The second dish that Chef Michael Allemeier prepared for Winnipeg TV audiences was this upscale version of a family favourite. The elegance comes from the cream and smoked Canadian Cheddar. Which is why I am convinced that the Canadian Milk Producers got threes chefs involved in their Any Day Magic Challenge, in the first place. Many family cooks like myself, can manage the any day, Chef Michael added the magic to make a simple dish extraordinary and memorable.
Being on the set with Chef Michael for a day, I picked up some cooking tips that will translate to other dishes as well.
1. Like using lots of onions in nutritious meals but taking the time to saute them for long enough so that their essence is realized and they are perfectly soft and translucent.
2. A squeeze of lemon added at the end of preparation will not necessarily add lemon flavour but bring out all the other tastes in a natural manner.
3. Use lots of fresh herbs no matter what the dish is-the taste is explosive and the plant itself is good for you.
4. Take mushrooms back up to a higher heat to urge them past the watery stage and plump them up while browning them.
5. A smoky cheese and a little cream can go a long way. You do not need a lot of either to boost the texture, silkiness and taste to an entirely new level.
Pasta perfectly balanced with diced ham, slices of mushroom and fresh garden peas in a delicate creamy sauce, finished with a touch of fresh lemon juice and smoked cheddar.
Ingredients
1 package (500 grams) penne pasta
1 T olive oil
1 c finely diced white onion
1 T minced garlic
½ t dried chili flakes
1 c diced ham
3 c thinly sliced button mushrooms
2 c 45% cream
2 c peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/12 c shredded smoked Canadian Cheddar cheese
3 T lemon juice
½ c chopped fresh parsley
salt and black pepper
Instructions
In a large pot of boiling, salted water,cook penne according to package directions until tender but firm. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onions and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or until tender and fragrant.
Add garlic and chili flakes and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add ham and cook, stirring well for 30 seconds.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring for 3 minutes or until water is starting to release from mushrooms.
Increase heat to high and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes longer or until water is evaporated and mushrooms brown lightly.
Pour in cream and bring to a simmer, stirring often (don't boil it). Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly reduced.
Stir in peas and heat through (if using fresh peas, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender).
Add drained pasta and cheese to pot and stir to mix well.
Stir in parsley and lemon juice.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.
2.2.6
Kath’s quote “When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.”-John Ruskin
Last night on The National from London for the Queens Diamond Jubilee (I was in London for her Silver one), they were in a Canadian Pub called The Maple Leaf which serves only Canadian beer and I am assuming Canadian food. Peter Mansbridge was asking diners about the poutine and this reminded me of a recipe that I had recently concocted.
This recipe takes a leap from an authentic French Canadian version, to achieve a French Country Cuisine version. It cannot be called authentic, because authentic poutine MUST have cheese curds and this used cubes of cream cheese. But the latter is almost always available in the cheese drawer of kitchen fridges.
Serves 5-8 depending upon, age of children and whether it is served as a main meal or a side dish.
Ingredients
1 doz. Small unpeeled, red potatoes, cut each potato into 8 wedges
2 T olive or canola oil, equally divided
1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 T brown sugar
½ of a 250 g package of Light Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread, keep refrigerated until ready to use
1 pkg. of brown gravy mix
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400degrees C.
Pour 1 T oil onto a heavy baking sheet.
Slice potatoes and arrange on sheet with a flat/potato side down.
Roast for 10 minutes or until the down-side is golden brown (longer depending upon your oven).
Turn to opposite side with tongs & return to oven for the same amount of time.
Slice onion and place in a pan with 1 T oil & 1 T brown sugar over a medium high heat
Stir frequently until onions are caramelized.
Remove cheese from fridge and cut into small cubes.
Prepare gravy according to package directions.
When potatoes have roasted, arrange on individual plates or 1 large platter.
Add the cheese cubes evenly to potato surface.
Pour gravy over all.
Add onions to top.
If the gravy does not cause the cheese to soften & melt to your liking, place in microwave for 3+ minutes.
2.2.6
Now that you are going to want to tell your family what you have made them for dinner, you are going to have to know how to pronounce the dish. Here is your audio reference from the University of Manitoba.
Kath’s quote: “My dear boy, when curds are churned, the finest part rises upward and turns into butter. So too, dear boy, when food is eaten the choice parts rise upward and become mind.”– Mark Kurlansky
To all of my fellow Poutine Lovers out there: in the immortal words of a favorite Quebec Celebrity “I love you! I kiss you!”
To say that I am frugal is a gross understatement. I can often stretch a dish over four meals. In this case, once as freshly garlic mashed potatoes and then with D for a left overs lunch. Next, I refurbished the dish into another recipe of these “Left Over Mashed Potato Patties”. But I declare, they are so delicious that I would mash up a pot of potatoes just to make them again. Today I do not have a lunch meeting which does not happen very often, so I will enjoy them a fourth (and final time).
The recipe is an easy one made with items that you will already have in your cupboard.
A perfect way to stretch those loonies by using left overs from a dish that I always seem to prepare too much of.
Ingredients
left over mashed potatoes (about 4 cups)
3 green onions, diced
1 egg
flour
canola oil
course sea salt
cracked pepper
Instructions
Combine mashed potatoes, onion and egg. (I used my Calephon immersion blender).
Shape into large sized balls.
Roll in flour and flatten into patties.
Heat canola oil in skillet and brown for about five minutes on each side.
Salt and pepper to taste.
2.2.6
The Frenchman and I enjoyed these for dinner on Friday night. He with homemade applesauce that D’s Mom makes and I with an additional dollop of no fat sour cream (that I prefer to the 14% version).
Kath’s quote: “The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for 30 years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.” –Calvin Trillin
My Mother’s Day a couple of weeks ago was perfect in so many ways. We celebrated on the Saturday so that D could have lunch with his Mom on Sunday and I could head out to the cottage for the day, to get some spring cleaning accomplished.
There was a delay in celebrating my Mom’s special day as she was not feeling well, but the three sisters are taking her out this evening for dinner and a visit to the Winnipeg Art Gallery for the held over Norman Rockwell exhibit.
I spent that Saturday lazing around in our backyard on one of the prettiest days of the year-when all of our fruit trees are in full blossom.
D as always, was busy at the grill and produced my favourite Greek Chicken recipe. The dish typically starts with the chicken marinating in Greek dressing but in order to cut down on the fat content, D used a dry rub of Greek spices instead. The brand is Victorian Epicure and it is the basis for their Greek dressing containing herbs, onion, garlic and red and green peppers.
Remove chicken to a large platter, top with tomatoes and then crumbled feta and olives.
Serve at once
2.2.6
He also grilled zucchini and eggplant to accompany the chicken.
The kids had to disperse and we headed out to a cocktail party that evening but when we got home, it was still pleasant enough to be outside again and so we sat under the illuminated trees and lit the candelabra. Ahh spring time in Winnipeg.
Kath’s quote: “The whole Mediterranean … the wine, the ideas … seems to ride in the sour pungent taste of those black olives … A taste older than meat, older than wine. A taste as old as cold water.”-Lawrence Durrell
With the arrival of the May Long weekend, our routine of heading out to our little cottage as often as possible, is in full swing. There aren’t many weekends as busy as May Long (Sister #2 prepared omelets for 17 people), but we do often feed a gang and so I am always on the look out for oven recipes that can be served to many.
When it was my turn on the brunch roster, I prepared these apple bran muffins and blue berry scones.
J1 grilled the sausages on the barbeque for me-such a good boy.
And I put together these Baked Eggs. These photos aren’t terribly artsy as I was focused on getting hot food in front of the masses.
drizzle of canola oil
1 doz ripe tomatoes
1 doz eggs
grated parmesan to your liking
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a shallow baking dish by drizzling canola oil into the bottom. Choose the dish size, so that the tomatoes will stand upright without falling onto their side. Remove stem and scoop out tomato (set aside inside flesh for another use i.e. salsa). Place tomatoes with the open top up, into pan. Crack eggs one by one into tomato cup. Sprinkle with parmesan. The easiest way to reduce fat in a dish like this is by sparingly adding the cheese. On this morning, I had slices of spicy havarti available and so I used it for a heartier version. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until eggs are cooked to your liking.
Two of the hungry gang.
Kath’s quote: “Hunger is the best pickle.”-Benjamin Franklin
