Red Pepper Jelly

 I made this as a gift for some friends and paired it up with goat's cheese (made locally) and rice crackers. A totally sibbling combination! (minus the rivalry of course).
My first attempt at jelly... looked so easy, and IS easy, as long as you don't boil it for too long; an important point I did not know until after the fact. This Red Pepper Jelly tastes delicious, however, it turned into more of a drizzly glaze. After speaking to a friends of mine who has more professional cooking experience, he explained that if it is boiled for too long the pectin loses all it's activity.
Trial and error! Although this jelly didn't really come out jellified I want to share it with you because it still tastes delicious, looks amazing, and I will get it right next time. You can learn from my mistake

 4 red bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 pouch of liquid pectin
5 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Place red peppers in a food processor and purée.
• Combine puréed peppers, sugar and vinegar in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid scorching.
• Remove pot from the heat. Let cool for 15 minutes. This allows the peppers to continue cooking slowly and prevents them from floating to the surface.
• Add pectin and return pot to stove. Simmer over medium heat for at least 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Skim any foam from the surface.
• To jar your jelly, place your jars and their lids in boiling water to sterilize them. Spoon the jelly into the jars immediately and lid them. As long as you use hot jars and hot sterilized lids they will stay sealed.

Salmon with Grilled Asparagus topped with a Tarragon Hollandaise Sauce

 If you're having a dinner party, have little time but want to serve something impressive this is a great dish! This meal presents a most beautiful display. It's colourful, elegant, and best of all, the taste is wonderful! It's the sauce that truly makes this dish. Well, it usually is the sauce that pulls any meal together, but this sauce, in particular, is to die for! And wouldn't you know, the friends (including the birthday girl and photographer of these photos, Monique Napier) I made this for, raved about the cherry tomato garnish too! I have to admit I was very proud of that. The bright red and deep green makes the rest of the dish come to life, esthetically.

The Tarragon Hollandaise Sauce can be made first.
 What you need:
Hollandaise Sauce (Follow the link for the basic hollandaise sauce recipe.)
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon

Follow the steps for the hollandaise sauce, but add the tarragon at the end with the season.
Set aside while preparing the rest of the meal. This sauce can be made ahead up to 2 hours. (Keep it warm by leaving the bowl in the warm water of the 'bain marie')

For the Salmon, I used a tradtional method of cooking in a foil bag in the oven. Perhaps I should have taken photos to show you how to prepare the foil bag. But for those who do not know, I have found a good step by step instruction here.
What you need:
Foil
4 small salmon fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup
Seasoning of your choice (I just used salt and pepper this time, but a bit of parsley too would be nice)

Rub the olive oil all over the fish fillets then sprinkle with seasoning. Once the bag was made, but before folding the last seal, I pour about 1/4 cup of dry white wine into the bag with the fish. This is if you'd like the fish steamed rather than baked. I place the bag on a cookie sheet and cooked in for about 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

For the Grilled Asparagus, after trimming the asparagus, I simply tossed the asparagus in olive oil.
Place the asparagus, small bunches at a time (you want each spear, touching your hot grill pan). Turn them around once they start charring. This should only take about 5-10 minutes per bunch (depending on how thick the spears are). You'll know they're ready if you can easily get a fork through.
TIP: a fool proof method of trimming asapargus is just by using your hands. No knife needed! :) Hold the asparagus at each end and bend. It will break at the right spot. Check here for a more detailed explination, if you're new to trimming, or even cooking, asparagus.

To garnish I grilled some cherry tomatoes left on the vine. They were on the grilled for about 2-3 minutes. Just until they were charring and softened.

Trust me, you will feel pride when plating up this elegant dish!

Bon Apetit!

Hollandaise Sauce

I have died and gone to buttery heaven! Hollandaise sauce is becoming by far my favorite accompaniment sauce. It goes great with just about any meat, fish or poultry; and of course with the famous Eggs Benedict, (my absolute fabourite breakfast). And no wonder; it's practically pure butter. What do they say in the world of french cuisine? The three most important ingredients are butter, butter and more butter!

 I have made Hollandaise sauce a few times and this particular recipe that I fiddled with, using a few recipe ideas and put into one, turned out great.

3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1 small lemon
1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 sticks of unsalted butter (melted - should be about 1 cup)
2 tbsp warm water
2 or 3 pinches of sugar
pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:
- In a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water (this is called a 'bain marie' or you may have a double boiler) over low-medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks with the lemon juice, prepared mustard and zest. Do not let the egg scramble! This is why it is important to keep on a simmer

- Whisk the mixture until it is a pale yellow and slightly thick.

- Remove the bowl from the pot and whisk vigorously.

- Add the melted butter, in a slow steady pour, a bit at a time, while continuing to whisk, until all is incorporated.

- Add the water 1 tbsp at a time and whisk until encorporated and smooth. Depending on how thick you want your sauce you may only want 1 tbsp water, or you may even want as much as 3 tbsp of water. 

- Taste and if it is too lemony add a pinch or two of sugar. Whisk and taste again. Decide if you want to add one more pinch of sugar.

- Season with a dash of salt and pepper.

As mentioned before, this sauce is great with many things. i especially like this sauce with asparagus, salmon or even steak! 

Yum yum!!

Bon appetit

Pesto Sauce (Basil)

This has got to be my favourite Italian sauce. It's fresh (meaning no cooking involved!), ultra tasty and super easy to make!

The mix of flavours bursting with every bite from the earthiness of basil, nutty flavour of pine nuts, and the vintage appeal of parmegiano. And who can miss the kick of garlic! Such simple ingredients to make this most satisfying sauce.

Another great thing about pesto is that it can be stored so easily and used in numerous ways.

Of course the most traditional (and my favourite) is with pasta.

You can also use it with chicken, fish, potatoes, stuffings....the options are endless.

I've made pesto a few times and this has to be my best yet.

1 large handful of fresh basil leaves

1 cup parmigiano reggiano (freshly grated)

1/2 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients together all at once, slowly adding the olive oil in last (mix in less or more as you can choose the consistency you prefer)

I usually mix my pesto up in a food processor but if you have a pestle and mortar go for it! :)

Yummm! Enjoy, however you decide to serve it up!

Classic Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel sauce is the basis of just about all cream sauces. It can be made into a peppercorn or mushroom sauce for your steak, a cheddar sauce for your Macaroni and Cheese, or just left as a bare naked white sauce used for such things as lasagne or moussaka.
The recipe is quite easy to remember as it consists of the same amount of butter to flour, then adding milk - the amount is depending on how thick you want your sauce.
The measurement of the milk will make this sauce quite thick.

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
430ml warm milk
pinch or 2 of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- In a saucepan melt the butter on low-medium heat. Remove from the heat then stir in the flour. Replace onto a low heat and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. This is to cook the flour but do not allow it to brown..
- With a whisk slowly add milk, bit by bit. Allow the milk to come to a slight boil then reduce heat again and simmer while stirring for 5-10 minute until the sauce is thick.
You will know the sauce is ready also when you lift the wooden spoon and the sauce come off it in a silky smooth line.

To make cheddar cheese sauce add 1 cup of strong cheddar cheese, about 125ml more milk - give or take, 1 tsp mustard and a tiny pinch more of nutmeg.

To make a mushroom sauce saute 1 cup sliced mushrooms. Add them to the sauce (along with the juice that came off the mushrooms, with some extra freshly ground pepper to taste

To make a peppercorn sauce add 1 tbsp brandy (or red wine, in which case add 2-3 tbsp), a couple splashes of worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp peppercorn (colour of choice or mixed) - half of them crushed and half left whole

Bolgnese Sauce, Perfecto!!

Bolognese sauce is probably the most famous of Italian sauces, known mostly (outside Italy) for accompanying spaghetti. It originates from Bologna, Italy, where in fact, it is typically served with tagliatelle or lasagne.
This, I prefer, I always found spaghetti to be too delicate a noodle to be served with such a dense sauce. But this is just my opinion...each to their own, I like to say. That's what helps make our cooking world so interesting! And actually, as a matter of opinion, not just in the cooking world, but all parts of life, wouldn't you say?

Here is the traditional recipe for a bolognese sauce (very slightly modified from videojug.com), which I have just recently tried and think it will take allot for me to do it any other way! This was perfect! My dreamy idea of bolognese

250g minced, lean beef
250g minced pork
6 slices of pancetta or smoked bacon - chopped (optional - I say that because I forgot to buy some, but you know what? Mine still turned out superb!)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion - finely chopped
1 large carrot - finely diced
4 garlic cloves - minced
2 stalks of celery - finely sliced
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
200g tomato puree
1/2 cup red wine
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil - chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Add olive oil to a heated heavy based pot and heat. Start adding the beef and pork little by little, breaking it up as it cooks. Keep adding the ground meat as it browns.
(if you are using pancetta or bacon add at the same time as the olive oil - when the bacon fat has melted add the beef and pork)
- Once all the meat is browned cooked through add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Let it cook for a few minutes while stirring occasionally
- Now mix in the tomato puree. After a couple minutes stir in the red wine and allow to reduce (this will take several minutes)
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the herbs and seasoning. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to stop the bottom from sticking.

Please try this recipe! It really is amazing!

Sorry for no image, but stay tuned, I will soon be posting the lasagne I made with this bolognese

Steak with mushroom sauce

I'm a big fan of steak, I'm a big fan of mushrooms, I'm a big fan of creamy sauces....put them all together and it's heaven on a plate!


I haven't had much practice grilling beef steak but I may just have the knack now! As long as I have a good cut I think I can succeed (a good steak will be deep red colour and have a good amount of visible fatty streaks, this is called 'marbling').

Of course I've researched many different tips of how to cook a good steak and here are a few I have for you...

1/ Do not cook your steak right out of the refrigerator. Allow the meat to sit at at room temperature for about 30 minutes first.
2/ Season your steak only a minute before cooking.
3/ Do not touch your steak while it is cooking on one side until you are ready to turn it.
4/ To know if your steak is done touch the middle of the steak with your finger. If there is a bit of a spring back, then your steak is medium rare. The more spring the steak gives, the more well cooked it is.
5/ Always allow the steak to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Mushroom sauce ( serves 2-4):
1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
1 tbsp butter
¾ cup soya cream
¼ cup crème fresh
2 tbsp red wine
¼ onion (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

- Saute the onions with butter until almost softened then add mushrooms and saute more.
- Drain out if there is too much liquid from the mushrooms.
- Add the red wine. Cook until liquid is reduced, then add the cream and crème fresh. Turn heat down a bit and wait for sauce to thicken as you stir continuously.
- Season with salt and pepper

The perfect accompaniment with steak is of course, the one and only, potato!!! and I like to include healthy and delicious cooked spinach for good measure ;)


Potatoes:
I boiled my thinly sliced potatoes for about 5 minutes, then tossed them with some olive oil and seasoning salt. The potato slices were then fried.

Spinach:
The spinach was tossed in a pan with some olive oil until wilting (only takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute), then seasoned with salt and pepper.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

My parents were visiting us from Canada and I'd made a few dishes that they were quite impressed with....sigh of relief!! My mother liked this sauce so much she wants the recipe. That can only make a a girl feel so happy when her Mother is asking her daughter for recipes!


This is a sauce that can really be used with just about anything....over chicken, fish, pasta. You name it....
This one is completely off the top of my head. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, so full of so much flavour.

The photo I have here isn't the original dish I made the sauce for. I made it to pour over chicken (I forgot to take photos).
The meal in this photo I had some sauce and chicken left over and decided to make the meal a bit different and mixed the sauce with pasta for a side dish with the chicken, plus sauteed mushrooms.

SAUCE (MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS)
1 red pepper (sliced)
1/2 onion (sliced)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1.5 cups soy cream (or single cream)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Toss the onion and red pepper in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper
- You can roast the red pepper and onion, or if you have limited time, like I did when I made this, grill them until soft and a bit charred
- In a food processor blend onion and red pepper with soy cream and garlic
- Season more if desired
- Add extra olive oil if necessary

To make the chiken breast I had just pan fried with some olive oil, dried rosemary, salt and pepper, and a bit of garlic powder

Eggs Benedict 'Smoked Salmon style'

I love brunch! I love the idea of having such a vast choice of breakfast and lunch dishes to eat as my first meal of the day since I'm not usually hungry until past the typical breakfast time. So when brunch time comes.....Oh yeah! look at this bright and beautiful dish! Who could resist?

Being Canadian many non-Canadians often automatically assumes my favourite breakfast or brunch dish is pancakes dripping with maple syrup (and I am used to this discussion since I'm living amongst the many colours of London people, ie people from all over). But hense pancakes and maple syrup is not my ultimate favourite (however now that I'm talking about I'd love to have that right now!....ok, so I can be a stereotypical Canadian it would seem :-)). Getting to my point....my favourite breakfast or brunch dish is actually Eggs Benedict! Not your typical kind though, I'm a huge lover of smoked salmon, not such a huge fan of ham, so switch 'em and it's yuuummmmy in my books! Got my hollandaise sauce recipe from my cooking bible 'Good Housekeeping Cookery Book'.

Here's what you need -

(Feeds 2 people)
Hollandaise Sauce:
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 black peppercorns
1 mace blade (I didn't have this on hand so left it out, no biggie)
1 bay leaf
1 thin slice of onion
2 egg yolks
75g (3oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1 1/2 tbsp single cream
1/2 tbsp lemon
salt, black & white pepper to taste

2 english muffins
75g(3oz) fresh smoked salmon, in thin slices
4 eggs

Instructions:
- Make the hollandaise sauce just before serving and set aside

Hollandaise sauce:
- Put vinegar into a small pan with peppercorns, bay leaf, onion slice, mace. Bring
to a boil and reduce to just under 1 tbsp of liquid. Dip pan base into cold water to
stop further evaporation; set aside
- Put egg yolks into a heatproof bowl with 10g of butter and a pinch of salt. Beat
until well combined, then strain in the reduced vinegar
- Put the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk for 3-4 minutes until
mixture is pale and beginning to thicken
- Beat in the remaining butter, a piece at a time, until the mixture begins to
thicken again and well combined. Ensure each addition of butter is incorporated
before adding the next. Do not allow the mixture to overheat or the eggs will
scramble and split. Remove from heat
- Whisk in the cream. Season with salt and peppers, and add the lemon juice

-Poach the eggs gently for about 3 minutes or until the white is just set and the yolk still soft. Place eggs which are finished in a dish of warm water
-Meanwhile slice each english muffin in two and toast slightly. Lay smoked salmon then one egg on each muffin slice. Spoon the hollandaise sauce over top of the egg

Serve immediately for the most yumminess!

Pan Fried Plaice with a Lemon & Wine Sauce, Served with Onion & Artichoke Rice

Once again I have made a dish that did not turn out quite as planned but this time I think turned out even better! I got those wonderful "mmmm" and "aaahh" sounds a cook always loves to hear when someone is eating their dish.


I read a handful of recipes for a lemony sauce to go with our fish for dinner but didn't write anything down beforehand. I just made it up as I went along. I added a tad too much lemon so my recipe below has adjusted this for you.
And I've used plaice fish but of course you can use any white fleshy fish (ie, cod, halibut, sole...)

(Feeds 2 people)
RICE:
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 large onion (chopped)
1/2 cup artichoke antipasto, without oil (chopped)
1 tbsp oil from artichoke jar
1/4 tsp salt

FISH:
2 plaice fillets
flour
sprinkles of salt
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil

SAUCE:
2 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

RICE -
- Cook rice as per instructions, but instead of using water you will be using the vegetable stock
- While rice is cooking saute onion in the artichoke oil until starting to brown a tiny bit (but not burning). Then add artichoke to the onion and lower the heat
(If rice is not yet cooked you can start preparing your fish with the flour, as per the first step below)
- Once rice is cooked add to the onion and artichoke mix and stir in with salt
- Transfer rice back to the pot which you cooked rice in and cover to keep warm

FISH -
- Cover each fillet with flour on both side and sprinkle each side of the fillets with salt
- Since Plaice fillets can be quite wide I cooked 1 fillet at a time...
- Melt 1 tbsp butter and heat tbsp oil together in a pan. Place a fillet in the pan and cook on each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until golden and cooked through
- Take rice from the pot and make a bed of rice on 2 plates
- Place fillet over top of bed of rice and keep warm at low tempurature in the oven
- Repeat process with 2nd fish fillet (keep both warm in the oven while you make your sauce)
- Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel as you will use this same pan for your sauce

SAUCE:
- Melt butter with oil in the pan on a low to medium heat. Sprinkle in half the flour and whisk with a fork, then stir in half the wine. Wait for liquid to reduce slightly then added remaining flour and whisk with fork again
- Stir in milk, the remaining wine, the lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder and herbs. Turn down heat and simmer until liquid has slightly reduced and sauce is smooth

- Take fish and rice out of the oven and spoon sauce over top of each dish


Yummy! Enjoy!

NOTE: From the ingredients and instructions of this meal it may seem time consuming but in fact it really isn't since many of the ingredients are repeated in each process. This meal took me about 30 minutes to prepare :)

Ground Beef Stroganoff

I thought of this idea many years ago. I was preparing to make traditional beef stroganoff but the small shop I went to had no beef steaks. They did however have beef mince....ah ha! New concept! (Of course I have discovered since then other have also thought of this...and why not? this is not your traditional stroganoff but can still be just as delicious!



(Feeds 4 people)
500g lean ground beef (I used extra lean for lower fat and so I don't have to pour off juices after cooking the beef)
1 large onion (chopped)
2-3 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 cups mushrooms (quartered)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup red wine
3 tbps bisto
3 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp ketcup (or 1 tbsp tomato paste)
1 cup low fat sour cream
2 tsp paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Heat oil and butter in a large pot and saute onions slightly (about 4min).
- Then add garlic and heat for a further 30 seconds or so (don't let the garlic get too brown).
- Add beef and cook through (drain off any liquid if necessary).
- Add red wine and heat through. Wait for liquid to reduce then sprinkle in half the bisto and quickly stir. Springle in the remaining bisto and quickly stir again(sprinkling and adding the bisto in smaller amounts to avoid lumping).
- Add worcestershire sauce
- Pour in the stock and allow to bubble.
- Add ketcup and mushrooms, paprika, salt & pepper. Continue to cook on low heat and stir until sauce has thickened and mushrooms have cooked (Or to allow even better flavour put stove on lowest simmer and let cook for about 30 min extra.)
- Finally add the sour cream and heat through for aboout 10 min

Serve with buttered egg noodle or rice (I always prefer traditional egg noodles though - I am a pasta nut!)

Chicken Alfredo Lasagne

I made this lasagne for my other half and he loved it so much he begged me to write it down. I was worried he wouldn't want to eat too much of it since he can be such a health nut, but to my delight he thought it tasted so good he could care less! So as you've guessed, this is not the healthiest meal but it's delicious! Just try it and DON'T FEEL GUILTY ;)


(Feeds 6 people)
250g fresh lasagne noodles
400g chicken breast (cubed)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
600ml double cream (don’t feel guilty, you don’t have cream everyday ;)
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup parmesan Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)
1 x (280g) jar of marinated artichokes (exclude the oil. But keep the oil for your own use wih other dishes if you want. I do!)
1 x (280g) jar of sun-dried tomatoes (exclude the oil. But keep the oil for your own use wih other dishes if you want. I do!)
200g fresh young leaf spinach
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
3/4 cup (200g) mozzarella cheese (sliced)

Instructions:
- In a bowl mix cottage cheese with ricotta. Set aside
- Blend spinach, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes together with 2 tbsp oil in a food processor. Or you can roughly chop, whatever you prefer. Set aside

CHICKEN MIX
- In a pan cook onion with 2 tbsp oil until onions are slightly clear
- Add chicken and cook further until chicken is almost cooked through
- Add in flour and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Cook for a couple minutes
- Add mushrooms and cook for further 3 min (until mushrooms are soft and chicken is fully cooked through)
- Keep warm

ALFREDO SAUCE
- In a saucepot melt 2 tbsp butter until clear
- Add garlic and cook on low/medium for a couple minutes (but don’t let garlic get brown)
- Pour in cream, cook for further couple minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add parmesan and parsley, pinch of salt. Cook on low for a few more minutes continuing to stir occasionally, allowing sauce to thicken

Once alfredo sauce has thickened pour almost all into pan with the chicken mix (reserve about 1 cup worth of sauce). Mix chicken and sauce together, simmer on low for a few minutes

- While chicken-sauce mix is simmering prepare fresh lasagne noodles as per directions (of course if you are preparing dried lasagne noodles begin cooking them, as per directions, about 10 minutes sooner)
Drain and rinse
- Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking (lasagne) dish with some alfredo sauce
- then layer as follows:
1/3 noodles
1/3 cheese mixture
1/3 spinach mixture
1/3 chicken alfredo mixture
repeat until all used

- Pour reserved alfredo sauce over top
- Layer mozzarella on top
At 350F degrees (180C / gas mark 4) bake in oven for 1 hour or until top is bubbling and nice and brown
Take lasagne out of the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! And don't feel guilty!