JAMIE KENNEDY FRIES

The ACC is stepping it up!

Torontonians - there is a new food in town at the Air Canada Center. You can now add Toronto Chef Jamie Kennedy's famous fries to the menu! JK will be serving his signature menu item at his own fry stand on the third level of the ACC. These fries are famous across the city and have been served in all of his restaurants in the city. These famous fries are thick cuts of organic Yukon potatoes tossed with fine salt (for flavour), coarse salt (for texture) and thyme for a little switch-up! Served with chili mayonnaise or cider vinegar - these chips are the real deal. Served as a snack-sized portion in a paper cone!

"We’re raising the bar on stadium food,” says Kennedy. “We’re contributing to food culture in a way and this is a vehicle for us to reach out to more people.”


Will you give these top of the line fries a whirl? Move over peanuts and dogs, the fries are in town!
photo credit: toronto life

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Dear Food Network:

HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY!! Congratulations - keep up the excellent work!

To see more of Food Network over the years check them out HERE!!

photo credit: foodnetwork.ca

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS & GARLIC ROASTED TOMATOES

Tired of eggs and bacon? Looking for a way to spice up your weekend breakfasts or brunch. Well do I have the recipe for you! Zucchini Fritters with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes. A late lazy breakfast is one of the best parts about the weekend - and sometimes it is so nice to just stay in your pj's and cook at home! A delicious and different breakfast is a great start to any day - but is perfect for trying out when you have loads of time of the weekend. Here is the divine recipe from none other than the LCBO's FOOD&DRINK.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS (roasted tomato recipe below)

Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 c flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 and 1/2 c shredded zucchini, approx. one zucchini
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs - basil, tarragon or parsley (we used basil and parsley)
- vegetable oil

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 F - to keep fritters warm as you make them in batches
- Combine four, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, using a fork, whisk together eggs and yogurt. Stir in zucchini and herbs.
- Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture and combine with a fork just until evenly moistened.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in a thin layer of oil. Drop a heaping TBSP of batter for each fritter into pan (be careful not to crowd the pan) and flatten slightly.
- Cook for about 3 minutes or until dry around the edges and bottoms are browned. Flip over and cook for about 3 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer to plate in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil between batches if necessary.
Top hot fritters with roasted tomatoes*.

* ROASTED GARLIC TOMATOES

 

Ingredients:

- 8 deep red tomatoes

- 16 garlic cloves, unpeeled

- 1/4 cup olive oil (more if necessary)

- salt and pepper

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 F

- Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange, cut-side up, in a single layer in a large, ovenproof dish. Place a clove of garlic on each tomato.

- Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened and beginning to char slightly around the edges. (I usually do 30 minutes and then check on them)

- Remove and serve hot or warm. Squeeze the garlic out of its paper casing - and voila!

photo credit: my own

NOBU'S BLACK MISO COD

Mmmm an Asian inspired meal and the first time I have really cooked fish on my own! I have never been a huge fish lover, but black cod does happen to be one of my favourites! I am quite proud of my fish dish! It tasted buttery and flaky and perfect - almost as perfect as Ki's black miso cod!

To start the meal - what could be a better nibbly then edamame dipped in soya sauce. Edamame are delicious, nutritious and can be cooked in just three minutes! Perfect for a quick and easy appy.

Now to the main meal - the miso cod.

NOBU'S BLACK MISO COD

Ingredients: 
- 2-3 black cod fillets
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 4 tablespoons white miso pate
- 3 tablespoons sugar (I use brown, very good for carmalizing)


Directions:
-  Mix the marinate ingredients thoroughly in a plastic container (with lid) and set aside. Save some for plating purposes.
- Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and put them into the plastic container with the marinate. Cover the lid and leave to steep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but 1-2 will work as well.
- Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
- Preheat an indoor grill at the same time.
- Lightly wipe off (with fingers) any excess miso marinate clinging to the fish fillets but don’t rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill and lightly grill on both sides until the surface turns brown.
- Transfer the fish fillets to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Add a few extra drops of the marinate on the plate and serve hot.

For a good side dish, toss some green beans in soya sauce, and some toasted sesame seeds. Serve with a scoop of sticky rice and voila - a perfect Asian infused meal!


photos: my pictures

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Mmmmm with the fall and winter months approaching, what better comfort/soul food could there be than a homemade Shepherd’s Pie. This dish is truly the epitome of the world “comfort food.” Cottage Pie or as we know it – Shepherd’s Pie is a traditional English “meat pie.” The term cottage pie started around the 1800’s when potatoes were introduced as an edible crop affordable for those less fortunate. With the ability to cook with potatoes, cottage pie was a means of using leftover meats and incorporating this cheap produce.

After Labour Day I spent about another week at the lake, but it was no hot and sunny week. Cold and rainy - the perfect weather for a delicious, homemade Shepherd’s Pie. A delicious meal, and one that I didn’t even have to make!

Brennan’s Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients:
- 2 cans of creamed corn
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 10 peeled mashing potatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp cream cheese

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel potatoes and boil in hot water until fork tender.
- Once tender mash with butter, salt, pepper, milk and cream cheese until smooth (add more butter, milk or cheese to get desired consistency)
- In a pan on the stove, over medium high heat cook meat (season with salt and pepper) until brown.
- Drain grease before using.
- In a deep dish begin layering ingredients.
- First layer in the cooked meat.
- Second layer the two cans of creamed corn.
- Third layer the creamy mashed potatoes.
- Bake for 45-1 hr or until the top is golden brown and the pie is heated throughout.
- Serve warm with a little bit of butter on top of the potatoes!

photo credit: my own

PUMPKINS

A quintessential fall vegetable – the pumpkin: a gourd-like squash.

Pumpkin originates from the word pepon which is Greek for “large melon.” The French adapted the word to pompon and the British then changed it to pumpion before American colonists changed it to what we call it – pumpkin.

Funnily enough, the eldest pumpkin seeds are said to have been found in Mexico! Pumpkins are now grown worldwide for agricultural and commercial purposes. The U.S. produces 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins each year!! I’m sure the majority of these are sold throughout October and November! Not only are pumpkins versatile in their uses for cooking – but they are the decoration of Choice from Thanksgiving through to Halloween. A pumpkin is an important part of autumn and a sign that Halloween is right around the corner. A traditional staple of Canadian and American Thanksgivings, pumpkin pie! I love pumpkins for so many reasons – it means fall is here, they are perfect door or table decorations and they are delicious to eat! I especially love roasting pumpkin seeds !

PUMPKIN PIE SPICED PUMPKIN SEEDS
by Canadian Chef Michael Smith

Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Whisk the egg white, honey, spices and seasonings in a medium bowl until foamy.
- Add pumpkin seeds and toss well to coat evenly.
- Pour a single layer onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden and crispy.


photo credit: google images

CORN AND SHRIMP CHOWDER

Last night – while home sick I was lucky enough to have one of my friends bring over some homemade soul-food type chowder. And not a rich creamy calorie filled soup, but a health alternative to the classically fat chowders.
Corn and Shrimp Chowder by Jennifer Iserloh “Source-Secrets of a Skinny Chef.”

A healthy way to make chowder. Shrimp and corn go naturally together as they both have sweet mild flavours. Corn is necessary in any type of chowder and the shrimp provides the “meat” to the soup – making it into more of a dinner dish.

CORN AND SHRIMP CHOWDER

Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 slices turkey bacon, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne powder
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 32 ounce carton or can reduced sodium, fat free chicken broth
- 3 ears of corn kernels removed, or 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 1 found frozen shrimp, defrosted and peeled
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (if you would like a bit more creamier of a soup)

Directions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the bacon, onions, celery, carrots, garlic powder, cayenne and black pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes, until the onions and celery begin to soften.
- Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
- Cook 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- Add the corn kernels, half and half, cream cheese and shrimp.
- Simmer an additional 5 minuets until the corn is tender and the shrimp is cooked through.
- Serve immediately

Serve 8

Thank you Lauren!!
photo credit: skinnychef.ca

OLIVE OIL

I don’t think a single dish in Greece came with out some olive oil somewhere. Olive oil is an essential ingredient in Greek cooking as well as many other Mediterranean countries. There are over 750 million olive trees worldwide, 95% of those being in the Mediterranean region. Spain is the top producer of olive oil, but Greece holds 3rd with over 130 million olive trees which equal 350,000 tons of olive oil each year! Greece devotes 60% of their cultivated land to olive growing.

Olive oil is used in so many ways for cooking and has great health benefits – like favourbale effects on cholesterol, good omega-6 acids, vitamin E and antioxidants!
Get this – there is an International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) which is based out of Madrid. The council promotes olive oil worldwide by tracking production, defining quality standards and monitoring authenticity.

There are different retail grades of olive oil:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: come from virgin oil production only (oil was produced by use of physical means, with no chemical treatment)
Virgin Olive Oil: virgin production only
Pure Olive Oil: Usually a blend of refined and virgin production oil
Olive Oil: Lacks a strong flavour and is a blend of refined and virgin production
Olive Pomace Oil: refined pomace olive oil that is blended with some virgin oil. Very neutral flavour
Lampante Oil: Not suitable for food. Used for oil burning lamps
Refined Olive Oil: l has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes (characterized as defects) and neutralize the acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded as lower quality than virgin oil.

Well-made olive oil is delicious as is. As a dip for bread, drizzled over pasta or a pizza, over any type of salad, with mozzarella or feta cheese or on top an appetizer of tzatziki. Olive oil is such a multi-purpose cooking ingredient!

photo credit: google images

TIFF Teanie

Mixed drinks in teacups?? These new drinks of choice inspired by Prohibition and 1920’s parties of drunken debauchery are popping up all across the city! The newest way to drink a cocktail!

The Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York (Toronto) launched a new “teacup cocktail” last week for the opening of the Toronto International Film Festival. Named the “TIFF Teanie” this is the hottest new teacup cocktail. Featuring chilled organic jasmine tea, pear vodka, Galliano, freshly squeezed lemon juice and a dash on simple syrup served on the rocks in fine china with lemon zest and a scone. High tea move over!

TIFF TEANIE

Ingredients:
- 2 ounces chilled Fairmont organic jasmine tea
- 1 ounce pear vodka
- ½ ounce Galliano
- Dash freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Dash simple syrup

Directions:
- Garnish with fresh lemon zest and a fresh mint sprig
- Gently stir and serve on the rocks in fine china

photo credit: the globe & mail

GNOCCHI WIH RAPINI, PANCETTA & TOMATOES

The second part of our fabulous LCBO Food&Drink meal was gnocchi with rapini, pancetta and grape tomatoes. This pasta was equally as good as any gnocchi you would find at the Italian restaurants. It's such an impressive dish - perfect for entertaining or a date!

GNOCCHI WITH RAPINI, PANCETTA & TOMATOES

Ingredients:
- 1 bunch rapini (you can pretty much find this in any supermarket now!)
- 2 oz thinly sliced pancetta (mild or spicy Italian bacon would work as well)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (maybe 5 tbsp if you would like it to be a bit more saucy)
- 1/4 tsp hot chili flakes
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic gloves, minced
- generous pinch of salt
- 1 pkg store-bought potato gnocchi
- grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Trim and discard tough ends from rapini. Add rapini to boiling water and cook until tender - about 5 minutes -- Don't drain water.
- Remove rapini using tongs and place in a sieve. Press the rapini with the back of a large spoon to remove as much water as possible. Cut into thirds.
- Thinly slice pancetta into matchstick-size pieces.
- In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add pancetta and chili flakes.
- Cook just until pancetta starts to crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium high and add tomatoes, green onions, garlic and salt.
- Cook stirring, until the tomatoes begin to blister and burst - about 3 minutes.
- Add rapini to pan and stir.
- Keep warm while cooking gnocchi.
- If no longer boiling, bring rapini water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook according to package directions.
- Remove about 1/4 cup rapini/gnocchi water before draining and set aside. Then drain gnocchi.
- Add gnocchi to rapini mixture in the pan, stirring all ingredients together.
- If it sticks, stir in some of the reserved rapini/gnocchi water.
- Serve with grated cheese.

Serve 3-4.

BON APPETIT!


photo credit: my own