In Good Taste

I don’t know about you, but I kind of overindulged this holiday season. Mince tarts, champagne, scalloped potatoes, cookies, chocolates… they all caught up to me come January 1^st. So (like many of my friends and workmates) I’ve been on a bit of a salad kick for the past 2 weeks.

But since it’s the dark of winter, the usual lettuce-tomato-cucumber salad just doesn’t feel right, and I’ve been looking for new ideas. Here are some of my favourites:

1. Julienne 3 carrots on a mandoline (or grate them). Toss with 1 tsp kosher salt and the juice of 1 lemon. Let sit 10 minutes. Stir in chopped green onion, golden raisins, chopped parsley and a pinch of cinnamon. Drizzle with olive oil.

2. Combine 1 small can of sweet corn with 1 small can of black beans (rinsed and drained). Add a small sliced red onion, a chopped red pepper, a generous pinch of chili powder, salt and pepper. Serve in half a roasted acorn or butternut squash topped with light feta cheese and fresh cilantro.

3. Combine cold (leftovers work great!) cauliflower and broccoli in small florets. Mix together 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter, 1 tbsp boiling water, the juice of 1 lime, and generous dashes of hot sauce and soy sauce and drizzle over vegetables. Serve on a bed of sprouts and garnish with chopped peanuts and/or sesame seeds.

Here are a few other hearty salad recipes:

Marinated Carrot Salad With Ginger And Sesame Oil
Roasted Squash With Feta, Mint and Chili
Broccoli Tress With Creamy White-Bean Dip
Black Bean, Jicama, And Grilled Corn Salad

Or check out H&H’s top salad recipes in our 20 Delicious Salad & Dip Recipes.

Photo credits:
1. Tesco.com
2. Gourmet.com

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The holidays are finally here and better yet — it’s gingerbread season!

If there is a more intoxicating smell than warm gingerbread, I’ve yet to sniff it. And I’m not talking about the man-shaped cookies you hang on the Christmas tree. I mean a moist, tender cake glazed with lemon and sugar. There’s magic in gingerbread’s combination of molasses and spices that celebrates the coolness of winter and makes you glad to be tucked up at home.

My favourite gingerbread is a simple cake that comes together faster than you can find your winter gloves. In 10 minutes it’s in the oven and the house smells as good as a warm molasses hug. And the ingredients are so simple — they’re probably in your pantry right now, waiting to be turned into this humble yet special cake. Served warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream, gingerbread makes me wish fall lasted forever.

Claire Tansey’s Easy Gingerbread Cake Recipe

1-2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger (optional)
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp dry ginger
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
Pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp table salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8” x 8” baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

Step 2: In a bowl, whisk flour with candied ginger, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir in sugar, molasses and egg. Stir in oil and boiling water until smooth.

Step 3: Scrape into prepared pan and bake 35-45 minutes or until a cake tester or knife comes out clean.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk lemon juice into icing sugar. Pour and spread over the warm cake. Serve warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream.

Here are some other great gingerbread recipes I’ve come across:

Gingerbread Squares with Honey-Mascarpone Cream

Martha Stewart’s Gingerbread Cake

Molasses-Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Cream

Lafayette Gingerbread

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Photo credits:
1. Angus Fergusson
2. Gingerbread Squares with Honey-Mascarpone Cream, from Epicurious.com

Happy Holidays from H&H! We hope you enjoy this post from our blog archives. We'll be back with new daily blogs starting January 4th.

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Fauchon Apple Pavés

It’s often the simplest sweets that have the most impact. These delicate little cookies have just enough sweet apple flavour to match their rich butteriness. The perfect biscuit to have with a cup of tea. About $15, through DoveTale.

Kitchen Grips Petite Chef’s Mitt

Why didn’t they think of this sooner? Instead of the usual bulky oven mitts, these ones actually fit right to your hands, which makes handling the hot stuff so much easier. And they’re made of a super high-tech material that’s water-repellent, non-slip, anti-bacterial, dishwasher-safe and heat-resistant up to 500°F.  About $40, through Browne.

Krups die cast blender

I remember when a friend’s husband gave her a bread maker for her birthday.  She’s not too keen on cooking and let’s just say it was not a hit. There were angry words spoken about culinary expectations and so on.

Clearly, not everyone appreciates an appliance gift. But then again, not all appliances are as happy-making as the new Krups blender. Its ability to both very gently purée a tomato sauce so that the seeds remain intact and then blitz the heck out a full jar of ice, rum and fresh pineapple (and all in a surprisingly quiet way) makes it a welcome gift for someone who loves to cook. About $250, through Krups.

Shun Bob Kramer Meiji Chef’s Knife

Kramer is the only master bladesmith in the U.S. and his custom knives are so exceptional that fanatics wait years for them. For those who’d rather chop and slice today, Kramer teamed up with Shun to create this line of ultra-durable, super-sharp, light and dexterous master tools. This is a splurge for sure, but it's also a work of art to use every day for the rest of your life. About $580 for an 8” knife, at Williams-Sonoma.

For more gift ideas, view the Online TV segment about my Top Five Kitchen Gadgets.

Photo credits:
1. Fauchon
2. Kitchen Grips
3. Krups
4. Williams-Sonoma

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Let me say at the outset that it has been a very good year for cookbooks. Happily, I’ve been able to show off a number of them in the pages of H&H's Food News. But this one has stolen my heart and it would make a beautiful gift for the serious food lover on your list.

Ad Hoc At Home by Thomas Keller (2009 Artisan). Keller is somewhat of a cookbook hotshot, having produced one of the most demanding (but outstanding) cookbooks out there, The French Laundry Cookbook (1999 Artisan). Not to worry, this book is far more approachable. This is Keller’s version of home cooking (seen through the grease-stained rose-coloured glasses of a successful restaurant chef).

In his captivating introduction, Keller writes that “when we eat together, when we set out to do so deliberately, life is better, no matter your circumstances.” (Sigh — I even welled up a bit!). Between this motivational pep talk, the book’s luscious images, clever graphics and clearly-written recipes, Ad Hoc At Home does everything but take you by the hand and lead you to the stove.

And wowzers, it’s going to be delicious. I love his ideas for salads, his soups and his braises. I love the “lightbulb moments” offering really helpful tips and tricks. And I love the playfulness and personality of the book — you can just tell that this one really comes from the heart.

Thomas Keller will be in Toronto on Monday November 30^th, 2009! Contact The Cookbook Store for details and tickets, (416) 920-2665.

Honourable Mentions

A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen by Lucy Waverman (2009 Random House Canada). It’s no secret that I’m a friend and fan of Lucy’s (as well as an alumna of her test kitchen), but this book is one of her best ever. Check the H&H website for a few of the recipes.

Tender by Nigel Slater (2009 Harper Collins Canada). As much a read-in-bed book as a cookbook, Tender tells of British uber-chef Slater’s love affair with growing and cooking his own vegetables. Gorgeous and delicious and wise.

Martha Stewart’s Dinner At Home (2009 Clarkson Potter). Say what you will about Martha, but while browsing through this new one, I must have flagged about 10 different menus that I wanted to try. It’s packed with great ideas for weeknight meals and gorgeous photos to boot.

Photo credits:
1. Ad Hoc At Home by Thomas Keller (2009 Artisan)
2-3. Eat Me Daily, photography by Paula Forbes
4. A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen by Lucy Waverman (2009 Random House Canada)
5. Tender by Nigel Slater (2009 Harper Collins Canada)
6. Martha Stewart’s Dinner At Home by Martha Stewart (2009 Clarkson Potter)

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How much do I love my job? Last week I was invited to join in the foodie fundraiser of the year, where I feasted on perfect dishes made by the city’s 20 best chefs. Now that’s a good workday!

“What’s on the Table” is The Stop Community Food Centre’s annual fundraiser, and the see-and-be-seen food event of the year. The Stop is a Toronto organization that believes healthy food is a basic human right. Their programs aim for real change to the underlying causes of hunger and poverty. So yes, there is a drop-in centre and a food bank, but there are also kitchens where people can learn to cook and gardens where they can learn to grow nutritious foods. The Stop doesn’t just provide good food, it encourages and educates people to procure and prepare those foods themselves. Talk about empowering!

Naturally, I’m a huge fan. To me, cooking and enjoying healthy delicious food is the single best way for families, friends and even strangers to spend time together.

But back to the food: for the fundraiser, each chef prepares one wonderful dish to sample. Between the event’s atmosphere of generosity and the chefs’ good-natured competitiveness, the food turns out to be spectacular.

My favourite this year was Jonathan Gushue’s heavenly little dish of braised French lentils, vegetables and pork terrine. He is the chef at Cambridge's Langdon Hall, but a Newfoundlander through and through, so he served this with golden tea biscuits and — yum! — homemade butter (above).

Other highlights were Tom David’s salt cod and chorizo fritters, Anthony Walsh’s braised short ribs with jalapeño salsa, Mark Cutrara’s homemade Lyonnais sausage in brioche (above) and Claudia Egger’s pecan bars (above). And of course, getting a chance to chat with my friend and former H&H food editor, Lucy Waverman.

Learn more about The Stop’s empowering programs. They also recently published a terrific cookbook, Good Food For All (2009 The Stop), which would make an ideal gift for the caring foodies in your life.

Photo credits:
1. Good Food For All (2009 The Stop)
2. Greenhouse image from The Stop
3. Claire Tansey
4. Jonathan Gushue’s braised French lentils, vegetables and pork terrine, photography by Claire Tansey
5. Mark Cutrara’s Lyonnais sausage in brioche, photography by Claire Tansey
6. Claudia Egger’s pecan bars, photography by Claire Tansey
7. Claire Tansey and Lucy Waverman

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Like everyone, we were shocked and saddened by last week’s big announcement that Gourmet magazine has folded. My little H&H office has become a bit of a shrine, with colleagues coming by to sit and reminisce. It was a treasured source of inspiration.

And while countless e-articles have mused about the “why?", the blogosphere has been curiously silent on my big nagging question: what’s going to fill the void?

Gourmet was the Big Cheese of lush, pages-long spreads of gorgeous food that made your mouth water, enticing tabletops, recipes that you could bank on and the best in food writing.

But even more, Gourmet was a bit of a maverick, a food publication willing to make a bold statement, to do something dramatically different. In the last 10 years (since Ruth Reichl took over as editor-in-chief), Gourmet has become the beacon: ahead of the rest, setting the trends and taking risks.

As of yet, there’s no obvious “runner-up” magazine (in print or online). So where can we look for inspiration? Serious Eats, a food blog, is always a fun read, while The Atlantic magazine (and website) offers a thought-provoking take on global food politics (with gorgeous photos). And for tantalizing recipes and images? Why, the H&H food pages, of course!

Photo credits:
1. Gourmet.com
2. Grilled Skirt Steaks With Tomatillos Two Ways Recipe, from Gourmet.com
3. Pavlova With Lemon Curd And Berries Recipe, from Gourmet.com
4. Dutch Baby With Lemon Sugar Recipe, from Gourmet.com
5. Deep-Fried Poached Eggs With Creamed Spinach And Serrano Ham Recipe, from Gourmet.com
6. Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars Recipe, from Gourmet.com

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Really? Instant coffee?

Hold on to your latte: Starbucks is now selling instant coffee. And it’s tasty. Yes, really. The chain that has made a name for itself with high-quality brewed coffee now has encapsulated premium coffee in new little single-serve sleeves promising “just add water.”

Can instant ever be as good as fresh-brewed?

To give them credit, Starbucks isn’t just using the same old instant. They’ve created a magical mix of instant-dissolving crystals and top-secret “micro-ground” coffee. So there’s actually real ground-up coffee bean in the cup.

But the proof is in the drinking, and I really quite like the Columbian instant. It’s better than lots of the brewed swill out there and certainly better than most airline and hotel coffee.

A few of my colleagues here tried it too and agree that the coffee is tasty (and the H&H offices are directly above a Starbucks, so we know our material).

I already have a special place in my heart for instant coffee: it’s fast and easy, it reminds me of travelling in Asia, and it’s the best way to pump up the flavour in chocolate desserts. I’ll be slipping a few of these little sachets into my purse, just in case.

Photo credits:
1. From House & Home March 2009 issue, photography by Janis Nicolay
2-3. Starbucks Coffee

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What do you eat when you eat alone?

For her new book, admired cookbook author and chef Deborah Madison asked people to admit just that — and the results are delightful, weird and surprising.

It’s a bit like peeking in someone’s window, but more than that (if you’re like me) this book will put a smile on your face, knowing that other people out there make equally unusual suppers for themselves.

Some favourites from the book include:
A baked sweet potato slathered in goat’s cheese.
An entire pound of asparagus (and nothing else).
Frito pie, a motley mess of chili and corn chips (see recipe below).
Cottage cheese with saltines.

And the book has got people talking. Check out the nearly 600 comments on Seriouseats.com.

I love cooking for myself but the results aren’t usually something to write home about. Sometimes it’s pasta with sautéed garlic, chilies and greens, but just as often it’s a chopped egg on toast. Both delicious.

Here’s a recipe from the book:

Frito Pie New Mexican Style

This New Mexican version of the Frito pie consists of pure red chile (refers to the red chile sauce, when you add the meat, you have “chili” the dish), local beef, pinto beans, Fritos, and a salady topping. Except for the Fritos, this is actually a pretty healthful meal (and tortilla chips make a fine replacement for Fritos). It also makes people smile. It is not, however, an instant meal, because you’ve got to cook the beans (unless they’re canned), the chiles, and the meat. But once these parts are finished, you can assemble a pie in pretty much no time at all. This recipe is scaled down to make two large portions, but you should know that this makes a great dish for a crowd. Judge the garnishes by eye and heat as many beans as you want to eat. For a meatless version, replace the beef with sautéed zucchini and corn, or just season the cooked beans with the red chilie and let it go at that.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 long red New Mexican chile pods with stems
Salt
A few drops vinegar, if needed
1 tbsp oil
1 lb. ground beef or bison
1/2 cup or more cooked or canned pinto beans per serving
A small handful Fritos or tortilla chips
Grated cheddar cheese
Finely slivered Romaine lettuce
1 diced tomato
A bit of chopped cilantro
A bit of diced onion
Scallions to finish

Instructions:

Step 1: Break the tops (stem end) off the chiles, tear them open, and shake out the seeds and discard. Put the chiles in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them stand another 10 minutes.

Step 2: Drain, then purée the chiles with 1-1/2 cups fresh water for at least 1 minute. Pass this through a strainer, press out all the liquid you can, and discard the debris. Season with 1/2 tsp salt. Taste the chile and, if it seems a little harsh, add a few drops of vinegar to soften it.

Step 3: Heat the oil in a skillet and crumble in the meat. Cook over medium-low heat (especially if it’s grass-fed beef or bison, which tend to be lean) until the meat is just cooked. Season with salt.

Step 4: Pour in the chile (but not so much that it’s soupy) and taste. Add more salt if needed. Cook over low heat while you warm up the beans and prepare the fresh toppings.

Step 5: Place the beans in a shallow, wide bowl. Add the Fritos or tortilla chips, then spoon over as much chili as you want, saving the rest for another meal. Scatter a little cheese over the top and then heap the lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and onion or scallions over all.

Reprinted with permission from Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlin’s What We Eat When We Eat Alone (2009 Gibbs Smith).

Photo credits:
1. Gibbs Smith, illustrations by Patrick McFarlin
2. Gourmet.com
3. Frito-Lay Original Corn Chips

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Everything Liberté dairy makes is delicious. Beyond delicious. Their Moka 2.5 % fat yogurt is a perfect after-dinner treat; their Quark is a breakfast staple, spread on multigrain toast with a bit of jam; their Lemon Méditerranée yogurt is so sinfully good you can even use it as a substitute for lemon curd in a Pavlova.

But lately it’s all about their tzatziki: I’m smitten. It’s a smooth medley of rich yogurt perfectly seasoned with cucumber and garlic. Tangy, creamy, flavour-packed and available at most grocery stores across the country. It’s perfect with your favourite recipe for grilled chicken kebabs or just vegetable crudités.

Or if you’re making the Roast Leg of Charlevoix Lamb from our current issue (my very favourite roast lamb recipe), try a sandwich from the leftovers with a pita, this great tzatziki and some sliced cucumber.

Photo credits:
1. Serious Eats, January 19, 2009
2. Claire Tansey
3. Gourmet.com
4. Gourmet.com 

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