I talk about food, you read it.
Archive for May, 2011
Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
0I have always been envious of people who live in parts of the world where they can sit outside on a warm summer evening, and sway back and forth on a porch swing. There has always been something calming about it to me. To come home from a busy day and unwind on the porch swing seems like the perfect thing to do. Perhaps I need to move to the south where this is normal and I can sip sweet tea and eat peach cobbler for dessert. Oh, the life!
I guess people in BC could have porch swings, but it would probably rot away from all of our rain. It also doesn’t seem like its ever sunny enough to spend the money on something you might get to swing on only a couple times a year. Instead we all unfold our lawn chairs, sit out for as long as we can before the next deluge of rain returns. Then we fold them back up for weeks at a time and sit inside.
Despite all the rain we’ve had I still have this urge to cook delicious meals even though I haven’t posted in a few days. This past weekend the sun was actually out for a bit and I made J and I some Shakshuka. This would be a great brunch dish or in my life an anytime dish. It’s so easy and so yummy!
Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
from smittenkitchen
Serves 4 to 6
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Warm pitas, for serving
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.
Baby Bell Peppers with mint and feta
0I got my first ever sunburn of the season last Friday and I couldn’t be happier. Not happy that I was burnt, because skin cancer isn’t something I aim for but happy that the sun was out long enough and was hot enough for my nose to actually burn. The sun just makes me so happy and appreciative of life so much more. When the sun decides to make an appearance I love is sitting on a patio with an ice cold ale or bright red Caesar with the hot rays of the sun warming my bones – and guess what? I was able to do that May long weekend which made me the happiest girl in the world.
Now that I got my vitamin d for the weekend my mind is constantly thinking of things to grill. I picked up the food network magazine on the ferry ride to Mayne and I kept flipping back to a page that had such a simple summer recipe that I thought would be a perfect side for any BBQ, gathering, or a quick easy dinner. It’s also a side that isn’t your typical cream based macaroni or potato salad. That’s also a bonus for people who want to try something different or be a little healthier.
I picked up these cute little sweet peppers at the market on Mayne for a salad I threw together on our last night there and co-incidentally these peppers are also the main feature to this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of baby bell peppers
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
- 1/4 crumbled feta
- dash of red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
Pre-heat grill to high. Toss baby bell peppers or quartered peppers with 2 tables spoons of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Grill, turning until blistered, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl and toss with 1 table spoon olive oil, some chopped mint, lemon juice and top with crumbled feta.
I decided not to leave them whole even though they’re so small because I didn’t want to have the steams and seeds in the way while I was chowing down. I would definitely recommend doing that as well if you make this.
I might have grilled these peppers a little long but you couldn’t tell by the way they tasted, only by the look. The already sweet peppers gained an extra kick of sweetness by grilling them and then smothering them in a minty feta dressing just made it so fresh tasting. I think I will have to bring this recipe out for our next bbq, they’re so tasty!
Sushi Umibe
011 months ago
I need a holiday from my holiday.
No, I just need food in the fridge.
Coming back from the cabin meant that there was about 800 loads of laundry to do, mowing t he lawn, washing the car, cleaning the house and most important getting more groceries. It was amazing how much of the food in the fridge we brought over; I haven’t seen the fridge this bare since we moved in. On the way to the store I didn’t realize how hungry I was until J mentioned lunch. Everyone knows grocery shopping when your hungry is a recipe for disaster so we stopped at Sushi Umibe at 11955 207 st, in Maple Ridge.
I have to say that from the outside I thought it was going to be a little sketchy. The area is run down and dirty looking but J convinced me that it would be fine and we should try it out. I was so hungry at this point I agreed and I am pretty glad I did.
They had your usual lunch box combos ranging from 8.95 to 12.95 for a big one. We decided to just order a couple things and share instead. We got complimentary miso soup to start, nothing extraordinary but good none the less.
The first item that came was our spicy tuna sashimi. A decent amount of tuna, chopped up into bite sized pieces. I didn’t think it was overly spicy but that’s personal preference. The tuna was itself was soft and both us liked this dish.
Next up was the Philadelphia roll. A fairly large roll with cucumber, avocado, crabmeat, salmon, cream cheese and topped with smoked salmon. This is one of my favourites. Not too adventurous but really yummy. I do have an obsession with cream cheese though. The combination of the smoked salmon with cream cheese is always a winner and tastes great up against the avocado and crunch of the cucumber. Needless to say we both really enjoyed this one.
The last item to arrive was the Gyoza. Six pan fried dumplings. These were a little on the doughy side for me but still had decent flavour. The filling was a vegetable pork with a good balance of seasonings. You almost didn’t need the dipping sauce, although that sauce can be addicting. Savory and sweet!
Despite the rundown neighbourhood this sushi place was really good, especially for the price. Our lunch came to around 24.00 dollars and we both left comfortably full. With a long list of specialty rolls I will surely have to come back and try some more out.
Springwater Lodge
011 months ago
J and I were fortunate enough to enjoy a wonderful weekend away to his family cabin on Mayne Island. Each time we go to the island we always stop at the Springwater Lodge for lunch. This past trip the sun was shining so we plopped ourselves down on the patio for some cold beers and pub food. I can’t think of anything better!
J and I each got ourselves a glass of ice cold beer. I opted for the Pipers Pale ale and J got Vancouver Island lager.
I ordered one piece fish and chips. It was a lightly breaded cod fillet served with salad and fries. Considering the shape of the fish I am going to say it’s not locally caught and probably came in with their food delivery but it was pretty tasty. The batter wasn’t overly thick and it had a nice crispiness to it. I also like how you get salad and fries here.
J ordered the beef dip. His also came with both salad and fries as well. His beef dip was on a multi grain bun with a decent amount of thinly sliced beef. The au jus was almost like a gravy in the sense that it was a little on the thick side. J liked this because it stuck to the bun really well. It also had a good flavour to it as well.
I can’t say the this pub hit anything out of the water as far as food goes but it’s definitely a quaint little pub that has the friendliest staff and some history. J and I will probably continue to come here on our visits until I can scrape up a couple million to buy it, which will probably be never. Eating lunch on a sunny patio beside the ocean will always impress.
Lucky Penny Wine
112 months ago
When my sister and I were little munchkins running around my parents once told us that if you find a penny put it in your shoe for good luck. I don’t know if I had any good luck from those pennies but I sometimes still find myself picking up pennies for good luck. Now a days they get tossed into my pocket instead.
The makers of Australia’s Yellow Tail wine wanted to give their customers the same magical feeling of good fortune with their new line of wines named Lucky Penny. They’ve released two blends of wine, one red, and one white, which represent all the amazing confidence and satisfaction when something works out in your favour. Who doesn’t need a little good luck now and then?
J and brought a bottle of each blend to his Cabin for the long weekend. Not only did we need a little good luck for the sun to shine but we also wanted to kick back and relax with some wine as well. We also had some friends join us at the cabin which also made us feel very lucky and fortunate.
Lucky Penny Red is a traditional Australian blend of Shiraz (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Merlot (20%). Again, three flavours are prominent in the wine. The Shiraz brings rich fruit flavours of blueberry, Cabernet Sauvignon adds a hint of chocolate while Merlot contributes subtle vanilla undertones. I paired this with a toasted baguette smothered in warm roasted garlic, caramelized onions and mushrooms, grilled Angus steak and topped with goat cheese. You could definitely taste the 3 wines within the blend and I thought it was really enjoyable. This wine and found it extremely drinkable for any occasion and I would definitely buy this in the future. I wouldn’t be scared to pair this with anything whether its lamb, beef or cheese. This one was my favourite of the two.
Lucky Penny White is made of Chardonnay (65%), Viognier (20%) and Pinot Grigio (15%). The white is a nice blend of summer fruits such as pear, melon and passion fruit with a hint of toast and honey. I paired this wine with some broiled scallops covered in a panko breading and then drizzled with a savoury sesame soy sauce. This wine was sweat and fruity, but not overly. You still got a bit of dryness as well. It went perfectly with the brininess of the scallops and would also be great with chicken or white fish as well.
I don’t know if it was the luck of the wine but we all had an amazing time at the cabin. The sun came out and there is nothing better than being at the water with a delicious drink in hand and good friends. At around $17.00 a bottle this is definitely a wine that I would grab again. Not a serious wine but great for casual social gatherings as it’s easy to drink and can be paired with so many types of food.
Taco Seasoning Trader Joes
01 year ago
I am sure everyone and they’re dog has heard about Traders Joes by now. Even us Canadians who have to cross the border have at least heard someone talking about it. I have co-workers who have never been there that call it Jims or that Joe place. I have been doing my best to convince them to go down to The States and check it out. I mean really, it takes no time at all to get there and its FUN!
Every time I go I have been grabbing a packet of the Taco Seasoning. I used to make my own seaoning and still sometimes do but everything I put into my own tacos are right here in this little packet, saving me time and energy on those nights that I need to eat before I kill someone. Okay, I would never kill anyone but you get my point. Unlike other taco seasonings with partially hydrogenated junk and mono whatever, trader joes is pure seasonings and organic
Ingredients: sea salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, cane sugar, paprika, onion, garlic, black pepper, red bell pepper, oregano, chili pepper, and smoked paprika.
The seasoning also has a nice kick to it. I love spicy so I would be inclined to add the entire packet but J’s taste buds haven’t burnt off entirely like my have so I add only half. If you’re not a lover of spice then add a quarter of the packet. Easy Peasy!! Taco was a success!!
BC Spot Prawns
0Apparently in other parts of the world, spring means that the sun shines, the flowers bloom, the birds chirp and everyone hulls out the patio furniture for a good cleaning. In BC it’s a different story, it rains, it rains some more, and just when you think it couldn’t possibly rain anymore we’ll get a record breaking rainfall. With all the rain you think that we’d grow webbed feet. Throughout all this spring rain there is some yummy seasonal foods that pop up as well, just to remind you that spring isn’t all about rain.
The return of spot prawns is, in my opinion, one of the most delicious spring foods BC has to offer.
This little guy is alive and it took the entire family (parents included) to decide how we were going kill the prawns. Everything seemed a little macabre but in the end it was easiest to just rip their heads off. I know, terrible, but it was fast and I am sure painless, well as painless at be-heading can be.
Spot Prawns are sweet, have a softer texture and are just amazing. In my opinion they’re the best of all the prawn varieties. They absorb a lot of flavor as well even through their shells. I’ve had them once this year already on mothers day when J’s super awesome cook of a sister steamed some for brunch. This time we decided to quickly pan fry them in a simple white wine and garlic.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp. Garlic, chopped
- 1-2 pounds fresh BC Spot Prawns, peeled and de-veined (or shells left on and beheaded if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
Put butter in a hot pan and melt. Add white wine and bring to a slow boil on med-high. Add prawns and garlic. Turn after about a min (until they barely start going pink) and turn over. Add lemon and parley. After about another minute or two, when they’re completely pink they’re done. Pour onto a plate or bowl and enjoy!
YUM-O sooooo good! The only thing that was missing was some rustic break or baguette to soak up the sauce. If you see spot prawns I HIGHLY recommend that you pick them up, you won’t be sorry!
Poached egg with goat cheese and a black pepper vinaigrette
2When I woke up Sunday morning J was no longer sleeping. I looked at the clock a little surprised that J was out and about around 8:30am. I could hear him puttering around downstairs and remembered that we were out of coffee cream. That explained everything….. J cannot have coffee without cream so his entire motivation for getting dressed so early was because he needed coffee cream and didn’t want to go to the store in his PJ’s.
He came into the bedroom while I was still trying to shake the sleepy head feeling and told me that he also bought bacon. Sometimes J cooks for me, but most of the time its me who cooks. I cook, he cleans and we’re both okay with this.
I was sort of hoping that since he was already up and awake that he would take over the breakfast duties but instead he told me to do my thing….which I think meant “create something delicious”.
I love grape tomatoes. They’re sweet little explosions of flavor that come in a cute little carton. Add grape tomatoes to your breakfast is a great way to start off the morning. A simple poached egg can also go so far and tastes so good.
I took a plain bagel out of the freezer and topped it with goat cheese, chopped tomato, a made a black pepper vinegrette. I didn’t measure, but its simply extra vigin olive oil, white wine vinegar, lots of pepper and a bit of honey.
Once the poached eggs were done I added a tad more vinaigrette and chopped parley. I forgot the parsley when I took a photo.
Yum! How can something so simple taste so good? I ask myself this all the time! I love how simple ingredients can just added together to create a delicious breakfast.
After making this I found some really similar recipes online and Bobby Flaw actually has done this as well. Of course his is fancier, with a baguette instead of a bagel and heirloom tomatoes, topped with arugula and the addition of tarragon to the vinaigrette but my way is also amazing!
I could eat a horse!
01 year ago
in Misc
Eat like a horse or eat a horse?
I recently read an article on The Huffing post that Top Chef Canada presented horse meat as competition ingredient. This episode is being aired tonight, May 16th. This apparently doesn’t sit well with a lot of Canadians though and many have decided to boycott the show. The boycott is largely by people who preserve horses as companions or pets.
Now, if you think of a regular horse, perhaps you’ve rode a horse, you probably can’t imagine sitting down with a knife and fork and eating it. If you think of a cow on the other hand, perhaps you’ve seen them aimlessly wondering a field and pooping. I bet you can imagine sitting down to a nice steak….right? Let’s not assume that butchers are harvesting horses that pets of any kind. The horses are being raised for food just like cattle. They don’t get to eat sugar cubes and apples or get a scratch on the nose. They don’t get cute names and bows tied around their ears. They’re strictly for food. I’m wondering if the same people who are boycotting the show are also people who don’t eat meat of any kind. You can’t really say no to horse and then chow down on a bison burger can you? I’ve seen goat brain on the show but nobody got bent out of shape about that.
With all that said, its probably apparent that I would eat a horse. I haven’t but it wouldn’t be something id be afraid to try. This isn’t because I don’t like horses. I love horses! I think they’re super cute and intelligent but its meat and I like meat. I also like cows, pigs and chickens and I eat those too. I have also eaten ostrich, kangaroo, deer and buffalo before as well, why? Because its meat and I will NOT discriminate!
Now before you boycott my blog I do want to let you all know that I see the issue and maybe serving horse on Canadian TV is a little too sensitive. We wouldn’t give dog to Top Chef Contestants even though its eaten in other countries. If there was a Top Chef India I could assume that Cow wouldn’t be in their baskets. So, maybe Top Chef will apologise and we won’t have to worry about what other pets are being chopped up and served. Until then…maybe just change the channel!
Herbs!
01 year ago
in Misc
I’d like to introduce you to my little friends…
In December I let you all know about the Areogarden my mom got J and I for Christmas. Well, now that the sun keeps poking its head I wanted to expand the little herbs and get them outside. I started a few new herbs and so far they’re doing great. When it gets too cold out I will re-start the Aerogarden again to have the handy counter herbs again. There is nothing like cooking with fresh herbs so get your green thumbs out get growing.
Cilantro
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Chives
Italian Parsley
Oregano
