Scalloped Potatoes

There are few things I love more than potatoes. I think that's the Albertan in me. I have a special fondness in my little heart for those bad boys.

It's been a long time since I've lived in Calgary, Alberta. In that time I've developed a raging affinity for other foods: pasta, polenta, homemade tomato sauce, chicken liver pate, cheese, wine. In fact, I often think my food-soul is Italian. 

And I have mostly managed to shake a lot of the Albertanisms that make me think of it as "little Texas" - big money, greed, Budweiser, big oil guzzling trucks, saying "get 'er done". Not that there is anything wrong with Alberta or Texas in and of themselves - I'm just a little more West coast than that. Or as the people I work with often refer to me, a little more social-communist. And I'm okay with that. I like shopping vintage thrift and up-cycling material goods. Smart cars are an excellent way to get around the city. And sauntering from one place to another, taking time to smell the flowers and breathe the air and watch the birds and lay on the beach all while being protected by universal medicine is A-okay with me.

But try as I might - potatoes linger both in my mind and judging by the popularity of the Paleo diet, my hips too, apparently.  Smother 'em in cheesy, creamy goodness and I've got the best of all worlds.

So while Italian may be my food-soul, potatoes are my soul-food. They remind me that I stem from a meat and potatoes kinda place. Filled with big trucks, oil money and bad beer. So I hold them dear and close to my heart. That and country music.

Scalloped Potatoes

(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

Approx 3 Lb (6 medium sized) Yukon gold Potatoes, sliced very thinly (use a mandolin on thinnest setting).

1 Onion, peeled & sliced very thinly in the same way as the potatoes.

2 Garlic Cloves, minced.

1 or 2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme.

1 Bay Leaf.

2 1/2 C 2% Milk or Cream.

2 Tbsp Butter.

2 Tbsp Flour.

Pinch of Nutmeg.

1 1/2 C Gruyere Cheese, grated.

1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, grated.

Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F & lightly grease a 9 X 9" baking dish.

Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and melt until sizzling - add the flour and stir constantly until fragrant and just starting to change color. Remove from the heat and add the milk, stirring to ensure it doesn't curdle. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg and a generous helping of salt and pepper. Place back on heat and stir stir stir until the milk thickens. Remove from the heat and discard what's left of the thyme stem.

Ladle a little of the liquid into the prepared baking dish, followed by closely layered slices of potatoes so they overlap. Top with some of the grated Gruyere and another ladle full of the milk mixture. Repeat until the dish is full with 1/2" of headroom - you should end up with 3 - 4 layers of potatoes, finishing with the Parmesan cheese.

Cover with tin foil and place in the oven to bake for 50 - 60 minutes. Remove the cover and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly and golden.

Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before cutting into. 

Eat.

What's your background? What foods or lifestyle choices do you hold close to your heart? What makes you who you are? What do you hang on to? What do you let go of? Are there any other country fans in the house?

Figured Figs Were a Good Idea

....And I was right!

But before we get to that... I must tell you: It is an end of an era. And I'm not talking about the Lance Armstrong debacle - seriously though folks, can't we just let the guy be? Hasn't losing parts of his manly bits been hard enough on him? His tests have been clean. Refusal to participate in on-going harassment doesn't = guilt, it does however mean he might not be willing to subject his life, energy, emotions, time, and money in what could possibly be an endless (and fruitless) inquiry into his abilities. And also, why do we care so much about whether he did or didn't juice? Is that going to determine if you get that raise next month? Or establish where your next vacation should be? Or what color you decide to highlight your hair? Let the guy alone for gods sake.

Wow. That one really got away from me. Uhhh....

Right. End of an era. I'm moving across the country tomorrow from Victoria to Toronto. Holy crap.

As I said yesterday on Gastronomical Sovereignty, everything is in boxes, the movers just came, and I will be sleeping on quality MEC camping gear for the next 9-14 days until my shit shows up at the new place. So I'm leaving you with two gifts over the next two weeks...

The first is a fabulous guest post next week from the ever amazing Courtney @ The Fig Tree. She's got a real gem in store for you! 

The second is a recipe inspired by the title of her blog.... because I figured figs were a good idea. And as I said above, I was right! But c'mon, let's be honest here - when am I ever not right?

Figs are just about everywhere right now. Soft, juicy, deliciously tangy yet tenderly sweet... I love me some figs!

When brother was in town visiting this week I picked up a basket at the farmer's market. And boy sure as heck as ants on a log I was happy that I did! This little dish is simple, quick, and fabulously sweet yet salty to boot!

I suggest you make some for yourself. Soon.

Stuffed & Tucked Prosciutto Wrapped Figs
(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 Ripe Figs.
6 Oz Quality Soft Goats Cheese.
4 Big Basil Leaves.
4 Thin Slices of Prosciutto.
4 Tbsp Local Organic Honey.
'Lil Balsamic Reduction.
Small Handful of Toasted Walnuts, roughly chopped.
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your BBQ to medium-high heat.

As that warms, place the goat cheese and black pepper in a bowl and mash together.

Make a thin slit in the side of each fig to the center. Gently stuff with an ounce or so of peppery cheese and place basil leaf on top of the cut. Carefully wrap in a piece of prosciutto and carefully press to hold.

Place figs on the grill and BBQ for about 1 and a half to 2 minutes per side or until prosciutto is crisp and cheese is oozy.

Plate and drizzle with honey, balsamic reduction and sprinkle with a few chopped nuts.

Eat.

Wish me luck, my lovelies!

Rippin' Another Blog: Sweetly Serendipity

Who doesn't love a good - and I mean good - side dish?

I've been saying for years that I think it's the sign of a good chef who can lovingly make the side dish as interesting, flavorful, and delectable as the main. 

And you know what? .....Taryn @ Sweetly Serendipity is a pro. Not to mention an awesome super babe. Hey - when a girl can make vegetables taste the way she did, a girl's gotta butter her up. Besides, how else am I gonna talk her into coming to Victoria to cook me dinner?

...Starting this week, "Post from Another Blog" posts are going to be a little different around here. Instead of simply (and separately) picking a recipe from any old blog we felt like, Haydn and I are taking turns choosing a blog from which we will both select a recipe from and see what we come up with. Will we choose the same recipe? Will we choose different ones? The suspense is killing me! Okay, maybe not. But I think it'll be more interesting, yes?

So for this week's blog, we're taking on Taryn. I chose Taryn because I know her from The Secret Recipe Club and after having made her fabulous rice pudding, I felt like the woman and her blog deserved more props because as I said earlier, she's kind of awesome.

And this time around, just as the first, she did not disappoint. I only have 3 words for you: Summer. Vegetable. Gratin.

The crunchyness of the breadcrumby salty Parmesan, sweetness of the caramelized onions, delicateness of the Summer friendly squash, and acidity from the tomatoes made this a highly enjoyable side that I plan on making again. For reals. Thank you Taryn darling!

Summer Vegetable Gratin

(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 Lb Zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds.

1 Lb Yellow Zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds.

3-4 Large Ripe Tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick.

2 Medium Onions, halved and sliced thin (approx. 3 cups).

2 Medium Sized Garlic Cloves, minced.

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme, stemmed and chopped.

6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

1 Handful Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped or roughly torn.

1 C Panko Crumbs.

1 C Parmesan Cheese, grated.

Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

What to Do:

Toss the zucchini in a colander with a good helping of salt. Let sit for about 45 minutes and drain well - you may want to pat dry with a tea towel to remove excess moisture. 

In a separate colander (or lay on a towel on the counter) - do the same with the tomatoes. 

As your veggies de-moisturize, heat a couple Tbsp of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions. Stir well. Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly caramelize them, stirring every few minutes or so until dark golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 9 X 9" baking dish with non-stick spray.

As the oven heats, combine the garlic, 3 Tbsp of oil, a good helping of pepper and thyme in a mixing bowl. Add the zucchini and toss well to coat.

Pour the entire zucchini bowl into the prepared baking dish, topping with the onions and finishing off with the tomatoes, overlapping just slightly.

Place in the oven and bake 40-45 minutes or until the tomatoes are pulling away from the sides of the dish and the edges are just starting to brown.

In a bowl, mix together the panko, parmesan and a Tbsp of oil. Remove the dish from the oven, turn the heat up to 450 degrees and top with this mixture. When the oven is ready, place back inside and allow the top to brown and crust (approx 5-10 minutes). 

Remove from the oven, top with the basil, and serve.

Eat.

What's your favorite part of a meal? Appeteaser? Main? Side? Dessert? The alcohol?

This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; Whole Foods Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; The Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Keep it Real Thursdays; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday;

Spot Prawns on Toast... Just Doin' Some Good

There is just so much good in the world. 

Like when you are waiting to cross the street at an unmarked intersection and someone slows down to let you cross.

Or when you're sitting outside a cafe on your day off, sippin' back a london fog and a puppy comes up and starts jumping all over your feet wanting to play.... I might have known this particular puppy. But even if I didn't, I'd say that'd make for a pretty darn good evening.

And when a total stranger goes out of their way to do something nice for you and doesn't ask anything in return. Even refuses something in return. Just to be nice and helpful.

Or when someone simply smiles and says hello for no reason at all. It always catches us off guard but why should it? Say hello people!

And when you totally black out from too much gin, lose your wallet on the way home - which somehow still contains 50 bucks even though you were buying rounds of shots for all your friends - gets returned by a good Samaritan....with the money still in it.

Of course there's the crap. But why focus on the crap? It's easy to. Contagious, even. But it doesn't feel good. Not really. Oh, it might for a moment or two - but in the end the anger, frustration, sadness, alienation, poopy-pants feelings take over. I'm not saying don't vent if you feel upset - do it. Let it out. But then move on. Silver lining and all that bullshit, right? Right.

Something good right now? Spot prawns. 

Wild B.C. spot prawns come into season but for a couple of months a year, May - June. If you think you've had prawns before, you ain't seen nothing yet. These little babies are usually bought live, quickly prepared/cooked, and their meat is as succulent, tender and rich as lobster. They can also pinch your wallet like lobster but it's a seasonal treat that's well worth the pennies. Seriously. I am not joking. You want these prawns.

When buying spot prawns, look for nice pink crustaceans, with firm heads and tails that curl up under it. If you're lucky, they'll still be wiggling in the case. Watch your fingers after you get them home, they have a good poker at the end of their nose, and put them and their packaging in a bowl of ice in the refrigerator until ready to cook - preferably that day. They deteriorate rapidly and if their heads start to go black - it's a sign the meat is deteriorating. So cook em and eat em quick! If you aren't using them that day, immediately remove the heads - which can be frozen to make a future stock - and keep wrapped over ice for up to 3 days. Do NOT soak in water to clean them. These little babies are live shellfish and if you do that, you will kill them = not good to eat. You also don't have to worry about de-veining them either because they aren't the same category of fish as your ordinary prawns. Holla!

For more information on the spot prawn fishery as well as preparation information, click here. 

For succulent, simple, easy spot prawns on toast... Continue reading.

Spot Prawns on Toast

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as an appetizer or 1 as a main protein.

12 Live Spot Prawns, (heads removed if desired)

2 Thick Slices Sourdough Bread (or carb of your choice).

1/4 C Dry White Wine.

1/4 C Butter, unsalted.

2 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced.

Small Handful Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, finely chopped.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Lemon Wedge for garnish.

What to Do:

Turn your BBQ or Broiler to high. 

As that heats, place a large frying pan over medium heat with half the butter. Meanwhile season the prawns with salt and pepper. Once the butter starts to sizzle and brown slightly, toss in the garlic and prawns. Cover and cook about 30 seconds, flip, re-cover and cook another 30 seconds or so.

Remove the lid and and gently add the wine. Allow it to reduce for about a minute or so to allow the alcohol to cook off.

Add the parsley and other half of the butter, remove from the heat and toss well. Set aside until just cool enough to handle.

As those cool, place your bread on the grill and toast one side. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Remove the cooked prawns from the shells (and snap off heads if not eating) and place on prepared toast. Spoon the butter, garlic and parsley business that's left in the pan over the plated prawns, sprinkle lightly with salt and serve with a little lemon wedge if desired.

Eat. 

What kind of good do you see in the world? What kind of good do you give to the world? Do you try to focus on the positive? Or is that kind of thinking just annoying as crap?

This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Frugal Days & Sustainable Ways; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show;

RPI: Mission Beets - Beet Chocolate Cake with Homemade Vanilla Icing

It's true. Haydn and I failed miserably in RPI this week. Not with respect to the dishes we made - which, if I may say, have turned out to be one of the best RPI in recent history - but regarding the competition. With so much going on in our busy lives we forgot to rock, paper, scissor the crap outta each other and claim gluttonous victory over the other.

Meh, what ya gonna do? 

Instead I let him select an ingredient - of which he chose beets. 

I love me some beets. Beets = good. Earthy. Sweet. With an elastic crunchy softness (does that make sense?)...

Having just done a guest post for Stacy @ Seattle Seedling titled I Need A "Beeting" (Please?) - aka Spring Beet Bruschetta - I didn't want to do another goat cheesy, balsamicy, beet filled dish. Because let's be honest with ourselves: goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, and beets are made for each other. In fact, I was tempted to make something similar to this or this. And can you blame me? Holla!

But no. I opted to live on the edge a little. Beets savory? Of course. Beets sweet? Um, yeah. Special thanks have to go to those who recommended I do so because beets in dessert = better than beets themselves. 

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not much of a baker - so fashion my own beet cake recipe? Unlikely to happen. Instead I borrowed Peggy's Recipe @ My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good. Peggy and I did a "golden beet off" a few months back and this is what she came up with. Peggy, I am so glad you are in cooking school. Not because you need to learn how to cook because this cake was divine, but because you need to cook more. Do it. Do. It. 

Seriously though, the cake ended up chocolatey, not too sweet, and was baker-challenged friendly. It ended up quite dense - almost like a brownie. And while I could taste the beets in the first few bites - and you should, it is after all, beet cake - the more I ate, the more I enjoyed it. I will be making this again in the near future and savoring every sweet bite.

Mmmmmm beet cake.

Beet Chocolate Cake with Homemade Vanilla Icing

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for Cake:

1 & 3/4 C Flour.

 2 Tsp Baking Powder.
3/4 Tsp Salt.
3/4 C Cocoa Powder.
1 & 1/4 C Sugar.
Approx 5 to 6 small-medium beets).
3 Pastured Eggs, room temp.

 1/2 C Canola Oil.
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract.

Ingredients for Icing:

3 C Icing (Confectioner's) Sugar.

1/3 C Butter, room temp.

1/3 C Milk.

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract.

Little Red Sprinkles (optional).

What to Do:

First things first, roast the beets. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place beets in a roasting pan with a couple glugs of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Shake well to coat. Cover and roast in the oven 45-60 minutes until fork tender, depending on the size and age of the beets. Younger beets cook faster than older ones.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool to touch and then cut off their bums and peel off the skin. Place in a food processor and puree until mostly smooth. You want to end up with 1 and 1/2 C of puree. Set aside.

Change the oven setting to 350 F and cut out a piece of parchment paper large enough to come over the edges of a 9" spring form or cake pan. Lightly grease the paper with either butter or non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa and sugar. Mix well. 

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, beet puree, canola oil and vanilla extract.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and gently pour beet mixture in the middle.  Mix until just combined. Make sure to get to the edges so you incorporate all the dry into the wet. 

Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting or your icing will melt.

To make icing: Put confectioner's sugar, a couple Tbsp of milk, butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix on low until combined. Slowly add a little milk at a time, mixing well between additions to ensure complete incorporation. Continue this method until the icing is of the consistency you want. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to frost. You will want to remove it from the fridge and have the icing come to room temperature before you ice the cake. I just let mine sit on the counter covered though because of the dairy in it some people may not want to do that. Fair enough.

Spread icing over the cake, top with sprinkles if using, cut and serve on your Grandmother's prettiest china.

Eat.

To see past RPI competitions, click here.



 


This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show.

Fish in a Pinch

So I'm in the process of making some serious life style changes.

I've cut back on alcohol significantly - much to the detriment of my mind's well being, I'm sure.

I'm eating less cheese. Again, how will my brain survive?!

I'm keeping serious track of what I'm eating, when I'm eating, and how I'm eating.

I'm moving. A lot. Thank YOU Jillian Michaels, strange yoga videos that I'm not quite sold on, and Gaiam TV.

For the past few years I've lived and breathed and ate local, small scale, organic, seasonal, pastured food. But I haven't been the least bit discriminating against calories or fat. This in combination with a sedentary student lifestyle = pants don't fit no more. Seriously. There's a collection of clothing (3/4ths of my closet) that is boxed up in the laundry room yearning for the day they can live again.

I'm by no means obese. Or unhealthy. I don't consider myself over weight. What I do consider myself, however, is blech. I feel lazy. I feel tired. I feel bored. I feel generally just plain shitty.

So what to do? Change some things. I'm not sayin' you won't find me mowin down on some of these or this or this - what I am saying, is I'm gonna eat less of those things, find more balance, and make a point of gearing toward a less ass-expanding life plan.

I want to be strong. I want to be active. I want to be powerful. I want to be nourished. I want to laugh more. I want more love. And more joy. I want to live smaller. I want to feel good. I want more of fish in a pinch.

Fish in a pinch was a quick but very healthy dish I threw together in about 30 minutes that utilized our CSA produce, fresh in season locally caught halibut, and a stellar powerhouse seed called quinoa (yup! it's a seed, not a grain). Good energy foods give me good energy..... at least until I cave and decide to whip up a batch of these. 

....is it just me or did all those "this" references contain bacon? Mmmmm bacon...

Fish in a Pinch:

pan seared Pacific halibut with cumin scented red quinoa, 

oven roasted tomatoes 

& Saanich Organics braising greens

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 6oz Halibut Fillets, pat dried & seasoned well with salt and pepper.

1 C Red Quinoa, well rinsed.

6 C Braising Greens (raw), roughly chopped.

1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved.

5 Garlic Cloves, peeled.

2 Shallots, peeled and halved if large.

1 Tbsp Capers, rinsed.

1/4 C Kalamata Olives, roughly chopped.

2 C Chicken Stock or Water.

Juice of 1 Lemon.

Pinch of Cumin. 

1 Tbsp Fresh or Dried Italian Herbs.

2 Tbsp Blanched Almonds, toasted.

1 Batch Balsamic Reduction.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degree F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Place the tomatoes, garlic, and shallots on the paper, toss with a generous glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for approx 30 minutes or until everything gets nice and tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring chicken stock or water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan with the juice of half the lemon, 1/2 Tsp of olive oil and cumin. Once boiling, add the rinsed quinoa, stir, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from the heat and let sit about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Once the quinoa is sitting, heat a non stick pan over medium heat with half a cup of water in it. Once the water is very hot, add the greens. Cover, stirring occasionally, until greens are wilted and tender - approx. 7 minutes or so. If the water evaporates before the greens are done cooking, simply add more water. Once they're tender, remove the lid and allow excess moisture to cook away. Remove greens from the pan and set aside.

Wipe out the pan and add a couple Tbsp of olive oil. Place back on the burner and allow to heat thoroughly but not smoke. Add the fish to the pan (skin side down if you've left the skin on) and let it crisp up for about 3-5 minutes. Gently flip the fish and continue cooking a further 3-4 minutes until fish flakes but is still moist. Remove from the heat and place the fish on a plate or wire rack to rest for a couple minutes. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

As it rests, throw the greens back in the pan along with the tomato mixture, olives, capers and a little lemon juice. Heat through for about a minute. Plate, drizzle with a little good quality olive oil if you have it, about a Tbsp of the balsamic reduction & serve.

Eat.

What do you make for dinner in a pinch? Do you have go-to meals? What do you do that makes you feel good & healthy? What are your food weaknesses? What gives you strength?

This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Foodie Friday; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays.

RPI: Mission Fava Beans - Habas Con Jamon & seared ahi tuna

 Imagine.....

....the smell of hot, humid pavement, salty ocean air, and the waft of fresh baked bread and simmering kitchens...

....hear the rustling of trees high up above the old world buildings, scooters honking, and the gentle klinking of spoons in coffee cups....

...look at the rows and rows of patio canopies, tiny winding cobble stone streets, little old men with bottles of wine for breakfast with their little pastries...

...feel those cobble stones and bricks beneath your feet, the warmth from the Summer sun, beads of perspiration tickling down your back, the breeze coming off the Mediterranean, and the hunger in your belly because your internal time clock is all fucked up...

...now taste all of it...

That was how I first experienced fava beans. In a dish called Habas con Jamon (Spanish for broad beans* with Jamon**). And that's how I'm presenting it to you. 

While in Barcelona we stumbled into a cafe for lunch one day and I found myself in absolute awe of a brilliant green dish that was placed in front of me. No where had I ever tasted anything so rich, so fresh, so buttery, and so perfect. Hello, fava beans. 

I've been in love with them ever since and while they're only available briefly in the Spring here on Vancouver Island - and they're a bitch to prepare - I definitely get my fill. You can find them at The Market on Yates right now, or make a trip to your local farmer's market (i.e. The Moss Street Market). You won't be sorry.

* You will need many more beans than you think. Once the casings are gone, there is significantly less volume than when you bought them. I recommend 1 and a half to 2 Lb per person with casings on. 

** Jamon is a very special cured meat from Spain made from Iberian pigs which is carefully produced with very stringent guidelines. If you can't find it you could substitute prosciutto but as I've discovered, it won't have the same flavor as the good stuff. Try your local artisan meat shop or Italian deli. You can get it in Victoria at Ottavio's Italian Bakery and Delicatessen.

Habas con Jamon 

(with seared ahi tuna)

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Butter.

1 Brown Onion, diced.

175 g Jamon or Prosciutto, roughly chopped.

2 Garlic Cloves, minced.

4 Lb Fresh Broad (Fava) Beans.

2/3 C Dry White Wine.

3/4 C Chicken Stock. 

2 Yellowfin Ahi Tuna "Steaks" - for more information on the right tuna to buy click here.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

First, prepare the fava beans. This does take a bit of time but it's very easy. Snap off the top end of the bean and gently peel off the seam (like peas). Then gently wiggle your fingers inside to open the pod. Pop out the beans and discard the shells to the compost.

Now here's the time consuming part: the beans are tricky and have a second shell. You'll need to bring a large pot of water to a boil, dump the beans in, boil for about 30 seconds to loosen the second casing and then immediately drain and run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process and maintain the brilliant green color. Now you can carefully made a tear in the outer coating near the "bum" of the bean (when you see them you'll know what I mean) and just gently pinch the bean out of it's casing. Tada! Bright green broad beans! Again, discard the shell.

Once shelled you can begin the cooking process (much faster than shelling):

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, Jamon and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion softens.

Add the broad beans and wine and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the stock, reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover and cook for another 10, or until the beans are tender, and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, season well with black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over high heat. Add a touch of olive oil once hot, place very cold, sushi-grade, line caught, ahi yellow fin tuna into the pan. Sear for about 20 seconds on both sides. Remove from the pan. Slice into 1/4" slices. And sprinkle lightly with salt.

Serve beans hot, top with the tuna and saddle up with some crusty bread.

Eat.

What's your fondest (or least fondest) food memory?

This post is linked up with the Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday;

Homemade Hearty Beef Stew

Confession: I always feel a little conflicted about posting very "meaty" recipes. 

Those who know me know that I am an "ethical" eater. That is, I try to eat most of my food small organic, small scale, seasonal, and local. That can be tricky with meat.

Or at the very least, it complicates things a little more. It not only needs to be all of the above, but pastured and NOT grain fed, as well.

Side Note: I've noticed in the grocery store lately that producers are advertizing their meat as "grain fed" - particularly the beef and chicken. If you get anything out of this post get this... 

Grain fed is not a good thing. 

Animals are not meant to eat grain. Sure, they aren't being fed the chicken litter off the chicken barn floor or left over beef bits (yes, that is what conventional meat is fed) = a whole lot of excess antibiotics, hormones, and possible health risks for you; but grain isn't much better. It's likely genetically modified or engineered, grown on mass scale with chemical inputs, and shipped all over the world. You are eating all of that when you eat your grain fed meat. Not to mention what that kind of diet does to the animal who consumed it to begin with. 

Instead: Google a few hits, make a few phone calls and find which producers and/or sellers in your area are raising organic pastured animals. Pastured is key. Pastured is a way of living - both for the eater and the animal. It fosters the essence of the cow, or pig, or chicken, or goat, or bison, or lamb, or whatever your poison is. For more information on pastured meat, click here.

Back to reality: Right. So, organic, small scale, seasonal, local & pastured meat. Tall order. And the guilt that comes with posting about meat. 

We need to cut down our meat consumption for a sovereign food system. And when I post about meat - particularly without the above premise - I feel like I'm not doing the world any good. Does posting my meaty meal encourage more meat consumption rather than less? Or does it encourage a holistic, and natural way of eating seasonally? Am I thinking this through too much? Ah!

So meat: Eat less. When you do eat, eat pastured. And don't think I'm obsessing.... I might be obsessing. Just a little.

Homemade Hearty Beef Stew

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Lb Chuck Stew Meat, cut into 1-2" pieces.

3 Small-Medium Turnips, peeled & chopped into 1" pieces.

3 Carrots, chopped into 1" pieces.

8 New Baby Red Skin Potatoes, cut in half.

3 Stalks of Celery, chopped.

1 Onion, chopped into 2" thick slices.

5 Garlic Cloves, peeled.

2 C Beef Stock.

28 oz. Canned Tomatoes.

1 C Dry Red Wine.

Italian Seasonings (i.e. Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, etc...).

1 Bay Leaf.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

 Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef pieces - you may have to do this in batches. Brown well all over. Remove from the pan and put in a large stock pot.

Once the beef is browned, turn the heat down to medium. Add a couple glugs of olive oil to the pan and add the carrots, celery and onion - this is the base of the stew (and many other dishes), it's called a Mirepoix (meer-pwah). Stir well to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until just starting to get a bit of color on the vegetables, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, seasonings, bay leaf, and wine. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the wine to reduce for about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into the stock pot along with the beef stock, turnips, and garlic cloves.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and allow to slow cook the mixture for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

In the final half hour of cooking, add the potatoes and make sure they're covered with the liquid.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a great big hunk of honey'd corn bread.

Eat.

What do you obsess over? 

What do you think about my meat issue? Have you ever thought about this "grain fed" business? What kind of "happy" meat or vegetables are available near you?

This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; This Chick Cooks; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday;

Savory Roast Duck Crepes with Arugula & Stawberry Plum Sauce

Good morning my little sugar bottoms! I have a question for you...

Do you know how to roast a bird?

The usual suspects are turkey or chicken. Simple, traditional, tasty. Chances are your mother or grandmother or someone in the family taught you. Or you can at least remember chowin down on one of these fine creatures on Thanksgiving or Christmas or Easter (assuming you celebrate one or all of these colonial & Christian holidays) or in the case of my family, while camping. Yes, my mother required her camping oven be large enough to fit a full turkey. We really roughed it growing up.

But did you know you can roast duck the same way?  It's a little more work, but not by much. 

I was talking to John the other day and we were both commenting on how easy roasting a duck is but no one seems to do it. No one we know, anyway. It's just not in our cultural repertoire. That being said, there's no reason not to start! 

Now, don't let the cuteness of the little Quack Quacks fool you - their meat is sweet, earthy, moist, and so succulently worth it. Plus you end up with a jar full of duck fat! You think bacon is good, well my friend, duck fat makes everything better. Mmmmmm, duck fat. There's a reason my pants don't fit me anymore. 

FYI: The meat on a duck is limited and one duck typically feeds two very hungry people or three muchie people. Try to find one that's been able to roam and eat what it would naturally and organically - find a happy duck! And then eat him! ...well, maybe kill & cook him first. It's the humanly thing to do.

Savory Roast Duck Crepes with Arugula & Strawberry Plum Sauce

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for Crepes:

2 C Whole Milk.

4 Large Free-Range Organic Eggs, room temperature.

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature.

1 1/2 C Flour.

1 Tsp Sea Salt.

Ingredients for Sauce:

2 C Frozen Strawberries, thawed & drained.

3-4 Plums, pitted (mine were frozen, I thawed & drained them as well).

Zest & Juice of 1 Blood Orange.

2 Tbsp Local Organic Honey.

2 Tbsp Balsamic Reduction.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Other Ingredients:

1 Whole Duck.

1/2 Onion, chopped.

3 Garlic Cloves, peeled & smashed.

1/2 Orange, cut into 2 or 3 pieces.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Fresh Arugula, for topping.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Meanwhile, remove any giblets inside the duck, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Make sure to remove any remaining quills that may have been left behind and cut off any extra flaps of fat. Throw the "other ingredient" onion, garlic and orange inside the duck cavity and season very well with salt and pepper. Lift the little guy up by his legs and shake it around. Now tie the legs together nice and tight with some string (it's called "trussing") and tuck his little arms back underneath him - kind of like if you were to walk up behind someone and try to break their arms.

Place the duck on a wire rack in a large roasting/baking pan. At an angle, gently slice through the skin of the duck to ensure the fat will cook/leak off during the cooking process so you end up with crispy skin. Careful not to cut the meat though - only the fat! 

Using a smaller knife, prick the little guy all over to increase fat drippage. Again, focus on hitting the fat, not the meat. Season the outside with salt and pepper, front and back. Place the duck breast side up on the rack and place in oven. 

Cook 1 hour. Re-prick with small knife. Flip onto the other side. Repeat this step 3 times for a total cooking time of 4 hours.

Turn the heat in the oven up to 400 degrees and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.

By now the skin should be super crispy. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes. Then, peel off the skin and meat, reserve, while tossing the bones, stuffed vegetables, etc... Voila! Duck! 

Be careful when cooking duck - they are uber fatty! You can wait for the fat to cool before you dispose of it or you can let it cool slightly, pour it in a jar and stick it in the back of your fridge for roasting potatoes, etc... It's to die for!

For a photo tutorial of this process, click here.

Now, as the duck reaches it's final 40 minutes or so of cooking, you can make the crepes and sauce.

For the sauce, throw everything into a food processor. Blend till smooth. Taste. Add more of whatever you feel is necessary.

For the crepes, add the wet to the wet, the dry to the dry, then combine. Whisk well until batter is smooth & consistent. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, lightly grease with non-stick spray or butter and drop about 1/3rd a cup or so of the batter into the pan. Swivel the pan in a circular motion to coat the bottom with the batter evenly. Place back on the burner, cook about 1 min or until lightly golden on the bottom and rather solid on top, gently flip, and cook on the other side for about another 30 seconds or so. Remove from the pan, place in a covered baking dish and keep warm until serving.

To serve: take a crepe, chuck on some duck, some arugula, some sauce - roll.

Eat.

This post is linked up with This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via Premeditated Leftovers.