from Scratch
Recipes for Every Season
from Scratch
Along the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler
Denise Marchessault
&
Caroline west
from Scratch
Recipes for Every Season
Copyright © 2016 by Denise Marchessault and Caroline West
Whitecap Books
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For more information contact Whitecap Books, at Suite 210, 314 West Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 1E8, Canada.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of the authors’ knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the authors or Whitecap Books Ltd. The authors and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information.
Whitecap Books is known for its expertise in the cookbook market, and has produced some of the most innovative and familiar titles found in kitchens across North America. Visit our website at www.whitecap.ca.
editor: Patrick Geraghty
design: Andrew Bagatella and Caroline West
cover design: Andrew Bagatella
photography: Caroline West
food styling: Denise Marchessault
prop styling: Caroline West
proofreader: Jesse Marchand
ebook conversion: Ken Geniza
Printed in China
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Marchessault, Denise, 1959-, author
British Columbia from Scratch / text by Denise Marchessault; photography by Caroline West.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-77050-234-5 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-77050-345-8 (ePUB)
1. Cooking, Canadian--British Columbia style. 2. Local foods--
British Columbia. 3. Food--British Columbia. 4. Cookbooks. I. West, Caroline, 1966-, photographer II. Title.
TX715.6.M3665 2015 641.59711 C2015-903079-X
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia through the Book Publishing Tax Credit.
16 17 18 19 5 4 3 2 1
For
Claude Marchessault
and
Marco Khalil
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{ vii } summer
contents
preface 1
introduction 2
spring 6
savoury 13
sweet 43
summer 60
savoury 63
sweet 95
fall 116
savoury 123
sweet 157
winter 180
savoury 183
sweet 221
fundamentals 238
acknowledgements 303
special thanks 305
index 309
{ viii } british columbia from scratch
Preface
imagine a land so vast it could swallow France and Germany in a single bite. A land so wild over half of it is blanketed under dense forest, untouched by man. Picture snow-capped mountains and tumbleweed deserts, grassland cattle ranches and majestic fjords. From Arctic glaciers to the glittering towers of cosmopolitan Vancouver, British Columbia is Canada’s portal to the Pacific and all its treasures.
BC’s greatest blessing is its water: the countless rivers and lakes, and thousands of miles of zigzagging coastline. The salmon-rich Fraser River traverses the province from the Rocky Mountains to the ocean, nourishing countless farms and orchards along the way.
Just off the mainland are the lush and fertile expanses of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii, embracing a marine paradise amidst thousands of tiny coastal islands, both inhabited and wild.
Come join us at the banquet table that is British Columbia.
our story
every cookbook has a story. Ours began over a bowl of beef stew. At the time, I had a cooking school in Victoria (French Mint) and was hosting a Julia Child tribute. Caroline had been invited to photograph the event. When it was over, I offered her a steaming bowl of Julia’s Beef Bourguignon. After she finished her stew she asked, “Have you ever considered writing a cookbook?” I smiled in response. I was familiar with Caroline’s work and knew something beautiful was about to take hold. We like to think the spirit of Julia had a hand in our collaboration.
I prefer to cook food more rustic than styled and this meshes well with Caroline’s design sensibility. She’s one of those rare individuals who finds beauty in everyday objects and embraces life’s imperfections. Whenever I’d cringe at something that didn’t come out of the oven as perfectly as I’d hoped, Caroline would inevitably say, “I love it!” Indeed, she loves the charred bits, the wonky soufflés, the imprint that parchment leaves on a cake’s edge. It’s this authenticity that makes her images so real, so palatable you can almost taste them.
The book’s theme was a natural choice for us. We were both drawn to the beauty of British Columbia and its fresh, wholesome food culture. I was born on Vancouver Island and had returned after a long absence with a renewed appreciation for the province’s weather, its laid-back pace and quirky charm. Caroline had recently moved from Sydney, Australia, and was enjoying the province from a fresh new perspective, through the curious eyes of a photographer.
We set out to explore British Columbia, season by season. We harvested oysters from the shores of Mudge Island, picked peaches in the sunny Okanagan Valley, foraged for mushrooms in an ancient rain forest on Vancouver Island, gathered plump berries on Westham Island and watched farmers in the Fraser Valley flood their cranberry bogs.
The more we travelled, the more we appreciated our hardworking farmers. Once you’ve seen a cranberry bog flooded, it’s impossible to enjoy a glass of cranberry juice without thinking of the effort that went into harvesting the berries. The mantra “Fresh, Local and Seasonal” may sound like a cliché but for farmers who depend on the sun and soil, it’s their way of life. Cooking with the ebb and flow of the seasons makes good sense: food tastes better in season.
Whether you’re an ambitious cook or someone who likes to putter in the kitchen now and then, we hope this book inspires you to explore our beautiful province and cook from its delicious bounty, whatever the season.
introduction
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Okanagan Valley
{ 5 } introduction
about this book
This book is a celebration of British Columbia through a cook’s palate and a photographer’s lens. It’s a personal collection of recipes using local ingredients, rather than a compendium of wild, foraged or indigenous foods. Those topics have already been skillfully covered by chefs and authors I admire, whose books line my shelves.
The recipes in this book are completely biased; I included only foods I truly enjoy. Ultimately, we strove for a book as practical as it is beautiful, and to that end, we’ve leaned towards foods that are easily accessible.
British Columbia from Scratch is a nod to wholesome, unprocessed ingredients, simply prepared. Simple, however, is not always synonymous with quick. It’s simple to make chicken stock, for example, but it takes time. Some recipes, like beef stew, require long slow braises, while others, like an omelette, can be whipped up faster than it takes to set the table.
Seafood lovers will find plenty of ideas for enjoying the Pacific’s bounty: pan-fried in heaps of garlic, tossed in chowders, cured in salt, poached, breaded, baked—we love it every which way.
We’ve presented the pick of BC’s summer fruit in pies, tarts, meringues, ice cream and sorbet. Fall and winter desserts show off local pears, apples and cranberries.
The Fraser Valley’s meats appear throughout the book, as do the region’s vegetables that make up vegetarian dishes like the award-winning Ratatouille Pie (page 90).
We’ve even included a chapter on all the essentials for getting back to basics. You’ll find recipes for everything from stocks, to pasta, to honest-to-goodness real mayonnaise. We’re fanatics when it comes to fresh, wholesome ingredients. Once you’ve tasted food cooked from scratch, we think you’ll find it’s worth the effort too.
footnote
By the time we were awarded the contract for this book, I was living on the Mainland in a temporary home with a kitchen that can only be described as dysfunctional. Caroline had to travel by ferry from Vancouver Island for each photo session, lugging not only her photography equipment but also her bulky collection of vintage crockery and fabric, unique to each recipe. It may reassure the reader to know that most of the food images in this book were prepared on a temperamental stove, duct-taped in place, without benefit of a door handle or oven window. In the end, I think my wonky little stove did this book a favour. I had to work a little harder to get the food just right and that resulted in solid recipes—no matter the stove.
Spring
A season of growth and renewal. Food gets lighter and brighter. We celebrate the arrival of spot prawns, the first shoots of asparagus and the start of halibut season. Farmers’ markets open, rhubarb is everywhere and the air is fragrant with budding flowers. Stroll under a canopy of Vancouver’s cherry blossoms on a breezy day and you’ll experience a pink snow flurry.
As soon as I put my winter jacket away, my tastes veer from hearty slow-braised meats to salads, seafood and delicate soups. I crave emerald fava beans, fresh asparagus and the season’s best herbs, which I toss into anything that needs a refreshing lift.
Because BC’s asparagus season is so fleeting, we covet this vegetable. Whenever possible, I show asparagus off to every advantage: puréed in creamy soups, tossed in salads and even peeled naked and draped alongside seared halibut. I have no shame.
The Creston Valley in southeastern BC has ideal conditions for growing asparagus: a fertile flood plain, rich with clay, silt and sand. It’s a curious vegetable, popping leafless from the soil, but the harvesting is even more peculiar; asparagus pickers lie, belly down, on an open flatbed fitted with narrow planks, arms dangling at soil level, chins resting on pillows. A trailer pulls the prone workers through the fields as they snap off the asparagus with their fingers. Under ideal conditions, asparagus can grow anywhere from 1–3 inches (5–8 cm) per hour, obliging the pickers to cross the fields twice a day.
Although farmers’ markets offer limited fare this time of year, BC’s indoor gardeners, our greenhouse growers, spoil us with spring-ready bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers and vine-ripened tomatoes. The Fraser Valley offers just the right balance of sunlight, warmth and cool ocean breezes—ideal conditions for greenhouse growers. Greenhouses do more than harness the sun, they use science and technology to grow vegetables hydroponically, on a fraction of the land. I’ve included recipes for stuffed bell peppers (page 34) and a Cucumber Sorbet (page 44) so refreshing you’ll enjoy it all year long.
Spring brings firm-textured Pacific halibut, a clean-tasting fish with sparkling white meat, little fat and relatively few bones. I love it poached in fish stock (page 41), pan-fried as the centrepiece of a Niçoise Salad (page 30) and bundled in parchment and steamed to perfection (page 37). Don’t be misled by those modest-sized fillets at the grocer, halibut are the world’s largest flatfish, some of them heftier than the people who reel them in. (They’re nicknamed whales and soakers for good reason.)
While I wait for summer fruit to ripen, I bake with rhubarb (see the lattice pie on page 55), and rely on simple baking staples for the season’s desserts: farm fresh eggs, dairy cream and butter. You’d be surprised how many desserts you can bake with so few ingredients: jelly rolls, pastry straws, ice cream, creme brûlée and more. A sweet tooth knows no season.
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Tulip fields in Agassiz
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each spring, for up to three spectacular weeks, the Tulip Festival of Agassiz is in full bloom. About an hour and a half east of Vancouver, you’ll find nearly 40 acres of tulips so vibrant you’ll think you’ve landed in Holland.
The flowers generally bloom in April or May but if it’s a warm spring you might see flowers in March. The tulip blooms are removed just before the petals start to drop (it’s a bulb-growing operation), so be sure to check the festival’s website for updates before you visit: tulipsofthevalley.com.
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spot on
spot prawns are harvested from our coastal waters each spring, starting in May and lasting just six to eight weeks. They’re wildly popular, not only because they’re the sweetest, most succulent seafood imaginable, but because they’re a sustainable seafood choice. Fishermen harvest prawns by placing baited traps along the ocean’s floor, which is kind to the environment and all but eliminates unintended by-catch.
BC’s spot prawns are the number one sashimi grade prawns in the world according to Mike McDermid, marine biologist and Ocean Wise sustainable-seafood champion. They’re in heavy demand and most are exported overseas. Fortunately, organizations like the Chefs’ Table Society and the Spot Prawn Festival make sure locals have a chance to enjoy them too.
When shopping for spot prawns, buy them live and kicking, otherwise select prawn tails. Prawns contain an enzyme in their carapace (head end) that causes them to deteriorate and turn mushy soon after they’re dead. That’s why it’s important to purchase them live and cook them straightaway. Remove their heads (a swift twist does the trick) and save them for stock, unless you enjoy sucking the briny delicacy from the heads. Some aficionados swear it’s the best part.
If you’re purchasing prawn tails they should be translucent and firm and, as with all fish, they should not smell fishy or of ammonia. You’ll have no problem identifying spot prawns by the white spots on their shells. Store prawn tails in the refrigerator nestled atop a colander filled with ice, with a larger bowl underneath to catch the melting ice.
To devein shrimp, run a sharp paring knife along the curve of a peeled shrimp, just deep enough to touch the vein (the dark thread of the digestive tract) and remove it with the tip of your knife.
Save prawn shells to make a tasty stock. Store in the freezer until you’ve accumulated enough to make a decent amount.
However you enjoy your prawns, in a chunky seafood soup or sautéed in butter, timing is everything—a minute or two is all you need to cook them to perfection. They’ll be eaten faster than you can prepare them.
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Tofino, Vancouver Island
{ 13 } summer
spring|savoury
crab cakes with cilantro mint sauce 14
spot prawns in lemon & herb butter 17
asparagus soup with lemon chèvre custard 18
beef carpaccio 21
chicken broth with pork & shrimp meatballs 22
frittata with red onion relish 25
ravioli with pea shoot pesto 26
asparagus & lentil salad with hazelnut vinaigrette 29
salade niçoise 30
bean salad with parsley dressing 33
sweet baby peppers with ginger & pork 34
halibut cooked in parchment with olive & caper butter 37
creamy tomato sauce 38
poached halibut in a light broth 41
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Crab Cakes with Cilantro Mint Sauce
makes 6 crab cakes
i love crab cakes that taste of sweet crabmeat, not the filler that binds them. These cakes include plenty of crab seasoned with fresh ginger, lemon and cilantro.
Crab can be expensive if you’re not trapping your own. Feel free to substitute the crab with cooked shrimp or a combination of the two.
I’ve included a refreshing cilantro mint sauce that’s so good you’ll be slathering it on more than just crab cakes, but if you’re in a hurry, a squirt of lemon or lime juice will do nicely too.
Crab cakes can be prepared and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance before frying.
crab cakes
1 cup (250 mL) finely diced Yukon Gold or new potato (cut into N-inch [6 mm] pieces)
½ lb (250 g) cooked crab meat (about 1 medium crab), picked over and flaked (chop larger pieces into N-inch [6 mm] pieces)
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly grated ginger
N tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
2 tsp (10 mL) fish sauce
2 tsp (10 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) hot sauce
1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely minced shallot
2 Tbsp (30 mL) homemade Mayonnaise (page 296)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) plain yogurt
N cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro, chopped
breading
½ cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
N tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
O cup (185 mL) panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil (for shallow-frying the crab cakes)
Cilantro Mint Sauce (recipe follows)
special equipment
Instant-read thermometer (optional)
Cook potatoes just until tender. (Keep in mind that if the potatoes are not finely diced, the cakes will not hold together.) In a medium bowl, gently combine the potatoes with the rest of the crab cake ingredients. Carefully shape the mixture into 6 cakes about 2½ inches (6 cm) in diameter, without compressing them too much. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Place 3 shallow bowls on your work surface: place the flour and salt into the first bowl, the eggs into the second and the panko bread crumbs into the third.
Working with 1 chilled cake at a time: dredge first in the flour, then gently coat with eggs and finally with panko. If a cake starts to fall apart, reshape and recoat it in the breading mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, before frying.
When ready to fry the crab cakes, pour enough oil in a heavy skillet to cover the cakes halfway. Bring the oil slowly to temperature until an instant-read thermometer reaches 350°F (175°C) or when a cube of bread dropped in the oil turns golden within a minute.
Add the chilled crab cakes, being mindful not to overcrowd the pan, which will cool the oil temperature and render the coating soggy, rather than crisp. When the cakes have browned on one side, carefully turn them over with a pair of tongs and cook on the other side until golden.
Place the cakes on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt while warm.
Serve immediately with Cilantro Mint Sauce (recipe follows).
. . . recipe continued
{ 15 } spring savoury
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Cilantro Mint Sauce
makes 1 cup (250 mL)
Spot Prawns
in Lemon & Herb Butter
makes 4 servings
½ cup (125 mL) fresh mint, finely chopped
1 cup (250 mL) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) shallots, finely minced
½ cup (125 mL) plain yogurt
N cup (60 mL) homemade Mayonnaise (page 296)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp (5 mL) fish sauce
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp (5 mL) hot sauce (such as Sriracha)
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt
1½ tsp (7.5 mL) sugar
special equipment
Food processor (optional)
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Alternatively, toss everything in a food processor and purée until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
british columbians look forward to spot prawn season like kids anticipate Christmas. We celebrate the haul at festivals with local celebrity chefs who demonstrate recipes and spark our imaginations with a broad palate of flavours.
You’ll understand what all the fuss is about once you experience spot prawns’ sweet and delicate meat. It’s a short season, only six to eight weeks from May to June, so be sure to get them while they’re fresh.
Some purists eat them raw, right off the boat. I prefer them cooked simply and briefly in a bit of flavoured butter.
However you decide to enjoy them, just promise me you won’t smother them in cocktail sauce. That’s no way to treat a gift from the sea.
N cup (60 mL) Lemon and Herb Butter (page 290)
2 lb (900 g) spot prawns, heads removed, shells peeled, tails intact (freeze shells for fish stock)
Melt 1–2 Tbsp (15–30 mL) of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, so as not to crowd the pan, cook the shrimp in the butter for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque in the centre. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
Drizzle the shrimp with the pan’s buttery juices and serve immediately.
. . . Crab Cakes with Cilantro Mint Sauce (cont.)
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Asparagus Soup with Lemon Chèvre Custard
makes 4 servings
i can’t think of a better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than with a delicate asparagus soup garnished with a velvety lemon custard.
I developed a fondness for savoury custards from award-winning Chef David Mincey who taught at my former cooking school, French Mint. David created custards in imaginative ways that added flavour and texture to soups, salads and appetizers (nothing like the dreary custards I remember from culinary school). Suddenly custards are cool again!
This soup could be modified to suit any season by replacing the asparagus with another vegetable; think broccoli in the summer, corn in the fall, root vegetables in the winter and so on.
custard
2 oz (60 g) chèvre cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup (250 mL) light cream
5 tsp (25 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt
soup
2 bunches asparagus (about 1½–2 lb [700–900 g])
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
Kosher salt
2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock (page 257)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup (125 mL) freshly chopped parsley
½ cup (125 mL) freshly chopped chives
special equipment
Food processor or blender
Six 3-oz (8 cm) ramekins or ovenproof containers
Ovenproof pan large enough to hold the ramekins and deep enough for the hot water to come halfway up the sides of the containers
Bring a kettle of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Pour the custard ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a spouted container.
Line the ovenproof container with a small tea towel, then position the ramekins on top, leaving about a 1-inch (2.5 cm) space between each. Pour the custard into each ramekin and add hot water to the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins; be careful not to splash water into the custard.
Cover the pan with foil and poke about a dozen scattered holes into the foil with a skewer. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the custard is barely set and the centre is slightly wobbly.
While the custards are baking, trim the woody ends from the asparagus about 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) from the base and discard. Reserve 2 stalks for garnish and chop the remaining spears into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
Combine the asparagus slices and cream in a medium saucepan and simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for about 30–40 minutes or until the asparagus is completely tender and the cream has reduced.
Steam or blanch the 2 reserved stalks until tender. Slice very thinly and and set aside for the garnish.
Transfer the asparagus and cream to a food processor or blender; add 1¼ tsp (6 mL) salt, the chicken stock, lemon juice and herbs. Purée until smooth.
Pour the puréed soup through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepan, pressing the solids against the strainer with a ladle or spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp.
Reheat the soup; the texture should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. You may have to adjust the soup’s consistency—if too thick, add additional stock; if too thin, simmer until reduced and thickened.
. . . Asparagus Soup with Lemon Chèvre Custard (cont.)
. . . recipe continued
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Taste and season with additional salt or lemon juice if desired.
Run a knife around the edges of the ramekins to loosen the custards, then invert them into warm soup bowls. The custards need not be hot.
Pour the soup around the custards and garnish with the reserved chopped asparagus.
Beef Carpaccio
makes 6–8 appetizer-sized servings
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the beef as thin as you can manage.
Place about 1 oz (30 g) sliced beef onto a square sheet of plastic wrap measuring about 6 × 6 inches (15 × 15 cm); cover with a second layer of plastic about the same size. Using the bottom of a small saucepan, gently pound the beef until it is paper thin. Remove the top layer of plastic and invert the beef onto a plate. Cover the beef and plate with a clean sheet of plastic, smoothing the plastic so that no air seeps in (the meat changes colour when exposed to air). Continue with remaining beef. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Just before serving, remove the plastic wrap from the beef. Toss the salad with the dressing. Place a handful of salad on each portion of beef and top with sliced shallots, freshly shaved Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of fleur de sel. Drizzle any exposed beef with additional dressing if desired. Serve immediately.
ever wondered how to slice raw beef so thin it practically melts on your tongue?
All you need is a sharp knife, a sheet of plastic wrap and something with weight, like the bottom of a small saucepan, to flatten the beef. Some cooks firm the meat in a freezer before slicing, but a sharp knife will do the trick without compromising the meat.
You can prepare and refrigerate individual servings of beef carpaccio in advance, covered with plastic. When you’re ready to serve, simply remove the plastic and top the beef with freshly dressed salad, shaved Parmesan and fleur de sel.
8 oz (230 g) beef tenderloin fillet
6 cups (1.5 L) salad greens
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sliced shallots
House Dressing (recipe follows)
1 cup (250 mL) fresh Parmesan shavings
Freshly ground black pepper
Fleur de sel
House Dressing makes about ½ cup (125 ml)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon-style mustard
N tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
½ cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
to prepare the dressing, combine the vinegar, mustard and salt in a small bowl, then whisk in the oil in a slow narrow stream. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a small lidded jar and shake well. Taste the dressing and add additional salt, if desired.
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Chicken Broth with Pork & Shrimp Meatballs
makes 4 servings
homemade stock is the foundation, the very heart and soul of this comforting soup. If you don’t have the time to make your own stock, check out your local delicatessen or gourmet outlet; some retailers offer house-made stock.
The savoury pork and shrimp meatballs are a recipe from my friend, Chef Akemi Akutsu, who teaches Japanese cooking classes. Akemi uses a variation of this recipe for her gyoza dumplings and the flavours work beautifully in this Asian-inspired soup.
It’s hardly worth making just a few meatballs; the recipe yields enough so that you’ll have leftovers to freeze for the next time you’re craving soup (unless you’re my husband, who crams as many meatballs in his bowl as possible with little room for broth).
For those who don’t eat pork, substitute ground turkey instead.
meatballs (makes about 44)
4 oz (120 g) lean ground pork
6 oz (175 g) raw shrimp, peeled and finely diced
½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped bok choy or Napa cabbage
N cup (60 mL) finely chopped Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped cilantro
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated garlic
½ tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt
2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil
2 tsp (10 mL) sesame oil
½ tsp (2.5 mL) cornstarch
broth (makes about 5½ cups [1.4 L])
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock (page 257)
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in half
One 1- or 2-inch (2.5 or 5 cm) cube ginger, peeled and cut in half
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom third only, chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) slices
Kosher salt
1 spring onion, sliced thinly
special equipment
Meat or melon baller (optional, but nice to have if you’re a stickler for uniformity)
meatballs Be sure to chop the ingredients finely, otherwise the meatballs won’t hold together in your soup.
Combine the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well mixed. Gently shape the mixture into balls with a 1-inch (2.5 cm) diameter, using your hands and being careful not to compress the mixture together too tightly.
If not serving immediately, cover with plastic and store in the fridge or freezer. (If freezing, place on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving space between each. Freeze until firm and transfer to a freezer bag.)
broth Heat the stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass, and reduce the heat to simmer for 20–30 minutes until the stock is aromatic.
To check the seasoning pour ¼ cup (60 mL) broth into a small cup and add a pinch of salt. If the flavour is lacking, continue to simmer and reduce until the stock is more concentrated. Season the broth with salt only after it has been reduced, otherwise it will become too salty.
Discard the garlic, ginger and lemongrass.
Just before serving, carefully lower the meatballs into the simmering broth, in batches so as not to crowd the pan. When the meatballs are cooked through, about 3 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon.
Place 3–5 meatballs in each warmed soup bowl and ladle hot broth on top. Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately.
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Frittata with red onion relish
makes 1 frittata (2–3 servings)
i’ve been serving my family frittata once as week for as long as I can remember. Sometimes it’s served alongside the main dish, sometimes it is the main dish. It’s a creative and tasty way to round up odds and ends in the refrigerator that might otherwise go neglected.
I love pairing eggs with leftover pasta and barely melted feta cheese, but your fridge may have a different character altogether. Whatever additions you include, make sure they are well seasoned.
Because I use whatever’s available, I offer no firm recipe, only suggestions and guidelines.
All you need are eggs, a nonstick skillet and a little imagination.
Frittata is lovely served with Red Onion Relish (recipe follows).
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Clarified Butter (page 289) or half unsalted butter/half vegetable oil
½ cup (125 mL) chopped onion or shallots
6 eggs, lightly beaten
N tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½–1 cup (125–250 mL) cooked and seasoned filling (see Suggested Fillings below)
N–L cup (60–80 mL) cheese (such as crumbled feta, grated cheddar, Parmesan or goat cheese)
Red Onion Relish (recipe follows)
suggested fillings
Roasted carrots, peppers, cauliflowers or potatoes
Diced potatoes, pasta or rice
Diced ham, chicken, bacon or sausage
Diced olives, cooked mushrooms or marinated artichokes
Handful of herbs and/or finely chopped spinach
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Heat the clarified butter (or butter/oil mixture, if using) in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the shallots until softened, about 2–3 minutes. Add the eggs, salt and a bit of pepper, then add cheese and the filling of your choice, dispersing it evenly over the eggs. Cook partially covered, without disturbing, for about 3–5 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Remove the lid and transfer to a preheated oven for a few minutes until just cooked through.
Serve directly from the pan or slide the frittata onto a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve immediately with red onion relish, if desired.
Red Onion Relish makes 2 cups (500 mL)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
2½ cups (625 mL) sliced red onion (about 3 onions)
½ tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt
½ cup (125 mL) red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) honey
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onions, turning them with tongs to coat them evenly. Add the salt and cook until the onions soften, about 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Add the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do so. Add the honey, reduce the heat and continue simmering until the liquid has evaporated.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
{ 26 } british columbia from scratch
Ravioli with Pea Shoot Pesto
makes about 40 ravioli (3–4 servings)
if you enjoy fresh pasta, you’ll love these light ravioli stuffed with tangy goat cheese and topped with a vibrant pesto.
There are all sorts of gadgets for making ravioli (molds, rolling pins and presses), and I’ve tried most, but the best results come from my old fashioned, wooden-handled ravioli stamp.
It’s helpful to have an extra pair of hands to manage the long sheets of fresh pasta. It’s always more fun to make ravioli with a friend and pasta seems to taste better when shared with a cooking buddy.
1 lb (450 g) Fresh Pasta dough (page 270)
½ cup (125 mL) goat cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmesan
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pea Shoot Pesto (recipe follows)
special equipment
Ravioli stamp, mold or press, or a cookie cutter about 2½ inches (6 cm) diameter
You’ll need to first prepare the pasta dough according to the instructions on page 270.
Roll the pasta dough into strips about 2 ft (60 cm) long and 5 inches (12 cm) wide (or wide enough to stamp out 2 ravioli, side by side). Place the strips onto a flour-dusted surface, and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel until ready to use.
Combine the goat cheese, egg, Parmesan and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix well with a fork. Transfer the mixture to a small piping bag or fashion one with a plastic sandwich bag with a small hole snipped from a corner. This helps distribute the filling onto the dough evenly—and without a mess.
Ravioli is easy to make but it helps to first visualize the process; a strip of pasta will be dotted with the filling, at equal intervals, then covered with another strip of pasta and cut and sealed with a ravioli stamp or cookie cutter.
Place a strip of fresh pasta dough on a floured work surface. To help guide the filling onto the pasta, create a target by marking a very light impression of the ravioli stamp onto the pasta strip in equal intervals, without cutting into the dough. Squeeze a nugget of filling into the centre of each target, filling about half the impression. Cover with another sheet of pasta and stamp out the lumps of filling. (Note: If using a cookie cutter, you’ll need to moisten the pasta around the filling with a damp finger or brush before enclosing the filling with the other sheet of pasta. This helps to form a seal and prevents leaking.)
Repeat with the remaining pasta, and re-roll any leftover trim.
Place the filled ravioli onto a parchment-lined surface and cover with plastic wrap. Continue with the remaining pasta and filling.
When ready to serve, bring a large pot of heavily salted water (2 Tbsp [30 mL] salt per 24 cups [6 L] water) to a gentle boil. Too rapid a boil can tear the ravioli. Working in 2–3 batches (to prevent the pasta from sticking together), boil the ravioli for about 3 minutes or until just tender (you’ll need to test a ravioli at the 3 minute mark). Remove the pasta with a small strainer or a slotted spoon and transfer to a shallow bowl. Continue boiling the remaining pasta.
When ready to serve, portion the warm ravioli into bowls and top with (room-temperature) Pea Shoot Pesto.
{ 27 } spring savoury
Pea Shoot Pesto makes about 1 cup (250 mL)
If you have a mortar and pestle, use it to pound the anchovies, capers, garlic and salt into a paste. (The salt acts as an abrasive.) Alternatively, chop the ingredients finely by hand. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl, add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Slowly add the oil and combine with a whisk. Toss in the walnuts, pea shoots and parsley. Taste and season with additional salt or lemon juice if desired. Re-mix the pesto just before serving.
3 anchovies, lightly rinsed
2 Tbsp (30 mL) capers, lightly rinsed
1 clove garlic, peeled, roughly chopped
N tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
2 tsp (10 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
½ cup (125 mL) walnuts, chopped
½ cup (125 mL) chopped pea shoots
½ cup (125 mL) chopped parsley
{ 28 } british columbia from scratch
{ 29 } spring savoury
Asparagus & Lentil Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
makes 2 servings as a light lunch, 4 as a side salad
i love the combination of firm lentils, delicate asparagus and toasted hazelnuts tossed with baby greens. Everything comes together with a light dressing made of sherry vinegar and mellow hazelnut oil.
If you can’t find hazelnut oil at your local grocer, gourmet markets usually carry a larger selection of fine oils and vinegars. A good sherry vinegar is like wine, some are better than others. It’s worth paying a little extra for quality vinegar, especially if you enjoy simple salads like this one.
I add fresh fava beans to this salad whenever I can find them at my local market—the season is brief so they’re not always available. Fresh fava beans are a bit fiddly—the beans are removed from their pods (just like peas), then blanched and peeled. If you enjoy puttering in the kitchen, you’ll be rewarded with the incomparable texture of these buttery emerald green beans.
Puy lentils are ideal for salads because they’re firm and hold up well. Lentils cooked from their dried state are always preferable to tinned. If you’ve never cooked beans, see page 246 for details.
Trim and discard the woody ends from the asparagus, about 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) from the base. Blanch the asparagus in heavily salted boiling water until just tender, about 3–5 minutes. Retain the boiling water if using fava beans. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice cold water. Drain the asparagus and chop finely.
If using fava beans, remove the beans from their pods then blanch the beans in the same boiling water as the asparagus for about a minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peel and discard the thin outer layer from each bean.
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic, about 2–3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped asparagus, shelled fava beans (if using), lentils and shallots. Drizzle with enough hazelnut vinaigrette to moisten the ingredients. Taste the lentils and add additional sherry vinegar or salt, if desired.
Just before serving, toss in the mixed greens, toasted hazelnuts and chopped herbs.
Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side.
Hazelnut Vinaigrette makes about ½ cup (125 ml)
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, salt and mustard in a small bowl. Add the hazelnut oil in a slow, narrow stream while continuing to whisk. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a small, lidded jar and shake well. Taste the dressing and add additional salt, if desired.
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb [450 g])
1N lb (600 g) fresh fava beans in pods (optional)
L cup (80 mL) skinned hazelnuts, halved
1 cup (250 mL) cooked Puy lentils (sometimes called French green lentils)
1½ Tbsp (22.5 mL) finely sliced shallots
Hazelnut Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 cups (500 mL) mixed greens
1 Tbsp (15 mL) freshly chopped herbs (such as mint, parsley, dill, tarragon or a combination)
Sherry vinegar
Kosher salt
N cup (60 mL) sherry vinegar
½ tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt
1½ tsp (7.5 mL) Dijon-style mustard
6 Tbsp (90 mL) hazelnut oil