FFWD – Leeks Vinaigrette With Mimosa

May 9, 2014May 9, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 14 Comments

If the vegetable aisle was a high school dance, leeks would definitely be standing with the wallflowers. While the flashier vegetables and their savoury fruit friends are taking centre stage, leeks are quietly intensifying the richness of the dishes they inhabit. It’s unfair, though, because when they are allowed the spotlight, they don’t need supporting players.

Before I mix my metaphors any further, let me give you an example. Leeks Vinaigrette is a classic French dish, with good reason. Poached until tender and tossed in a red wine vinegar and walnut oil dressing, they are delicious. Topped with a ‘mimosa’ of shredded egg, they’re also elegant.

Dorie’s version is quick to prepare and made a perfect light supper, with an extra hard-boiled egg each on the side. Cut to any number of high school movie conclusions – the triumph of the wallflower.

You can find the recipe here.

Find out what the rest of the French Fridays crew thought about this week’s recipe: Leeks Vinaigrette with Mimosa

FFWD – Tuna Rillettes

May 2, 2014May 2, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 28 Comments

We’ve done rillettes before, but I’m betting that this tuna version is less challenging for the French Fridays crowd than the ones we made previously. I really enjoyed the sardine rillettes, but not everyone could get behind the idea of a sardine sandwich spread. I expected to enjoy this one, too, and I did.

When I was growing up, my favourite kind of sandwich was tuna. I would have had that every day if my mother had let me. She had strange ideas about feeding us a variety of foods, though, so my argument that fish is brain food didn’t prevail. I’m sure my mercury levels are all the better for it.

This spread reminded me of those sandwiches, though the flavour profile is a little more sophisticated than the elementary school standard of tuna mixed with mayo and chopped celery. There are hints of curry, quatre épices, and lemon in this recipe, along with subtle undercurrents of shallot and crème fraîche. I didn’t have any tuna in oil on hand, so I added a teaspoon or so of olive oil to make up for it.

Though the mixture is whizzed into a smooth, plain-looking paste, the flavour and texture more than make up for its appearance. The rillettes were great with gluten-free almond crackers. They were even better when used to make another Dorista favourite, the tartine. I spread some on soughdough toast, then layered sharp cheddar, Romaine lettuce, and red pepper on top. I’d have that for lunch any day. Which might cause my mother to give me another lecture on a well-rounded diet.

You can find many other blogged descriptions of this FFWD recipe here: Tuna Rillettes

Socca From Vieux Nice – A French Fridays Catch Up

April 25, 2014April 25, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 13 Comments

I won’t be making this week’s French Fridays recipe, Green as Spring Veal Stew, until next week, so I thought I’d throw in a catch up instead. I’m not sure why I didn’t make this when it came up in the rotation, and I’m also not sure why I overlooked this recipe until now. Socca is naturally gluten-free and the chickpea, in whatever form, is one of my partner’s favourite foods.

Unfortunately, I’m out of chickpea flour at the moment, so I substituted garfava flour, instead. It’s a blend of garbanzo bean (chickpea) and fava bean flours that’s a staple in Bette Hagman recipes. I’ve mostly moved on from using it, so I was glad to have an excuse to use up some of what I’ve got left. It wasn’t the greatest substitute – Kevin disliked the flavour of the resulting flatbread, but I thought it wasn’t bad. Next time, I’ll stick to pure chickpea flour.

There will be a next time because I loved the method and the loveliness of the flatbread that came out of the oven, garfava flour or no. I mixed up the batter the night before and was pleased to read that most of the cooking time would be for heating the pan. The bread itself bakes for only five minutes and is then broiled until crispy, and blackened in spots, for another three minutes or so.

It’s traditional to eat it hot, dusted with pepper, but Kevin said he would have liked it better with a dip. I agree. Some yogurt, mixed with lemon and dill, would have been nice with it. I’m looking forward to trying the chickpea version – paired with the yogurt dip, it may become a summer favourite.

You can find many other blogged descriptions of this FFWD recipe here: Socca From Vieux Nice. And you can see what the rest of the French Fridays crew got up to this week here: Green as Spring Veal Stew

FFWD – Baby Bok Choy, Sugar Snaps, and Garlic en Papillote

April 19, 2014April 19, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 13 Comments

We’re having a lot of conversations in our house, lately, about what constitutes healthy eating. Kevin is convinced that going vegan is his path, but there has been considerable backsliding. My position is that moderation, in moderation, is the ticket to a well-rounded diet.

This week’s French Fridays recipe is vegan, but it’s also a side dish. I could have continued down that road, but instead, I served it with one of our favourites from Around My French Table, Roasted Salmon and Lentils. All in all, it was a very healthy meal. Low-fat, high fibre, and probably many other buzzwords besides. What stood out for me was the flavour. Like the salmon, these vegetables are simply seasoned, but surprisingly flavourful. The title gives you the recipe, but it’s the subtle addition of fresh mint and orange zest that really brings this dish together. It’s also a versatile dish, which worked as well with the French flavours of the salmon and lentils as it would with Asian cuisine.

For now, we’ve agreed that increasing the number of meatless meals over time is probably Kevin’s path to success, but tomorrow will definitely be a meatless day. We went out for fish and chips with my parents yesterday and had fish again today. Whatever we end up having tomorrow, there’s still lots of bok choy and snap peas in the refrigerator, so there will be more en papillote cooking involved.

You can find many other blogged descriptions of this FFWD recipe here: Baby Bok Choy, Sugar Snaps, and Garlic en Papillote

FFWD – Visitandine

April 4, 2014April 9, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 21 Comments

Baking attracted me more than cooking when I was a kid. The logic and simplicity of baking’s chemistry provided a calm, reliable oasis in the chaotic landscape of childhood. The playground was a battlefield, but the kitchen was a refuge for a shy, bookish kid. And the results of my baking experiments pleased everyone around me as much as myself.

I cooked, too, according to the instructions my mother left each day for the gap between the end of the school day and my parents’ arrival home, but it was only as a young adult that I really began to blossom as a cook. Even then, baking was what I was known for. It still is, really. Meetings and gatherings are an excuse for me to make cookies and squares, cakes and loaves – they smooth the path toward decision-making and community-building. And social occasions are really all about eating together, aren’t they?

I’ve found over the years that people are impressed by elaborate desserts, but it’s the simple ones they remember and ask for again. This week’s recipe is just that sort of dessert, a white cake that relies on whipped egg whites for leavening and bakes into a sturdy shortcake-like round. It’s not heavy, though, the crumb is tender and able to soak up whatever topping you choose to serve with it. In this case, homemade lemon curd. In the summer, the cake makes a perfect vehicle for strawberries and cream. In winter, you could bake two layers, soak them in melted jam, then ice with crème fraîche whipped cream. As Dorie says in her introduction to this recipe, you can pair this cake with almost anything you can think of.

Best of all, it’s one of those recipes that are perfect for clearing the mind, while feeding body and soul.

You can find a version of this week’s recipe here.

See how the rest of the French Fridays crew served their cake: Visitandine

Spring Into It

April 1, 2014May 5, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 1 Comment

I’m looking forward to spending more time outdoors, now that the blossoms are out, though it looks like the weather won’t be cooperating for the next week, at least. There’s a lot of rain in the forecast. I hope it lets up soon, because there are plenty of events on the horizon here.

In Bloom

March and April are Vancouver’s most beautiful months, in large part because we have so many blossoming trees at this time of year. The Cherry Blossom Festival takes full advantage of their beauty and celebrates with events all month long. Here are a few highlights:

Sakura Days Japan Fair
Plein-Air Blossom Painting
Bike the Blossoms

Crafty Sales

Spring is a time for clearing out the old, but that just makes way for the new. So, it seems natural that craft and fashion sales are making a reappearance at this time of year:

Nifty for Fifty
Great Canadian Craft Show
Blim
Got Craft?

Foodie Fun

It might be time to start the garden, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay at home to taste and talk about food:

Bakers’ Market
Slow Food Vancouver’s Olive Oil Tasting
Food For Thought, a governance conference focusing this year on food security, sustainability, and sovereignty
EAT! Vancouver

Art Attack

Food may be a creative outlet for many, but there are plenty of ways to experience more traditional artistic expressions this spring, too:

Discuss public art, immerse yourself in FUSE’s mix of performance and music amidst the Vancouver Art Gallery’s current exhibits, and get in there and root for artists making art at Art Battle Canada.

Or, go DIY and head out to Vancouver’s Mini Maker Faire, instead.

Kicking It Up a Notch

Roller Derby is high-energy and a lot of fun. Fitting for a sport that takes off as the weather gets warmer. Terminal City Rollergirls’ Season Opener is on April 5th. If you want to make your own mayhem, you might want to show up for Pillow Fight Club 9.0 instead. Or perhaps a perfect storm of “wibbly wobbly… sexy wexy… stuff” is more your speed – Geekenders have got you (at least) covered. But maybe you’re more of a hardcore nerd – thank goodness for Fan Expo Vancouver.

As for me, I’m going to be spending a lot of time planting, weeding, and rearranging the garden over the next six months. I think that’s a good enough reason to reward myself for my hard work with at least some of these less labour-intensive forms of fun.

FFWD – Vegetable Barley Quinoa Soup with the Taste of Little India

March 28, 2014March 29, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 27 Comments

My little brother is a mean, mean man. He’s a chef, working at the sort of locavore, casual-to-fine-dining restaurant that you know I love. The problem is that it’s 50 kilometres away and Sean sends me photos of what’s on the night’s menu, when he knows there’s no hope of me booking a car and heading out deep into the heart of the Fraser Valley. Like I said, mean.

If you don’t believe me, here’s one of the photos he sent me tonight.

Yes, that’s a perfect Caprese staring back at you. Sigh…

Luckily, we have a delicious, vegan soup on our own fresh sheet tonight, keeping me from becoming too morose. It’s flavoured with garam masala, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. It’s also meant to have barley in it, but we went gluten-free and used quinoa instead. It’s the sort of meal Kevin has been working toward, as he eats vegetarian or vegan most of the time now. There’s lots of protein in the quinoa and the soup itself is surprisingly hearty. Meatless meals have always been a big part of my diet, but I might find myself crumbling some bacon on tomorrow’s leftovers, as my brother the chef suggested. Then again, I might not – this soup doesn’t really need it.

Judge for yourself. You can find the recipe here, along with interviews with three of our most lovely Doristas.

And you can find out what everyone else thought of this week’s recipe here.

Seedtopia

March 25, 2014March 26, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 10 Comments

My gardening goals for this year are concentrated on learning more about seed saving and increasing the variety of foods I grow in my vegetable garden. I’d also like to keep extending my perennial flower collection across seasons, eventually having colour in the garden year-round.

I’ll be replacing a few plants, like the thyme that died mysteriously last summer and perhaps building a vertical squash structure if I’m feeling ambitious. Mostly, though, I’m going to try and take advantage of some of the workshops and seed swaps that are happening in the next few weeks. I think it would be great to connect with some Vancouver gardeners.

Here are some of the things on offer around here this growing season:

Garden Basics

Village Vancouver offers gardening workshops across the city

VanDusen Botanical Garden has a range of courses for the budding horticulturalist

City of Vancouver workshops are affordable, basic skill-builders

The World in a Garden has great workshops throughout the season

Farm Folk City Folk‘s Knowledge Pantry is full of wonderful resources

A little farther afield, North Van has GardenSmart Workshops

There are a number of neighbourhood-specific workshops that are tied to food security and food justice: Grandview Woodland Food Connection, Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute, the Edible Garden Project, and Cedar Cottage’s Seedy Saturday and Planting Workshop are a few examples

Victory Gardens’ workshops are well-regarded

Getting the Goods

Treekeepers provides $10 fruit and decorative trees to Vancouver residents

West Coast Seeds is a great source for organic seeds and their website is full of information – they also offer workshops

Salt Spring Seeds focuses on heritage and heirloom seeds

Sharing the Wealth

Plant a Row – Grow a Row

Vancouver Fruit Tree Project

Sharing Backyards

Advanced Adventures

City Farm Boy is for the ambitious urban farmer

Vancouver Urban Farming Society is a great resource if you want to make growing your business

Beekeeping courses

UBC’s Landscape & Garden Design Programs

Extending the Season

UBC Botanical Gardens’ Year Round Harvest Workshop

Winter Harvest resources

There’s a lot more, but that gives you a sense of the Vancouver gardening landscape. Now, tell me, what’s happening where you live? Are there plenty of resources, workshops, and community connections? Or do you rely on online resources to find what you need?

FFWD – Scallop and Onion Tartes Fines

March 21, 2014March 22, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 20 Comments

We’re going to be finished cooking through Around My French Table in April of next year, approximately, so it’s not surprising that many of the recipes are starting to make me look back as much as look ahead. This week’s dish especially reminded me how close we are coming to the end of the book.

This is our last official scallop dish for the group, save for a bonne idée or two. I’ve told you before that scallops are my favourite seafood, so I’ve been looking forward to tackling this dish.

Tartes fines are usually rounds of puff pastry (or sometimes pâte sucrée for desserts) with finely sliced toppings in a circular design. Though I’ve made
gluten-free puff pastry before, it’s quite an undertaking, so I decided to try out a gluten-free Comensoli Pizza Shell I’d picked up at our local food co-op. It’s a new item there and I managed to get the last package. They went fast and for good reason. This crust is chewy and crunchy, holding its topping without crumbling. I’ll definitely be buying this brand again. It can be hard to find gluten-free pizza shells that don’t fall apart or taste terrible.

The only other change I made to the recipe was to add a bit of balsamic to the caramelized onions before I added slivers of bacon. I’d heard from other Doristas over the week that this dish lacked a little something and I decided that the something must be balsamic. It goes so well with all the ingredients.

It was a good decision, as the jammy bacon and onion mixture was the best part about this dish. The scallops themselves were a little flavourless in comparison. They are really just heated through, rather than fully cooked, and I prefer the crunchy, caramelly flavour of seared scallops.

If I were to make this again, I’d leave the scallops off the tart and sear them instead, serving them on greens alongside. I think they would shine more than they did here and it would make a complete meal.

You can find many other blogged descriptions of this FFWD recipe here: Scallop and Onion Tartes Fines

FFWD – Two Tartines from La Croix Rouge

March 7, 2014 ~ Teresa ~ 19 Comments

When I tell people I’m part of a group that’s cooking through a French cookbook together, I think they imagine the classic dishes set forth by Julia Child or the regional comprehensiveness of Elizabeth David. There are plenty of classic dishes and regional favourites, it’s true, but the book also reflects the diversity of modern France. It’s further inflected by a sort of translation wrought by its American author, who wrote the book with North American kitchens and pantries in mind.

The recipes are transformed, once again, by the time we post our versions each Friday. Each take on the recipe can’t help but be inflected by the individuals who make them, in kitchens across the world – the United States and Canada, yes, but also Argentina, Germany, Malaysia, Australia, and more.

So, when I tackled this week’s recipes, two tartines from a popular café in Dorie Greenspan’s Paris neighbourhood, it’s not surprising that they ended up with a faint Italian accent. Commercial Drive is still (symbolically, at least) the heart of Vancouver’s Italian community. Many of the cafés, bakeries, and delis have a long family history here, even though the children and grandchildren of their founders have had to move out of the area as housing costs increased.

I made two stops in my quest for ingredients for the tartines. First, I went to The Daily Catch to pick up some smoked Sockeye salmon. Then, I headed over to Bosa for the roast beef and bread. Bosa has opened up an enormous Italian grocery store and deli in the furthest eastern regions of the city, but their original location is just a few blocks away and has a great selection in their deli case.

When I got home, I sliced the whole wheat and millet bread into strips, then toasted them under the broiler.

For the tartine norvégienne, I spread the toast with a bit of mayonnaise, instead of butter, and freshly ground pepper, before layering the salmon and capers on top. I finished them with a squeeze of lemon.

The toast for the tartine saint-germain was spread with a mixture of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard (in hopes the mustard would impart a hint of Paris), then a layer of thinly sliced cornichons, and a generous layer of garlic roast beef.

The tartines in Around My French Table are a reminder that sandwiches, open-faced or not, can be richly flavoured and sophisticated. I would serve these tartines at a cocktail party or as part of a first course. I’m also counting the days until I can have another Goat Cheese and Strawberry Tartine with local berries.

In the meantime, I’m going to read through the rest of the Doristas’ versions of this week’s tartines, so their personal and regional inflections can inspire my own cooking experiments to come.

You can find many other blogged descriptions of this FFWD recipe here: Two Tartines from La Croix Rouge