Asian Stirfry

I call this Asian Stir fry because it is influenced by a number of Asian dishes. I love all Asian food, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Thai….mmmmm they are all so good. Therefore this dish does not taste particularly of one region, but a balance of a few. Try this dish as it is healthy, delicious, easy and filling. It is a wonderful way to get tonnes of veggies and lean protein in your everyday meals.

Sauce


1 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp sugar
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 ½ tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp siracha sauce or hot sauce


2 red peppers sliced thin
1 large onion or two small, sliced thin
1 large bunch of bok choy or baby bok choy; white section chopped into ½ inch pieces and greens just roughly chopped.
4 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 cup of snap peas, fibrous tips removed
3 large chicken breasts
2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
Salt and Pepper to taste


Directions

1. Mix together the ingredients for the sauce
2. Slice the chicken breast and add to a bowl with about one tbsp of the sauce, and leave to marinate while you chop the veggies
3. Heat a large skillet and add the oil and ½ the garlic. Once the garlic begins to sizzle and aromatize then add the chicken and onions and season with salt and pepper, cook for about 4 minutes.
4. Add the peppers the white section of the bok choy, 3tbsp of the sauce, and stir fry for another few minutes until the veggies are lightly softened and the chicken is almost cooked.
5. Last minute of cooking add the boy choy greens and snap peas, along with a little more sauce and salt and pepper.
6. Mix and allow the boy choy to wilt and take off heat.
7. Serve over rice or noodles

Tips: Season and taste as you go!!!It is the only way to begin to trust your judgement of how much of something to add. In addition Asian food is all about balance; salt, sour, sweet, savoury. With practice you can perfect this balance. Also you can use the sauce above as a marinade for pork or chicken, roasted in the oven or cooked on the grill; deelish!

Smoked Salmon Spread

This is incredibly refreshing and so simple to serve as a summertime appetizer. It tastes even better when made the day before, so it is awesome for entertaining. I came up with this recipe when I tasted a similar appetizer in Whistler with my hunny. The difference was that it was served hot, which you may also do with the recipe below. I served this spread cold at my cousin Joey`s birthday, and they went FAST! The spread can be served slathered between mini croissants or dollopped on mini bagels, for perfect two- bite appetizers. Simply add this spread to a light lunch by putting it on regular size bagels, croissants, or just some good hearty bread and serve with salad.



Ingredients


1 cup softened cream cheese
2 tbsp of heavy cream
Juice of half a lemon
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
2 tbsp of finely chopped dill
2 tbsp of capers-roughly chopped
1 cup of cooked smoked salmon- flaked
Salt and Pepper


Directions


1. Stir together the cream cheese and heavy cream until it is a smooth, softened consistency
2. Add all of the ingredients and stir
3. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed
4. Allow to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours; even better, overnight.

Tips:
1.If you forget to take the cream cheese out a few hours before to soften, simply add the cheese and cream to a bowl and microwave on high for about 25 seconds. This will allow you to mix the ingredients easier.
2.You can also serve this as a hot dip. I like to add about 3 tbsps. of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano cheese to the spread, and add to an oven safe dish. Cook at about 375 degrees until the dip is warmed through and golden brown on top, approximately 10 minutes. If the dip is hot but not golden on top, just turn the oven on broil for about 1 minute. Serve this hot dip with thinly sliced bagels, veggies or the accompaniments mentioned above. It is delicious, and kids love it too!

Italian Life

Ah…as I sit at the kitchen table listening to some quiet old-school Italian music; watching my mom cut my nonna’s hair and taking in the smell of dinner (slow sauce and béchamel for cannelloni, and fried eggplant) I am taken back to those vivid memories of growing up Italian, and of course the memory I have of my family’s, Sicily.

I know that my blog has been pretty heavy handed with the Italian recipes and inspirations, but I just can’t help it. It’s in my blood, and is what makes me oh so happy. Don’t get me wrong I love all types of cuisine and consistently cook from various kinds all week long. Whether it is my Coconut and Red Curry Thai Chicken, Polynesian Pork Curry, Asian Style BBQ chicken, or Homemade Sirloin Burritos; I find ways to sneak them into my repertoire to keep food easy, interesting and nutritious.

However my weakness is for Italy, and its food. I mean I have not met one person who does not like Italian food; have you? It’s not just the million types of pasta, but it’s being able to have cuisine that matches the season, and particularly from Sicily, lots of heart healthy options. My nonna and nonno (grandma and grandpa) are in their late eighties. Although they have some mild ailments, they are impressively healthy! Knock on wood lol! I believe they have kept their hearts healthy by indulging in a Mediterranean diet including tonnes of tomatoes, fish, olive oil, and beautiful fruits and vegetables. Although for non Italian company I may make the more well known stuff like pasta alfredo, tortollini with pesto, or just baked ziti; but I prefer the hidden gems. Zupa di pesci with a huge chunk of crusty bread, tomato and onion salad with anchovy, braised pork served with pasta followed by delicious spears of fennel to assist in digestion and cleanse the palate. This is the Italian life I feel incredibly privileged to know and enjoyed many times over. Sitting at my nonna’s huge wood table where so many family members and friends would join us to devour the culinary masterpieces my nonna would create, drink my nonno’s homemade wine, talk and laugh until you couldn’t eat another bite. Only to remember that once us kids did the dishes, we would all be rewarded with a spectacular nightcap of espresso and some sort of sweets or fruit; and on those hot summer nights GRANITA! Just typing this all brings a tear to my eye, revelling in my past enjoyment, and desiring to create these memories for my future children, friends and family.

Peasant food; it is the best! It includes hearty soups and pastas, braised meat dishes, vegetables and breads. Although chefs now try to play it off like haute cuisine, it was not thought of that way throughout history in Italy. Kings, Queens and the wealthy would always eat the best cuts of meat, the finest cheeses and fruits, and the peasants, such as farmers had to feed their families just as satisfying food, without breaking the bank. Thus came the term peasant food; in short the food the peasants would eat. In my opinion, it is the best food to eat; harbouring the most flavour, feeding a crowd and doing so for an affordable price. A little funny story my mom just told me to exemplify how those who make the peasant food don’t refer to it like that; to them it’s just food! My grandparents were hosting relatives from Monterey California, and after the glorious meal, my 2nd cousin Isadoro happily says to my nonno “Joe this was a wonderful meal, so satisfying with the peasant style food.” Well at that point my nonno was highly offended, but graciously accepted this “apparent” backward compliment. My mom said he was so offended, that once the relatives left, nonno went on and on that Isadoro meant he was cheap and the food was fit for the poor! This was absolutely not the case. He was simply implying that this non-pretentious food was fabulous, filling and tasty. This is when my nonno discovered the term peasant food, and promptly, privately forgave Isadoro. Now the modern culinary world tries to pass up this style of food as fancy. Yes it is delicious and incredible, but not fancy; and the prices should reflect that….but I’ll save that rant for another blog. I hope that you embrace this “modern phenomena” too, and cook dishes that sooth you from the soul, without leaving you penniless. Spend the extra savings on wine and wonderful bread. Sit at your table with your most favourite people, and lazily and happily enjoy the slow food movement.

Coming next…..Food-tastic memories from Sicily. You will be dying to go there……..

Golden Sweet, Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins.

Ok, so I’m in such a bitter mood because for the past few days I have been feeling extra horrible. For some reason, I find cooking others food, and testing recipes on them so soothing, especially when I feel like cooking but don’t feel like eating. Thus, you will find my cornbread recipe below. I don’t know why, but I have never made it before and have been dying to all week. I don’t know about you guys but I love a sweet cornbread; not dessert- sweet but savoury- sweet. I did some research on cornbread recipes and tweaked them to create my own; golden and sweet, buttermilk cornbread muffins. For the first time making it I was a little leery, but after trying a bite my BFF Odette and I were shocked by how delicious it was. Next time you are under the weather or simply in a bad mood; get in the kitchen and experiment. It is a a stress reliever and the outcome will always be great : )

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup of sugar
3 tbsps. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup of buttermilk
1/3 cup of canola oil

Directions
1.Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2.Line a muffin tin with paper inserts, or lightly oil the tin.
3.In a bowl sift together all of the dry ingredients
4.In another bowl mix together the egg, buttermilk and oil. Then add to dry ingredients.
5.Gently mix to combine for about 1 minute. It should look like a really thick pancake batter. Be sure not to over mix or you will get tough corn-muffins. Also I simply mixed it together with a whisk, but you can use an electric mixer.
6.Bake in the oven until puffy and golden brown. Check on them after about 10 minutes and insert a toothpick in the center of the muffin. As soon as it comes out clean, take them out.

Note: The baking time can vary as all ovens are different; so be sure to check the muffins with the toothpick method after about 10 minutes, to ensure they don’t overcook. In a regular size muffin tin, this recipe should only bake for about12-15 minutes. If you are using a cake pan, it may take 20-25 minutes to bake.

Braised Beef With A Red Wine Reduction Sauce

So a few days ago, a couple of girlfriends came over to watch some chick flicks. In order to spend the maximum amount of time sitting on the couch relaxing and gossiping, I decided to make a meal that would take minutes to prepare, and literally take care of itself, cooking slowly all day. Braising is the perfect technique for entertaining, as it is a simple two step process. All you need to do is first sear the meat, and then add some aromatics and liquid to an oven safe covered vessel, and cook slowly for a few hours. Not only is this a simple way to entertain, but is extremely affordable because it is best to use a “lesser” cut of meat such as a pork shoulder, short ribs, or in this case some meaty cuts of beef ribs. Once cooked, the meat is fall off the bone tender, incredibly flavourful and can be paired with so many sides; the possibilities are endless. For the delicious recipe below, I used fettuccini to sop up the incredible pan sauce I created with the braising liquid and a little bit of cream and cheese. However if you don`t want to use pasta, feel free to serve this delicious beef and pan sauce with mashed potatoes, polenta, or any other starch you prefer.

Ingredients

Beef ribs or short ribs (whichever looks best at the grocery store or butcher)
Canola Oil
½ a bottle of red wine
3 garlic cloves, smashed
3 carrots roughly chopped into 1- inch pieces
3 stalks of celery chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion or 2 small onion roughly chopped
2 cups of chicken stock
3 or 4 basil leaves
2 tbsps. sugar
1 small can of tomato paste
1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream
2 tbsps. freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 tbsps. freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Braised beef

1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2.Pat dry the beef ribs with paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper
3.Add about 2tbsps. of canola oil to the pan and heat on high. Sear the ribs in the hot pan for about 2 minutes per side.
4.Once golden brown on each side, add the beef to the cooking vessel you will be braising in
5.In the same hot pan, add all of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper
6.After cooking the veggies for about 5 minutes, add the basil and tomato paste. Again season with a little salt and pepper.
7.Cook the tomato paste with the veggies until the mixture is combined and smooth, then fill the tomato paste can with water and add it to the pan. Stir to combine, and cook on medium high heat for another 2 minutes.
8.Add the wine and sugar and allow the mixture to simmer for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
9.Add the chicken stock, stir to combine; then add the entire pan of braising liquid to the beef.
10.Be sure to add enough braising liquid so that the meat is covered ¾ of the way. If there is not enough liquid, simply add more stock or even water.
11.Cover the cooking vessel and put it in the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for about 3 hours, or until the meat is fall off the bone and fork tender

Pan sauce and pasta
1.Remove the meat and strain the braising liquid with a fine sieve into a sauce pan
2.Heat the liquid on medium high and allow to reduce for about 10 minutes
3.Add the cream to the braising liquid. When the braising liquid and wine come to a bubble, turn down the heat to medium low, and reduce for another 10 minutes.
4.Add the pasta to plenty of boiling, salted water, and remember to strain the pasta when it is 2 minutes from being done.
5.Add the cheese to the sauce and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
6.Shred the meat from the bone, and set aside to add to the pasta
7.Toss the pasta in the pan sauce, with the shredded beef. Allow the pasta to absorb the sauce and serve immediately, topped with freshly grated cheese


Note: You do not necessarily have to use both parmesan and romano cheese; you can easily use about 6 tbsps. of one. The measurement is also not exact, add as much cheese as you like. I used fettuccini for this particular recipe but if you are taking this to a party or potluck, I would recommend a short -pasta like penne rigate. I suggest this simply because it is easier to serve and may be less likely to dry out over time.

5 Basic “How-to” Tips While Working In The Kitchen

1.How do you get the garlic smell off your hands and fingers: Simply rub them in your kitchen sink; the stainless steal will absorb the excess garlic smell. Then wash with soap and water; smell gone!

2.How do you cook pasta perfectly: Be sure to boil it in plenty of water, and add enough salt that the water tastes like the sea. DO NOT add oil to the pasta water; it will only make the surface of the pasta slick and the sauce will only slide off, and not be absorbed. When the pasta is about 2 minutes from being perfectly el dente, drain it and add it directly to your sauce. This will allow the pasta to not overcook and ensure that the sauce is fully absorbed.

3.How do you ensure your food is perfectly seasoned: Season in layers! Meaning, every time you add an ingredient to your pot or pan, add a little salt and pepper. Do not wait to the last minute to add salt and pepper to your food, or it will just taste bland in some areas and salty in others. Also, by adding a little at a time, you can have full control over the seasoning. Remember, you can always add, but you can’t take it out.

4.How to get a great sear on your meat or seafood: Searing food means to caramelize or brown the sugars of the protein you are cooking; resulting in a beautiful, golden-brown crust. A simple tip, is pat your protein dry with a paper towel before adding it to a medium-high pan. Drying it will ensure you get a crusty sear instead of a gray-ish boil…yuck!

5.How do you thicken a stew, soup or sauce last minute: It’s called a beurre manie (burr-man-yay). In a bowl add equal parts butter and flour, and knead it together with a fork. Once combined, add it to the liquid and bring it back up to a bubble if not already there, to cook out the flour taste. Poof, you have a thickened sauce, that also has a glossy sheen because of the addition of butter. Typically you need only about 1 or two tablespoons of this mixture, so start small.

No Citrus in Sight.....Afternoon Delight?!

So, today my very good friend, fabulous author of redlipglossandheels.ca, and official “guinea pig” came over to visit me. While having a fabulous chat, I asked if she would care for some wine that I had leftover from the braised beef ribs I was preparing. I then immediately switched my offer to Sangria. I thought it would be so much more suitable, as it was super hot this afternoon. I typically like to include orange and other citrus in my Sangria, but I was fresh out. I decided to try a new concoction on her; muddled strawberry and white nectarine……mmmmm now is the time that I SO wish I could drink : ( I added a little of this, and a little of that, and set in the fridge to chill. When my BFF Odette joined Christina and me, I poured a beautiful fuchsia- glass full for each of them to try. They loved it; it was an instant summer hit! Not too shabby for a last minute experiment huh? Interested in this fabulously refreshing cocktail? Try it out following my recipe below. Cheers!

Ingredients

½ a bottle of Shiraz, or any wine you like
8 large strawberries
2 nectarines (any flesh colour is fine)
2 tbsps.sugar
1 container of your favourite prepared juice from concentrate. I prefer a berry flavour


Directions
1. Prepare the juice in a large jug
2. Add the wine to the juice
2. Puree one nectarine in a blender or food processor. I use my Magic Bullet.
3. “Muddle” or smash ½ the strawberries with the sugar. If your strawberries are firm you may also puree them with the nectarine and sugar, then strain thru a fine sieve into the mixture.
4. Stir to combine
5. Slice the remaining nectarine and strawberries and add to the mix.
6. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour

Note: You may add as much fruit as you desire, this is just a “road map” for you to follow. And of course, depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may add more sugar if needed. Also, feel free to add or substitute any summer fruit you like; trust me it will be delicious no matter what. As I always say, taste as you go; it’s the most important thing.