Eye for a Recipe

This is a delicious stir-fry from Lucy Waverman, written for the Autumn 2013 issue of the LCBO’s Food and Drink. Chicken, eggplant and red pepper are flavoured with garlic, ginger, chili flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder, balsamic vinegar and capers. I didn’t have cocoa powder, so I used finely grated dark chocolate instead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Be sure to use spices without colour and anti-caking agents. Look for a balsamic vinegar with no sulfites added, and for an all-natural brand of capers, such as Unico.

Remove strips of peel and dice the eggplant

Dice the chicken and season it with salt, pepper and cayenne

Saute the chicken with garlic and ginger

I served this dish with steamed broccoli and rice

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, about 1 lb (500 g)

12 oz (375 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ tsp (1 ml) cayenne

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

1 tbsp (15 ml) minced garlic

2 tsp (10 ml) minced ginger

1 red pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion

1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) red pepper chili flakes

1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon

½ tsp (2 ml) cocoa powder

Pinch cayenne

3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tsp (10 ml) capers
¼ cup (60 ml) water

Garnish – Chopped Italian parsley

Preparation:

Trim the ends off the eggplant and using a vegetable peeler, create stripes by removing strips of skin, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Chop into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes.

Dice chicken into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, garlic and ginger to pan and sauté until just turning colour, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve.

Add remaining oil, eggplant, red pepper, onion, sugar, chili flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder and cayenne to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions start to brown. Stir continuously to prevent spices from burning.

Stir in vinegar and capers. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Return chicken and any juices to skillet. Add water and bring to a boil, stirring. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the mixture is thick, dark and glossy. The flavours should melt into each other. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and more balsamic vinegar if desired. Sprinkle with Italian parsley. Serves 4.

From the Autumn 2013 issue of Food and Drink

This recipe from Style at Home magazine is absolutely delicious. The bacon, pearl onions, herbs and balsamic vinegar add terrific flavour, while the tomatoes and olives add colour. I used chicken thighs and drumsticks, instead of a whole chicken cut up, because we prefer dark meat.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use bacon without nitrites, balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites, and white wine with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. I used all-natural garlic stuffed olives – either Pilaros brand or President’s Choice.

Brown the chicken well in a Dutch oven

Saute bacon and onions, return chicken to the pot and add the tomatoes and olives

I served the chicken with roasted potatoes

Ingredients:

1 3-lb (1.5 kg) whole free-range organic chicken, cut into 8 parts

1 tsp (5 ml) Maldon sea salt

½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 4-oz (113 g) slab smoked bacon, cut into large cubes

1 cup (250 ml) pearl onions, peeled and halved

1 tbsp (30 ml) each: chopped fresh rosemary and thyme

2 tbsp (60 ml) aged balsamic vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) white wine

½ cup (125 ml) small green olives

½ pint (250 ml) grape tomatoes

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large cast-iron casserole pan or Dutch oven and sear the chicken pieces in two batches, turning occasionally, until well browned all over.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the bacon and pearl onions; cook until the onions are caramelized.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan and return the chicken pieces. Add the herbs, vinegar and wine and bring to a boil.

Add the olives and tomatoes and bake, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serves 4 to 6.

From Style at Home magazine

This hearty soup from the Barefoot Contessa is full of goodness – squash, tomatoes, cannellini beans, pasta and spinach. And the bacon doesn’t hurt either. I made this soup in two stages: the first day I simmered the vegetables and liquid, and the next day I added the beans, pasta and spinach. I did not use pesto, although I’m sure it would have been a great addition.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for bacon or pancetta with no nitrites added. You can make your own stock, or use an all-natural one, such as Imagine brand. I used PC Blue Menu white kidney beans and a white wine with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. Make sure the bread has not additives; I used a baguette from Ace Bakery. Cheese can contain colour, so look for a brand with no colour added.

Bacon adds depth of flavour

This minestrone contains onion, garlic, carrots, squash and fresh herbs

Once the vegetables are tender, add the liquids and simmer 30 minutes

Just before serving, add spinach and stir until it wilts

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve

Ingredients:

Good olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, ½-inch-diced

1½ cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)

2 cups (½-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)

2½ cups (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash

1½ tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

26 ounces canned tomatoes

6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti

8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup good dry white wine

2 tablespoons store-bought pesto Garlic Bruschetta (recipe follows)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Garlic Bruschetta

1 baguette

Good olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Preparation:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot. Serves 6 to 8.

For the Garlic Bruschetta: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.

From Foolproof by the Barefoot Contessa

Now that the cooler temperatures have arrived, it’s time to cook a big pot of Bolognese sauce, a hearty meat sauce from Bologna, Italy. This recipe from the Williams Sonoma Pasta Cookbook contains a delicious version that uses up four types of meat and simmers for at least four hours on the stove. Served with fresh or dried long pasta, such as fettuccine, it is the perfect weekend dinner.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for canned tomatoes without preservatives (I use Unico brand) and butter that does not contain colour. Ask your butcher for prosciutto that contains only salt as a preservative. Look for a white wine with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million and a Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with no colour or artificial ingredients added.

I used the food processor to finely chop the vegetables

Gently brown the meat

Simmer the sauce over very low heat for at least four hours

Fettuccine Bolognese

Ingredients:

1 28-oz (796 ml) can plum tomatoes

2 tbsp (30 ml) butter

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

1 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 small rib celery, including leaves, finely chopped

½ small carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped parsley

¾ lb (375 g) ground beef, preferably chuck, or equal parts beef, veal and pork

2 oz. (60 g) thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped

½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup (160 ml) milk

1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg

2 tbsp (30 ml) kosher salt

1 lb. (454 g) fettuccine

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Preparation:

Drain the tomatoes, reserving their juice. Strain the captured juice to hold back the seeds. Using your fingers, push out the excess seeds from the tomatoes, then chop the tomatoes and set aside with the juice.

In a Dutch oven, or large, deep frying pan over low heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but the onions are not coloured, about 12 minutes. Keeping the heat low, add the meat, including the prosciutto, and cook gently, stirring to break up any clumps, until the meat is just lightly coloured on the outside and is uniformly pink inside, about 8 minutes. Sitr in the wine and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) sea salt and simmer very gently until most of the alcohol has evaporated and the liquid begins to be absorbed by the meat and vegetables, 3-5 minutes.

Add the milk and nutmeg, return to a gentle simmer, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice, and as soon as the sauce begins to simmer again, turn the heat down as low as possible so that the sauce barely simmers and only a few bubbles at a time break on the surface. Cover partially and continue to simmer, always over the lowest heat possible and stirring occasionally, for about 4 hours. The sauce should be deeply coloured, aromatic, and nicely thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper.

When the sauce is ready, bring 5 quarts (5 L) water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) kosher salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer pasta to a warmed, shallow serving bowl or individual shallow bowls. Top with the sauce and serve right away. Pass the cheese at the table. Serves 4.

From Williams Sonoma The Pasta Cookbook

If you are looking for a light meal after all that Thanksgiving turkey and pie, try this Steamed Halibut in Swiss Chard from the October 2013 issue of Fresh Juice magazine. At about 150 calories per serving, it is a very healthy dish and it tastes good too. Blanch Swiss chard leaves, use them to wrap spice-coated halibut fillets and steam. Serve with rice or couscous on the side.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh lemon juice and be sure your dried spices do not contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Coat halibut with spices and place on top of blanched Swiss chard

Wrap the fish in the leaves and steam for about 15 minutes

Steamed halibut with Swiss chard

Ingredients:

8 large Swiss chard leaves

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp  (15 ml) lemon juice

½ tsp  (2 ml) salt

½ tsp  (2 ml) turmeric

½ tsp  (2 ml) ground ginger

½ tsp  (2 ml) ground cumin

½ tsp  (2 ml) ground coriander

¼ tsp  (1 ml) cayenne pepper

4 halibut fillets (each 4 to 6 oz / 115 to 170 g)

Lemon wedges

Preparation:

In saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch chard leaves until wilted and dark green, about 10 seconds. Transfer immediately to bowl of ice water; drain and pat dry.

On work surface, lay 2 leaves flat, overlapping to patch any holes or tears. Sprinkle one-quarter of the onions in mound in centre.

In small bowl, stir together lemon juice, salt, turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander and cayenne; smear one-quarter of mixture over 1 side of 1 fish fillet. Place fish spice side down on onions. Fold 1 side of leaf over fillet and roll up, tucking in ends, to make package; place seam side down on heatproof plate. Repeat with remaining chard, onions and fish.

Place plate in bamboo steamer over simmering water or place over heatproof bowl in large pot with 2 inches/5 cm boiling water. Cover and steam until fish flakes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

From the October 2013 issue of Fresh Juice

This recipe from Martha Stewart Living is very tasty and quick to make. Brown the chicken, sauté onions, stir in Israeli couscous, dried apricots, capers and broth and bake. Add a green vegetable or salad and dinner is on the table.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Dried apricots often contain sulfites to preserve their colour, so look for an all-natural brand such as Organic Traditions. I use Imagine chicken stock, with is preservative-free.

Brown the chicken well on both sides

Saute the onions

This recipe uses dried apricots, capers and Israeli couscous

Stir in couscous, apricots, capers and broth and bring to a simmer

Return chicken to pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes

Skillet chicken with apricots and capers

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

Coarse salt and pepper

3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, cut in half, or 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 ½ cups (375 g) Israeli couscous

½ cup (125 g) sliced dried apricots

¼ cup (60 g) capers

2 ½ (625 ml) cups chicken broth

Fresh cilantro, for serving

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). In a large straight-sided, oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in couscous, apricots, and capers and cook until couscous is lightly toasted, 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken, skin side up, and transfer to oven. Bake until couscous is tender and chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with cilantro. Serves 4.

From Martha Stewart Living

This lasagna from Martha Stewart Living takes a while to bake, but the results are well worth it. It’s also requires a simpler prep than most lasagna, because you just soak the noodles instead of boiling them. The noodles cook all the way through during the baking time. Using sausage also makes things easier, as there is no need to prepare a meat sauce. This dish takes about 40 minutes to assemble. Then you can pop it in the oven and relax for a couple of hours before dinner.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your dried spices do not contain colour or anti-caking ingredients. Many brands of sausage are now nitrite-free. Look for a brand of tomatoes, such as Unico, that are additive-free and buy cheese with no colour added.

Soak dried lasagna noodles in hot water

Grate mozzarella and parmesan cheeses

Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes

Layer the sauce, noodles and cheese and then bake

Tomato-sausage lasagna

Ingredients:

12 dried lasagna noodles, uncooked

2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1½ (7.5 ml) teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) red-pepper flakes

1 pound (454 g) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

2 cans, 28 ounces (796 ml) each whole peeled tomatoes in puree

Coarse salt and ground pepper

6 cups (1.5 L) shredded shredded mozzarella cheese

¾ cup (175 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Fill a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 cm) baking dish two-thirds of the way with hot tap water. Add noodles, and arrange them in alternating directions to prevent sticking. Let soak while preparing sauce.

Make sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, and cook, stirring and breaking it up, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and their puree, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. (You should have about 8 cups of sauce.) Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Drain noodles, transfer to a baking sheet; dry dish with paper towels. Spoon 1 cup (250 ml) sauce in bottom of dish. Fit 4 noodles in dish (crosswise if using short noodles, lengthwise if using long), overlapping slightly. Cover with 2 cups (500 ml) sauce, 2 cups (500 ml) mozzarella, and ¼ cup (60 ml) Parmesan. Repeat with another layer, then top with remaining noodles, 3 cups (750 ml) sauce, and the rest of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour.

Remove foil, and continue baking until bubbly and browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 20 minutes. Cut and serve. Serves 8.

From Martha Stewart Living

I usually steam mussels in a covered Dutch oven, so I was intrigued when I saw this recipe in the September-October 2013 issue of Cook’s Illustrated. It suggests steaming the mussels in a roasting pan in the oven. This prevents overcrowding, which can prevent some mussels from opening during cooking. I tried it, and it worked very well; nearly every mussel opened and they were tender and flavourful. This would be a great way to prepare mussels for a larger group of people.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Looks for a white wine with a sulfite level below 10 parts per million and butter than contains only cream.

Wash and debeard mussels

Bay leaves, onion and thyme flavour the broth

Bring the bay leaves, onion, thyme and wine to a simmer on stovetop

Add the mussels to the roasting pan

Cover the pan tightly with foil

The mussels are ready in about 15 minutes

Whisk in some butter

Toss with parsley and serve

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

4 pounds (1.8 kg) mussels, scrubbed and debearded

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) salt

2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced fresh parsley

Preparation:

Prior to cooking, discard any mussel with an unpleasant odor or with a cracked or broken shell or a shell that won’t close.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees F (260 C). Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in large roasting pan over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Cook until wine is slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add mussels and salt. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to oven. Cook until most mussels have opened, 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove pan from oven. Push mussels to sides of pan. Add butter to center and whisk until melted. Discard thyme sprigs, bay leaves and any mussels that did not open. Sprinkle parsley over mussels, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, with crusty bread to mop of the juices. Serves 2-4.

From the September-October 2013 issue of Cook’s Illustrated

When I saw this free-form berry pie on the cover of the August 2013 issue of Chatelaine, I knew I had to make it, even if pastry was involved. I am no baker, but this is very easy to make and received rave reviews. Fresh mixed berries are tossed with brown sugar, cornstarch and salt and then tumbled into rolled-out pastry. You just fold the edges up over the fruit and pop it in the oven. I’ve made this a few times, and each time some liquid from the filling escaped from the pastry, but it does not affect the flavour. Be sure to have some parchment paper on hand for this recipe. Special thanks to Eileen for taking the photos of the finished product!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your butter contains only cream, with no colour or preservatives, and use fresh lemon juice.

Toss mixed berries with brown sugar, corn starch and lemon juice

Roll out the pastry on parchment paper

Tumble the fruit onto the pastry

Carefully fold edges up, leaving top open

Bake until pastry is golden

It's delicious with vanilla ice cream

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups (312 ml) all-purpose flour

1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar

¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

½ cup (125 ml) cold unsalted butter, cubed

4 tsp (20 ml) ice water

1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

½ cup (125 ml) brown sugar

3 tbsp (45 ml) cornstarch

1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) salt

4 cups (1 L) mixed blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries (strawberries sliced if large)

1 tsp (5 ml) coarse sugar

Icing sugar (optional)

Preparation:

Whirl flour with granulated sugar and ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt in a food processor. Add butter. Pulse until crumbs form. With motor running, add ice water and lemon juice through spout. Continue whirling just until dough comes together. It should not be sticky.

Position rack in bottom of oven. Preheat to 375F (190C). Lay a large piece of parchment on counter. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Pat pastry dough into a ball. Dust rolling pin with flour. Roll pastry on parchment into a circle, about 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide. Pastry will be very thin and edges will be uneven. Transfer parchment and pastry to baking sheet.

Combine brown sugar and cornstarch and 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) salt in a large bowl. Stir in berries until coated. Tumble fruit mixed onto centre of pastry, forming a 10-inch (25.4 cm) circle. Fold pastry over, just to cover edge of fruit. Centre of pie should not be covered with pastry, and edge will be uneven. Lightly brush pastry with water, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake until pastry is golden and mixture is bubbly, 35 to 40 min. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, or cool and dust with icing sugar. Serves 6-8.

From the August 2013 issue of Chatelaine