We had some harissa left over from last time we made it, and Symbol was able to divert some for this recipe before I ate it all. And it came out pretty tasty!

Glazed Chicken Breasts with Currant-Pistachio Couscous

Cook's Country April/May 2019 (recipe card)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 1+3+1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ¼ dried currants
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½+1 tsp salt, divided
• ¼+¼ tsp pepper, divided
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1½ C water
• 1¼ C dry couscous
• ½ C decorticated pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Whisk together apricot preserves, harissa, and 1 tbsp oil in a small bowl.
2. Transfer 1 tbsp of this mixture to another bowl and add currants, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and 3 tbsp oil.
3. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
4. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides and 160°F internally.
5. Remove chicken, butter, and brush with first harissa-apricot mixture.
6. Add water to skillet and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat; let stand five minutes.
8. Stir in pistachios and harissa-currant mixture.
9. Slice chicken and serve over couscous.

We still have a few steaks left in the freezer, so I've been keeping my eye out for good recipes to use them up. This recipe is really meant to be made wiht filets mignons, but we didn't get that cut with this beef, so I decided to try it with a rib steak instead. Sadly, this was a bit too tough for this particular preparation. But it was tasty otherwise.

Miso Butter Steaks with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2021

Ingredients

• 2-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter¹, divided
• 4 tsp. red miso paste²
• 4 (170-225g) filets mignons, trimmed
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 450g mushrooms³, sliced
• 450g broccoli florets
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Mash all but 1/2 Tbsp. of butter with miso paste in a 3:1 ratio (ie. 1 Tbsp. of butter to 1 tsp. miso) and set aside.
3. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.
4. Melt the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat.
5. Add the steaks and cook until well-browned (~3 minutes per side).
6. Transfer steaks to rimmed baking sheet and roast at 180°C (350°F) until meat registers 50°C (~120°F) for medium-rare (10-15 minutes). (Cook longer and to a higher internal temperature if you would like your steak more well-done.)
7. Tent with foil and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, add mushrooms to now-empty pan, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown (~5 minutes).
9. Add broccoli, garlic, and 1 Tbsp. of miso butter (or simply 1 tsp. of miso if your mushrooms were oil-packed).
10. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender (~6 minutes).
11. Add 2 more Tbsp. miso butter (or 2 tsp. miso paste for oil-packed mushrooms) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
12. Top the steaks with the remaining miso butter.
13. Serve the steaks with the mushroom mixture.

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¹ The original recipe calls for 6 Tbsp. of butter: 1 Tbsp. to cook the steak, 3 Tbsp. to cook the mushrooms and broccoli, and 2 Tbsp. to dress the steak. I used only 2 Tbsp. of butter in my rendition: 1 Tbsp. to cook the steak and 1 Tbsp. to dress the steak. Personally, I think that I probably could have cut the cooking butter back to 1/2 Tbsp. That said, had I been using fresh mushrooms rather than jarred ones (which were packed in a mixture of oil and vinegar), then I would have used at least 2 Tbsp. for cooking the mushrooms and broccoli. So, do with that what you will... ^Back
2 I didn't have any red miso, so I just used some of the white that I already had in the fridge. ^Back
3 The original recipe calls for shiitake mushrooms here. However, I had a jar of mixed "wild" mushrooms in the pantry, so I opted to use them instead. I think shiitake would have been great, but this mix also worked well here. ^Back

I had a bunch of extra basil to use up and this frittata has been on my short list for a while, so it seemed like a good fit. It's very simple, but it was tasty nonetheless. There are also several variations provided. The asparagus-ham version sounds particularly appealing...

Parmesan and Basil Frittata

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
5. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
6. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
7. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
9. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Variants

Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyère Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 250g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 5mm pieces
• 100g deli ham, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 shallot, minced
• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. shredded Gruyère
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the asparagus and cook until lightly browned (~3 minutes).
4. Add the ham and shallot and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
5. Meanwhile whisk the eggs with the gruyère, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Leek, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 leeks
• 85g thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1cm pieces
• 12 large eggs¹
• 1 c. crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Trim and halve the leeks lengthwise, wash them very thoroughly, and slice thinly.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the leeks and cook, covered, until softened (6-8 minutes).
5. Meanwhile whisk the eggs with the goat cheese, basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the proscuitto and the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Mushroom and Chive Frittata

Leek, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 280g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 170g shiitake mushooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the both kinds of mushrooms and the onion and cook until dry and lightly browned (~15 minutes).
4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, chives, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
5. Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
6. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

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¹ I had some excess egg whites to use up, so I actually made this frittata with 10 eggs + 3 egg whites. ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for 3 Tbsp. of half-and-half (10% MF). I happened to have some half-and-half in the fridge this time, so I did actually use that, but normally I would just put in a bit of milk instead, so that's the way I've written it up here. ^Back

This salad has a few variants, but we made the raspberries and blue cheese version; the others are documented below. Not a favourite, but I'd eat it again.

Marinated Beet Salad

Cook's Country October/November 2016, by Katie Leaird (p.17)

Ingredients

• 1½ lb whole beets, trimmed
• ½ C water
• ¼ C sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 2 oranges
• 1L arugula, kale, or other greens
• ¼ C shaved romano cheese
• ½ C walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Wrap beets and water in tin foil. Roast at 400°F for 1 hour or until fork-tender.
2. Whisk together vinegar, oil, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Once beets are cool, rub gently to remove skins, then cut into 1cm wedges.
4. Add beets to bowl with dressing, toss to cover, and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
5. Divide oranges into individual wedges.
6. Add oranges, greens, cheese, and walnuts to bowl with beets and dressing, and toss to combine.

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Variations

Marinated Beet Salad with Pear and Feta

Ingredients

• 1½ lb whole beets, trimmed
• ½ C water
• ¼ C sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 L arugula, kale, or other greens
• ¾ C crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tbsp pistachios, toasted

Marinated Beet Salad with Raspberries and Blue Cheese

Ingredients

• 1½ lb whole beets, trimmed
• ½ C water
• ¼ C sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ⅔ C raspberries
• 1 L arugula, kale, or other greens
• ¾ C crumbled blue cheese
• ½ C hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

This came together gratifyingly quickly. The longest part was pressure-cooking the beans, but that gave me time to dismantle the chicken and mise-en-place all the ingredients.

Quick Green Chicken Chili

Cook's Country August/September 2018 (recipe card)

Ingredients

• 1.5 C mixed dry black and great northern beans
• 6C half-strength chicken or vegetable stock (or 6C water + 1 stock cube)
• 2 tsp (~0.5L worth) Better than Bouillon stock concentrate or equivalent
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ¾ tsp pepper, ground
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp cumin, ground
• 1 C premade green salsa
• 1 grocery store roast chicken, skinned and shredded
• ½ C fresh cilantro, chopped
• Yoghurt and hot sauce (for serving)

Directions

1. Add beans and stock to pressure cooker. Pressure cook high for 40 minutes.
2. Depressurize and drain beans, reserving 1L of cooking water. If you have less than 1L, top up with tap water.
3. Stir stock concentrate into the bean water; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.
5. Add onion and pepper and cook until translucent and softened, ~5 minutes.
6. Stir in garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute.
7. Stir in beans, bean water, and salsa. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes.
9. Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot for thickness, if desired.
10. Stir in chicken and cilantro and cook until warmed through, ~2 minutes.
11. Serve with yoghurt and hot sauce; we found that this tomatillo-based sauce worked nicely.

These are not cinnamon rolls as I normally think of them. There's no icing. No spiral of cinnamon and sugar. They're shaped just like dinner rolls, but with a sweet, slightly salty, baked-on cinnamon glaze. And they are delicious!

Sadly, I don't think I remembered to snap a photo of these before they were all devoured. And it's been a while since I made them, so I can't remember a lot of the specifics about the baking process. I normally follow the recipe pretty closely for stuff like this though and I don't recall encountering any particular problems, so I assume everything went fine. I know the results were great and everyone really liked them!

Ideally I would have done the write-up for this recipe within a day or two of making the buns. But sometimes things just don't work out that way. And I figure I'd rather have a belated write-up than none at all!

Stroud's Cinnamon Rolls

From Cook's Country June/July 2020

Ingredients

Dough

• 1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. milk, warmed to ~45°C (115°F)
• 1 large egg
• 300g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Tbsp. instant (rapid-rise) yeast
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

Coating

• 250g (~1 1/4 c.) sugar
• 4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Whisk egg into milk.
2. Add flour and yeast and mix well¹.
3. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Add sugar and salt and knead for ~10 minutes (5 minutes with a dough hook on medium-low), gradually working in the butter as you go.
5. Knead for another 10-15 minutes (or 5 more minutes with the dough hook).
6. Shape into a smooth ball and place in a covered bowl to rise for ~1 hour.
7. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
8. Transfer ~3/4 c. of the sugar mixture to a separate container and put the remaining sugar mixture in a shallow dish.
9. Put half of the melted butter (6 Tbsp.) in another shallow dish.
10. Grease a 9x13" (23x33cm) baking dish.
11. Knock back the dough and divide into 15 equal portions (~37g each) and round each one into a tight, smooth ball.
12. Roll the dough balls in the melted buter and then in the cinnamon sugar.
13. Arrange the coated dough balls into 5 rows of 3 in the baking dish, cover, and let rise for ~1 hour. (It's okay if the coating "cracks" during rising.)
14. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
15. Bake rolls until golden brown (~25 minutes).
16. Whisk the reserved 3/4 c. sugar mixture into the remaining 6 Tbsp. of melted butter.
17. Brush tops and sides of hot rolls with butter mixture. Use all of it!
18. Leave rolls to cool in baking dish for 10 minutes.
19. Remove from baking dish and serve warm.

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¹ I just mixed everything by hand because I didn't have a stand mixer at that point. However, the recipe suggests mixing on low for ~2 minutes with a dough hook if you have one. ¹

This recipe is from a while ago. So long ago that I don't clearly remember making it or what substitutions and adjustments (if any) we made. I think we stuck pretty close to the recipe. Possibly just substituting California chilies for the pasilla since the latter tend to be fairly difficult to find here.

Despite not remembering the details of making this dish, I do remember the results. Much like other adobo recipes that we've tried, it did produce tender meat in a tasty sauce. I remember it being good. But I also remember feeling somewhat disappointed and let down because the results of this slow cooker version paled in comparison to the stovetop- and oven-cooked one that we made a few years earlier: Beef in Adobo. Although both recipes include very similar ingredients and proportions, making it in the slow cooker just couldn't deliver the same results. So, while I appreciate the convenience of being able to throw everything in the pot and walk away, I prefer the results of the slightly more involved cooking methods from the earlier recipe.

Slow Cooker Adobo-Braised Beef

From Cook's Country June/July 2020

Ingredients

• 45g dried ancho or guajillo chilies, stemmed
• 30g dried pasilla or California chilies, stemmed
• 3/4 c. salsa verde
• 1/2 c. orange juice
• 1/4 c. lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• ~1.3kg stewing beef
• tortillas, to serve
• 125g queso fresco or feta, crumbled
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Use kitchen shears to cut chilies in half lengthwise and discard the seeds.
2. Cut chilies into 2-3cm pieces.
3. Toast chilies over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant (~5 minutes).
4. Transfer to bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand ~5 minutes, then drain.
5. Add salsa verde, orange juice, lime juice, sugar, cumin, garlic, chilies, 1 tsp. of the salt, oregano, and 1/2 tsp. of the pepper to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour into slow cooker.
6. Season beef with remaining 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and add to slow cooker with sauce. Stir to combine.
7. Cover and cook until tender (4-5 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low).
8. Serve with warmed tortillas, queso fresco, and cilantro. Chopped avocado, sliced radishes, and minced red onion also make nice toppings.

When I requested a cabbage in my produce basket recently, I was expecting a smallish cabbage -- something in the 1-1.5kg range. What I got was a truly massive 4.5kg behemoth of a vegetable! So the upshot of this is that we now have a truly terrifying amount of cabbage to use up. We've used up some in frittatas and egg rice already, but this was my attempt to use up a bit more.

Sadly, although the chicken and sauce for this was great, the cabbage salad was pretty so-so. I mean, there isn't much to it, so maybe that's to be expected. But I've often been surprised by the gustatory impact of similarly simple dishes in the past, so I was hoping that this might be a repeat of that situation. Alas, it was not. But the rest of the dish was still great. Especially with the added scrambled eggs! And TF mixed up a batch of a different cabbage salad to go with the leftovers tonight. (The remainders of the original cabbage salad got mixed into the egg rice this morning.)

I also think this meal would be great with peas added either instead of or, better yet, as well as the cabbage.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Cabbage Salad

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country October/November 2020

Ingredients

Cabbage Salad¹

• 4 c. thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 Tbsp. toyomansi (or 1/2 Tbsp. each light soy sauce and calamansi or lime juice)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 1 green onion, sliced (optional)

Sauce

• 1/4 c. ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Roman mustard (or Dijon mustard)
• 1 tsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce

Chicken

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 c. flour
• 8 chicken cutlets (~100g each)
• 1/2 c. oil, divided

To serve

• 6-8 large eggs
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• ~4 c. cooked rice
• 2 c. green peas, cooked or thawed frozen (optional)
• 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
2. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix.
3. Beat the two eggs with the salt and place in a medium bowl.
4. Combine the panko and flour and place in a wide, shallow plate or dish.
5. Dip the chicken cutlets into the egg mixture, then coat with panko.
6. Heat 1/4 c. of the oil over medium heat.
7. Add 4 of the coated cutlets to the pan and cook until cooked through and crispy and golden on both sides (~5 minutes per side). Remove from pan and set aside.
8. Add the remaining oil and cook the remaining cutlets in the same manner.
9. Beat the remaining 6-8 eggs with any residual egg from breading the chicken. Beat in a Tbsp. or so of the sauce if desired.
10. Add the remaining 1 tsp. of sesame oil to the pan and pour in the eggs. Let cook most of the way, then flip and turn to allow any still raw egg to finish cooking. Use lifter/spatula to break into large curds as the eggs finish cooking.
11. Slice chicken cutlets into strips ~1cm wide.
12. Serve rice topped with peas (if using), chicken pieces, and scrambled eggs.
13. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
14. Serve cabbage salad on the side.

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¹ Alternatively, replace the cabbage salad specified here with Cabbage Salad with Sesame-Dressing. ^Back

This is a simple vegetable side. It's somewhere between a salad and a quick pickle. It's very easy to make and requires very little active time. You just need to start it far enough in advance to give it at least an hour for the flavours to develop before you serve it.

This reminds me a lot of how I used to eat cucumbers as a kid: in a little dish with some white vinegar, salt, and pepper. Using cider vinegar instead of white, adding a bit of sugar, and diluting the mixture with a bit of water all help to tone down the acidity a bit. I still like my childhood version, but I do think this mellower take is probably more broadly appealing. And letting it sit for a while before serving gives the vegetables a chance to really absorb the flavours.

I made my salad with Vidalia onions since I had some on hand for another dish anyway, but the write-up says that regular yellow onions worked fine here as well. And I used an English cucumber because that's what I had on hand, but apparently when the folks over at ATK tested this recipe their tasters preferred field cucumbers to English. It's not like it's bad with English cucumbers though, so use what you have and enjoy!

Cucumber and Onion Salad

From Cook's Country June/July 2019

Ingredients

• 1/2 cider vinegar
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 450g cucumbers
• 1 onion, halved and sliced thin

Directions

1. Mix the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper until dissolved and set aside.
2. Peel the cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and slice thin.
3. Add the cucumbers and onions to the dressing and mix well.
4. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

This is pretty easy to put together and is a good way to use up cabbage! I enjoyed it, symbol absolutely loved it.

Red Cabbage and Grapefruit Salad

Cook's Country February/March 2021, by Morgan Bolling (p. 13)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 red grapefruit
• 6 C thinly sliced red cabbage (about ¼ cabbage)
• 1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced (or substitute red onion and rinse after slicing)
• ½ C cilantro
• ⅓ C toasted pepitas

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
2. Zest grapefruit and whisk 1½ tsp zest to the bowl.
3. Peel grapefruit, separate into wedges, skin wedges, and cut into thirds; set aside.
4. Squeeze 2 tbsp juice from grapefruit and whisk into bowl.
5. Add cabbage, onion, cilantro, and grapefruit segments and toss to combine.
6. Set aside for 30 minutes to melt.
7. Add pepitas and toss to combine.

This is a really nice way to enjoy zucchini. My zucchini were a little larger than the recipe recommended, but it still worked out okay. If you can though, try to get zucchini that weigh no more than 250g each. (Mine were both over 300g, so a little larger than is ideal.)

Marinated Zucchini

Adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2020

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot (or 1/2 onion), minced
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. za'atar
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 680g zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 21g Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions

1. Combine 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil, shallot, lemon juice, salt, za'atar, garlic, and pepper flakes in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil over medium heat.
3. Add half the zucchini, cut-side-down, and cook until browned (~3 minutes).
4. Flip over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove from pan and add the remaining zucchini, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side.
6. Slice the zucchini crosswise ~5mm thick.
7. Add the sliced zucchini to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat.
8. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour (or chill, covered, for up to 24 hours and then allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour before serving).
9. Top with Parmesan and serve.

Made this out of Cook's Country a while ago and forgot to write it up. I remember it being pretty tasty though.

Corn and Cucumber Salad

Cook's Country, June/July 2017, by Ashley Moore (p. 20)

Ingredients

• 3+1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 5 tbsp lime juice (~3 limes)
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼+⅛ tsp salt, divided
• ¼ C sour cream
• ½ red onion, sliced thin
• 1 jalapeño, halved, seeded, and sliced thin
• 4 ears corn, raw, kernels cut from the cobs
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
• ¾ C crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ C fresh basil, torn

Directions

1. Whisk together 3 tbsp oil, lime juice, pepper, and ¼ tsp salt in a large bowl.
2. Remove 2 tbsp of lime-oil mix and whisk into sour cream; set aside.
3. Add onion and jalapeño to remaining lime-oil mix and set aside to stand, at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the loose corn kernels and the salt.
6. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and spotty brown, ~7-9 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let cool while lime-oil mix is standing.
8. Mix corn, feta, and basil into bowl with lime-oil mix, onion, and jalapeño.
9. Serve topped with sour cream mix.

The slaw for this meal is meant to be made with red cabbage, but I only had green cabbage on hand, so I just used that. It was still delicious, so I don't think it suffered any for the substitution.

Blackened Salmon Tacos with Slaw, Avocado, and Grapefruit

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2020

Ingredients

• 2 c. thinly sliced cabbage
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 4 skin-on salmon fillets (~170g each)
• 2 Tbsp. blackening seasoning
• 12 small (15cm) flour tortillas, warmed
• 1 avocado, halved and sliced
• 1 grapefruit, segmented
• hot sauce, to serve
• extra sour cream, to serve

Directions

1. If desired, zest the lime and mix the lime zest into the sour cream before proceeding with the recipe.
2. Combine cabbage, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
3. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the broiler.
4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat.
5. Sprinkle salmon fillets with ~1/2 Tbsp. of blackening seasoning each and place, skin-side-down on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Broil on upper rack until well-browned (~6 minutes).
7. Move sheet to lower rack and cook until salmon is cooked through (~8 more minutes).
8. Gently flake the salmon with a fork. Discard the skins (or save for another use).
9. Top each tortilla with some salmon, a little slaw, sliced avocado, grapefruit segments, sour cream, and hot sauce as desired.
10. Serve with remaining slaw on the side.

This is a convenient way to prepare asparagus, especially if the stovetop is occupied by other cooking. We usually cook a half batch, which is what I've written up here.

Foil-Baked Asparagus

Cook's Country April/May 2020, p.12, by Morgan Bolling

Ingredients

• 500g fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tbsp butter, diced
• 1 shallot (or a small onion), minced
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tbsp capers
• ½ tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• ½ tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Arrange the asparagus in the center of a sheet of tinfoil.
2. Top with butter, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Fold foil over and crimp shut. (Depending on the breadth of your tinfoil, you may need to use a separate piece for this.)
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 18 minutes.
5. Remove sheet from oven and let stand 5 minutes to continue baking.
6. Cut open top of packet to release steam. Extract asparagus and gently toss with capers, dill, and lemon.

American Sandwich Bread

I don't usually make white bread. And, to be fair, the folks at America's Test Kitchen did provide instructions for a whole wheat variant. But I wanted to try the white flour version first and see how it came out.

It's a very nice bread overall. Mine did indeed come out light, tender, and sliceable as the recipe promised. However, it also came out much larger than the pictured loaf. It rose to an astounding height in the oven and was light enough that I cooled it upside down like an angel food cake for a while just so that it wouldn't collapse too much. (Not that I could turn it upside down in the pan like I would with the cake. Instead I turned it out and then let it sit upside down for a while since the top crust was a bit firmer than the bottom.)

Part of the problem may be that I misread the instructions and used an 8x4" (20x10cm) loaf pan instead of the 8.5x4.5" (22x11cm) pan the recipe specified. I still think it would've come out pretty tall even in the right pan, but it would've at least had a little more width and a little less height. Oh well... now I know for next time.

White Sandwich Bread

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2020

Ingredients

• 385g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 3/4 c. milk, room temperature
• 1/2 c. water, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp. honey

Directions

1. Combine flour, yeast, and salt and make a well in the centre.
2. Combine the milk, water, butter, and honey and pour into the well.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, working from the centre outward.
4. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and silky (10-20 minutes).
6. Round and place smooth-side-up in a bowl. Cover and set aside until fully risen (~2 hours).
7. Knock the dough back and press flat.
8. Letter fold, then roll up to form a loaf.
9. Place seam-side-down in a greased 8.5x4.5" (22x11cm) loaf pan.
10. Cover and set aside to proof for 60-90 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and gently moisten the top crust with a little water.
12. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30-40 minutes.
13. Cool in pan for ~10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to cool.

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Variations

Whole wheat Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

• 230g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 150g hard (strong/high grade/bread) whole wheat flour
• 3 Tbsp. wheat germ
• 2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 3/4 c. milk, room temperature
• 1/2 c. water, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp. honey

This was originally supposed to be a zucchini and goat cheese frittata, but I swapped out the goat cheese for pressed cottage cheese. I also reduced the oil, replaced the half-and-half with 2% milk, and increased the basil called for. Overall, I'm pretty happy with these changes. The resulting frittata is still flavourful, but hopefully a bit healthier than the original.

If you'd like to cut a few more calories, you can try making it with 5 whole eggs + 10 egg whites. I've had good luck with replacing up to half the yolks with additional whites in the past. I find frittatas and omelettes made entirely with egg whites to be not to my taste, but as long as they still have some yolks in the mix, I do find that I'm able to play around with the ratios a bit and still get palatable results.

Zucchini Frittata with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2020

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground, divided
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 450g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 onion, halved and thinly sliced, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 zucchini, shredded
• 100g pressed cottage cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Whisk eggs with milk, pepper, and 3/4 tsp. of the salt. Set aside.
3. Melt 1/2 Tbsp. of the butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the tomatoes, ~1/3 of the onion, half the garlic, and remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down (~5 minutes).
5. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and half the basil, transfer to bowl, and set aside.
6. Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of butter, zucchini, remaining onion, and garlic to the pan.
7. Cook over medium heat until zucchini has softened (7-8 minutes).
8. Stir in egg mixture and sprinkle evenly with cheese and remaining basil.
9. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until frittata is just set (12-14 minutes).
10. Let rest for 5 minutes then slide onto plate, cut into wedges, and serve topped with the tomato sauce.

I thought this recipe sounded delicious and I've been wanting to try it out for a while. Unfortunately, I'm just very bad at coordinating having both the ingredients and the energy to make it. I finally did it though! I mean, I ended up having to substitute frozen kale for the fresh because I ended up using up all the fresh kale in another dish. But that worked out okay in the end. And we all got to enjoy delicious stuffed squash.

Between the cheese, the almonds, and the combination of butter and oil, this dish is a little more calorically dense than I'd prefer for a vegetable side. It is very tasty though. And relatively filling. And, although I haven't worked out all the nutritional information, I'd think it should pack a decent punch fiber- and nutrient-wise between the squash, kale, and apple. And it definitely feels a bit special and indulgant, which is nice.

I only tried the apple-almond version, but I've included the pear-hazelnut variant as well. It also sounds great (possibly even better than the apple one), but I didn't have any pears on hand, so I stuck to the apple recipe for this time around.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country December/January 2016

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, quartered pole-to-pole
• 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil¹
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 170g kale, stemmed and sliced
• 1 Fuji or Gala apple, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 60g soft goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Scoop the seeds and guts from the squash wedges and discard them.
3. Drizzle the squash quarters with 1-2 Tbsp. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and pepper and toss to coat.
4. Place the wedges with one cut side down on a baking sheet and roast until the downward-facing side is browned (~20 minutes).
5. Flip so that the other cut side is facing down and roast for another 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Once cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the two least attractive wedges. Discard the skin.
8. Flip remaining six wedges skin-side-down on the baking sheet.
9. Heat 1/2-1 Tbsp. of the remaining oil over medium heat.
10. Add kale, apple, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and cook, covered, until kale wilts (~3 minutes).
11. Uncover and continue to cook until liquid has evaporated (30-60 seconds).
12. Add the scooped squash flesh, mix well, and cook until beginning to brown (1-2 minutes).
13. Push squash mixture to sides of pan and pour in remaining 1/2-1 Tbsp. of oil, garlic, and rosemary to the centre.
14. Cook until fragrant (30-60 seconds).
15. Stir the garlic mixture into the squash mixture.
16. Add the vinegar and cook until evaporated (~1 minute).
17. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
18. Divide filling among squash wedges.
19. Top with goat cheese and almonds. (~10g of cheese and 1 tsp. of almonds per wedge.)
20. Roast until almonds are browned and squash is heated through (5-7 minutes).
21. If desired, drizzle with extra oil before serving.

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Variations

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pear and Hazelnuts

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, quartered pole-to-pole
• 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil¹
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 170g kale, stemmed and sliced
• 1 anjou pear, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 60g soft goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted hazelnuts

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¹ I halved all the oil quantities called for because I'm trying to lose weight right now. If you're also feeling calorie-conscious, then use the smaller amount of oil. If you're not worried about calories and would like maxium richness, use the larger amount. ^Back

A nice one-pot meal, this was especially a hit with Alex. I've written up the recipe as described, although we made it with lamb sausages rather than pork.

Sausage with White Beans and Kale

Cook's Country, October/November 2020, by Sara Mayer (p.27)

Ingredients

• 2×440mL tins of cannellini beans, rinsed
• 830mL tin diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
• 240mL broth
• 30mL olive oil
• 450g italian sausages, pricked
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 450g kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• ⅛ tsp salt (double if using unsalted broth)

Directions

1. Combine 120mL beans, 120mL tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and broth in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Add sausages and cook until browned on both sides. Remove and buffer.
4. Add onion and cook until softened.
5. Add garlic and cool until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
6. Stir in bean-tomato mix, remaining tomatoes, and kale. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted, ~15 minutes.
7. Stir in remaining beans and browned sausages. Cover again and cook until sauce thickens and sausages are cooked through.

I feel like the flavours in this stir-fry could use a little tweaking. Not that it was bad. Everyone (including me) seemed to like it just fine. I just felt like it wasn't quite as good as it could be. I'm wondering if a little shaoxing wine might be the way to go. I'm used to seeing it in a lot of Chinese stir-fries, but it doesn't tend to come up as much in American ones. I feel like it might help balance things out a bit.

Beef and Eggplant Stir-Fry

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2017

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil, divided
• 600g eggplant, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1-2 fresh red Thai or cayenne chilies, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
• 450g extra-lean (95%) ground beef
• 4 scallions, sliced thin, whites and greens separated
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the oyster sauce, rice vinegar, shaoxing wine, and light soy sauce and set aside.
2. Heat wok over medium-high heat.
3. Drizzle in 3 Tbsp. of oil and wait a moment for it to heat up.
4. Add the eggplant and cook until tender and browned (8-10 minutes).
5. Add dark soy sauce, toss to combine, and immediately remove from heat.
6. Transfer eggplant to a plate.
7. Return wok to heat and drizzle in remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil.
8. Add the chilies, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for 10-20 seconds.
9. Add the beef and cook until browned and cooked through (3-4 minutes).
10. Pour in the sauce and add the white parts of the scallions and cook until slightly thickened (1-2 minutes).
11. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions and sesame seeds (if using) and serve over rice.

I'm pretty tired so I'm not going to do a big write-up for this. It's a simple-but-delicious onion-poppyseed flatbread. The dough came out very wet and I ended up using ~50g more flour than the recipe called for. Other than that, it was very well-behaved though.

I left out 2 Tbsp. of the oil called for. I feel that 3 Tbsp. was plenty for the amount of bread produced. I also left out the last 1/2 Tbsp. of salt as there was already plenty of salt in the dough and in the onions. I didn't feel like it needed more.

It might be interesting to try making it with whole wheat four or a mix of whole wheat and white next time. Working a bit of rye flour in might also be nice. I think the rye would go very well with the onions.

Pletzel

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2016

Ingredients

• 475g all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1 2/3 c. water
• 1/2 Tbsp. instant (rapid-rise) yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2-3 onions, chopped fine
• 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Directions

1. Combine the flour and 2 1/2 tsp. of the salt and make a well in the centre.
2. Pour in the water and mix, working from the centre outward, until combined. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Add yeast and sugar and knead for 10-20 minutes.
4. Pour 1 Tbsp. of oil over the dough and flip it over a couple times so that dough gets completely coated in oil. Cover and set aside to rise for 2-3 hours.
5. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. of the remaining oil over medium heat.
6. Add onions along with remaining 1 tsp. of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden-brown (~10 minutes).
7. Remove from heat and stir in poppy seeds. Set aside.
8. Coat a rimmed baking sheet in remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil.
9. Turn dough out onto oiled sheet and press into corners of pan with oiled fingers. If dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before continuing.
10. Proof, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes.
11. While dough is proofing, preheat oven to 250°C (475°F).
12. Prick risen dough with a fork 30 or 40 times.
13. Spread the onion-poppyseed mixture over the surface of the bread, leaving ~1cm border around the edge.
14. Bake at 250°C (475°F) for 18-20 minutes.

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Variations

Multi-Grain Pletzel

Ingredients

• 300g all-purpose flour
• 100g hard (strong/high grade/bread) whole wheat flour
• 25g rye flour
• 3 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1 2/3 c. water
• 1/2 Tbsp. instant (rapid-rise) yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2-3 onions, chopped fine
• 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Assuming this works well, I'd try it again with even more rye flour, but I wanted to keep the proportion of rye low to start since it can make it difficult to achieve good structure in yeasted breads.