Just finished a crazy tasting of top Canadian microbrews. Top ones, http://t.co/WNT2JZjO, http://t.co/mgSu7ADf, http://t.co/yiK7BC2H
Cuisine - Italian
Mild sweet leeks are available year round but their peak season begins in the fall. Trim off the root end and green leaves, and use only the tender white part. Be sure to wash thoroughly as leeks can be gritty. Mushrooms, like leeks, are grown in dirt. Although some cooks prefer to gently wipe mushrooms, I always wash them in cold running water, patting them dry afterward with a paper towel.
Risotto is very easy to make. Give it a little attention as it simmers, and you’ll end up with a flavourful and enticing dish.
This dish has to be one of my favourites to make for company. Many people shy away from lamb because it can taste gamey. But, just one bite of this roast convinces them that lamb can be incredibly tender and flavourful.
This salad is a treat for your taste buds. Add it to a sandwich, or serve as is with steak. The amount can easily be doubled or tripled with fantastic results.
Tins of plum tomatoes and sliced mushrooms are the basics for this delicious dish. Good-quality Parmigiana Reggiano lasts a long time — keep some in your fridge for garnishing this and other dishes. You might also want to warm a loaf of garlic bread from the freezer to serve alongside the pasta.
Steaming salmon and vegetables in parchment paper is one of the easiest of recipes. Vary this dish with your favourite seafood and whatever vegetables you have on hand. If using harder vegetables like carrots or potatoes, give them a head start by microwaving them in a small amount of water until nearly tender before wrapping them up with the fish.
Serve these salmon fillets on a bed of green salad dressed simply in oil, salt and vinegar. Or, for a heartier meal, lay them over a scoop or two of creamy mashed potatoes.
Change the toppings, grill it on a charcoal or propane barbecue .... This recipe is quick, easy and delicious.
Accompany this delicious chicken with buttered capellini pasta and a green salad with slivers of fresh fennel.
Courtesy of The Silver Spoon (Phaidon Press).
The key to smooth, creamy spaghetti carbonara is to make sure that the heat under the pot has been turned off. The heat from the drained pasta is enough to cook the eggs without scrambling them.
This recipe is a family heirloom. We all make some version of it. New brides in our family get the recipe and a large pasta bowl along with unsolicited and long-winded advice on how to make it. My niece Katie actually wrote a paper on it for school, following its history and its many versions through the family tree. This dish never appears at family gatherings since we all make it at home. But we often talk about how we make it and argue over whose version is best. Unlike the rest of my weight-conscious family, I use an entire pound of bacon, easily making mine the best — or the worst, depending on how you look at it.
Why call for delivery when you can make quick and fresh pizza in about half the time.
Spelt is an ancient grain grown throughout Europe and North America. It has a nutty flavour, and is a great alternative for anyone who has a wheat allergy. Most grocery stores carry it. However, you can substitute the spelt for regular wheat flour, if you prefer.
Instead of pizza, roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Then roll it up end to end to form a baguette. Bake according to the directions, and enjoy fresh bread with your dinner.
This is a quick and delicious recipe I updated from an old issue of Sunset Magazine.
A delicious Old World dish. There is some preparation upfront, but most of the work is done by your oven. This is a great dish for potluck dinners.
When she presented me with her The Lesley Stowe Fine Foods Cookbook (HarperCollins), my friend Lesley wrote “Never eat more than you can lift” on the opening page, and ever since I have heeded the advice. Lesley is a food icon in Vancouver, and has made a national name for herself with her Raincoast Crisps, delicious and nutritious crackers that have made their way into food stores and supermarkets across the land. If you can find some, top them with Lesley’s sun-dried tomato pesto.
Ask the butcher for 2 trimmed lamb rib roasts containing 9 bones each. Make sure he cuts off the back bones, so that it's easier for you to carve the roast, and that he joins the two rib portions to form a crown. Serve the roast with Tangerine Scented Rice.
My mother always made some type of roast for the family Sunday dinner, which we ate at noon. My mother’s reasoning for the early meal was that we would then “have the rest of the day to ourselves.” When I was a late-waking teenager, a huge family meal was the last thing I wanted on a Sunday morning. Now I’m thankful for the time our family spent around the table.
A strata is a sandwich that is baked in a very light custard -- actually, a lot like dressed up French toast. This one's perfect for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
There is a restaurant near me that serves a delicious rosemary-flavoured steak. I tried making it several times at home — it wasn’t until I marinated the steak after grilling it, that I finally hit on the yummy secret.
Recipe courtesy of the Dairy Farmers of Canada.
There's nothing like homemade stock. Yes, it takes hours to simmer, but the resulting flavour is unequalled. Here's my take on a classic. Feel free to add your own variations to it.