The Lazy Cook's Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes have been making their rounds on the foodie blogs and recipe websites. They originate from a restaurant that opened in 1748 in Hasselbacken, Sweden.  In the 1940's this restaurant introduced a crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside potato to their menu.

Usually a whole baking potato is laid on its side and then thinly sliced leaving about a quarter of an inch at the base unsliced. This holds the whole potato together. Then a buttery herbed mixture is slathered all over it and in between all the slices.

We swoon over the crispy edges and tender centres but the downside for me is that I can't eat a whole potato. And I don't like making those thin slices and fear for slipping and cutting right through.

This lazy cooks method is so easy. My potatoes are from the cold room and need to be peeled. Otherwise I would skip that step and go straight to slicing. A mandoline makes slicing failproof. Slice up the potatoes and slather in herby oil. You are good to go.

You will notice that I am using vintage muffin tins. These darker tins are better because, of course, they are well seasoned. Food doesn't stick so easily. But also because they are darker the food in them browns better.

Lazy Cook's Hasselback Potatoes

3-4 medium sized potatoes
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roasted and pureed
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix melted butter, olive oil and seasonings in a medium sized bowl.

Wash and peel potatoes. New potatoes or ones with relatively fresh skins do not need to be peeled. Slice thinly, about 2 mm thick. A mandoline is the easiest way to accomplish this.

Immediately place in the bowl of herbed oil and toss to coat.

Coat a muffin pan with non-stick spray. Carefully make a pile of potato slices to fill each muffin spot. You can also use parchment paper muffin papers to line the pan for easy cleaning and serving.

Sprinkle with more thyme and black pepper, if desired. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until edges of potatoes are very crispy. Serve immediately.

Classic Chanterelle and Shallot Quiche

Chanterelles have a sweet smokiness about them. They are strongly flavoured and a few go a long way. Good thing because they are dear. The best of all chanterelles come from the boreal forests of northern Saskatchewan.

They are small and rich in flavour because of the dry season punctuated by a few rainy spells that accelerate their growth. They grow on a bed of moss that enables them to be almost clean. They are favoured by chefs for these reasons.

I had a most intriguing summer of fine foods. I prescribed to a monthly basket of foraged foods from the boreal forests of Saskatchewan. I had mushrooms galore. Fresh exotic mushrooms.

Julia Child's recipes are not to be fiddled with. This is her classic mushroom quiche.

Quiche aux Champignons   from  Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

2 tbsp. minced shallots
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 c. sliced wild mushrooms
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 eggs
 1 1/2 c. whipping cream
pinch nutmeg
1/8 tsp. pepper
An 8 inch partially cooked pastry shell
1/4 c. grated Swiss chese
1 tbsp. butter

Cook the shallots in a heavy bottomed saucepan with the butter until transparent. Stir in mushrooms, salt, lemon juice and wine. Cover pan and cook over moderately low heat for 8 minutes. Uncover. Raise heat and boil for several minutes until liquid is completely evaporated and mushrooms are beginning to brown in the butter.

Beat eggs, cream, nutmeg and pepper in a bowl to mix. Gradually stir mushrooms into this mixture. Pour into pastry shell and sprinkle with cheese. Dot with butter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 375 F oven.

Barbecue Duck Fried Rice

Back a few years ago it was all the rage to take a supermarket roasted chicken and find a multitude of ways to turn it into a tasty meal. I don't know who came up with that idea but how can you make a tasteless, over-salted bird into something you actually want to serve to guests.

I say, move over supermarket roast chicken, and instead head right down to Chinatown. I haven't had a barbecue duck that wasn't absolutely delicious. With its crispy skin and five spice flavours it is one of my favourite meats to pick up when I am in the city.

Of course, you can make a meal of it but for a change and to make it stretch a little farther try this easy fried rice. It's simple with only a few ingredients and can be a meal in itself.

If the skin loses its crispness just put the meat, skin side down, in a cast iron skillet or wok and re-crisp. Leave the fat in the pan and use it in the stir fry. Be sure to make the rice ahead of time so it can cool. Warm rice does not brown in the pan.

Barbecue Duck Fried Rice

1 Chinese style barbecue duck
3 teaspoons sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten
6 green onions, shredded
1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 orange, segmented
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 cups cooked and cooled Jasmine rice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Remove the duck meat from the bones keeping the skin in tact. Save the bones to make stock.

Using a wok or cast iron skillet re-crisp the duck skin, if necessary. Set aside. If you are not crisping the skin put the duck meat in a pan to heat it before adding to the fried rice.

Add sesame oil to pan and heat until almost smoking. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet or wok and move it around so it coats the bottom. Cook only until done making a very thin omelet. When fully cooked remove it to a cutting board and cut into thin strips. Set aside.

Stir fry green onions, snow peas and garlic for one minute. Add cold rice and heat through. Add chopped omelet, orange segments and zest. Stir fry for one minute. Add soy sauce and duck meat.  Serve immediately.

Rainbow of Beets and Chevre Salad

Lovely heirloom beets grilled over charcoal. Cool a bit and peel. Roughly chop. Arrange on a plate. Garnish with chevre and edible flowers. Drizzle with camelina oil and a little bit of balsamic vinegar or birch syrup. Shower with coarse sea salt. Serve.

Zucchini Stuffed with Ricotta Fiddlehead Mousse

Spring is a great time of year for the food lover. Our plates will soon be filled with fresh from the garden foods. Until this new crop arrives I am using up my freezer and pantry stash from last summer.

I bet you thought this ricotta would be flavoured with the traditional basil. I like pesto made from all sorts of green herbs and vegetables and I adore this fiddlehead pesto. The flavour is all fiddlehead and so fresh.

For April our group has this wonderful line up of foods that just might fool you ...

Creamy Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Pecorino from Sandi at Whistlestop Cafe
April Fool Spicy Shrimp with Grits from Jerry at A Life Lived
Chicken BLT Sandwich from Val at More Than Burnt Toast
Shelby at Grumpy's Honeybunch winds up with this seasonal dessert - Rhubarb Trifle


Zucchini Stuffed with Ricotta Fiddlehead Mousse

I always make my own ricotta. It is so easy, so fresh and half the cost. Click on the link for my recipe and directions.

6 small zucchinis
1 cup homemade ricotta
1/4 cup fiddlehead pesto
1/4 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmigiano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out pulp to leave a 1/4 inch shell. Reserve the pulp for another use.

Combine the remainder of the ingredients stirring well with a whisk. Fill zucchini with the ricotta mixture, pressing firmly.

Bake at 450 F until zucchini is tender, about 20 minutes.

Fiddlehead Pesto Recipe 

3 cups of boiling water with a pinch of salt

250 g fresh or frozen fiddlehead greens

1/3 cup olive oil, add more if needed

3 tablespoons crushed pine nuts or walnuts (optional)

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese  

Cook fiddleheads in boiling water with salt 8 minutes, drain very well. Add fiddleheads, nuts and garlic, slowly adding the 1/3 cup of olive oil, blend well. Add about 1/3 of the parmesan cheese, mix, add balance of cheese, stopping to scrape down sides of container. Process or blend until fiddlehead pesto forms a smooth paste consistency.

Root Vegetable Tarte Tatin from Epicurious

This recipe came in my email inbox this week from Epicurious. Their picture was stunning and enticed me to try it as soon as I possibly could. I have to say that adding pastry to anything takes it up a notch, both visually and for its gustatory enjoyment.

This is a dish that deserves a place at a vegetarian meal as the entrée. Most people like a little brown sugar on their sweet potatoes. Me, I like butter. Next time I would skip the carmelized sugar in the bottom of the pan. It was too sweet for my taste.

I prefer to use my cast iron pan for tarte tatin. It is essentially a pan that releases well without using a lot of fat. It holds the temperature nicely and the dark colour allows for optimal browning of pastry.

Having said that, this did not completely come out of the pan for me. I think I left it a tad too long and would be better inverted on a serving plate while it is still bubbling a bit. Some of the sweet potato slices stayed in the pan but were easy enough to take out with a spatula and arrange atop the pie.

Root Vegetable Tarte Tatin

• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled, sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled, sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 1 small red onion, sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
• butter pastry for single crust pie
• All-purpose flour (for surface)

Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°. Toss potato, sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, and onion with oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper and arrange vegetables in a single layer. Roast until golden around the edges and tender, 30-35 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, cook sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over mediumhigh heat, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is amber-colored, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar and a pinch of salt, swirling pan to combine. Quickly pour caramel into a 9"-diameter pie pan; tilt and rotate pan to evenly coat bottom with caramel. Scatter rosemary and sage over top.

Arrange potatoes, carrots, and parsnips snugly in a single layer on top of caramel, using smaller carrot and parsnip pieces to fill in any holes. Scatter onion rings and crumble goat cheese over vegetables.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round. Drape over vegetables, tucking edges into pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until crust looks dry, about 20 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake until crust is golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

Roasted Chanterelle Mushrooms

Last evening I dug out the rug hooking I started when I visited Nova Scotia. My how time flies. That was in 2007. I can't believe so many years have passed since that epic road trip. It was the first car ride for my Himalayan cat, Miss Sugar. It took her all of the three weeks to acclimatize to living every day in a moving vehicle. At times she looked a tad car sick, poor thing.

Soon we will be driving to the other coast and on to Vancouver Island. By now she is a seasoned traveller and cozies up in her soft carrier on the seat beside me.

As Canadian Thanksgiving leftovers are but a fond memory our neighbours to the south are making preparations for their Thanksgiving dinners. It’s fun in the blogging world to celebrate feasts all over the world. What better excuse to cook beautiful food. This month our Cooking Light Supper Club is saluting one of our favourite herbs, thyme.

I am also highlighting a premium ingredient, Saskatchewan chanterelles. Mine come from the northern part of the province and I had the opportunity to chat with my forager, Elisabeth. I learned so much.

Wild chanterelles are the most coveted of mushrooms. They are delightfully aromatic, beautifully shaped and highly nutritious. They are picked from forests across the country between mid-July to mid-October but Saskatchewan chanterelles are special. 

“They are premium because they grow in a semi-arid climate. Saskatchewan chanterelles are dry, perfect round shapes, small size, clean, velvet touch, and the aroma is unbeatable. You don't need to see them but you can smell them when you walk into the forest,” boasts Elisabeth Poscher, professional forager and owner of Prairie Infusions out of Love, SK.

Areas with more rainfall produce large, water logged, floppy chanterelles. Saskatchewan chanterelles are small and dry, because it rains briefly then it's dry, so they come in a hurry and then stay dormant in that shape until it rains again briefly, then they grow a bit more. The drier the climate the more concentrated the chemical compounds in the plant. That is why their scent and flavour are so intense.

Poscher continues, “A customer in Toronto picked up her chanterelles at the airport and she phoned me immediately and said that she could smell them as she entered the building. She has never before seen this type of quality, ever.”

Roasted chanterelles are my side dish for this month's Virtual Supper Club. Thyme is the theme. It pairs perfectly with the earthy mushrooms. Let's see what else is on the table....

I

  Sandi with Whistlestop Cafe is hosting this month's dinner. Her main course is Tacchino Arrosto con Sale e Pepe or in English Salt and Pepper Turkey. I'm sure we will find some thyme in there, too.

Val at More Than Burnt Toast whets our appetite with Flatbreads with Honey and Thyme.

Jerry at A Life Lived shares the appetizer course with Val and presents Pear Chutney Bruschetta with Pecans and Blue Cheese

Susan at The Spice Garden takes the next course with  Golden Winter Soup.

My side dish also features the beautiful chanterelle. The Roasted Chanterelles with Thyme can stand alone or be added to a risotto. I am bringing both.

Shelby at Grumpy's Honeybunch has the grand finale and is leaving thyme alone this time and bring the trending Texan Sheet Cake cupcakes for dessert. 

Roasted Chanterelle Mushrooms

Because my chanterelles are small I have left them whole to show off their beautiful shapes.

8 oz. rinsed and trimmed chanterelle mushrooms, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 thinly sliced peled shallot

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

In a 12 x 15 inch baking pan, mix all ingredients. Bake in a 400 F oven, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown on edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Use immediately or let stand until ready to use, up to four hours.

Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto

• 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion (8 oz.) peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced 
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 1 bunch (10 to 12 oz.) red chard
  • 2 cups arborio (short-grain white) rice
  • 1 cup dry white wine 
  • About 6 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth 
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese 
  • 2 tablespoons butter 

  1.  In a 12-inch frying pan with 2-inch-tall sides or a 5-quart pan over medium-high heat, stir bacon until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but about 1/2 tablespoon bacon fat from pan.
  2.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and stir frequently until onion is very soft and browned, 20 to 25 minutes (if onion starts to scorch, reduce heat further and stir in 2 tablespoons water).
  3.  Meanwhile, rinse chard. Trim and discard stem ends. Thinly slice stems crosswise and coarsely chop leaves. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until stems are tender-crisp to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, place in a large bowl of ice water until cool, and drain again.
  4.  Add rice to onions and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes. Add wine and stir over medium heat until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 6 cups broth, a cup at a time, stirring after each addition until almost absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes total (rice should be tender to bite).
  5.  Stir in cheese, chard, and roasted mushrooms. If risotto is thicker than desired, stir in a little more broth. Spoon risotto into wide, shallow bowls.

  Note: Begin roasting the mushrooms before you start making the risotto.

  Matthew Bousquet, Restaurant Mirepoix, Windsor, CA, Sunset
  SEPTEMBER 2004

   

Parmesan Crusted Roast Asparagus

I teased with this picture in yesterday's post and that just isn't fair. These are so gall darned good that everyone should take a look. And they are purdy, too!

The recipe comes from Cooks Country. I love watching this program on Detroit Public Television and all the current season's recipes are available free online. There is a video on their website showing how to make this. It is a fun watch.

The recipe suggest pricking the stems all over with a fork, sprinkling with salt and letting sit for 30 minutes so excess water is leached out. In theory this should work but in reality it was a waste of time. There was so little water to come from these and the finished product was not soggy so I would suggest just skipping that step. Be sure to thoroughly dry the stalks after washing. I had some problem getting the breading mixture to stick.

Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus         from Cooks Country

Avoid pencil-thin asparagus for this recipe. Work quickly when tossing the asparagus with the egg whites, as the salt will rapidly begin to deflate the whites.

• 2 pounds (1/2-inch-thick) asparagus, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs 
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Pinch cayenne
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon honey

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Using fork, poke holes up and down stalks of asparagus. Toss asparagus with ½ teaspoon salt and let stand for 30 minutes on a paper towel–lined baking sheet.

2. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup Parmesan, bread crumbs, butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Transfer half of bread-crumb mixture to shallow dish and reserve remaining mixture. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and honey on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape into 13 by 9-inch baking dish and toss asparagus in mixture. Working 1 spear at a time, dredge half of asparagus in bread crumbs and transfer to baking sheet. Refill shallow dish with reserved bread-crumb mixture and repeat with remaining half of asparagus.

3. Bake asparagus until just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmesan and continue to bake until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to platter. Serve.

Dried Fava and Potato Puree with Kale

 
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I am spending Christmas with my sister, Trish, in Edmonton. This 8 hour drive in the winter can be a tad stressful. It was all I could do to put my car in reverse and back out of the driveway Monday morning. At 8am it is still pitch dark and the winds were howling at 70 km/hr. We had a lot of snow so I was envisioning poor visibility and, at worst,snow drifts across the lesser used Hwy #4.

My first hour of driving was exactly that. At times visibility was down to a few hundred feet and it was dark for at least an hour. No snow drifts, thank heaven. I arrived safe and sound.

Christmas was with our cousins and we don't have tons of leftovers for easy meals. Today I decided to start cooking. My sister is vegetarian and has a large selection of dried peas & beans, lentils and grains. I thought I would have a little fun with them and give Trish some variety and new ideas for meals. We can all use that once in awhile.

While I have cooked with fresh fava beans I have never tried the dried version. They have a tough outer skin that is not digestible. Some may find this adds too much fibre to their diet. Removing this also makes it easier to mash. This trumped up mashed potatoes becomes a nutritious and hearty side dish. The recipe calls for dandelion greens, however they are out of season. The kale tastes just as good.

Fava beans are a significant source of protein, iron, calcium and dietary fibre. They have lesser amounts of Vitamins A and C. They are low in sodium and fat. Kale is high in Vitamin A and C.

 

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Dried Fava and Potato Puree with Kale

Bon Appétit  | May 2010

    8 ounces dried fava beans* (about 1 1/2 cups)

    1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped peeled Yukon Gold potato (about 5 ounces)

    3/4 cup coarsely chopped white onion

    1/2 cup coarsely chopped peeled carrot

    Pinch of salt

    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

    3 or 4 pieces of kale, remove the tough stem and only use leaves

    1 garlic clove, peeled, minced

    Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper

    Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place fava beans in medium bowl. Pour enough water over to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse.

Place fava beans in large saucepan and covered with water. Simmer uncovered until beans are very soft, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water as needed to keep beans submerged, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Peel off outer shell  from beans and discard.

In another pot add potatoes, onion, carrot water, salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Combine potato and bean mixture ransfer and puree until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer fava bean puree to serving bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kale, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place greens on top of fava bean puree. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

* Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian and Middle Eastern markets.

Test-kitchen tip: Keep a pot of boiling water on the stove so you can add boiling water to the beans as needed.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from the Daring Cooks

When I was in Tennessee last year, I bought a whole pantry full of southern ingredients.  I have hardly used them!  This is a great challenge.  I can finally use my gumbo filé.  I also used Tony Cacheres Creole seasoning mix rather than make my own.  I also cut the entire recipe in half!  It is a huge recipe and could easily feed a crowd for a party.

This is so delicious.  I know you will take one look at this recipe and say, "Nope. Too much work."

It is worth every hour.  If you keep homemade chicken stock and rendered duck fat in your freezer, there, it is half done!  I used what I had at hand.  There is no andouille sausage in my town so I used chorizo.  Smoked spicy sausage was substituted with double smoked pepperoni.  For the rice, I used basmati.  But you must remember that basmati is so delicate and cooks quickly.  Take the lid off after 12 minutes and let the moisture escape.

I used a large cast iron pan but you could easily use a cast iron casserole. 

The most fun was to make the roux.  I remember when I was a child that my mother would make gravy and start with a roux of fat and flour that she would cook until it was a nice colour.  This just takes that browning a little farther.

Our May hostess, Denise, of There’s a Newf in My Soup!, challenged The Daring Cooks to make Gumbo! She provided us with all the recipes we’d need, from creole spices, homemade stock, and Louisiana white rice, to Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo and Seafood Gumbo from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh.

Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo

Minimally adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh
Serves 6

Ingredients
1/2 cup rendered duck fat
1/2 cup flour
1/2 large onions, diced
1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 lbs.), cut into 10 pieces
1 tablespoon Basic Creole Spices (recipe follows), or store-bought Creole spice blend

1/2 pound spicy smoked sausage, sliced ½ inch thick
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons of homemade tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 quart homemade duck stock
1 bay leaf
6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
1 cup sliced okra, ½ -inch thick slices (or frozen, if fresh is not available)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Filé powder, to taste
Tabasco, to taste
4-6 cups  cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe follows)

Season the chicken pieces with about 2 tablespoons of the Creole Spices while you prepare the vegetables.

Make sure all of your vegetables are cut, diced, chopped, minced and ready to go before beginning the roux. You must stand at the stove and stir the roux continuously to prevent it from burning.

In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the duck fat over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil – it will start to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate, and continue whisking until the roux becomes deep brown in color, about 15 minutes.

Add the onions. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the onions into the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue stirring until the roux becomes a glossy dark brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken to the pot; raise the heat to moderate, and cook, turning the pieces until slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the sliced smoked sausage and stir for about a minute.

Add the celery, bell peppers, tomato, and garlic, and continue stirring for about 3 minutes.

Add the thyme, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, skimming off the fat from the surface of the gumbo every so often.

Add the chopped andouille, okra, and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper, several dashes of filé powder, and Tabasco, all to taste.

Simmer for another 45 minutes, continuing to skim the fat from the surface of the gumbo. Remove the bay leaves and serve in bowls over rice. Pass more filé powder at the table if desired.

Basic Louisiana White Rice

Adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh
Servings: About 4 cups


1 tablespoon chicken fat, extra-virgin olive oil, or butter
1 small onion, minced
1½ cups  Louisiana (or another long-grain white rice)
3 cups  Basic Chicken Stock
1 bay leaf
1-2 pinches salt


1. Put the fat, oil, or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
4. Add the bay leaf and salt.
5. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

Basic Creole Spices

From My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh
Makes ½ cup


2 tablespoons celery salt
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground allspice


Mix together all spices in a bowl. Transfer the spices to a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. Store up to six months.

Chipotle Pecan Tamales

I have been itching to make tamales.  I have the masa, the corn husks, the chipotles and the desire! 

I came across an interesting post for some nut butters that can be purchased.  One flavour combination appealed to me and that was a spicy chipotle pecan butter.  I am attempting to recreate this butter and using it in a Tex Mex style tamale.  I thought that sweet corn would complement the spicy and nutty flavour of the butter filling. 

Tamale Dough

4 cups masa mix
4 cups lukewarm water or stock (I used the soaking liquid from the chipotles and stock)
2 cups of fresh or frozen corn off the cob
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups lard

If using fresh corn on the cob, grill on a barbecue until tender.  With a sharp knife, cut all the kernels off the cob.  If using frozen corn kernels this step is not necessary.  Place the corn in a food processor and pulse two or three times to slightly break up the kernels.  Set aside.

Combine masa mix, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Work in the water or broth using a stand mixer, if possible, or otherwise your fingers to make a soft, moist dough.  Beat this masa mixture until it is light and smooth and resembles a cake batter.  Stir in the corn.  Let sit for 20 minutes.

In another bowl, beat lard or shortening until fluffy.  If you have a stand mixer, this is ideal.  Beat it until very light and fluffy and until it almost triples in volume.  This will ensure a light tamale.

Slowly add the whipped lard to the dough a little at a time and mix in gently until well combined.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use it.  At this point you can test the dough to see if it has been beaten enough.  Drop a small amount, about the size of a raspberry into a glass of cold water.  If it floats, you will have a light and fluffy tamale.

Spicy Chipotle Pecan Butter

1 cup pecans, toasted
2 dried chipotle peppers, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes.
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Puree the pecans until a butter is formed, about 3 minutes.  Chop the chipotles into small pieces and add to butter.  Continue to puree until they are very finely chopped.  Add salt to taste.








To assemble the tamales:

Soak corn husks for 20 minutes and drain well.

Smear each corn husk with two or three tablespoons of the masa mixture.  Drop a teaspoon of the nut butter in the centre.  Roll the corn husk to encase the nut butter in masa and tie.

Repeat this until all of the masa mixture is used.

Steam the tamales for 45 minutes in a large pot.  Use a rack to keep the tamales out of the water so they are just steamed.

Risotto with Confit of Duck

I am using some of my duck confit with risotto for lunch today.  It is a simple, delicious meal.  This is a basic risotto recipe and you could flavour with almost anything - sauteed fresh vegetbles, some spinach, simply with saffron (for Risotto Milanese).  This is a recipe for one.  I find that risotto freezes quite well and have put it in the freeze in individual portions for a quick meal if you want to make a larger amount.

I have been espousing the virtues of duck fat.  It is liquid at room temperature and imparts a nice earthy flavour.

Risotto with Confit of Duck

2 t duck fat
1 T finely diced shallots
1 t finely chopped garlic
1/3 c arborio rice
1 1/3 c heated chicken broth, approx.
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c duck confit, shredded

Saute the shallots and garlic in duck fat until almost but not browned.  Add rice and saute until it glistens.  Add about 1/2 c of the chicken stock and simmer until it has been absorbed.  Continue to add chicken stock in small portions until the rice is tender.  Add the duck confit and parmesan cheese and heat until warmed.  Serve immediately.

Magret of Duck with Dried Berry Compote and Spinach Risotto

Duck is one of my favourite meats.  This is the perfect dish for the winter.

The duck breast was quickly seared in duck fat and then put in a 375F oven for about 10 minutes.  Then I put it on a plate and tented it with tin foil for 10 minutes before slicing.  Top with the compote.

Dried Berry Compote            for each serving

In the same pan that I seared the duck, I added a finely diced shallot and 1/2 t finely chopped orange zest.  Saute until transparent.  Add:
2 T mixed dried berries, coarsely chopped
2 T orange juice
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T white wine

Reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Snow Crabs with Clarified Butter and Potato Latkes

I have been helping pack up a house for the past couple of days and by no means did I make these today!  I made this odd combination for a meal a few days ago when I looked in the pantry to see what I felt like eating.  It was fun.  I love crab.

Snow crab legs are plentiful in the grocery stores.  I was quite amazed to see that they are from Canada.  I think they were even cheaper here than I can buy at home.










To make the clarified butter, melt butter in a heavy saute pan and simmer for a few minutes.  Be careful not to burn.  The solids that float on top can either be skimmed off or strain the butter through cheesecloth.  The clarified butter is done.

Snow Crabs

2 pounds snow crab legs rinsed; ice removed
4 cups water

1. In a large pasta pot with strainer insert, bring water to boil. Keep water level just below the strainer portion of the pot.

2. Rinse ice from frozen crab legs, and place in the strainer insert of the pot. Cover

3. Steam crab legs for 4 to 6 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve crab legs with clarified butter for dipping.

Potato Latkes                     makes about 32 latkes

2 pounds large russet (baking) potatoes (about 4)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large onion (1 pound)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in upper third.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate into a bowl using large teardrop-shaped holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with medium shredding disk. Add lemon juice and toss to coat.

Coarsely grate onion into same bowl. Transfer to a kitchen towel (not terry cloth), then gather up corners to form a sack and twist tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.

Wipe bowl clean, then return potatoes and onion to bowl and stir in flour, eggs, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt until just combined.

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Fill a 1/4-cup measure halfway with latke mixture and carefully spoon it into skillet, then flatten to 3 inches in diameter with a slotted spatula.

Form 5 more latkes in skillet and fry until undersides are deep golden, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. (If latkes brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.) Turn over and fry until deep golden all over, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, then transfer to a metal rack set in a baking pan and keep warm in oven. Make more latkes.
Latkes can be kept warm in oven up to 1 hour.

Braised Duck Legs with Creamy Morbier Grits

When I was in Pigeon Forge, home of Dollywood, I stopped by The Old Mill.  They have a wonderful array of stone ground flours and grits, homemade candies, honey, and jams.  In addition, they sell pottery and have a little restaurant.  Today I am cooking the stone ground yellow grits I bought from their store.

The typical cheese grits uses cheddar but I have Morbier in the fridge.  It will give a nice creaminess.    For that matter, you could make polenta.  It is almost the same thing, just a finer grind on the corn.

Place a braised duck leg on a mound of the creamy grits on each plate.  

Braised Duck Legs with Creamy Morbier Grits                       serves 4

Braised Duck Legs
4 large duck legs* (about 2 3/4 pounds total, cut from two 5 1/2- to 6-pound ducks)
a 750-ml. bottle light fruity red wine such as Pinot Noir (about 3 1/4 cups)
a bouquet garni of 10 lightly crushed juniper berries**, 3 whole cloves, a 4- by 1 inch strip orange zest, and 1 bay leaf tied together in a cheesecloth bag
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
mirepoix made of 1 large carrot, 1 large celery rib, and1 large onion, all cut in 1/4-inch dice
2 large fresh parsley sprigs plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

a beurre manié made by rubbing together 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Trim excess fat from duck legs. In a large bowl marinate duck legs in wine with bouquet garni, covered and chilled, 2 hours.

Transfer legs to a plate, reserving wine and bouquet garni. In a heavy kettle large enough to hold legs in one layer heat oil over moderately high heat until hot. Pat legs dry with paper towels and season with salt. Cook legs, skin sides down, 20 minutes, or until skin is crisp and mahogany-colored, removing fat from kettle as it rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully pouring it off). Turn legs and cook until browned on other side, about 2 minutes, transferring as browned to a plate.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat from kettle and sauté vegetables with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add duck legs, skin sides up, with parsley sprigs and reserved wine and bouquet garni and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Braised duck legs may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat mixture over low heat, adding 1/3 cup water, before proceeding with duck preparation.

Transfer duck legs to a warm plate and keep warm, covered with foil. Discard parsley sprigs and bouquet garni and strain liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup, reserving vegetables. Let liquid stand until fat rises to top and skim and discard fat. Return liquid to kettle and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Add beurre manié, a little at a time, whisking, and boil 2 minutes.

Creamy Morbier Grits

2 cups water
2/3 cup yellow stone-ground grits (not instant grits)
1 egg
1/3 cup light cream
2T unsalted butter (optional), cut into pieces
1/2 c Morbier cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
pepper to taste
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot.

Add grits in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, until very thick, about 30 minutes. (Use a long-handled spoon to avoid bubbling and popping hot grits.)

Add butter, salt and pepper to taste, and cheese, stirring until butter and cheese are melted. Lightly beat egg and milk in a small bowl, then stir into grits until combined.

Pour into an ungreased loaf pan and bake until set and lightly browned, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.