Indian night!

I love Indian food. I discovered it roughly 8 years ago thanks to my husband and a great little restaurant in Monkland called Ganges. I was blown away by the richness of the flavours. Nothing is bland and it's definitely a change from your run of the mill salt and pepper seasoning. Since then, I've done my share of Indian recipes and would like to share some with you.

Indian food is easy to make because most dishes are one-pot. So it's just a matter of putting everything together and letting it simmer. Plus, they're great make-ahead dishes because most Indian recipes taste better the next day.The tricky part is getting all the spices you need. It may seem overwhelming at first, but once they're part of your pantry it's easy to go from one Indian recipe to another.

Aloo Gobi (basically potatoes and cauliflower):
We got this recipe from the DVD extras for the movie "Bend it like Beckham". This vegetable dish makes roughly 6 servings.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and cut into small pieces
Large bunch of fresh coriander, separated into stalks and leaves and roughly chopped
1 to 2 small green chilies, chopped into small pieces
1 large cauliflower, leaves removed and cut evenly into eighths
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into even pieces
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon of cumin seeds
2 Teaspoons turmeric
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Teaspoons Garam Masala (Indian blend of spices)

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan.
Add the chopped onion and one tablespoon of cumin seeds to the oil.
Stir together and cook until onions become creamy, golden, and translucent.
Add chopped coriander stalks, two teaspoons of turmeric, and one teaspoon of salt.
Add chopped chillis (according to taste)
Stir tomatoes into onion mixture.
Add ginger and garlic; mix thoroughly.
Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus a few tablespoons of water (ensuring that the mixture doesn't stick to the saucepan).
Ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are coated with the curry sauce.
Cover and allow to simmer for twenty minutes (or until potatoes are cooked).
Add two teaspoons of Garam Masala and stir.
Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top of the curry.
Turn off the heat, cover, and leave for as long as possible before serving.

Butter chicken.  
This recipe is from Weekend Cooking by Company's Coming (Jean Paré). It's not exactly authentic, but it's the second most requested dish from my husband. Serves 4 to 6.

2/3 cup of plain yogurt
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1 1/2 Teaspoon of ground coriander
1 1/2 Teaspoon of Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon of ground ginger
1 Teaspoon of paprika
2 Teaspoons of sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut in half
 1/2 cup of butter
1 onion, chopped
1 cup of tomato sauce (or ground tomatoes)
1 cup of chicken broth
6 whole green cardamom, lightly cracked
1 4inch cinnamon stick
salt, if needed
1 cup of coconut milk

Combine 9 first ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and marinate overnight.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for around 5 minutes. Add chicken with marinade and next 5 ingredients. Stir. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and discard cardamom and cinnamon stick. 

Add coconut milk, and sitr. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tarka Dahl
This lentil purée recipe if from ''La cuisine et le goût des épices'' from spice gurus Ethné et Philippe de Vienne. This is my husband's most requested dish. I have to make this recipe at least once a month. 

1 1/4 cup of red lentils, rinsed
1/2 Teaspoon of turmeric
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons of ghee or butter (ghee is clarified butter)
1 Teaspoon of fenugreek
1 onion, chopped
1/4 Teaspoon of asafoetida (gum from an asian plant, stinky but tastes like roasted garlic)
1/2 inch of chopped ginger
1 hot pepper, chopped
1 bag of spinach
3 tablespoons of lemon juice


Finishing spices

2 Tablespoons of ghee of butter
1 Teaspoon of mustard seeds
2 reshampatti peppers (or regular red hot peppers)
1/2 Teaspoon of whole cumin seed
5 curry leaves
6 garlic cloves finely chopped
6 Tablespoon of fresh coriander, chopped


Bring 4 cups of water and the lentils to a boil in a saucepan. Skim and add the turmeric and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes
Melt the ghee in a separate saucepan on medium heat. Add the fenugreek and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the asafoetida, ginger, and the hot pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add to the lentils.
Add salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the spinach and simmer for 3 more minutes. Add the lemon juice and transfer to serving plate.
Prepare the finishing spices by melting the ghee in a small saucepan. Cook the mustard seed and the peppers and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for a few seconds and pour over the lentils.

Crispy Kale with Lemon-Yogurt Dip

I had heard about kale and seen it often at our fruit store. I was always curious about trying it, I just never had a recipe that required it. When I saw the picture of crispy kale in the Food and Wine magazine I figured this was my chance! What a wonderful discovery! Kale is delicious, surprisingly packed with flavour. What I like about this one is that it's super quick and much healthier than your standard finger food. It's the perfect thing to serve to your guests before a meal. This recipe is also from Chef Seamus Mullen.

• 1 pound of curly kale, stems and large inner ribs removed
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper 
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a bowl, toss the kale with all but 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and half the garlic. Spread the kale on 2 baking sheets and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes until crisp.

Season the kale with salt and pepper and transfer to a large platter.

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the lemon zest and juice and the remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the kale.

Flatbread with tomatoes, ricotta and anchovies

                    
Flatbreads are tasty and not as heavy as your standard pizza dough. This is a fun recipe because you get to make your own flatbread. It's an interesting concept where you actually pan fry the dough on one side and finish the cooking process in the oven.  You also get to use anchovies, which I love and consider highly underrated. 

This recipe makes for flatbreads and is also from the 2010 October issue of Food and Wine from Chef Seamus Mullen.

Dough

1. 1 envelope active dry yeast
2. 2/3 cup lukewarm water
3. Pinch of sugar
4. 1 large egg, lightly beaten
5. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
7. 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Topping

1. One 28-ounce can fire-roasted whole tomatoes—drained, quartered lengthwise and seeded (I did not find these, so I used regular canned tomatoes).
2. 1 garlic clove, smashed
3. 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
4. 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1/2 cup fresh part-skim ricotta (mascarpone works too)
6. One 2-ounce tin of flat anchovies, drained
7. Freshly ground pepper
8. Balsamic vinegar
9. 1/4 cup torn basil leaves

 MAKE THE DOUGH: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast with the water and sugar and let stand until slightly foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, salt, olive oil and the 1 3/4 cups of flour and beat at medium speed until a smooth dough forms, about 5 minutes. Knead the dough by hand for 1 minute, then transfer it to an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 400°. Punch down the flatbread dough and divide it into 4 pieces. Pinch each piece of dough into a ball. Dust the balls with flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes. 

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE TOPPING: Place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side down. Scatter the garlic and thyme all around them and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, until slightly dry. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough ball to an 8-inch round and brush the flatbread with the remaining 4 teaspoons of olive oil. Heat a large griddle until very hot. Add 2 of the dough rounds and cook over high heat until the bottoms are browned and set and the top bubbles slightly, about 2 minutes. Transfer the flatbreads to a large baking sheet, cooked side down. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds. 

Spread the ricotta on the flatbreads and top with the tomatoes and anchovies. Season with pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the flatbreads are lightly browned around the edges. Transfer the flatbreads to a work surface and lightly drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Scatter the basil on top. Slice the flatbreads into wedges and serve right away.

The Beast!

This incredibly rich, incredibly tasty, incredibly messy dessert is nicknamed the beast by pastry chef Daniel Jasso of Genoa restaurant in Portland, simply because it's a bitch (excuse my language) to slice. However, I think its nickname should refer to the fact that if you're slightly sensitive to stimulants, as I am, this thing will absolutely kill you! 

The ensuing sugar rush that accompanies a slice of this monster will keep you wired for at least a few hours. Even my bottomless pit husband could not bring himself to have another piece. It's that powerful.

This was my first experience making a meringue and was quite pleased with the results. It's a surprisingly easy recipe to follow (if you dare make it!), however it is time consuming so be prepared. It's true that it's easier to slice once frozen. However, if you're pressed for time this step is not a necessity.

Here is the recipe, as seen in Food and Wine magazine, October 2010. 
For 10 servings:

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cups shelled hazelnuts (7 ounces)
2. 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5. 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6. 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
7. 1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ounces)
8. 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
9. 3 cups heavy cream
10. 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
11. Chocolate shavings, for garnish 

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw two 8-inch rounds on one sheet of the parchment and one 8-inch round on the other.  

Spread the hazelnuts on a third baking sheet and toast for 12 to 14 minutes, until browned. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a towel and rub to remove the skins. Chop the nuts. Lower the oven temperature to 225°. 

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites with the salt at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar at high speed until stiff.  This took roughly 7 minutes with my mixer. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Fold in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Pour the melted chocolate down the side of the bowl and gently fold until the meringue is lightly marbled.  

Spread the meringue in the drawn circles and bake for 2 hours and 30 minutes, until crisp; rotate the pans halfway through baking. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the meringues cool completely.  

In the bowl of the standing mixer, beat the cream with the confectioners' sugar until firm. Remove the meringues from the parchment paper. Spread the whipped cream on the layers and stack them. Refrigerate or freeze the cake overnight. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature. Garnish with chocolate shavings before serving.

Restaurant Experience: Paolo Gattuso Ristorante

When it comes to dining out, Italian restaurants are usually not my first choice. This stems from the fact that I love to explore a variety of cuisines, and I am already overly familiar with Italian food. However, my uncle Mario once said that you can't go wrong with Italian. Well, I may not agree with everything he says, but I do agree with this.

 So, when I want to forgo the exotic and stick to good old-fashioned Italian food, I know that a meal at Paolo Gattuso Ristorante is a sure bet.

What distinguishes the food at Paolo Gattuso is the freshness of the ingredients (something for which I am always a sucker). The salad is just a bit crispier; the veges are al dente; and as for the sauces? Well, the flavour is always guaranteed thanks to the quality of the ingredients, and not because of an overdose of salt.

Paolo Gattuso offers a variety of pasta dishes along with the usual pizza, meat, and poultry dishes. The menu is not too expansive, which is always a good sign because the focus can be kept on the quality and not the quantity. Prices are in the moderate-range with the added bonus that this is a bring your own wine restaurant (something always appreciated by the patrons). 

I had a great vegetarian pizza. They were very generous with the toppings, and I for one love it when fine herbs are sprinkled on top (a simple, flavourful touch that a surprising number of pizzerias neglect to think of). I also added some hot peppers, which is a must for many Italians. Coming from a family that brings their own jars of hot peppers to wedding receptions, I absolutely love the fact that this restaurant offers their very own "hot stuff." So much better than chili flakes! 


My husband had the smoked salmon pasta with capers, yummers! My mom had the pasta puttanesca, which she claims is the best she's ever had. So all in all, the food at Paolo Gattuso is just plain good. You can tell by the presentation of the dishes that they care about what they serve. So the next time you're in the mood for Italian food, head to Paolo Gattuso Ristorante. Just don't forget to make reservations because the place is usually packed (always a good sign --along with clean bathrooms ;-) )

Beef Carpaccio with Orange-Olive Salsa

This was a successful first course dish that I just have to share. Anybody who likes rare meat will love this dish. The meat is rubbed with an aromatic spice rub and quickly seared. Thin slices are place on a dish along with a fresh home-made orange-olive salsa and shavings of aged Gouda. Simply divine! I got this one from my good friends at Epicurious, courtesy of Bon Appetit. 

For 10 servings:

Orange-Olive salsa

• 2 large navel oranges
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Carpaccio

• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms (optional, can be found at health stores)

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1 1/4-pound trimmed beef tenderloin (My butcher recommended a cheaper cut of meat which he tenderized. I don't know what cut it was, but it was half the price and came up just as tender, since the meat is so thinly sliced.

• 2 cups lightly packed fresh arugula
• 1 2-ounce wedge aged Gouda cheese, shaved using vegetable peeler

For salsa:
Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl, cut between membranes to release sections. Don't worry about technique, since it will all go into the salsa. Cut each section crosswise into 4 pieces and add to bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover; chill. 

For carpaccio:
Combine first 4 ingredients and lavender, if using, in mortar and coarsely crush with pestle (or use a coffee grinder).

Rub 1 tablespoon oil over beef, then coat beef with spice mixture. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature. 

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add beef and sear on all sides, turning every 2 minutes, about 12 minutes total (beef will be rare in center). Chill until cold, then wrap in plastic and freeze 1 hour (this will help you to slice the beef).

Slice meat as thinly as possible (sliced meat can be pounded between layers of waxed paper until paper-thin, if desired). Toss arugula with juices from salsa and mound on platter. Top with salsa. Surround with meat and cheese.

 

Restaurant experience: Le Cercle

We were recently in Quebec city, which is quite beautiful. Old Quebec looks very similar to Old Montreal and Chateau Frontenac is quite impressive, of course. But we wanted to discover a different side of it, something less touristy. Thanks to a friend's suggestion, we ended up at Le Cercle., located in the hip St-Joseph street. 

Le Cercle is a cool restaurant specializing in tapas which also has shows and exposes works of art. Needless to say, the decor is very urban chic and visually stimulating. We walked in without reservations. The hostess sadly informed us that they were booked for the evening. Swallowing our disappointment, we proceeded to the exit and spent the next few minutes discussing our next course of action. Well, I supposed that the hostess took pity on us and spoke to the manager, because next thing we knew she happily informed us that they have found a table for us. Yeah! So that was one point in their favour.

After looking though the menu, we decided to go with Tapas Mania. This is a great concept where the chef prepares custom-made tapas dishes based on your party's budget. This can also include wine-pairing, if you so wish it. 

Our first course consisted of 4 different tapas. An arugula, snap peas, and asparagus salad. Salmon tartare. Bee tartare. And ricotta and basil wrapped in zucchini slices. These were very good simply because of the freshness of the ingredients used. You can tell they put a lot of heart and quality into their dishes. 

The second course is best described as the meat-lovers. It had duck, beef and fish, each with it's own garnish and sauce. Again, very fresh ingredients and wonderful mesh of flavours like herb butter with orange zest. Both courses were served on slate tiles, which I just loved. 

 
Dessert was next. Of course they wouldn't serve you a wedge of cake on a simple plate. The slate plates are back! this time in a narrow rectangular shape. What you see above is called Jack Banane. I did not order this, since I'm not a huge fan of bananas, but I did sample it. Again, the freshness of the ingredients is surprising. You wouldn't think that a cake can taste refreshing, but the banana flavour was so intense it was like biting into an actual banana! I had a simple hot chocolate, which was a disappointment. It was watery, not very warm nor sweet. I guess you can't win them all.

I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants to be in an eclectic atmosphere and have some fun food. However, it's not a great place to go if you have a strict budget or if you're very hungry. Instead, go to Ashton, a chain specializing in poutine. Highly recommended!

Campbell's Chunky Soup, Grilled Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Sometime, I don't have time to cook or don't have enough leftovers for lunch. So, in cases like this, I will resort to the unthinkable and stock up on (gasp) canned soup.
I know, I know, blasphemy!!! I'm sorry to all of those whose illusions I've just shattered.

But I digress. The reason I'm talking about canned soup is that I recently discovered Campbell's chunky grilled chicken & sausage gumbo soup. Most canned soup have very little flavour and lots of salt to compensate. There are some exceptions, of course, and this soup is one of them (well, maybe not the salt part). 

I'm so used to canned soups' bland and average taste that it took me a while for my brain to register that what I was eating was actually good and more complex. I was just gobbling it up, thinking about work while my taste buds were nagging at me, telling me to pay attention cause something yummy was happening in my mouth.

This soup is loaded with flavour. The broth itself was very tasty and actually spicy! Not please-the-lowest-common-denominator spicy, but actually reaching-for-a-bit-of-water spicy. This was very much appreciated and surprising coming from a large company like Campbell's. It's also very hearty, with the chicken and sausage pieces. It reminds a lot of this Hungarian dish called letcho, which is made with Hungarian yellow peppers and sausage. Although, I'm sure my in-laws would disagree and of course it's no way near as good as home-made letcho ;-)


So if you are ever in need of a quick fix for lunch, reach for this tasty canned soup. You'll be surprised at how delicious it is (I promise I don't secretly work for Campbell's).