Tag Archive: appetizers

Flatbread with olive oil and homemade za’atar

December 24, 2015

Zaatar is the sine qua non of middle eastern cooking. It’s indispensable for its flavour and versatility. Zaatar, meaning thyme in Arabic, refers not to thyme but to a slightly tangy, intensely aromatic  spice blend that can be used to flavour many dishes, middle eastern or not. As with all things culinary, there are many versions of zaatar with ingredients ranging from thyme, oregano, minty hyssop, tangy sumac, marjoram and sesame seeds and I have... View Article

Grilled scallions with Salibitxada sauce

September 9, 2015

When we were in Spain we  were lucky to be in Barcelona during the calçot season and I wrote about the experience here. Calçot is a type of scallion or green onion, only it is grown in a special way that makes it much thicker, more like the size of a slender leek. It is a specialty of Catalunya and the Calçot from Valls in Tarrragona (a province of Catalunya) has a a DOC status... View Article

Bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes

September 8, 2015

This is a recipe that needs no introduction. It’s one of the most popular  dishes to come out of Italy but if you travel you’d know that almost every country has a version of this delicious bread and tomato dish. In Spain they have the delicious pan con tomate, where they rub a tomato over a grilled piece of bread. We had this for breakfast throughout out two months stay in Spain and i am... View Article

Fig and gorgonzola flatbread

September 3, 2015

I can never resists fresh, ripe figs when I see them. More often than not I enjoy them fresh on their own but I also make a few things with them. They are nice roasted and served with salted orange caramel, added to salad or on top of a pizza. One thing to keep in mind about figs is that unlike other fruits, they don’t ripen sitting on your counter. They have to be picked... View Article

Summer dips: Roasted eggplant with tahini

August 20, 2015

I have taken to entertain friends for a glass of wine and appetizers instead of long, multi course dinners. It gives me a chance to visit rather than be up and down preparing, plating, serving and clearing. Not that dinner entertaining is over, but now when the weather is good it’s easy to say “come for a glass of wine”. So far no one filed any complaints. Since I keep my kitchen mainly vegetarian I... View Article

Steam fried baby artichokes with lemon-chive aioli

August 12, 2015

One of the local organic farms here grow lovely baby artichokes and whenever I go there I clean up their daily harvest of these little gems. Today I thought I’d cook them to a golden crispiness in olive oil, although I forgot about grilling them, that would have been good as well. So many options, so little time. Trimming a full grown artichoke is a bit of an undertaking but well worth it. The little... View Article

Roasted garlic

August 5, 2015

Roasted garlic is useful in the kitchen and very easy to make. Roasting makes the garlic mild and slightly sweet and the texture becomes creamy and spreadable. Use it to: Spread on a pizza before piling other ingredients Fold into mashed potatoes Add to pasta Add to sauces Add to soups Serve as a spread with crostini Make roasted garlic oil Add wherever a mild garlic flavour is desired   Keep in mind it is... View Article

Corn fritters with roasted red pepper mayo

June 16, 2015

Corn fritters make a lovely change of pace at lunch or dinner, and they can be served as an appetizer with the mayo as a dipping sauce. I made the fritters batter in the food processor, pulsing everything a few times so the fritters still retain texture. Cook them in a skillet on medium heat, to allow them to cook through and the outside to become golden. Too high heat may cook the outside fast... View Article

Artichoke Fritters with Sorrel Aioli

May 24, 2015

It’s a perfect summer day here today and I was lazying in the hammock for a while reading a book but soon visions of the kitchen lured me in and I stepped inside to see what I can make. I am (almost) always ready to cook something. No need for dinner today as we are off to a Joy Road dinner in Penticton so I thought perhaps a little appie to have before we leave... View Article

Thyme roasted olives and chickpeas

May 4, 2015

Since we live pretty central here in Kelowna, it’s easy to invite friends over for a glass of wine before going out to dinner at a restaurant nearby. This was impossible to do in Calgary as we lived out of town on an acreage and it was too far out of the way for dropping by before dinner. So I started thinking of a few simple appetizers to serve that are not too heavy and... View Article

Spring radishes salad rolls

April 17, 2015

I was organizing my pantry the other day, determined to simplify and use what’s there. I am not a “shopping list” shopper and inevitable my pantry gets filled with stuff that excites me one moment and then languishes on the shelves, forgotten. One of these items was a bottle of Asian dipping sauce that looked enticing so I thought I’d make a few salad rolls to use the sauce with. They are always fun and... View Article

Easy cheese sticks – and foodie films

March 8, 2015

I have been searching out movies that have food as part of their theme to watch now that I am done binge watching season 3 of House of Cards. There is a significant number of food movies out there, some well known, other more obscure. Here is my starter list of foodie films. If you know of or have a favourite food movie please pass on the name in a comment to this post: Chocolate... View Article