This was okay, but not amazing. It made a decent side dish to go with our braised chicken. But I did feel like it wasn't as flavourful as I would have liked for a dish full of umami-rich fungus.

I was disappointed to find that the only mushrooms it contained were in the stock. You make a stock with a mix of fresh and dried mushrooms, then strain it and throw away the solids and use only the broth in the rice. I wanted there to be actual mushroom in my mushroom pilaf, so I used some ready-made mushroom stock and then thickly sliced the fresh mushrooms called for in the stock and put them into the pot with the rice instead. Possibly I should have added the dried shiitakes as well!

As far as other changes go... I doubled the broccoli. Both because that's how much broccoli I had and because I wanted it to be more vegetable-y.
I also omitted the chickpeas. Not because I had intended to. But because I misremembered whether or not I had canned chickpeas in the pantry. And, by the time I realized that I was all out, it was too late to cook any from dried. So, I just skipped the legumes for this rendition. If I end up making this again at some point though, I will try to make sure I add them though. I think it would be a nice way to make it a bit more substantial.

And one change that I didn't make, but wish I had: reducing the liquid called for. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 c. of stock, so that's exactly what I used. But I found that my rice came out much too wet. I ended up having to give it an extra 10 minutes in the oven with the lid off just to try to dry it out a bit (and finish cooking the broccoli). Next time I'd try making it with just 2 c. of stock (and reducing the cooking time slightly).

Mushroom and Broccoli Brown Rice Pilaf

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Stock

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 225g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 7g dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 4 c. water

Pilaf

• 2 c. mushroom stock (from above)
• 2 Tbsp. dry sherry or white wine
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 225g cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 1 c. brown basmati rice
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1-2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 c. cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 c. cashews, toasted
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

Stock

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until browned (10-15 minutes).
3. Add the fresh and dried mushrooms, celery, peppercorns, and water and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for ~40 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool for ~1 hour.
6. Strain. Discard solids.
7. Set aside 2 c. of stock for the pilaf. Reserve the rest for another use.

Pilaf

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Stir the sherry/wine into the stock and gently warm the mixture over low heat.
3. Melt the butter over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and cook until softened (4-5 minutes).
5. Add the mushrooms and rice and stir to coat.
6. Add the thyme, salt, pepper, and warm stock and bring to a boil.
7. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.
8. Add broccoli and cashews, cover, and bake until broccoli is tender (10-15 minutes).
9. If your cashews are untoasted, you may spread them out on a small baking sheet and place in the oven for the last 10 minute of baking.
10. Stir in the cashews and pepper flakes and serve.

This is billed as a cross between French toast and bread pudding. I thought it leaned a little more toward the bread pudding end of the spectrum, but I suspect that that is, at least in part, down to the bread I used. Instead of the recommended challah, I used a bunch of stale kugelhopf, which is more of a cake than a bread in many respects. It worked well, but also made this feel like even more of a dessert than it already would have.

Also, as much as this was a tasty recipe, I have to question the proportions. Because, as written, it only calls for 250g of bread! And that was hardly anything. No way it would have made enough to either a) absorb the 2 c. of custard called for or b) feed the six people it claims to. I started with 400g of bread for mine and that still seemed pretty skimpy, so I kept adding more -- ~100g at a time -- until it seemed like there was enough bread for the amount of custard. I ended up using 700g of bread for mine! Now, that said, I think 600g would have been enough. But the kugelhopf needed to be used and I figured I could squeeze another 100g in, so I did. But, either way, there's not a chance that 250g would have been anywhere near enough for this recipe! I've written it up with a range given. Adjust according to your taste and the kind of bread you're using.

I think I'd also increase the pears more next time. The recipe only calls for two (which again, doesn't seem like very much for six people). But my pears were very small and I only had four left anyway, so I just put them all in. But, frankly, that still didn't really seem like enough. I think I'd want at least six or eight small pears next time (or four to six large ones). But, again, use your judgement and follow your heart.

Baked French Toast with Cardamom Pears

Adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2-3 Tbsp. unsalted butter¹
• ~6 pears (+/- 2 depending on size), peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
• 2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds (from green pods), ground
• 500-700g bread, cut into 2cm cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the pears, brown sugar, and cardamom and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
3. Remove from heat, add the bread, and toss to mix.
4. Grease a 23x33cm (9x13") baking dish.
5. Dump the bread mixture into the baking dish and spread in an even layer.
6. Beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla.
7. Pour the egg mixture over the bread.
8. Let stand for 30-60 minutes. Alternatively, cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
9. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
10. Uncover and bake at 180°C (350°F for 40 minutes.
11. Serve topped with maple syrup.

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¹ I've given a range for the butter and brown sugar since adding more pears might require increasing the sugar and butter to match. ^Back

We don't tend to eat a lot of beets. The Kidlet isn't really a fan and I find them kind of annoying to prepare. And with so many other veggies that we do all like, it just never really seems worth getting the beets. I do like them though. So I was keen to find a recipe to use them up when we got a few in our last produce basket by accident.

This recipe is specifically written for "baby" beets. And the ones in our produce basket were the perfect size. Unfortunately, there were also only a handful of them. So TF had to go out and get us a few more. And the grocery store didn't have any small beets. So we had to make due with much larger ones. Cutting them down into smaller pieces seemed to work well enough though.

Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 450g baby beets (3-5cm diameter), any colour
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 orange, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 bunch watercress, arugula, or spring mix
• 60g fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Cut the leaves off of the beets, leaving ~2cm of the stem in tact.
3. Rinse and scrub very well.
4. Place in a baking dish, toss with 1 Tbsp. of the oil, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Roast beets at 200°C (400°F) for ~25 minutes.
6. Add orange and chopped walnuts, drizzle with another Tbsp. of oil, and continue roasting until beets are very tender (~10 minutes longer).
7. Meanwhile, combine the red wine and orange juice and whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. When the beets are done, allow them to cool and then remove the skins.
10. Pour the vinaigrette over them and toss to coat.
11. Place a handful of greens on each plate and top with some of the beet mixutre.
12. Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve.

This was meant to be white beans with red chard, but TF and I don't acutally like chard (silverbeet), so we made it with kale instead. I think black kale would have been best for this, but we received a bunch of green kale in our most recent produce basket, so I justed used that. I don't like the texture quite as well, but it was fine.

This is not an amazing soup overall. But it's not bad. And it gave us some protein and extra fibre and veggies with our meal, which is what I was after. So, it got the job done, just not with a lot of flair.

White Bean Soup with Kale

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• ~400g kale
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large sweet onions, chopped
• 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 6 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 (470g) cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (or a mix of Parmesan and romano)

Directions

1. Cut the ribs and stems from the kale leaves. Chop both the leaves and the stems separately. Set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium heat.
3. Add onion, kale stems, salt, and pepper.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until softened (10-15 minutes).
5. Add garlic and thyme and cook for another minute or two.
6. Add stock and beans and bring to a boil.
7. Add kale leaves and cook until kale is tender (5-7 minutes).
8. Serve topped with cheese.

I was initially planning on making a chocolate custard pie with the pastry that I had left over in the fridge. But it requires several hours of chilling to set the custard. And we're a bit low on fridge space at the moment. So I made a last-minute swap and did this apple crumble pie instead.

It was nice. Not, I don't think, a favourite for me, but definitely good nonetheless. Although I think I'd add an extra apple to the filling next time. The recipe called for seven and I think TF and the Kidlet prepped eight. But our apples were quite small, so I think nine or ten would have been more appropriate. I mean, this was still good, don't get me wrong. The filling was adequate. It just wasn't ample. And I would have liked it to have been.

I know apple pie à la mode is a classic regardless. But I think the crumb topping on this one makes it particularly well-suited to being served with ice cream (or whipped cream). It's a really great combo.

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Pie

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe sourdough pastry

Topping

• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Filling

• 8-10 tart apples
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Make the pastry, wrap, and chill as directed.
2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping and mix well.
3. Cut in the butter. Set aside.
4. Peel, core, and slice the apples and toss with the lemon juice.
5. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and toss with the apples.
6. Roll out the pastry and use it to line a 23cm (9") deep dish pie plate. Trim and crimp edges.
7. Dump the apple mixture into the pastry shell and spread out evenly.
8. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
9. Chill while oven preheats.
10. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
11. Bake pie at 190°C (375°F) for 40-50 minutes.
12. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
13. Serve topped with ice cream and/or whipped cream.

I had been planning a goat cheese and strawberry dessert a couple weeks back. I got the goat cheese for it, but then ended up doing something else with the strawberries. So then I had a bunch of goat cheese that needed used. I put a little bit into the roasted beet salad that I made the other day (and have yet to do a write-up for), but that still left me with most of the package. This pizza took care of most of it.

As pizzas go, this one is somewhat unusual. It doesn't have any sauce, just a bit of olive oil. And the cheese is a mix of fresh goat cheese and Parmesan. No mozzarella here! And the only other topping is roasted butternut squash and some salad greens that get added after it comes out of the oven. (That said, I went ahead and added a bunch of garlic as well.) It was very minimalist, but surprisingly tasty!

Butternut Squash Pizza

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash¹
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
• 1 recipe sourdough pizza dough
• 150-200g fresh goat cheese
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan (or a mix of Parmesan and romano)
• 1/2 c. baby arugula or spring mix

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds and guts.
3. Cut into 3cm thick slices.
4. Toss squash with 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme and spread out on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until tender (30-45 minutes).
6. Remove from oven, allow to cool, trim off and discard skin, and cut flesh into bite-sized pieces.
7. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and increase temperature to 250°C (475°F).
8. Divide dough into two portions and strech or roll each out into a large circle.
9. Generously dust a pizza peel with cornmeal and place one of the crusts on it.
10. Drizzle with 1/2 Tbsp. of the remaining oil and brush to coat the surface evenly.
11. Scatter ~1/2 the squash, half the goat cheese, half the garlic, and half the Parmesan over it (leaving a 2cm border without any toppings).
12. Quickly slide the pizza onto the stone and bake at 250°C (475°F) for 8-10 minutes.
13. Use the peel to remove the pizza from the oven.
14. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside.
15. Repeat shaping, topping, and baking process with remaining dough and toppings.
16. Top each pizza with ~1/2 of the arugula.
17. Drizzle with additional olive oil² if desired.
18. Cut into slices and serve.

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¹ The recipe calls for a 680g squash. Mine was nearly twice that at ~1200g (closer to 1100g once the seeds and guts had been removed). And, while I didn't end up using all of the squash, I did use most of it. At a guess, I'd say somewhere in the 800g range. And, to be honest, I probably could've squeezed even more on if I'd really wanted to. So, use your judgement and feel free to adjust the amount of squash based on how much you have or how squash-y you're feeling. ^Back
2 A citrus-infused oil would be excellent here. Particularly lemon. Although orange probably also be nice. ^Back

We got a surprise cucumber in our produce basket last week. Normally I wouldn't worry about it because cucumbers and bell peppers were the Kidlets main school snacks for several years. But she seems to have gone off them lately. So the cucumber was going begging and I needed to find a use for it.

Enter this delightlfully low-effort cucumber salad. Just toss everything in a bowl and let it sit for half an hour. Boom! Done.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/3 c. rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 small red onion (or 1/4 large), thinly sliced
• 1 English cucumber, sliced into 1cm thick discs
• 1 fresh chile¹, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c. roasted unsalted peanuts², chopped

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small pot and bring to a boil.
2. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Add onion to vinegar mixture and allow to cool.
4. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumber slices.
5. Add chile and toss to combine.
6. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
7. Stir in cilantro and peanuts and serve.

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¹ The recipe calls for a jalapeño, but I thought that a Thai or finger chile would go better and I already had a bunch of those on hand, so that's what I went with. I think either a red or green Thai, cayenne, serrano, or finger chile would work here. (Or a jalapeño in a pinch, I guess.) Use whatever you've got. ^Back
2 The recipe only calls for 2 Tbsp. of peanuts and that's what we used when we made this. That said, I feel that it would have benefitted from more peanuts, so I've upped the quantity here. ^Back

I really liked these noodles. The marinated eggplant was delicious! And instead of using plain tofu (as called for in the recipe), I opted to swap it out for a mix of smoked tofu and marinated black bean tofu. And I think both went very well with the overall dish.

I think the only changes that I'd make next time would be to cook the eggplant for slightly longer. And to use slightly more soy sauce and less oil in the dressing for the noodles. Oh, and I might try adding a grated carrot or two next time. It was very good as is, but I think it would be even better with a few more veggies. And grated carrot is very quick and easy to add and something that I generally have on hand.

Soba Noodle Salad with Marinated Eggplant and Tofu

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Eggplant

• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar¹
• 2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce²
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Asian eggplants, halved and sliced 1cm thick

Noodles

• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 275g soba noodles

Assembly

• 2 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil
• 375g firm, smoked, and/or dry marinated tofu (五香豆干), cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 carrot, grated (optional)
• 5 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, pepper, and garlic for the marinade and stir to mix.
2. Add the eggplant, toss to coat, and set aside for 1 hour.
3. Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger paste for the dressing and stir to mix.
4. Cook the soba according to package diretions³, rinse under cold water, and drain.
5. Toss the noodles with the dressing and set aside.
6. Heat a wok over medium-high heat.
7. Drizzle in the oil and swirl to coat.
8. Add the marinated eggplant and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes.
9. Add eggplant to bowl with noodles and return wok to heat.
10. Add tofu to wok (along with a little more oil if necessary) and stir-fry until crispy (~5 minutes).
11. Add tofu to bowl with noodles.
12. Add carrot (if using) and green onions and toss to combine.
13. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

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¹ I didn't have any sherry vinegar, so I substituted cane vinegar. I think apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would also work well though. ^Back
2 The recipe didn't specify whether to use dark or light soy sauce, so I used a mix. I think I'd just use straight dark soy for the marinade next time though. That said, I think either would be fine in a pinch. ^Back
3 The recipe called for boiling the soba for 6 minutes in salted water, but the package instructions specifically called for unsalted water and only 4 minutes of cooking. We opted to trust the package over the cookbook. I would recommend doing the same for whatever noodles you end up using. Six minutes definitely would have been way too much. ^Back

We had pears poached in white wine last week. And from there I moved onto poached plums, which were meant to get a red wine bath. (Although my poaching liquid was a bit of a franken-mix of red and white, but... close enough!) Well, after that, I still had a bunch of poaching liquid left over. And I hated to throw it out. So I picked out another wine-poached fruit recipe.

Honestly, I'd been hoping to do poached apricots next. They required a very similar poaching liquid, but with the addition of a small amount of rosewater. My intent had been to do the apricots and then, with the leftover liquid from that make these poached pears. But I couldn't find any fresh apricots (or nectarines) at the grocery store. So I skipped over that recipe for now and moved straight to the red wine pears.

As written, the recipe called for four Bosc pears poached in sweetened, spiced red wine. It used 3/4 c. of sugar to 750mL of wine + some cloves, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Since I already had a light syrup of a mix of red and white wine, cloves, cinnamon, lemon zest, star anise, peppercorns, vanilla, and ginger; I just reused it completely unaltered. And, since my pears were quite small, I tossed a few extras in. I managed to fit seven small pears into the pot with the poaching liquid.

Once I started boiling the syrup down, I gave it a taste and decided that it was slightly undersweetened for my liking. (I'm really not sure what the overall sugar-to-wine ratio was at this point. Since I'd already amended and reused it so many times.) So I stirred in 1 Tbsp. of extra sugar and let it continue cooking down. I feel like this produced a nice final result as a sauce to drizzle over the pears. That said, this is something that will be largely down to your personal taste (and the wine you use¹).

Pears Poached in Red Wine

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 4-8 Bosc² pears
• 750mL fruity red wine
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 strip of lemon zest (~5cm long and 2.5cm wide)
• 1 cinnamon stick (~7cm long)
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

1. Peel the pears, leaving the stem on.
2. Using a small spoon or melon baller and starting from the blossom end, remove the cores. (Leaving the stem end in tact.)
3. Trim a thin slice off the bottom of each pear so it will stand upright.
4. Combine the wine, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a small pot and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pears. If there is not enough liquid to cover them, add water until it does.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pears are tender (20-30 minutes).
7. Transfer pears to dish.
8. Increase heat to medium and boil syrup down until it is somewhat thick and volume is reduced to ~3/4 c.
9. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
10. Drizzle sauce over pears and serve.

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¹ This recipe (and the one for the poached plums that I did before this) calls for a "fruity red wine" and suggests a Merlot or a Zinfandel as good options. I wasn't about to go out and get a whole new bottle of wine just for this, so I used whatever I had on hand already. And I have no idea whether it was a "fruity" wine or not. (Although hopefully all the rounds of fruit poaching in it did serve to lend it some fruitiness.) I think it was relatively dry, but I have no idea whether that has any bearing on its fruitiness or not. I am not a wine person. ^Back
2 The recipe specifically calls for Bosc pears, so that's what I used. That said, I do think it would be interesting to try it with other varieties. I ended up using Bartlett pears for the white wine version and I quite liked those. Don't get me wrong, the Bosc were nice. I'd just be interested to see how Bartlett or Anjou pears turned out when given this treatment. ^Back

This was supposed to be an egg white frittata. But I've never been keen on pure egg whites for that sort of thing. So I used a mix of whole eggs and egg whites. I ended up using seven whole eggs and six egg whites, but I probably could've gotten away with five and ten respectively. Either way, I think the mix worked well. It's a bit lighter than a frittata made entirely with whole eggs, but doesn't have the aggressive leanness of an entirely yolk-less rendition.

The beet greens, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta all work well together. That said, I think fresh spinach would work almost as well. (Although I would definitely stick to fresh for this. I don't think fozen would make an acceptable substitute.) Luckily though, we had some lovely fresh beet greens left over from the beet salad we made the other day. And I hated to see them go to waste. So this recipe worked out prefectly!

Beet Green and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 100g (~2 c.) chopped beet greens, rised very well
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 75g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 5 large eggs
• 1 large egg whites
• 75-100g crumbled feta¹

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and cook until softened (5-6 minutes).
4. Add the beet greens, season to tast with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until wilted (~2 minutes).
5. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir to mix.
6. Spread the vegetables out into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
7. Beat the eggs with the egg whites and pour them into the pan.
8. Cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes.
9. Transfer to oven and cook until eggs are set (~10 minutes).
10. If top is still wet, place under broiler for a minute or two.
11. Invert onto plate, cut into wedges, and serve.

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¹ The original recipe only called for 60g of feta, but I didn't think that looked like enough, so I bumped it up to 100g. In retrospect, 75g probably would have been sufficient, but I'm certainly not complaining about the extra! ^Back

I love kabocha squash. So I was excited to try this savoury squash tart recipe. Sadly, I wasn't able to find any kabocha at the grocery store, so I had to settle for buttercup instead. Even with that substitution, it was very good. But I'd still love to try it with an actual kabocha sometime.

I think the only other change I'd make is to double the onion. The long-cooked caramelized onion layer on the bottom of the tart was delicious. There just wasn't enough of it! Otherwise though, I really have no complaints. This was great.

Kabocha Squash and Pecorino Tart

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 (~1kg) kabocha squash
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 recipe sourdough pastry
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. half-and-half (10% MF)
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 c. grated pecorino romano
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and guts.
3. Brush squash, inside and out, with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and place cut-side-down on a baking sheet.
4. Roast at 220°C (425°F) until very tender (~40 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, make your pastry, wrap it, and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
6. While the pastry is chilling and the squash is roasting, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat.
7. Add the onions and cook until softened (4-5 minutes).
8. Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle in thyme, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for ~30 minutes.
9. When squash is done, scoop out the flesh and discard the skins.
10. Mash the squash and blend with the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper.
11. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and use it to line a 23cm (9") deep dish pie plate.
12. Crimp the edges and spoon the onion mixture into the bottom of the pie shell. Spread into an even layer.
13. Srpinkle the cheeses on top.
14. Pour the squash mixture over the cheese and smooth the top.
15. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 10 minutes.
16. Reduce heat and bake for another 20 minutes.
17. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
18. Cut into slices and serve.

Braised Turnips with Mushrooms and Peas

I dropped the ball last week and forgot to tweak our produce basket. Which means that we ended up with a surprise assortment of fruits and vegetables. One of which was a bag of turnips. TF and I don't really eat a lot of turnips. I've never particularly cared for them. That said, I wasn't about to let them go to waste once we had them. So that meant scrambling to redo this week's meal plan to work in all the random extra veggies we got.

It turns out that the Vegetable of the Day cookbook doesn't have much use for turnips either. They just don't appear in that many recipes. So when I came across this braised turnip dish, I jumped on it.

Sadly, I wasn't that impressed with how this came out. It was edible, but that's about the best I can say for it. The braising didn't really do great things for the turnip. And the mushrooms and peas weren't really harmonious with it either. It just seemed like a bunch of disparate elements that were all fighting with each other. Not a great success.

Maybe one day I will find a really great turnip recipe, but this definitely wasn't it.

Braised Turnips with Mushroms and Peas

From Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 225g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 450g turnips, peeled and cut into wedges ~1cm thick
• 2/3 c. chicken or vegetable stock, divided
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Heat a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the mushrooms, cover, and cook until they release some liquid.
3. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
5. Melt butter over medium heat.
6. Add the turnips and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add 1/3 c. of the stock and cook until mostly evaporated (3-4 minutes).
8. Flip the turnip pieces, add the remaining 1/3 c. of stock, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
9. Add the peas, return mushrooms to pan, and cook for a minute or two longer.
10. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

We got some surprise Brussels sprouts in our produce basket this week. And while I have a bunch of sprout recipes still waiting to be tried, this one looked particularly well-suited to breakfast. And since that's the meal that I tend to have the most trouble planning for, I figured this would be the best way to use them up.

The original recipe just called for onion, Brussels sprouts, and potato. I only had about half the quantity of sprouts called for though, so I upped the amount of potato somewhat and added a carrot to balance things out. I think next time I'd add a bell pepper as well. But it was still very good as-is.

Brussels Sprouts and Potato Hash

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 450g potatoes, diced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 250g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced
• 1-2 carrots, grated
• 3/4 tsp. dried thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• 4-6 large eggs

Directions

1. Melt the butter with the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until softened (4-5 minutes).
3. Add the potato and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown (~15 minutes).
4. Add Brussels sprouts, carrots, and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables caramelize (~15 minutes longer).
6. Add stock and cook until liquid is absorbed and vegetables are tender (~5 minutes).
7. Meanwhile, fry eggs in a little butter until desired doneness is reached and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve hash topped with eggs.

I needed to take a quick break from the poached fruit frenzy to use up some expired buttermilk. It was already just over a month past its best before, but... it's buttermilk. I figure as long as it still looks, smells, and tastes okay, it's probably fine. Especially if I'm going to be baking with it.

This also gave me the chance to use up the leftover pastry in the fridge as well. I'd used up half of it for a quiche about a week ago. But the remainder has been sitting in the fridge waiting for a purpose ever since. I had been planning on making this pie last weekend. But that's when the quince and pears arrived. So that became a priority override and the pie got pushed aside until we'd dealt with the fruit and cleared out a few other ingredients.

I finally had the time and the ingredients tonight though. And I couldn't do the next batch of poached fruit yet anyway. I haven't had a chance to get to the store to get either pears or apricots yet. So I figured I might as well get this done while I had the chance. (And before the buttermilk and pastry actually do go off.)

I was a bit skeptical of the idea of a buttermilk pie. I like buttermilk biscuits and pancakes, but I'm not necessarily a huge fan of straigh-up buttermilk. And I was worried that this would manage to be both too bland and too buttermilk-y at the same time. But I'm pleased to say that I was wrong! The buttermilk definitely comes through, but it's not overwhelming. And the vanilla, lemon, and brown sugar balance it out. You end up with a delicious, slightly tangy, baked custard in a flaky pie shell. So, all-in-all, no complaints from me! Especially not with the wonderful, slightly caramelized top. It really is quite lovely.

Buttermilk Pie

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe sourdough pastry (or similar)
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/16 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Roll out pastry and use it to line a 23cm (9") pie plate. Chill for ~30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and place an empty baking sheet in the oven.
3. Line pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
4. Remove paper and pie weights and cook for aonther 5.
5. Meanwhile, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until light.
6. Mix in the eggs, flour, salt, buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest.
7. Once pie shell is baked, reduce heat to 180°C (350°F) and pour filling into shell.
8. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes.
9. Allow to cool before slicing.
10. Slice and serve topped with a fruit compote, icing sugar, or maple syrup.

Keeping the poached fruit train rolling! And this plum recipe was next up. TF and I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the pears or the quince, but it was still good. And I'm enjoying getting to try all of these different poached fruit desserts.

This one calls for one bottle (750mL) of red wine that has been seasoned with cloves, star anise, and ginger and sweetened with 1 c. of sugar. But, since I was still using leftover syrup from the previous poached fruit recipes, I just chose to add the relevant spices and 1 c. of red wine to the syrup I already had.

For the actual recipe below, I've written it up as given in the book. But I'll try to briefly run through what I actually did here. Just so that I have a record of it.

• Made a syrup of 2 c. water, 2 1/2 c. sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest; poached qince in it
• To the residual syrup, added 1 1/2 c. white wine, peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise; poached more quince in it
• To that residual syrup, added 1/2 c. white wine and fresh ginger; poached pears in it
• Finally, to the resulting syrup, added 1 c. red wine, cloves, and additional star anise; poached plums in it

Poached Plums with Vanilla Mascarpone

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 750mL fruity red wine
• 17 Tbsp. sugar, divided
• 2-3 slices fresh ginger
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 whole star anise
• 2 (7cm long) cinnamon sticks
• 900g red or black plums, peeled and quartered
• 1 c. mascarpone
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine the wine, 1 c. of the sugar, ginger, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil.
2. Add plums, reduce heat slightly, and simmer until softened (8-10 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, combine the mascarpone, vanilla, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar.
4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer plums to bowls.
5. Serve topped with mascarpone.

Kugelhopf is a yeasted cake full of dried fruit. It's traditionally baked in a special toroidal pan, similar to a Bundt pan, but narrower and deeper. I don't have a kugelhopf pan, so I just used a Bundt pan instead.

Sourdough Kugelhopf

Slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. dried cherries
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 1 c. rum¹
• 1 Tbsp. orange blossom water
• 500g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 200g ripe (fed) sourdough starter
• 130g milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 13 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1-2 dozen whole almonds
• icing sugar, to garnish

Directions

1. Combine cherries, raisins, and rum and let stand overnight.
2. Drain fruit and mix in orange blossom water. (Discard rum or set aside for another use.)
3. Combine flour and salt and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, combine starter, milk, eggs, and sugar and mix well.
5. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry and knead with dough hook for a minute or two.
6. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
7. Knead with dough hook for another 3-5 minutes.
8. Work in butter, 1 Tbsp. at a time, over the course of another 5 minutes or so.
9. Work in fruit and knead until evenly mixed and elastic.
10. Round dough and place in a covered bowl to rise for 2-4 hours, stretching and folding every 30-60 minutes.
11. Knock back the dough, round, cover, and rest for 20-30 minutes.
12. Grease a 10-12 cup kugelhopf or Bundt pan.
13. Place an almond in each "peak" in the bottom of the pan.
14. Round the dough again and make a hole through the centre.
15. Place the dough in the prepared pan, cover, and set aside to rise for another 3-6 hours (or overnight in the fridge).
16. Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
17. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes.
18. Reduce heat to 190°C (375°F) and bake for another 15 minutes.
19. Turn out onto wire rack to cool.
20. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

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¹ The original recipe calls for kirsch, but I didn't have any (and TF and I don't like it anyway), so I used some spiced rum instead. ^Back

I appreciate how quickly this recipe comes together. And the fact that it gets you a protein and a vegetable is nice as well. I just sautéed up a bunch of zucchini to go with it and our dinner was complete!

Molasses-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. molasses
• 1/4 c. Roman mustard
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided
• 680g sweet potatoes, cut into 1cm thick discs (unpeeled)
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 pork tenderloins (~350g each)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable stock

Directions

1. Preheat oven 200°C (400°F).
2. Combine molasses, mustard, rosemary, and 1/2 tsp. pepper flakes and mix well. Set aside.
3. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and spread out on a baking sheet.
4. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat.
6. Season pork with remaining salt and pepper and sear on all sides (6-8 minutes).
7. Clear a space on the centre of the baking sheet and place pork in the cleared space.
8. Brush pork and sweet potatoes with molasses sauce.
9. Roast for 15 more minutes.
10. Return pan to heat and add shallot.
11. Cook until shallot softens (~3 minutes).
12. Add remaining sauce and chicken stock to pan and bring to a boil.
13. Cook until sauce thickens (~5 minutes).
14. Slice pork, top with sauce, and serve with sweet potatoes.

I've been on a bit of a poached fruit kick lately. First there were the quince poached in vanilla syrup. Then I was able to doctor the leftover syrup from that to make the poached quince with mascarpone, caramel, and gingersnaps. And, for this recipe, I was able to tinker with the syrup yet again to make these fabulous poached pears.

This does, of course, leave me with the same problem of how to write up the recipe. Since I don't necessarily want to have to make the previous two every time I make these pears. So, as before, I'm going to make a note of what I actually did here, but then write up the recipe (more-or-less) as given in the book.
For this rendition, I simply took the leftover syrup from the second batch of quince (which contained the leftover syrup from the first batch of quince, 1 1/2 c. of white wine, a vanilla bean, grated lemon zest, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, and 1 star anise) and added an extra 1/2 c. of wine and a few slices of fresh ginger.

The original recipe called for 2 c. of Riesling, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 strips of lemon rind, and 3 slices of fresh ginger. So, my version definitely had a few more spices in the mix, but I quited liked it. Especially the vanilla. Given that, I've included the extra spices in the recipe, but listed them as optional. Adjust as you see fit.

Pears Poached in White Wine

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 2 c. Riesling
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1-2 (7cm) cinnamon stick(s)
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 2-3 strips lemon zest
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional)
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns (optional)
• 4 pears¹
• 1/4 c. chopped toasted or candied walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the Riesling, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, lemon zest, and whatever other seasonings you've chosen and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, peel and halve the pears. Use a spoon to scoop out the cores and remove the stems.
3. Add the pear halves to the poaching liquid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until tender (10-15 minutes).
4. Serve as-is or topped with lightly sweetened mascarpone. (See quince recipe.)
5. Optionally sprinkle a few toasted or candied walnuts over the pears before serving.

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¹ The recipe didn't specify what type of pears to use. I thought anjou would be good here, but I couldn't find any at the grocery store. The bartletts looked quite nice though, so I went for those. ^Back

I had intended to make a lamb tagine for dinner tonight. But I didn't end up making it out to get the requisite lamb, so I had to push that and shuffle my meal plan around a bit.

Luckily, we did have all the bits needed for this simple steak dish. Or at least very close to all the bits. As written, the recipe calls for a flank steak. We didn't have any of that, but we did have a nice porterhouse. I know there are probably much better uses for a good porterhouse steak. But we don't tend to cook a lot of steak dishes and I figured it was better to use it for this than to let it keep languishing in the freezer for another year. And everyone did seem to quite enjoy it. So, all-in-all, I feel it was a good use of the ingredients I had on hand.

Steak Pipérade

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 700-800g steak¹
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 red or yellow bell peppers, sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes

Directions

1. Season the steak with salt and pepper.
2. Melt 1 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat with the oil.
3. Add the steak and cook to desired doneness².
4. Transfer steak to plate and let stand while the veggies cook.
5. Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter in the now-empty pan.
6. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, and cook until just softened (3-5 minutes).
7. Add the wine and cook for another minute or so.
8. Add the tomatoes and simmer for ~5 minutes.
9. Slice the steak into thin strips and serve with the pipérade.

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¹ The original recipe called for 680g of skirt or flank steak. I ended up using a 900g porterhouse steak. Personally, I think you could get away with a lot of different cuts. Just adjust the seasoning and cooking time appropriately for the weight, type, and thickness of the steak. ^Back
2 Cooking time will vary a lot depending on how thick your steak is and how well-done you like it. It could be anywhere from 3 minutes to 12 minutes per side. I ended up cooking my porterhouse for ~10 minutes per side for medium. (After 8 minutes per side, it was nicely rare, but TF and the Kidlet both like their steaks cooked more than that, so I tossed it back in the pan for a few minutes.) ^Back

I picked up some smoked gorgonzola on sale the other day and have been wondering what to do with it. I mean, of course we could just eat it. I do love a good blue cheese. But I thought it would be nice to take advantage of it in a recipe if I could.

I thought this squash recipe looked like a good fit for it and I was right! This was incredible. None of the leftovers even made it into the fridge. TF and I just ate them. We demolished an entire squash in one sitting! (To be fair, it was a relatively small acorn squash, so I'd only made a half batch of the recipe, but still...) You'd better believe this is going in the "definitely make again" bucket. It's tasty, it's easy, and it's even reasonably healthy. What's not to love?!

Puréed Squash with Blue Cheese

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1-2 winter squash weighing about 1kg total (acorn or butternut are ideal)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. heavy (35%) cream
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 90g blue cheese¹

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
3. Drizzle with oil and rub oil into all surfaces, inside and out.
4. Place, cut-side-down, on a baking sheet and roast at 180°C (350°F) until squash is tender (45-60 minutes depending on shape and size of squash).
5. Scoop the flesh out of the skin and discard the skins.
6. Combine squash, cream, butter, salt, pepper, and cheese and beat until well mixed and somewhat fluffy.
7. If squash has cooled, reheat gently before serving.

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¹ As noted, I used a smoked gorgonzola for mine and I really liked the results. But feel free to experiment with other blues. The recipe recommends a relatively soft, mild blue cheese, but follow your heart! (Although a soft cheese will be easier to mix into the squash, so probably try to avoid anything too firm.) ^Back

These were alright. They weren't bad. They just weren't amazing either.

The lentils cooked much faster than suggested by the recipe. I gave them five minutes less than called for. But possibly I should have taken them off the heat even sooner. By the time I was trying to "drain" them, they had absorbed pretty much all of the water and were barely holding together. Which made for a very wet burger mix. I ended up having to add an extra 1/4 c. of panko just to get something workable.

Having done that, they did make perfectly reasonable patties. And they were reasonably filling. I just felt that they were a little bland. I think next time I'd cook the lentils in vegetable stock rather than salted water, swap out half of the cumin for dhania-jeera masala, and maybe add a little ras el hanout or 7 baharat.

It would probably also have helped if I had noticed that the sauce called for lemon juice and lemon zest. (I seem to be having some sort of strange lemon juice blindness lately. I missed where it was called for in the poached quince recipe as well!)

I also feel like a little chile, either in the patties or the sauce, would be a welcome addition. I might consider adding a pinch of aleppo pepper flakes to the patties next time. Hopefully that would help round out the flavours a bit.

Red Lentil Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

Adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 c. skinned split brown lentils (red lentils/Egyptian lentils/masoor dal)
• 3 c. vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. dhania-jeera masala
• 1 tsp. 7 baharat
• 1/4 tsp. aleppo pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs (preferably whole wheat)
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 large egg
• 170g salad greens
• 8 small buns (optional)
• 3 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses (optional)

Sauce

• 1 lemon
• 3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Rinse the lentils and place in a small pot with the stock.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any foam that forms.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until lentils are tender (10-15 minutes).
4. Drain lentils very well and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat.
6. Add onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
7. Add cumin, masala, 7 baharat, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl with lentils.
9. Add panko and cilantro and mix well.
10. Once mixture has cooled enough not to cook egg, add egg and mix well.
11. Shape into 8 small patties and chill for 30 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, juice and zest the lemon.
13. Combine the yogurt, cilantro, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix well. Set aside.
14. Heat a bit more oil over medium heat.
15. Add three or four patties to the pan and cook, flipping as needed, until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.
16. Burgers may be served on a bed of salad greens or on buns.
17. If serving on buns, split the buns and spread both sides with some of the sauce. Add some greens and a patty to each bun. Drizzle with a little pomegranate molasses (if desired).
18. If serving on greens, add a large handful of greens to each plate, top with a patty (or two), top each patty with a large dollop of sauce, and drizzle with pomegranate molasses (if desired).

I had intended to make "eggs Blackstone" for breakfast this morning. Except I used up all my bacon and we still don't have any bread. So I had to toss that idea out for now and try to come up with something else.

Most of the remaining recipes in the Breakfast Bible are either things that I'd need to go out and do a special grocery shop for or things that are really more of a dessert than a breakfast (bread pudding, donuts, puff pastry tarts, iced cinnamon rolls, etc.). I'd still like to make them at some point, but they weren't in the cards for breakfast today. So, instead, I started flipping through some of my other digital cookbooks. And settled on this recipe out of "Eggs".

Curried Eggs with Cucumber Raita

Slightly adapted from Eggs by Jodi Liano

Ingredients

Raita

• 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 c. finely chopped English cucumber
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Eggs

• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 tsp. bin bhuna hua garam masala
• 1 tsp. madras curry powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Combine yogurt, cilantro, cucumber, lemon juice, salt, and pepper for raita. Mix well and set aside.
2. Beat eggs with milk.
3. Heat a pan over medium heat.
4. Add the garam masala and curry powder and toast for 30-60 seconds.
5. Transfer to a plate or bowl.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter.
7. Pour in the eggs and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and toasted spices.
8. Cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring, then scrape the pan, breaking up the curds a bit, and let the uncooked eggs flow underneath.
9. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are just set.
10. Serve with raita. Whole wheat roti would also make a good accompaniment.

These were absolutely delicious! TF and I both had seconds. I really loved the combination of flavours and textures. (Even if I did undercook my caramel slightly.) This is definitely my new favourite thing to do with quince!

I did cheat slightly on the syrup for these quince. Recipe as written, it's meant to be made with an entire (750mL) bottle of Riesling, 1 c. of sugar, and a few spices. But I still had a bunch of syrup left over from making the quince poached in vanilla syrup the day before, so I just added the spices and a bit of white wine to that and called it a day. This does mean that my final syrup was a bit different than the recipe called for though:

• The original recipe called for a 1:3 ratio of sugar to liquid (by volume); my starting syrup was 1.25:1 sugar to water (which I then diluted with wine to bring it closer to 1:1.5)
• The original recipe used Riesling as the liquid; mine had a mix of water and white wine
• The original contained star anise, cinnamon, and black peppercorns; mine had those, but also the residual vanilla and lemon zest from the previous recipe

I was quite happy with the overall result. And I was pleased that I was able to reuse the vanilla syrup from the first recipe. The catch is that this does make it somewhat difficult to write up accurately.

I've written up the recipe below based on how I'd do this next time if I didn't have the pre-existing vanilla syrup to build on. I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but I think it would give good results.

Poached Quince with Mascarpone, Caramel, and Gingersnaps

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Quince

• 750mL Riesling
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 (7cm) cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
• 3-4 quince, peeled and halved¹

Caramel

• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. water
• 2/3 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt

Assembly

• 225g mascarpone
• 6-8 Tbsp. crushed gingersnaps

Directions

1. Combine the Riesling, sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, black peppercorns, and vanilla bean and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Add the lemon zest and quince and reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Simmer until quince are tender (~1 hour).
4. Meanwhile, combine sugar and water for caramel, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. Uncover and continue cooking, swirling (but not stirring) often until sugar turns a rich caramel colour².
6. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the cream. Stir until smooth.
7. Stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt. Set aside.
8. Once quince are tender, remove from heat and allow to cool in poaching liquid.
9. Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out the cores.
10. Mix 3 Tbsp. of the poaching liquid into the mascarpone.
11. Place a quince half in each bowl and top with a generous spoonful of mascarpone.
12. Drizzle with caramel, sprinkle with crushed gingersnaps, and serve.

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¹ The original recipe calls for poaching the quince first and then coring them. I found this quite tricky to do. Next time I'd be tempted to try coring them before poaching. (With the obvious caveat that I have not had a chance to test this approach yet.) ^Back
2 I ended up burning the last batch of caramel I made, so I was a little paranoid this time and took mine off the heat a bit too soon. The flavour was fine, but the colour was very pale and unappealing. I think it needed another 30 seconds or so to properly darken. ^Back

I believe that I mentioned in a previous post that one of TM's friends had given us a bunch of quince recently. TM recommended a quince and lamb dish that she had made with her share of the quince. And it did sound delicious. I would like to look it up and give it a try sometime. But I really wanted to try some of the quince recipes from Dessert of the Day. And they had the benefit of being quick and easy and letting me check off a few more recipes from books I already have. So I started with this very basic poached quince recipe.

For this recipe, the quince are sliced and poached in a simple syrup flavoured with vanilla and lemon. It's a pleasant way to enjoy fresh quince if you happen to have some on hand. The results are not earth-shaking, but they are good. And I appreciate that it's simple and comes together relatively quickly. And if you wanted something a bit more substantial, I could see this being a great topping for rice pudding or waffles.

Quince Poached in Vanilla Syrup

From Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 c. water
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice¹
• 3-4 quince, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Combine the sugar, water, and vanilla bean and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 10 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the quince, lemon juice, and lemon zest and simmer until quince is tender (20-25 minutes).

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¹ I somehow missed the lemon juice in this recipe when I made it! I still got a nice hit of lemon from the lemon zest, but the juice would have given it some extra tang. Whoops! ^Back

I had and open package of chicken bacon in the fridge that needed to be used up as well as a couple of leeks from our last produce basket, so this quiche made for an ideal breakfast option. I went with sourdough pastry again so that I could use a bit more starter as well.

The quiche was delicious. But I still think I'd make a few tweaks next time. And, surprisingly, one of those tweaks would be to add less cheese. Usually, if I'm making adjustments to the amount of cheese called for in the recipe, it's an increase to the amount, not a decrease! But I actually feel like this one went a bit too heavy on the cheese. I mean, it tasted great, but it had so much gruyère that it became almost more like a cheese pie than a quiche. And all that cheese made it a little greasy as well. So I do think I'd try cutting the cheese slightly next time.

I might also increase the egg a touch. The original recipe called for a 23cm (9") loose-bottom tart tin, but I prefer to use my 23cm deep-dish pie plate for quiche. Which, to be fair, worked fine. But I did find that, with only two eggs, the pie shell was left slightly under-filled. So I think I'd try adding an extra egg next time.

And, depending on how I was feeling, I might try making the custard with whole milk rather than half-and-half. Just to lighten it up a bit. Don't get me wrong! The half-and-half was delicious. But it did make for a very rich final result. I'd be interested to see how it turned out with milk instead.

Bacon, Leek, and Gruyère Quiche

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe sourdough pastry (or pastry of your choice)
• 4-6 slices bacon
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, halved and thinly sliced (light parts only)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c. half-and-half (10%) or milk
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 100g gruyère cheese, grated

Directions

1. Roll out pastry and use it to line a 23cm (9") deep-dish pie plate. Freeze for 30 minutes.
2. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 190°C (375°F).
3. Line pie shell with baking paper and fill with pie weights. Place on hot baking sheet and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes.
4. Remove pie weights and bake for another 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp and chop.
6. Drain fat from pan, return pan to heat, and melt butter over medium-low heat.
7. Add leeks and cook until softened (~10 minutes).
8. Beat eggs with half-and-half (or milk), salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
9. Once pie shell is baked, add the leeks and bacon in an even layer in the bottom.
10. Top with cheese.
11. Give the custard a final mix and pour it into the pie shell.
12. Return quiche to oven on top of hot baking sheet and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 30 minutes.

Sweet potatoes were on sale the other day, so I picked up a few on a whim. I then repeatedly failed to do anything with them. But, luckily, I managed to get it together enough to make this salad before they went off.

It was a pretty good salad too! The dressing is pretty much just maple syrup and lime juice, but I really like it! It complements the sweet potatoes well. Although, I think I would be tempted to add just a pinch of chili powder next time! I think that would go nicely with the other flavours and give it a nice little kick.

Sweet Potato Salad with Pecans and Green Onions

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• ~1.4kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/3 c. lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 c. chopped green onions
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
2. Toss sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp. of the oil and the salt and arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast at 200°C (400°F) flipping and turning once during cooking.
4. Meanwhile, combine the lime juice, mapley syrup, and chili powder (if using) and drizzle in the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil while whisking vigorously.
5. Once sweet potatoes are done, transfer them to a bowl along with the pecans, green onions, and cilantro.
6. Pour the dressing over, toss to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

I have very fond memories of my mom's chicken stew with dumplings, but it's been a long time since I've had it. I don't really tend to make chicken stew. If I'm making stew, it's usually beef. And for chicken, I'm much more likely to do soup than stew these days.

This isn't my mom's recipe. But it still filled me with nostalgia. And I do really enjoy a good stew with dumplings.

Chicken Stew with Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Stew

• 1 chicken (~1kg), skinned and broken down into parts
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, halved and chopped (white parts only)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 1 russet (or other floury) potato, cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 Tbsp. heavy (35%) cream

Dumplings

• 200g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 c. buttermilk

Directions

1. Put chicken pieces in a pot with bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1/4 tsp. of salt and add enough water to cover by a couple of cm.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Simmer until chicken is cooked through (~20 minutes).
4. Remove chicken, shred meat. Reserve 2 c. of poaching liquid. Set aside.
5. Melt butter over medium-high heat.
6. Add leeks, carrots, and celery and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
7. Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the chicken stock and reserved poaching liquid and bring to a boil.
9. Add potato, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the potato begins to soften (~10 minutes).
10. Add the chicken and cream and cook until broth thickens and potatoes are tender (~5 minutes).
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and baking soda.
13. Add the salt, chives, and cayenne and cut in the butter.
14. Add the buttermilk and stir to combine.
15. Shape the dough into small dumplings and drop them into the soup.
16. Cover and steam for 20 minutes.

We've been on a bit of a shrimp and pasta kick lately. After six years of avoiding it due to suspected allergies, it's nice to finally be able to enjoy a bit of seafood again. And TF is a big fan of shrimp with pasta, so we've been leaning into that now that the shellfish ban has been lifted.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Fennel

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, fronds chopped and reserved separately
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 large (~800mL) can whole or diced tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• 1/4 c. kalamata olives (~15), pitted and quartered
• 3 Tbsp. dry white wine
• ~350g spaghetti (or other long pasta, preferably multi-grain or whole wheat)
• 350g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Parmesan or pecorino Romano, to serve

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add fennel seeds and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
3. Add fennel bulb, onion, chile flakes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, olives, and wine and cook until thickened slightly (5-8 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions, reserving ~1 c. of the pasta cooking water before draining.
6. Add shrimp to sauce and cook until shrimp are just done (~3 minutes).
7. Add reserved pasta water to sauce and stir vigorously.
8. Add drained spaghetti and toss to combine.
9. Adjust seasoning to taste, top with reserved fennel fronds and Parmesan, and serve.