Food Musings

A Winnipeg blog about the joy of preparing food for loved ones and the shared joy that travel & dining brings to life.

Sour Cream Dill Talapia

July10

We have had our first crop share delivery from Blue Lagoon Organics which we are splitting with another family and J1 and J2.  The first night I made a salad with the purple leaf lettuce and kale and added some pickled beets and chopped purple leeks.

This weekend I put together “Ogorki” (what my Polish Grandma used to call her cucumber and dill salad) and butter and carrots roasted in honey and dill.  Do you see a theme here?  Even though I have only 1/3 of the delivery, I have more dill than I have ever had at one time.

I concocted this low cal/low fat dish the night of our pick up and it was a hit.  The creaminess from the no fat sour cream was enough to moisten the fusili which I simply tossed with olive oil and coarsely ground sea salt.  Can’t wait for this Thursday’s surprizes…..


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Sour Cream Dill Talapia
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Very low cal/low fat and delicious!
Ingredients
  • 3-4 talipia fillets
  • 3 T no fat sour cream
  • 1t no fat Miracle Whip
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 T fresh dill
  • coarsely ground sea salt & pepper
  • 1 young purple leek, thinly sliced (or 3 green onions) for garnish
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray baking pan with canola oil.
  3. Place fish in pan.
  4. Mix sour cream, Miracle Whip, garlic and fresh dill.
  5. Ladle over fish.
  6. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
  7. Plate fish and garnish with leeks.

Kath’s quote: “Be not angry or sour at table; whatever may happen put on the cheerful mien, for good humor makes one dish a feast.”-From a Shaker manual, ‘Gentle Manners’

Love-that is all.

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Wild Blueberry Red Wine Sauce

July9

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Wild Blueberry Red Wine Sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8-10
 
Tenderloin is brined and placed for a short time on the grill
Ingredients
  • 2-4 petite pork tenderloins
  • Brine:
  • ¾ c coarse salt
  • ¾ sugar
  • 1 c boiling water
  • 1 litre cold water
  • 1 T coarsely ground pepper
  • 2 T olive oil
  • Sauce:
  • 1½ c red wine
  • ½ c blueberry jam or preserves
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
  • 2-3 T butter
Instructions
  1. Trim excess fat & silver skin from the tenderloins; set aside.
  2. A stainless steel bowl, or a heavy duty resealable plastic bag can work as a brining container as long as the pork is fully submerged.
  3. Weight with a plate if necessary, to keep the meat fully submerged in the brine.
  4. Dissolve salt & sugar in boiling water.
  5. Add this to the cold water.
  6. Add pepper and stir to combine.
  7. Add pork, cover and refigerate 6-12 hours.
  8. To assemble, remove the pork from the brine.
  9. Rinse the meat twice after removing from brine; discard brine.
  10. If you are not ready to cook after the brining time, refrigerate until ready to cook.
  11. Rub oil over the entire loins before grilling.
  12. Pre-heat barbeque grill. Place tenderloins onto hot grill; close the barbeque lid for 7 minutes. Turn the pork over, close the lid and grill for another 6 minutes.
  13. Turn off the heat keeping the lid closed and continue to cook pork for another 5 minutes.
  14. Insert an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the loin, the temperature should read 145 to 150 degrees F (if not, close the lid and let the meat continue to roast).
  15. Once brined the pork cooks faster, so do not overcook.
  16. Hint-the meat will remain pink from the brine (not from being undercooked).
  17. While this is occurring, make the sauce.
  18. In a sauce-pan over medium-high heat, add red wine.
  19. Bring to a boil stirring frequently until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream.
  20. Remove from heat and drop in minced hot pepper.
  21. Just before serving, whisk in blueberry jam and butter until blended.
  22. Remove the pork from the grill and transfer to cutting board.
  23. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.
  24. Cut the pork cross-grain into ½ inch slices.
  25. To serve, spoon some sauce onto each individual serving plate.
  26. Place slices over top of the sauce like dominoes (overlapping each slice). Sprinkle with parsley if desired to add a colour contrast.

Last weekend at the cottage, Sister #2 was responsible for supper and pulled out this favourite recipe of Sister #3’s.  She served the tenderloin with a wild rice pilaf, green beans tossed in pesto and an artichoke and zucchini salad for a nutritious and delicious dinner.

Kath’s quote:  “It is, of course, entirely possible to cook without using wine.   It is also possible to wear suits and dresses made out of gunny sacks, but who wants to?”-Morrison Wood

Love-that is all.

 

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New Mom Freezer Meals-Chicken Apple Curry Soup

July6

As promised, Daughter #3 (Baby Lady of the Prairies) with another freezer meal to prepare for your baby’s arrival or a wonderful gift to provide to a new Mom. 


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Chicken Apple Curry Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Another great freeze-ahead meal. Deliver it with some warm cheese scones and a tossed salad.
Ingredients
  • 2 T canola oil
  • 2 c chopped celery
  • 1 c chopped carrots
  • ½ c chopped onion
  • 4 c chicken broth
  • 1 c chopped apple (peeled or unpeeled)
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 c chopped cooked chicken
  • ¼ c uncooked rice ( you can add more and it becomes more like a stew)
  • 2 t curry powder
  • ⅛ t dried thyme
  • ½ c cream
Instructions
  1. In large saucepan heat oil and cook celery, carrots, onion for 4-5 min. Add broth, apples, rice, chicken, curry and thyme.
  2. Bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 min.
  3. Blend cream and flour. Stir in.
  4. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.
  5. Let cool and seal in an airtight container (or lots of tinfoil and saran wrap!).
  6. Label with the name of the dish and the date you made it.
  7. When you bring it out of the freezer, allow to defrost and heat until bubbly (you may need to add some water if it becomes too thick).

Kath’s quote:

“This curry was like a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony that I’d once heard…..especially the last movement, with everything screaming and banging ‘Joy.’ It stunned, it made one fear great art. My father could say nothing after the meal.”-Anthony Burgess

Love-that is all.

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New Mom Freezer Meals-Beef Straganoff

July5

Daughter #3, aka J2 is Blogging as Baby Lady of the Prairies and provides Pre & Postnatal Services in the Heart of Winnipeg www.specialdeliveriesfitness.com.  When she was guest blogger for me recently she mentioned making freezer meals to prepare for your baby’s arrival.  These would also be wonderful gifts to provide to a new Mom.  Come back tomorrow for her Chicken Apple Curry Soup.


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Beef Stroganoff
Recipe type: Entree
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Deliver it frozen with a container of sour cream and some broad egg noodles.
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. beef stewing beef
  • ½ t salt
  • ½ t ground black pepper
  • 4 oz. butter
  • 4 green onions, sliced (white parts only)
  • 4 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed beef broth - or use homemade
  • 1 t prepared mustard
  • 1 (6 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
  • ⅓ c sour cream
  • ⅓ c white wine
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Cut stewing beef into smaller chunks and toss with ½ t of both salt and pepper.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and brown the beef quickly, then push the beef off to one side.
  3. Add the onions and cook slowly for 3 to 5 minutes, then push to the side with the beef.
  4. Stir the flour into the juices on the empty side of the pan.
  5. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
  6. Lower the heat and stir in mustard.
  7. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
  8. Stir in the mushrooms and white wine.
  9. Let cool and seal in an airtight container (or lots of tin foil and saran wrap!).
  10. Label with the name of the dish and the day you made it.
  11. When you bring it out of the freezer, allow to defrost and heat in a saucepan.
  12. Add the sour cream 5 minutes before serving.
  13. Salt and pepper to taste.
  14. Serve with a simple salad or steam up some frozen veggies.

 

Kath’s quote: “I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food.”-Robert Orben

 

Love-that is all.

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“Paris Was Yesterday”-by Janet Flanner

July4

“Paris was Yesterday” is not a food-themed recounting as are the majority of works  that I normally read and provide excerpts of here.  In fact, if I were to pick one subject of the many that were included in this read, it would have been the coming together in Paris of the major writers of the young century at Janet Flanner’s favourite French cafe.  This reminded me of  “Midnight in Paris” written and directed by Woody Allen-a film that we loved in spite of the critics not being particularly thrilled with it.

In her lengthy introduction, she sets the scene for her time in Paris and this is primarily where her food references are found including this one from page 7:

“With my stomach stirred to hitherto unexpected satisfactions, with my palate even now able to recall the sudden pleasure of drinking a tumbler of more than ordinary red or white French wine.  I can recall the sensual satisfaction of first chewing the mixture in my mouth a crust of fresh french bread and then the following swallow of the wine itself, like the dominant liquid guide leading my nourishment down through my gullet into my insides.  Eating in France was a new body experience….

The lunch was a fixed price and in its lack of surprises.  There was a plate of hors dourves including a slice of Jura pate, flavored with wild thyme, and as the main dish, a succulent stew or an escallop of veal and a salad with goats cheese, plus a small black french coffee which tasted like death.  It was a civilized, countrified, appetizing inexpensive French meal.  It probably cost me about thirty cents plus a ten per cent tip for Yvonne the Terrible” ( so named because she was such a terrible waitress).

 

My favourite artists also assembled in Paris and are represented in this book.  I am particularly fond of  the work of Degas and Monet and not so much of Picasso but this reference makes me feel more inclined towards him, as a person.

“By this time he had his arms around me and was thumping me enthusiastically on the shoulders.  “You look fine; not a day older”, and I said “Nor do you”, and he said  “That’s true;  that’s the way you and I are.  We don’t get older, we just get riper.  Do you still love life the way you used to, and love people the way you did? I watched you and always wanted to know what you were thinking…Tell me, do you still love the human race, especially your best friends?  Do you still love love?” “I do”, I said, astonished at the turn the monologue was taking.  “And so do I!” he shouted, laughing.  “Oh, we’re great ones for that, you and I.  Isn’t love the greatest refreshment in life?” And he embraced me with his strong arms, in farewell.”

Kath’s quote: Isn’t love the greatest refreshment in life?  Pablo Picasso

Love-that is all.

Photos of Monet & Degas are my own, taken in Musee D’Orsay, Paris.

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