creamy roasted garlic, chanterelle, and cauliflower soup with chanterelle "croutons"

The first local chanterelles of the season have finally made an appearance at the organic foods store, and so the poor folks who work and shop there were treated to my happy-produce-dance again. It's lucky I don't embarrass easily. Anyone who gets as excited over fresh vegetables as I do should not be let out in public, as at any moment I'm prone to bust out a bastardized version of the electric slide and, well, that just ain't pretty.

But these, these are some sexy morsels of fungus ...


I bought out their stock during my lunch break yesterday and spent an insomnia night with visions of this soup dancing in my head. The sweet caramelized subtlety of the roasted garlic brings out the earthiness of the chanterelles, and the chanterelle "croutons" provide textural contrast to the creaminess imparted by the cauliflower and potatoes. It's a simple, hearty soup that relies on the quality of the primary ingredients, rather than added seasonings and trickery, for its flavour, and in my opinion deserves a dance all its own...


creamy roasted garlic, chanterelle, and cauliflower soup with chanterelle "croutons"

what you need ...

1 small onion, chopped
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced (white and tender light green parts)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. new potatoes, peeled and diced (approx. 1 heaping cup)
1 medium head cauliflower, florets and stem, chopped (approx. 6 heaping cups)
1 lb. fresh chanterelles, roughly chopped
4 large heads roasted garlic (instructions below, in case you need 'em)
1/4 c. dry white wine
3 1/4 c. home made, strong, salt-free mushroom stock
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)

3 medium chanterelles, sliced
olive oil spray
salt
freshly ground pepper

what you do ...

Turn broiler to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray sheet with olive oil. Lay sliced chanterelles on the sheet in a single layer, spray very lightly with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil in upper-third of oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large soup pot, steam-fry onion, leeks and minced garlic until onions are translucent, then add chopped chanterelles and continue cooking until the chanterelles start to sweat.

Add cauliflower, potatoes, and a few tablespoons of mushroom stock and continue steam-cooking until cauliflower and potato begin to soften.

Add wine, remaining stock, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes, or until cauliflower and potatoes are very tender and start breaking down.

Purée soup using either an immersion blender or a food processor, adding additional stock if / as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Taste for salt and pepper. Eat.



how to roast garlic ...

If you've never roasted your own garlic because you thought it was hard : get out your big boots -- you're gonna want to kick yourself.

Turn on your broiler at 400°F and cut as many decent-sized rectangles of tinfoil as you have garlic bulbs to roast.

Remove papery outer skins of the garlic bulbs, leaving them whole. Leave the layer of skin directly enclosing the garlic cloves. Slice the tops off the bulbs to expose the cloves.

Place each bulb on its own square of tinfoil. Wrap tightly and place on a baking sheet in the upper third of your oven.

Roast for an hour, remove from oven, and let cool enough to handle before removing foil.

To get the roasted garlic out of its pajamas, it's as simple as squeezing the bulbs from the bottom.

To store roasted garlic just package in a tightly sealed container and keep in the fridge. I normally roast a boat-load of garlic at a time to have on hand (if you've ever had roasted garlic and tahini smeared on pita bread you'll understand why I do this ...).

Since this month's edition of the Go Ahead Honey - It's Gluten Free event is all about the seasonal produce and this soup contains local chanterelles, and local and organic garlic, new potatoes, and cauliflower, I'm submitting it for this month's round-up being hosted by Rachel over at The Crispy Cook.

I also humbly submit this original soup recipe to this month's edition of the Culinarty Original Recipes event, hosted by Lore at Culinarty.

riffin' on gumbo

does anyone else ever feel like okra's almost too pretty to eat?

When it comes to gumbo, I guess I've never been much of a purist. I'll just toss a bunch of stuff into a pot, throw some Cajun-style spices at it, and call it a day. From what I can tell, and with my admittedly limited knowledge of Cajun and Creole cuisines [I enjoy this gentleman's explanation of the differences - being a part-French-Canadian-girl who now lives in the Maritimes, and a bit of a Marxist-romantic when it comes to culinary cultural histories, I find myself drawn to the Cajun lore of the underdog], a traditional gumbo has 4 basic pillars upon which are built a myriad of variations. I've been able to identify these pillars as:

1. roux (flour browned in fat)
2. large quantity & variety of flesh (be it mammalian, fowl, fish, sea-/swamp-food)
3. okra (gumbo, lady's fingers)
4. the Cajun / Creole Vegetable Holy Trinity (onion, celery, green bell pepper)

So with this in mind, I'm fully prepared to admit that this dish -- it ain't gumbo. Since I avoid wheat as much as possible (although I've found that dry-roasting chickpea flour can nicely mimic the toasty flavour of a good roux) and rarely, rarely, consume cooked fats (no, I'm not fat-phobic, I just prefer to get my fats in their purest state as much as possible, as with all my nutrients) ... I don't roux. The animal flesh thing kind of answers itself, what with being a mock-meat hating vegan. But okra / gumbo (growing up I knew it as baamieh) I love, and if I've ever been accused of worshiping anything it's vegetables, so ... If two outta three ain't bad (damn straight), then maybe two outta four ain't terrible?

Except that the results are so terribly, terribly tasty ...


(this ain't real) gumbo

what you need ...

1 large onion, diced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 medium jalape ño pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium hot banana pepper, seeded and minced
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 1/2 c. fresh young okra, sliced 1/2" thick
4 c. (heaping) zucchini, sliced 1/2 " thick
5 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
3 Tbsp. (generous) tomato paste
1 1/2 - 2 c. home-made, salt-free veggie stock (or good quality commercial)
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt-free Cajun spice mix (recipe below)
1/2 tsp. dulse flakes * (optional, see note below)
3/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. gumbo filé

what you do ...

In a large pot over medium-high heat, steam-fry onion, garlic, banana pepper, jalape ño, and celery until onion is translucent and fragrant. Add bell peppers, okra, zucchini, and a couple Tbsp. of veggie stock and continue cooking about 3 minutes (you want the veggies to cook a bit but maintain most of their texture).

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining veggie stock, Cajun spice, bay leaf, dulse flakes, and salt. Mix well, bring to a boil, then lower heat, and let simmer partially covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on the veggies -- you want them cooked but not mushy.

Once the 15 minutes are up, add liquid smoke and gumbo filé and stir through.

Serve over rice (I like a mixture of brown basmati and wild) or with a hearty bread for sopping up the juices.

* The dulse flakes add a salty hint of the sea to the gumbo, without adding seafood or extra sodium. Being a person with a salt tooth, and as the only non-vegan thing I ever miss is fish/seafood, I throw dulse at pretty much anything it could possible complement. Feel free to omit if you don't have / like dulse.


For the salt-free Cajun spice mix, I can't honestly remember the genesis of the original. All I know is that over the years my scrawled copy has been amended and messed with and scribbled on to the point where it's finger-printed and love-worn and dirty and suits me perfectly. And doesn't much resemble what it started as. So this is my version -- I make no claims of authenticity, though it does contain all the basics.


salt-free Cajun spice mix

what you need ...

1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. Spanish paprika (smoked, if possible)
1/4 c. dried, rubbed oregano
1/4 c. dried thyme
3 Tbsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. onion powder
3 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. ground white pepper
2 Tbsp. roasted garlic powder *
2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. celery seeds
2 Tbsp. ground, roasted cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. ground chipotle chilis
1 Tbsp. ground cayenne

what you do ...

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar and mix it up well before use - it will settle and may cake up a bit over time. Keep it in the freezer if you plan to use it only occasionally to ensure optimum freshness.

* if you don't have roasted garlic powder just use an extra Tbsp. of regular garlic powder -- the roasted stuff is of course sweeter without sacrificing any of the garlicy-awesomeness.

seasonal sides

The following are two of my favourite simple but flavourful ways to use up fresh summer produce.

The lemony loubieh with toasted walnuts and sa'amak is one of a huge number of traditional Lebanese flat bean dishes that my paternal grandmother used to make in massive quantities when the loubieh vines were literally bent over double with the weight of the beans, and it would be eaten as part of meze or, if you're me, straight from the serving bowl, and it's normally eaten with one's hands, pinched up in fresh pita bread or marcook. This is my kind of comfort food. My tittoo would cook up well over 3 or 4 kilos of loubieh at a time -- I've scaled it down a bit here.

The maple-mashed kohlbrabi with cauliflower and carrots is something I came up with years ago to try and convert a kohlrabi skeptic who used to look at me cross-eyed for munching on it raw. It worked. If you can, get the purple-skinned kohlrabi - I find the taste nicer, but the green is excellent as well.

lemony loubieh with toasted walnuts and sa’amak

what you need …

1 lb. fresh loubieh, topped
1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 a large lemon, juiced
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dried sa’amak (aka sumac)
1/4 c. dry roasted walnuts, chopped (or toasted pine nuts)

what you do …

Combine garlic and salt and mash really well with a mortar and pestle (little trick here – the salt helps the garlic get all creamy when mashed).

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine creamed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and sa’amak and shake it up. Set aside to let the flavours get all friendly-like while you cook your loubieh.

Get a medium-sized pot of lightly salted water boiling, and have ready a bowl of ice water. Lay a clean tea towel on your counter and have another one handy.

Once the water’s boiling, drop in the loubieh, cover, and let cook 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it after 3 minutes – you want the loubieh cooked a little bit but still green and with a good bite to it.

Once cooked, immediately drain loubieh and dunk it in the ice water bath to stop it cooking. Once thoroughly cooled, drain and lay on tea towel and blot with the second towel to dry.

Dump loubieh into a non-reactive bowl, shake up the dressing again, and pour over top. Let sit out for at least 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Right before serving, throw in the walnuts and give it a good final toss.

maple-mashed kohlrabi with cauliflower and carrots

what you need …

2 medium-small purple kohlrabi (about the size of a small grapefruit), peeled and chopped *

2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped **

1 small head cauliflower, florets and stalk, chopped

3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch ground cloves

a couple Tbsp. unsweetened, plain almond milk

1 Tbsp. flax oil (or olive oil, or non-hydrogenated margarine if not a fan of flax and / or not fussed about getting your omegas)

what you do …

Steam vegetables until very tender. Transfer to a food processor and add salt, spices, maple syrup, and almond milk. Blend until puréed, stopping a couple times to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, and add more almond milk as needed to keep it all moving.

Once it’s all creamy, and with the blades still running, drizzle in the flax oil and continue blending until it’s all incorporated.

* If you don’t like / can’t find kohlrabi, turnips or parsnips are good substitutions.

** In the fall, I normally sub fresh pumpkin for the carrots, but I have a sick obsession with pumpkins. Sweet potatoes work well too.

wheat-free zucchini spice muffins

My garden continues to vomit zucchini at an alarming rate.

As my dear paternal grandmother would say -- I'm rich in zucchini.

And so it was time to make some of my favourite muffins. These puppies are wheat-free, low in fat, lightly sweet, mildly spiced, and tasty as all-get-out. They're not dense but they're definitely muffins. Breakfast fare. If you like your muffins cakey, go to Tim Horton's or Starbucks, cuz you sure won't get any of that from my kitchen.


wheat-free zucchini spice muffins

what you need ...

1 Tbsp. flax meal
3 Tbsp. warm water
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. blackstrap molasses
3 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. finely grated zucchini (packed), excess moisture squeezed out

2 1/4 c. whole grain spelt flour (spooned and leveled, of course)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/3 c. unrefined sugar
1 c. jumbo flame raisins (or regular thompsons will do ...)

what you do ...

Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flax meal and water and set aside to get gloopy.

Combine almond milk and cider vinegar in a measuring cup or glass and set aside to sour.

While the milk's souring and the flax is getting down with its badself, get out a big bowl and mix together flour, salt, soda, and spices with a fork. Add sugar and stir well.

Now pour your soured almond milk into the bowl with the flax and whisk together. Add the rest of the second set of ingredients (except raisins) and mix well.

Now pour wet into dry, and mix just until it's all moistened. Don't overmix. You all know what happens to muffins when you overmix, yes? Yes. We don't want that.

Stir in raisins with as few strokes as possible.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 23-28 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove from tins immediately and let cool on a wire rack.

Southern lovin' ...

Sometimes, it feels like maybe the universe can tell when I'm having a rough day/week/month and decides to send a little love my way. Today felt like one of those days -- the last couple weeks have been stressful and generally un-fun, and I'm sure the weather hasn't helped with it being overcast and raining for the last 20 or so days solid. Sometimes the love is as simple as a peek of sunshine, or a new bud on one of my houseplants, or a surprise postcard or call or e-mail from someone I've been missing.

But today! Today the universe came through for me in the form of a Southern gentleman, which was a first. This morning as I was leaving the house to head out for another day at the office, there was a little Purolator slip on my door knob advising me that they'd tried to deliver a package (presumably while I was in the shower - damn cleanliness!) and it would be waiting for me at the post office later in the day. So after work I headed on down, and it was a little box from Mr. John P, all the way from Tennessee.

A little while back, after I rhapsodized on the glories of Instant Clear Jel and lamented the fact that it isn't readily available in Canada, John was kind enough to agree to help me subvert the Evil Customs Gods and send me some by post. He also offered to send me anything else from the Southern states I might like. I told him to surprise me, and that I would in turn send him a little surprise package with treats from New Brunswick.

Well, he definitely went above and beyond, catering to my love of things salty and spicy, and my addiction to random vegan whole-foods-centered cookbooks. Looky here :

thar be: Instant Clear Jel, cookbook, Quick Grits, Tennessee ChowChow, Crab Boil, Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, Bar-B-Cutie Hot Sauce, Gumbo Filé, Sassafrass Tea Concentrate

Oh the Southern feasts my belly (and this blog) will be treated to come the weekend! But for now, it's grits for dinner.

The last time I had grits was about 15 years ago, while visiting family in small-town North Carolina. While my cousin's kids seemed to subsist on grape goober on toast (which I had not seen before nor since. You strange, strange Americans) I developed a thing for grits. Grits with tahini and blackstrap molasses, grits with mushrooms and hot sauce, onion-garlic-grits with HP sauce, grits with grated apple and raisins and maple syrup ... you name it.

But my favourite way... Well, I like my grits like I like my boys and girls -- hot, loose, and colourful. Nothing better than a steaming bowl of spicy, veggie-ful mush to say "screw you, Mother Nature. Bring the deluge. Do your worst."

smoky and spicy dinner grits, with Tennessee ChowChow

smoky and spicy dinner grits

what you need ...

1 small onion, minced or grated
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 small fresh banana pepper, seeded and minced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1/3 c. raw corn, fresh off the cob (or frozen, if that's how you roll)
12 fresh young okra pods, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp. agave nectar (optional, adds depth to the spices)
couple grindings black pepper
2 1/3 c. homemade, unsalted veggie stock
1/2 c. white hominy quick grits
couple dashes liquid smoke
salt to taste
for serving: ChowChow, hot sauce

what you do ...

Steam-fry onions, garlic, and banana pepper in a medium-sized pot until onion is translucent and fragrant. Add rest of veggies and spices, and continue frying a few minutes.

Add veggie stock and agave nectar and bring to a rapid boil. Slowly pour grits into boiling stock, stirring constantly. Lower heat, cover, and let simmer about 7-10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.

Add liquid smoke and salt and pepper to taste.

hazelnut rum truffles

Remember that old Conan O'Brien sketch If They Mated ... ?

Well this is, in my mind, what would happen if Captain Morgan got it on with a jar of (vegan and fairly traded) Nutella.

These truffles are intense. They're for and inspired by J, who was recently accepted into the university program of her choice (yay for going back to school! I so miss academia ...). When asked what kind of treat she'd like to commemorate the occasion, she shyly inquired if it would be much trouble to make my truffles again. And would it be possible (little grin) to make them with rum?

So these truffles are for her, and with any luck will have her dancing on a table with a lampshade on her head by the end of the night (and: tonight is a double-celebration -- her husband B just got a new and awesome job. His celebration treat will make an appearance in my next post).



hazelnut rum truffles

what you need ...

100 g. whole raw hazelnuts (filberts)

5 oz. Dagoba fair trade Milagros chocolate drops (68% cocoa)
5 oz. CocoaCamino fair trade Semi-Sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (room temperature)
6 Tbsp. dark spiced rum
1 Tbsp. soy cream

50 g. sliced raw hazelnuts

what you do ...

First, you need to roast your whole hazelnuts. Set your broiler to 400° F and put your hazelnuts into a shallow pan, then place the pan in the upper third of your oven. Let the nuts roast for about 5-8 minutes, watching them carefully -- they can go from toasty to burned in a blink. Once they're all toasty, remove from the oven and let cool. When cool, rub them between your fingers to remove as much skin as possible and then grind to a coarse meal. Set aside.

In a small pot over medium-low heat, combine margarine, rum, and soy creamer and cook, stirring constantly, until margarine is melted. Lower heat and dump in chocolate, stirring constantly until melted (this should only take a moment or two), then add ground hazelnuts, remove from heat, and mix well.

Pour contents of pot into a shallow pan and refrigerate until the chocolate sets up (you want it firm enough that you can roll it. Don't worry if it gets too hard, you can always let it sit out a bit to soften).

While the chocolate is setting, get your work surface ready. Put sliced hazelnuts in a shallow dish and lay down parchment paper.

When chocolate is set, roll Tbsp.-sized balls between your palms (yes, this can get messy ...) and then either roll in sliced hazelnuts or place a few sliced nuts on top. Repeat until there's no chocolate left, then place truffles in fridge to re-set (the truffles will be soft with all that rolling, but don't worry -- they set up perfectly). Once set, store in the fridge in well-sealed containers.

* Remove truffles from fridge about 10-20 minutes before you want to serve them and let them sit in a cool place.


Because there seems to be a blogging event for just about everything, and because these truffles are most definitely rummy, I'm submitting them to Joelen's TGIF: Caribbean Adventure event.

Ye Olde Standbys ...

blah blah blah hot and humid blah blah blah garden blah blah blah farmer's market blah blah blah …

Yep, things continue pretty much as per usual in this little corner of the universe. These are definitely the salad days of summer. Yea, verily.

Add to that the fact that the last week has seen me brutalized repeatedly by my dentist (aka The Happy Butcher -- why oh why must you torture me with a tv embedded in the ceiling and then play the Country Music Television channel constantly? Is it not enough to make my mouth bleed? Must my eyes and ears bleed as well?) and completing a large and mind- (and ass-) numbing project for work, and it's understandable that I've been rocking the old standards in the kitchen.

Neither of these dishes is highly original, I'm afraid. They're two of the staples that make up the skeleton of my culinary carapace. But, well, this is a blog, and if I didn't post something once in a while, then, well, ... Both are good recipes to use up fresh summer produce, and the marinara is excellent hot or cold and keeps well in the freezer for emergency saucing needs.

hot-'n'-cold cucumber salad

Every time I make this salad, without fail, I end up with "she's so cold" stuck in my head. Alright, if I'm being honest - I end up belting it out full-volume while hunched over my cutting board. "I'm so hot for her, I'm so hot for her, I'm so hot for her, and she's so cold ...".

hot-'n'-cold cucumber salad with cumin, lime, and fresh coriander

what you need ...

1 large cucumber, diced (unpeeled)
1 medium zucchini, diced (unpeeled)
1 large orange pepper, diced
4 large scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
a few handfuls cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 large fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 c. fresh coriander (packed), finely chopped
couple grindings black pepper

2 large cloves garlic, crushed or pressed
1 Tbsp. flax oil (optional, can omit or use olive oil if not big on flax and not needing the omegas)
3 medium limes, juiced
1 tsp. (heaping) ground roasted cumin
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. dried ground chipotle chilis or cayenne (optional, I likes my spice)

what you do ...

Combine second set of ingredients in a glass jar, cover tightly, and shake shake shake. Let stand in the fridge while you prepare the veggies.

Toss together first set of ingredients in a non-reactive bowl. Pour dressing over top, mix well. Let stand at least 20 minutes before serving to allow flavours to marry. Toss again and serve with lime wedges.

* Normally, I'll throw in a cup of cooked and cooled black beans and 1/3 c. dry-roasted pepitas, but this time around I was looking for something lighter.

zucchini ribbons with sun dried tomato and fresh basil marinara

Everyone and their dog has a go-to marinara recipe. I'm no different. Here's my favourite.

sun dried tomato and fresh basil marinara

what you need ...


1 large onion, finely chopped
6 - 8 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow pepper, diced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 c. (well packed) sun dried tomatoes, sliced *
28 oz. whole roma tomatoes (canned, unsalted, unpeeled)
6 oz. tomato paste
1/2 c. salt-free home-made vegetable stock (or good-quality commercial)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. dried chili flakes
1 c. (well packed) fresh basil, roughly chopped

what you do ...

In a large pot, steam-fry onions, garlic, carrot, and yellow pepper over medium-high heat until onion is fragrant and translucent (about 3-5 minutes).

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, oregano, chili flakes, white pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Stir well, crushing tomatoes against side of pot with the back of your mixing spoon.

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Leave to simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally (patience is a virtue, my friends).

Once the hour's up, throw in the fresh basil, mix well, and taste for saltiness. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt if you think it needs it (or more, or less), re-cover, and allow to simmer another 15 minutes, stirring once somewhere in there.

Once it's finished simmering, remove from heat and remove and discard bay leaves. Using an immersion blender or food processor, purée sauce until smooth (unless, of course, you like chunks. In which case, by all means, leave some chunkies in there). Taste and adjust salt and pepper if/as needed.

* You want to get the ones that aren't oil-packed. Preferably unsalted/unsulphured. If you can't find the unsalted ones, you'll need to blanche the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes, and then rinse-drain-rinse and squeeze.

she got to use what she got to get what she wants ...

Hot pants!

No, sorry, not hot pants. Mr. Brown would be so unimpressed. But to be honest, my trunk-junk would inspire no one to say "holy hot damn, I gotta get that lady what she needs".

But I've got kiwis, so I do for myself.

Today's the day I decided that a lack of unsweetened kiwi jam in the store didn't have to mean a lack of unsweetened kiwi jam in my belly.

Cuz, well, I have a kitchen, don't I? And the addition of sugar to fruit is an abomination. A travesty. Not happening on my watch.

And also because when it comes to jams, baby, I likes it raw -- it was time to experiment with refrigerator/freezer jamming methods. [I should also probably mention that I have a small fear of canning/home preserving. I've done it many a time without issue, but too many stories of botulism and 'splosions make me hesitant to do it except when absolutely necessary.]

So, I gave it a shot. And it worked. And so I give you (and me ... mostly me) fresh refrigerator kiwi jam. And the world is a better place for it.

Because the fabulous Mr. John P. requested instructions, here they be.

** caveat :: giving instructions for this seems silly, as it's really the most straightforward thing in the world. I was lucky enough to score a very small amount of Instant Clear Jel from my friendly neighbourhood Asian grocer (the last of his supply! mercy...). It's not available in reasonable amounts for public use in Canada yet, and so I'm waiting until I can get some more, at which point I'll be experimenting with other flavours, textures, etc etc etc. I have big plans for donut-peach-and-ginger jam, and some gelled chutneys, and and and ... I also may try methods using agar agar in the interim. Yes, I have the jamming bug. But for now, here's the master... **

Kiwi refrigerator / freezer jam (unsweetened)

what you need ...

1 kilo of good, extra ripe kiwis
1/3 c. Instant Clear Jel
optional: stevia or sugar or other sweetener of choice, to taste (but then, of course, it won't be unsweetened, now, will it?)

what you do ...

Peel and roughly chop kiwis, then liquefy in your blender or food processor. Measure out 4 cups of the goo and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle Clear Jel over top and start stirring/whisking. I ended up stirring the jam for about 10 minutes, I don't know if longer or shorter is recommended, but there you have it. If your fruit is super juicy, add a bit more Jel (yay, common sense and personal judgment).

Let sit about 10 minutes, then once the jam has thickened considerably, pour it into sterilized jars and refrigerate or freeze right away. I got two 500 mL jars out of this, plus maybe a 1/3 c. which went into the little cruet.

All fresh, unpreserved jams will stay in the fridge for about 3 weeks, and months and months in the freezer.

I love it when mother nature cooperates ...

Yesterday I got home from work and, as usual, immediately de-bloused and headed out to the garden to weed and water and talk smack with my babies. For my troubles, I was rewarded with a few handfuls of yellow beans, about 2 kilos of gorgeous zucchini, bunch upon bunch of fresh basil and oregano and parsley, a couple pints worth of beautiful cherry tomatoes, and some lovely mixed greens and chicory.

My brain started churning over possibilities for the zucchini. I’ve been eating kawaj koosa (Lebanese stewed zucchini and tomatoes) pretty much weekly since the Great Zucchini Flood of ’08 first got underway, as well as raw zucchini spirals with home made marinara, zucchini salads, and zucchini stiryfrys. What I was really in the mood for was some roasted zucchini. But in this weather?

I decided to chance it.

After puttering around in my kitchen for a bit, I realized I had about 200 g. of purple shallots hanging out in my onion crock that wouldn’t be so happy in a couple days, and the deal was sealed. I threw veggies and herbs and seasonings in a massive Tupperware, sealed her up and threw her in the fridge to get all friendly-like over night. Then I crossed my fingers and hoped to hell it would be cool enough to turn on the oven when I got home the next night.

Well hot damn if mother nature didn’t decide to smile on me for once. That’s not to say I didn’t earn it – I spent all of today sitting in the university library scrolling through newspapers on microfiche for a work project, while the young woman at the machine next to me hummed along with her ipod and picked her nose. So, I like to think I took one for the team and the team noticed.

All that to present you with an entirely unattractive meal. Bet you’re happy you checked in today, aren’t you? The fact of cooking, as I’m sure you’re all well aware, is that even the tastiest stuff isn’t always all that photogenic. Hell, it doesn’t even necessarily look good in person. This is one of those dishes that looks good through tequila-goggles and quickly runs for the exit when the bartender screams last call and turns on the ugly lights. It’s the baby whose mother thinks she’s just the sweetest thing, but everyone else can only muster a she’s got character. I promise my next baby will be more of a looker.

I feel silly even giving a recipe for this, but really – it’s tasty and simple, and if you’ve got a ridiculous amount of zucchini at your back door it’s one of a million great ways to use it up…

white balsamic, agave, and fresh herb roasted garden veggies

what you need …

200 g. (ish) shallots, peeled, larger bulbs halved, small left whole
20 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 c. yellow beans, chopped
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thickly sliced
a couple handfuls large cherry tomatoes
1 c. fresh basil, en chiffonade (loosely packed)
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
2 tsp. agave nectar (I like amber agave)
3 – 4 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar *
½ tsp. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
lightly toasted pine nuts, flax oil (optional)

what you do …

Combine veggies in a large Tupperware container, mix with herbs, then toss with agave, balsamic, salt, and pepper. Seal and stick in the fridge to marinate over night (shake it a couple times if you think of it).

The next day, turn your broiler on at 400°F, throw the veggies in a large roasting pan, and set them on a rack in the upper-third of your oven. That’s it. Check ’em and mix ’em up occasionally while they’re roasting.

Serve tossed with lightly toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of flax oil (for those healthy, tasty omegas).

* you can of course use regular balsamic vinegar, but (caveat lector) it will colour the veggies.

hot days, cold foods ...

The temperature here has been pretty unrelentingly brutal of late, and so the idea of eating anything cooked just isn’t doing it for me. With all the fresh gorgeous local produce showing up at my local organic pushers and my garden getting into the swing of things, I’m not complaining. I’ve been happily living on salads and raw fruits and berries and veggies, and my brain’s been occupied with a mess of random-firing new recipe ideas that will help me put the bounty to good use.

Friday night a few friends came over for some feasting and relaxing, as is our wont. J and B are the best dinner guests a girl could hope for – they’ll eat anything you put in front of them, do it with a smile, and never balk at the lack of animal-y ingredients. I decided to go with a couple old hot-day standbys, gazpacho and carrot salad. Being a person who can’t not mess with a good thing, and being rich in fresh basil this time of year, the classic Spanish cold soup recipe went through a number of costume changes, crossed the Mediterranean, and landed on the shores of Italy. And the carrot salad, well… it just got extra sweet. And beta-full. I'm pretty sure I'll wake up in the morning with x-ray vision.

Italian gazpacho

what you need …

4 medium, very ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 3 ¼ c.)
1 small red onion, chopped (about ¾ c.)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 c.)
1 c. English cucumber, unpeeled, chopped
1 c. zucchini, unpeeled, chopped
½ c. celery, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 c. home made salt-free veggie stock (can use good-quality store-bought)
1 c. fresh basil, chopped and loosely packed
1 tsp. fresh oregano
½ tsp. sea salt (if using a salted stock you may want to reduce this or omit entirely)
¼ tsp. ground white pepper
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. good, strong extra virgin olive oil (optional, but recommended)
lemon slices, more fresh basil

what you do …

Combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, veggie stock, herbs, pepper, vinegars, and olive oil (if using) in food processor and purée until liquefied.

Add the rest of the veggies and pulse through until desired consistency is reached

Taste before adding salt, then go to town if you think it needs it.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving, and preferably overnight. When serving, ladle into chilled bowls and top with fresh basil en chiffonade.

sweet and simple carrot-beet salad

what you need …

2 medium beets, peeled and grated
5 large carrots (just over 1 lb.), scrubbed and grated, excess juice squeezed out *
1/2 c. raisins (I like jumbo Chilean flame raisins, but thompsons are good, too)
8-10 unsulphured dried apricots, slivered
1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice, pulp and all
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 c. dry-roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds (I just get the raw ones and toast them myself)

what you do …

Throw carrots, beets, and dried fruit into a large bowl** and mix well.

Combine orange juice, lemon juice, ginger, orange zest, and salt in a jar, shake well, and let sit 10 minutes. Once the 10's up, shake it again and pour over salad, tossing to distribute.

Cover bowl and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill and allow flavours to marry. If you think of it, take it out and toss it every 15 minutes or so to make sure everything gets equally juicy

Serve topped with sunflower seeds.

* this step is important, as otherwise your salad will end up a little on the soupy side

** make sure to use non-reactive (ie glass, enamel, etc.) bowls for this recipe

Seeing as my Italian gazpacho recipe was birthed out of a desire to showcase the fresh basil being belched out of my veggie patch at an alarming rate, it fits the bill for this month's No Croutons Required challenge being hosted by Holler over at Tinned Tomatoes, and I humbly submit to her judgment.

garlic scape and coriander chutney

I was first introduced to garlic scapes (and ramps, and lambs’ quarters, and so many other fabulous forage-ables this country has to offer) about 14 years ago while doing my counselor’s training at Au Grand Bois - a vegan not-for-profit summer camp in Québec. The camp was an amazing place, run by back-to-the-land draft-dodgers from the States, which has sadly since closed its doors. The focus was on sustainable living, with solar -powered and –heated everything, where campers and staff were encouraged to learn about organic agriculture by working in one of the many gardens.

I’ve been a garlic lover all my life, having been force-fed it since birth both as a food and a medicine by my grandmother, who rubbed it on our bee stings to ease the pain, made poultices with it to reduce swelling, and swore that a raw clove of garlic every morning was far better than an apple a day [everyone, myself included, thought she was crazy. Lo, years later, it is considered a nutritional wonder-food, with emerging research touting its cardiovascular, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic benefits. Once again proving that my grandmother is a genius. All the kids in my grade school who called me a stinky Leb can suck it.] I thought I knew everything there was to know about this pungent gift from the gods (being a teenager and knowing everything about everything, period, probably didn't hurt) from my grandmother's teachings, however she had never once mentioned that not only were the green garlic shoots edible, but tasty to boot.

So you can imagine my surprise when one of the farmers at Au Grand Bois snapped off a tall, green, curly shoot from the garlic patch and told me to munch away. But I did. And if I could remember his name I’d send him a case of rye every summer when the first scapes show up at the market (if anyone knows a middle-aged blonde hippie who lives out of a VW Westfalia and has a kid named Merlin, give him a high-five for me).

With scapes making their brief and long-awaited appearance at the organics stall of the farmer’s market, and coriander threatening to take over my garden, it was the perfect time to make one of my all-time favourite condiments – garlic scape and coriander chutney. If you’re finding yourself facing the same wonderful predicament, give it a shot. If you like things that are spicy and flavourful and look like radioactive toxic waste but taste like heaven, then you shouldn’t be disappointed.

garlic scape and coriander chutney

what you need …

2 c. (packed) fresh coriander, leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped
1 c. garlic scapes, topped and chopped
2 medium fresh green chilis, seeded and chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1/2 a small white onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
a few turns freshly ground black pepper

what you do …

Heat a dry skillet over medium-high and roast the cumin until fragrant, watching closely to ensure it doesn’t burn. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until puréed, stopping frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Use as you would any other spicy chutney, or eat it with a spoon. Should last about a week.

* This chutney, as most others, is best if made at least a few hours, and preferably a day, before you plan to eat it to allow the flavours a chance to get all friendly.

This is my first cooking related / recipe post, and it just happens to be herb friendly, so in the spirit of "if-you're-gonna-do-it-overdo-it" I'm submitting it to the Weekend Herb Blogging event, which this week is being hosted by Archana's Kitchen.


Oh, and --- I picked the first cherry tomatoes of the season in my garden today. I'm geeking out hard.