Recipes from our Brunch and Planning Meeting
Curried King Eryngii Mushrooms
2 TBSP Olive oil
1 lb Mini King Eryngii Mushrooms
Kosher Salt, to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 De Arbol Dried Chilies, crushed (more if you like heat)
1 TBSP Curry Powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
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Heat oil to smoking in a large bottomed pot. Add mushrooms and sear until dark brown but not burnt.
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Season with salt. Add crushed chili, minced garlic, curry powder and chicken stock all at once, and reduce heat to low.
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Cover and simmer until liquid is almost gone.
Can be served hot or cold.
King Eryngii mushrooms are local and organic from Champignons Le Coprin www.lecoprin.ca
De Arbol Chilies can be purchased from Chilly Chiles in Navan.
Made by Dave Neil
Carrot and Parsnip Latkes
2 carrots, peeled
5 parsnips, peeled
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. chives or green onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt and pepper, or to taste
oil for frying
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Grate the carrots and parsnips, and toss with flour, mix with other
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ingredients until evenly moist.Heat a little oil, peanut oil is a good choice, until just smoking. Drop in the batter by large spoonful and flatten. Reduce heat to medium and fry until brown on both sides.
Makes 16 to 18 two inch pancakes.
Made by Alette Willis
Recipe from Jewish Cooking in America
Vegetable Strata with Three Cheeses
16 slices of whole wheat bread, crusts removed
1/2 pound of chard or spinach, blanched and chopped
2 or 3 peppers red, yellow or mixed finely chopped ( I used frozen , from mygarden)
6 or 8 mushrooms finely sliced, your favourite
Balderson Old Cheddar cheese ( www.cheese.ca ) thinly sliced to layer or approximately 3 oz. grated 2 or 3oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Mix together 6 eggs, organic free range, if possible
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 hot red pepper, finely diced or 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce, to taste
2 cups milk ( or 3 cups and no cream)
1 cup cream
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Layer in a buttered casserole dish, bread to cover the bottom, peppers,cheddar, spinach, goat cheese, mushrooms, Parmesan, a second layer of bread, mushrooms, Parmesan, and cheddar.
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Pour the egg mixture over the top and press down lightly. Allow to sit a couple of hours or over night, covered in the fridge.
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Bake in a 350 oven for about an hour, or until brown and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.
This recipe can be adapted to the seasons. Try asparagus, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, sauteed zucchini, smoked wild salmon, sliced duck sausage, or seafood.. Change the cheese to your favourite local cheese.
Made by Peggy Hall
Gardens are now bursting with fresh sun-ripened fruit, vegetables and herbs. Treat these fabulous fresh ingredients as simply as possibly in order to not over power their suble flavours. Simple to make and refreshing to eat, try these on a hot day!
Slow and simple, inspired from my garden, made in my kitchen, enjoyed by my friends and family.
Peggy
There are many versions of this pungent soup. This is mine. Make up your own version with whatever you have fresh and on hand.
1 kg (2 lbs) of tomatoes, peeled
1 cucumber
1 zucchini
1 large onion
2 peppers (optional - one may be hot)
2 - 4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp herb or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups vegetable stock or tomato juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sea salt
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Roughly chop vegetables and process in batches using a little stock each time and at the end. Mix all together and check for seasoning. If mixture is too thick, thin with more stock or juice.
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Chill for several hours up to 2 days for flavours to blend.
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Garnish with herbs, feta, chopped hard boiled egg, shrimp, crotons, etc.
A great appetizer, soup or light main course on a summers day!
Green and Yellow Bean Salad
Fresh beans are so flavourful it is hard to believe that cultivated for 7000 years, first by the natives of Mexico and Peru, it was not until the 19th century in Italy did someone first eat the pod as a vegetable. Now the term 'bean' refers both to the edible pod and the seed, which is most often dried for storage then cooked.
1 kg (2 lbs) of green or yellow beans
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp extra-vigin olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
5 leaves of basil - preferably purple
salt and pepper to taste
Blanch beans in a large pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes until tender crisp. The fresher the beans the more quickly they cook. Drain and dress the beans while they are still hot adjust seasoning.
Serve hot, chilled or room temperature, great for a picnic, enjoy!
The following recipes are provided courtesy of the Red Apron.
Organic Greens with Goat Cheese & Poached Pear Salad - Serves 4
This salad makes a nice lunch portion, or can be served with a seared duck breast or confit of duck leg as a main course.
6 cups organic local greens *
2 medium size firm pears
1 cup white wine
1 cup sugarÃÂ
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cup waterÃÂ
1/2 cup olive oil or good quality canola oil**ÃÂ
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup Canadian chevre (Goat Cheese) ***ÃÂ
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
* Bryson Farms (www.brysonfarms.com) grows organic salad greens all year round.
** Orphee makes an organic canola oil that is wonderful for salads (www.maisonorphee.com).
*** C'estbon Cheese from St. Marys, Ontario, makes a wonderful soft unripened chevre.
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Peel and halve pears; remove core but leave stem if possible.
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In a saucepan over medium heat, combine white wine, sugar, water and cloves. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place pears in saucepan and make sure they are completely covered with liquid. If necessary add more water. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Remove cover, and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Remove pears from the liquid, and let cool. Reduce remaining poaching liquid by half and reserveÃÂ 1/4 cup of reduced liquid.
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Whisk reserved poaching liquid with white wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Set aside.
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Toast almonds lightly in pan.
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Toss greens with vinaigrette and separate onto four plates. Slice each pear and top each plate with pear, goat cheese and toasted almonds. Serve immediately.
Breast of Chicken Stuffed with Feta & Spinach - Serves 4
For the Stuffing
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 finely chopped small onion
3 teaspoons (10 ml) finely chopped garlic
4 cups (300 grams) finely chopped spinach
1 tablespoon (15 ml) finely chopped hers (basil, thyme)
1/2 cup (125 grams) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons (30ml) cream
4 boneless chicken breasts (250g each - local or organic preferred)ÃÂ
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Heat olive oil in a saute pan and gently saute onion, garlic, spinach and fresh herbs. When wilted, remove from heat, let cool and add crumbled feta and cream. Set aside.
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Trim, rinse and pat the breasts dry. Make a pocket in the thicker side of each breast. Using a sharp knife cut into the breast about 1/2 inch from the remaining three sides. Stuff each breast with about one half of the filling, distributing evenly throughout the pocket and to the ends. Press each breast to close the pocket.
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Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy 10" (25cm) skillet. When the oil is hot, place the breasts carefully in pan and cook until golden brown on each side.
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Transfer to a baking dish and bake until the chicken and filling reach 165F (74C) on an instant read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, and slice chicken on diagonal to serve. Drizzle with Salsa Verde. Serve with lightly dressed mixed organic greens, and Wild Mushroom Risotto.
Salsa Verde (makes 1 cup)
1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh cilantro
1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh spinach
2 tablespoons (30 ml) pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeledÃÂ
1/2 teaspoon (5ml) salt
3/4 cup (190 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
In food processor, combine all ingredients and process to a smooth spoonable consistency. Serve with Stuffed Chicken above.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
1/2 cup (125 ml) dried wild local mushrooms
4 cups (1 l) water
2 tablespoon (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) arborio rice
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine
2 tablespoons (30ml) chopped green onionsÃÂ
1/2 cup (125 ml) full cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons (45 ml) freshly grated parmesan cheese
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Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add dried mushrooms. Let stand for 15 minutes and strain mushrooms, reserving liquid.
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Heat the oil in a large, heavy based saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Saute over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the rice and coat in the oil. Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring, until the liquid has been absorbed. Roughly chop the soaked mushrooms and stir into the risotto. Add a ladleful of the reserved mushroom liquid and simmer, stirring again, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the liquid in this way, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is plump and tender.
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Add the green onions, parmesan and cream. Season with salt and pepper and serve. |
