Bacon, Zucchini and Asparagus Pasta

Food in a flash was the title that caught my eye in the October issue of Australian Good Taste magazine.  I'm a fan of simple, wholesome food prepared with minimal time in the kitchen and this dish is ready in 15 minutes!  And, look at all the vegetables in one dish.  Did you know that asparagus has strong cleansing effects on the kidneys and bladder? Asparagus flushes out acid wastes so fast that you can smell the ammonia in your urine shortly after eating it. Perhaps that's why it's called, "The Stinky Vegetable"!  Zucchini is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C and a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, fiber, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus.  Parsley is sometimes regarded as just a lonely table garnish but it packs a ton of healing properties.  Check this site out for more details.


Serves 4
recipe from Australian Good Taste
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300g dried angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
125g bacon, thinly sliced
3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1cm lengths
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
75g (1/4 cup) cream cheese
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (roughly chopped if you like)

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente.  Drain.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat.  Cook bacon, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add anchovy and cook for 1 minute or until it dissolves.  Add the zucchini, asparagus and garlic.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.  Add the tomato, cream cheese and lemon juice.  Simmer 1-2 minutes or until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the pasta and parsley and toss to combine.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  As Jamie Oliver would say:  "Easy Peasy"!!  The salt from the anchovies and smokey flavor from the bacon are flavors that seem mingle well with the other ingredients.

Molasses and Maple Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée (French for "burnt cream") is also known as crema catalana (Spanish) or Trinity cream (English).  It is a rich dessert with a custard base and a hard caramel top which is created by caramelizing sugar under the broiler or using a blowtorch. The custard base is normally flavored with just vanilla, but it can be enhanced with other flavors such as lemon, cardamom, orange, cinnamon, coffee, rum, Amaretto etc.  This recipe is from Opera Bistro and is another wonderful recipe from the book, Molasses Inspirations.

Serves 6
recipe from Opera Bistro
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500ml (2 cups) whipping cream
6 egg yokes
15ml (1 tablespoon sugar)
30ml (2 tablespoons) maple syrup
30ml (2 tablespoons) molasses
125ml (1/4 cup) sugar to sprinkle on individual ramekins

Preheat oven to 150c (300f).  Boil whipping cream.  Combine egg yokes, sugar, maple syrup and molasses.  Pour hot cream over egg mixture and stir to combine.  Fill a pan with hot water (bain marie).  Divide custard into 6 ramekins and place in pan.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Let cool.  Sprinkle sugar between the 6 ramekins and then caramelize the sugar with a blowtorch or place under the grill until the sugars melt into a golden brown color.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  The flavors of maple and molasses help to make this an irresistible dessert.  Make sure there are no bubbles when the cream is mixed into the egg mixture.  If you do get bubbles, strain and then divide between ramekins.  So little effort is involved to make a sensational dish!

Halloween Candy Apples

Halloween is celebrated every October 31st and has roots in the Celtic festival, Samhain (old Irish meaning "summer's end").  The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the after world became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honored and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces.   Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America during Ireland's Great Famine of the 1840s.

It's interesting to note that the Chinese have a similar festival every August called, Festival of The Hungry Ghosts. This is when the spirits of the dead wander the earth. During this inauspicious time they suspend all important activities and decisions.  To appease these ghosts, food is offered to keep them happy and away from their homes.  The Festival of the Hungry Ghost also shares some similarities with the predominantly Mexican observance of Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos).

In Canada, it's a time for children of all ages, adults too, to dress up and go trick or treating in your neighborhood.  Some adults will hosts parties and night clubs will have a themed Halloween night, but the vast majority will be out wandering the streets on the night of the 31st.  I am new to the neighborhood and my neighbors told me that I can expect around 150 kids to come to the front door looking for treats!  It's the wee ones I get a kick out of because of what they're wearing and that they don't really know why they're out but they do know that every home offers them candy of sorts.

Makes 8-10 medium sized apples
recipe from Matt Bites
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8-10 wooden twigs, twimmed
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup of water
several drops of cinnamon flavored oil
1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring
1/4 teaspoon of black food coloring

Clean and dry the apples. Try to remove as much of the wax as possible. If you purchase them from your local farmer’s market then chances are they have not been treated with the food grade wax that makes then shine. Remove any stems or leaves and insert a twig into the end of each apple. To facilitate easier twig entry you can carefully sharpen the end of the twig or use a candy stick to create a guide hole. Set apples aside.

Heat and stir sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Don’t go over 310f degrees or your candy burns and then you’ll be sad. Remove from heat and stir in flavored oil and food coloring. Dip one apple completely in the syrup and swirl it so that it becomes coated with the melted sugar candy. Hold the apple above the saucepan to drain off excess. Place apple, with the stick facing up, onto a baking sheet that’s greased or lined with a silpat. Repeat the process with the remaining apples. If your syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let the apples cool completely before serving.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  Matt said the lighter colored apples such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, work well in making the red appear bright and glassy.  Darker apples like red delicious help the black candy appear darker.  If you are finished making red candy apples and there's syrup left over, add black food coloring for darker apples. 

Cider-Braised Pork Chops

Apple cider is one of my favorite natural drinks and the apple season has been in full swing for a couple of months now.  Untreated apple cider is a seasonal drink and has traditionally been served at Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is sometimes heated, spiced or mulled.  Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of applesauce produced by long, slow cooking of apples in water where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown.  The term butter, refers only to the thick and soft consistency of the apple butter which is used as a spread for breads.

Serves 6
recipe from Cook's Country
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6 bone-in-blade cut pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup apple butter
1 cup apple cider
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsely

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300f (150c).  Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown chops in two batches, about 4 minutes per side, transfer to a plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and cook onion over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic, flour, and 2 tablespoons apple butter.  Cook until onions are coated and mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in cider and thyme, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, and bring to a boil.   Add browned chops and any juices to the pot, cover and transfer to oven.  Braise until chops are completely tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer chops to serving platter.  Strain sauce, then use a shallow spoon to skim off fat.  Whisk in vinegar, parsley, and remaining apple butter.  Season with salt and pepper and serve sauce at the table.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  The meat was fork tender and the sauce was a delicious addition to the chops.  Braising in the oven ensures even cooking and eliminates the risk of scorching the bottom of the pot.

Creole Beef Skewers with Sweet Potato Salad

Whenever I'm in a bookstore I find the first place I browse is the cooking section and then home decorating.  Occasionally, I find cookbooks in a kitchen shop that grab my attention which is what happened when I found this gem of a book at the Paderno factory store in Bayers Lake.  Molasses Inspirations is all about that sweet, golden-brown syrup I grew up with and still use today.  To my delight, I was even able to find Crosby molasses in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.  This was packaged under the title, Grandma Molasses.  The book is a collection of recipes from chefs across Canada and showcases just how molasses can be used in sweet and savory creations.  Because of its unusual properties, molasses has many uses beyond that of a straightforward food additive.  Check Crosby's site for the 126 ideas where molasses is used for other than food.

Serves 4
recipe adapted from Cathedral Freehouse
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Creole Mustard Sauce:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup (60ml) molasses
1/2 cup (125ml) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (30ml) white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup (125ml) minced onion
1/4 cup (60ml) minced tomato
1/4 teaspoon (2ml) turmeric
1/4 teaspoon (2ml) freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon (2ml) fresh thyme
1 tablespoon (15ml) garlic, minced

Salad:
1/2 cup (125ml) cooked sweet potato, diced
half green pepper, thinly sliced
1shallot, minced
8 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

Lemon Thyme Dressing:
3oz (90ml) fresh lemon juice
1 cup (250ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15ml) sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5ml) freshly ground pepper
30g fresh thyme

Beef skewers:
1 lb (450g) beef loin
fresh thyme, for garnish

For the mustard sauce, mix all ingredients well to make a creamy sauce and reserve half of the marinade for the beef.  Put the other half into a squeeze bottle for the topping.  For the dressing, rub the thyme between your fingers to release the aromas and add to the ingredients.  Shake ingredients in a jar and shake again before adding to the salad.

Marinate the beef for 2 hours or more in the mustard sauce.  Cut into 1 inch cubes and thread onto 4 skewers.  Grill until beef is medium-rare.  To serve, toss the salad with lemon thyme dressing and place on plates.  Add beef skewers on top of salad and squeeze a zigzag of creaole mustard sauce over entire dish.  Garnish with fresh thyme.


The Culinary Chase's Note:  The molasses helped create a touch of a caramelized coating on the beef.  If you had any marinade left over like I did, why not try using it next time by tossing it with root vegetables before roasting. When purchasing molasses for the first time, make sure the label says fancy molasses (light in color and tangy sweet) as blackstrap molasses is very dark and has a robust if not bitter flavor.  Enjoy!

Fig and Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Maple Butter

As I dropped my daughter off at work the other day, my mind was racing as to what I would make for dinner.  I drove by a coffee shop and decided to have a cappuccino.  It was in the coffee shop that I noticed a free publication called, "SNAP Halifax".  I always like this type of paper as it's usually filled with local happenings which is a good thing especially since I'm new to the HRM area. I surfed the paper until I came to the dining out section and found my answer to what I would serve for dinner.   Pork is a rich source of proteins and fats.  The most common cuts of pork have 16 percent less total fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than they did nearly twenty years ago. In fact, pork tenderloin is now as lean as skinless chicken breast. If you like this dish, then you might also like Grilled Pear and Cheddar Stuffed Pork Tenderloins, Mojo Pork Tenderloin.


Serves 4-6
recipe from Mark DeWolf, owner of By The Glass
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2 Nova Scotia pork tenderloins, trimmed
2 fresh figs, thinly sliced
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 225c (450f).  In a bowl combine butter and maple syrup.   Place maple butter in fridge to set until ready to use.  Slice pork in half lengthwise being sure not to cut all the way through.  Lay pork flat on cutting board and cover with plastic wrap.  Using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin, pound pork until flat.  In a bowl combine blue cheese and walnuts.  Season pork inside and out with salt and pepper.  Place fig slices along pork and top with blue cheese mixture.  Fold over pork tenderloin, and wrap tenderloins with twine, in 1 to 2 inch intervals.

Using a sauté pan over medium-high heat, sear pork on all sides.  Place pork in oven and roast for 15-20 minutes.  When pork is cooked, remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.  Slice pork into thin slices and top with a dab of maple butter.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  There's a reason why I take a shopping list with me!  When I got home I realized that the blue cheese I thought I had in the fridge was actually brie and feta while the walnuts I thought I had in my pantry were macadamia nuts.  I didn't fancy taking another trip back to the grocery store and made do with what I had on hand.  When you have finished sautéing the pork, make sure the cut side is facing up so the cheese and juice from the pork seep into the meat and not into the pan.  I used 3 figs and they were ultra sweet mixed in with the feta.  I toasted the macadamia nuts before adding to the feta mixture.  Before placing the maple butter in the fridge, use a piece of plastic wrap and shape the maple butter into a cylinder so when you remove it from the fridge you can easily slice a piece of butter and add it to the top of the meat (lovely flavors of maple and butter melting down the pork). The meat was oh so tender and the juices from the figs and cheese mixture was heavenly.  Sommelier, Mark DeWolf, recommends 2005 Capitoso Rioja Joven or Angove's Nine Vines Shiraz Viogner with this dish.   Delish!

Eggplant Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Pine Nut Sauce

Gnocchi (pronounced nee-okkee), are Italian dumplings.  They're fantastic with all sorts of sauces, from a simple summer tomato sauce to the richest winter meat sauce.  Gnocchi recipes date back to the twelfth century and are most common in the Northern regions of Italy such as Veneto.  Traditionally gnocchi is made with potatoes and flour but other gnocchi recipes such Gnocchi alla Romana, which use semolina instead of potato (bake the dumplings in the oven layered with cheese until golden brown) or Florence's strozzapreti are gnocchi made from a combination of spinach and ricotta.  And just like most of Italian cooking, these delicious lumps do not just vary from region to region, but from household to household as well, depending upon what is available.

Serves 2
recipe from Canadian Living
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2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Eggplant Gnnochi:
1 large eggplant (about 500g)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the gnocchi, peel eggplant and cut into 2 inch (5cm) cubes.  Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet; toss with salt.  Roast in 350f (180c) oven, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very soft, about 40 minutes.  Transfer eggplant to food processor;  purée until fairly smooth with some chunks.  Add egg; pulse, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in 3/4 cup of flour, adding just enough of the remaining flour to create a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface; knead gently a few times, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking, just until dough holds together.  It's important at this point not to overwork the dough or add too much flour as this will make the dumplings very dense and gooey tasting once cooked.  Shape into log; divide into quarters.  Shape each quarter into 3/4 inch (2cm) diameter rope.  With a sharp knife, cut each rope into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; fry pine nuts until lightly toasted and butter just begins to brown about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi, stirring gently, until they float; boil for 5 minutes.  Return skillet to medium heat, using a slotted spoon, scoop gnocchi into hot pan.  Add parsley, lemon juice and 1/4 cup (50ml) of the cooking water, toss to coat.


The Culinary Chase's Note:  The region of Veneto is home to Italy's Prosecco and is a favorite beverage my husband and I like to drink.  Prosecco is a delicate wine with a citrus finish and would pair quite nicely with this gnocchi.  Other foods famous in the Italian north are: risotto, polenta, carpaccio, radicchio, Asiago and basil Pesto sauce to name a few.  If you like this recipe, then you might also enjoy Creamy Pesto Gnocchi and Pumpkin Gnocchi.

Apple and Celeriac Salad

Celeriac, also known as celery root,  is an odd looking root vegetable with its knotty exterior.  Celeriac has a celery flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.  It is often used as a flavoring in soups and stews. It can also be used on its own, usually mashed, or used in casseroles, gratins and baked dishes.  When purchasing fresh celeriac, choose only those with firm and small to medium-sized roots. Selecting smaller roots is better because smaller roots produce a more flavorful root taste. Additionally, although celeriac stalks and leaves are typically not eaten, make sure that the celeriac you purchase has leaves that are green and not wilted. Once you have purchased your celeriac, store it in the refrigerator for up to one week and make sure to remove its stalks and leaves first.  Celeriac is a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Phosphorus, Potassium, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Magnesium and Manganese.
Serves 8
recipe from Canadian House and Home magazine
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Buttermilk-Tarragon Dressing:
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 close garlic, peeled and gently smashed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
zest of one lemon
freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
1 celeriac bulb
3 sweet-tart apples such as honeycrisp
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
fresh watercress (optional)
To make dressing, combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, Dijon, salt and garlic clove in a jar.  Close lid and shake vigorously.  Remove garlic and add tarragon, lemon zest and pepper.  Shake again.
Peel then julienne or grate celeriac using a mandoline or the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 3 1/2 cups.  Toss with about 1/3 cup dressing and refrigerate at least one hour up to 12 hours.  Peel then julienne or grate apples and add to celeriac along with green onions.  Add another 1/4 cup dressing and toss well.  Garnish with macadamia nuts and serve on a bed of watercress, if desired.
The Culinary Chase's Note:  This was crispy fresh!  I chose to grate one apple and if the apple is a juicy one, squeeze out the excess liquid before adding to the salad.  I added dried and lightly sweetened cranberries from Cranberry Farm to add color, flavor and texture. This recipe is for you, Jennifer!  Hope your children like it!  Cheers!

Épi de Blé Baguette

Making bread is something that I really only do on occasion or when the mood hits me.  Épis de blé is a baguette that resembles a sheaf of wheat and is traditionally served during harvest time.  This bread recipe begins with a starter dough and has to be made 18 hours ahead of time.  Click here for pictures and instructions for the perfect the kneading technique.  Wheat has been cultivated by man since before recorded history.  Wheat was more than likely first chewed and then later discovered it could be pulverized and made into a paste.  This paste was then set over a fire and flat bread would have been made which could easily be kept for several days.  In Egypt (1000 BC), yeast was separated and a new strain of wheat was developed which allowed for refined white bread.  Throughout history, a person's station in life could be told by the bread they consumed.  The darker the bread, the lower the social station because whiter flours were more expensive, harder to refine and yet today, a darker bread is prized for its taste and nutrient value.  Good thing!

Makes 2 loaves
recipe from Canadian Living
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Starter:
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup water, room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour
Dough:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
For the starter, in a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over water.  Let stand for 1 minutes.  Stir in flour until smooth and slightly elastic, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down side of bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap; set aside for at least 18 hours or for up to 24 hours.

For the dough, mix water and yeast into stater dough until broken up and slightly foaming (2 minutes).  Stir in flour and salt to form ragged soft dough.  Transfer to a well-floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic (6 minutes).  Shape into ball.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over.  Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk and indentation remains after pressing finger into dough (about 1 1/2 hours).  Punch down dough, divide in half and knead into balls.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 15 minutes.  Press balls to flatten; roll up into 2 logs until 15 inches (38cm) long.  Place on lightly floured tea towel, pleating towel between loaves.  Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise until doubled in bulk (45-60 minutes).

Place loaves, 3 inches apart (8cm), on a large flour-dusted baking sheet.  Starting 2 inches (5cm) from end and using sharp scissors at a 45 degree angle. make 1 cut three-quarters of the way through the loaf.  Turn cut section to right.  Repeat 6 more times, cutting 2 inches (5cm) apart and turning each piece to alternate sides to resemble wheat sheaf.
Place in preheated oven 450f (230c).  With a spritzer bottle filled with cold water, spray wall and floor of oven (avoid light bulb) until steam fills oven (10 seconds).  Immediately close oven door.  Add loaves to oven, repeat spraying and bake loaves until golden and hollow sounding when tapped, about 20 minutes.  Let cool on rack.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  I'm a sucker for bread straight out of the oven.  One of my favorite ways to enjoy warm bread is with butter and molasses.  Spread the molasses on first to let it sink in and butter to seal it in.  Scrumptious!

Roasted Squash and Apple Soup

Last weekend I was at the Farmers' Market buying local produce and decided I wanted to make a squash soup.  I didn't have a recipe per se so I surfed the web and found a couple recipes, BC Tree and Home Made Soups, from which I made this soup.  Winter squash has a mild, sweet flavor and is finely textured. Squash is a vegetable that was once an important part of the diet of the Native Americans so much so that they buried it along with the dead to provide them nourishment on their final journey.  Squash is an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, dietary fiber.

Serves 6-8

2 apples, unpeeled, cored, cut in half
1 medium acorn squash, peeled and cut in half (can also use butternut squash)
olive oil for drizzling

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock or broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley, optional

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Place apples and squash in a shallow pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg.  Bake for 35 minutes or until tender. In saucepan, add chicken stock, apple and peeled squash. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Puree in blender to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with freshly chopped parsley.


The Culinary Chase's Note:  Roasting helps to bring out the sweetness in the squash.  Add more stock if you like the soup to be a thinner consistency. Try adding roasted garlic to the soup and top with grated apple.  Delish!

Sweet Salsa

Fall is a lovely time of the year and even though it is a sign that winter is on its way, it's also the time when local vegetables are at their prime.  Where I grew up, September and October meant pickling, preserves, jams and jellies and this recipe is one of the ones my Mom used to make.  Mom called it Red Catsup which I believe she was given the recipe from a friend of hers who lived in rural Quebec.  When my siblings and I would come home after school, we would be assaulted with the smell of vinegar and spices brewing in her kitchen.  We would look at each other and say, 'Mom's making pickles!'.   
The first forms of food preserving were drying food by wind and sun, or over heat, smoking, and in some areas salting or freezing. Next, the curdling of milks, pickling, and preserving in fat were added to the ancient techniques, and then preserving in sweet syrup or alcohol. All these methods were known in pre-Christian times, and were still in use for their basic purpose in the nineteenth century; foods were stored to be eaten, usually some time later, in time of food shortages, to mark a feast or while journeying.  Canning was developed in the early part of the 19th century, in conjunction with pasteurization which developed by Louis Pasteur in 1862, they revolutionized the preservation of food.

Makes 20 (250ml) canning jars
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20 ripe tomatoes
6 peaches
6 pears
15 sour apples
12 onions (red or white)
3 green bell peppers
3 red bell peppers
1 hot chili pepper, chopped finely
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
4 cups white vinegar
3 teaspoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1/2 box pickling spice
5 to 6 lbs. sugar

Wash vegetable and fruit.  Scald tomatoes, peaches and peel skins off.  Peel pears, onions, apples and cut into big pieces.  Cut bell peppers and remove seeds.  Put all vegetables and fruits in a large pot and add vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.  Cook on low heat, 4 to 5 hours and stir often.  Place pickling spices in a cheesecloth and add to the salsa mixture.  Gently boil for 2 hours and stir often.  When vegetables are well cooked, remove spices and squeeze into a bowl then add to the salsa mixture.  Add sugar, a bit at a time, stirring and tasting and add more sugar and salt if necessary.  Boil 5 to 10 minutes and stir.  The syrup should be thick.  Remove from heat and spoon into sterile canning jars.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  This is one of my favorite preserves!  I use it as a condiment, a dip, sauce for Mexican dishes, and as a relish.  Home made preserves are a lovely gift idea.  Click here to find out more how to can food and sterilize jars.  Enjoy!

Fred's Grilled Vegetable Tart

I drive my daughter to school and every day I pass by one particular intersection that has four interesting and diverse corners.   On one corner is a building called FRED.  The corner across the street from Fred is Gus' Pub and across from the pub is a shop selling Middle Eastern food.  The remaining corner is home to a Latin gourmet and specialty shop, Cafe Aroma Latino.  Hence the words interesting and diverse!  I was very intrigued by the bold lettering on what used to be a bank which now is home to FRED.  FRED combines beauty, food and art all in the one building.  The Gallery at FRED is host to local and Canadian talent who work with a broad variety of mediums including pottery, photography, and painting.   The beauty side of FRED provides the very best  hair/color, skin care, and massage services the industry has to offer.  Whet Café offers a daily menu of the freshest house made salads, panini, soups, and delectable cupcakes. The highest quality organic ingredients, customized orders, and daily menus ensure the satisfaction of your taste buds (the menu changes regularly to accommodate the produce available).   And so it was that my curious nature brought me to investigate FRED more closely.  As I was getting my hair hi-lighted at FRED salon, I was browsing Canadian House and Home June issue and saw that Fred Connor's (that's the owners name) home was being highlighted along with a delicious looking vegetable tart.

Serves 6

recipe from Fred Connor

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250 g plain flour

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, parsley, basil or a mix

125 g cold diced butter 

A pinch of salt

3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the fresh herbs and combine.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it forms small pea-sized pieces. Stir in just enough ice water to make the dough. Turn on to a floured surface and press into a ball. Form into a flat rectangle, wrap in plastic and chill at least 40 minutes before using.

Artichoke Pesto:

398 ml can marinated artichoke hearts, drained

250g cream cheese

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

large handful fresh basil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

shaved Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425f.  Roll dough out on a floured surface until 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into 6 squares and roll the edges to create a border.  Place on baking sheet and prick all over with a fork.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden.  Let cool.

For the pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.  To assemble tarts, top shells with pesto, baby rocket (arugula), shaved Parmesan and a variety of grilled vegetables.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  I think my daughter summed it up brilliantly in 3 words:  very fresh tasting!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Fall harvest is full of ripe vegetables and what better way to make use of the vegetables than by preparing this dish.  Spaghetti squash is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash.  When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash but when cooked, the flesh falls away like strands of spaghetti.  Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled or steamed, and served with sauce as pasta, or used as a vegetable base for macaroni and cheese. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. 

Serves 6
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1 spaghetti squash
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
red pepper flakes
dried basil
dried oregano
ground allspice
2-5 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 lb. mozzarella, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

Place the spaghetti squash in a large pot of water (it should float) and bring to a boil.  Lower heat, cover and boil gently for 50 minutes.  While squash is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onion and carrot.  Sauté for 5 minutes of medium heat.  Add garlic and remaining vegetables with some red pepper flakes and a dash of salt, if desired.  Sauté, stirring frequently, until vegetables are barely tender (10 minutes).  Add crushed tomatoes, basil and oregano to taste, and a sprinkle of allspice.  Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. 

Remove squash from pot and allow to cool until you can handle it.  If it is whole, cut in half lengthways, then remove seeds with a spoon and squeeze any excess water out of meat.  Remove meat and break up into strands with a fork.  Mix squash well with the vegetables and put half in the bottom of a large baking dish.  Top with half the cheeses, the rest of the squash, followed by the rest of the cheeses.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.  Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  You can also bake the squash first.  Cut it lengthwise and place the halves skin-side down in a baking dish with an inch of water.  Cover the dish with foil and bake at 180c (350f) for about 45 minutes or until meat is tender.  I used the microwave to cook the squash.  If you do this then cut the squash into quarters, cover, and microwave for about 10-15 minutes on high or until cooked through.  Another delicious way to eat spaghetti squash is to remove the meat from the shell and place on a plate, add salt and pepper, a dash of olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Lovely!