Tag Archive: Summer

Fresh Spring Peas with Butter-Lettuce and Dill

June 19, 2012

Peas are considered “common”  because they are so easily available frozen but really, fresh peas in the spring is a special treat that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you go to the market, pick up fresh peas in their pods and shell them yourself. You will be rewarded with a special spring culinary experience. I anticipate their arrival at the market and shell them happily all through spring and summer until the last of the peas... View Article

Macaroni and Cheese

June 17, 2012

I am going to post a few recipes for baked pasta and might as well start with the most popular baked pasta, Mac and Cheese. I like my mac and cheese not too wet with a crisp top layer. Sometimes I layer a few slices of tomatoes in the middle and always sprinkle bread crumbs on top before baking for an extra crispy topping. The sauce is a basic béchamel with butter, flour and milk... View Article

Chickpea Dip (Hummus) and Olives Crostinis

June 16, 2012

A Mediterranean staple, hummus makes a lovey appetizer, snack or part of a salad selction anytime. You can make it from scratch by soaking dried chickpeas and then cooking them until soft, or you can use this quick version using canned organic chickpeas. If you cook the chickpeas from scratch be sure to add a teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking liquid. The chickpeas have a tough outer layer and the soda helps soften... View Article

Vanilla Cheesecake

June 15, 2012

I worked at baking cheesecakes for quite a while before I finally achieved the kind of cake that I like. A lot of cream cheese and eggs went in and out of my kitchen without leaving a mark. I finally came up with a method that works for me and hopefully for you as well. This cake is made with cream cheese and sour cream  and produces a lovely cake that holds it shape and... View Article

Beluga Lentils with Spinach and Feta

June 13, 2012

Beluga lentils have middle east origin and have been an integral part of mediterranean cuisine for centuries. When cooked, the small black legumes become glossy and resemble the black caviar of the Beluga whales, hence their name. They cook perfectly, holding their shape and retaining a nice texture, not becoming a mush like their brown relatives. For this reason they work particularly well in salads, when you want to retain the texture. In terms of... View Article

Pasta with Creamy Goat Cheese and Thyme

June 10, 2012

Love goat cheese? Here is a simple and quick sauce to make with the subtle but distinct flavour of goat cheese. A few toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top add buttery flavour and a bit of texture. Thyme goes nicely with this flavour palette. Serve with a glass of white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Their crisp acidity will balance the creamy sauce. Ingredients 1/2 lb pasta (spaghetti, linguine, spaghettini etc.) 1 ... View Article

Silky Puree of Asparagus Soup with Baby Potatoes

June 6, 2012

I made this soup a while ago, early in the asparagus season, but I thought I’d post it now. It’s a simple soup to make and requires only cooking the asparagus in boiling stock and then puréeing it in a blender. The cooked potato blended with the soup adds body and natural creaminess without adding any cream. You can however  enhance it with cream for a creamed soup version or just add a dollop of... View Article

Peasant Pasta with Herbed Crumbs

June 5, 2012

What can be more satisfying and comforting than a bowl of pasta? okay, maybe there are a couple of things but a bowl of pasta is certainly among them. Here is a simple pasta to make when you are low on ingredients or just feel like something good and quick. The herbed bread crumbs are one of the things I usually have in the freezer, ready to be incorporated into many different dishes. Of course... View Article

Baguette with Brie and Tomato chutney

June 3, 2012

Baguette sandwiches are such a treat. They have bread, they have cheese, what more does one need? I recently had a couple of good ones on great bread, one in Seattle at Le Panier and another in Calgary at La Boulangerie bakery cafe on 4th street. I bought a baguette from them yesterday and I am making baguette sandwich  for lunch with their sourdough baguette today. I happen to have tomato chutney in the fridge... View Article

Watermelon and Feta Cheese Salad with Raspberries and Mint

June 3, 2012

I am ignoring the not-spring-enough weather outside and pretending it’s nice and warm. It’s not too bad, at least it’s sunny outside. So I am making a cool-looking salad today. On my last trip to the market watermelons were looking pretty good, probably grown in a green house somewhere but yet sweet enough to enjoy them until the real sun-ripened crops arrive later in the season. I have always combined watermelon with feta, have you... View Article

Rice Pudding with Rhubarb Compote

June 3, 2012

Oh-so-delicious rice pudding with tangy rhubarb compote at the bottom. I saw this offered for sale at the Okanagan Grocery Artisan Bakery in Kelowna over the long weekend in May and for the next few days went there every day and purchased a couple of jars of this delicious pudding to serve after dinner. I must admit that not all of them made it to dinner, as we enjoyed them just for fun while sitting... View Article

Spinach Salad with Coconut-Lime Cream

June 2, 2012

Our place in Mexico has gorgeous coconut trees swaying right in front of our second floor covered patio. They provide shelter for birds perched on their branches and are heavy with large coconuts hanging in clusters, green and heavy with coconut juice. While on vacation there, I try to use coconut in my cooking and have developed a bit of repertoire incorporating it into dishes, both sweet and savoury. One of those creations is this... View Article