Poutine

Poutine! The quintessential French-Canadian comfort food. Fries covered in fresh cheese curds and gravy. Does it get any better than that? While at the Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago, I picked up some farm fresh cheese curds. In my area fresh curds are hard to find. Heck, even un-fresh curds are hard to find! This was a real treat and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.


From Wikipedia:

In the basic recipe for poutine, French fries are topped with fresh cheese curds, and covered with brown gravy or sauce. The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the inside stays soft, while the outside is crunchy. The gravy used is generally a light chicken, veal or turkey gravy, mildly spiced with a hint of pepper, or a sauce brune which is a combination of beef and chicken stock, originating in Quebec. Heavy beef or pork-based brown gravies are rarely used. Fresh cheese curds (not more than a day old) are used. To maintain the texture of the fries, the cheese curd and gravy is added immediately prior to serving the dish.

In the past when I made poutine I would use a packet of powdered Poutine Gravy Mix. This time I decided to try my own. It turned out well and was quite easy. I used pre-cut frozen fries because they bake up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - perfect for a traditional Poutine. Serve for lunch or dinner; as a side or a main.

For the gravy I mixed half a cup of chicken broth, half cup of beef broth and a splash of red wine in a saucepan. I simmered it on medium-high heat until it was reduced by a third. I added a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a splash of water and whisked until the sauce thickened. Finally, I seasoned it with salt and pepper. I baked the fries until crisp and placed them on a plate. I sprinkled a generous amount of cheese curds on top of the fries then drizzled with an equally generous amount of piping hot gravy. Delicious!

P.S... It's pronounced "Poo-Tin" but since French is my second language, I'm okay with "Poo-Tine". ;-)

Garbage Plate Breakfast

A long time ago I saw an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives featuring Frank's Diner and the Chorizo Garbage Plate Special. The premise of the breakfast entrée is that you take whatever you have in your fridge, load it up on top of a bed of grilled hash browns and crack an egg or two on top. Voila! Complete breakfast in one plan and you've cleaned out your fridge a bit in the process.


My Garbage Plate started with a bed of cube hash browns, half a chopped red onion and a bit of chopped red pepper. I cooked it in a cast iron fry pan with a bit of oil and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Any left over veggie will do. Throw in any left over meat you have (ham and sausage are great!). Add some fresh (or dried) herbs or other seasonings of your choice. It's my favourite type of recipe - ANYTHING GOES. Make the Garbage Plate based on what you have and what you like. When your hash browns are cooked and your veggie additions are tender, crack an egg or two on top of the mess and mix it all up. Heat until the egg is cooked through. Top with some shredded cheese. Eat. It's like a breakfast stir fry. And it's GOOD!

Greek Roasted Potatoes & Greek Salad

Accompaniments to the Pork Tenderloin Souvlaki I cooked up last night. Served with a dish of 10 Cent's Tzatziki Sauce. I love dipping my potatoes in Tzatziki!



Serves 2 with some left overs

Greek Roasted Potatoes:

2 baking potatoes, cleaned and cut into medium cubes (skin on!)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Greek seasoning (see below)
salt & pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix everything (except potatoes) together in a bowl. Add potatoes and toss well to coat.

3. Spoon potatoes onto baking sheet and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown, tender on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside.

Greek Seasoning:

1 1/2 tbps dried oregano
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp freeze dried minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1. Mix everything together in an air tight container. (Mason jars work great for this!)

Greek Salad Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp Greek seasoning (see above)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
dash balsamic vinegar
pinch salt & pepper to taste

1. Add everything to a Mason Jar or salad dressing cruet. Shake well to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Shake again before using. Store in fridge for up to a week.

Greek Salad:

1/2 English cucumber, diced large
2 Roma tomatoes, diced large
1/4 red pepper, diced large
1/4 yellow pepper, diced large
1/4 red onion, diced large
3-4 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
3 tbsp crumbled Feta cheese
Handful of Greek or Kalamata olives (optional)
Greek Salad Dressing (see above)

1. Add all the diced veggies & basil to a large serving bowl. Toss well. Add the desired amount of dressing and toss again. Top with Feta and olives.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Sausage & onion Hash topped with a poached egg.

No recipe.

Diced onion, breakfast sausage cut into pieces, par-boiled baby new potatoes cut in half. Just toss everything in a pan and cook till browned and the potatoes are slightly crisp. Top with shredded cheese and a poached egg. Garnish with sliced green onion and fresh cracked pepper.



Yum!

Potato Nachos

Alternate title: Mexican Poutine

This is not health food. Or even healthy food. But it makes me happy and right now I could use some happy. It's also quick, easy and everyone loves it. Plus there was a woman's Olympic semi-final hockey game on TV. Canada vs. Finland. Winner goes for GOLD on Thursday. Did I mention I will be at that game on Thursday? Anyway, every hockey game viewing needs some nachos. Did I also mention I ate the entire plate of potato nachos myself? It was one of those days.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 bag frozen french fries (get ones with skin if you can and wedges work even better!) Or make your own fries. That would be even better!
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and mozza cheese (more as needed)
- 1/4 cup bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled (about 4-5 slices) - or be cool like me and use prosciutto, because that's all I had available.
- 1/2 small onion, diced small
- 1 green chili, minced
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 1/2 tomato, diced small (Mine doesn't have tomato! ARG!)
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- sour cream and salsa for dipping

1. Bake fries according to package directions. You want them nice and crisp. Half way through baking, lightly sprinkle taco seasoning evenly over fries.

2. While fries are baking, cook bacon till crisp. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain some fat. If there is excess bacon grease in the pan, drain it off, then add onions and cook just until translucent.

3. When fries are done, remove from oven. Leave oven on. Place fries into a shallow baking dish. Top evenly with cheese, onions, bacon and green chili.

4. Place baking dish in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble.

6. Sprinkle green onion, tomato and cilantro on top. Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping or spoon them on top of the fries and eat with a fork. :)

Roasted Red Potatoes

It doesn't get any easier or tastier than this!

1/2 lb red potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
course salt (Fleur de Sel is prefect)
fresh ground pepper
fresh chopped parsley or sliced green onion for garnish

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Rinse potatoes and cut into quarters. You could also cut into wedges for mojo style potatoes.

3. Toss potatoes with olive oil.

4. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer.

5. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, turning about 1/2 way through cooking.

6. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with course salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss well.

7. Place in serving dish and top with chopped parsley or green onion.

Note: Use the same recipe for new baby potatoes, fingerling potatoes and sweet potatoes!

Pasta e Patate

Another day, another pasta dish. You can't beat the ease of preparation when it comes to Italian cooking (usually). Tonight's recipe comes from David Rocco's Dolce Vita on Food Network Canada.

"Pasta e Patate" is a traditional recipe from Naples. It's a very rustic dish that can be served as a soup or pasta dish (by simmering and reducing the broth). It's a very interesting dish. Pasta and potatoes? How odd. But the starch from the pasta and the starch from the potatoes come together to make such a rich, creamy sauce... it's almost like a risotto of the pasta world. It would probably be delicious with some chorizo and diced plum tomatoes. A sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley wouldn't hurt either. You could skip the prosciutto for a vegetarian dish but... I wouldn't. :)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4-5 slices prosciutto or pancetta, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 fresh chili pepper, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups small pasta or broken spaghetti
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese, chopped fine
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, freshly grated

1. Heat EVOO in a large sauce pan. Add proscitto and cook until crisp.

2. Add onion, celery, carrot, chili pepper, salt and pepper. Saute until onions are soft.

3. Add potatoes. Let saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to prevent the potatoes from sticking.

4. Add water, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir then add pasta. Mix together well. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add a little more water, 1/2 cup at a time, as the pasta and potatoes absorb the liquids.

5. Add pecorino cheese. Cook for a few more minutes until cheese has softened and sauce is thickened and creamy. If you would prefer a soup, add more water.

6. Spoon into serving bowls. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with fresh grated parmigiano cheese. Let cool before serving. (David Rocco says it is best at room temperature. I find it too good to let it sit long enough to find out if he's right!)

I served this with a side salad, fresh garlic rubbed toast and a glass of milk, although a dry red would be nice too.

Potato Lentil Vegetable Soup

This recipe was inspired by Epicure's Potato Lentil Soup. I've never cooked with lentils before, so this was a first for me. I also learned that lentils don't cause gas like their cousin beans do. Bonus!

Potato Lentil Vegetable Soup:

Olive Oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cups diced red potatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups red lentils (pre soaked per package directions)
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
8 cups vegetable stock

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, carrots, garlic and potatoes for a few minutes until fragrant.

2. Add stock, lentils and seasonings. Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are cooked and broth has reduced slightly.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs.

Potato, Onion & Mushroom Spanish Omlette

This simple dish is inspired by Ricardo's Spanish Potato & Onion Omelette. In Spain it is called "tortilla de patatas" or "tortilla a la española", meaning potato omlette or Spanish omlette. It can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner and doesn't take long to prepare. You could even put it together the day before and bake before serving. You can also add bacon, chopped ham or chorizo sausage for a more complete breakfast dish or leave as is for a delicious vegetarian entree.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced with a mandolin or sliced thin
3 large white potatoes or 8-10 small new potatoes, sliced with a mandolin or sliced thin
6-8 large white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup shredded white cheese (I used Goat's Gouda)
6 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil and high sided square or round glass baking dish. Line the dish with a strip of parchment paper horizontally with the paper hanging over the two ends so the frittata will be easy to remove. Lightly oil the parchment paper as well.

2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and potatoes. Cook until just starting to brown. Add more oil if necessary. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook another 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender and browned, stirring often. Total cooking time should be 15-20 minutes to ensure potatoes are mostly cooked through.

3. Scoop half the onion/potato mixture into the baking dish. Top with half the parsley and half the cheese. Scoop the rest of the onion/potato mixture into the dish. Top with the remaining parsley and cheese.

4. Pour the eggs over the onion/potato mixture.

5. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes until eggs are set. Check every 10 minutes by jiggling the baking pan and inserting a fork in the centre. The eggs should be fluffy, not runny.

6. Let cool in dish for 5 mins. To remove from baking pan, carefully invert it on a serving dish. Cut into squares or wedges. Serve warm.



Variations:

- Add bacon, ham, chorizo or other meat. If using bacon, cook it first and use the bacon fat to cook the onion and potato, eliminating the need for olive oil.
- Use different herbs and cheese to vary the flavour.
- Add diced bell peppers, green onion and chopped chili pepper for a mexican style dish. Sub the parsley for cilantro. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
- Assemble in ramekins for individual portions.
- Eliminate the cheese, creating a dairy-free meal.

Two Potato Curry

This flavourful Indian style curry is a delicious cold weather treat. The curry is not spicy, unless you want it to be! Serve it over brown basmati rice or alone for a curry stew. If you don't have all the spices to create your own curry, use a pre-made curry powder, although homemade definitely tastes better. Serve your curry with toasted naan bread, whole wheat pita or make your own gluten-free flat bread like I did. I'll post the flat bread recipe tomorrow.

Two Potato Curry

Serves 3 (or 2 with left overs)

1 cup brown basmati rice
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups small red potatoes, quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 cup shelled frozen edamame beans
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut or fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

1. Prepare rice according to package or rice cooker directions.

2. In a medium bowl, combine broth, coconut milk and all spices. Mix well and set aside.

3. Heat a large saute pan or wok over medium heat. Add olive oil. Saute onions until translucent. Add garlic and saute until just starting to brown.

4. Stir in liquid mixture and bring to a low boil.

5. Add vegetables. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with a tight fitting lid and leave to simmer for 15-20 mins until vegetable are cooked through (fork tender).

6. Stir in edamame beans and lemon juice. Heat through.

7. Serve over cooked rice and top with shredded coconut and/or cilantro leaves.

Variations:

- Add cooked diced chicken for a non-vegetarian entree.
- Toss in one or two diced chili peppers for more heat.

Coconut Curried Butternut Squash, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

Fall is finally here in Vancouver. They skies are gray and the rain is falling. The change in weather has me thinking more about "eating in season". I've been trying to pick foods and plan menus based around fall and winter vegetables and fruits. It's tough because the foods offered at this time of year aren't my favourite. Eating in season has it's benefits though - on our health, our environment and our wallets. When food is purchased in season, it is fresher and more nutritious, travels less of a distance to market and is often cheaper than at other times of the year.

Fall and winter foods are known as "warming foods". Think of the fall harvest. Squash (butternut, acorn), pumpkin, sweet potatoes, onions, cauliflower, parsnips, apples and pears are all in abundance right now.

See a more comprehensive list here.

Coconut Curried Butternut Squash, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium local apples, such as Braeburn or Royal Gala, peeled, cored and diced
3 cups low sodium, gluten free vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp red Thai curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 can light coconut milk
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
sea salt & pepper to taste
handful fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and curry paste. Stir and cook until onion is soft.

2. Add the broth and the rest of the vegetables. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low Simmer until vegetable are tender and a fork can easily be inserted (about 30-40 mins).

3. Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Some chunks are okay if you like it more rustic. I prefer a smooth puree so I blend the *bleep* out of it.

4. Put the pot back on the stove over low heat. Stir in the coconut milk and agave syrup (see note below). Season with salt and pepper and add more fresh grated ginger if you like.

5. Spoon into bowls and top with fresh cilantro leaves or a dollop of low fat plain yogurt.

A Note About Ingredients: The two apples in the recipe add a good amount of sweetness to the soup. If you would like it a bit more sweet, you can also add a tablespoon of agave nectar, honey or pure maple syrup. Using honey will remove the "vegan" designation though. Taste a spoonful of the finished soup to see if more salt, pepper, ginger or sweetner is required.

Roasted Beet & Sweet Potato Salad

This salad is so delicious but it takes a bit of time to prepare, most of it inactive while you wait for the veggies to roast. An hour to prepare a lunch dish can be a little unreasonable. If you have the time, definitely do it. If not, I suggest making roasted veggies for dinner the night before then use the left overs to make the salad for lunch the next day.

Serves 2

1/2 large sweet potato (or 1 small), peeled and cut into chunks
2 small beets (or 1 large), trimmed, peeled and cut into chunks (use gloves to avoid red hands!)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 avocado
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp goat's milk feta cheese
3 cups mixed greens (baby spinach, spring mix, arugula etc)

dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
pinch salt
pinch pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Arrange sweet potato chunks on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Arrange beet chunks on a separate baking tray and drizzle with the other 1 tbsp olive oil. Separate trays are necessary otherwise your lovely orange sweet potato will turn pink.

3. Roast veggies in the oven until tender, about 30 mins-40mins.

4. While veggies are cooking, roast pine nuts over medium heat in a dry skillet. Remove from skillet just as they start to turn golden brown. Do not leave unattended as they can burn quickly and you will need to start over!

5. In a glass container with a tight fitting lid, mix dressing ingredients and shake well.

6. Arrange the lettuce on two plates. Top with red onion slices.

7. When cooked, remove veggies from oven.

8. Peel, pit and slice the avocado. Arrange avocado pieces on top of lettuce (1/4 avocado on each plate).

9. Arrange roasted sweet potato and beet pieces on top of salad (1/2 on each plate).

10. Sprinkle pine nuts and goat's feta over top of each salad.

11. Finish each salad with a drizzle of dressing.

12. Serve immediately, while veggies are still warm.

13. Sit and savour. Smile at the gorgeous, healthy meal you have created.

Variations:

- Use walnuts instead of pine nuts
- sub butternut squash for the sweet potato
- try blue cheese instead of feta or...
- omit the goat's feta for a vegan dish

The possibilities are endless!

Mint & Chive Potato Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

Serves 2

8 - 10 new potatoes (small white or red or a mix!)

1/2 small red onion, diced
4-5 mint leaves, chiffonade
small bunch of fresh chives, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tsp sucanat
1 tsp dijon mustard
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

1. Cut potatoes into quarters or bite sized pieces. Boil in pot of water until fork tender, about 20 mins.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the onion, chives and parsley. Add to a serving dish.

3. Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together in a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake to mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste.

4. Once potatoes are cooked, drain. Add to serving bowl of onions, chives and mint while still warm. Toss to mix.

5.Spoon vinaigrette over top of salad to suit your tastes. The warm potatoes will soak up lots of dressing. Use as much or as little as you like. I used about half of what the recipe yields.

6. Serve warm or cold.

7. Best when served while sitting on a blanket, outside, under the sun.