Pickled Vegetable Antipasto

Last summer I pickled and canned a bunch of vegetables; cauliflower, carrots, beets, pearl onions, dill pickles, green beans, you get the idea. And while I have been enjoying having all of these jars in my cellar, Spring is upon us and I'l have to get on a whole new batch of pickled vegetables and so I had me a little epiphany one day-hellooo antipasto.

I've told you about my love for snacking so it should come as no surprise that a cracker and cheese platter is one of my favorite things on earth. I find few things better than a spread of meats, pate, cheeses, crackers, bread, jalapeno pepper jelly and antipasto. I usually buy antipasto but with all of these pickled vegetables at my disposal I figured I would try to make my own. There are two ways to make this; first you can buy jars of pickled cauliflower mix, green beans, carrots etc., but that would be quite pricey therefore making it a better option to just buy the premade stuff or in lieu of having a cellar full of pickled vegetables, follow the pickling brine below.

Recipe:

Antipasto:
1 large carrot, diced
1/4 head cauliflower, chopped into rough dice
6 green beans, chopped into 1/4" pieces
4 pearl onions or 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 small button mushrooms, diced
1 dill pickle, finely chopped
6 black olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 can tuna (omit for vegetarian version)
1/2 cup ketchup (if you have time, homemade ketchup is fantastic here)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

Pickling Brine:
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
1/8 cup pickling salt
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Bring pickling brine ingredients to a boil. Place the carrots, cauliflower, green beans onions and garlic in the brine. Simmer together for 10 minutes. Allow the vegetables to cool in the brine, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients together with the pickled vegetables and refrigerate overnight.

Makes about 2 cups.

Samosa with Cilantro Chutney

I promised you samosas so here we go. Samosas, which are basically stuffed pastries, are one of the best little snacks around. They can be made many different ways, either vegetarian with potatoes and peas or with ground beef or chicken. Either way, they are so satisfying and If you're new to Indian food I would suggest wetting your appetite with samosas. Although the recipe may seem a bit involved, they are fun to make (trust me) and you can adjust the seasonings from mild to spicy, spicy goodness. And then there's the cilantro chutney...I could eat this stuff all by itself. While I adore this chutney with samosas I can't help but wonder what else it would be good with. Any ideas?

Next we'll wrap up the dinner with lamb curry. Even if you think you don't like lamb, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. Or at the very least you can substitute beef, chicken, tofu or chickpeas. That's the beauty of Indian food, it's versatility.

I would recommend watching Manjula's video on samosa making. The video is about 13 minutes long but well worth the watch if you have time. Click here to watch:

Recipe from Manjula's Kitchen:

Dough:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon sooji (semolina flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup minus 2 tablespoon lukewarm water

1. Mix the flour, sooji, salt, oil and salt together to make a soft dough (add more water as needed). knead the dough for about 1 to 2 minutes to make the dough smooth and pliable.
2. Set the dough aside and cover it with damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least 15 minutes.

Filling:
3 large boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped into very small cubes
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon amchur (mango powder) (can be found at Indian food stores, omit if can't find.)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup green peas (frozen)

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready.
2. Add cumin seeds green chilies and coriander powder and stir for few seconds.
3. Next add green peas and turn heat to medium and stir until tender.
4. Add the potatoes and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Stir in garam masala and amchur. Add more salt or amchur according to taste.
5. Let the filling cool to room temperature.

To Make Samosa:
1. Take 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to make a paste and keep aside.
2. Knead the dough for a minute. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and make into balls.
3. Roll each ball into 6-inch diameter circles and cut each circle in half.
4. Spread the paste lightly all along the edge of one semicircle. Pick this semicircle up with both hands and fold it into a cone shape. Pinch the side of this cone so that it is completely sealed.
5. Fill the cone with 3 tablespoons of filling. Press this filling down with your fingers. Now close the top of this cone into a triangle shape, pinching the top edge so that it is completely sealed.
Continue filling the rest of the samosas.
6. Heat about 1 1/2" of the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To check if oil is hot enough place a small piece of dough in oil and dough should sizzle and come to the surface slowly.
7. Place the samosas in the frying pan a few at a time.
8. After samosas are floating on top of the oil turn them slowly. Fry the samosas until the samosas turn a light golden-brown color on all sides. If you use a high heat, the samosa crust will be too soft and not crispy.

Cilantro Chutney:
1 big bunch of chopped Cilantro (green coriander)
1-3 green chopped chilies, start with one and adjust to taste
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 inch ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of asafetida (hing) (can be found at Indian food stores, omit if can't find.)

1. Blend all ingredients, except the cilantro, into a paste.
2. Add the cilantro, a little at a time, and blend. If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. The water will help in blending.
3. Blend well and add more salt, green chilies, or lemon juice to taste.

Vegetable Pakora with Tamarind Chutney

In continuing the rundown of my Indian dinner, one of the appetizers I made were pakoras. If you're not familiar with pakoras, they are an Indian appetizer of vegetables such as cauliflower, onion, eggplant, potato, anything really, that are fried in a chickpea flour (besan) batter. They can also be made with chicken, fish or an Indian cheese called paneer. Basically the Indian version of a Japanese Tempura. AKA, deep fried deliciousness.

Pakoras are one of my favorite Indian dishes in particular onion and cauliflower but one of the best things about Indian food are the chutneys. There are many different varieties of chutney but my favorites are this tamarind chutney and cilantro chutney. I prefer the tamarind with pakoras and the cilantro with samosas. And you guessed it, look forward to samosas with cilantro chutney. But for today, go with the pakoras, you'll be happy you did.

Pakora recipe from Manjula's Kitchen:
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
3 tablespoons rice flour
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
3/4 cup of water (Use water as needed)
Oil to fry
8 thin slices of cauliflower
1/2 of white onion, sliced into 1/2" pieces

1. Mix the dry ingredients together
2. Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter the consistency of pancake batter. You may need to add more or less water to achieve this.
3. Add the green chilies and cilantro. Mix well.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed deep skillet to medium heat or about 375 degrees. The skillet should have at least 11/2" of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in the hot oil. The batter should come up but not change color right away. If oil is too hot the pakoras will not be crispy or if oil is not hot enough pakoras will be greasy.
5. Dip the vegetable slices in the batter one at a time and carefully drop in the skillet.
6. Fry the pakoras in small batches, turning occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until they reach a nice golden brown.
7. Remove the pakoras from the oil, drain on paper towel and serve hot. Note that pakoras are best served right away but can be made ahead and reheated on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes.

Tamarind Chutney recipe from All Recipes:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder (can substitute onion powder)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups water
1/2-1 cup white sugar, start with less and adjust to taste
3 tablespoons tamarind paste

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan with the cumin seeds, ginger, cayenne pepper, fennel seeds, asafoetida powder, and garam masala. cook and stir over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes to release the flavors.
2. Stir the water into the pan with the spices along with the sugar and tamarind paste.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and simmer the mixture until it turns a deep chocolaty brown and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take 20 to 30 minutes. The sauce will be thin, but it will thicken upon cooling.

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Homemade Bavarian Mustard

I was so excited when I came across this post from Choosy Beggars on homemade mustard. I had never thought of making my own mustard and if you knew how much we love mustard around here, you would understand my enthusiasm. As far as I'm concerned, a good or bad mustard can make or break anything sausage, vinaigrette or sandwich related, which are all staples in our house. I usually at any given time have about six jars of various mustards in my fridge but that's all about to change with this little revelation! The hardest part about making this mustard is waiting 24 hours, the easiest thing is, well, everything else. Who knew homemade mustard could be so simple? I doubt I'll ever buy mustard again, the difference is incomparable and the possibilities are endless. This Bavarian mustard is a little spicy, a little sweet and just plain good. I absolutely love the spice combination in the mustard and hello, beer! I am officially on mustard mania. Guess what everyone is getting for prezzies this year!

Recipe from Choosy Beggars:
1/2 cup yellow or white mustard seeds
1/3 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 tsp dry tarragon
salt to taste
1 cup Bavarian ale, such as Helles, Busch or Lowenbrau
1/2 cup cider vinegar

In a non reactive glass or ceramic bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. After the mixture has been left for 24 hours, scoop the mixture into a food processor or blender and pulse until desired consistency. If you prefer a more grainy mustard, pulse less, if you prefer a wetter mustard, add a little more beer or vinegar.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or continue on to a proper canning process for long term storage.

Makes about 2 cups

Tomato Salsa

This December was the first time since moving to the Westcoast 10 years ago, that I can remember having a proper white Christmas. December in Vancouver had record snowfalls and when that happens, the city pretty much shuts down, it's simply not equipped to handle too much snow. I grew up in a city where winter temperatures are generally in the -20's or colder so I've seen my share of snow. The amount of snow that we got this year though, even surprised me. We were literally snowed in. With very little food on hand and no chance of escaping to the store, I had to get creative. I always have the goods to make flour tortillas and I also always have lettuce, cheese and some kind of protein on hand. That's about all I had on this particular day so tacos seemed like a good option. Except that I didn't have any salsa. I don't know about you but I need to have salsa with my tacos and that's that. Here's where I know my Fiance and I are meant for eachother; he suggested I make my own salsa. I thought he was crazy. He said, "you have canned tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic and onions, you have a basic salsa." To which he quickly followed with, "how the h*ll did you think it was made?" Total soulmates.

RECIPE:
1 can roasted diced or whole tomatoes
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 of one lime
couple dashes tabasco, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until desired consistency. Season with hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.

Shrimp Cocktail with Homemade Cocktail Sauce

I'm bringing the 60's back. That's right folks, Shrimp Cocktail! You may ask why, and the answer is simple; there is no other appetizer that is easier to make while being utterly delicious at the same time. I'm a bit of a control freak. I admit it and yes, I am working on it. Well, in all other areas of my life except for the kitchen. I just can't let go. Particularly where entertaining is concerned. That's why I am all for fool-proof appetizers, especially during the frantic holiday season. It doesn't really get more fool-proof than Shrimp Cocktail. All you have to do is boil the shrimp and the cocktail sauce can be made the night before, ideal.

Now, I know many of you have shunned Cocktail Sauce but I personally love it. So I'm including a homemade recipe here because it's far too easy to make at home that there is no need to buy it.

Happy Holidays everyone!

RECIPE:

Shrimp Cocktail:
1 lb raw shrimp, shells on, deveined
2 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 lemon

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the shrimp, old bay seasoning and lemon in the boiling water. Boil shrimp for 3-4 minutes, or just until pink. Drain the shrimp and place them in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Once chilled, remove the shrimp from the fridge and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Serve with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. Optional: Serve the shrimp on a bed of bibb lettuce or crushed ice.

Cocktail Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp hot horseradish
couple dashes Worcestershire
couple dashes tobasco
1 tsp lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Applesauce

In a Continuation of, "I never knew you could make this at home," applesauce is at the top of that list. I'm serious, I had no idea people made applesauce at home! What's so impressive to me about making all of these things yourself is that you don't have to worry about any unnecessary preservatives creeping into your diet. I am also personally rewarded every time I make something like this that is so simple, natural and most importantly, delicious.




RECIPE:
3lbs apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1" chunks
juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick or a pinch of ground cinnamon)
sugar to taste (I generally don't add any sugar because I like it a little tart)

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a medium simmer. Simmer the mixture for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash the apples down with a fork throughout the cooking process. The applesauce is ready when all of the water is absorbed. At this point add the sugar (if you are using) and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat, remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool. If you prefer the sauce less chunky, mash it with a potato masher. This applesauce freezes very well.

Cranberry Sauce

Before I started cooking I didn't know that people actually made things from scratch like applesauce, croutons, breadcrumbs and cranberry sauce. I kid you not, I was the quintessential "takeout queen." Don't even ask me where I thought those things came from. I never thought about it, I just bought thoughtlessly. Thankfully those days are over and now I rarely eat out and the kitchen is my favorite place to be.

So I figured, if I wasn't aware of the fact that such simple things could be made in your own kitchen, I couldn't have been the only one, right? I'll continue this subject often with simple, everyday items that are so easy to make, there's really no reason to buy them pre-maid. Considering it's Canadian Thanksgiving, let's begin with Cranberry Sauce. Happy Thanksgiving!

RECIPE:
2 cups cranberries
1 cup water
1/2 tsp orange zest
juiced half of one orange
sugar to taste

Put all of the ingredients except the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat to med-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Using a fork, mash the sauce down a bit. Add the sugar, adjusting to your personal taste. Allow the sugar to fully dissolve. Remove from heat and serve. You can easily freeze any leftover sauce.

Grilled Scallops with Pineapple Salsa

It's finally time for Qualicum Bay scallops. I've been waiting for this delicious occasion since last summer. Waiting for something for that long generates quite a bit of anticipation. These scallops are sweet and succulent and so tender. They're also huge. One scallop measures about 3 inches across

I love it when the quality of ingredients are the real star in a dish and don't have to be masked by heavy flavors. That's why we decided that all these scallops needed were a quick sear on a hot grill. I saw this recipe for a grilled pineapple salsa by Wolfgang Puck and I thought it would be a refreshing accompaniment. I should mention that my boyfriend hates pineapple salsa, he thinks it's pretentious. I talked him into it and trust me, I didn't hear any complaints. The scallops were unbelievable and the pineapple salsa was a great match. They were worth having to wait all year for.

RECIPE:

Scallops:
8-10 scallops, rinsed, patted dry and beard removed
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat a grill to high heat. Brush the scallops with a little olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the scallops on the hot grill (if your scallops are on the smaller side, thread them on skewers and grill them like that.) Grill the scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa (courtesy of Wolfgang Puck and the Food Network:)
Pineapple Salsa:
1 pineapple, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 red onions, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
3 green jalapenos
2 red jalapenos
Extra-virgin olive oil, for coating
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley leaves (I substituted cilantro)
1 lime, juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Oil your grill. Place pineapple slices onto hot grill for 4 minutes on each side. Gently toss the onion slices and jalapenos in olive oil. Place onto the hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from grill. Peel skin off of jalapenos. Cube the pineapple, removing the inner core. Cube the onion and mince the jalapenos. Combine all of them with the chopped herbs in a large bowl. Add lime juice and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

The Cucumber Roll, Deconstructed

I came across a great idea on Tastespotting the other day and I'm so excited to share it with you. It's a rare occasion while browsing Tastepotting that you don't come across something cool. It's just so full of creativity and these cucumber rolls are a perfect example of that. While I love sushi, I've never tried making it myself. I'm very intimidated by the whole process. Starting with the rice; I'll just be honest here...I suck at making rice. It's the bane of my cooking existence. I even have a rice cooker and still, it's hit or miss. So ask me to make sushi rice and I might just pass out. Next we have the nori. How long do you soak it? I don't have the rolling thing so I won't even go there. Besides, I can see the filling falling out all over the place as we speak. Finally, the fish. No matter how great of a fish monger you have, I'm paranoid.

Needless to say, the anxiety I experience by just thinking of the ordeal is not worth it. Plus, I don't mind leaving it up to the professionals. This take on a sushi roll however, is something I can wrap my head around. I knew these rolls would be good but I didn't realize they would be this good. I also couldn't believe how satisfying they would be. Between my boyfriend and myself, we ate about three days worth of our recommended veggie servings. I'll give you the recipe for the way I made them but you are only limited by your imagination here. I also made my own pickled ginger to go along with these and it was great.

RECIPE inspired by Garrett's Table:

Rolls:
1 large long english cucumber
1 avocado
1/2 carrot, julienned
5 radishes, julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 TBSP ginger, cut into chunks
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 package extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch squares
sesame oil
olive oil, for frying tofu

Using a mandolin or cheese grater, slice the cucumber into long thin strips. Mix the rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Add the carrots and radishes to the vinegar mixture (the red pepper is not to be marinated.) Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Add the oil to a pan and heat to medium high. Fry the tofu on all sides until lightly browned. Remove the tofu from the pan and let cool. Slice the avocado into 1/2 inch squares (the same size as the tofu.) Once you are ready to roll, remove the carrots and radishes from the marinade and drain lightly on paper towels. Lay a cucumber slice down. Starting at one end, place a few pieces of the carrots and radishes followed by the red pepper, tofu and avocado. Holding the cucumber end with one hand and the filling in the other, begin to roll, tucking the cucumber end under the filling. Roll all the way to the end. If you aren't serving these right away, secure with a toothpick until you are ready. Continue the process with the rest of the ingredients.

Makes about 8-10 rolls

Pickled Ginger courtesy of Stetsuko Yoshizuka @About.com:
2 lb fresh ginger root
3 cups vinegar (white or rice wine)
2 cups sugar
2 tsp salt

PREPARATION:
Wash fresh ginger root and rub off skin. Slice the ginger thinly and salt them. Leave salted ginger slices in a bowl for one hour. Dry the ginger slices with paper towels and put them in a sterilized container/jar. Mix vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar over the ginger slices. Cool them. Cover the jar and store it in the refrigerator.

Makes about 2 cups

Homemade Plum Sauce

It's the small things that make me happy. My boyfriend is often amazed when I shower him with praise for surprising me with say, an unexpected orange crush or one of those trashy magazines I hate to admit I love. That's not to say I don't like the big things, far from it, I wouldn't want to give you the wrong idea about me here but the small touches in life are what can make or break things. It's the difference between serving your spring rolls with run of the mill jarred dipping sauce that anyone can buy or an all natural, fresh accompaniment and although the idea itself is small, the gesture is huge.

It has never occurred to me to make homemade plum sauce which is why when I saw a recipe for it, needless to say I was overjoyed. It's so fabulous, like nothing I've tasted before and your guests will be so impressed with the little extra effort. As usual, I modified the recipe to suit my taste buds so you can do the same. Have some fun with it, that's what life is all about!

RECIPE:
1lb Plums, pitted
1 TBS Rice Vinegar
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 TBS Soy Sauce
1 TBS Sesame Oil
1 Garlic cloves, grated
1 TBS Ginger, grated
1/2 tsp Hot Pepper flakes
3 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Wash and dry the plums. Pit and place into a blender with the vinegars, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Puree for 2-3 minutes until smooth, then set aside. Heat the sesame oil in a small frying pan and add the hot pepper flakes, saute for 30 seconds over medium heat. Pour the plum puree into the frying pan, add the sugar and salt, bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat allow to cool and refrigerate.

Use cold as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, lettuce wraps, chicken fingers etc. This would also be a great glaze for pork or chicken.

Fish Taco with Cabbage Slaw

Growing up, taco night in my house was a rare treat. My parents were big on eating healthy and somehow fried ground beef layered with cheese and sour cream all in a deep fried shell didn't quite fit the bill. So when the occasional interactive evening rolled around, needless to say I couldn't have been happier. Keep in mind I grew up in Canada in the 80's and the only tacos we knew were of the Old El Paso sort. Granted the tacos I'm referring to here are far from what I grew up eating. Today we're going for something a little lighter. I find myself loving all kinds of tacos and I will always be loyal to the old ground beef faithful but my new favorite is the Grilled Fish Taco with Cabbage Slaw. So unbelievably refreshing and healthy, you can't go wrong with these on a hot summer day. Even my parents would approve.

RECIPE:

Fish:
1/2 lb snapper
1 tsp chili powder
pinch garlic powder
pinch ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tsp olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together and marinade the fish for no longer than 15 minutes. Preheat your grill to med-high heat. Remove the fish from marinade and place on grill. Grill the fish for 4 minutes on one side, flip and continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove the fish from the grill, let cool and flake with a fork.

Cabbage Slaw:
1 ripe avocados, mashed
2 tsp sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 of 1 large green cabbage, shredded
1 small green onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tsp jalapeno pepper, finely diced
S&P to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge until needed.

Serve these tacos on flour tortillas by layering the fish followed by the cabbage slaw guacamole and finished off with black beans (optional.)