Christmas Stew

Peach Scone

Take any scone recipe and add your favourite fruit. We found beautiful peaches and decided to add these. Blueberries work very well too.

Miso Glazed Black Cod

Black cod has a buttery flavour. We prepared it in a miso sauce which we made by mixing miso paste and other sauces. You can use anything you want (chicken broth, orange juice, fruit jelly, etc.). We often put maple syrup in a glaze; maple syrup goes with everything. The sauce is very sweet therefore it thickens as it cooks and becomes a glaze after about 10 minutes in the oven set at 375. Fish tastes much better slightly undercooked than overcooked.

Smoked Salmon Baluchons

We picked up some phyllo sheets and made the mistake of not getting them enough time in advance. These sheets have to thaw for several hours before they can be used (without breaking). Once the package is open, they dry up quickly so it is a good idea to have a humid dishcloth ready. As each sheet is peeled off, the remaining stack needs to be covered with the dishcloth.

This is a very simple recipe that can be made with an infinite number of possible ingredient combinations. A good formula for this type of pastry is: (cooked) seafood + cheese + (cooked) vegetable. It is difficult to go wrong. These were made using Matane shrimps mixed with Boursin cheese (spreadable) and edamame.

Once the mix was made, each sheet of phyllo was cut into 4 and stacked with a layer of melted butter painted on each level. The phyllo squares were used to line the 12 cups of a large muffin tin. We put a spoonful of the mixture in each cup and gently pinched the top closed. It is easier if you dip your finger tips in water before closing. To keep the tip from becoming too crispy, the remaining butter was painted on the tops. They cooked at 375 for 12 minutes.

Chick Pea Taboulé

This is the perfect recipe for a hot day when no one feels like cooking. If you have leftover salads, even simpler. Add taboulé to any combination vegetables and add chick peas or anything you like, you get an instant tasty, refreshing and healthy meal. Store-bought and food court taboulé tend to contain a lot of oil and have sometimes been prepared days in advance. The best part about tabloulé is the freshness that comes from the parsley. We recommend making your own. We do add some oil to ours but just a few spoonfuls. The lemon juice also gives it a kick. Adding too much couscous will take away from the fresh flavors.

Chocolate Banana Icebox Cake

This cake was made with graham crackers, chocolate pudding, whipped cream and ripe bananas. Layer the bottom of a pan with the graham crackers; add a layer of smashed ripe bananas and then a layer of chocolate pudding. Repeat layers and cover with a final layer of whipped cream. Let stand in the freezer for a few hours. The graham crackers will absorb the moisture and change to a texture similar to cake.

Gazpacho and Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese sandwiches are much more than a slice of processed orange derived-from-dairy product on white sliced bread with margarine. We like to try different bread and cheese combinations. These were mad with whole grain sliced bread, sliced glazed ham and a combination of old cheddar and emmental cheese. We often use olive bread or French bread sliced on an angle, to create longer slices.

The best way to cook them is on an indoor grill because they need to be pressed down as they cook. You can also use a spatula and a skillet, that works too. Instead of using margarine, a good trick for any bread put on a grill is to use mayonnaise instead. It not only tastes better, but it also makes those dark grill marks on the bread.

The gazpacho was very simple to make. We added a large can of diced tomatoes, a cup of tomato juice, a few minced garlic cloves, a few spoonfuls of olive oil, a couple of Lebanese cucumbers, about 1/4 of a small honeydew melon,  seedless green grapes (about 10) and fresh basil leaves. We put everything in the food processor and pulsed for about 30 seconds total. Texture is important in a gazpacho. Over mixing it will make it too thin so you have to keep an eye on it as it mixes. The amount of time depends on the ingredients being used.

Simple Tuna Sandwich

Tuna salad can be really boring but bringing life to it is very easy. Some of our favourite ingredients to add to a can of tuna are: relish, minced pickles, capers, sour cream instead of mayonnaise, onions, dried cranberries, sliced tomatoes, spinach etc. Try using different kinds of bread to make it more interesting.

Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna Steak

This is our new favourite. The tuna needs to be super fresh because it is being seared and will not cook very long. You can lightly brush the fish with fish sauce or a light miso mix before pressing fish in sesame seeds. The best pan to use is a skillet that is heated in the oven before putting the fish in. You want the pan to be very hot to avoid having to leave the fish on too long. The middle remains uncooked. It is very important to use good quality fish when searing.

Fiddlehead Lemon Basil Risotto

Risotto

Fiddleheads

Arborio rice

 Peccorino

Pear and Frangipane Tart

Grilled Chicken Salad

Braised Beef on Parsnip Carrot Miso Purrée

Crab Salad in Endives

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Here is a recipe for using cauliflower instead of flour for the crust.  It is not the same but still very good!

http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html 

Okonomiyaki

This is a new favorite of ours and we plan on making it again may times.  The recipe can be modified with anything that is on hand. Even the proportions can be changed.

Here are some links to recipes to use as starting points:

http://www.zencancook.com/2011/05/okonomiyaki/
http://lasvegasfoodadventures.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/okonomiyaki/

Miso Glazed Tofu with Carrots and Sunchokes

Shrimp and Chorizo Paella

Cajun Shrimp Burger

Shrimp Parsnip Stir Fry on Soba Noodles

Shrimp and Vegetable Biryani

Poached Egg with Pineapple and Oranges

Mini Hawaiian Pizzas with Salad

Double Chocolate Eclair with Amarula Cream

Maple Glazed Ham

Salad with Chicken and Parmesan

Tuna Pâtes à Choux

Shrimp and Vegetable Curry

Emmental-Cheddar Mac and Cheese, Pork Nuggets and Garlic Beet Salad

New Spice Storage Solution, Mason Jars