Bumbleberry Pie

I am happy to say that I am (finally!) not afraid to make pies. I used to agonize over the crust – the dough was always too dry or too wet, too crumbly, wouldn’t roll, etc. – but ever since I started using Elise Bauer’s recipe that combines butter and shortening AND combines everything in a food processor, the crusts are a dream

This is a combination of about 3 Internet recipes for the filling and Elise’s crust.

Ingredients

Combination Butter and Shortening Crust

1 medium tart apple, peeled and diced

1 cup fresh rhubarb, diced

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup strawberries, sliced

1 T lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425F

2. Prepare crust as per linked recipe. Roll half and place into pie dish

3. In large bowl combine apple, rhubarb, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries

4. Toss with lemon juice

5. Combine sugar and flour. Pour over fruit and toss to thoroughly combine

6. Pour fruit into crust

7. Roll second half of dough, place over top of the fruit, seal by fluting the edges and cut the crust to create steam vents

8. Bake 40-50 minutes, watching that the edges of the crust do not burn

9. Allow to cool and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or yogourt

Serves 6-10

 

 

Strozzapreti with Spicy Italian Sausage, Broccoli and Garlic Crema

I love the Internet.

OK – I should back up a bit. I was given strozzapreti as part of a lovely gift basket at Christmas. I had never seen or heard of this pasta before so I went on the Internet to see if I could find any recipes for it. First hit: Strozzapreti withSpicy Italian Sausage, Broccolini and Garlic Crema! The recipe originates from The Luna Cafe.

I altered it slightly using broccoli instead of broccolini, because my grocery store rarely has broccolini. It turned out wonderfully nevertheless.

The garlic cream sauce is to die for and as the original write-up says: “…you will be licking the pan to get every last drop of the addictive sauce”.

Make Ahead: You can saute the sausage, make the Garlic Crèma, and grate the cheese a day or so in advance if you wish.

Sausage
½ pound spicy Italian sausage (remove casing from sausage links)
olive oil if needed

Garlic Crema
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, peeled and then pressed or minced
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground in a mortar and pestle
¼ cup chicken stock
¾ cup cream
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
fine sea salt to taste

Broccolini
8 ounces broccolini (also called baby broccoli)

Pasta
½ pound dried strozzapreti, penne, or other short tubular pasta
2 tablespoons salt (for pasta boiling water)

Finishing
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
lots of freshly ground black pepper

1. To cook the sausage, pinch marble-size pieces into a large saute pan. Saute, turning frequently, until all pieces are lightly browned and fully cooked. The sausage should contain enough fat to adequately coat the pan, but if the pan becomes dry, add a drizzle of olive oil. Remove the saute pan from the heat, but keep warm at the back of the stove. (If made in advance, gently rewarm in a large saute pan.)
2. To make the Garlic Crema, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil, and saute the shallots, garlic, and fennel seeds until softened but not browned. Add the chicken stock and reduce to 2 tablespoons. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add theGarlic Crèma to the sausage in the saute pan and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let the flavors meld.  (If made in advance, add to the sausage and rewarm together.)
3. To cook the pasta, fill a large stockpot with cold water, add the salt, and bring to a full boil. Add pasta and cook for 7-10 minutes, until pasta is just tender. Remove pasta with a strainer and add to the sausage and Garlic Crèma in the saute pan. Set the saute pan over low heat and toss the ingredients together. Keep the pasta water boiling.
4. Add the broccolini to the boiling water and cook for just one minute. Drain and add to the pasta. Toss everything together.
5. Make sure everything is heated through, and then season to taste with salt.
6. Scoop the pasta onto a serving platter or into individual wide-rimmed pasta bowls, and garnish with the remaining parmesan, plus plenty of black pepper.
7. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3.

Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

A few years ago, we attended some wonderful cooking classes at Strewn Winery in Niagara on the Lake. They were a ton of fun! 8 couples around 2 huge islands cutting, chopping, cooking and then tasting each course we prepared with a matched Strewn wine.

Here is one of the recipes I got from them: fresh julienned veggies rolled in softened rice paper wrappers. The rolls are served with a yummy peanut sauce. This makes a terrific appetizer.

Ingredients for Rolls:

1 3-inch piece of English cucumber

1/2 sweet yellow or red pepper

1 medium carrot

8-10 snow peas (or 1 small zucchini)

Cilantro leaves

1 T rice vinegar

1 tsp. white sugar

black pepper

8 (8 1/2-inch round) rice paper wrappers

Warm water in a large bowl

Directions:

1. Cut cucumber, pepper, carrot and snow peas (or zucchini) into very thin matchstick strips. Place vegetables and coriander on a large plate in separate piles.

2. Combine vinegar, sugar and black pepper in a small bowl.

3. Take one piece of rice paper and soak it in warm water for 6 seconds. Place on cutting board and top with 1/8 of the filling ingredients plus 1-2 coriander leaves.

4. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the vinegar mixture over the vegetables.

5. Roll the rice paper really tightly, sides in first and then tightly from the bottom.

6. Place on a serving plate, seam side down.

7. Repeat with remaining vegetables and paper wrappers.

8. Cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature until serving.

Makes 8-10 spring rolls.

Ingredients for Peanut Sauce:

1 clove garlic

1/2 inch piece of ginger

1/2 cup Valencia peanuts, unsalted

1/4 cup water

2 T soy sauce

2 T fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 T honey

1 T sesame oil

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, softened

Directions:

1. With the food processor running, mince the garlic and ginger.

2. Add the peanuts and water and process until smooth

3. Add the soy sauce, lime juice, pepper flakes and honey. Pulse briefly.

4. With the food processor running, drizzle in the sesame oil.

5. Remove from the processor bowl and whisk in softened peanut butter until smooth.

Makes 1 cup.

 

 

 

Guinness-Braised Short Ribs

Short Ribs were on sale a few weeks ago so I bought a few packs. I was itching to try a slow cooker recipe with them. I found this one where the short ribs are braised and then simmered in 24 oz. of Guinness beer for several hours! The magazine Men’s Health published a great cookbook called Cook This Not That, a collection of recipes made to be healthy and cheaper than eating the same meal in a restaurant.

I followed the recipe pretty much verbatim except I tested the meat at 4 hours and it still seemed a bit chewy so I turned down the heat from High to Low and simmered the meat for another hour. Well, that made all the difference! Yum yum! 

PS – my husband called to ask if there was any beer left and I said: Nope! All in the dinner

PPS – I did not make the gremolata but I will next time.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 lb boneless short ribs
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cans or bottles (12 oz each) Guinness Draught
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
2 onions, quartered
2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves

GREMOLATA (optional):
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
Grated zest of 2 oranges or lemons

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over high heat. Season all sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. Cook them until a rich brown crust develops on the outside.

2. Remove the ribs and place in a slow cooker. While the pan is still hot, add the beer and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Pour the beer over the short ribs.

3. Add the broth, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and bay leaves to the short ribs and set the slow cooker to high. Cook for 4 hours, OR until the beef is tender and nearly falling apart. Discard the bay leaves.

4. If using gremolata, mix the parsley, garlic, and orange zest. Serve the beef (along with some of the reduced sauce) over soft polenta or mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with the gremolata (if using).

Makes 4 servings

Red Peppers Stuffed with Saffron Rice and Pine Nuts

Here’s a wonderful side dish to serve with a simply grilled fish (we used salmon steaks).  The recipe is originally from All about Vegetarian Cooking by Rombauer.

The peppers are steamed a bit to soften them up, then scallions, garlic and saffron are sauteed before adding the rice. The fun part is adding shredded provolone cheese, parsley, basil and toasted pine nuts and then baking the peppers. Very yummy

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large or 3 medium red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 3/4 cups water or vegetable stock
• 2 cups shredded provolone
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons basil
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• Chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

• Half the peppers lengthwise, and seed. Steam over boiling water until slightly softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a wide saucepan. Add scallions, garlic, and saffron and cook over medium heat until softened.
• Add the rice and stir.
• Add the water or stock and bring to a boil.
• Stir, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, then let stand, covered, for 10 minutes more.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Fluff the rice, turn it into a large bowl to cool, and then add the cheese, nuts, parsley, and basil. Mix well and season.
• Place the peppers in a baking dish in which they fit snugly. Spoon the filling into each pepper half, mound to the top.
• Add water to the bottom of the dish.
• Cover lightly with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 35 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Source: Adapted from All About Vegetarian Cooking (Rombauer)

Broccoli and Potato Soup

Michael Smith is an easy-to-like TV chef. He hails from New York and became famous in the early to mid-90′s. In fact, when we were on vacation in Prince Edward Island a number of years ago, we purposely ate at  Inn at Bay Fortune, the restaurant where he became globally renowned. The meal we had was superb.

Michael’s recipes are easy to follow and delicious. Tonight I made his Broccoli and Potato Soup. I altered only one thing: instead of 6 cups of stock, I used 4 cups of stock and 2 cups of milk.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water (or 4 cups stock and 2 cups milk)
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and grated
• 1 head of broccoli, stems cut into chunks and florets reserved
• Salt and pepper
• A large pinch of nutmeg
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Place a 4 quart pot over medium-high heat and add oil.
2. When it’s hot, add onions and sauté until they have softened.
3. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add stock, grated potatoes and broccoli stems.
4. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until they are tender and potatoes have broken down.
5. Add nutmeg and adjust seasoning and puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor.
6. Reheat soup prior to serving and add reserved broccoli florets and cheddar cheese.
7. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until cheese has melted and florets are tender and bright green.
8. Serve hot
9. 

Warm Fennel Salad with Olives, Pine Nuts and Orange

I am an avid fan of the Food Network on TV. The Canadian version runs many excellent cooking shows and series. One of them, French Food at Home, features Laura Calder, who is an expert at taking seemingly complicated French recipes and paring them down to easy instructions and delicious results.

From Laura’s book French Taste: Elegant Everyday Eating, I used her wonderful combination of fennel, olives and oranges to create a terrific side dish to orange/ginger marinated chicken. Laura explains: “…I eat fennel raw quite a lot, and usually when I cook it, I cook the daylights out of it, because I love when it gets all soft and tangled. For me, then, this recipe was a refreshing change. The fennel is tender and caramelized but still quite firm, and the resulting mellow anise flavor is excellent with the kaleidoscope of orange, onion, olives and nuts for garnish.”

Ingredients:

1 large fennel bulb

Olive oil

Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper

1 organic orange

1/2 small red onion

A handful of small black olives

A handful of toasted pine nuts

1 organic lemon

Directions:

1. Trim the stalks from the fennel, reserving a handful of green fronds.

2. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, then cut into lengthwise slices about 1/4″ thick.

3. Heat a little olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat, and working in batches and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go, fry the fennel on both sides until golden and tender, about 3 minutes.

4. When the fennel is done arrange it on a serving platter.

5. Zest the orange over the fennel.

6. Cut the skin from the orange with a sharp knife, taking care to remove all the white pith from the fruit.

7. Cut between the membrane to section the orange and arrange the sections over the fennel.

8. Squeeze the juice from the membrane over the whole salad.

9. Slice the onion into paper-thin rings an arrange over salad.

10. Scatter over the olives and pine nuts.

11. Zest the lemon over the salad and squeeze over lemon juice to taste.

12. Drizzle over a little more olive oil.

13. Finally scatter over the reserved fennel fronds

Serves 4.