Snap Pea & Yellow Zucchini Parpadelle with Saffron Thyme Cream

Hands down this is the best pasta I have ever dreamed up on the way home from work. Do you ever get into a funk where nothing you make seems to taste that good? I get that sometimes, other people may like it (or are they just saying that?) but this dish I absolutely loved! You must give it a try. Sometimes the best creations are a complete fluke. It's quite late and I should be in bed but I had to write this all down before I forgot what I did!

I wanted to use up some sugar snap peas and zucchini I had in the fridge. These ingredients are key to the dish so make sure you use the freshest produce you can...

Ingredients & Preparation:

Serves about 3 as a main course

For the cream sauce you will need -

• 1 cup 18% cream
• few pinches of saffron
• about 6 springs of fresh thyme (pull the leaves off)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• a few shakes of white pepper
• a pinch of sea salt (I used Salish Smoked Salt from the Pike Place Market)
• a generous swirl of good quality, fruity olive oil

For the pasta -

• 1 package of fresh lasagna sheets, cut into strips to make a "cheat's parpadelle" noodle
• 2 handfuls of sugar snap peas, topped & tailed
• 1 handful of watercress leaves (cut off the long stems as they are hard to swallow in pasta - I learned the hard way)
• 1 small yellow zucchini, grate on a cheese grater to make little strips
• 4-6 slices of halloumi cheese, 1/4 inch slices (this cheese is fairly salty so go easy on the salt in the cream sauce)

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil in preparation for your pasta.

In a small pan, add the ingredients in the order listed above. Using a small whisk, gently stir the sauce to incorporate all the ingredients. Use a medium heat so it doesn't burn. Slowly whisk the sauce until it becomes a little thicker (the cream may become too thick if you beat it too much) and heat through. You don't want a runny consistency but you also don't want whip cream! Set aside when ready.

Add your pasta and bring to a boil. Fresh pasta shouldn't take too long to cook.

In another pan, add a smidgen of water, cover and steam your snap peas and watercress for only a few minutes until they are warmed through but still crunchy. You don't need to cook the zucchini.

In a small non-stick frying pan, add a touch of olive oil and place your cheese in for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Plate the pasta first in the centre and build the dish up from there. Add the snap peas and watercress. Then the zucchini on top. Place the cheese slices (about 2 per dish) on the side and give the plate a generous drizzle of the saffron thyme cream.

Enjoy this meal on a warm summer night with friends!

Cheddar & Herb Buttermilk Biscuits

Our neighbours to the west side of our house are awesome! Their youngest son comes to our house during the day to let our dog out for a potty break and then takes her over to his house to play with their dog. I think our pup loves them a wee bit more than us now. You gotta love small town living where neighbours are neighbourly. To keep with that theme, I thought I'd bake them some biscuits as a small token of thanks.

The following recipe is similar to the one I used. I cannot find the one I used anywhere! What good is that? Really, I just wanted to tell you about my neighbours.

Ingredients & Preparation: (Recipe from Blogger "Pinch my Salt")

• 2 C. flour (unbleached)
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. mustard powder
• 1 T. chopped fresh herbs or 1 t. dried* (I used fresh herbs, basil and chives,from my little garden box)
• 4 T. butter
• 1 C. shredded cheese (whatever kind you prefer but I used a local, sharp, old cheddar)
• 3/4 C. sour cream (I used buttermilk)
• 1/4 C. milk (I used 10% cream)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, mustard powder and herbs.

3. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the pieces of butter are the size of peas. Stir in shredded cheese.

4. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together sour cream and milk. Add sour cream mixture to the dry mixture. Stir until just combined.

5. Turn dough out onto a well-floured counter and knead a few times with floured hands. Pat dough out with your hands to about one-inch thickness. Cut biscuits using a biscuit cutter or cut into desired shapes with a knife.

6. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm with butter.

*You may use any combination of herbs you want. Try 1/2 T. fresh chives along with some dried herbs like 1/2 t. basil and 1/2 t. marjoram. The amounts listed are just guidelines. Experiment and have fun!

Berry & Rhubarb Pie

After my produce delivery last week, I attempted to make a strawberry rhubarb pie. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough rhubarb for the filling so I needed to add some more berries. My pie soon became a strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb pie. All the fruit used in the recipe was from local farms. The berries were smaller and they go soft much more quickly than other berries I have bought in the past so you have to eat them fast or else they don't last. This pie was a great way to enjoy their flavour!

I admit I bought a store-made crust because I really didn't have time to make one from scratch. Forgive me! Use your favorite crust recipe when you make this pie.

Ingredients & Preparation: (loosely based on the original recipe from Bon Appetit, April 1997)

• 3 1/2 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices trimmed local, organic rhubarb
• 1 container local, organic strawberries, hulled, halved (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup of local raspberries
• 1/2 cup (packed) organic golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

To make the filling; preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Toss gently to blend. Fill up the pie shell and cover with second shell. Cut a little slit in the top to let steam escape. How easy is that!?

Transfer pie to baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until golden and filling thickens, about another 25 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.

My 1st Local Fresh Produce Delivery!

Wednesday afternoon was an exciting time. I rushed home from work eager to peak inside the cooler I left on the front porch to see what treats had been delivered. I knew I was to receive the "local produce basket" but what that meant, I wasn't quite sure.




It was my very first vegetable delivery by a local company (The Homefield Organic Food Co.)that delivers fresh local & organic produce grown on farms in our region. Some of the organic produce does come from further away (California/Mexico) so I chose not to have those items included in my order. In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint, I am trying my hardest to buy only local foods (including packaged goods). This is easy to do in the summer when produce is bountiful in this region - winter will be another story (stay tuned). I tried to do this last week at the local grocery chain and came home with a meagre selection of tomatoes, lettuce and mushrooms. Most other items were imported from far away places. The majority of packaged and canned goods were not local but I tried my hardest to stick to Canadian items such as cheese from Quebec and canned goods from Ontario.


I was completely surprise when I opened the lid of the cooler. For a mere $27, I got the following:



In case you can't see everything, here is a list:

• strawberries
• apples
• cremini mushrooms
• onion
• bunch of beets
• radishes
• lettuce
• zucchini
• cucumber
• rhubarb
• potatoes
• vine tomatoes
• broccoli
• snap peas
• AND, 2 organic chocolate chip cookies that didn't make it past the front porch

I have to say, that is a lot more veggies than we would normally eat in one week so I think I'll be doing some frozen meals or soups. Regardless, I am pleased as punch with this service and blown away by the quality of produce that is grown just down the road. Now I don't have to get up at 7AM on Saturday to go to the Farmer's Market! Homefield Organic Food Co. also delivers a plethora of other items such as dairy, eggs, bread, grains, pasta, cereal and pantry items (sauces, pickles, beans, jams and bulk foods etc.)

Last night, I made a vegetarian "baked surprise" (LOL) that turned out very well. I used my fresh tomatoes and cremini mushrooms (among other things) in that dish. We also had the local potatoes which I roasted with rosemary from my own window-box garden. Fantastic!

Tonight I will bake a strawberry-rhubarb pie and prepare a salad of beets and snap peas. Another post to follow with pics!

Next year we will be buying a share in a local CSA for the summer, but for now the Homefield Organic Food Co. seems to be a sure thing! Look for a similar service in your area!

http://www.homefieldorganics.com/

Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin

Wow. I never would have believed it but my husband has managed to amaze me with this one. He has claimed that this VEGETABLE recipe is now firmly planted on his top 5 list for favorite meals. Admittedly, this dish is so delicious that you completely forget it is cauliflower, but I am still quite shocked!

In my continued effort to not eat meat (again, a post is needed for this - soon, soon!), I am trying some new ideas at the dinner table. I saw this recipe on French Food at Home, with the ever delightful Laura Calder, before our vacation and vowed to try it when we got back. The episode was "Truckstop French". I changed a couple of things just slightly. The results? Amazing comfort food.

Link here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauliflower for everything you don't know about cauliflower.

Ingredients & Preparation: (from Laura Calder's French Food at Home, Food Network TV)

Serves 4 as a side

• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim and it was perfect)
• 1 x bay leaf (I used 3 as they were a bit old and not very fresh)
• 1 clove garlic split
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup grated gruyère cheese (I used extra old white cheddar and mozzarella)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste (I used white pepper - love the flavour)
• 1 lb. cauliflower florettes
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used Japanese panko crumbs instead - excellent!)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Make the sauce: Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan with the bay leaf and garlic. Cover, turn off the heat, and let infuse, about 15 minutes. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring, until thick. Stir in the cheese, season with salt and pepper, and reserve.

Heat the oven to 425°F/210°C. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it, as for pasta, and blanch cauliflower until just shy of being tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Pat dry with a tea-towel. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the sauce and dump into a gratin dish. Scatter over the breadcrumbs (or panko) and Parmesan and bake until bubbling and gratinéed on top.

I served the gratin with some Indian-inspired lentils and a green salad. Supreme!

Pad Thai with Tofu

Super tired today. But, I still managed to get myself to the grocery store to buy some food for dinner. I wanted to do something quick and easy. Pad Thai with Tofu seemed to be the answer! I'm off meat for now and probably forever (more on that later - requires a separate post) so I cooked with tofu for the 2nd time in my life tonight. I've eaten it many times but never prepared it myself. Dinner was delish.

Ingredients & Preparation:

Serves 2-3.

• 1 egg, scrambled
• 1/2 "brick" of firm tofu, diced into little pieces
• 2 tbsps canola oil
• 1/2 package of broad rice noodles
• 1 package of pad Thai sauce, store-bought (A Taste of Thai brand is good)
• fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• green onion, diced
• handful of peanuts, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into quarters or smaller for garnish
• bean sprouts, optional

Cook your tofu in the oil for a few minutes until hot (add salt if you like). Set aside. Scramble your egg and set aside with tofu. Cook your noodles according to package directions. Heat the sauce. Mix the noodles with the sauce in a large serving bowl. Add the tofu and egg. Top with cilantro, green onion, peanuts and garnish with lime. Bean sprouts are good if you have them. I had them tonight but forgot to add them until it was time to eat.

Feel free to add some grilled shrimp or chicken to this dish instead of the tofu.

This is much better than takeout!

We are home from vacation - just checking in with some reviews!

I just got back from vacation yesterday so I am still fighting jet-lag and the fact that I am back at work isn't helping. While our vacation was not exactly a culinary adventure (picture a unfamiliar kitchen with no basic supplies in the pantry), we did have a few good meals. The following were notable spots that I recommend.

Coeure D'alene, Idaho - BRIX Restaurant. While most of you will probably never end up in Coeur D'alene, Idaho (one of the most gorgeous places I've ever been) I thought I'd recommend this place anyway! We only came in for a snack and drink but that was enough to let me know this kitchen knows how to cook! Great atmosphere with an open kitchen, exposed brick work, tin ceiling and most unexpected, a piano player. Excellent spot in the bar area to people watch & relax. The menu and other details are here http://www.brixrestaurant.com/restaurant.html.

Seattle, Washington - Serious Pie, a Tom Douglas Restaurant. This place is a cool pizzeria with shared tables, an open kitchen/bakery, friendly wait-staff , reasonable prices and the best pizza I've had in recent years. We shared 2 of the seasonal pies...one featured local morels, arugula pesto, and taula and the other was an unusual combo of penn cove clams, house pancetta, and lemon thyme. The crust is dynamite. Visit all Tom's locations here: http://www.tomdouglas.com/index.html

Seattle, Washington - Savor Seattle Food Tour @ Pike Place Market. In a word, this tour was "delicious". I have never eaten such variety in 2 hours before. Here is a sample of what we had...

The Market entrance...

A huge selection at Piroshky Piroshky

• Alderwood smoked salmon from the famous Pike Place Fish Market.
• Fresh seasonal produce (apples to eggplant)
• Locally-roasted coffee (not Starbucks!) and amazing herbal tea blends
• Cherry-inspired treats and chocolates
• Tom Douglas' coconut cream pie at Etta's
• Russian piroshky pastries from Piroshky Piroshky
• Artisan handmade cheeses from Beecher's
• Nation's best clam chowder (it was!)

• Hot old-fashioned doughnuts

You must go on this tour if you are in Seattle. Reservations are required and you can sign up on their website http://www.savorseattletours.com/pikeplacetour.htm. It is a great way to see the best of the Pike Place Market.

Crab at the famous Pike Place Fish market...

Victoria, B.C. - Lady Marmalade. At first glance this spot looks like a local coffee hangout and not much of an eatery, but this was by far the best breakfast we had the entire trip and probably the best in a few years. The decor looks like your great-gramma's basement but the look is all part of Lady Marmalade's charm. Daily specials change not only daily but hourly. Arrive early so you don't miss out of the offerings. I love their focus on local & organic fare.

The Good Morning Poutine with hollandaise is heavenly. I would eat it every day if I could...The special my husband ordered was a ginger bread chocolate french toast. Unbelievable. Service was fast and with many smiles. Coffee is local and roasted to perfection. I cannot speak to the dinner menu but if it is anything like breakfast you will be in for a treat.

Visit them here http://www.ladymarmalade.ca/.

PS - Looks like a Lady Marmalade will soon be opening in the East (Toronto)!

This is the massive piece of French toast from lady Marmalade.

Victoria, B.C. - Blue Carrot Cafe. This spot has bottomless cups of fair trade, organic coffee and some excellent home-made muffins and other baked goods. 188 Basion Square. Friendly staff.

Sweet Mango & Banana Wontons

What is better to end a meal than a deep fried wonton? These delicious little triangles are so simple to make...have them with vanilla ice cream if you prefer but they are amazing just as they are dipped in mango puree.

I am still in the process of clearing out the fridge and freezer so this was a quick, impromptu dessert. I was craving something sweet and this was the result - no recipe, just imagination!

Ingredients & Preparation:

• small wontons, cut in 2 on the diagonal
• about 2 cups of mango, diced
• 1/4 banana
• 1/4 cup of raw brown sugar
• 1 squeeze of honey
• 3-4 cups of peanut oil for deep frying
• icing sugar for dusting

Put the mango, banana, brown sugar and honey into a blender and puree until fairly smooth but not runny. Leave a few bits in it. Cut your wontons on the diagonal. Put a little of the mixture in the centre of the triangle. Wet the sides with a little water on your finger and fold over being careful to seal the edges. You should now have a triangular pocket.

Heat your oil up to 350F in a deep, heavy pot. Once hot enough, place 3 wontons in the pot. Let them turn golden one the 1st side, then flip over and do the same for the second. Let the wontons cool on a wire rack or on paper towel.

When ready to serve, dust with a little (or a lot!) of icing sugar. Serve with ice cream or a small bowl of the leftover puree. A perfect end to an Asian-inspired meal!