Barley Risotto with Bacon

I've made my fair share of risottos over the years but never used barley.  Traditionally risotto is made with arborio or carnaroli rice because of their high starch content which results in a creamy consistency when combined with a broth.  Barley is a staple I seem to only use in soups or stews so I was pleasantly surprised with how this risotto turned out. Barley is a very good source of fiber and selenium, and a good source of phosphorus, copper and manganese. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study on barley suggesting that its fiber has multiple beneficial effects on cholesterol. For more health information on barley, click here.

Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side dish
recipe adapted from Chef at Home
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4 cups of hot chicken broth
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup pearl barley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
250ml (1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

In a saucepan fry the bacon over medium-high heat, until crisp and golden brown. Pour off half the fat.  Add onions and garlic and sauté until soft and golden. Add the barley and stir for a few moments until well coated with bacon fat and heated through (about 3 minutes). Lower heat and pour in the wine. Continue stirring as the barley quickly absorbs the liquid. Add 1 cup of the hot chicken broth at a time, stirring constantly to allow each addition of the stock to be absorbed by the barley before adding more. Continue to add hot broth, 1 cup at a time, until the risotto is tender and creamy. If you run out of broth, add hot water.

Taste frequently to judge the doneness of the barley grains. It will take about 45 minutes from the time you add the first broth until the barley is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the thyme and cheese. Serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I love the earthiness of this dish. It's important to make sure the stock is hotter than the risotto. Doing otherwise will cool down the barley and this will detract from the quality of your risotto.  Serve this on its own or with roasted lamb and your favorite veggies.

Leftover Turkey Ideas

It never ceases to amaze me how every year we always have tons of turkey and vegetables leftover. And, each year I tell myself I'll only make enough so that we have leftovers for one meal. So for all of you out there with leftovers, here are a few ideas. Click on the name of the recipe to go to the link.

 

Turkey Jambalaya 

Turkey Fajita Wraps  

 
Chicken/Turkey Tetrazzini  




The Culinary Chase's Note: To use the leftover veggies, toss them into a stir-fry or chop and add to potato skins and bake.  Or, toss the vegetables into hot pasta and season with your favorite dressing.  Leftover vegetables are also good in a frittata.

Advent Conspiracy

The Culinary Chase's Note: What a wonderful message for this time of year.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

I have always wanted to make chocolate truffles and decided this Christmas I was going to tackle what I thought was going to be a task. Yes, making the balls are a bit finicky, but once I got the hang of it, I was on a roll.   My love for dark chocolate fueled the desire to search for a perfect and easy recipe. Chocolate truffles are a French invention and the original was a ball of ganache, often flavored and rolled in cocoa. According to The Nibble, the chocolate truffle was created in the kitchen of French culinary giant Auguste Escoffier during the 1920's. Escoffier's apprentice accidentally poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate chunks rather than the bowl of sugared egg. As the chocolate and cream mixture hardened, Escoffier found he could work the chocolate paste with his hands to form a bumpy, lopsided ball. After rolling the new creation in cocoa powder, he was struck by their resemblance to the luxurious truffles from the French Périgord region and the Piedmont area of Italy.

The health benefits provided by chocolate are a result of the flavonoid content found in the cocoa bean. Flavonoids are natural compounds with antioxidant properties - the same compounds that give berries, red wine and green tea their health benefits. But be aware, the more processed chocolate becomes, the less the flavonoids are retained.  Read the list of ingredients and choose bars that list cocoa solids or cocoa mass first, not sugar. Dark chocolate has the most flavonoids, almost four times as many as milk chocolate, while white chocolate has none.

Makes about 30 truffles
recipe adapted from Ghirardelli
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1/3 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups 60% or 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (such as Ghirardelli or Lindt)
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Disaronno Amaretto (optional)
1/3 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened Cocoa

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl. Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm, at least 2 hours.

Using a melon baller or small spoon, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the cocoa. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

The Culinary Chase's Note: You can also use icing sugar as I did or roll the truffles in coconut flakes, crushed nuts, or dip in white or dark chocolate for added decadence. My favorite chocolate company is Lindt and for this recipe I chose their 70% cacao dark chocolate.  Delicious!

Gingerbread Men

The earliest form of gingerbread was not a cake, but a solid block of honey baked with flour, ginger, breadcrumbs and spices. They were extravagantly and elaborately decorated in medieval England and were a popular present, the way that a box of chocolates is today. The decoration could include being colored with saffron or cinnamon, or having designs impressed on the gingerbread by large wooden molds (including the shape of men or pigs). The fleur-de-lis was a popular shape, as was a heart (to ward off evil), a stag (for virility) or a rabbit (for fertility). They could also be decorated with box leaves nailed down with gilded cloves. The cloves would be touched with gold paint on their heads, and then used like nails, in a fleur-de-lis pattern. The gingerbread itself would be gilded, first painted with egg white, then gold leaf pressed on. In the late 16th century, at the court of Queen Elizabeth I, honored guests at court were sometimes presented with their portrait in gingerbread.

Makes about 36 cookies (depending on size of cookie cutter used)
recipe adapted from Joy of Baking
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3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white
1 large egg
2/3 cup molasses (to prevent molasses from sticking to the measuring cup, first spray the cup with a non stick vegetable spray.)

Frosting:
2 cups confectioners (icing) sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons milk or light cream

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. In another bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 180c (350f) and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you roll out the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies. With a spatula lift the cut out cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart. If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer.

Bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. Small ones will take about 8 minutes, larger cookies will take about 12 minutes. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown.  Remove cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet. When they are firm enough to move, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, use a hand mixer to cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk if too dry. Place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and decorate the gingerbread men as desired.   Store in an airtight container.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These are delicious. I rolled the gingerbread out on parchment paper and placed another piece of parchment on top and then rolled the dough out to desired thickness. This way the dough doesn't stick and is easy to lift off to the baking sheet. Add food coloring to the frosting for festive colors and also use the icing as a glue to attach candies, raisins, and sprinkles.

Curried Chickpea and Tomato Soup

The Christmas season tends to make us run around doing last minute shopping and other errands which leaves little time for nourishment. This soup can be on the table in less than half an hour and I love the bit of heat coming from the curry paste. Chickpeas (aka garbanzo bean, Bengal gram) are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. A very versatile legume, they are in many Middle Eastern and Indian dishes such as hummus, falafels and curries. Chickpeas high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes.


Serves 6
recipe adapted from Occasions Magazine
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white onion, diced
4 tablespoons Madras curry paste
2 oz. white wine
2 14-oz cans chickpeas
1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add oil and onion. Sauté onion until translucent. Add curry paste, wine and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and stock. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with warmed naan bread.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  This delicious soup warms the heart and soothes the soul!

Natalie McLean's Wines for the Top 10 Tough-To-Buy-For People on Your Holiday List

I've been a huge fan of Natalie McLean for a number of years.  A native of Cape Breton, NS, Natalie lives in Ottawa with her husband, Andrew, and son, Rian.  It was her husband who suggested she take a wine appreciation course and the rest, shall we say, is history.  Natalie soon studied the sommelier accreditation program and from there she began writing about wine.  Since then, her articles have appeared in more than sixty newspapers and magazines, won four James Bead Foundation Journalism Awards.  Natalie is the only person to have won both the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation and the M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d'Escoffier International.

This internationally-celebrated wine writer in 2006 wrote a book, 'Red, White and Drunk All Over'.  It was chosen the Best Wine Literature Book in the English language at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.  The book also won the Culinary Literary Book Award in the Cordon d’Or international culinary arts competition and was nominated for the Evelyn Richardson Prize for Non-Fiction at the Atlantic Book Awards.  It's a wonderful introduction into the world of wine with a sprinkling of humor throughout that keeps you engaged as Natalie leads you through her 'wine-soaked journey'.
 
Natalie’s Top Ten Gift Wines for Your ...   

1. Hairdresser: For the person who combines humour and optimism every time she styles your mop. Go for a light, gulpable wine like a dry rosé. It’s versatile and fuss-free—a great quaff for your coif. 

2. Psychiatrist: Of course, he’ll analyze whatever you give him so choose a wine that’s all about balance. Easy-drinking pinot noir is medium-bodied yet packed with flavour. Surprise him with a large-format bottle, like a magnum. Big thinking means big progress for you. This wine also works for psychologists, marriage counsellors and bartenders.

3. The Boss: Pick too pricey a wine and your boss will think your last raise was too much; go cheap, and she’ll think you lack judgement. Focus on a label with a lot of white space since that makes the bottle look more expensive. A castle in the distance also works, but avoid fluffy animals.

4. Personal Trainer: Think a muscular, robust red would work? Hold that position. Instead, try riesling: this light white wine pairs well with a health-nut diet of salad and seafood, plus it’s low in alcohol. You can also give it to Pilates instructors, yoga masters and Tai Chi coaches.

5. Financial Planner: You and he both know it’s going to take decades before your portfolio recovers after the crash of 2008. With that long-term view, vintage port makes the perfect gift. This fortified wine from northern Portugal, with its long aging potential, will be around for both of you into your retirements.

6. Travel Agent: She’s been everywhere and seen everything, so go local with your choice of wine. Even better, if you live close to the winery, get the bottle signed by the winemaker.

7. Teacher: If you can’t find a suitably obscure wine with a Latin name, there’s always cream sherry. It’s the tipple of Oxford dons, not to mention the centerpiece of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story The Case of Amontillado.

8. Mail Deliverer: Go for a winery that’s consistent year after year in producing a wine that can be enjoyed in snow, rain, sleet or hail. Try an Australian shiraz or Argentine malbec.

9. Mechanic: Yes, there’s a wine called Red Truck, but try to be more imaginative. Why not give a wine made by Mario Andretti in California or Ferrari in Italy?

10. Online Date: So you’re on your second or third rendezvous with the person you met on eHarmony or Dating.com. If you’re not sure yet whether marriage is a possibility, try something middle-of-the-road, like merlot. Yes, it’s the soft jazz of wine, but until you know, play it safe.

Christmas Fruitcake Hermits

The Christmas holiday season always reminds me of how much work and effort my Mom put into baking goodies. She made fruit cakes, plum puddings, cookies of many varieties, pies, chocolates, savory tidbits. It seemed the house was forever enveloped in beautiful cooking aromas. This season I seem to be taking a page out of Mom's book and have been baking more than usual. I enjoyed making these cookies but in all the years I've been baking, I never seem to get to the amount the recipe says will yield. Perhaps the cookies I make are a bit on the large size?

Makes about 84 cookies
recipe adapted from Canadian Living
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1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (125 mL) shortening
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon rum extract
2-1/2cups cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (250 mL) red and/or green cherries or green candied cherries, quartered
1 cup (250 mL) raisins
1  cup (250 mL) candied citrus peel
3/4 cup (175 mL) coarsely chopped pecans
about 3 cups (750ml) pecan halves, optional

Rum Glaze (optional):
1 1/3 cups (325 mL) icing sugar
3 tablespoon amber rum

In large bowl, beat together butter, shortening and brown sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in rum extract.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture in 3 additions. Stir in cherries, raisins, citrus peel and chopped pecans.

Drop by 1 tablespoon, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, onto parchment paper–lined baking sheets. Press pecan half (if using) onto each. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until bottoms are golden brown but centres are still soft, about 14 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool completely.

Rum Glaze: In bowl, stir icing sugar with rum until smooth; drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon over each cooled cookie. Let dry until set, about 10 minutes.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Fruit cake is something I usually make for Christmas but this year I didn't so these little gems are a lovely substitute!

Gorgonzola and Hazelnut Stuffed Pears with Pancetta Crisps

Salads (generally defined as mixed greens with dressing) were enjoyed by ancient Romans and Greeks. According to Oxford Companion to Food, salad is derived from the Latin sal (salt), which yielded the form salata, 'salted things' such as the raw vegetables eaten in classical times with a dressing of oil, vinegar or salt. The word turns up in Old French as salade and then in late 14th century English as salad or sallet." Pears are members of the rose family and related to the apple and the quince. They are a good source of vitamin C and copper.

Serves 4
recipe adapted from Fine Cooking
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons mild honey, such as clover
2 medium firm-ripe red pears (Anjou), halved lengthwise and cored
8 thin slices pancetta
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped, toasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup Gorgonzola dolca
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
about 4 cups salad leaves

Preheat the oven to 190c (375f). In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and 1 teaspoon of the honey. Brush the mixture over the cut sides of the pears and season with salt. Arrange the pears cut side up on a baking sheet and bake on the upper rack until just tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange the pancetta on baking sheet and bake on the lower rack until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts, the Gorgonzola, thyme and the remaining 1 teaspoon of honey.  Remove the pears from the oven and divide the cheese filling evenly among the pear cavities. Sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts and bake on the upper rack until the cheese starts to soften, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

Toss salad leaves with a bit of olive oil. Divide salad between 4 plates and top with with 1 pear half, pancetta and season with salt and pepper.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Beautiful, fresh flavors coming from this dish!  I also added a tablespoon of chopped dried cranberries to the cheese mixture and used pecans in lieu of hazelnuts.

Cavatappi with Artichokes and Three Cheeses

Move over macaroni and cheese! Cavatappi is an elongated elbow macaroni with ridges which help the cheese sauce to stick to this corkscrew-style pasta. A super easy meal to make in 30 minutes, start to finish! Artichokes are an excellent source of magnesium, folic acid, fiber and vitamin C. Canned artichoke may be the easiest to find and keep the best, but it will have the lowest level of nutrients when compared to the fresh or frozen artichoke. An artichoke is naturally fat free and very low in calories.

Serves 4
recipe adapted from Fine Cooking
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1 lemon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallot
1 9-oz. package frozen artichoke hearts, cut into 1/4-inch slices while frozen
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced chives
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
12 oz. cavatappi
1/2 cup (4 oz.) mascarpone
1/2 cup mild goat cheese
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (plus more for serving)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. From the lemon, grate 1 1/2 teaspoons of zest and squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice; set aside. Heat the butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the shallot and cook until just softened (about 3 minutes). Increase the heat to high and add the frozen artichokes, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the artichokes are golden brown (3-4 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of the chives, mint and lemon zest.

Meanwhile, cook the cavatappi according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the water. Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the mascarpone, goat cheese, pecorino, lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the water until smooth. Gently stir in the artichoke mixture and add more water if necessary to moisten the pasta. Season to taste. Serve sprinkled with the remaining chives and additional pecorino.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I love the subtle bite of the red pepper flakes along with hints of lemon and mint coming through this cheese pasta. If you can't find cavatappi then try elbow macaroni, farfalle, and fusilli.

By The Glass Wine Tasting Note: Riesling may have once been regulated to Mac N' Cheese status thanks to the overly manipulated, mass produced versions that emerged from Germany in the 1970s but the varietal is undergoing a renaissance. Much like how chefs are creating gourmet dishes using the comforting ingredients of macaroni and cheese as inspiration, winemakers are retooling Riesling to be fresher, drier and more balanced. For this dish look to dry styles such as Alsatian dry Rieslings (Trimbach, Zind Humbrecht), Austrian versions or an ever increasing selection of quality dry and off-dry Rieslings from Ontario including the solid wines made by Caves Spring and Thirty Bench. Try Charles Baker’s Piccone Vineyard Riesling as an example of a benchmark Niagara Riesling.

Black Forest Cake

Food historians believe this cake originated in the mid 1700's in the Black Forest Region (Baden-Württemberg) of Germany. This region is known for its sour cherries and Kirsch (a clear cherry brandy made from the sour Morello cherry). Some say the cake may have been made to resemble the traditional costume worn by women in the Black Forest. Their dress was black (chocolate flakes), the blouse is white (whipped cream), and the hat has red pom-poms (cherries). This recipe hails from chef David Peters of Saint John, NB and is the best Black Forest cake I have ever tasted! Chef Peters arranged gourmet cooking classes which I had signed up for back in 1982. The three month course included things such as: beer soup, stuffed Cornish hen, chicken Kiev, beef Wellington, jambalaya, cream sauce velouté scallops, French onion soup, baked Alaska and more.

Serves 8

10 eggs
4 tablespoons Kirsch
½ cup sugar

Cocoa mixture:
1 1/2 cups flour
½ cup cocoa
½ cup sugar

For the Syrup:
¼ to ½ cup Kirsch
¼ to ½ cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons Cointreau (optional)

Other ingredients:
4 small containers whipping cream
10 oz. can Bing cherries, drained and cut in half
grated or shaved dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 160c (325f). Melt ¼ cup butter in a small dish and let cool to room temperature. In a large bowl beat eggs for 10 minutes and add Kirsch 2 minutes before end of beating. Add ½ cup of sugar. In a bowl combine cocoa mixture. Take beaten eggs and slowly fold in cocoa mixture. Scoop down and draw a figure 8. Dot his 12 times. Add melted butter in every 4 loops. Divide mixture between three 9 inch cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine Kirsch and water over medium heat (can add the cointreau if desired). Then add ¼ cup sugar and when this has dissolved, remove from heat and set aside.

Remove cakes from oven and when they are slightly cooled, but still warm, turn cakes on the table. Pour liquid syrup over cakes and let set for 3 minutes. In a large bowl add cream, 3 oz. of Kirsch and 3 oz. of sugar and beat until peaks appear.

Lift one cake onto a plate, take 1/3 of the whipped cream and spread on the cake (about ½ inch thick) followed by a layer of cherries.. Take second cake and place on top. Lay another layer of whipped cream (1/2 inch thick) but no cherries this time. Place the third cake on top and cover with whipped cream all over. Add the rest of the cherries and add chocolate shavings. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry. Refrigerate one day or at least 12 hours before serving.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I made this cake, at my husband's request, for his birthday. It may seem like a lot of work, but well worth the effort!

By The Glass Wine Tasting Note: This dessert is rich, moist and intense and simply too much for most wines. Walk past the table wine section and into the world of fortified wines. Don’t waste a complex and expensive Tawny or Vintage Port on this dish. Opt to match the dish with the sweet, bright and simple flavours of good Ruby Port such as Taylor Fladgate First Estate or for a unique alternative seek out Maury; a Grenache based fortified wine from Southern France.