This week we were joined by instructor Jayne Wark, a professor at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design who has a secret passion for cooking. This was her first time leading a cooking class but she seemed to enjoy it just as much as everyone enjoyed the menu she had set out for them.

To begin our preparations, we started off with dessert! The apple cake we prepared is a great Nova Scotian recipe, as vanilla is the only non-local ingredient. The original recipe called for granulated sugar but we subbed this for some Cosman & Whidden honey, which ended up tasting better than the original recipe! The other beauty of this cake is that it is super easy to make so you can get it in the oven first then continue on with dinner preparations while it is baking for an hour or so.

While our cake was in the oven we started to prepare the entrée of a beef braise with cabbage and polenta. Jayne had prepared the beef braise before hand using some of Mike Oulton’s free range, organic beef short ribs, as the nature of a braise is that it is slow cooking and could not be prepared entirely during the period of one cooking class. Jayne went over the recipe she used (a Propeller porter ale and white onion recipe) and all the specific techniques of braising. The class then finished the final steps of the braise by coating the ribs in a rosemary infused maple syrup glaze. Some members of the group then prepared some pan-seared cabbage with white onion, garlic, free-range bacon (from Windy View Farms at the Seaport Market) and hard apple cider. Meanwhile other members prepared the polenta using course corn meal from Speerville, NB purchased from The Grainery on Agricola St. Jayne demonstrated her super easy method for making polenta that doesn’t involve constant stovetop stirring. Instead, using a Dutch oven, the polenta was baked in the oven at 350° for 20 minutes. Everyone was amazing by how easy it is to make polenta, a great food, especially for those who eat gluten-free.

While the braise, cabbage, polenta and apple cake were all in the oven, the group whipped up a smoked haddock pâté to snack on with bread from Boulangerie La Vendéenne. The original recipe called for cream, but due to some dairy sensitivities in the group Jayne showed the group how to make a substitute mayonnaise. A lot of people had never made a mayonnaise before, and the demonstration really showed everyone how easy it really is (common, you got to try it, folks!). While snacking away on the pâté, Rupert Jannasch from Ironwood Farm joined us to talk about his farm, his CSA program and his cattle. Rupert had a lot of insight on the kinds of beef on the market, the different species of cattle, different beef cuts etc. It was very interesting having Rupert around to answer our questions about beef and cattle farming, especially for a class where a beef braise was the main entrée.

Rupert answered questions and hosted conversation all the way to the dinner table once everything was ready. There, conversation ceased and everything became quiet except for the clinking of plates and sighs of enjoyment, as everyone delighted in the meal in front of them.

After our plates were cleared and our Wintertime Harvest cooking class series came to an end, many exchanged names and numbers in hopes of staying in contact with one another in the future. We all left, secretly knowing however, that we would all see each other sometime again. Perhaps at the market? Perhaps at The Grainery? Or perhaps at next season’s cooking class.

Until then,

Yours in food,
Lucy

Short Ribs Braised in Porter Ale with Maple-Rosemary Glaze
(from All About Braising by Molly Stevens)
Serves 6
Braising Time: 2 1/2 – 3 hrs

The ribs need to marinate for 12-24 hours, so be sure to allow time for this (steps 1 and 2). In addition, the flavour of short ribs improves if they are braised 1-2 days before you serve them. Complete the recipe through step 6, and after braising, let the ribs cool to room temperature in their braising liquid. Once they are cool, transfer the ribs and sauce to a glass or other nonreactive container, cover tightly, and refrigerate. To serve, scrape almost all of the solidified fat from the surface of the sauce. Arrange the ribs in a shallow baking dish, along with a sauce, discard the spice sack. Cover the ribs with foil and back in the center of a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, taste the sauce for salt and pepper, and baste the ribs with the sauce. Place back in the oven, uncovered, to heat another 10 minutes before serving.

The Marinade
3 1/2 to 4 pounds meaty bone-in short ribs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions (about 1 pound total). Sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1 carrot, chopped to 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups of porter ale
3/4 beef stock
One 4 inch sprig of rosemary
2 bay leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

The Aromatics and Braising Liquid
3 tablespoons pure maple suryp
Two 4 inch rosemary sprigs

Trimming and marinating the short ribs:
Trim away any thick layers of surface fat from the short ribs, but don’t remove the silver skin or tough looking tissue that holds the ribs together. Place the ribs in a large wide bowl or baking dish, season with the stalk and pour over the cooled marinade. Rearrange the ribs if necessary so that the marinade covers them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning the ribs once or twice so they marinate evenly.

Salting the ribs- 1 to 2 days before braising
Arrange the ribs in a loose layer on a tray or in a non reactive dish. Sprinkle them all over with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt and cover loosely with waxed paper or plastic rap. Refrigerate for a day or two.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees
Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel, but don’t rub off the salt. Season with pepper.

Browning the ribs.
Pour 2 tbsp oil into a Dutch oven or other heavy braising pot (4-6 quart) wide enough to accommodate the short ribs in a crowded single layer and heat over medium heat. Make sure the ribs are completely dry, and season them all over with salt and pepper. Add only as many ribs as will fit without crowding and sear them, turning with tongs, until deeply browned on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside on a large plate or tray, without stacking and finish browning the remaining ribs. Set the pot aside. (The ribs may also be browned under the broiler.)

The aromatics
Pour off and discard all but about a tablespoon of fat from the pot. If there are any charred bits in the pot, wipe them down with a damp paper towel, being careful not to remove the precious caramelizzed drippings. Return the pot to medium-high heat until the vegetables start to brown and soften, about 5 minutes.

The braising liquids
Add the ale and bring to a full boil. Boil for about 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge and dissolve any tasty bits cooked onto it. Pour in the stock, bring again to a boil, and reduce the hear to a simmer. Return the ribs to the pot, along with any juices released while sitting. Tuck the rosemary sprig and bay leaves in between the ribs. The ribs should be partially submerged in the liquid. If necessary add a bit more water.

The braise:
Cover the pot with parchment paper, pressing down on a paper so it nearly touches the ribs and so the paper hangs over the sides by an inch. Set the lid in place then slide the pot onto a rack in the lower third of the oven. Braise gently , turning the ribs with tongs so as not to tear up the meat every 40-45 minutes, until the meat is fork tender and falling away from the bones, 2 1/2-3 hours. After the first 20 minutes, lower the oven heat  10-15 degrees

Meanwhile prepare the glaze
While the ribs are braising, combine the maple syrup and rosemary sprig in a small saucepan. Heat to a gentle boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat, cover and infuse for 1 hour.

Removing the ribs from the braising liquid
When the ribs are tender and the meat is pulling away from the bones, use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully transfer them to a flameproof gratin dish or shallow baking dish that is large enough to accommodate them in a single layer. Try your best to keep the ribs on the bones and intact, but don’t worry if some bones slip out. Scoop out the vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange them around the ribs.

Finishing the braising liquid
Tilt the braising pot to collect the juices in one end and skim off as much surface fat as you can with a large spoon. If thereis more fat than you care to skim off a spoonful at a time, transer the braising liquid to a gravy seperator and then pout the liquid into a medium saucepan leaving the fat behind. If the braising liquid exceeds 1/2 cup, bring it to a vigourous simmer over medium-high heat and cook it down to close to 1/2 up. It should have a syrupy consistency.

Glazing the short ribs
Heat the broiler on high. Remove the rosemary sprigs form the glaze, running your fingers down the length of the sprigs so you save every drop of glaze. Brush the glaze on top of the ribs. Pour the reduced brazing liquid around the ribs. Don’t pour directly on the ribs at it will wash off the glaze. Slide the ribs under the broiler and broil until the surface of the ribs develops a shiny, almost caramelized glaze and you can hear them sizzle, about 4 minutes.

Serving
Serve immediately.  Glazing the ribs should be the last step of your dinner preparations.

Just before the  plan to braise, soak mushrooms:
Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour over the warm water. Set aside to soak 20-30 minutes

Browning the short ribs:
Remove the ribs from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towns. Strain the marinade into a bowl. Reserve the wine and spice sachet and discard vegetables.
Pour 2 tbsp oil into a Dutch oven or other heavy braising pot (4-6 quart) wide enough to accommodate the short ribs in a crowded single layer and heat over medium heat. Make sure the ribs are completely dry, and season them all over with salt and pepper. Add only as many ribs as will fit without crowding and sear them, turning with tongs, until deeply browned on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside on a large plate or tray, without stacking and finish browning the remaining ribs. Set the pot aside. (The ribs may also be browned under the broiler.)

Heat the oven to 325 degrees

Draining the mushrooms:
Life the softened mushrooms from the soaking liquid with your hands, and holding the mushrooms above soaking liquid, squeeze gently to  wring out any excess moisture. Set the mushrooms on a cutting board, and reserve the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms, and set aside. Strain the soaking liquid through a triple layer of cheesecloth or a coffee filter to catch any sand or grit. Reserve the liquid.

The Aromatics and Braising liquid:
Pour off and discard any remaining fat from the braising pot. If there are lots of charred bits on the bottom, wipe these out with a damp paper towel, leaving behind any unburnt drippings. If there is a rich browned crust, leave it, add the remaining tsp of oil and heat over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring until browned and softened, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes with their juice, and the chopped mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes, stirring once or twice. Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and wine and bring to a boil. Let the liquid boil until it is reduced by about half, 2-3 minutes.

The braise:
Return the short ribs to the pot, along with any juice. Tuck the reserved spice sack and rosemary springs in between the ribs. Cover the pot with parchment paper, pressing down on a paper so it nearly touches the ribs and so the paper hangs over the sides by an inch. Set the lid in place then slide the pot onto a rack in the lower third of the oven. Braise gently , turning the ribs with tongs so as not to tear up the mead every 40-45 minutes, until the meat is fork tender and falling away from the bones, 2 ½ -3 hours. After the first 20 minutes, lower the oven heat  10-15 degrees

The finish:
Transfer the ribs to a serving platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the spice sack. To degrease the braising liquid, either pour into a gravy separator and then pour the liquid into a medium saucepan leaving the fat behind, or simply tilt the braising pan and skim the fat off with a large spoon. The liquid should be the consistency of thick vinaigrette. Heat the sauce to a simmer over medium- high heat, and taste for salt and pepper.

Serving:
Transfer the ribs to dinner plates, spoon sauce over and serve immediately.

Browning the short ribs under the broiler:
Another way to sear the ribs is to brown them under the broiler. This avoids the splatter of the grease onto the top of the stove when searing. In place of step 4, preheat the broiler on high and adjust the oven rack so that it sits about 6 inches from the flames or heating element. Arrange the ribs 1-2 inches apart on a rimmed baking sheet (a half sheet pan), or broiler pan, and slide them under the broiler. Broil, turning with tongs as each side browns, until sizzling and chestnut brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a platter, without stacking them. Pour off and discard the grease left over, and deglaze to capture any precious caramelized beef drippings: set the pan over medium high heat, add about ¼ cup of red wine, stock, or water, and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up and dissolve the drippings. Reserve this liquid.
Proceed with step 5, chopping the mushrooms and straining their liquid. Then heat 1 tbsp of the oil (you will only needed 2 tbsp oil, not the 3 specified, if using this method) in a large Dutch oven or other heavy braising pot (5-6 quart) over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté as directed in step 7. The continue with step 7, adding the deglazing liquid from the broiler pan along with the short ribs, and proceed with the recipe.

Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake (from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan)

¾ cup all purpose ¾ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3.4 cup sugar
3 tbsp dark rum
1.2 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1.    Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2.    Butter an 8 inch spring foam pan.
3.    Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the spring foam on it.
4.    Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl
5.    Peel the apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1-2 inch chunks
6.    In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until foamy. Pour in sugar, whisk for one minute to blend. Whisk in rum and vanilla. Whish in half of the flour, then remaining butter, mixing gently until smooth.
7.    Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in apples, turning the fruit so that it’s coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it with spatula until even.
8.    Slide pan in oven and back 50-60 minutes, or until top of the cake is golden brown and the knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9.    Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes
10.     Carefully run the blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the spring foam pan. (Open the spring foam slowly, and before its fully open,, make sure there aren’t any apples stuck to it.)
Allow the cake to cool until it is justly slightly warm or at room temperature. if you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the spring roam pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto the rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

Haddock (or Mackerel) Pate

1 1/2 lb Smoked haddock/mackerel,  stripped of skin and  bones
2 oz. Butter
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp olive oil
4 tbsp whipping cream (or substitute mayonnaise, if avoiding dairy)
Freshly ground pepper (lots!)

Buzz in food processor:
fish + butter
oil + lemon juice
cream + pepper

Enough for 25 people!

World’s Best Braised Green Cabbage (from All About Braising by Molly Stevens)

1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 lbs)
1 large yellow onion ( about 8 ounces), thickly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into ¼ inch rounds
¼ cup chicken stock or water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8  tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Fleur de sel or coarse sea salt

1.    Heat the oven to 325 degrees:
Lightly oil a large gratin dish or baking dish (9 by 13 inches)
2.    Trimming the cabbage:
Peel off and discard any bruised or ragged outer leaves from the cabbage. The cabbage should weigh close to 2 lbs ( if you don’t have a kitchen scale, consult the grocery store receipt). If the cabbage weights more than 2 lbs., it won’t fit in the baking dish and wont braise beautifully. To remedy this, cut away a wedge of the cabbage to trim it down to size. Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges in the baking dish in a single layer
3.    The braise:
Scatter in the onion and carrot. Drizzle over the oil and stock or water. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cover tightly with foil and slide in middle of oven to braise until the vegetables are completely tender, about 2 hours. Turn the cabbage wedges with tongs after an house. If the dish is drying out at all, add a few tablespoons of water
4.    The finish:
Once the cabbage is completely tender, remove the oil, increase the oven heat to 400, and roast until the vegetables begin to brown, another 15 minutes or so. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkle with fleur de sel or other coarse salt.

Variation: Braised Green Cabbage with Balsamic Vinegar
I sometimes add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the cabbage to enhance the sweetness. In step 4, after you remove the foil, sprinkle 1 ½ tbsp balsamic and turn the cabbage with tongs to distribute the vinegar, then roast another 15 minutes, uncovered, as directed.

Well, hello there fellow food friends. I am not sure about the rest of you but I am getting the winter blues. I know we have been lucky weather-wise; however, I am pretty sure -27 once, is once too many. One way to forget that your windows are frozen shut and your toes are numb, is with a nice home cooked meal.

Now, cooking for one (I know there are a few of us left) can be a pain as you try to figure out what you are going to do, however the end result is well worth it. This week I carried out my normal routine of visiting our local market in Halifax to get some vegetables when the best thing happened to me. I was walking by a selection of vegetables, when there they were – BEETS, all red/purple and delicious looking. I decided then and there that I was going to make it through this cold week and ‘beet’ those winter blues.

Roasted, pickled, grated - delicious!

And they are good for you too: Being a nutrition graduate and knowing far too much about beets, I must tell you that beets are a common root vegetable that come in a variety of different varieties including my favorite, candy cane, and are naturally low in calories and fat. Ironically, as it is Heart Month, beets are very good for maintaining cardiovascular health (and not just because they are reddish in color) because they contain betaine which lowers homocystine levels, which lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease. Beets also contain high levels of vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals, so grab a beet and avoid that cold going around.

Storing: Beets, being a root vegetable store very well and trust me, the bag you get from the market for a mere $3.00 is quite large so storage is a plus. You can just keep beets in the plastic bag it comes in and pop it into your fridge. They can last anywhere from 2-3 weeks.  Or, if you’re lucky enough to have a root cellar, you can store then all winter long.

Let’s get cooking: Remember beets can be consumed raw or cooked depending on your preference; however, cutting beets can dye your fingers, so grab a set of gloves or wash your hands soon after. You can toss them in a salad; the candy cane beets are striped red and white so they add a great color as a garnish. I personally like to roast mine in the oven; however, it does take a bit of time, so I also boil them if I am crunched for time. My favorite way to have beets is a family recipe and it is rosemary roasted beets. So if you have a bit of time, try this gem. It makes about 2 servings so you can have some the next day!

Rosemary Roasted Beets
3 small Candy Cane beets (Or any beets)
2-3 teaspoons of olive oil
1-2 rosemary leaves (more or less depending on how much you like rosemary)
1/3 tbsp of butter

1) Preheat oven to 375 and cut your beets into about 1 – ½ inch thickness (Remember your gloves!) and place in a roasting pan lined with foil. Add the rosemary and wrap the foil over, making a pouch. Cook beets for about 35-40 minutes or until tender. All ovens are different so keep check on them!

2) Lower your oven setting to 350. Place the roasted beets on a baking pan and toss them in melted butter and oil. Place uncovered in the oven for about 15 minutes until heated through.

And that is it my friends. I dare you not to eat both servings! I hope you find winter comfort in beets this February and happy local cooking!

Yours in Food,
Tori

There is a wonderful leafy green vegetable available that many are not aware of; it has a remarkable dark green color, crisp texture and its taste varies during its growing season. Can you guess what it is? It’s Kale!

Basic Information: This nutritious, lettuce-like vegetable is grown mainly in the fall season and is preferably harvested after the first frost, which sweetens the naturally bitter tasting leaves. From August well into the winter months it is harvested and sold in bunches at Farmers’ Markets across Nova Scotia.  If you are growing kale at home, the outer leaves can be continuously picked during the fall and this will not inhibit growth of the plant.  Stored in a cold, humid environment, in a sealed plastic bag, kale can be kept for up to 10 days or even for a period of months when kept below minus 3° C.  A yellow colour around the edges of the leaves is a sign of age and damage and these leaves should be removed before cooking or eating along with its strong and fibrous stock. Kale is commonly used as a garnish in restaurants because of its fresh, bright green appearance, as well as its ability to withstand heat for a longer period than other leafy greens.

Nutritional Value: Canada’s Food Guide recommends that you eat at least one serving (250ml) of a dark green leafy vegetable every day as a part of a balanced diet. Kale contains twice the amount of antioxidants as compared to other vegetables from the Brassica family such as broccoli or spinach. Beta-carotene, an antioxidant that is converted in the body into Vitamin A, may help prevent some forms of degenerative eye disease such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Kale is also an excellent source of Vitamin K and Calcium, which both play an important role in bone health. In addition, kale also contains very high concentrations of Vitamin C, folate, manganese, potassium, and copper, all of which aid in everyday biological functions within the body. It is a nutrient dense vegetable due to its high nutritional value and small amount of calories in one serving. When preparing kale, keep in mind that the cooking process decreases the amount of Vitamin C significantly where as Vitamin A increases.

Food Preparation: Kale has a unique flavor, which makes it great to toss in a salad, or add it to your favorite soups, stews and stir-fries. It has a tougher texture than other leafy greens that allows it to keep its crunch when steamed or blanched, and this quality makes for a great side dish. Rubbing a small amount of salt on the leaves or sprinkling the kale with soya or tamari sauce will aid in the softening of the tough texture before cooking. Kale will turn a bright shade of green when cooking, but if overcooked it will begin to turn back to a deep shade of green.

An easy to make recipe is Kale Pesto.

Makes approx. 500ml     Time to prepare: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 tightly packed cups fresh kale, stalk removed, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil

3/4 cup toasted or raw sunflower seeds

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

3-4 cloves of garlic

½ cup fresh oregano, marjoram or basil, lightly packed

Water, as needed

Salt to taste

Directions

1              Start by placing a small amount of kale into a food processor. Add the lemon juice.

2              Periodically push the kale down, as it doesn’t mix easily. If it doesn’t mix well, add a small amount of water until the kale begins to break apart.

3              Continue to add the kale, and water as needed, and slowly begin adding the garlic, herbs and seeds. Mix roughly.

4              Keep running the food processor on the lowest speed and slowly add the oil.

5              Blend well, place into a jar with a tight lid.

This pesto can be used on sandwiches, pastas and other favorite dishes. Enjoy!

The class was led by Jon Geneau, a professional chef from Halifax’s new restaurant, Elements. Specializing in local food, Jon had a mouthwatering menu planned out for the group.

To begin, the group prepared a parsnip and sage soup in a creamy soy based broth. The recipe was very quick and easy and the group was surprised by how much flavour could come out of only a handful of ingredients. Jon shared his tips for chopping onions.  If you place a wet cloth or paper towel on your cutting board or nearby surface, it will help stops your eyes from watering.

For an entrée, Jon had gluten free gnocchi planned out for us. Where there are a few people in our group with gluten sensitivities, gluten free cooking is a theme that has carried through the whole series. While our potatoes were roasting, we prepared a gluten free flour by hand, incorporating rice flour, corn starch, tapioca flour and xanthan gum. Once the potatoes were roasted everyone got working at rolling out and cutting the gnocchi dough. The gnocchi was prepared in a delightful onion and free range bacon dressing with roasted kale, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, garlic and thyme.

As well as the gnocchi, we also enjoyed a roasted free-range chicken purchased from Windy View Farms at the Halifax Seaport Market.  At this point I poured my heart about my love for Windy View’s farmer, Vance Morse, who I believe is one of the most kind and compassionate people here in Nova Scotia. He is a farmer who cares for his customers just as much as he cares about his farm, which is evident in the quality of his product.  Jon showed us a technique for cutting chicken called “spatchcock”.  To spatchcock a chicken, you cut out the backbone, open up the chicken and lay it flat to cook.

While the chicken was roasting we prepared poached pears using Cosmen and Whidden honey.  These honey-poached pears were enjoyed with a delectable cranberry compote and Schoolhouse gluten-free granola.

Patricia Bishop, a CSA farmer at Taproot Farms was supposed to join us for dinner, but due to the icy roads she was unfortunately unable to attend. We were lucky enough, however, to watch some videos on her website about the value of CSA farming. We also had the opportunity to Skype with her during dinner, which was a great way to have her answer some of our questions.
After our meal, we carried our full bellies back into the cold… but only until next week when the heat in the kitchen is turned up again.

Stay tuned for stories from our final cooking class!

Yours in Food,

Lucy

Parsnip Soup and Sage Soup with Garlic Bread
serves 4

2 tbsp Canola Oil
1 White Onion, sliced
4 clove Garlic, sliced
1 oz Fresh Sage
1 lb Parsnips, pealed and sliced thin
1 L Water
1 c Soy Cream (you can also use regular cream, if you’re not avoiding dairy)

Garlic Bread
4 sliced Gluten Free Bread
2 tbsp Canola Oil
1 clove Garlic, cut in half

In a pot over medium heat pour in the oil.  Add the garlic, onions & sage; cook until very soft and translucent.

Add the parsnips and water and bring to a simmer, cook for 15 minutes or until parsnips are quite soft.

Remove from the heat and puree in a blender (don’t add to much at a time or it will explode and burn you), or puree with a stick blender (much safer and only one of the many uses of a stick blender).

Stir in the soy cream and season with salt and lemon.

For the garlic bread:

Preheat the over to broiler.

Brush the bread with oil and toast under the broiler.

Remove the bread and rub gently with garlic; scraping off a small amount of garlic on the surface of the bread.

Gluten Free Gnocchi
serves 4

1.5 lb Russet Potatoes
1 c Gluten Free Flour, recipe below
1 Egg, beaten
1 tbsp Salt
Extra Gluten Free Flour for Dusting

Preheat the oven to 350oF
Poke to potatoes a few times with a knife, place on a baking sheet and into the oven.

Wait for 30 – 45 minutes……..or until potatoes are cooked all the way through.

Let to potatoes cool a few minutes then cut in half.  Scoop out the inside and put through a ricer or screen.

Dust the potatoes with 1 c flour & salt and mix in with a pie cutter.  Add the egg and start to knead into dough.

Roll into snakes and cut in 1 in pieces.

Cook in boiling water until they float.

Gluten Free Flour

2 c Rice Flour
2/3 c Corn Starch
1/3 c Tapioca Flour
1 tsp Xanthan Gum

Mix all together and pass through a sieve a few times.

This will make about 3 c.

Store in the freezer for future use.

Recipe sourced from:
www.food.com/recipe/all-purpose-gluten-free-flour-mix-214986

White Onion & Bacon Dressing
serves 4

½ c Bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 White Onion, small dice
1 tbsp Mustard
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 twists of a Pepper Grinder

In a frying pan over high heat cook the bacon until almost crispy.

Reduce the heat and finish cooking.

Stir in the mustard and vinegar.

Twist in the pepper!

Roasted Vegetables
serves 4

¼ lb Brussels Sprouts, cut in half
¼ lb Mushrooms
2 cloves Garlic, smashed with the palm of your hand
4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 tbsp Canola Oil

Preheat oven to 350oF

Separately, toss the brussels sprouts & mushrooms with oil, garlic and thyme.

Spread on two separate baking pans and place in the oven.

Check the mushrooms after 10 minutes and the brussels sprouts around 13 minutes.

Mix with the onion & bacon dressing and then with the gnocchi.

Honey Poached Pears
serves 4

2 c Water
1 c Honey
½ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Clove
¼ tsp Allspice
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Black Pepper
2 Bosc Pears (tall with brown skin), peeled and cored
1 c Ice
Small circle of Parchment Paper with a hole cut in the middle

Combine the water, honey and all the spices in a medium pot and bring to a simmer for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and add the ice to cool down.

Add the pears and cover with the paper.  (The paper acts as a lid, but also lets the steam out.) Cook over low temperature for 5-8 minutes (maybe longer depending on size).

When you can pierce them with a knife, turn off the heat and cool in honey water.

Cranberry Compote
serves 4

1 c Cranberries
¼ c Honey
2 tbsp Water
2 strips Lemon Peel

Combine all and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Serve with poached pears.

Roasted Chicken
serves 4

3-4 lb Chicken
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley & Sage
2 cloves Garlic, sliced
¼ c Canola Oil

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cut the chicken into pieces and mix with remaining ingredients.

If you have time, store in the fridge overnight.

Spread onto a baking pan and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Shubenacadie Sam recently took a walk outside and determined that we would have an early spring in Nova Scotia this year. That means its time to start planning our Spring cooking classes!

We’re thinking about doing things a little differently this spring.  There seems to be a lot of desire for skills-based classes surrounding the preparing and appreciation of local food, and we’re thinking about mixing some workshops in with our cooking classes.  Marla and I were brainstorming for ideas last week and came up with some ideas like…

1.  CSA food box meal planning.  It takes a bit of a knack to use all your CSA veggies every week, and we think it would be fun to have a class or workshop based around collaboratively figuring out what to eat right away, what keeps for later, and how to incorporate lots of veggies in your favourite dishes.

2.  Local Meat and What to Do With It.  Lots of folks are getting interested in using local beef, pork, and chicken, but working with larger cuts of meat can be a little intimidating for some.  We could have an explanation of different cuts of meat, and the proper ways to cook them.  Or have a workshop based around whole chickens and show how to cut apart a bird into more usable parts, and how to make stock from the meaty bones.  Or we could even have a class on basic meat curing – pancetta is pretty easy to make, and can add so much flavour to all those greens you’ll get in your CSA boxes in early summer!

3.  Micro Greens/Sprouting.  The Halifax Garden Network recently had a blog post on how to grow micro greens and we were thinking it might be fun to hold a workshop on growing and eating these year-round fresh greens.  Eating local can start to be a bit of a drag in late winter and early spring, and these greens are such  a great way to get some GREEN into your spring diet!

These are just some preliminary ideas of where we might go with our Spring cooking classes – this is not a schedule that’s set in stone.

We’d like to hear if some of these ideas sound interesting to you.  Do you have other food skills you’re dying to learn?  Or do you have any food skills that you’re willing to share?  We like to have volunteers teach our workshops, so we’d love to hear from you if you’d be interested in helping to teach a class or workshop.  Leave a comment below, or contact me at Alison@ecologyaction.ca if you have some ideas for a great local food workshop!

Nutritional Value: Carrots are popular for good reason as they have numerous health benefits. Carrots may be white, red, yellow, orange or purple. Each type of carrot contains slightly varying amounts of antioxidants; however; they all contain many beneficial nutrients. This root vegetable is most well known for being a great source of the antioxidant beta carotene which is converted to Vitamin A in the body making carrots a great source of this vitamin. Vitamin A is known for being for its benefits to your skin, eyes and immune system. Other than Vitamin A, carrots are also sources of Vitamin K and C. They contain insoluble fibre which aids in digestion. There are approximately 50 calories in one cup of cooked carrot.

Food Preparation: Carrots can be served in their raw form or cooked. They may be grated and used in baking or added to salads and other recipes. They come in many varieties of packaging and sizes. Baby-cut carrots are small and great for snacking, while regular carrots are more likely to be cooked and served with a meal.

Impacts of Cooking: Common methods for cooking carrots include steaming, boiling, braising, roasting, stir frying and microwaving. These cooking techniques emphasize the natural sugars in carrots creating a caramelized exterior. Carrots are an excellent source of carotene which gives carrots their bright orange color.  The acidity of the water carrots are boiled in will not modify the color of the carotenoid pigment. When carrots are boiled for a long time the nutrients in the carrot can migrate towards the water. Nearly every food preparation process that involves high levels of heat, light and oxygen reduces the amount of nutrients in foods. Carrots should only be cooked until they are tender crisp to ensure maximum flavour and nutritional value.

Recipe: Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds baby carrots

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

freshly ground black pepper or chopped parsley, for garnish

Preparation:

• Rinse carrots under cold water and put in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and add salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
• In a saute pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add honey and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and gently stir in carrots, coating well. Continue heating, gently stirring, until carrots are hot and glazed. Serve immediately garnished with freshly ground pepper or chopped parsley, if desired.

This time we made Spring Rolls. Maria and I thought it would be a great idea since the Chinese New Year was coming up. In the previous weeks, we had gotten feedback from the older kids telling us that they didn’t want to bake cookies and muffins “because that’s what younger kids do”. Instead they wanted to make different kinds of meals, especially ethnic foods.

Maria and I (as well as Marla and the youth net director) were surprised that the older kids were so interested in making meals instead of tasty, sugary treats! This workshop was a learning experience for the kids and Maria included, as she has never had dealt with rice paper either (one of the little boys showed her how to properly do it). What we used in the spring rolls was unique to all; we incorporated seasonal/local vegetables into them, including radish, beets, pea shoots and sweet potato, along with cucumber, lettuce and bean sprouts. The additional things we used consisted of rice noodles, soya sauce (turns out kids LOVE to soak everything in it!!!!!!), and a homemade dipping sauce, that the youth net director gave us.

Dipping Sauce:
Natural Peanut Butter
Soya sauce
lime and/or lemon juice
garlic cloves
paprika
honey

We prepared the sweet potato and beets before we started and we decided to boil them so they wouldn’t be so hard to eat. One of the boys cut up the cucumber while others helped Maria make the rice noodles and some helped me make the sauce. Once all of that was complete the fun began. Everyone took their turn to soak their rice paper into warm-hot water for about 20 seconds, laid it out on their plate then complied anything and everything they wanted to on top. Most of the “rolls” couldn’t roll because they were so full! Each kid made either 2 or 3 of their own spring rolls… with a ton of dipping sauce and additional soya sauce.

And of course there is nothing like healthy eating without FRYING…. One of the little boys asked if they could fry them so they would look like the picture (on the package). Neither Maria nor I ever fry anything so we didn’t know how to. Luckily there was a volunteer who knew how. So he took control of the situation, heated up the frying pan added some oil and VOILA… we had UNhealthy (or less healthy…) spring rolls.

Even though we didn’t want to say yes to frying the kids all really seemed to enjoy the spring roll experience. We asked them what they would like to make the next time and after about 15 minutes of yelling out ideas the consensus was… Philly Cheese Steaks with Fruit Smoothies.  How we’re going to make it healthy and local is yet to be known.

In the end everyone cooperated and helped us do the dishes, sweep the floor and tidy up the kitchen. It was so much fun!

Yours in Food,

Candice

PS Spring rolls are a great food for your cooking repertoire, as the ingredients are flexible and can easily be adjusted to the seasons.  For a summer version of this dish, check out the recipe from our 2011 summer cooking series.

I have an uneasy relationship with meat.  I eat meat, I enjoy meat, but I never actually learned to cook meat. I always had a variety of excuses for not cooking meat:  I had been a vegetarian for too long;  I couldn’t afford free-range, organic, local meats; I didn’t  have the right pots and pans; I was worried about undercooking meat and making myself deathly ill.  But mostly, I didn’t have the faintest idea how to start.

The thing is -  I actually like meat – so since I couldn’t cook it myself, to satisfy my cravings, I’d frequently order juicy hamburgers whenever I went out to eat,  Then, I’d feel kind of guilty because I make an effort to eat local and organic, and I didn’t have the faintest idea of the origins of  my restaurant beef-outs. I wanted to shift this pattern, but needed a really big push to expand my cooking horizons.

Instead, I ended up with a really big cow. Or more specifically one third of one eight of a steer. The concept is simple: a local farmer raises free-range, grass-fed beef and uses his networks to find potential buyers.  The customers can order 1/2 or 1/4 or 1/8 of the animal.  Once the entire cow is sold, the farmer sends it to a local slaughterhouse and butcher and the customers receive their “cow share”. The beef comes in a variety of cuts snugly wrapped in brown paper and ready to freeze. The  minimum purchase from the farmer is 1/8 of the steer, but I split my share with two friends with equally small freezers and a mild trepidation about cooking meat.  I didn’t keep an exact count, but I received about 9 packages of ground beef, 2 pot roasts, some chuck beef (whatever that is), and a few steaks.  All in all, a lot of beef in the freezer  for someone who had never cooked any meat up to that point.

For about a month, the beef packages languished in the freezer beside the frozen trap caught shrimp (that’s a tale for another day). I checked in on the beef packages every once in awhile, but was too timid too make the first move.  Things would have likely gone on this way indefinitely, if i hadn’t received another new culinary experiment for Christmas:  a slow cooker.

The slow cooker was equally unfamiliar, but it was more reassuring than the beef.  There are are only two settings on a slow cooker: hi and low.  The cooking time starts at 4 hours and goes as high as 12 hours.  With that kind of cooking time, I reasoned, I could dump in the beef, go away for a few hours, and come back and find that sucker completely cooked with nary a hint of undercooked pink to trouble my dreams.

And in fact that’s pretty much how it went down. I looked online for chili recipes for slow cookers.  I already make a mean chili, so all I really needed to know was how to prepare the beef ahead of time, and how much liquid to use.  Slow cookers are closed during the cooking time, so liquids do not evaporate as much as in a saucepan.  Most slow cooker versions of favourite recipes reduce the liquid by about half.   The chili recipe suggested browning the beef  by cooking it for a few minutes before I popped it in the slow cooker.    This was nerve wracking, but I figured even if I somehow missed a spot, the beef would be in the slow cooker for 8 hours or so, so it (and be extension anyone eating the meal) would be fine.

And as it turns out, browning is actually a pretty accurate name for the process – cooked meat changes from pink to brown, so you know when it’s done.

After clearing the browning hurtle, I placed the beef along with the other ingredients in the slow cooker, put it on “low” for 10 hours and went to bed.   The next morning, I was greeted with hearty, savoury, delicious beef chili (and very few dishes to wash).

After a few more rounds of chili to get my confidence up, I moved on to other recipes, like spaghetti sauce, beef stew, pot roast, and eventually even hamburgers. It is official – I am a meat cooker! And I owe it all to my trusty companion – the clumsy chaperone that helped ease me into cooking meat – the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Chili

2 pounds of ground beef
1 can of kidney beans (drained)
1 can or jar of canned tomatoes
2 medium onions (sliced)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of pepper
salt to taste

(This makes a very meaty recipe. I usually add some chopped, carrots squash or sweet potatoes too).

Directions

In a skillet,  cook the beef until no longer pink. Add to slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients.  Cook for 10 hours on low.

Our instructor, Katrina, a nutrition student from Mount Saint Vincent University and dedicated Food Action Committee volunteer, joined us to share some delicious and nutritious recipes with everyone. Being a nutrition student, Katrina planned a meal for us that was refined sugar, lactose and gluten free.  She was very informative about the health and environmental benefits of this kind of diet!

To begin, we started off with a massaged kale salad with roasted beets, Honeycrisp apples and sunflower seeds in an apple cider vinaigrette. Katrina demonstrated the proper way to massage kale (in olive oil, salt and lemon juice) to soften up the texture by breaking down the cellulose walls. Katrina admitted she is a kale fanatic! We spent a lot of time discussing the many different ways everyone prepares kale and discovered that kale chips and kale salad were quite popular. However, some participants suggested everything from a kale tomato pasta sauce to kale biscotti.

As an entrée we prepared delightful cod fillets in a basil pesto sauce. We purchased the hook & line cod from the Community Supported Fishery program, Off the Hook, facilitated through the Ecology Action Centre. We discussed the importance of purchasing sustainable seafood.  For more information about sustainable seafood, check out Seachoice.

As filling as the kale salad and pesto cod were, everyone somehow managed to save room for the delicious dessert Katrina had planned for us. Following Katrina’s refined sugar, lactose and gluten free diet approach, we made scrumptious blueberry squares. First we blended soaked raisins, sunflower seeds and unsweetened coconut in the food processor to make the crust for the squares. This was then pressed into baking pans and baked at medium heat until it was hard. A mixture of agar, arrowroot, silken tofu and blueberries were then blended and spread out over top of the crust and chilled.

We were fortunate enough to have Angus Bonnyman, a Nova Scotia wild blueberry farmer, join us for the dinner. Not only did we get to use his mouthwatering, organic blueberries in our dessert, but we also got to hear him talk about his farm and the process of growing and harvesting blueberries. His blueberries can be purchased in 5lb frozen boxes year round at the Halifax Grainery Co-op. They are definitely a great way to bring something new exciting to your wintertime produce.

Please check back next week to find out how our second class went. Lots of great recipes to come!

Blueberry cheesecake squares (serves 8)

Filling
1 cup apple/pear cider
1 Tbsp agar powder
2 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot
1 cup extra firm silken tofu
1 T vanilla
2-3 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

Crust
2 cup of almonds (can use other nuts or a mixture of sunflower seeds, unsweetened coconut should work 1 cup of each)
2 tsp cinnamon
½ cup of raisins

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F

Crust
Soak raisins in hot water for 5 min then drain. Put all crust ingredients in a food processor and blend until it starts to stick together. Press into a pan and bake for 10 min.

Filling
Mix first 3 ingredients + 1 cup of blueberries in a pot until thick. Allow to cool in the refrigerator. Add the tofu and vanilla to food processor until smooth.  Spoon chilled blueberry mixture into the food processor and combine. Pour filling into crust and chill for 2hrs.

Massaging the kale

Kale salad with beets and apples (serves 4 depending on how much kale you use)

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 scant teaspoon of salt

Salad
Bunch of Kale (stalks removed and ripped into small bit size pieces)
2 beets roasted and cubed
1 apples diced
1 small red onion diced
Handful of pumpkin seed or other seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Slice beets in half or in quarters. Wrap in tin foil and put in the over at 375F for 30 min. Peel and dice.
In large serving bowl, add the kale, lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining oil, vinegar, dijon and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the roasted beets, apple, onion and pumpkin seeds. Toss and serve.

Haddock with dairy free pesto sauce (serves 4)

Pesto sauce
1 ½ – 2 cups fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup pine nuts (other nuts, such as almonds, walnuts or sunflower seeds may be substituted)
1-2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Fish
4 pieces of haddock (or other white fish)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F

Pesto:
Toast pine nuts/sunflower seeds in a skillet until lightly brown. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Fish:
Lightly spoon pesto mixture over the fish and cook for 12 min until flaky.