FALL PUMPKIN-CORN SOUP

The LCBO Magazine has done it again! Last night my mom and I whipped up two fantastic recipes from their Fall 2010 edition. The first is the fall pumpkin-corn soup and the second, gnocchi with rapini, pancetta & tomatoes.

Coming off a summer veggies high, I am not quite ready to give up my favourites - like corn. Local Ontario corn is where it's at, and this recipe allows for even more cooking with the delicious sweet corn but with a fall twist. This soup is so warm and comforting, perfect for an autumn night. It has a nice bit of heat to it with the cumin and chili!


FALL PUMPKIN-CORN SOUP

Ingredients:
- 8 ears of corn, shucked or 4 cups frozen corn kernels
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp seeded and minced fresh hot chili (chili flakes will work as well)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 4 cups diced, peeled, seeded pumpkin
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp finely rated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
- With a sturdy serrated knife, cut kernels from ears of corn. Set corn kernels aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is softened but not brown.
- Add garlic, ginger, chili and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add pumpkin to pot, stirring to coat with onion mixture.
- Add stock and half of corn kernels. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until pumpkin is very tender.
- In a blender, or hand held mixer, blend soup in batches until smooth
- Stir in remained corn kernels.
- Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or so until corn kernels are tender.
- Stir in lemon zest, juice and cilantro.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a few corn kernels.

Serves 6 - 8

ENJOY!


photo credits: my own

MARKETS

One of the things I love most about being Europe are the fresh street markets. They are EVERYWHERE! In neighbourhoods, in city centers, everywhere you go you are bound to find some sort of fresh food market or stand. Fresh and good produce can't be beat. I don't think we could have ate any more peaches on our Greece trip than we did. Morning noon and night we ate peaches, because wherever we were during the day - we always found fresh fruit!

Here are some of my favourite food shots from the markets:

photo credit: my own

TZATZIKI

Is there any better dip than tzatziki?? Pronounced: tat-zik-y, a Greek specialty and delight! After two weeks in Greece, I'd have to say that it is the best!

Tzatziki is a traditional Greek sauce made from strained yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, pepper, and lemon juice (some variations use dills, parsley or mint). Tzatziki is always served cold and usually is served with pita, souvlaki, or gyros.

Tzatziki is creamy and refreshing. It is perfect as a dip with pita, but I would truly put it on anything! It's delicious with pork/chicken/lamb souvlaki, fried calamari, and even better on a bite of saganaki. Being in Greece was wonderful as we had fresh tzatziki at each restaurant. I could just eat this stuff by the spoonful it's so good! Ask the girls I was traveling with, I was obsessed! It was great to see how each restaurant put their own twist on the delicious dip! It is served best drizzled with a bit of olive oil on top! You can pretty much buy tzatziki in any grocery store, but there is something so fresh making it yourself - try it out!

TZATZIKI by Ina Garten

Ingredients:
- 1 pound (1 pint) plain yogurt (whole milk or low fat)
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon good olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
- Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl.
- Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt; place it in another sieve, and set it over another bowl. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain.
- Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl.
- Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt.
- Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Garnish with an olive and a slice of cucumber

photo credit: google images

SAGANAKI

I don't think I could go to Greece and not blog about SAGANAKI. I am truly obsessed with this Greek dish - ask anyone I travelled with! I was always on the hunt for a good Saganaki, and luckily on our last night we had the best one!

Saganaki is the name for the popular pan-seared cheese appetizer found all over Greece. The cheese is usually kefalograviera, kasseri, kefalotryi or sheep's milk feta. The cheese is melted in a hot frying-pan until it bubbles. It is then brought to the table in the hot pan (sometimes on fire!) and then doused with a fresh lemon. In more westernized Greek cuisine, Saganaki is flambeed at the table with brandy (usually with a shout of OPA!) and then put out with the traditional lemon. I cannot describe to you how delicious saganaki truly is. The cheese is perfectly warm and oozing. Saganaki is served with bread, but I loved to eat mine with some tzatziki!

Mussels saganaki is a variation of the saganaki dish and one of the best dishes I ate in Greece! The mussels are mixed into a saganaki based spicy tomato sauce! Just delicious!

photo credit: kb & google images

LONDON CALLING

My wonderful vacation started off in London, England. Home to bangers&mash, mushy peas and PIMMS. However, luckily this trip had some excellent food finds!

On our first night in London, we were quite jet lagged but famished none the less. We had a recommendation for this really cool restaurant that had tables not only only on the ground when you walk in, but also up above - tree fort styles. We checked the location and it was RIGHT at the end of the street - serendipitous I'd say! BUONA SERA is the restaurant on the King's Road in Chelsea, London. Not only was the atmosphere extremely cool and unlike any other restaurant I'd been too (as I felt like I was up above in a cool tree top table) but the food ended up being delicious! Great bruschetta and delicious risotto's!

On our next day in London after shopping about Oxford St. we were looking for something on-the-go for lunch. Wandering is usually the best tactic for that, so as suspected we came across a great little outdoor market and to-go type places. The sandwhich place we stopped was incredible and I could not believe they were selling it on the street! They needed their own bakery. They had dozens of sandwhiches, fresh baguettes, delicious mini desserts and soup. We had a taster of the "Wild Mushroom Soup" (made with real field mushrooms) and we had to have it! My sandwhich was top notch - a Vietnamese sub with pork, cilantro, pickled cucumber, onions and a light dressing on a delicious piece of baguette! Just what anyone on the go would love to enjoy.

That wraps up my best food finds for London, now on to the main attraction -- GREECE!

I'M OFF..

I am off for two weeks of vacation - London & Greece! I probablly won't have much time to blog, because I will be too busy eating new food, trying new restaurants and discovering new culinary finds which I will obviously blog about once I'm back! Stay tuned!!

GIDDY UP

I was reading The Dish by Toronto Life and came across this interesting new piece of "furniture." Comfier than a log at a campire, this little saddle stool was designed for the cottage campfire. The stool called, "BRONCO" by Extremis is a modern stool meant for cottage weekends. The ergonomic design of the saddle shape promotes good posture, the beer holder is just an extra plus and the handle makes it easy to carry from the car or dock.

Check out these stools at Plan B in Toronto (195 Davenport Rd., 416-941-1010).
Giddy up!!


photo credit: torontolife.com

NUT BUTTER

Cream cheese, butter, nutella, jam…typical spreads for the morning toast. However do you ever get sick of enjoying a nice piece of healthy multi-grain toast and realize that it is smeared with just fat and unhealthy spreads? “Nut Butter’s” are a healthy alternative to the traditional spreads that we are so used to. The name is a bit deceiving because nut butters actually contain no butter, and are made with real nuts, some sort of oil, and usually something like honey as a sweetener (or sugar – but never a lot!). Nut butters are extremely rich in protein, fiber and the essential fatty acids. They are loaded with minerals and antioxidants and can actually help with lowering the risk of heart diseases.

Nut butters are perfect for those with allergy worries, fat fears or calorie counting. The taste is the pure essence of the featured nut or seed, and just truly so enjoyable. They are often less smooth then the traditional Kraft Peanut Butter, but the texture and real flavour make it that much more exciting!

There are so many different nut butters available such as pistachio, walnut, cashew, pecan, almond, hazelnut, sunflower seed, soybean, and pumpkin seed. Nut butters should be stored in a cool place until opened and then refrigerated after that. Most nut butter’s ingredients will separate when not in use, so don’t be surprised when there is a layer of oil sitting at the top when you open it. Fear not – all you need is a little elbow grease to work it back in. Next time you are in you're grocery store or at a local market – ask for directions to the nut butter aisle, try one out! I guarantee it will be a great (and healthy) alternative toy our morning cream cheese or butter!!

Emril Lagasse’s Homemade Cashew Butter

Ingredients:

- 2 cups unsalted roasted cashews

- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

- ¼ tsp salt

- 1 tsp sugar (optional) or honey

Directions:

- In a food processor or blender, combine the nuts, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the salt, and the sugar, if desired.
- Process on high speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and process to desired smoothness, adding more oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, if a smoother butter is desired. Adjust the seasoning, to taste
- Transfer to a bowl to use as a dip, spread, or in other recipes, or place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

photo credit: google images

A BUTTERY BLEU

A buttery blue given the title of a bleu able to convert any into a bleu cheese lover. Made by Fromagerie La Moutonniere in Quebec, Mr. MacKenzie and Ms. Giroux co-own the sheep farm/cheese making company in Ste-Hélène de Chester. Until just recently the pair had been making 10,000kg of cheese just out of Ms. Giroux’s basement! But they have finally opened a full-scale cheese plant producing this buttery bleu.

As I have not yet tried this creation I can’t give you my take on taste – however I am very eager to try it as I am not a fan of bleu cheese, but I am looking for something that will convert me! I hope this is it.
Here is the review of the cheese by The Globe and Mail’s Sue Riedl:

“If you like blue cheese (and even if you think you don't), the mellow, buttery flavours of this one will bring your palate happiness. Visually this is a beauty for the cheese board. The rind is the definition of rustic – rough like craggy tree bark or the weathered exterior of a reef. The paste is creamy yellow, and slightly dappled as it ages. The veining is greenish blue. It smells rich with a soft, earthy pungency. Like its fragrant “nose” it delivers big flavour, nicely rounded and not sharp. Wonderfully salty but well balanced, you immediately crave more. This is not a mild blue but it is more complex than aggressive. The linger features vegetal notes and some sweetness along with the tang of a cultured cream.”

Does it not sound incredibly tempting? And what better words to use to entice a reader then butter and cream!!

Fromagerie La Moutonniere

3456 Principale, Ste-Hélène de Chester

Québec, Canada, G0P 1H0

(819) 382-2300

http://www.lamoutonniere.com/

photo credit: lamoutonniere.com

WATERMELON

 

Watermelon was one of my favourite snacks as a kid - especially in the summer. My mom would always have watermelon cut up after school, and it was always just so delicious. While I only loved eating it plain when I was younger, I now love to enjoy watermelon in so many different ways!

The first watermelon was harvested about 5,000 years ago in Egypt. Watermelons were often placed in Kings of Egypt's burial tomb in order to "nourish" them in the afterlife. Today, there are over 1,200 varieties grown in over 96 countries worldwide. Watermelon is 92% water, a lycopene leader, full of vitamins A, B6 and C, and heart healthy (low in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol). Watermelon is the most consumed melon!

Here are two twists on how to serve the ever popular watermelon!

Jamie Oliver's Watermelon & Feta Salad

Ingredients: Serves 6
- 180g feta crumbled
- A bunch of mint leaves, torn in shreds
- 500 g of watermelon, in chunks
- 1 small red onion finely sliced
- extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

- Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle over a little extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Rob Feenie's Watermelon Appetizer by Mark McEwan

Ingredients: Yields 20
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 watermelon, ripe, seedless
- 1 cup pistachio nuts, shelled and toasted

Directions:

-  Place balsamic in a small saucepan and reduce by just over half. Add sugar and cook until dissolved.
- Take a small amount of reduction and spoon it onto the plate. If the balsamic looks watery, reduce it further. The reduction should look like thin syrup on the plate, once it’s cooled.
- Cool and store in the fridge until ready to use. Will keep for months!
- Slice the watermelon into cubes that will fit on a small serving spoon.
- Drizzle some balsamic on the watermelon and garnish with some chopped pistachios.

photo credit: foodnetwork.ca & google images