Thanks for braving the cold wet slushy snow...

...and coming out to the Blim Market at Heritage Hall yesterday.  And a very special thank you to everyone who took time to compliment the Piadina Pasties they enjoyed for lunch; it means a lot.

I look forward to seeing you all again next month, March 27th.

Crust at Blim Market Feb 27, 2011

With great sadness, I have to let you know that due to faulty scales the chestnut bread will not be available.

I'm changing my name!
Come and enjoy Crust on Main Street at 15th:

Griddle Pasties: Piadina, an Italian flat bread, filled with a choice of 3 fillings:
- curried garbanzo beans, feta and peas
- leek and cashew pate with spinach
- ricotta cheese with capers, olives, lemon, chili and tomato

Chestnut Bread baked with caramelized onion and garlic, rosemary and cherry tomato (gluten free)

This menu is subject to amendment.

I look forward to seeing you for lunch and a chat!

quick recipe #6 Hearty Halibut Soup with Sage and Rapini

serves 2

Cut to small dice 2 medium potatoes, 1 small rutabaga (swede), 1 medium carrot, 1 stick of celery, 1/2 medium onion.
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrot, celery & onion and cook until onion starts to soften. Stir in the diced potatoes and rutabaga to coat with oil.
Add 4 cups chicken stock, a good pinch of salt and a few twists of white pepper and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, chop 1 cup rapini and set aside.
Remove skin from the halibut.
Use wild halibut if it is available, ask the fishmonger to cut a piece large enough to serve two people.
Cut the halibut into 1/2 inch chunks and set aside.
When the vegetables are al dente put 1/3 of vegetables and stock in a food processor, add more white pepper to suit your taste and process until smooth.
Add the fish and rapini to the saucepan and allow to cook over gentle heat.
When the fish is cooked through return the processed vegetables to the saucepan and stir to combine. Allow to warm.
Finely chop enough fresh sage to give 1 tbsp.
Divide the soup between 2 large bowls. Top each soup with a large spoonful of sour cream, preferably fat free, and sprinkle the soup with the finely chopped sage.

quick recipe #5 Grains braised with Horseradish, Aged Sirloin Steak, Brussels

Yesterday, I took a trip to Big Lou's Butcher Shop www.biglousbutchershop.com It's a great step back in time little corner shop owned by the chefs behind Two Chef's and a Table on the next block, but it is very much of now selling primarily local and naturally raised meats.

I came out with a beautiful aged sirloin steak from Pemberton Farms. Walking back home I had to decide my dinner. Recently, I've been trying to incorporate more grains into the meals I cook, inspired in part by Mark Bittman's The Food Matter's Cookbook. So I made a simple dinner around the steak with food I already had at home. Horseradish is a traditional condiment for beef and works very well as a seasoning for the grains:

This recipe serves one
Wash and season the steak with a little sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Combine equal parts spelt, oat and barley flakes to a total of 1/2 cup.  Put in a saucepan, add half a stick of celery and 4 cloves garlic both finely chopped, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper to taste.  Stir in 2 cups of chicken stock.  This will be a wet creamy porridge rather than a thick porridge. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Wash, trim and halve 5 brussels sprouts. Preferably steam over simmering grains. If you don't have a steamer, boil in enough water to half cover. They are done when tender but still slightly firm, keep warm.

When the grains have softened and released their starch into the stock to make it creamy stir in 1 generous tbsp of hot horseradish sauce. However, this should be to your taste so add a little then taste and add more until you have it to suit yourself. Allow to simmer a little longer for the flavours to develop.

Warm a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, but any pan will do. When very hot lay the seasoned steak in the centre of the pan. Using tongs turn the steak very quickly to sear all sides, including the fat.  For medium cook for 4-5 minutes total.

Spoon the grains onto a plate with the brussels on one side and the steak nestled on top. Well balanced and delicious!

I think these grains would also work well with dry seared salmon.

quick recipe #4 Chicken and Gai Lan in Lemon & Ginger on Noodles with Spicy Hoisin Glazed Green Beans and Tofu

Quantities are for two.

1. Grate and squeeze the juice from a two inch piece of ginger. Mix with the juice squeezed from 1 lemon and 1tsp mirin or sugar.
2. Cut two organic chicken breasts into bite size pieces and mix in with the juices. Add a few twists of white pepper and set aside to marinate.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles.
4. Warm 1.5 tbsp sunflower oil and 1/2 tbsp sesame oil in a frying pan. Cut half a block of medium firm organic tofu into 1 inch cubes and add to the warm oil. Cook until starts to turn gold, stirring and turning frequently to avoid sticking.
5. Add the chicken and all the marinade to another pan and bring to a gentle simmer and allow to poach.
6. Trim a large handful of green beans. Set aside.
7. Trim 8 pieces of gai lan and chop into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
8. Grate 4 large cloves of garlic. Set aside.
9. Combine 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tsp sambal oelek, 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.
10. When the tofu is staring to colour add the green beans and toss in the oil. Add the hoisin mixture and bring to a simmer and allow to reduce to a glaze.
11. When the chicken is almost cooked stir in the gai lan, garlic and a splash of soy sauce.  Raise the heat a little and allow the gai lan to cook for a few minutes and the marinade to reduce slightly.
12. When both chicken and tofu are cooked remove from heat and put noodles in the pot of boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes or according to the instructions.
13. Strain the noodles and place on a serving dish. Top with the chicken and gai lan and all the sauce. Place the tofu and beans on a separate plate and serve along side the chicken and noodles.

quick recipe #3 Roast Pork Tenderloin seasoned with Fennel, Roast Potatoes and Braised Red Cabbage

A few months ago while back in Britain I took a trip to Hay-on-Wye in Wales with my two oldest friends. Hay-on-Wye is a small town and a mecca for book lovers with over thirty shops selling secondhand books. I do not have any strong feelings towards secondhand books but I was very happy to find a paperback copy of The Renaissance of Italian Cooking by Lorenza de'Medici, first published in 1989. It is a collection of "aristocratic" recipes, many of which have been passed on through her family. However, despite their grand heritage many of the recipes are simple and elegant and can be easily prepared.

The recipe that follows is for a sort of porchetta, that was inspired by de'Medici's Roast Pork with Fennel.

Quantities serve two.

1. Warm oven to 425.

2. Finely chop together 5 cloves garlic, 1.5 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary. Mix in 1/2 tsp sea salt and a few good twists of black pepper.

3. Cut the pork tenderloin 3/4 through lengthways.

4. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the inside of the pork.

5. Spread the garlic, fennel, rosemary mixture over the inside of the pork.

6. Close the pork and secure the tenderloin with butchers string. Rub a little salt & pepper over the tenderloin and place in a roasting pan with 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter. Place uncovered in hot oven.

7. Peel 3 large Russet potatoes and cut each into 6 or 8 pieces. Bring to a boil for 5 mins in a saucepan of water. Drain and gently shake in the saucepan to slightly crush the outsides, which will improve the crust. Arrange around the pork and toss in the oil and butter. Return to the oven to roast.

8. Chop up 1/4 large red cabbage (I was luck enough to have small heads of red cabbage that have been growing on my balcony). Slice 1/4 large onion. Cut 5 cloves garlic into 4 pieces each. Mix together and arrange in medium sized casserole. Season with a little sea salt & black pepper and add 1.5 cups chicken stock. Cover with lid and place in the oven.

9. Dice 1/2 large bulb of fennel, removing the fronds and core. Place a small pan with a lid together with a tbsp butter and 1/4 cup water. Allow to warm slowly, until the fennel is soft.

10. Place cooked fennel in a food processor with 1/2 cup milk. Process to a smoothish sauce.

11. When pork is cooked remove from pan and allow to rest before removing the butchers string. Return potatoes to the top of the oven to crisp. Remove the potatoes from the pan with a slotted spoon when they are golden.

12. Remove the cabbage when softened.

13. Deglazed the roasting pan with 1 cup white wine, bring to a simmer and add the fennel. Mix together and simmer to reduce slightly. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

14. Untie the pork and slice widthways into 1 cm slices.

15. Arrange slices of pork, potatoes and cabbage on plates and spoon the fennel sauce over the pork.

quick recipe #2 Chicken Noodle Soup with Kale and Lemon Chicken Thighs

quantities serve two generously

1. Gently warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan.
2. Finely dice 1/4 onion, 1 stick celery, 1 small gold beet. Add to warm oil with a couple of pinches of dried chili flakes and a good twist of pepper and allow to soften.
3. Cut off excess fat and chop 4 organic chicken thighs into bite size pieces (chicken is so messed up only buy organic or unmedicated)
4. Add 1 litre of chicken stock to the softened vegetables (homemade is best but organic reduced sodium is good too) and bring to a gentle simmer to allow the beet to cook.
5. Zest 1 lemon and massage the zest into the chopped chicken thighs with 1 tsp sea salt & 1/2 tsp black pepper.
6. Warm 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a small frying pan. When warm add the chicken thighs.
7. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon and add to the chicken. Simmer to reduce to a light glaze.
8. Tear up 3 large leaves of kale, discarding the main stems.
9. Grate 3 cloves of garlic, discarding the skins.
10. When beets have almost cooked add 2.5 large handfuls of fine German egg noodles (similar to broken angle hair pasta)
11. Add kale and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
12. Serve noodles and soup in large bowls topped with lemon chicken thighs.

quick recipe #1 - Pasta with "Hummus" Sauce, Bacon & Roasted Broccoli

These quantities serve two with leftovers for lunch.

1. Heat the oven to 420 for the broccoli and bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Chop 1 medium head of broccoli and part of the stem into bite size pieces. Toss in olive oil and black pepper and place in bottom of oven.
3. Cut 4 slices of double smoked bacon into 1/2 inch pieces, scissors are your best friend for this job and place in pan with a good glug of olive oil and twist of black pepper.
4. Finely chop 1 stick of celery and 1/4 of large onion and add to the bacon. Allow to slowly soften.
5. In a food processor, place 1/2 can of rinsed chickpeas, preferably organic, 4 tablespoons of tahini, 4 large cloves of garlic, a pinch of sea salt, lots of back pepper, 1/2 cup of olive oil and blend to a paste.
6. When pot of water comes to a boil add a teaspoon of salt, return to the boil reduce heat slightly and add 4 large handfuls of wholewheat fusili.
7. Remove broccoli from oven when peaks are browning and set aside.
8. Roughly chop 1/2 tomato and set aside.
9. When pasta is almost cooked add the remaining 1/2 can of rinsed chickpeas to the bacon together with the "hummus" mixture from the food processor.
10. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the bacon and stir to incorporate a smooth sauce. Allow to warm through.
11. Drain the pasta when al dente and add to the sauce. Remove from the heat and stir to combine.
12. Divide the pasta and sauce between two plates top with chopped tomato and roasted broccoli, serve with extra black pepper.

Thank you Gourmet Fury

Thank you Melody www.gourmetfury.com for stopping by and then tweeting about my blog! And a special thank you for making me realize how lazy I have been in posting to it.

The end of last year was a little busy. I took a trip back to London to see family & friends in November. I had a wonderful time and food played a large part. It was so good to enjoy British fish & chips on my first night back; you can’t get rock & chips in Vancouver and it’s such a deliciously rich and meaty fish. Then there were the breakfasts with black pudding and succulent back bacon.

I had a great day at Borough Market by London Bridge Station, bought some terrific cheeses and a game pie, which I have to say was very disappointing; too grisly. But strolling around the market drinking hot mulled wine on a chilly November morning was a perfect way to spend a Saturday.

Lunch at St John Bread & Wine in Spitalfield was everything I’d dreamed of. I had ox heart with watercress and pickled walnuts.

Once back in Vancouver it was time to think about Christmas and make the mincemeat ready for pies. Mincemeat needs to be made well in advance to allow the flavours to develop and deepen. Also the Christmas pudding had to be made early for the same reason and to allow time to slowly add brandy and give it its rich Christmasy flavour.So, now 2011 is well under way. February 27 will see Blim market kick off and I’m working on a few new recipes to present alongside the old favourites at Heritage Hall on Main Street. The complete menu will be up soon and I look forward to meeting you all there.

Oct 31st - Seasonal grub at BLIM Market

Menu:

Served warm or cold

Stuffed Focaccia -

acorn squash with garlic & apple

curried chickpeas with feta cheese

spicy peperonata

Smokey Corn Muffins with Hot Pepperoni

Looking forward to seeing you there in your finest costume!