooveshark- pretty snazzy site if you ask me. since brown rice takes a while, cook it while you chop the veggies.

dai·kon/ˈdīkän/
Noun: A radish of a variety with a large slender white root that is typically eaten cooked, esp. in Eastern cuisine, and is also used for fodder. don't let the "fodder" adjective phase you- it is in fact a nice crunchy treat that i mistook for jicama, which goes very well with citrus in salads as i'm sure this root vegetable would also.

did i mention that these slices look splendidly like snowflakes reminiscent of the flash blizzard we had today in Montreal or that everything in this recipe cost $10.17 (except the sauce)? damn straight.

some shredded carrot

and raw peeled and shredded beets

sliced red cabbage...kind of looks like the endoplasmic reticulum- only my favorite cell body part.

letters a.k.a lettuce

i couldn't decide which photograph showed the real essence and plethora flavors of the dragon bowl so it's up to you.

add some special dragon sauce bought especially from "Aux Vivres," a vegan restaurant on Boulevard St. Laurent that debuted the "dragon bowl" recipe above. however, mine is cheaper! and with all the leftovers i have it will last me a week. i've got cabbage up to my ears.

next up possibly kosher for passover...quinoa?

patati-patata salmon patties tralala

First things first I will tell a tale of my wonderful spring morning. A few friends and I went for brunch at this darling place in the Plateau called "Fuchsia," rightly so as almost every brunch item incorporated rose water or dried rose petals as a garnish. They started us off with rose soda water. It felt like I was licking my Grandmother's perfume off her wrist. Very quaint place with French tunes wafting through the air. I brushed up on my Edith Piaf...nooooooo je ne regrette de riennnnn. I'm talented in more than one art you know. Anywhosier. It was a splendid brunch of scrambled eggs with cheese, spiced hash browns, salad, and the most delightful cupcake I have yet encountered in Montreal. Sun was shining and bellies were full. The recipe for a wonderful morning.

Photo credit: Molly Teitelbaum

Now for the feature presentation:
What happens when you don't have a grill or good quality meat? You make salmon patties- with an Asian twist. These wholesome patties fill the tummy and take no time. The flavors are all there- honey, soy sauce, wasabi, ginger...you get the gist.

Only tricky part is the flip. Since these patties are made out of slightly bigger chunks of salmon, you have to make sure you spoon them into the frying pan so they stay together. Some were successful...

and some not so much...

but even the small pieces taste delicious. As you can see my roommate too has mastered the art of fine cooking- freezer burgers- yum. We thought we'd go with the same theme...

Et voila:

The "how-to":
For 1 lb salmon:
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoon wasabi
½ teaspoon honey
2 scallion
1 egg
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Whisk soy sauce, wasabi, honey in small bowl until smooth.
With a sharp chef's knife chop salmon, cutting sharply so that it wil not become mushy, Chop until you have a mass of roughly 1/4 inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl, add scallions, egg, ginger, oil, stir to combine.
Form into patties. Don't worry if it does not stick together too well. You can spoon a patty on a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. It wil hold together better once first side is cooked.
Cook over medium heat about 1 minute, thru with spatula and cook about 3 minutes. You want it cooked so that middle is just cooked - no more.
Spoon the soy, wasabi, honey mixture over the cooked patty and cook for 15 seconds

shabbat shalom

I have gained a new found respect (not that I already didn't have an enormous amount already) for my mother as of well, yesterday. I have also gained new found confidence in myself as of yesterday likewise. Cooking an entire meal for 8 people is no simple task. It takes a lot of planning, time, skill, and most of all composure. The night before the big dinner I was up in bed lamenting the fact I had not prepared the Split Pea Soup that night and watched Nip/Tuck instead. Day of- felt the nerves a little. What if I overcook something, what if I am cooking when my guests arrive? I'm a perfectionist pure and simple- especially when it comes to cooking. I must read recipes over 5 times before even beginning. Of course some people disagree with this neurosis but I challenge them in a cook-off and we'll see who prevails.

So to explain the reason behind this dinner- last night I hosted a Shabbat Dinner for Shabbat 180, where 180 hosts around the city of Montreal were supposed to host Shabbat dinners in their own way with their own expression of what Shabbat is to them. For me it is a time to get together with family and friends to talk and to laugh, to meet new people and to eat well. And this is exactly what we did.

A few days ago I was reading Joy the Baker's blog and came across this wonderful salad recipe that she prepared for a dinner party she was invited to. I am NOT a salad person. I usually eat my veggies raw in bite size pieces that I can pick up with my two fingers and dip into hummus or peanut butter. But...this salad takes the cake or rather the pineapple. It is a great debut to the spring fruit and veggie season- fresh and juicy through and through. (Disclaimer: the dressing was quite an invasive task and I must have used 5 out of 7 of my kitchen appliances. See below.)

My mom was amazing enough to keep me company during the 1 and a half hours it took to complete this salad masterpiece. Don't be deterred, it's not really as hard as I thought I just wasn't expecting it. My mom especially laughed at the fact I spent 3 dollars on a bag of poppy seeds. Looks matter!!! I do not regret the purchase in the least. Here ya go...you won't regret it.

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Makes: 12 small or 6 large servings… yea, big salad
8 cups raw Brussels sprouts ribbons (lay sprouts on their sides and sliced thin, creating green ribbons)
1/2 cup scallions, sliced from the white to the green
1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped (I left it out)
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, sliced bite size
1 cup French Lentils, cooked (I attempted to use red lentils instead in the pressure cooker. Turns out they turn into mush when you do that. This is an additive.)
1 cup raw macadamia nuts, roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper OR raw nuts like unsalted almonds
1 cup avocado chunks

The "how-to":

Optional: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Toss raw macadamia nuts in 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Again, optional: Simmer one cup of French lentils in 3 cups of water. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until just cooked through. Drain completely, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool completely.
Slice pineapple into bite size chunks
Prepare salad dressing.
Slice avocado.
Just before serving the salad, toss together Brussels sprouts, scallions, parsley, pineapple, lentils, macadamia nuts and avocado chunks. Drizzle in dressing and toss well. Serve immediately.

Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Makes: 2 cups
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons chopped scallions (the white portion)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
salt and pepper to taste

The "how-to": Place fresh pineapple chunks in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend pineapple into a mostly smooth, frothy pulp. Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl and press the pineapple puree through the strainer into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the fine mesh strainer to get all the good bits. There will be just a bit of pineapple pulp in the fine mesh strainer when you’re done. You’ll have about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of juice/pulp.

Combine juice/pump, honey, rice wine vinegar, scallions, garlic, and mustard with a whisk. Pour the dressing into a medium bowl and stir in poppy seeds, salt and pepper.
Salad dressing should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Source: Joy the Baker (March 25, 2011)

Here it makes an appearance with the red curry red lentil soup from last week.

The rest of the meal consisted of split pea soup, rosemary citrus chicken in the oven and butternut squash pie with appetizers of hummus & "schug" aka swamp-fech. Of course the was Hallah bread and wine. This was a special wine which was given to be by a premier wine collector 2 years ago. I knew there would be a good time to open it. It aged well with time.

Chicken in the oven "how-to": Mix 5 cloves garlic (crushed) ; ½ cup orange juice; ½ tsp. mustard. ½ kosher salt; ¼ cup olive oil. Wash all pieces of chicken (I use chicken legs) remove some of the fat and dip each piece in the mixture and place in a baking dish skin side up. When finish pour rest of oil/juice mixture on top of chicken sprinkle paprika and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 min. remove aluminum foil (careful not get burned from steam) and continue cooking for another half hour. If you wish you can put some rosmary sprigs over the chicken or thyme.

Butternut squash pie "how-to":
1/2 butternut squash (the half without seeds), peeled and cut into small pieces
* 1/2 C. flour
* 1/2 C. sugar
* 1/2 stick pareve margarine
* 2 eggs
* 2/3 C. vanilla soy milk
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 graham cracker pie crust

Boil squash in pot with water until soft (and you can easily pierce with a fork), about 8-10 minutes. In a bowl, mix together: flour, sugar, margarine, eggs, soy milk and vanilla. Pour into blender with cooked squash and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into graham cracker pie crust. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until firm, about 1 hour.

Bon Appétit!

fish tacos, red lentil curry soup, seared tuna & mango chutney oh my!

Get ready for a whirlwind culinary adventure!

Pick your spice mixture of choice, marinate, and sizzle. Flaky white fish is best like this Tilapia.

top it with the works.

next up...

pre-immersion

mid-immersion (immersion blender: a blender you put in the food. duh.)

post-immersion. just poifect. see that veggie foam? it's the best kind of cappuccino.

red lentil curry soup ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced red/yellow pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cup lentils rinsed
6 cups of boiling water

the "how to": Place the olive oil into a large pot and set over medium/low heat. Once hot, add the onion, sauté until soft and golden. Add carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, peppers, broth, spices (if you like coriander, or cumin ½ tsp. or if you have some curry powder or a bottle of red curry sauce) and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 25-30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately.

someone stole a sneak peak.

and the pièce de résistance...

see that perfectly pink middle? do ya?

Seared Ahi Tuna with Mango Chutney
ingredients:
Olive Oil
1/4 c. Yellow Onion, Chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh Ginger Grated
1 c. Fresh mango, diced (1 large Mango)
1/8 c. Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
1 Tbsp. Cider Vinegar
1/8 c. Golden Raisins→ optional
1/8 c. Sugar
Kosher Salt
(1) 2lb Center Cut Fresh Ahi-Tuna Steaks - 1" thick
Freshly Ground Black pepper

Chutney:
Heat 1 tbsp. Olive Oil in a sauce pan. Add the onion and ginger and cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Reduce heat, add mango and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the orange juice, cider vinegar, raisins, sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until liquid is reduced.

Tuna:
Preheat a large, dry saute pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until very hot. Rub both sides of Tuna with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Kosher Salt & pepper. When pan is hot, add the tuna and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Slice the tuna steaks across the grain and serve with mango chutney.

Inspired by my dear friend eli.