Category: cooking

Culinary Q & A with Valerie Rodgers Lugonja

Occupation: Professional Educator (BEd) in my 30th year of teaching with Edmonton Public Schools. I am an Early Childhood Specialist (ECE Diploma), with two other “majors”, or specializations: English Literature, and Fine Art (drawing) I am currently teaching Foods, or cooking to about 200 grade 7-9 students every 2 days, for the second year. It was an invitation I could not refuse after watching my students come to school at 7 am eating chips and drinking Coke.

What did you eat today?

Baby Bocconcini (from the Italian Centre Shop South) with Olive Oil and black salt. It’s Saturday. I’ve been running, and I haven’t had dinner yet, which will probably be soup. Homemade in my Thermomix, of course 🙂 I tend to eat a lot of soup and yogurt.

What do you never eat?

Fried liver. I love liver pate, but not fried liver. I have thought about the latest “taste” sensation in our Edmonton Blogging Community (EatingistheHardPart and TheBruleeBlog): balut. I am drawn to this delicacy as I am so intensely interested in cultural foods. Maybe one day.

What is your personal specialty?

Vanja says “improvising”. Really, I haven’t a clue. I am always trying new things. I think appetizers and desserts. That first bite is so important, and I love that. And, the finale – well, what is a meal without something luscious? And, a little bite of chocolate?

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

half eaten jars of homemade canned goods, homemade yogurt, Gull Valley tomatoes (unless they are on holiday), Sunworks Farm fresh eggs, red peppers, onions, garlic, charcuterie and cheeses from the ICS south, whipping cream, and a jug of orange juice with pulp.

What is your weekday meal standby?

I cook a completely different meal every night for Vanja than I eat myself. A typical standby for him is pasta. I will fry onions, peppers, sausage (casing removed) or ground meat of some sort, add herbs, mushrooms if I have them, lots of fresh chopped garlic, tomato paste and canned diced tomatoes and leave it to simmer on the back of the stove until he gets home. I put on the penne 15 minutes before I expect him home, and that is it.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Thermomix. I never thought it would change my life as it has. It has enabled me to accomplish so much more with so much less effort! After that, my wooden cutting boards and my sharp knives.

I am more into tasting and cooking part except when it comes to chocolate and ice cream! I would love a professional kitchen staffed with really capable sous chefs, and I would have a ball working with them and learning from them to create something from whatever is in the pantry!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

We like change and usually eat out every Friday, or every other Friday, at a different place. I prefer the small independent restaurants in our city: love Zenari’s for lunch, and Duchess Bake Shop for coffee and a treat!

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I guess I would have to say my mom’s! I cannot get enough of her meatloaf!

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I would eat at a large rustic table with my family, extended family, and friends out in the Alberta countryside sans wind, rain and mosquitoes. A home-cooked potluck meal where everyone has contributed their personal specialty. And, beside the Atlantic Ocean, near Cape Cod, eating shell fish would be a strong second.

Valerie blogs at A Canadian Foodie.

The Cooking Chronicles: Lentil Burgers

In an attempt to reduce our overall meat protein consumption, Mack and I have been deliberately substituting meat alternatives in some of our meals – tofu in stirfrys, chickpeas in pasta, lentils in curries. More than anything, we’ve found the variety quite refreshing, and sometimes even a time saver (lentils, for example, cook in a snap).

Something we hadn’t yet tried was a vegetarian burger. While we do love our ground beef, we were curious about the texture of a non-meat patty. So, armed with a recipe from The Frugal Foodie Cookbook (thanks, Megan!), we cooked down onions, grated carrots and lentils until the mixture was of a pasty consistency. Though the recipe did not call for any spices, I added a touch of cumin and turmeric in an attempt to avoid a bland outcome (I couldn’t find a link to the recipe I used, but this one comes pretty close to it).

An egg and some breadcrumbs helped bind and solidify the mixture somewhat, and we were able to shape out four patties. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and into the oven they went, to, in the recipe’s words, “firm up”.

While the patties weren’t as unyielding as one made of meat, they were pretty dense, and the time in the oven crisped up the external layer of the lentil mixture. Served with a healthy squeeze of ketchup on a hamburger bun, their compacted nature made the burger substantial enough so I wasn’t left looking for more. Still, while the lentil burger was good on its own accord, it certainly could not be compared with the beef variety.

Lentil Burger (served with a side salad)

Maybe next time though, we’ll top it with bacon ;).

The Cooking Chronicles: Carrots Two Ways

Carrots are underappreciated, too often relegated to a mere supporting role in dishes – grated into salads, julienned into stirfrys, sliced into stews. So I was happy to come across two recipes that cast this versatile, humble vegetable into the spotlight.

Recipe 1: Spiced Carrot Soup

A Compliments Magazine recipe for spiced carrot soup was our first carrot-centric trial. With the addition of all spice, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon, we were in for a real aromatic treat. And while I should have left the food processor on a while longer for a smoother mixture, the final product was pretty good, satisfying in way that pureed soups always are.

Spiced Carrot Soup

Recipe 2: Allison’s Carrot Spread

The second recipe came from We Eat Together, the local cookbook storming bookstore shelves in Edmonton. I thought the recipe for Allison’s carrot spread (served with pita chips) would be a great dish to bring to a work potluck this week, held in celebration of Black History Month. I do my best to avoid the pre-lunch microwave/stove/oven reheating scramble, as anyone would once they realized the staff person-to-kitchen-space ratio at our office.

I had learned my lesson from the carrot soup, and ensured I left the food processor on for a few extra spins – the creamy smooth texture of the spread was evident even just looking at it. I probably went a bit too garlic-happy (not the best for a work setting), but blame the potency of the cloves from Peas on Earth, heh.

I loved the vibrant colour of the spread, and the amazing flavour that could come from just a handful of ingredients. Quick to prepare, great for parties.

Allison’s Carrot Spread

I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for more carrot-centric recipes!

The Cooking Chronicles: Pizza Stone Attempt #2

On Chris’s recommendation, our second pizza stone attempt revolved around a Peter Reinhart recipe for dough.

For starters, the recipe made enough dough for four 10 inch pizzas, which meant we had enough dough for another round of pizzas – a future dinner time saver! And though I was worried the dough wouldn’t rise (it didn’t double in size like Giada’s recipe), the bread turned out great. Mack, who was in charge of rolling out the crust, was a bit challenged at first, but with the aid of a rolling pin, was able to shape two thin crusts.

The recipe advised us to place a sheet of parchment paper underneath the dough prior to dressing the pizza, which would allow for easier transfer onto the preheated pizza stone. This was a very useful tip, as the paper also allowed for seamless transfer off of the pizza stone (we don’t have a pizza peel) – we simply pulled the paper (and pizza) onto a baking sheet.

Pizza Stone Product #2

We don’t usually marvel at how well recipes turn out, but on this occasion, we felt a small celebration was warranted. The crust was perfectly browned and crispy, and topped with tomatoes from Doef’s Greenhouse, and prosciutto and basil from the Italian Centre, it was undoubtedly one of the best pizzas we had ever made.

Thanks again Chris for the recommendation! I think we’ve found a keeper.

The Cooking Chronicles: Poached Halibut with Saffron

Our go-to method of cooking fish involves the oven, but lately, it seems we have been over-roasting everything. The dry, chalky flesh that results is unpleasant, and really, a sad waste of good fish. I was more than ready to seek out new cooking methods.

We had tried poaching fish before, using a pot on the stove, with moderately successful results. However, when I came across an Eric Akis recipe that involved poaching in a slow cooker, in broth instead of water, I was intrigued. My sister had given us a slow cooker for Christmas that we had yet to break in, so I was eager to kill two birds with one stone.

The recipe involved combining chicken stock, wine and orange juice with a number of aromatics and spices, including fennel and saffron. After simmering away on low for four hours, filets of fish would be added to the liquid for ten minutes. In our case, we used two beautiful pieces of wild halibut from Ocean Odyssey Inland.

To accompany the fish, a trip to the Old Strathcona Market had garnered carrots from Peas on Earth and parsnips from August Organics that I roasted with some baby potatoes we already had on hand. So simple, but so delicious – the tiny parsnip coins were my favourite, caramelized to candied perfection.

Exactly ten minutes and our entree was done, flaky and moist throughout. And in contrast to roasting, this technique is more forgiving, with a few additional minutes in the hot bath not likely to dry out the fish. The flesh had taken on both the rich, yellow hue of the saffron-infused broth, as well as the flavour. Although fennel, garlic and pepper had also been used to season the liquid, we couldn’t taste anything but the dominant saffron. For that reason, we’d likely choose a different flavouring agent next time, but would definitely attempt this cooking method again.

Poached Halibut with Saffron and Roasted Vegetables

Hurrah for new recipes!

Culinary Q & A with BruleeBlog

Occupation: I write, edit, do public relations, design websites, and dabble in a little bit of photography.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast, snacks and lunch were made up of oatmeal with soy sauce, leftover Chinese food from a banquet dinner (chicken and yi-mein/e-fu noodles), 2 bananas, and a handful of clementines. Not sure what dinner will be yet. Probably a salad.

What do you never eat?

Durian. I have tried it frozen, in ice cream, as candy, and fresh off the street in Malaysia, and I have given up trying to like that nasty, stinky, worse-than-dirty-gym-socks-washed-in-a-sewer fruit.

What is your personal specialty?

I don’t really think I have one.

Complete this sentence:

In my refrigerator, you will always find: vegetables and fruit, soy milk, a jar of The Jam Lady’s most excellent jam. Oh and processed cheese. I know, I should hang my head in shame.

What is your weekday meal standby?

An egg and cheese sandwich or a grilled cheese sandwich, both made with the aforementioned processed cheese and whole grain bread. If I am feeling guilty I will have a salad instead.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Le Creuset french oven.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Assuming that I would eat until I burst, I would have a big bowl of Penang assam laksa, a plate of roti canai, beef chow fun, har gow, turkey congee with the cooked heart and gizzard, grilled black cod with teriyaki sauce, a plate of salmon sashimi, smoked salmon, prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, lamb with rosemary, roasted beets, a bison cheeseburger, sweet potato/yam fries, a grilled cheese sandwich, a vanilla milkshake, and some chocolate mousse for dessert. (Did you notice the total lack of fruits and non-root vegetables?)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Probably Moxie’s. There’s a location near my home, and I’m a sucker for their steak and goat cheese salad.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I would have to say The Blue Pear. The food isn’t always absolutely perfect, but it is always innovative and interesting.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

Definitely Georgetown, in Penang, Malaysia. And I would eat my way through all the hawker stalls. In my opinion, street food always trumps fancy food.

Check out BruleeBlog’s website here.

The Cooking Chronicles: Gnocchi in Sage and Garlic Butter

In search of a rich but fast dinner idea, I remembered the package of gnocchi I had picked up from the Italian Centre a few weeks back (like Foodie Suz, I’m not yet at the stage of attempting my own gnocchi), and an Eric Akis recipe I had bookmarked some time ago.

Even though the directions were straightforward (and were written so the transfer and combination of ingredients could be timed perfectly), I still managed to cook the gnocchi too quickly and burn my garlic slightly. I also expected the gnocchi to plump up somewhat – but alas, the dumplings pretty much remained the same pre-bath size. It would have been fine, except I was expecting a larger output in the end – I think Akis’s “3-4 servings” was a bit exaggerated unless he meant for the gnocchi to act as a side dish.

Gnocchi in Sage and Garlic Butter

The sage and garlic flavours were quite prominent in the thin butter sauce, but I didn’t end up taking to the sage as much as I thought I would, and as a result, I’d be more likely to use thyme or oregano next time. Or, even better, make Gordon Ramsay’s gnocchi recipe that incorporates peas and a white wine cream sauce instead – yum. Regardless, I’m happy to have finally tried gnocchi at home – the pre-packaged variety makes it easy to satisfy any cravings for the pillowy potato dumplings.

The Cooking Chronicles: Tandoori Quesadillas

I love borrowing cookbooks from the library. And though I am not able to make more than one or two dishes in the time that I have the book (and yes, I usually take advantage of the option of multiple renewals), having time to peruse the recipes helps me determine if it’s a volume I’d like to permanently add to my collection.

Everyday Indian is a lovely publication, and one I first came across while browsing the shelves at the library. Written by Vancouver-based author Bal Arneson, the recipes capture Indian flavours with a North American slant, and to someone with limited kitchen expertise, didn’t seem overly complicated. Although some of her anecdotes seem misplaced and forced, the photos are bright and inviting, and make the book a breeze to read.

Mack loves quesadillas, so Bal’s tandoori version caught my eye. A quick stir-fry of onion, garlic and tandoori paste formed the flavour base, which was combined with chicken, some yogurt, then baked off in tortillas with mozzarella. The result? A spicy, slightly tangy quesadilla that was wholly satisfying – the yogurt mellowed the heat, and the sweetness of the onion added another dimension to every bite. It was an interesting departure from the salsa-based snack.

Tandoori Quesadillas

Paired with a salad, it’s a quick go-to meal, and one that we’ve made a few times since.

Culinary Q & A with Jennifer Cockrall-King

Occupation: Food writer

What did you eat today?

Apart from chocolate, you mean? While I do derive a significant amount of my daily caloric intake thanks to the stash of dark chocolate in my kitchen, today was a good food day. Breakfast was some peanut buttered toast with  tea. I’m not very motivated in the morning. But my husband and I had rack of lamb for lunch (!! I know) that we seared off in a frying pan and then plastered with a mash of chopped parsely, garlic, black olive tapenade, lemon zest and olive oil. We put the pan into the oven and let it cook some more until it was about medium. I don’t like rare lamb. We had a parsley salad with capers, thin onion slices, lemon juice and olive oil. (That’s a Nigella recipe from one of her shows and we simply call it “Nigella Salad” in our house.) We kind of eat big lunches in our house. Dinner was just soup because we were running out the door to see the Olympic torch relay.

What do you never eat?

I don’t think of myself as a picky eater, but neither am I a fearless omnivore. I don’t really like steak tartare. I detest liver. I’m not fond of foie gras, but I will eat it if it arrives on a plate and I’m at a dinner party. No brain, ever. No kidneys, heart, and other offal. I also don’t eat beef / beef products unless they are grassfed and grass-finished if possible. (I eat a lot of bison.) Oh, and I try really hard to not eat tuna, especially Blue Fin, and other absolute no-nos in the commercial fishing world. The fact that it tastes like heaven is not an argument to eat irresponsibly.  Most food I don’t eat are on a taste or texture ground, but I have a few items that I just don’t eat on moral or ecological grounds.

What is your personal specialty?

You can’t tell because this Q & A is not done in real time, but it is taking me a long time to answer. I guess I’m a generalist. I am better are savory dishes than sweet. I’m not a baker or a dessert-maker. I make a good French onion soup from scratch, because I’ll take hours to simmer and caramelize the onions. In the summer I make a really great roasted beet, fresh apricot and goat cheese salad with a shallot vinaigrette. It’s the best of summer all in one bowl.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

…half-full / half-empty jars of “impulse buys” like gourmet pestos, strange mustards, and pickled things and such. It’s a bit of a disaster because I have difficulty throwing stuff like that away, even if I don’t really like it as much as I thought I would when I bought it.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Caesar Salad with chicken. We make it from scratch so often that we usually just make a big jar of our homemade Caesar salad dressing and good quality Parmesan ready to roll. I’m pretty addicted to salads of all kinds because they are easy and I’ll use up little bits of leftovers — quinoa, green beans, steak, cheese — in my “salads.” They’re not just a few delicate leaves artfully arranged on a plate! Basically salads in our house may or may not contain leaves, but almost always contain cold leftovers.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

A wine-bottle opener for obvious reasons. After that, a good, sharp, heavy cleaver. It’s really satisfying to split a squash in half  in just one whack.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Well, if the world really is coming to an end, then Blue Fin Tuna it is!!! (Under those circumstances, I’m sure it would be OK.) My last meal — on the eve of global collapse — would involve several bottles of good (French) Champagne, a raw oyster buffet, pan-fried baby eggplant and baby artichokes with Maldon sea salt, Poplar Grove Bench Blue cheese, tree-ripe Okanagan peaches, plums, cherries, …

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Somewhere within walking distance of our condo. We’re lucky, we’re close to the new Skinny Legs and Cowgirls, Matahari, Famoso Pizzeria, La Shish-Taouk, Cafe de Ville and such. Further afield I like to try new places and I definitely prefer smaller places or independents like Culina, Wild Tangerine, Blue Pear (though it’s been waaayyy too long since I’ve been there) and many of the other “Original Fare” restaurants. The food is better, the atmosphere is better and the money goes into the pockets of other Edmontonians. That’s very important to me. Having worked at Hardware Grill for almost three years, the place is like going home.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

That’s totally impossible…and I’ll get in trouble if I name just one.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I would love to go to Turkey, Morocco, and southern Spain (are you listening, travel and PR companies???). Ha. No those are my dream culinary vacations and I would eat everything in my path while there. Except for brains and such (see above list of my ‘Don’t Eat” foods..) I was meant to live on or near to the Equator.

Slow Food Edmonton: Winter Solstice Supper

Valerie (aka A Canadian Foodie) is a valuable Slow Food Edmonton member, and is particularly outspoken when it comes to teaching children about good, clean and fair food. And as Mack and I found out on Saturday, she is also a host par excellence.

Valerie addresses the hungry masses

Valerie had the great idea of starting a series of Slow Food “solstice suppers” – informal opportunities to mingle and share a meal with other local Slow Food members – and offered to host the first event. So on Saturday, Mack and I joined about two dozen others at Valerie’s house with, of course, a dish in hand.

Gathering around the appetizers

I have made Giada de Laurentiis’s mini frittatas before, but this was my first time using duck eggs (from Greens, Eggs and Ham) and bacon (from Valbella). I also added mushrooms and the requisite Parmesan and parsley. Better served warm but fine at room temperature, they’re a great party appetizer that are both quick to assemble and bake off. And with duck instead of chicken eggs, I found them to be lighter and fluffier than usual!

Two-bite Frittatas made with Greens, Eggs and Ham duck eggs and Valbella bacon

The spread at Valerie’s was amazing – I would have been satisfied with consuming the cheese plate alone. But variety is the spice of life, and even in the dead of winter, it was fantastic to see the breadth of locally-procured goods utilized in all of the dishes. From the Gull Valley tomatoes in Valerie’s bruschetta to Sylvan Star Cheese in Maria’s potato gratin to bison sausage from First Nature Farms, it was clear that area producers still have much to offer right now.

Buffet

The star of the evening was undoubtedly the roast pig. Valerie and Vanja ordered the pig from one of Vanja’s friends, who obtains the pigs from Hillview Acres Farm then roasts them in stone ovens in his garage. The meat was very tender and moist, and as you can probably see from the photos, there was plenty to go around!

“Some pig”

Ready to eat

Though everything was delicious, I have to pay particular homage to Colleen and Vince’s bread. Two years ago, they built a wood-burning oven in their backyard, which enables them to make, among other things, crusty bread. They brought a sampling of loaves with them, and I really had to stop myself at three slices. I was lucky enough to score a small baguette to take home though – reheated this morning for breakfast, it was still superb.

Bread!

And dessert? Between David and Nicole’s moist-but-not-too-rich Bavarian torte and Valerie’s gorgeous cookies, we were made.

Around the dessert table

Valerie’s cookie trays

It was a nice touch that Valerie invited everyone to write out the name of their dish, including the names of local producers utilized, on cards to display next to the dishes – she is in the process of collecting recipes and once finished, will display them on the Slow Food Edmonton website.

Good food, good company #1

#2

#3

Thanks again to Valerie and Vanja for hosting such a great evening!

You can see my photoset here, and read Valerie’s post on the evening here.