My Favourite Kitchen Tools - Part Three: Cookware

My list of favourite kitchen items continues with... cookware! See Part One. See Part Two.

1. Cast Iron Fry Pan and Cast Iron Grill Pan - Sear on the stove and finish in the oven. Makes pretty grill marks when you don't feel like grilling outdoors. Easy to clean, in fact, barely any cleaning at all! Simply wipe out with a dry paper towel. For tough, baked on messes, use a paper towel soaked in vinegar. (This is up for debate, but occasionally, a very gentle cleaning with soap and water is okay in my books.)




2. Basket Steamer - Steams vegetables in no time at all without resorting to the microwave! I also like to use it when making mashed potatoes. Steamed potatoes mash nicer than boiled potatoes. Michael Smith told me so!


3. Dutch Oven - Stewing and braising with ease. Stove to oven to table is a breeze! Some may call this a French Oven - some being the French cookware company Le Creuset. There is absolutely no difference, and since I have Dutch heritage, I prefer the Dutch moniker. Although in France and the Netherlands I suspect they simply call this a "cocotte" or casserole dish. :)


4. All-Clad Sauté Pan - This was a gift from my mother last Christmas and I really don't know how I used to cook without it. A good quality sauté pan is a must! Large base, high sides, even heat distribution. A sauté pan IS NOT the same as a frying pan. And please - none of that non-stick nonsense. How are you supposed deglaze your pan and scrape up all those flavourful crunchy bits in a non-stick pan?


What are your favourite pieces of kitchen cookware?

Ahi Tuna Asian Salad

It's left overs for lunch.

Top a big plate of lettuce and veggies with left over Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna pieces. Drizzle generously with the Sweet Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce (from the Ahi recipe). Sprinkle with crispy wonton pieces and mandarin orange segments. Add a dollop of Wasabi Mayo to the centre (to dip your Tuna into) and voila. Left over lunch perfection!

Yum yum!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

A lot of soup lately. I'm an odd bird; I like soup in hot weather. A big pot of soup doesn't take long to make and it lasts a few days, which means I don't have to cook as often when it's nice & warm outside.

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1 large onion, chopped fine
sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 cups chopped nugget potatoes (6-8 small)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried oregano
4 cups vegetable broth
2 heads broccoli, cut into pieces
1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery and onion. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Add chopped potato, bay leaf, oregano and broth. Bring to a boil quickly over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Add the broccoli and simmer until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup using an immersion blender. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the piping hot soup in bowls, sprinkled with a tablespoon or more of cheddar cheese. Toss in a couple croûtons too!

My Sister's Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna

My sister made this dish for my Dad's 60th Birthday Cocktail Party. I absolutely loved these delicious little tuna bites with two dipping sauces and I have been craving more ever since. On the way home from work tonight I stopped by the store, picked up a small piece of fresh Ahi and made my own version.

My two Ahi tuna pieces equaled just over 330 grams (approx 12 ounces). Very small indeed, but plenty to serve two for dinner. The recipe is based on the amount of fish I had. Adjust measurements up or down based on the size of your fish.

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna:

2 small pieces fresh sushi grade Ahi tuna
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1/4 tsp Fleur de Sel with Wasabi (I used one made by The Cape Herb & Spice Company. It's available at IGA. My sister got her blend from Choices Market. If you can't find Fleur de Sel with Wasabi, try using a 1/2 tsp course sea salt with a small pinch of wasabi powder.)

1. Place sesame seeds and salt in a shallow bowl. Wet tuna lightly with water. Press both sides of tuna into the mixture to coat.

2a. Heat grill to high. Spray lightly with oil. Place coated Ahi pieces on hot grill and grill for 2 minutes per side.

or

2b. Heat small amount of oil in a pan over high heat. Place coated Ahi pieces in hot pan and sear for 2 minutes per side.

3. Place Ahi on a cutting board and let cool slightly. Using a very sharp knife, slice Ahi into thin slices, going with the grain. If serving as a main dish, you could cut the pieces larger.

4. Serve with Wasabi Mayo and Sweet Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce. Can be served warm or cold.



Wasabi Mayo:

2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp wasabi paste
or
1/2 tsp wasabi powder

1. Mix together in a small bowl. Add more wasabi to taste.

My sister adds a dash each of green and yellow food colouring to get a nice "wasabi green" colour. I opted not to take this added step. Wasabi Mayo would taste great with an Ahi Tuna burger too!

Sweet Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp finely chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Add everything to a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well until blended.

This would also make a good marinade or salad dressing!


This recipe was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on July 15, 2010!

Cream of Lettuce Soup

Cream of Lettuce? You got it. I saw Ricardo make this the other day on his show. He calls it "Choisy Soup". I Google'd high and low and could not find the origins of "Choisy Soup". As well, "choisy" in french is related to "choisir", meaning choose. Lettuce in French is "laitue". So I don't understand the name "Choisy Soup" and I don't know where it comes from. If anyone can advise, please leave a comment.

I decided to make this soup because I made a fatal error in shopping for one and bought a bulk bag of hearts of romaine. What am I going to do with THREE hearts of romaine lettuce? I can barely get through one let alone three! When I saw this odd soup, I thought it would be a good way to use up all that extra lettuce and soup is always nice this time of year, especially when it's vibrant green!

1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 cups milk
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups potatoes, diced
6 cups lettuce, coarsely chopped (I used Romaine)
salt & pepper to taste
sour cream for garnish, optional

1. Heat large saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and onions and cook until onions are tender.

2. Add milk, broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

3. Add lettuce. You may have to do this a bit at a time to fit it all in. Lettuce will quickly reduce by half so you will have lots of room. Stir and continue to heat for a few minutes.

4. Pour soup into a blender and puree until smooth. You could also use an immersion blender in the soup pot. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the soup through the strainer, using a spatula to move the soup around the strainer and push it through. Add more salt and pepper as required.

5. Spoon strained soup into bowls. If you'd like, Add back a spoonful or two of the vegetable puree from the strainer. Garnish with sour cream and chopped chives. Can be served hot or cold. (The left over mush might make a nice quiche filling. Will have to investigate.)

Make it vegan by using olive oil instead of butter and non-dairy milk instead of milk.

Local Eating - Summer Foods

It's July! Summer has arrived in the Lower Mainland. After a dismal June and a chilly beginning to July, the sun is finally shining and it's HOT!

According to Get Local BC, the following foods are available locally this month:

Vegetables: Beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage (savoy & red), carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard (swiss), corn, cucumbers, fennel bulbs, garlic, kale, lettuce, leeks, mustard greens, onions (green, red & yellow), peas, peppers, potatoes (red, russet, yellow, white), radishes, rhubarb (field), salad greens, shallots, spinach, squash (summer), tomatoes, turnips (white), zucchini

Fruit: Apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, currants, gooseberries, nectarines, raspberries, rhubarb (field), Saskatoon berries, strawberries

Meat & Dairy: Dairy products, eggs, beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, goat, lamb, ostrich, pheasant, pork, rabbit, turkey

Seafood: Clams, cod (Pacific), crab, Dungeness crab, flounder/sole (Pacific), halibut (Pacific), lingcod, mussels, oysters (Pacific), prawns (jumbo & spot), sablefish (black cod), salmon (Chinook/King/Spring/Pink/Sockeye), scallops, shrimp (side stripe, west coast), Spring dogfish, Tuna (Albacore)

Herbs: Basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill leaf, epazote, fennel leaf, garlic chives, lavender, lemon verbena, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory (summer & winter), shiso, sorrel, tarragon, thyme

Etc: Honey, mushrooms, nuts

Keep an eye out in your local grocery stores, or even better, hit up a weekly Farmers Market in your neighbourhood.

Today I went to the Port Coquitlam Farmers Market and stocked up on blueberries, raspberries, onions and bell peppers!

More recipes coming soon-ish.

My Favourite Kitchen Tools - Part Two: Appliances

My list of "must have" kitchen tools continues with... Appliances! See Part One.

1. Magic Bullet Blender - I have a mini food processor and a full size blender but I always come back to my bullet. Compact, powerful and easy to clean.


2. Rice Cooker - Perfect rice, every time, without burning the bottom of your pan. (Yes, I do that.)


3: Immersion Blender - Great for blending soups & sauces right in the pan. Saves time and clean up.


4. Slow Cooker - Soups, stews, pot roasts, shredded braised beef... perfect for winter comfort foods and perfect for a busy work week. Put everything in the crock pot, turn it on before you head to work and dinner is ready when you get home!


5. Electric Tea Kettle - (Cordless is best!) I use mine at least once every day. It boils water in a minute or less. Great to have for a quick cup of tea before I head to work.


What are your favourite applicances?

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

I never liked Tomato Soup until I tried it at Fix at Bellagio in Las Vegas. It was simply described as "Old School Tomato Soup" and was served with an "Aged Vermont Cheddar Grilled Cheese" sandwich. It was absolutely divine and it's a shame that it does not appear to be on the menu anymore. I have no idea what was in that soup but it made me a Tomato Soup fan from that day forward.

This recipe is adapted from the Barefoot Contessa.

Yields enough to fill two large soup bowls.

There are a lot of steps in this recipe but it doesn't make much more than an hour and the results are worth it! And as shown in step 7, you will also end up with about a cup of Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce to use over pasta for dinner! If you'd like more soup for your efforts, double the recipe.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tsp
1 red pepper, cored and cut into 4 large pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 firm Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp sucanat
2 tbsp tomato paste
large handful fresh basil, chopped (plus more basil leaves for garnish)
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pinch salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup milk or cream (or any milk of your choice)

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Rub olive oil over both sides of red pepper pieces. Place peppers skin side up on a baking sheet. Roast in heated oven for 15-20 minutes until skins start to brown and blister. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. While peppers are cooling, heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and everything is very fragrant.

3. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. In the meantime, once peppers have cooled, remove the skins. They should come off easily with your fingers but if needed, use a knife to scrape the skin away. Chop peppers and Add peppers to soup pot.

5. Add stock, sucanat, tomato paste, fresh & dried basil, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes.

6. Remove pot from heat and blend well with an immersion blender. Ensure there are no large chunks remaining.

7. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the blended soup, a cup at a time, into the strainer. Use a spatula to move the soup around and force it through the strainer. Remove any pulp left in the strainer and spoon it into a bowl for use later. You've also made a nice Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce!



8. Once you have strained all the soup, pour it back into the soup pot. Add milk and stir well. Heat to a simmer before serving. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with more fresh basil.



Optional Garnish: These remove the "gluten free", "dairy free" and "vegan" designations assigned to this recipe, but if you are so inclined, garnish the soup with a handful of croutons or shredded Parmesan cheese. I also served my soup with a couple of Baked Zucchini Fries!

Baked Zucchini Fries

When I saw this recipe for Baked Zucchini Fries, I knew I had to try it. I had just about 3/4 of a zucchini in my fridge that needed to be used pronto so this seemed like the perfect fix. If you are a fan of Zoo Sticks from White Spot, but not a fan of the heavy, deep fried, breaded coating, you will love these Zucchini Fries!

Serves 1-2 as an appetizer or side dish

1 medium zucchini, cut into thin sticks, about 2 1/2 inches long
1 egg white, beaten lightly
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (see here for tips on how to make your own)
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freeze dried parsley (or fresh chopped)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

2. Pour egg white into a shallow bowl or plate.

3. Add breadcrumbs and seasonings to a second shallow bowl or plate. Mix well. Set the bowls and the baking pan side by side. (I worked right to left. The egg wash was on the right, the breadcrumbs in the middle and the baking pan on the left.)

4. Using your right hand, dip the zucchini sticks, two or three at a time, into the egg whites, turning to coat well. Still using your right hand, transfer the zucchini from the egg wash to the breadcrumbs. Now use your left hand to turn and coat the zucchini in breadcrumbs then place it on the baking sheet. This is Michael Smith's Wet Hand/Dry Hand method. Continue using this method until all the zucchini pieces are coated and placed on the baking sheet. Ensure they are in a single layer and spaced evenly.

5. Place baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Turn zucchini about half way through cooking.

6. Remove from oven and serve immediately with dip of your choice.

Dip suggestions: Marinara sauce, salsa, hot sauce, dijon mustard, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing!

My Favourite Kitchen Tools - Part One: Gadgets

Being a kitchen cowgirl rather than an expert cook, I don't always use the right utensil for the job or use a utensil the way it is intended to be use. I do have a few favourites that I tend to stick with, no matter what I'm making. These are my go-to gadgets.

1. Silicone Locking Tongs - Heat resistant to 575 degrees F and extremely handy when cooking meat.


2. Silicon Spoon - My prefered tool for soups, sauces and stir fries.


3. Whiskie (Mini Whisk) - A silly, kitchy gadget but one I use ALL THE TIME. I love Whiskie! For eggs, sauces, dressings... you name it.


4. Microplane Grater/Zester - Grate hard cheese, nutmeg or chocolate and zest citrus with speed and ease.


5. Fine Mesh Strainer - Strain soups, sauces and rinse your quinoa. (Laura Calder has it on her list of top tools to have in a French kitchen!)


What are your favourite gadgets?