Rancher's Pie (we made up the name)

I'm not really sure how this name came up for this casserole.  I think we decided while eating the concoction because it has a southwestern kinda taste to it and it's great with hot sauce. A riff on a traditional Shepard's Pie or in bon Quebecois...fabulous Pate Chinois!

I was thinking of a TWIST to this traditional dish without beef and potatoes and have come up with many different takes over the years, all while keeping its essence. This is one we enjoy a lot and packs in lots of good stuff...veggies, ground turkey and topped with mashed sweet potatoes. The KEY is dried summer savory.  If you don't have this herb, go and get some.  It really determines the specific flavour.

Have a casserole dish ready for assembling.

In a large pan, sauté:
1 large diced onion
2 sweet peppers, cut in big chunks ( I like red and yellow- avoid green unless poblano, the only delicious sweet green pepper in my opinion)
lots of chunky mushrooms, cremini are fun
a couple of stalks of chopped celery
1-2 crushed cloves of garlic
some hot sauce...I love Frank's! ( put that ^&%% on everything!)
Summer savory, oregano, salt and pepper

Add the ground turkey (1 packet works well, about a pound?) and cook through

Add:
a good dose of ketchup (the vinegary sweetness really works here)
some chicken stock
several dashes of Worcestershire sauce (adds depth of flavour, umami)
Taste as you go and add more...

Pour this mixture into the casserole dish.  It will be the first layer.

Next layer, corn. A combo of frozen (thawed) and 1 can of creamed corn is best.  Or, just one or the other, whatever you have.

Last layer, sweet potatoes.  Steam or boil, and mash with a bit of butter, salt and pepper.  Keep the skins on for best flavour!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes or so. 

Serve with Ketchup of course!!!!!!!

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My Son's Persian Saffron Scented Salmon

WOW, who knew? I guess a lifetime of hanging out in his family kitchen combined with an innate global sensibility lead my son to create unbelievable flavours and presentation in this glorious dish, and with such ease!

As this dish came together, the aroma of caramelized onions and sensuous saffron butter lingers now in my memory. So, here it is, so easy and quick to prepare:

This is a one pan meal, so you will need a large non stick skillet, big enough to sauté vegetables and sear a medium size salmon filet (serves 4 people).

Sauté in olive oil on medium heat:
2 small onions, cut them in long thin slices
2 cloves of slivered garlic
several cherry tomatoes, cut in half. It's nice if you have red and yellow ones...
Add a sprinkle of cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper

In a separate small pot, melt about 1/4 cup of butter and once melted, put a few strands of saffron in the butter and let sit for a couple of minutes and the butter will turn a golden yellow.  KEY- you really need the good stuff here, so use authentic saffron, ex: Iranian. Spend the bucks, it's expensive but it last a very long time and there is no replacement for the unique deep flavour of this spice.

Turn up your heat a bit and move the veggies to one side of the pan.  Place the salmon in the pan, skin side down. Season the top with some salt and pepper and now...spoon the saffron butter on top of the salmon and on veggies.  Once the salmon is cooked (will be rare to medium) plate the fish and veggies on a nice big platter, side by side.

In the same pan, put a heaping amount of fresh spinach and sauté as it will quickly wilt and absorb all of the pan flavours. The spinach is then placed on the other side of the same platter and voila!

Not only is this dish splendid to eat, it is gorgeous to look at too. " Not because he's my son" (ha-ha)but this was truly one of the tastiest fish meals we have enjoyed!  Delectable!  Bravo!

Yia'sta heria sou!! (bless your little hands)

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Cozy Corn Chowder and Honey Cornbread

Cozy Corn Chowder...a late summer soup, smooth and luxurious! And, it comes together quickly.  It's especially great if you don't know what to make for dinner and you have a couple of potatoes and some corn hanging around. (fresh corn is best but frozen is great too...delish either way!)  There are a gazillion recipes for this soup but the one I've settled on now is a lighter version with all the punch of the cream loaded one.  The KEY to my soup is OLD BAY seasoning and dried tarragon, a unique flavour combo that is a must in any chowder!

In a soup pot, sauté the in olive oil and butter:
Lots of diced leek or French shallots. If using leek, about 3 stocks, such a mellow flavour!
***a note about leek. I learned about this trick from Cheffy Alvaro when cooking with him in his kitchen.  Cut the leek before you wash it.  Usually lots of grit and grime in leek and in all its layers, so get a big bowl and throw in the chopped leek, swirl around and drain.  Pat dry before you use it. 
2-3 stalks of finely diced celery 

( another MUST for the best flavour, and this is true for most soups)
Add small handful of fresh thyme, rosemary if you have it, and 1 clove of crushed garlic.
Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of flour into the pot and mix for a couple of minutes to cook down. This will help thicken the soup.

Add a healthy splash of white wine to deglaze, and then add 3 cups of milk. ( I have used everything from skim to whole milk, and I like 2% best.) Bring to a boil while stirring and it will thicken nicely.  Turn down the heat to simmer and add 2 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups of corn and a couple of small diced potatoes, skin on or off.  Let simmer for a while till everything cooks through. This is when you can add a heaping tablespoon of OLD BAY seasoning.  Now it's really a chowder!

Once done, you can serve as is or you can add some "velvet".  Remove about a cup of soup into a deep bowl and puree with a hand mixer.  Once smooth, add this back into the soup pot for a thicker base. Then serve topped with  chopped chives.

TASTY TWIST- add chunks of bacon and everyone (non veggies) will love you even more! Sauté the chunks of bacon in the soup pot before any of the veggies. TIP: add a bit water when cooking bacon and it will brown beautifully and never burn. Discard most of the bacon fat but leave a bit in the pot to sauté the veggies.  Keep the cooked bacon on the side and put on the soup when serving. YUM!!

Side dish: Honey Cornbread (muffins or loaf) With butter...this is to die for!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour ( NOT whole wheat...doesn't work here)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/4 cup honey

In large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, butter, and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

Spray muffin tin and fill the cornbread mixture into each cup. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. If using a loaf pan, you will need to bake until the toothpick comes out clean, so check after 15 minutes but will probably need more time. 

These are the BEST corn muffins.  For a more savoury feel, I also add black pepper and dried thyme, just great!

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Perfection for the Palate...mais oui!

When you visit Deauville/Trouville (two beautiful towns linked by a bridge) on the coast of Normandy, France, you imagine the Parisians of the roaring 20's on holiday, with its wide sweeping beaches, never-ending boardwalks, magnificent Casino's of past, woman clad in striped bloomers and big floppy sun hats under huge pastel coloured parasols. Add a little music and laughter and you get the picture.  What is most memorable for me is the sublime taste of the freshest cold water seafood. The very best kind.  The most beautiful kind. Couple this with Normandy's rich cream, (crème fraiche) butter and brine and you have heaven. Above all however is visiting this marvellous place with your Mom, sister and daughter and now you have total perfection!!

Coquille St. Jacques is not the saucy seafood dish we know, but the name of a most glorious shellfish, albeit a humongous scallop with its roe. ( yes, I actually took this photo!)

 

 

 

And, the magnificently displayed fish market in Trouville... mouth watering!

 

Dining on briny mussels and Cabillaud en crème (freshest of cod cooked in crème fraiche- beyond words) was a definite highlight for my palate, with a cold glass of Muscadet of course!

 

 

 

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Hearty Tuscan Bean Soup

On a particular rainy spring day, the phone rang... it was my son calling from Tuscany as I was making this soup, how crazy is that!!! Karma.  I suppose he was really on my mind and he inspired me to want to re-create certain Italian aromas and flavours in my own kitchen. This is a earthy soup... even better the next day, and the day after that! You really do need a cold and rainy day to make this soup, it fills the house with warmth and happiness. The KEY to the depth of flavour is the ROSEMARY!

Overnight, soak 2 cups of any small white bean, so navy, cannelli etc. Make sure to have at least 3 inches of water above the beans as they really do expand.

In a large Creuset or soup pot, sauté:
2 large diced onions
2 larger diced carrots
1 large red pepper
2 or 3 ribs of diced celery
3 minced cloves of garlic
Some paprika (put paprika in most anything you cook... adds great depth)

Add 1 tbsp. Chilli flakes, 2 tbsp. dried rosemary (needs to be dried) and 2 tbsp. dried or fresh thyme.  Now the house is singing!
Let all of this meld on a medium heat.

Then, add half of a large can of diced tomatoes, and add the pre-soaked beans. Cover the mixture with about 5 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock. Add  a couple of bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer slowly... for HOURS! You may need to add water at some point if it gets too thick. Once the beans are cooked through, remove about 1/3 of the soup and blend or purée, and add back to the pot.  This gives it a nice velvety background texture.

At this point, add a package of frozen chopped spinach (better than fresh in this recipe) and wow, this really lifts the soup to another level.  Also add about 1/4 cup lemon juice or juice of half a lemon. This really brings it all together, ties the flavour loop!

I like to serve this soup with shaved Parma on top and a warm loaf of the Spelt Bread. The rich and earthy flavours will take you to Italy... even if only in your mind. It's so worth it!

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Luxurious Homemade French Mayo

In Normandy, we had the honor of dining on many phenomenal meals prepared by our Tante Suzanne.  I can distinctly remember the unique and rich flavour of this homemade mayonnaise when she would come to visit us from France. No other version tastes like this one... and I've tried and failed at quite a few. Recently, we had the pleasure of making it with her in her kooky Normandy kitchen, and it was even more fun listening to the instructions in her most poetic French vocabulary.  All food and recipes sound better in French. Like velvet! The KEY is the peanut oil ( I never knew this!!) and Lesieur, I am told is the very best authentic French brand.

 

 

So, in a glass bowl, must be glass... whip with a hand mixer, or whisk if you are a very fast whisker only, the following... and very carefully:

 

1 and 1/2 egg yolks

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Whip for a minute or so

And then, begin adding the peanut oil, literally drip by drip while whipping. Once the mixture starts to emulsify ( there's that great word again ) let the oil drip in a slow continuous drizzle. Add a tiny bit of lemon juice and salt to taste at the end. Stop when the texture is luxuriously thick and the color will be a rich deep-ish yellow.

 

This special mayo adds a particularly "golden" flavour to many dishes, either as a light spread and base for hors d'oeuvres, aioli, rouille for French fish soup or any other need for an unctuous condiment.

 

It is glorious. We are so grateful to have made this with our beautiful sophisticated family chef...Tante Suzanne.  It was a great and memorable moment.



 

 

 

 

 



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My Daughter's Favorite Potato Salad

We attribute this delicious salad to our friend Anne Marie, who is a glorious cook.  We also decided today that all my food pics are awful and so my daughter will be the new photographer and photo editor! (you'll be able to tell which are mine and which are hers!!)

Such a simple and yummy salad on the lighter side but super punchy in taste!  

Steam or boil nice white or yellow waxy potatoes. In the meantime, make the dressing which is really just a wonderful Dijon vinaigrette. The KEY to this dish is to dress the potatoes when they are hot so they soak up all of the delicious zumi.

Dressing: make this in a mason jar so when you shake it all up, the dressing will emulsify.
1 part white wine vinegar
3 parts canola and olive oiled mix
1 clove of garlic
I tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
If you want to be wild, add a hint of horseradish!

Chop many capers and lots of fresh crunchy watercress, leaves and stems. Gently fold everything together and devour.  This is a great side dish... fresh and light. 

Thanks AML for giving us an SCB often specially requested favorite!

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