Chilled Fig and Avocado Soup

Soup is one of my favourite things to create and eat. I first started making my own soups out of necessity because I hate to waste food. It's a great way to use up leftovers or odds and ends in the fridge that would otherwise be on their way out. While this will always be a part of my cooking regimen I prefer to forge a soup from selected ingredients. I pride myself on creating new and interesting soups and this recipe is lacking neither. A perfect prelude to a summer grill.

The Soup
16 small, fresh and ripe figs
1 large, ripe avocado
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
dash each of lime and lemon juice
salt, white pepper and allspice to taste
water or vegetable stock, as needed
olive oil

• to a heated pot add enough oil to coat the bottom. Caramelize* the onions.
• add the garlic, figs and season** with salt, pepper and allspice (allspice and white pepper are strong flavours so make sure to start with only a dash or so. You can adjust to taste at the end.) then stir in the cilantro.
• Add the avocado, lemon and lime juices, and enough water or stock to just cover the ingredients in the pot. Season, then pure. (I find that immersion blenders work best because you can mix right in the pot.) If needed add a little more liquid at a time until the soup has the consistency of a tomato sauce. Season.
  
• transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Adjust the seasonings once the soup is chilled. Flavours change with temperature.
• Serve into shallow, chilled bowls and top with a generous dollop of pistachio sour cream.

Pistachio Sour Cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup pistachios
1 tbsp honey

• using a blender or mortar and pestle, grind the nuts.
• stir in sour cream and honey.
• chill.

*caramelize- the oxidization of sugars in foods during cooking, producing a caramel colour and flavour. To achieve this, cook slowly in a little oil at a medium to low heat stirring scantly and without the use of salt. Salt draws out moisture from foods and can inhibit the sugars from browning.
**season- this refers to the heightening or enhancing of the main ingredients in a dish. Seasonings include herbs and spices and most often salt. Seasoning should not be confused with flavouring which adds another dimension or profile to a dish. Seasoning takes practice and is best achieved if done as you go, building a little at a time. It's always easier to add just a little more then to make adjustments if you've added too much.

Beer and Bacon Mussels

My husband and I love mussels. If it's on the menu we order it. But in my experience mussels are most commonly served in a tomato or white wine based sauce. The following recipe is my deliberate choice to create something different. Enjoy.


1/2lb Mussels
2 slices bacon, lardon (thinly sliced)
1 shallot, brunoise (3mm cubes....aka very small)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp butter
6oz wheat beer
1 orange

• Rinse mussels, trimming off any beards.
• Discard any mussels that do not close when tapped. Set aside.
• In a small sauté pan, render* bacon.
  
• Deglaze** the pan with a bit of the beer and set aside.
• In large shallow Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and sweat*** off the shallot and then the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.Squeeze juice from ½ the orange and zest the peel into the pan. Add beer and bring to boil. Add mussels and bacon (including the liquid from deglazing), reduce heat, cover and simmer until mussels open (about 10 minutes). Discard any that do not open. Place the other ½ of the orange in the centre of a bowl and plate the mussels around it.

Serve with a chunk of crusty bread for dipping.

*Render- cooking to reduce the fat content.
**Deglaze- a method of removing cooked particles of food and fat from the bottom of a pot or pan for the purpose of adding flavour to a sauce.
***Sweat- cooking lightly without browning. Using salt helps to promote sweating because it draws out moisture.

Jello Icing

I came across this recipe a few years back when I was wondering how I might make a flavoured icing for my daughter's birthday cake. I've never been an avid baker because I prefer salty and savoury. Unless it's chocolate, I find icing to be too sweet and without much flavour. So I got to thinking and I wondered if I could use jello to make icing. It would not only offer a long list of flavours but it could colour the icing at the same time. Seeing as my baking library was slim pickin's I decided, like everyone else looking for answers these days, to Google it. After some searching I found a recipe that was exactly what I had imagined. The result is an icing much like a butter cream, but packing a flavour punch. I also think it would make a fantastic topping for cup cakes. Instant pudding mix can also be used, in place of jello, like I once did for a bachelorette party cake. Now that was a memorable cake! Anyhoo, use your imagination and enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1 pkg jello of desired flavour
1/2 cup boiling water

Method:

Cream butter and sugar together. Dissolve jello in boiling water and let cool (but not to set). Stir in jello liquid a spoonful at a time until desired colour and/or flavour is achieved. Makes enough to cover a 2 layer cake made in standard 9" round cake pan.

Loaded Potato Salad

A little while ago I decided to invest in a Canon 20D and brush up on my photography. Seeing as the camera came to me with previous experience I probably should have spent a little more time getting to know it. Blinded by it's beauty I went too far too fast. And now I'm paying for it. Currently I'm trying to figure a way of retrieving the results of my hasty trigger finger, because all of the data was taken as RAW. I barely know what that is myself, but to explain to you better it basically means that the files are too big for my software to handle, or most photo kiosks for that matter. If I had a way to handle it, apparently I could do all kinds of stunning things to my photos. But for now they are stuck on my camera, including the shots of my loaded potato salad.

For the last 2 days I've been lounging on the beach up at Wasaga with a few of my friends and plenty food. We all love to cook so it was quite the feast. Part of my contribution was a potato salad for the baked potato lover.

Loaded Potato Salad
8 large Chef's Potatoes*, peeled and cut into cubes
5 strips of bacon
3 green onions, washed and thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

• boil potatoes in salted water until al dente** (about 8-10 minutes)
• drain but do not rinse (rinsing washes away the starch that helps bind the salad and may also break the potatoes)
• transfer to a stainless steal bowl, sprinkle with vinegar, salt and pepper and place in the freezer to cool. Stir gently every few minutes to help them cool faster, to prevent carry over cooking***.
• while the potatoes are cooling, cook the bacon. I like to cook my bacon in the oven because it's quicker. Place the strips on a parchment lined pan and bake in at 475F for at least 8 minutes or until very crispy. Remove the excess fat and cut the bacon into very thin strips or bits.
• Add bacon, onions mayo and sour cream to the cooled potatoes all at once and stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

*Chef's potatoes- A Russet or Idaho potato. These potatoes are usually best for mashing or baking but I chose them to use for this dish because I wanted the taste and texture to resemble a loaded baked potato.

**Al dente- when referring to vegetables means tender on the outside and firm on the inside. Cooking potatoes, for salad, beyond this point will mean the potatoes will not hold their desired shape.

***Carry-over cooking- refers to the amount of cooking that occurs in foods after it's been removed from the cooking source. Over cooking can occur in this time because the carry over cooking was not factored into the preparation of the food.

Phyllo Wrapped Salmon Fillets

Phyllo pastry is an easy way to dress up an endless array of ingredients. Most stuffing requires some cooking before being wrapped because the phyllo only takes about 15 minutes to bake in a 425F oven. Tonight I have chosen salmon, one of my favourite fish, to prepare with phyllo. Seeing as the cooking time for salmon is about the same as the phyllo, I will wrap it raw but marinated.

If you are using frozen phyllo, it must be completely thawed and room temperature before use.

Fish Marinade
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 vegetable oil
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/3 cup green onions, minced
1tbsp capers, minced
1/2tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves, crushed
1tsp thyme

• lay fish in marinade for 20 minutes and flip 1/2 way through, if not submersed.
• remove and pat dry before laying the fish on the phyllo

Wrapping
2 sheets of phyllo per (5-7oz) fillet
melted butter, as needed

• lay down 1 sheet of phyllo on a dry flat surface.
• butter the edges and a small amount across the middle using a basting or pastry brush.
• lay the 2nd sheet directly on top, smoothing it gently. Phyllo tears very easily but you can repair it using a little of the melted butter as glue.
• lay the salmon a few inches from the bottom, in the middle of the phyllo. Roll the salmon with the phyllo upwards, careful not to tear as you go.
• Before the last flip up, fold the ends into the center.
• Seal the last flip with some more of the butter.
• Lay on parchment (not wax, it burns) lined pan and bake in a 425F oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.

drape with
Creamy Garlic and Parmesan Sauce
1cup whole milk or light cream (3-5%)
1tbsp butter
1tbsp all purpose, white flour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp mustard powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch nutmeg
tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

• in a small sauce pan, melt butter, add garlic and cook slightly without browning the butter or the garlic.(browing at this stage will mean the sauce won't be white.)
• stir in the flour and cook another 1/2 minute more
• using a whisk, add the milk stirring continuously until the sauce begins to thicken.
  
• Reduce heat to low and add the cheese, stirring till incorporated
• add the remaining seasonings and salt to taste
• serve sauce immediately, over the fish

I enjoyed my dinner with a side of steamed asparagus spears.
*before cooking, asparagus should always have the ends snapped off, or shaved using a peeler, because they are woody.

Cool Cous Cous Salad

Summer salads: the perfect match for anything BBQ'd. Tonight I'm grilling up my Ribs and to go along side, I pulled together some fresh ingredients I had on hand. The result is a little something to cool the flames.

1 cup cous cous
1 cup water or stock

• bring liquid to a boil, add cous cous, stir, remove from heat and cover. After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and refrigerate till cooled.

1/4 cup celery, diced small
1/2 cup cucumber, diced small
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters
1/4 cup red onion, diced fine
1 cup chick peas (if canned, drained and rinsed)
1 clove garlic, minced
hand-full fresh dill, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

• Once cous cous has cooled add the above ingredients, toss and taste. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve on a leaf of lettuce. Try something long and leafy like Red Leaf lettuce or Romaine because it is also firm.
OR
Try stuffing it into half a fresh pepper, cut lengthwise.

~ you're welcome ;o)

Homemade Margarine

Fat is fat. Not so. In this world of perpetual dieting, obesity epidemics and the subsequent rise in health awareness, understanding fat has never before been such a heavy subject. First of all fat is essential. It doesn't just pad our bones and roll over our jeans. Fat is needed for vitamin absorption and transportation through our bloodstream. It helps control blood functions such as clotting and pressure. And it is needed for exercise after carbohydrates have been burned. But not all fats are essential. In fact some are just down right bad, particularly when over consumed.

Trans fats are the latest lipids to be branded as bad. They are a double edged sword. Not only do they build bad cholesterol levels, causing coronary heart disease, but they lower good cholesterol. Saturated fats, in large quantities are also undesirable. Particularly palmitic acid, which occurs in high percentages, in common foods such as beef, butter, salmon and dark chocolate. However we do know that these foods also have beneficial qualities. Salmon also contains essential fatty acids. Dark chocolate has stress reducing antioxidants and beef is a valuable source of iron and protein. So what about butter? It tastes great and nothing substitutes it quite as well when it comes to baking and spreading. And taste is very important. Fat gives food flavour. Without it food can be bland or unbalanced. Often substitutions for fat include higher levels of salt, sugar and added chemicals and flavour enhancers. All of which are also bad if consumed in large quantities. And don't forget that your body needs fat to function. Restricting fat intake too much is not good either. Balance is essential.

The best fats to make a regular part of our balanced diet are known as essential fatty acids. They are our Omegas 3, 6 and 9, derived from linolenic and oleic acids. These fats are needed to support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems and are found in a variety of nuts, seeds, fish, dark leafy greens and oils like flax, canola and virgin olive. EFA's, like most vitamins and nutrients, can be destroyed through excessive heat from cooking. To preserve their benefits take care when choosing and preparing EFA rich foods.

So here is one way to achieve a fat balance. Make your own margarine. A perfect blend of butter and omega rich oils. Feel free to flavour it with garlic and herbs or just a pinch of salt.

• 1/2lb butter, softened
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Start butter in the blender adding the oil slowly until fully incorporated.
Transfer to a food storage container and refrigerate.

Mediterranean Lamb Chops

I don't think I've ever met a lamb I didn't love. And I hope this recipe will find your own heart all a flutter.

Marinade (yield: enough for 4 chops)
1/8tsp salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive brine
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp rosemary

• marinate chops for 1 hour turning twice to ensure even marination.
• grill chops until medium rare- aprox 4 minutes a side depending on the thickness.
  
• top with grilled red peppers and red onions with sliced kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese.
  

Turkey Burgers

The weather is warming which means it's time to turn off the oven and fire up the BBQ. Let's kick it off with a great burger. And there is none better than one made from scratch. It's not hard. All the ingredients go in one bowl. Then get your hands in there, mix it up and make some patties!

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme, fresh, chopped
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp onion or shallot, minced
2 tbsp celery, minced
4 mushrooms, minced
1/4 cup gouda, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers
1 tsp lemon juice

• form into patties of desired size and grill until done (juices should run clear)
  
• serve on a toasty bun with any of your favourite fixings.
• Since my BBQ is already hot, I'd grill some vegetables like peppers and zucchini. And more cheese never hurt.
  

Slow Cooked BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Yummy Stuff You'll Need

2 large pork back ribs
1 large half pan with rack(to keep your babies out of the steam bath)
tin foil
plastic wrap

~the steam bath
1 can dark ale
1 cup malt vinegar
1/2 cup water

~ ay there's the rub
1tsp each of:
cayenne pepper
black pepper
garlic salt
onion powder
mustard powder
Hungarian paprika
thyme
crushed bay leaves

~so saucy
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup malt vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp each of white pepper and salt
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp minced onions (that means chop em up till you can't chop em no more....or use a grater)
2 tbsp butter

~ melt the butter in a sauce pan. Saute onions and garlic until onions are clear. Melt in sugar and honey. Then stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire. Bring to a soft boil, reduce and add remaining ingredients. Keep warm until ready to use or refrigerate for later use.

How ya do er up

OK so the key to this is time and patience. Never rush a good rib. So you may be a little bored waiting, but in the end your blood thirsty ways will be well fed. To start you need to mix the rub and then spread it across the top of your ribs. Be firm yet gentle. Then wrap em up good and tight in several layers of any old plastic wrap. Now let your ribs sweat it out (in the fridge of course) for at least 12 hrs.

When you're good and bored, pull them puppies out and preheat your oven to 275F. Pour the bath into the bottom of your half pan. Then set in the rack and lay the rubbed ribs on top. Wrap the top tightly with tin foil. Let your ribs steam for 2hrs. Now in the mean time, to keep up your interest, whip up a fresh batch of my BBQ sauce and get yer grill fired up good and hot. Remove your steamed ribs and lay them on the grill coated in BBQ sauce. The key here is not to cook them much further. At this point we're only searing them with sauce and building a bit of a char, so make sure the barby's good and hot. Remove, plate and scarf back with the same brand of dark ale you used in the bath.

You're welcome ;o)

Scalloped Potatoes with Peppers

There is always room for variation, especially when it comes to potatoes. The base of this recipe is the potatoes and the sauce, made of butter, oil, flour and milk. So feel free to change up the rest. Choose your own selection of seasonings and veg or omit them altogether and go cheese all the way. I'm always creating with the food I have on hand. Don't be afraid to do the same. I dare ya!

• 6 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 green onions, washed and sliced
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, washed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, washed and thinly sliced
• Coarse salt to taste
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 cups milk

1. Heat oven at 375F
2. Saute peppers and onion for 2 minutes or until bright.
3. Stir in flour until incorporated.
   
4. Add seasonings and milk and continue to stir until sauce is thick. Remove from heat.
5. In a bowl, combine mixture and potatoes well.
6. Transfer to a baking dish and cover.
7. Cook for 35 minutes. Remove cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

~You're welcome ;o)

Stuffed Tomatoes

Earl was looking for any easy appetizer to compliment his duck on the weekend. I haven't yet caught any specifics on how the duck is to be prepared but this appy is an easy one as was part of his request. Thought I'd post it in the mean time (pending more duck info) as I came across this pic last evening whilst doing some long overdue editing of my Christmas footage.

Stuff:cherry tomatoes, equal parts stilton and marscapone, mini shrimp (all as needed)

It: Slice the tops off the tomatoes. I used a baby spoon to scoop out the seeds (great tool...even if you don't happen to have a baby!) without disturbing the natural 'wall'. Blend the 2 cheeses together. Pipe* the mixture into one side of the tomato and place a shrimp on the other side. Done.

*I bought a cake piper with an assortment of tips at my local dollar store. Works like a dream...for a buck!

Stuffed Sole

Sole is perfect for stuffing. It's flexibility makes it easy to wrap and it's mild flavour allows for a myriad of stuffing options. My version is light and fresh, but more importantly it's easy.

8 large, boneless and skinless sole fillets
8 toothpicks

stuff it:
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained (juice reserved)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1tsp fresh, grated ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
1/4 cup slant cut, green onions
pinch of salt

• mix ingredients in a bowl
• with a spoon, fill the centre of each fillet
• fold each end to the centre and fix with a toothpick
• bake for 15-20 minutes in a 375F oven, or until the fish is white
  

drizzle it:
1 cup Balkan style yogurt (6%)
reserved pineapple juice
16 tagliatelle nests, cooked in salted chicken stock (or broth) and 3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, chopped
nutmeg

• once cooked, remove the toothpicks and place each fillet on top of 2 nests in the centre of a plate
  
• drizzle each fillet with the mix of yogurt and juice
• garnish with peanuts and a pinch of nutmeg

You're welcome ;o)

English Style Potato Salad

I don't quite recall what inspired me to create this recipe. Maybe my own heritage. Maybe my love of anything potato. Either way, it is certainly a great spin on an old standard.

First thing:

1 1lb bag frozen, cubed home fries

• spread on a baking sheet and cook according to package directions

Mean time:

In a bowl, combine

• 1/2 cup of mayo
• 1/4 cup of malt vinegar
• 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 can peas, drained
• 1/2 cup diced ham
• 1/2 tsp salt

Finishing touch:

• Salt the cooked potatoes and set them aside to cool.
• Once cooled, gently stir potatoes into the rest of the ingredients.
• correct to taste

Try it instead of chips the next time you have fish.

~You're welcome ;o)

Pear and Potato Soup

3 Green Anjou pears, peeled, cored and diced
2 large yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
3 leeks, washed and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of extra old white cheddar (2yrs or older), crumbled
1/4 cup of butter
3-4 cups of chicken stock
1/8 tsp white pepper
few dashes of allspice

Melt the butter in a stock pot. Then add the garlic, pears and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Add the leeks and seasonings and cook for another few minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce and let simmer for 10 minutes. Puree in the pot with a hand mixer or in a blender. Taste and correct seasonings. Serve into bowls, garnishing each with a portion of the crumbled cheese. Serves about 6.

You're welcome ;o)

Honey Glazed Butterfly Chops with Nutty Greens and Apple Baked Potatoes

Dinner tonight.
Inspiration: Necessity

I hate to waste food. So, often I create recipes based on what needs to be used first. Tonight I discovered a bag of spinach that was on it's last leg. My first instinct was to turn it to soup, but after searching the freezer for protein, I had another idea. And here it is:



You'll Need

2 butterfly chops
1/2 lb baby spinach
onion
honey
cracked pepper
garlic
walnuts
coarse salt
1 beer*
lemon juice
olive oil/butter

THe ChOPs

• marinate the chops in the beer, 2 tbsp lemon juice and a teaspoon of coarse salt for 20 minutes
• remove from marinade, place in shallow baking dish and bake chops in a 375F oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size or thickness
  
• top chops with cracked pepper and drizzle with honey
• place under the broiler until honey begins to caramelize
• remove and serve against the greens
  

The GREENS

• dice 1/2 cup white or spanish onion, mince 3 cloves of garlic and caramelize them in 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• add spinach with a pinch of salt and pepper, cover and cook until bright green (about 2 minutes)
• in a separate pan, toast 4 tbsp chopped walnuts, then add them to the spinach

the apple-baked taters

• 4 large yukon gold potatoes cut into chunks and put in a baking dish
• in a small bowl place 1/4 cup applesauce, 1tbsp butter, 2 tbsp brown sugar, few dashes of allspice, dash of cayenne, salt and fresh cracked pepper
• heat in microwave until butter is softened (30-40 seconds)
• mix and pour over potatoes
• cook for 1 hour at 375F

*vinegar will substitute just fine for beer, preferably malt or cider.

Chocolate Chili

Dinner tonight.
Inspiration: The hubby's love for the sweet and spicy.

One thing I can't recommend enough is to use recipes as a reference. Don't be afraid to omit unappealing ingredients or substitute them with the foods you do like. Nothing could be more true than when it comes to spicy food. Some like it hot. But it doesn't have to blister your tongue or require you to wear an extra layer of antiperspirant. The beauty with this particular recipe is that you can find your own personal balance between the sweet and the spicy. Here is my version. I hope you can read my writing ;o)


in a saute pan, cook the beef, jalapeños and chili peppers. when they are almost done, let them simmer in the red wine for about 4 minutes.
in a stock pot, saute the diced onion with the garlic until they are golden brown.
add to the pot the black beans, the beans in tomato sauce, the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, diced roasted red peppers and all of the seasonings.
stir in the finished beef and the brown sugar.
finally, grate in the chocolate.
let simmer for 2 hours.
adjust seasonings to taste.



I'd love to serve this with a cheddar corn bread.

~You're welcome ;o)

Wild Rice Pilaf

Easy dishes that taste like hours of preparation are my favourite. Rice pilaf is not just for restaurants and banquet halls. And it should never be instant. For the short time it takes to dice a few veg, the payoff is 2-fold.

In the Pot

• according to the directions on the package, measure out rice* adding it to chicken stock in place of water.
• add a combined cup of diced mushroom, red pepper, red onion and celery
• add 2 tblsp of chopped walnuts
  
• bring to a boil, reduce, cover and let simmer for the cooking time stated in the directions.
• Serve. It's that easy.

*use quick cooking wild rice. Otherwise the other ingredients will be far over cooked. If you must use regular wild rice, saute the other ingredients and stir them in once the rice is cooked.

~you're welcome ;o)

Simple Pleasures

The season of entertaining is upon us, a time when tortilla chip and spinach dip sales are at an all time high. If you're tired of the same old appetizers, try these on for size.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

1 bunch of Asparagus, snapped
2 cups of beef stock
2 cloves of garlic, minced
enough prosciutto for wrapping, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil

• saute the garlic in a sauce pan with olive oil for about 1 minute
• add the stock and asparagus to the pan and bring to boil
• reduce and let simmer until asparagus turns bright green (about 3 minutes). The asparagus should still be firm. If it turns limp it will not work.
• immediately drain from pan and put in the fridge to cool.
• starting at one end, wrap the asparagus with the prosciutto on a diagonal so it will wind up to the other end.
• present on a platter for serving

*Optional*

Serve with a spicy peach puree:

• Drain and puree I can of peaches. Stir in the zest of 1/2 a lemon and 1/2 an orange, 2 tbsp of orange marmalade, 1tsp chili flakes, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Oriental Bacon Wrappers

1 can whole water chestnuts, drained
1 package of bacon
1 bunch green onions
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup naturally brewed soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp grated, fresh ginger
toothpicks

• in a small mixing bowl, combine the soy, garlic and ginger.
• add the drained water chestnuts and let marinate until the bacon is cooked and cooled.
• preheat oven to 425F
• place enough bacon on a baking sheet, lined with wax paper, to wrap each water chestnut
• cook in the oven until 1/2 done and let cool.
• cut the whites off of all the onions and cut the remaining green shoots to 1 inch pieces
• drain the water chestnuts
• take one piece of onion and sandwich it between a piece of pineapple and one water chestnut. Then wrap it in a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick by piercing through the entire wrap.
• Just before you are ready to serve, put the wraps back on a clean pan and finish under the broiler until the bacon is crisp.
  

Bocconcini Skewers

As required:
cherry tomatoes
bocconcini
fresh basil
coarse salt
fresh cracked pepper
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
large toothpicks

• put desired amount of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a blender and begin to mix. Very slowly add about the same amount of olive oil. This will actually homogenize the oil and vinegar if you blend it slowly enough.
• start your skewer with the cheese. Bocconcini will often have a flat side. Put this side down allowing your skewer to stand on the serving plate when finished.
• follow the cheese with one leaf of basil and a cherry tomato on top.
• place all the skewers, upright on a flat serving tray
• drizzle with the dressing and serve.
  

You're welcome ;o)

Steelhead Salmon in a Pesto Rub

Dinner last night was in short order for the extra parental heads that were joining us around 8pm. My fridge was looking a little desperate so I headed out for a quick run up the food aisles. With the recent weight gain of our loon there were many sales to indulge in, including some steelhead fillets, fat enough to feed 5. I snatched one up to prepare an old standby that never fails to impress. And it's easy too; a half an hour from start to finish.***

The Rub
Salmon is a fish rich in oil. So for this dish I've chosen to omit the olive oil from a standard pesto, creating a perfect balance.
2 tbsp dry basil
1/4 cup pine nuts (either crushed in a mortar and pestle or finely ground in a food processor)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

• combine ingredients in a small bowl

The Fish
1 steelhead salmon fillet, large enough to feed 4-6 adults, dusted with salt and freshly cracked pepper

• Preheat the oven to 450F
• Spray lightly, a baking sheet, with oil
  
• Spread the rub evenly over the seasoned fillet
• drizzle with 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• let the fish cook at 450 for 15-20 minutes
• Turn the oven to broil and finish till the rub is nicely toasted

What I served it with

• wild rice pilaf~cooked in chicken stock with mushrooms, red pepper and red onion
• snapped asparagus~steamed in chicken stock and lemon juice

***The rice will cook in time with the salmon. And the asparagus will cook in time with the finishing of the fish under the broiler.


~You're welcome ;o)