Candied nuts are part of my kitchen repertoire. I make a batch and keep it in the freezer to use when called for. I use walnuts here but almonds, macadamia, hazelnuts and other nuts work just as well. To use in salads just scatter a few nuts over the top after you have tossed the salad with the dressing. Ingredients: 3 cups walnuts 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 1/4 cup honey 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon... View Article
Agave and crème fraiche combine to make a sweet and tangy dressing that goes particularly well with bitter greens such as arugula, endive and radicchio. I find that this dressing works best when blended with the help of an immersion blender Ingredients: 1/4 cup crème fraiche 1/4 cup agave syrup 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup canola oil Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cup and blend with an immersion blender. The dressing will... View Article
Salads, especially those that include nuts and cheese, are particularly good when you add some nut oil to the dressing. Here is a dressing using hazelnut oil and some ground hazelnuts as well that give the dressing body and texture. Instead of using all hazelnut oil I divide the amount and use half vegetable oil and half hazelnut oil, for a slightly milder version of the dressing. You can however use all nut oil. Ingredients:... View Article
Classic vinaigrette made with Dijon mustard, garlic, vinegar and olive oil. Use the best ingredients you can find. Extra virgin olive oil from a reliable producer and good quality vinegar. What you put in is what you get out in flavour. Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, mashed or finely grated 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons wine vinegar, red or white 1/2 cup olive oil, best quality extra virgin Directions: ... View Article
Here is a simple but good vinaigrette recipe made creamy with the addition of an egg yolk. If you’d prefer it without the egg just leave it out of the recipe. A tablespoon of cream can replace it if you feel better about cream than an egg. 1 egg yolk 2 teaspoons coarse grain mustard 1 clove garlic, grated 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil To... View Article
I call this chopped leaves salad because I cut the greens with a knife into bite size pieces rather than break them by hand. It’s a good salad to make when you want to use the crisp green outer leaves of the romaine lettuce or larger leaves of red leaf or other salad greens you have in your fridge. I usually try to use the tender inner leaves for most salads but in this case... View Article
When figs are in season I use them in every way possible. Their sweetness pairs well with the salty and creamy gorgonzola so I combine them in this pizza recipe. The dough is the quick method that I use when I don’t have time to prepare the dough overnight. I will set out my overnight pizza dough in a separate recipe soon. Ingredients: 6-8 ripe figs 3-4 oz Gorgonzola 1 tablespoon honey Quick Pizza... View Article
Bean spread makes a lovely appetizer spooned on top of crostini, or serve it as a dip with pita wedges or thin slices of grilled bread. Leftovers, if any, are good on a sandwich or a tartine. You can use home cooked beans or open a can of organic low sodium beans. Both would work fine. If you cook beans you may as well cook more than you need and keep the extra in the... View Article
This salad features both grains and legumes, ingredients that I often combine. The soft beans combine nicely with the chewy barley and can be served hot or at room temperature as a substantial salad. I flavour this with roasted tomato oil that I make and often keep in the fridge. The tomato oil is so flavourful that you don’t need much more other than combining it with sherry or wine vinegar for a flavourful dressing.... View Article
Israeli couscous is really tiny pasta balls but it may be easier if you think of it as a grain. To cook this couscous you sauté it first in a bit of olive oil until golden and then add hot liquid (proportion is about 1 couscous to 1.5 water), cover and cook until tender. You can add vegetables to the couscous as it cooks although I tend to cook it by itself and add it... View Article
Couscous is a Mediterranean grain that requires no cooking, only soaking in boiling water. It is versatile as it can be incorporated into hot or cold preparations and served as salad, main course or a side dish. This recipe is for a quick and flavorful salad made by soaking the grains in the dressing ingredients to fluff them up and then tossing in a few additional ingredients to add layers of flavours and textures. Don’t... View Article
Pears lend themselves beautifully to roasting. Their natural sweetness condenses as they bake and their sugars caramelize, yet they retain a nice texture and look gorgeous on a plate. I have written about pears in the fall section of the What’s in Season page on the top bar of this blog. There are many pear varieties, and it is important to use the right variety for the right cooking method. Not all pears roast the... View Article
