recipe: pan seared scallops with leek and tarragon creme

 

It’s official, February is my least favourite month.  I know it’s ridiculous for me to be mad at the snow – but I am.  My husband has been less than enthusiastic as well, but at least he has an excuse – we have a corner lot complete with sidewalks, and he does all the shoveling. 

However, I am trying quite hard to be grateful on the days when the sun shines, and to remember that February must have a least a few positive qualities.  Well, we’re now 12 days into February, and I can only think of two:

Valentine’s Day.  I cherish the homemade cards that David makes for me and let’s not forget that Valentine’s Day means that we can eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner guilt-free.

The Academy Awards.  I love the Oscars!  Apparently I’m not alone, as an estimated 40 million viewers tune in to watch.  I’m not sure what I like better – the actual awards or seeing what everyone is wearing on the red carpet.  At my house, Oscar night always involves a bottle of bubbly, and of course, plenty of delicious, rich food (because when there’s this much snow on the ground, it’s hard to believe that swimsuit season will ever return).  Oh, and there are also the snide remarks from my husband who instead of watching the show, invariably chooses to work in his office just within earshot of the tv.

This year, I’ll be making these delicious scallops in a leek and tarragon cream sauce.  The credit goes to Trish Magwood.  I learned to make these while working at her cooking school/café/retail shop/catering business in Toronto called Dish Cooking Studio.  I haven’t decided yet how I’m going to serve them – they’re wonderful with frisée greens (as per the recipe) but they’re also delicious tossed with fresh pasta or on a baguette as a bruschetta.  If you’re hosting an Academy Awards party, you can serve individual scallops with a dollop of sauce on porcelain, Asian spoons, or endive leaves.

pan seared scallops with leek & tarragon crème (serves 6)

ingredients

§         3 (three) large or 5 (five) small scallops per person

§         2 (two) tablespoons vegetable oil

§         1 (one) tablespoon butter

§         1 (one) tablespoon olive oil

§         4 (four) shallots, sliced

§         2 (two) leeks, white part only, sliced

§         3 (three) cloves garlic, minced

§         1 (one) cup white wine

§         1/2 (one-half) cup 35% cream

§         2 (two) tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

§         1 (one) bunch fresh tarragon

§         frisée greens for garnish

§         1 (one) baguette

§         1/4 (one-quarter) cup olive oil

§         salt and pepper

method

1.       In a large heavy skillet, heat vegetable oil until almost smoking.  Pat scallops dry with paper towel, then season scallops with salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Pan sear on each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden.  Remove scallops. (note: do not crowd the pan with too many scallops – you will need to sear in batches).

2.       To the pan, add butter and a dash of olive oil.  Sauté shallots and leeks until fragrant, about 6 minutes.  Add minced garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.

3.       Add white wine, scraping up any stuck bits.  Add cream and cook, reducing liquid to about half.  Finish with parmesan and freshly chopped tarragon leaves.  Season again with salt and pepper.

4.       Lightly toss frisée with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

5.       Place greens in center of plate, top with cooked scallops.  Drizzle with tarragon crème and garnish with 2 crostini per person.

Note – if you like a lot of sauce (or plan to serve the scallops with pasta) then double the sauce component.

Healthy Breakfast Shake

Since the new year, I've been trying to start the day with a healthy breakfast. Truthfully, I'd love to start everyday with poundcake (like yesterday, but it was a Sunday so it doesn't count, right?) but this shake is far healthier and more filling. My husband finds it hard to eat a meal in the morning but he has no problem downing one of these protein-packed shakes. I started making shakes after reading Dr. Joey Shulman's "Healthy Sin Foods" book. The protein powder is filling and adding the ground flaxseed is a great way to boost your intake of omega-3 fats. Great for digestion, too. You can buy the flaxseeds whole (and grind them yourself in a coffee maker) but I prefer to buy pre-ground flaxseed which I keep in the fridge. Don't add whole flaxseed because it's hard to crack and may pass through the body intact.
 
Healthy Breakfast Shake - serves 2
 
2 cups low fat milk (note: can use almond or soya milk instead, if desired)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I like the brand Proteins +, which you can find at Zehrs in the natural food section, with the protein bars)
1 medium (peeled) banana, frozen 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend for about 10 seconds.

Pour into 2 glasses and serve.

tina’s mushroom-topped brie - recipe: mushroom-topped brie

Do you think you have the recipe for a product worthy of lining national supermarket shelves, fridges and freezers? I recently read about a new Canadian competitive reality TV show called Recipes to Riches.

According to their website (www.recipestoriches.ca), “the new original series gives ordinary Canadians with extraordinary recipes a once-in-a-lifetime shot to exhibit their talent on TV with the possibility of their recipe making it onto the shelves of select Loblaw Companies Limited grocery stores across the country”.

There are seven different food categories, including appetizers, sweet and savoury snacks, cakes, pies, savoury pies, freezable entrees and frozen treats. The winner of each category will receive a $25,000 cash prize and each category winner will go head-to-head to compete for the grand prize of $250,000. That will be the largest cash prize in Canadian reality TV history.

I’d love to enter the contest myself, but its strictly open to “home” chefs... which got me thinking about one of the best home chefs I know — my friend Tina Roberts. I’ve written about her before, and I’m sure I’ll write about her again.

Immediately after I sent Tina the press release, she e-mailed me back and wrote, “Your subject line definitely got my attention. I think I will enter — for sure the brie.” Tina is famous for her to-die-for marinated brie and blueberry drizzle salad (recipes can be found online at www.danashortt.ca/recipes.htm) but her latest creation is this delectable mushroom-topped brie, also award-worthy. Tina surprised me and the rest of the Dana Shortt Gourment team in December by bringing us this brie and a crusty baguette as a special holiday treat.

Good luck, Tina!

Tina’s mushroom-topped brie

ingredients for brie

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound fresh-sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup minced sweet onion
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 200 gram brie, top rind removed.
  (Tina suggests that you use a cheese slicer to remove the top of the brie as it works well and doesn’t remove too much of the brie.)

ingredients for garnish

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

method

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Heat oil in a medium sized frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, rosemary and thyme.
• Sauté for four to six minutes, stirring occasionally and until mushroom liquid has evaporated.
• Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and cook until liquid has evaporated.
• Cool slightly and then top brie with mushroom mixture.
• Place brie in brie baker, oven proof sauté pan or dish.
• Bake brie for eight to 10 minutes or until hot.
• Sprinkle brie with walnuts and parsley.
• Serve warm brie with fresh baguette, crackers or flatbreads.

Try French Onion Soup for your soul A belly-warming meal idea that will soothe any stomach on a cold January day - recipe: french onion soup

A few years ago, when my parents decided to downsize from their large family home to a townhouse condo, it left me with mixed feelings.

The downside included saying goodbye to our long-term neighbours and to the home where we had created so many wonderful memories.

In addition, I was faced with 25 plus years of mementos and keepsakes that I now had to filter through and store . . . without the benefit of a huge attic! The upside of the move was that Mom was compelled to pass along all sorts of items that she no longer had room for, like a few pieces of good-quality furniture, some décor items and lots of kitchen goodies (too bad her jewelry doesn’t take up closet space — just kidding Mom).

One of my favourite “scores” was the set of French onion soup bowls that my grandmother had bought for my mom many years ago.

French onion soup is just one of those things that tastes better in its own special crock — sort of like how Coquilles St. Jacques tastes better in a scallop shell (Score – I got those too!) What can I say? Some women love clothes, some women love shoes, and some women love soup bowls, scallop shells and tablecloths just a little bit more.

This is my favourite French onion soup recipe.

The winter following my parents big move, David and I invited them over for a belly-warming meal of French onion soup, crusty bread and green salad.

It’s January, so I know that a lot of us are trying to eat a little lighter — this isn’t exactly the lowest calorie soup option out there but it’s still soup, right?

French onion soup
(Serves 6) Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 jumbo sweet onions (about two pounds), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup white wine, divided
5 cups beef broth (use the best quality you can — make your own, or buy from a specialty
store or butcher for best results)
1 cup water or chicken stock

For soup crocks
6 slices of day-old baguette
6 ounces of Gruyère cheese, grated (or more, if desired)

Method

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until frothy.

Add onions and stir to coat in butter.

Add thyme, salt and sugar and stir every few minutes for 20 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of white wine and stir.

Continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes or until onions are very soft and golden brown in colour.

Add flour and cook, continuously stirring for about one minute. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup of wine and stir for another minute.

Pour in broth, water/chicken stock and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Put soup crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Divide the soup equally among the crocks and top each with a slice of baguette and an ounce of gruyere.

Broil four to five inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly (about one and a half minutes).

dreaming of spending the holidays in italy - recipe: veal tenderloin stuffed with leeks, sausage & chevre

Winter in Italy. That simple three-word phrase sounds just divine. I wish I could say that I was about to fly off to Europe for an extended winter holiday but sadly, this is not so.

However, I can at least try to pretend that I’m in Italy through my culinary adventures. Winter in Italy was the name of a cooking class taught by the very talented Pam McDonald several years ago at Dish Cooking Studio in Toronto.

I was an employee at Dish while working my way through chef’s school and I was fortunate enough to work alongside Chef Pam as her assistant in many classes.

One of my favourite classes featured a delectable Italian menu which included a radicchio & chicory salad with sautéed mushrooms & shaved parmesan; scalloped fennel & potatoes, sautéed rapini with pine nuts & raisins, veal tenderloin stuffed with leek, sausage & chevre and pears with sweet mascarpone cheese.

In addition to sharing valuable tips and tricks for the kitchen, Pam suggested a unique entertaining idea involving fresh rosemary: extra sprigs can be tossed into a wood burning fireplace for a delicious, natural, yet oh-so-frugal aroma!

This veal tenderloin would make for a stunning entrée on Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Buon Appetito!

veal tenderloin stuffed with leeks, sausage & chevre
recipe courtesy of Chef Pam McDonald,
owner of “more than food” cooking school in Toronto
905-637-4907
(serves 8)

ingredients

• 2 (two) tbsp olive oil
• 1½ (one-and-one-half) lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 (three) leeks (white parts and ? green), quartered lengthwise, well-rinsed, dried and sliced
• 6 (six) oz. soft mild chevre
• 1 (one) tbsp fresh thyme, washed and chopped
• salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3-4 (three to four) lb. veal tenderloin
• 3 (three) cloves garlic
• 1 (one) zest of lemon
• 1 (one) cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 (two) tbsp olive oil

method

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking up the meat with a fork, until the meat begins to lose its pink colour. Add the leeks and cook until the leeks are tender and the meat begins to brown, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in the chevre, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until the chevre melts. Season the stuffing with thyme, salt and pepper.
• Remove the silverskin and any excess fat from the tenderloin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle and open as you would a book. Place the tenderloin between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound the meat gently until approximately ¾ (three-quarters) to 1 (one) inch in thickness. Place stuffing on one tenderloin and cover with another tenderloin. Secure by tying with kitchen string. Repeat with remaining tenderloin.
• Mince the parsley, garlic and lemon zest in a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil. Pat this mixture over the top of the veal. Place on lined pan and roast uncovered for 40 minutes at 450° F.
  

brussel sprouts for the holidays - recipe 1: red & green salad - recipe 2: shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and nuts

Tis the season for potlucks, parties and paunches. I’m kidding about the paunches but seriously, if a girl isn’t careful… Which brings me to my point: as much as I love cheese, chocolate and cheese (I love cheese so much that I had to mention it twice), I think that most of us appreciate a few healthy yet delicious menu items, especially at this time of the year.

My Mom has been making this delicious salad for years and its red and green appearance is perfect for holiday entertaining. I didn’t care for it as a kid – Brussels sprouts, cabbage and blue cheese just didn’t appeal to me, but I have certainly grown to love it. This recipe doubles and/or triples easily if you’re feeding a crowd.

red & green salad
from “Pure and Simple” by Marian Burros, 1978
(serves 6)

ingredients

• 3 (three) tablespoons olive oil
• 2 (two) tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1½ (one-and-one-half) tablespoons Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (one) large clove garlic, pressed
• ¼ (one-quarter) small head red cabbage, coarsely shredded
• 10 (ten) raw Brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 (one-third) cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 (two) tablespoons chopped green onion

method

• Mix together oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic.
  Beat or shake to blend well (dressing can be made ahead).
• Gently stir dressing into cabbage and Brussels sprouts just before serving, along with cheese and green onion.

dana’s tip

If you’re not a fan of blue cheese or cabbage but are willing to give Brussels sprouts a try, consider making this delicious shredded Brussels sprouts recipe which was featured in the LCBO “Food and Drink” magazine a number of years ago. Shredding the Brussels sprouts and cooking them for a short amount of time disguises them – not only in appearance but in taste (they aren’t nearly as strong in flavour as traditional steamed sprouts). I often substitute the pine nuts for whatever I have in my cupboard – think almonds, pecans or walnuts, and I leave out the bacon and nuts altogether if I want to save some calories. As will be the case in January!

shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and nuts
(serves 8)

ingredients

• 1½ lbs. (750 g) Brussels sprouts
• ¼ cup (50 mL) olive oil
• 6 slices prosciutto or pancetta or regular bacon, chopped
• ¾ cup (175 mL) pine nuts
• salt and freshly ground pepper

method

• Remove root end and core from Brussels sprouts, cut in half and thinly slice.
• Heat oil in skillet on medium-high heat. Add bacon. Sauté until beginning to crisp. Add sprouts and sauté for 3 minutes. Cover pan and cook 2 minutes longer or until sprouts are crisp-tender and bright green.
• Toss in pine nuts, sauté 1 minute and season with salt and pepper.

the perfect hostess gift - recipe: grand marnier pecan christmas cake

Sometime between Labour Day and Halloween, I start thinking seriously about what my hostess gift will be for the upcoming holiday season.

It has to be edible and it can’t take too much time to prepare, because this is by far the busiest season for me at the store. I have a ritual of sorts – I dig out my boxes (and boxes) of holiday cookbooks and magazines to see if I can drum up any new inspiration.

I dog ear several of the pages and always ask my husband David for his opinion. We’ve been together for 10 years so you think I’d know better than to ask him, because his response is always the same, “Sure, sounds good to me.” To which I reply something along the lines of: “But what do you think, do you like the idea?” To which he replies: “Sorry honey, I just can’t get too excited about this sort of stuff.”

Fair enough. Truth be told, a good part of the fun is the first step — looking through the various recipes and “dreaming” about what I might create and how I will present it. In all honesty, I’d say about half the time I’m successful in actually making the particular item, and the other half of the time, I end up giving gourmet gifts from my store.

Here’s a delicious fruitcake recipe that I plan on making this year (the key word being “plan”).

It’s rich and sinful but worth the calories. The recipe comes from my mother and it’s been years since she made it — which is giving me an extra push to make it because she is sure to receive one!

grand marnier pecan christmas cake

ingredients

• 1 lb. golden seedless raisins
• 1 lb. pecan pieces
• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb. butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier

method

• Preheat oven to 250 F.
• Butter the inside of a 10-inch, 12-cup tube pan.
• Sprinkle liberally with flour and shake out excess. Combine raisins and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with all of the flour and salt. Toss with your hands until blended. Set aside.
• Place butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
• Start beating and gradually add sugar. Cream mixture well and add the egg yolks one at a time, beating constantly.
• Blend the soda and water together and add it to the butter-egg mixture. Beat in the Grand Marnier. Pour this mixture into the nut mixture and blend together with your hands. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them in with the hands. Continue folding until whites are not apparent.
• Spoon and scrape mixture into prepared pan smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for two to 2 1/2 hours. Remove from pan shortly after it is baked.
• Wrap and store in the fridge at least 10 days. It also freezes well.

the best chocolate chip cookie recipe - recipe: kelly's chocolate chip cookies

"Kelly baking?” That’s what my little guy John asked me last weekend when I told him that we were going to visit our good friends Kelly and Marc, and their children Avery and Callum, for a Halloween party.

Even John, at just two-and-a-half, knows when to expect good eats.

David and I met Kelly just over a year ago, and it didn’t take long for us to realize that she’s an incredible and generous baker. In the short time that we’ve known her, she’s treated us to a heap of goodies.

We’ve been fortunate enough to sample many of her creations including her mouthwatering muffins, cupcakes, vanilla cake with cream cheese icing, lemon bars, and last but not least, her fantastic chocolate chip cookies.

Rest assured that this is not just any old chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is, by far, the best chocolate chip cookie that I’ve ever tried, hands down.

A few nights ago, Kelly dropped off a batch and a new Curious George video for John. She stopped by the shop today and I managed to work up the courage to ask her for the recipe (and permission to share it with all of you!).

I’m so pleased that Kelly said yes, as many wouldn’t dare to share an amazing “signature recipe” such as this one.

Trust me — add this cookie to your holiday baking repertoire or at the least, cut out the recipe for a rainy day in the future. These are amazing with a glass of milk or for a decadent treat, try them with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce.

kelly’s chocolate chip cookies

makes 16 jumbo cookies or about 32 regular sized cookies

ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cooled, melted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Method Preheat the oven to 325F.

method

• Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
• Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about three inches apart.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.