Potato & Green Bean Salad

Here's a slightly different potato salad; no mayonnaise and lots of herbs. I'm saying 6 servings, but that would be as a side dish. We tend to eat it all ourselves, as our complete meal.

6 servings
45 minutes - 25 minutes prep time


Salad:
6 cups baby red-skinned potatoes
1 1/2 cups yellow wax beans
1 1/2 cups green beans

1/2 cup minced parsley
2-4 green onions, minced
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup minced fresh dill or basil

Wash and trim the potatoes, and cut them in half if they are larger, or leave them whole; the final result should be fairly uniform in size. Put them in a pot with water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, wash, trim and cut the beans into bite-sized pieces. Add them to the potatoes about 5 minutes before the potatoes are done.

Make the salad dressing in the salad bowl. Prepare the parsley, green onions and dill or basil, but keep them separate at this point.

When the potatoes and beans are done, drain them and rinse them briefly in cold water. Drain well and toss them with the salad dressing. Let them sit for 10 minutes or so, to soak up the dressing and cool down. Now mix in the chopped herbs. Serve at room temperature.

Dressing:
1/4 cup sunflower seed oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, ground
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large salad bowl.

Jerk Burgers

I didn't actually make these this week, as my crazy times continue, so I pulled this photo from my archive. I sure wish I could have had one though! Would have been great, sitting outside with a burger, some salad and some grilled corn. Soon, maybe...

4 servings
40 minutes - 20 minutes prep time



Spice Mixture:
2 teaspoons allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Toast the allspice berries in a dry skillet until fragrant and lightly browned. Grind them with the black peppercorns, and mix all the seasonings together in a large bowl.


To Make the Burgers:
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup minced chives
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 lb ground turkey or lean ground pork
1 egg
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

By fresh breadcrumbs I mean crumbs you make yourself with stale bread, just not those dusty floorsweepings you can buy in a tub.

Peel and mince the garlic, and mince the chives. Add them to the seasonings with the vinegar, meat, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix well - I find it much the easiest to do it with my hands. Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts, and form them into patties.

Fry or broil them on both sides over medium heat until done (the juices will be clear if you poke them.) The exact time will depend on which meat you use and how thick you make the patties. Turkey will cook quicker than the pork, and be sure not to overcook it or it will be dry.




Last year at this time, I made Hilda's Summer Borscht - a family favourite of my sweetie.

Summer Pudding

Summer Pudding is a classic English dessert. The method is extremely simple, and like all extremely simple recipes it requires the best quality ingredients possible, as there is nothing to distract from the mediocre.

In particular, you need to be careful about the bread. I used a lovely brioche from Golden Hearth Bakery, which was perfect for this. A good challah (egg bread) would be a fine choice. A firm sandwich bread, white or lightly whole wheat is the classic choice. It can't be too dense and heavy, but anything overly soft and processed will be a disaster, and turn to goo. Stale bread will work, but firmness through staleness is not enough - the bread must have character to start with, or it will not hold up, stale or not.

8 servings
20 minutes prep time; 6 to 8 hours to set


I made mine in a 9" springform pan, but you can use a shallow bowl or other baking pan as seems appropriate.



1 loaf brioche (about 8 slices)
OR other egg bread or sandwich bread

3 cups blueberries
3 cups raspberries
OR 6 cups other mixed berries
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cranberry juice

Line the mold you have chosen as neatly as you can with plastic film. Cut slices of bread to fit the mold, and line the bottom of it with the bread in a single layer. It is your choice whether to include the crusts or not.

Rinse and pick over the berries. Put the blueberries or other sturdy-skinned berries, if using, in a pot with the sugar and cranberry juice and cook over medium heat until the berries burst. Add the remaining softer berries (of the raspberry type) and continue cooking until just soft and juicy - don't overcook. If you are not using blueberries, all the fruit can go in at the beginning. Again, it should not so much be cooked as heated until the sugar is dissolved and the fruit is beginning to fall apart.

Ladle the fruit evenly over the prepared bread, reserving most of the juice for the next layer of bread. Top the existing layer of bread and fruit with another layer of bread cut to fit, and press down gently. Drizzle the remaining juice evenly over the top bread layer, making sure there are no bits left unsoaked.

Cover the pudding with another layer of plastic film, and put a weight on it. Chill it for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

To serve, unwrap and unmold the pudding. Serve it in slices with yogurt or whipped cream.





Last year at this time, I made Lentil, Roasted Onion & Spinach Salad, and Potato & Pepper Hash with Corn & Cheese.

Three Sisters' Salad

Which, let's face it, is another bean salad. This is one that I usually make for pot-lucks, as it makes an awful lot of salad. On the other hand, it keeps for several days in the fridge, and is thus handy for lunches on days when you don't want to cook. If you are going to do that though, keep the tomato out of it and add it at the last minute.

12 servings
30 minutes




Salad:
2 cups corn kernels (2 or 3 cobs)
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium zucchini, grated
2 medium carrots, grated
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup chives, minced
1/2 cup parsley, minced (or cilantro if you prefer)
1 540-ml (19 ounce) can black beans
1 540-ml (19 ounce) can red kidney beans
1 540-ml (19 ounce) can chickpeas

Cut the corn from the cobs, and cook it in boiling water briefly, about 5 minutes. Drain well and cool.

Mix it with the tomato, peeled and diced, the grated zucchini and carrots, the diced celery and minced chives and parsley.

Drain the beans, and rinse and drain them well. Add them to the salad.


Dressing:
1/4 cup sunflower seed oil
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon savory
1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed

Grind the cumin and celery seed. Whisk together the dressing ingredients, or shake them together in a jar, and toss into the salad.




Last year around this time, I made Roasted Pepper, Tomato & Bean Salad - no escaping those beans - Curried Russian Salad, and Raspberry Cream & Chocolate Wafer Pudding.

Hodja Nasrudin and the Pilgrim

About a year ago, I delved into the stories of the Hodja Nasreddin, which I found a useful source of material for First Day (Sunday) School lessons. I've had one of them floating around in my head all week, so I'm going to share it here, even though it has nothing to do with food. It sure has a lot to do with my week.

Hodja Nasreddin was a folk character - or maybe he really existed - in middle-eastern mythology, who was a fool and a buffoon - or maybe he was wise and crafty - who lived the simple life of a peasant in a village, although he found time to consult to kings as well. At any rate, the stories and jokes that surround his life are short, simple, pithy and pointed - although amazingly rich and complex in meaning. There are thousands of them, and they are still being made today.

Here is the story of the Hodja and the Pilgrim:

The Hodja* was returning home from Mecca, when he met another pilgrim coming along the road, who was going to Mecca. They stopped to chat, as fellow pilgrims will. The other pilgrim asked the Hodja, "What are the people like in the next town? How can I expect that they will treat me?"

The Hodja scratched his beard. "Hmm, tell me - what were the people like in the last town you were in?"

"Oh, Hodja, they were horrible!" replied the pilgrim. "They were dishonest and cruel. They cared nothing that I was on pilgrimmage. In fact, they were so bad that I was lucky to escape them with my life!".

"Alas!" said the Hodja sadly. "I'm afraid you will find that in the other town they are exactly the same!"





* In fact, that's what Hodja means; it's a title given to one who has made the pilgrimmage, although "The" Hodja seems to be this fellow Nasrudin. (Yes, there are several different spellings.)

Fried Cauliflower, Mexican Style

A dish I remember from my childhood! It makes a great appetizer, and that's a good way to get it to the table in a timely manner. It would also make a good vegetarian main course, served with some rice and beans and green salad.

The cauliflower can be boiled in advance, but the final frying needs to happen right before it is to be served.

2 to 3 servings
25 minutes - 10 minutes prep


1/2 of a small cauliflower, about 3 cups when broken into florets

1 extra-large egg
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or savory
pinch of sea salt
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon flour

1/2 cup plain vegetable oil for frying

Trim the cauliflower and cut it in slices, or large florets. If the florets are too large to lie in a frying pan nicely, cut them in half. Boil the cauliflower in salted water until just barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and let cool. You can use leftover cauliflower, but it should not be chilled - bring it up to room temperature before proceeding.

Beat the egg with the seasonings and the flour. Be sure all the lumps are out of the flour. Put the oil in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. While the oil is heating, soak the cauliflower pieces in the egg mixture, turning them to cover them on all sides. Lay them in the hot oil and cook until browned on all sides, turning them as necessary. Pour any remaining egg mixture over them as they cook. They will be cooked in about 5 minutes.

Remove the cauliflower pieces from the oil and drain them on paper towel. Serve hot.





Last year at this time, I made Spaghetti with Pea and Garlic Scape Pesto with Mint, and Not Exactly Graham Crackers.

Almond-Orange Tart with Sweet Cherries

This gets two pictures, because it is just so damn good. I tend to make it just once a year, but it's a tradition and a landmark. I don't do much cooking with sweet cherries; the perfect sweet cherry recipe is to sit out on a shady porch on a sunny day, start popping them in, and spit the pits over the railing. If you can't do that, you can try this instead.

I think it would work well with other fruit; peaches, apricots or plums, raspberries, blueberries; they'd all be good. I haven't tried making this with brown rice flour instead of wheat flour, but I suspect it would be a good candidate for that change, if necessary.

In the past I have always pitted cherries before cooking with them. I have finally rebelled. It occurs to me that I want to spend less time cooking and more time eating - we are both notorious bolters - and that leaving the pits in would help achieve this aim. So far, so good. Just warn people, and I wouldn't leave them in if the tart is to be eaten by very small children.

6 to 8 servings
1 hour - 20 minutes prep time


You need one of those big, shallow tart pans with a removable bottom, 11" across.


1 cup finely ground almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soft pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
4 cups (450 grams, 1 pound) sweet cherries, pitted or not

Butter the bottom and sides of an 11" tart pan. Line the bottom with buttered parchment paper. The cherries should be washed and drained well, and the stems removed before you start. If you wish them to be pitted, you should do that too. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the ground almond, sugar, flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Wash the orange carefully, dry it, and grate in the orange zest.

Melt the butter, and set it aside.

In another little bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. Beat in the orange juice. When the butter is cooled enough that it won't cook the eggs, beat it in with them as well.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the tart pan, and spread it evenly to the edges.

Scatter the cherries evenly over the batter, and press them down gently.

Bake the tart at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and firm. Let cool before removing it from the pan.





Last year around now I made Dill Pickles by the Jar, Leeks & Spinach, and Broccoli Stem, Cabbage & Carrot Stir Fry.

A Visit to Shepherd's Watch Hundred Mile Market

We were driving through Arthur last weekend, when we saw a sign on a big old barn-shaped building on the main street, that said "Shepherd's Watch 100 Mile Market." Well, you know what that meant! Screeeech!



A closer look showed that they were also a café with seats on the front deck which was adorned with baskets of hanging plants.


There are tables inside as well. As you may suppose by their name, they have a particular interest in the all the various products that are possible with sheep. The blankets come from Belle Vallee Wools. I suspect that's a bit further than 100 miles, but nice to see anyway - I don't know of any other mill in Ontario producing all-wool blankets with locally produced wool.


They also have lots of naturally coloured wools and sheepskins, as well as a judicious selection of interesting yarns from further afield.


One of the Belle Vallee tartan blankets.


You could have some cosy, colourful toes this winter.


Shepherd's Watch is owned by Lynda Sauve and Carol Sampson, who run a farm and sheep dairy of the same name. They produce all-natural sheep cheeses, as well as lamb, milk, yogurt, wool, yarn, blankets, sheep skins, and other wool products. They are available at the Guelph Farmers Market and the Kitchener Farmers Market as well.


The 100 Mile Market carries a range of other meats as well, from local farmers. Does all this remind you a bit of the 100 Mile Market in Meaford? Lynda and Carol consulted with the folks in Meaford before opening their store. I hope this is a pattern we will see more often.


There was a small but nice selection of vegetables. At the time of this visit, the market has been open for only 2 months. Lynda Sauve and Carol Sampson are continuing to add products as the market becomes more known.


Their veggies included these wildly-coloured cauliflowers.


Jams from Mount Forest, honey from Fergus, vinegar and apple butter from Wellesley...


As well as a good selection from Grass Roots Organics mill in Desboro. They make pasta, which can be hard to find.

We snacked on a freshly-made and tasty sandwich, a very good pepperette and a very rich and gooey butter tart while we were there. (I didn't get a picture, but they had a small but tempting selection of baked goods.)

The Shepherd's Watch 100 Mile Market and Café is located at 211 Smith Street in Arthur. Their phone number is 519-848-2228. They are open Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Maple Pudding

The final jar of cherries from last year met their end here, and a happy end it was. The tart, zingy cherries were a great foil to the smooth, sweet pudding. If you haven't got any canned cherries, I suggest sprinkling the pudding with fresh berries; raspberries being the ones that come to mind in particular. And of course, there's always whipped cream.

Use the darkest, lowest grade maple syrup you can find for this pudding. In fact, that's the grade you want in general for cooking and baking. It's the only one with a flavour strong enough to be diluted and mixed with other flavours and still come through. It can be damn hard to find though, I'm afraid. When you do find it, you should stock up.

4 servings
15 minutes


4 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
2 cups milk or soymilk
pinch of salt
1/2 cup dark maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the arrowroot or cornstarch into a heavy-bottomed pot, or a microwaveable dish. Slowly stir in the cold milk or soymilk until the starch is completely blended in. Stir in the salt and maple syrup.

Cook the pudding over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Alternately, cook it for 3 minutes on high in the microwave, then stir it. Continue cooking it for a minute or two, stirring each time, until thickened.

Once the pudding is thick, stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool and chill, in a large bowl or individual serving dishes if prefered.

More on Dill Pickles

Don't forget it's time to make dill pickles! I'm sad because I don't think I'm going to have time to make any this year. I may get dis-owned too; I've given pickles to my Dad for Christmas for years now. Anyone want to make me some pickles? Here's the recipe - you can pickle the usual cucumbers, or beans and carrots are tasty and colourful too.

Russian Tarragon Pickles

I know there are some people out there who may not like dill, but do like tarragon. A few years back I was intrigued by this recipe from a 1970's cookbook published by Mir. They pickled nicely, but did indeed taste of tarragon (one of the few herbs I really don't like; yes, I know it's a character flaw, but there it is. Give me dill anyday.)

At any rate, now is the time to be making pickles. If you prefer dill pickles, see the recipe I posted last year for Dill Pickles.

2 quarts
2 hours prep time, not counting 6 weeks to ferment


2 quarts (litres) pickling cucumbers
4 cups plain white vinegar
3 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons pickling salt
4 to 8 sprigs of fresh tarragon
8 to 12 cloves of garlic
2 to 4 mild red chile peppers

Scrub the cucumbers very well, and set them aside to drain.

Put the jars in a canner, add water to cover them by 1", and bring them to a boil; boil for 10 minutes.

When the jars are lifted out and emptied, add 2-3 cloves of garlic and the pepper (half of one if they are on the large side) to each jar, as well as 1 or 2 sprigs of tarragon. Stuff each jar as full of cucumbers as you can get it.

Make a brine of the vinegar, salt and water, by heating them together until the salt dissolves, and pour it over the cucumbers. Seal with sterilized lids.

Set aside for 6 weeks in a cool dark spot before trying. Keep refrigerated once opened.

A Woman Cleaning Lentils

A lentil, a lentil, a lentil, a stone.
A lentil, a lentil, a lentil, a stone.
A green one, a black one, a green one, a black. A stone.
Suddenly a word. A lentil.
A lentil, a word, a word next to another word. A sentence.
A word, a word, a word, a nonsense speech.
Then an old song.
Then an old dream.
A life, another life, a hard life. A lentil. A life.
An easy life. A hard life. Why easy? Why hard?
Lives next to each other. A life. A word. A lentil.
A green one, a black one, a green one, a black one, pain.
A green song, a green lentil, a black one, a stone.
A lentil, a stone, a stone, a lentil.


Zahrad