Caponata

I had two beautiful eggplants staring at me in my fridge over the last weekend and I wanted to pay them the respect they deserved.  My version of this Sicilian dish omitted the olives since I thought the capers added enough salt. It is a sweet, rich and tangy vegetable spread that is a great starter to any fish dish or a lighter pasta like aglio e olio.

Ingredients
olive oil for frying
2 medium eggplants cut into small cubes
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
1 cup crushed canned tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely ground
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 handful of basil leaves, thinly chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a large frying pan heat oil over medium-high heat and add eggplant in small batches.  Fry until golden brown then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and salt each batch. Repeat with remaining eggplant then transfer to a bowl to cool.

2. Use the leftover oil in the pan and add onions and celery with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until onions become translucent and brown.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add tomato paste and water.  Cook until water is evaporated then add crushed tomatoes and cook for another 7-10 minutes stirring every so often.

4. Stir in vinegar, capers and honey until everything comes together and thickens up.  Set aside and let cool for about 30 minutes.

5. Combine cooled pan mixture into the bowl with the eggplant and add basil, almonds and salt and pepper to taste.  I put the almonds in a small blender and blended until they were in pieces the size of flax seeds, this gave a great bit of texture to each bite. Mix everything until basil and almonds are integrated.

6. Serve with a fresh baguette and enjoy!

Sushi Salad Bowl and Cold Pepper Tofu

Sometimes you just want something that screams AYCE but isn't quite sushi. These dishes hit the spot especially on a hot, humid day where the last thing you want to do is stand over the stove. No heat required.

Ingredients

iceburg lettuce

dried wakame ( seaweed )

radishes

cucumber

carrot

nori ( dried seaweed ) 

green onion for garnish

togarashi ( japanese chili pepper spice ) for garnish

wasabi for garnish

pickled ginger for garnish

Dressing

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp finely grated ginger

2 medium carrots peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 medium onion roughly chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. To make the dressing add all ingredients in a food processor except the salt and pepper and pulse until everything is combined and carrots are completely broken down.  Add salt and pepper to taste. This will keep in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.

2. Rehydrate your dried wakame by soaking in water and draining 2-3 times.  Chop all vegetables as you like, I peeled the carrots into ribbons to add a bit of a different texture.

3. Combine all salad bowl ingredients in a bowl as you desire and serve dressing on the side. Garnish with a nori sheet, wasabi, pickled ginger, togarashi and green onions.

Ingredients

1 package of soft or medium tofu, whichever texture you prefer

2 tbsp Gochujang ( Korean red pepper paste )

2 tbsp light soy sauce 

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sugar

black and white sesame seeds for garnish

chopped green onions for garnish

Directions

1. When using tofu I normally wrap it in paper towel as soon as I take it out of the package so the extra moisture can be absorbed and not dilute the dish.  Then cut into half inch strips and lay onto a serving plate.

2. To prepare the sauces take the Gochujang and thin it out with a bit of the light soy sauce and set aside ( it's quite thick to begin with ), then combine in a separate bowl the sesame oil, sugar and light soy until sugar is dissolved.

3. Pour both sauces over the tofu and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Green Papaya Salad

It's summer, it's hot and sometimes you just want something light without sacrificing flavour. This is yet another dish I've made over and over again trying to perfect the balance of salty, sweet and herbaceous that every great Vietnamese restaurant seem to do with ease. Every time I make this salad it turns out slightly different but always crunchy, fresh and satisfying. 

Ingredients

1 green papaya

2 carrots

2 green onions

1 cucumber

1 red pepper

1 cup of bean sprouts

1 cup of peeled shrimp

cilantro and thai basil to garnish

Dressing

1 large clove of garlic

1 thai red chile chopped

5 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp water

Directions

1. For the dressing, combine the garlic ( I used a microplane to grate the garlic ), chili, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and water in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to boil and add the peeled shrimp.  Once the shrimp have turned bright pink, drain and run them under cold water to prevent over cooking them. 

3. Now for the papaya. Peel the outside thick skin with a regular peeler until you see the light green flesh of the papaya.  Cut in half and scoop out the seeds and any fibrous pieces leftover.  Then you can either julienne the rest or using a papaya peeler, shred into thin strips as seen below. I also use the peeler for the carrots so you have consistent textures for the base of your salad.

4. Julienne your red pepper and dice up your green onions. For the cucumber, I cut it in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then I cut into crescents to have another shape added to the salad and to prevent extra moisture from diluting the dressing.

5. Combine everything into a mixing bowl and toss, transfer to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro and thai basil.

Roasted Tomato Pesto Ragu with Zucchini Noodles

This dish is a lighter play on the traditional pork ragu's out there, except it won't leave you feeling like you need to take a nap afterwards.  The roasted tomatoes are hearty and sweet, and although there is no meat in this dish, you still get your protein from the almonds in the pesto!

Ingredients

zucchini ( I usually use one per person for the noodles )
tomatoes
mushrooms
peppers
chives for garnish
parmesan for garnish

Pesto
2 bunches of basil
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp parmesan
1/4 cup almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive Oil

Directions

1. Spiralize your zucchini and set aside.

2. Set your oven to 425. Cut your tomatoes into quarters and lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Season with olive oil, salt and pepper and let bake for about 25 minutes or until the skins begin to char.

3. In a food processor blend almonds, garlic, parmesan, salt and pepper. Once the almonds are ground up to however you like (  I like mine to be a bit bigger than a quinoa grain so you get a bit of texture in each bite ), gradually add the olive oil and set aside.

4. Add a bit of olive oil to a medium sized pan and saute mushrooms until golden brown.  Add peppers, roasted tomatoes and pesto to the pan and let the flavours combine for about 3-4 mins.

5. Place zucchini noodles in a serving bowl and top with ragu.  Serve with fresh chopped chives and parmesan.

Roasted Quails with Red Wine Risotto

There's just something about roasted poultry. It always leaves me with a warm, satisfied feeling, unlike any of the other scorched meats.  You can always pick up a roasted chicken from your local market and guarantee yourself a great time, but why not give the smaller, more delicate versions a go?

Ingredients

Quails

8 whole quail, washed, dried with paper towel

1 lemon, cut into eighths

2 tbsp butter

8 garlic cloves

2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked

1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup dry white wine

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Herb Butter

3 tbsp butter, at room temperature

      2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

      1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

      2 large garlic cloves, crushed

      Salt & ground black pepper, to taste·                                                                                                                             

      Risotto

      2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

      1 tbsp butter

      1 medium onion, chopped

      2 cloves of garlic, chopped

      1 cup risotto rice, arborio or carnaroli

      1 cup red wine

      grated parmesan, to serve

Directions

Quail

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. To make the herb butter, place the softened butter, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine.

3. Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin over the quail breasts. Spread herb butter over the breasts and then re-cover with the skin. Rub remaining herb butter over the rest of the quail.

4. Divide the lemon, butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary among the cavities of the quail. Tie the legs together with string.

5. Place the quail in a roasting pan. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the juices are pale pink. Remove the quail from the roasting pan and place on a large plate. Cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes to rest.

6. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium heat. Add the stock and white wine and cook for 1 minute, scraping with a wooden spoon to dislodge any fond left on the base of the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until reduced by 1/2. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

7. Serve the quail with the sauce.

 Risotto

1. Heat the stock in a medium saucepan and keep it warm at the side of the stove. Melt half the butter in a shallow saucepan or casserole, add the onion with salt and pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft, but not browned. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Stir in the rice stirring constantly until it absorbs the butter, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in about half the wine with a little salt and pepper and simmer, stirring until the rice starts to dry, 5-7 minutes. Add a couple of ladlefuls of hot stock and continue simmering, stirring gently. When the rice dries again and needs more liquid, add the remaining wine.

3. Continue cooking, stirring and adding more stock in batches. At the end of cooking, the rice should be tender, still slightly al dente and creamy. This will take 25 to 35 minutes and don’t hesitate to use plenty of stock.

4. Take the risotto from the heat, add the remaining butter in pieces, and stir it into the rice as it melts. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish with fresh parmesan and serve with quail and roasted beets.

Palacsinta ( Hungarian Crepes )

When I was a little girl my mum would make these ritually as our weekend breakfast item.  The house would fill with the smell of warm cinnamon and lemon and to this day, there's just something about these comforting little rolled up wonders that makes me smile.

Ingredients

Crepes
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon zest ( grated )
pinch of salt

Filling
Cottage Cheese
Cinnamon
Fruit of choice

Directions

1. Combine and sift dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk in eggs, milk, oil, lemon zest and vanilla until small bubbles start to form in batter and everything is mixed through.

2. Heat a medium sized frying pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil to prevent sticking.
Ladle in 3/4's of a cup of the batter and tilt the pan to spread in a thin even coating.

3. You know your crepe is ready to flip when your batter turns matte and is covered in air holes.
Both sides are done when they are golden brown in colour.

4. To make filling combine the cottage cheese with your desired amount of cinnamon.

5. To serve, place a healthy amount of the cottage cheese filling in the middle of your crepe and roll up.
Top with your choice of fruit and syrup and enjoy!

Bites and a Bowl

Roasted Sriracha Cauliflower with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower

1/2 cup of brown rice flour

1/2 cup of water

Hot Sauce

2 tsp of EVOO

1/2 cup Sriracha ( or similar style hot sauce )

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp honey or agave syrup

Directions

1. Turn your oven on to 450 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

Chop up your cauliflower into little trees.

2. Whisk together the flour and water and ensure there are no lumps.  Toss the cauliflower in the flour water mixture until each piece is evenly coated.  Spread cauliflower on your baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes mixing them up with a spatula after 7 minutes.

3. Make the hot sauce. In a small saucepan, mix the oil, Sriracha, vinegar, and soy sauce. Warm over low heat until the sauce is almost bubbling then turn off the heat.

4. Make the peanut sauce.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and peanut butter until combined.  Add all other ingredients and keep stirring until everything is incorporated.  Put the bowl in the fridge covered until you're ready to serve.

5. Once cauliflower has browned after 15 minutes, put in a medium bowl and toss with hot sauce making sure each piece is evenly coated.  Drop cauliflower back on baking sheet and roast for another 5 minutes in the oven.

6. Serve with peanut sauce or your choice of dipping sauces ( extra Sriracha and hoisin sauce seen in photo ).

Red Curry Veggie Bowl

Ingredients

Vermicelli noodles
Asparagus
Mushrooms
Extra Firm Tofu
Green Onions

Red Curry Sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp Red Curry paste
1 tsp grated lime zest
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 clove garlic minced

1. Turn your oven on to 450 degrees. Wash your veggies and chop them and your tofu as you desire.  On a greased baking sheet lay out your asparagus, mushrooms and tofu separately so you have room to toss.  Bake for 20 minutes tossing intermittently.
2. Make red curry sauce.  In a small sauce pan pour your vegetable broth in and bring to a simmer.  Add curry paste, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce and garlic. Mix together with a whisk until everything is incorporated. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
3. Cook your noodles according to package directions.  When they are done, drain and run under cool water to prevent over cooking.
4. Prepare your bowl by placing a handful of noodles on the bottom and pile veggies and tofu around as you like.  Drizzle the red curry sauce on top and garnish with green onions.