Valentine's Day Macarons

Here are two types of macaron, both stylish for Valentine's Day: Chocolate with Mint and Pomegranate - Pink Grapefruit. Byron Talbott and Beth Le Manach both have excellent tutorials for making macarons.  Their work continually inspires me.  Find links to their youtube channels at the end of this post - just search the channel for "macaron"

I made them both at the same time so the photos both overlap and omit elements.  Sorry!

First, the building blocks: egg white, almond meal and icing sugar.  Each batch is slightly different so, adjustments are needed from time depending on the behavior of the batter.

Begin by adding the almond meal and icing sugar to a food processor and chop until fine.  Then, sift the ingredients.  Sift it a lot!

Then, make a meringue.  I know it's not the standard way, but I always dump in all the ingredients: egg white, sugar, vanilla and sprinkle of salt.  Whip it until soft peaks form.

Add about 1/3 of the meringue to the dry ingredients and fold together.  Add the remainder of the meringue and continue folding until the batter is "lava-like"  That is, it should be thick and smooth.

Pipe the batter out in even circles on parchment or silicone baking mat.  "Slam" the pan down on the counter a few times to allow the batter to settle, removing any bubbles.  Then, (one of the most important steps!!!) allow the batter to dry for about 20 minutes.  It should be completely non-sticky to the touch.

Bake for about 15 minutes at 350˚F.  Allow to cool and fill with delightful things.

I think the pomegranate-pink grapefruit is one of my favourites.  The tartness of the fruit balances the sweetness and enhances the macaron experience.

I made a simple butter cream using Earth Balance spread, pomegranate juice and grapefruit zest.

Beth: http://youtu.be/xJ636Y8N6E8

Bryon: http://youtu.be/RZ5GTnE9y5E

Matcha Rice with Mango

Someone showed me a few recipes that utilized tea in unique ways - in savoury dishes as well as sweet.  I was inspired to make this quick and easy sweet dessert. Pairing matcha and jasmine rice allows the fragrance of both components build on each other.

Simply prepare a couple cups of jasmine rice, adding about a teaspoon of matcha powder, a half-teaspoon of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of sugar.

When the rice is done, allow it to cool slightly - it should be pleasantly warm, but not hot.  Top with sliced mango and garnish with lime.  This very fragrant dish is the perfect light conclusion to any heavy meal.

Roast Cauliflower Onion Soup

Keep warm on these chilly days with this roast cauliflower and onion soup.  I made onion rings as a crispy accent to the soup.  It's all vegan and gluten free!

First, cut apart a head of cauliflower and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with a bit of sea salt and place in a 400˚F oven until slightly browned and tender.

While the cauliflower is roasting, peel, chop and boil a potato.  When the potato is tender, drain the water and add to a blender.  Then, chop a large onion and saute in a bit of olive oil.  To prevent bitterness, don't let the onions brown.  Remove them from the heat when they're just translucent.

Add the cauliflower and onions to the blender and blitz on low.  Slowly add water until the ingredients are suspended and able to blend.  Then, ultra-puree the mixture until smooth.  Season with salt and serve hot, garnished with black sesame seeds and parsley.

I wanted something crunchy to go with the soup.  I used rings of sweet onions and battered them with blended flax meal and xanthan gum.  Then, I covered them with a breading of cornmeal and cornflour (starch), seasoned with a bit of onion powder and sea salt.

Tofu Waffles with Sesame Green Beans

Starting the new year with a vegan and gluten free treat:  tofu waffles and sesame green beans.

First, set a large kettle to boil, adding a significant amount of salt.  This helps the beans cook properly.  Boil until they're al dente - they should have lost their coarseness, but not be mushy at all.  Then, plunge into ice water.

Half a block of extra-firm tofu and drizzle with olive oil.  Place in a hot waffle iron and slowly close the lid.  Watch out for steam!  Since tofu is very hydrated, there will be significantly more steam than when making regular waffles.

Also, don't add any flavourings - like garlic - which will likely burn before the tofu is done.  Shelf stable tofu, even if it's extra-firm, won't work for this recipe.

Drain the green beans and place in a hot skillet with sesame seed oil; stirring until the beans are comfortably warm.

Arrange the warmed beans atop the waffle and drizzle with a mix of ginger, tamari sauce and sesame oil.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

Roasted Stacked Potatoes

I saw something similar and decided to try this.  They turned out alright, but it was a lot of work.

First, I used a cutter to create small cylinders of potato and then I ran them through the food processor to slice them thinly.

Then, I coated the slices with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.  Stacking them in a cupcake tin, I baked them at 350˚F until they were tender.

Allow the potatoes to cool slightly and pile a few into a stack; garnishing with tomatoes, basil and thyme.

Goulash braised Cabbage

This is a perfect warm and filling dish for the winter months.  It's like a goulash, but without the meat.  Of course, it's possible to add fake meat, but I like to let the natural flavours of the ingredients stand on their own.

I use a seasoning mix of caraway seeds, garlic and paprika.  To add extra umami dimensions, I use just a bit of tamari sauce.

Begin by sauteing the caraway seeds in olive oil.  Toast them lightly and keep a watchful eye since they can burn easily.  To the hot oil and caraway, add chopped onions, celery, carrots and peppers.  Allow them to soften, but not brown - browning can add bitterness.

Then, add shredded or chopped red and white cabbage.  I also like to add a can of stewed tomatoes since fresh ones are hard to come by in the winter.  Fill the pan with enough water so that the mixture is submerged.  Add a bit of salt to suit your taste, keeping in mind that the stew will reduce while cooking.  You can always add more salt to finish the dish, but you can't take any out.

Bring the stew to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer.  Continue cooking until the cabbage is tender.

I like to serve it over rice!

Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream [vegan]

Frosty Fall treats!

First, peel and dice a couple apples.  Add them to a skillet with a bit of coconut oil and saute until they have softened.  Set aside and let the apples cool.  Return the skillet to the heat and add a bit of non dairy milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, apple cider, cornstarch and a dash of salt.  Heat the mixture until thickened.  Sweeten with sugar and add chilled non-dairy milk and soy creamer.  Silk makes an excellent creamer.

All the mix to refrigerate until very chilled ~38˚F.  Then pour the liquid mix into an ice cream freezer.  When the ice cream begins to develop, add half the apples.  Just before the freezing process finishes, add the last half.  This keeps them from getting pulverized, allowing for some chunks of apple.

Serve garnished with fresh apple, mint and a stick of cinnamon.

Stone Fruit and Ginger Galette

This is a mix of delicious and easy.

I like this gluten free crust made from ground nuts and oats.  It's hearty, rustic and fairly easy to make. In a food processor, mix the nuts (pecans, almonds and walnuts) with quick oats and a bit of salt and sugar.  Run the food processor until the mix is finely chopped and crumbly.  Then, add enough water to bring it together in a soft dough.  Since there's no gluten, it doesn't really need to rest.  Place between two sheets of parchment and roll out.

Prep the stone fruit.  I chose a mix of cherries, apricots, plums and peaches.  Add to a bowl with fresh grated ginger, sugar, vanilla, cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Place the fruit on the dough and distribute evenly, leaving a generous border.  Fold the dough inward to enclose the fruit.  Place the galette on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes.

I like to serve it with accents of fresh fruit and Swedish pearl sugar.

Baked Brains! (Baked Cauliflower)

The perfect thing for Halloween.  Baked brains, but really it's just pizza over a whole head of cauliflower.

Start by setting out the spice profile: basil, onion powder, salt, garlic and oregano.  Stir it in the tomato paste and mix thoroughly.  Wash and shake dry a head of cauliflower.

Spread the spiced tomato paste on the cauliflower and cover with thinly-sliced vegetables.

Bake at 350F for 30-45min.  Doneness can be tested when a knife can be easily inserted.

Slice and serve drizzled with olive oil and sliced green onions.

Thai Curry From Scratch

This is probably my favorite food. Well, I don't really keep favourites, but this is top ten. A properly spiced thai dish is a pinnacle of human sensation. Thai food isn't always sharply 'hot,' rather contains the primal elements of good taste: sweet, savoury, slight acidity, umami and pungency. The fragrance of the cuisine cannot be overlooked or understated. Jasmine rice, citrus, ginger and richly flavoured vegetables/herbs create an unmatched aroma.

Here I plate an inverted arrangement of curry and cashews, beset with jasmine and black rice.

First, start sauteing the extra-firm tofu on low heat with coconut oil.  Turn every 5 minutes until tofu is chewy.

Home crown chili makes this fresh - as well as kaffir lime leaves from my tree and fresh pulled shallots.  I added a bit of salt and peanuts and bashed them in the mortar.

Bash the end of a lemongrass stalk and chuck into a pan with a can of full-fat coconut oil.  Add the bashed curry paste and lime juice or tamarind paste to pan as well.  Simmer the coconut milk mixture until slightly thickened and add in fresh veg.  I like sliced carrots, peppers, diced tomato and green onions.  Dice the tofu and add in.

Plate and serve with rice, cashews, thai basil and fresh grated coconut (unsweetened).

Gazpacho

Gazpacho has the reputation of being an awkward dish.  It's not always well received - after all, it's cold soup.  The first time I tried it, I was in Paris and decided, "I'm never coming back to this place!  They can't even heat up soup properly."Thankfully I got over my Parisian aversion and I learned to actually like gazpacho!

I started with tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, chili pepper and basil - all harvested from the garden. First, peel, half and remove the seeds from a medium cucumber.  Then coarsely dice the cucumber, tomato, onions and pepper.  Be sure to very finely mince the chili pepper - any remove the seeds unless you're really a fan of spice. Pile it all in a food processor with the basil, a bit of salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Blitz it up until it's soupy, but not a fine puree.  There should be a bit of texture.

I find it's best to serve chilled, but not ice cold.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo

This was a surprising delight.  I found a red pepper recipe from Minimalist Baker (amazing blog).  I had red peppers in the garden.  I was inspired.

First, break down the red peppers and coat with olive oil.  Then, broil, roast or grill until the skin is charred.  This should help it slide off easily.  Mix the peeled red peppers with a few cashews, tamari sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and a bit of salt.  Cover the mixture with water and puree in a high speed blender.

Prepare a portion of brown rice pasta to just-before-al-dente.

Add the blender mixture to a hot frying pan with a shot of olive oil.  Allow to bubble and reduce until slightly thickened.  Then, add a scoop of the starchy pasta water and the noodles.  Continue to simmer until the pasta is finished cooking.

It's a very rich and savoury-sweet dish.  I love it!

Squash Blossom Cornbread

Squash blossoms are one of those unique treats. They're not particularly flavourful, but they're a delicacy of fragility. They last less than 12 hours, so working with them requires a fresh supply and an early morning harvest. Although they don't impart much flavour to this dish, they add a unique look.

First, I collected the blossoms from garden in the morning.  It's important to work fairly quickly since they'll wilt and become unusable.  Carefully flatten (but don't crush) them.  Mix a corn bread batter: cornmeal, almond milk, eggs, olive oil, salt and baking powder.

The trick to really great cornbread is a preheated cast iron pan.  When preheating the oven, place a cast iron skillet inside.  When the preheat cycle is over, remove the pan, add a generous glug of oil and then add the batter.  Immediately, the bread begins cooking and bubbling.  This creates a rich, thick and crispy crust.

I like to give cornbread a savoury edge by adding rings of red onion.  Finish the batter by placing the squash flowers atop the batter, drizzle or spray with olive oil, and return the skillet to the oven.

It's ready when the top is golden brown.

Grilled veg - the easiest summer meal

One of the simplest and most delicious summer meals is also one of the easiest. I love taking fresh garner veg and giving it a go on the grill. Be sure to chose things that won't crumble on, or fight, the skewer. Things like carrots and slices of tomatoes don't work the best.

This time, I chose to try out a vegan barbecue sauce. But, it's also delicious with sea salt and olive oil.

One thing I forgot to do: if you're using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them to prevent burning.

Tofu - the experiment!

I saw an episode on the Reserve Channel about making Tofu: http://youtu.be/08hPqd9sWzw

So easy, I thought!  And really it is easy, but rather time consuming.  Here are the steps:

1. soak soybeans overnight
2. drain, rinse, add more water and blend - they need to be a smooth mush
3. add the slurry to boiling water and let it cook (I dunno, maybe 20 minutes)
4. keep an eye on it!  (soy) milk doesn't boil, it boils-over!
5. let it cool a bit and then strain through cheesecloth, keeping the milk
6. the leftover soy mush can be used in veggie burgers

Now, here's how the most simple tofu is made:

1. Pour the soy milk into a wide pan and set the heat to a low simmer
2. after a few minutes, a skin will form on the top - that's the TOFU!
3. carefully remove the skin, it's best to let it fold in half, making a semi-circle
4. keep removing the skin as it forms, keeping the finished sheets covered with a damp cloth

This is tofu in its purest form - no thickeners or coagulants, just the soy.  It's best to use them right away, but they keep a few days in the fridge.

Check back soon to see how these (eerily-skin-like) tofu sheets become part of a delicious appetizer.

Avocado filled Potatoes

A delicious fusion of carbs and avocado bliss, this dish is energising and filling. The starchy sweetness of the potatoes melds delightfully with the mellow avocado.

First, wash and scrub the potatoes. Boil the potatoes with a bit of salt. Continue boiling until soft, testing for doneness by inserting a knife. When the knife can go through easily, they're ready.  Remove the potatoes from the heat and allow to cool in the cooking water. When they've cooled completely, coat with olive oil, dill and a bit of salt.  Then, halve them and scoop out the insides, leaving at least a quarter inch on the sides.

Mix the scooped potato with a couple avocados, a squeeze of lemon, salt, tarragon and blend in the food processor until creamy.

While it's mixing, warm the hollowed potatoes.  A hot grill, a skillet, the broiler are all perfect methods.  I just used a gas torch... because it's manly.

Quickly place the creamy avocado-potato puree in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.  Fill the warmed, hollow potatoes with the savoury, sweet, tangy and smooth avocado mixture.  Garnish with tarragon, green onion, tomato and finishing salt (Maldon or fleur de sel).

Pomegranate-Blood Orange Granita

Take the edge off the summer heat with a granita!  Not quite a slush, not completely frozen, this dish is a frosty delight.

Start by juicing the pomegranate and oranges.  I like a ratio of 1 pomegranate to 2 oranges.  Add a bit of orange zest, water and sugar to brighten the flavours.

Place in the freezer and agitate every 15 minutes.  This prevents large ice crystals from forming.  It's ready when all the liquid is frozen.  When serving, garnish with thinly sliced segments of the blood orange.

Mango and Sweet Coconut Jasmine Rice

A variation on a favourite of mine, sticky rice with mango.

It a fairly simple dish, and one I used to eat often when I lived on an island.  It's sweet, savoury, creamy and satisfying.  To make this, I prepared jasmine rice and added: coconut milk, toasted coconut flakes, coconut sugar, salt and Thai basil.  I used only coconut milk, instead of water, to cook the rice and it was a bit too rich.  It would probably be better 50:50 water and rice.  Also, I used coconut sugar to give it a rich caramel flavour; again, a bit too rich.  Plain white sugar would be perfect.

While the rice is cooking, chunk the mango.

When the rice is finished cooking, allow it to cool slightly and serve with the mango chunks.  Garnish with Thai basil.  It's a delightful licoricey complement to the tropical flavours.

Confiture de Pinot Noir and Scuppernong Jelly

I found two delicious grape juices: pinot noir (unfermented) and scuppernong.  One's traditionally from France; the other from the Southern US.  They have very different flavours, but they both make outstanding preserves.

The first time I made jam, it was mediocre at best.  I was hesitant to try this, but Julia Child counsels cooks to proceed with a je-m'en-foutisme attitude.  It turns out making jam can be fairly easy!  Just follow the directions on the pack of pectin.

I like the low-sugar pectin recipe because it lets the natural flavour and sweetness take stage.  For my recipe it was, mix: pectin, sugar and juice.  Bring to a boil and stir until all sugar an pectin dissolves.  Then remove from heat and pour into jam jars.

* Important:  be sure to follow the directions on the pack of pectin.  This particular method is "refrigerator jam," meaning that it has a shorter product life and must remain refrigerated.  It looks and tastes the same, but it's not designed to sit on a shelf since the process may not have killed all the bacteria.  Cook safe and enjoy!

Remember!  Don't let the process intimidate you, proceed with the je-m'en-foutisme attitude!

Baked Gruyère Chips

Adding a bit of Swiss cheese makes plain chips a delight.

First, peel and cut the potatoes in batons (chunky sticks).  Place them in salted water and bring to a boil - continue boiling for a couple minutes.  Then drain, drizzle with olive oil and arrange on a parchment lined baking tray.

Place into a cold oven and "preheat" to 350F; continue to bake for about 5 minutes.  Using the preheat setting heats extra hot and quick, adding a crispness to the chips.

You can keep it vegan, but I have a weakness for Gruyère.  Remove from the oven and grate Gruyère over the chips.  Return to the oven and increase the heat to 450F.  Once the oven reaches 450F, the chips should be done, but be sure to test.  They should be tender, yet and crisp on the outside.  Season with fleur de sel or Maldon salt and serve.