All you need is Clove

Where I work we have a garlic festival every year which runs for the entire month of April. This year we had an  amazing menu that included everything from Rabbit Confit, Arctic Char and Crab Cakes to a Garlic Granita for desert.

Garlic, also referred to as “the stinking rose” should be it’s own food group.  The edible bulb is made up of sections called cloves, that are encased in a parchmentlike membrane. Three major varieties are available: the white-skinned strongly flavored American garlic; Mexican and Italian garlic, which have mauve-colored skins and a somewhat milder flavor; and the white-skinned, mild flavored elephant garlic, which is not a true garlic, but a relative of the leek. Green garlic, is young garlic before it begins to form cloves; resembling a baby leek, with a long green top and white bulb. Garlic’s essential oils remain in the body long after consumption, affecting breath and even skin odor.

A few things to remember when pureeing, chopping or generally working with garlic. DO NOT add oil when chopping or pureeing your garlic.  Adding oil during this stage will turn your garlic into a paste and cause it to burn much more quickly.  Add oil only after it has been chopped or pureed. It will saute up well, and will not burn.
When sauteing garlic, you will only need to saute for a short period of time so as to release the full flavor, before adding  the rest of your ingredients. If you add the garlic to your food without sauteing you are only poaching the garlic, and will not allow the full flavor of the garlic to be released.

ROASTING WHOLE GARLIC

6 ea          Garlic Bulbs
1/4 c        Olive Oil
250 ml      Vegetable Stock
To Taste    Sea Salt
To Taste   Cracked Black Pepper
Fresh Thyme Leaves

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.       Slice tops of garlic bulbs off and remove some of the white loose skin.
3.       Place in a shallow baking pan. Fill the pan up tp 1/2 inch deep with vegetable stock.
4.       Place the thyme evenly over the garlic, season with salt and pepper.
5.       Drizzle the olive oil over the garlic.
6.       Cover the pan with foil and bake 45 minutes to about 1 hour until garlic is soft.
7.       The roasted garlic will keep in the fridge for up to one week. When serving, the entire garlic bulb           may be reheated in the oven for a couple of minutes and spread on crostini.
8.      Other serving suggestions include using the roasted garlic in soups, sauces, dressings or with          pasta.

CRAB CAKES

250 gr       Crabmeat

2 Tbsp      Bell Peppers (red, green, yellow) small dice

2 Tbsp      Fresh Breadcrumbs

1 tsp        Dijon Mustard

1              Whole Egg (divided)

2 Tbsp     Cream

1/2 tsp    Garlic, minced

1 tsp        Shallots, minced

1 Tbsp     Italian Parlsey, chopped

To Taste  Seas Salt and Cracked Black Pepper

Panko Bread Crumbs

Grapeseed Oil for Frying

1.    Saute, the bell peppers until tender.

2.    Carefully pick through the crabmeat, removing any pieces of shell. Keep the lumps of crabmeat as large as possible

3.    Combine the crab meat, cooked bell peppers, parsley, garlic, shallots, bread crumbs, cream and Dijon mustard and mix together gently by hand.

4.    Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

5.    Using a mould or by hand, form the crab mixture into a coke of the desired size and gently roll them in Panko Bread Crumbs.

6.    Saute the Crab Cakes in grapeseed oil until golden and hold in a warm oven until ready to serve.

7.    Arrange the crab cake on a plate, drizzle with an apricot compte and top with mixed greens. Dress mixed greens with a drizzle of olive oil and Maldon Sea Salt.

8.    Serve immediately.

If you are wondering why I am adding vegetable stock to the garlic for roasting, stock will keep the garlic moist during the roasting process. In keeping the garlic moist it also allows the sweetness of the garlic to be released as well.

If you wish to puree the garlic once it has been roasted, add the liquids for the roasting pan to the puree. This will add flavor to the pureed garlic as well.

Panino – the new craze

Panino, or Panini (plural) seem to be the newest craze in the city. They are an amazing sandwich that is usually made from either ciabatta or focaccia bread, and can be served either hot or cold and are usually stuffed with meat or vegetables.
In Italian, ciabatta means “slipper,” leading some people to call the bread “slipper bread.” The name is a reference to the shape, which does sort of resemble a slipper. Ciabatta bread tends to be short, wide, and long, which makes it ideally suited to sandwiches. It is also offered with olive oils and other dips, since the crumb absorbs dips and liquids very well, and it may be toasted when served for this purpose
Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread, which may be topped with onions, herbs or other foodstuffs, related to pizza. It is a bit softer than ciabatta, and outside of Italy it is primarily used as sandwich bread.
Both of these breads are readily available at Thrifty’s, Sobeys or your favorite grocery store or bakery. I have been making these sandwiches for about 10 years now and am surprised that they have taken so long to catch on. They are quite simple to make and definitely add a new twist to the standard sandwich.
If you wish to make these sandwiches using Smoked Salmon, Prosciutto or mayonnaise they should be served cold with the bread slightly toasted on the outside. Smoked salmon and prosciutto have already been cured and should never be heated up. Mayo will just not stand up to the heat and will separate, creating a horrendous sandwich.

BABY SHRIMP PANINO
3 c Baby Shrimp
Mayo/ricotta mix
Focaccia
Romaine Lettuce

Mayo/Ricotta mix
250 ml Mayo
250 ml Ricotta cheese
1 tsp Fennel, roasted and then crushed by hand
Salt and pepper
Mix together
Add desired amount to the shrimp.

VEGETABLE PANINO
1 ea Zucchini, small dice
1 bunch Asparagus
1 ea Bell Pepper
Handful of brown mushrooms, sliced
Pesto
Mayonnaise
Mozza, grated

In a sauté pan, over med heat add oil and garlic. Saute the garlic for a couple of minutes. Add salt, pepper, basil and oregano and sauté for approximately another minute.
Add your zucchini, asparagus and pepper. Sauté until they are almost cooked then add your mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are almost soft, add a wee bit of white wine. Allow wine to evaporate and remove from heat. Place in a colander and allow the moisture to drain and cool.
Mix pesto and mayo together for the spread. (I usually add equal amounts of pesto and mayo)
Spread pesto/mayo mix on ciabatta and add your vegetables. Sprinkle a bit of mozza cheese on top.

For those of use with nut allergies, Knorr makes a great pesto product that does not contain nuts.

Risotto – The Ultimate Comfort Food

Risotto is a simple but luxurious dish from Northern Italy, that is the ultimate in comfort food. It is incredibly versatile, as you are limited only by your imagination in terms of ingredients. You can play around with flavors and ingredients but the method in which to make it stays the same. Once you master the basic technique you are on your way to the most amazing work of art ever created.

The simpleness of risotto is the four basic ingredients which are rice, butter, stock and cheese. It is made by stirring hot stock into shallots and rice until it has been absorbed, which results in a creamy but firm dish.

The most important ingredient that you will need will be the rice. Risotto rice has plump grains that are high in starch which is what gives it it’s texture. There are two different kinds of starch in risotto rice….amylase, which is the inner kernel and is a firm starch and breaks down slowly. This gives the centre the all important bite. The second starch is called amylopectin, which swells and dissolves as it cooks which is what makes the risotto creamy.

There are five rices that can be used for risotto. Some are easy to find others are harder to find as they are not as well known yet.

Arborio -  This is the most widely used and the most readily available. The grains are wider and  longer than Carnaroli or Nano. It is not as starchy and does not absorb liquid quite as well as others.  This brand is available anywhere.

Baldo – A relatively new rice. It is most comparable to arborio in shape and starchiness. It is the quickest cooking of all risotto rices.

Calriso – A hybrid of California and Italian varieties. Similar to Arborio in it’s cooking characteristics, but will expand quite a bit more.

Carnoroli - is known as the king of the rice. It is a superfino grain with a good balance of the two starches. This will make the creamiest risotto and will be more resistant to overcooking than Arborio.

Vialone nano – it will absorb twice it’s weight in liquid. It’s starch content is almost as high as Carnoroli. This will make a very creamy risotto as well while still retaining it’s bite as the center of the grain is harder and remains “al dente”.  This rice is not available in Alberta due primarily to price. It can be bought in B.C. however.

The rest of the ingredients will be a good quality stock, preferably homemade. If you don’t have the time to invest in making a good homemade stock, find your favorite brand at your local grocery store but find one that is low in sodium.  Butter, which is added at the end, cold, to keep it from splitting as well as to add to the creaminess of the risotto. Parmesan cheese, preferably Grana Padano, or Parmigiano Reggiano (finely grated). This is added at the end as well which will dissolve and cause the dish to emulsify (blend).

About 20 – 25 minutes after you have added stock to your rice your risotto should be ready. It should be creamy, with individual grains while still having a “bite” to it.  Add your cheese and butter and mix it in thoroughly. Remove it from the heat and serve it immediatly.

FOUR CHEESE, ROASTED GARLIC RISOTTO

3 c           Arborio or Carnaroli Rice

3 Tbsp    Olive Oil

3 Tbsp    Shallots, chopped fine

1/2 c       White WIne (optional)

3 Tbsp     Roasted Garlic

6 c           Chicken Stock

1/2 c       Asiago Cheese

1/2 c       Pecorino Cheese

1/2 c       Grana Pandano Cheese

1/2 c       Fontina Cheese

1/2 c       Green Onions (cut on the bias)

1 c           Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

1.       Heat the Olive Oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

2.       Add the garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant ( usually a couple of minutes)

3.       Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon to coat completely with the oil.

4.       Deglaze with white wine

5.       Add 1/2 cup of Chicken stock. Stir until absorbed. Continue adding stock in 1/2 cup ladels. Cook

until almost all the liquid is absorbed.

5.      Stir in the cheeses to incorporate. Add the green onions and tomatoes. Serve immediatly.

I prefer using Carnaroli rice for my risotto. For other variations I also like to use a tri – colored lentil blend as well as barley in place of rice.

LOVING YOUR CAST IRON

A little while ago as I was in www land I stumbled across a website by a chef from Australia named Benjamin Chrisite.

Being the “foodie” that I am, I was hooked. His site is on Australian cooking, and fare indiginous to there. It was Chef Christie that first sparked the idea of writing about cast iron cookware. After speaking with friends and family members I realized that not everyone knew how to season or maintain cast iron. So I hope with this post I can try to pass on some information reguarding this. Dad, Mr. Chrisite, this one’s for you.

I love Cast Iron pans. In my humble opinion they are the great-grand daddy of all “non stick” cookware out there today. Unfortunately they aren’t widely used in a commercial kitchen but for home use you couldn’t ask for a better way to cook eggs, make a stew or just weight lift.

My mom has a full set of these things and although they are getting too heavy for her to use regularly (they must be at least 50 years old) she loves them. They are black, which will happen with age and use, and she lovingly cares for them like they were one of her kids. Heaven forbid that my dad should put them in the dish water and wash them like a regular pan, metal scrubby and all……….I actually think my dad is still in the dog house after having mistakenly done that.

SEASONING YOUR NEW CAST IRON PAN

1. Heat your oven to 250 F – 300 F

2. Coat your pan with lard or bacon grease… DO NOT use liquid shortening such as canola or vegetable oil as it will leave a sticky residue on the pan thus resulting in a pan that is not seasoned properly.

3. Place the pan in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and pour out any excess grease into an old soup can. DO NOT pour down your drain, or you will be placing a call to the plummer right quick.

4. Put the pan back into the oven and bake for at least 2 hours.

5. Remove from oven and let cool.

6. Try to repeat this process several times as it will help to create a stronger “seasoning” bond.

PANS THAT NEED RE-SEASONING

1. If your pan was not “seasoned” properly, or the seasoning has worn off, or if food is sticking, or if there is just rust, then it should be cleaned properly and re-seasoned.

2. To do this, remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a non-metal scrubby.

3. You can heat the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch which will help to open the pores of the metal and will make it easier to wash.

4. Dry the pan immediately with either a dish towel of a paper towel. Don’t let it sit and air dry as the rust will come back and you will have to wash it all over again.
5. Season the pan as if it were brand new.

CARING FOR YOUR CAST IRON

Seasoning you cast iron is a natural way to create a non stick piece of cookware. Take special care of your cast iron like you would your newer “non-stick” cookware, taking great care to not scratch the surface, lets your cast iron feel loved and special.
Clean your cookware while it is still hot by rinsing it under hot water and scraping when necessary. DO NOT use a scouring pad or detergents (soap) as it will break down the pan’s seasoning.
Never store food in your pans, as the acidity of the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will inherit a metallic taste.
Store your pans with the lids off. Leaving the lids on, especially in an area where there is humidity, will cause the pans to rust and then re-seasoning is a given.
When you purchase your new cast iron cookware, it will be either a medium grey or a light brown in color. They will turn darker with use.
Some of the cast iron cookware available is already pre-seasoned before you purchase it. It doesn’t hurt to re season it yourself.
I do hope this helps for those of you interested in cast iron. Take care of it and it will last you a life time.

Homemade Ice Cream and Granita

When the summer season starts, the simple pleasure of going to The Marble Slab and ordering a double scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream with raspberries and ‘smores is pure heaven. Having discovered this amazing paradise a couple of summers ago, it became my number one place to get some of the most amazing, made on site, ice cream ever created. I dragged everyone I knew there, and it immediately became their favorite place as well.

This past December a tragedy of major proportions struck………I developed a quick and severe allergy (can we say anaphylaxis) to peanuts, tree nuts, coconut and coffee. It is one thing to have this allergy but to have it develop so close to Christmas, when these are on every table that ever existed, was absolutely horrifically unfair.. As the weeks came and went the realization of the severity of the allergy stuck, I was overwhelmed. I have been in the food industry for 25 years, and have always been able to eat anything. I now had to completely change my eating habits, what restaurant I ate at, what groceries I bought (this alone is a major undertaking), even what I touched.

Now that summer has essentially arrived I am once again devastated by the fact that I can no longer go to my little slice of paradise and order my favorite vice. How cruel can life be………

So, being the resilient individual that I am, I decided to try to make my own ice cream. It was either this or eat the only brand of ice cream available for us nut allergy people. (I’m sorry, but this brand of delectable treat, tastes horrendous. Cardboard tastes better than this stuff. It is cruel and unusual punishment to be relegated to this, which is something I don’t even think my dog would eat. You can’t put enough berries or syrup on this to make it taste even remotely tolerable.)

Making my own ice cream seemed like a phenomenal idea. The more I thought about it the better it sounded. I could make any flavor I wanted, no matter how bizarre. Gelato and Granita are my two favorite ways to do this. So here are a few recipes that I hope will help those of you with being able to enjoy a favorite summer delicacy.

Fruit Granita

1 liter Apple Juice

1 liter Pineapple Juice

1 liter Passion Fruit Juice

1 liter Simple Syrup

250 ml sparkling Sparkling Wine (optional)

1. Place all ingredients into a stainless steel bowl

2. Pour the juice into an ice-cream machine filling it half full then churn-freeze for approximately 10-15 minutes.

3. If you do not have an ice cream machine pour the liquid in a shallow pan about 1 inch deep and place in freezer. As the liquid begins to freeze, use a fork to shave into crystals every half hour or so until completely frozen.

Gelato.

4 c Milk

½ c Sugar

8 ea Egg Yolks

1 ea Vanilla Bean ( or 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract)

1. In a stainless steel bowl stir together, using a wooden spoon, the sugar and yolks until well blended. (Do not let this mixture sit too long or a film will develop on the yolks.)

2. In a small saucepan heat the milk and vanilla bean just to the boiling point. Remove from the heat and whisk a few tablespoons of the milk into the yolk mixture. Then gradually add the remaining milk, whisking constantly.

3. Pour this mixture into a medium saucepan and, over medium heat, or using a bain marie ( a double boiler), gently heat the mixture to just below boiling point (170-175 degrees F)(77-80 degrees C) You will notice that steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. Do not boil or the eggs will curdle. Check to see if it is the right consistency by holding a wooden spoon sideways that is covered with the custard and run your finger along the back of the spoon. If the streak remains without cream running down through the streak, it is ready.

4. Immediately remove from the heat and pour through a strainer, scraping up any thickened cream that settles on the bottom of the pan. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sauce. Stir until seeds separate. (If you are using pure vanilla extract, instead of the vanilla bean, add it to the cream now.)

5. Allow the crème anglaise (English custard) to cool in the fridge then put in an ice cream maker and follow the instructions to create gelato.

6. NOTE: If sauce becomes overheated and curdling occurs, pour instantly into a blender and process until smooth before the straining. If necessary, add a little heavy cream to the mixture before blending.

My first post

Hello world.  This is my first post on my first blog.