The Wedge Salad Makes A Comeback

The prognosticators for food trends keep telling us that the Iceberg Wedge Salad is back. In fact they have been telling us for the past 10 years that this popularized mid-century modern first course celeb has been making its comeback!

Of late, perhaps many would give credit for its resurgence to the Mad Men craze. This American television period drama series is also acclaimed for the cocktail rebirth. But I digress.

I love blue cheese and so for me the Wedge Salad becomes another delivery mechanism for the pungent bite-y cheese.

The Wedge Salad probably fell out of favour like most things do when they become overdone, predictable and are no longer prepared with care. The fickle are then easily wooed to the next new salad sensation.

The formula for the Wedge Salad is pretty consistent - iceberg lettuce quartered, lots of bacon, tomatoes and chives for colour.  

As Shawna Wagman points out in her Trends article in Ottawa Magazine's Eating & Drinking 2014, variations in eateries around town include pickled spicy eggs, fried pig's ears, cucumber petals, crushed pink peppercorns, and even pickled carrots. 

Any reincarnation that satiated me in this century has still been quite familiar.

My latest CSA basket from Roots and Shoots Farm included a head of iceberg lettuce. Wedge was the first thing that came to mind.  

This particular head was a beautiful green with tender flawless, though quite loosely packed leaves. The iceberg lettuce I bought for my last Wedge Salad in March looked utterly anemic in comparison.

Whether you follow food trends or like food 'just because', get yourself a crisp Berg and start piling on the Blue.

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING FOR AN ICEBERG WEDGE SALAD

Inspired by many. Bon Appétit Magazine, Fine Cooking Magazine, Aaron McCargo Jr., Martha Stewart, David Lebovitz to name a few.

This blue cheese dressing handily covers 4 servings.  It makes a great dip for carrots, celery and suicide wings. Just use less buttermilk and lemon juice so it is 'stiffer'.

Ingredients:

100 - 125 gr. blue cheese, depending on your taste

4 tablespoons sour cream

3 - 4 tablespoons buttermilk, depending on your preferred consistency

2 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

a dash of sriracha

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Combine the crumbled blue cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.  Mash the blue cheese as you stir but make sure it still has some chunks throughout.  Add the lemon juice and stir.  Add the buttermilk until you have the desired consistency.  Add a dash of sriracha and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The dressing will stiffen when fully chilled.  Have it sit out while you are preparing the plates to soften it.

Serve over a quartered iceberg lettuce, core removed.  Garnish with bacon chunks/crumble and wedges of small tomatoes.  Sprinkle with chopped chives.  Include small chunks of blue cheese if you have some leftover.

Let Them Eat Cake! Rhubarb Streusel Upside-Down Cake!

"Let them eat cake!"

Apparently Marie Antoinette never said that, so I will.

My Fine Cooking magazine for February/March arrived in the mail yesterday and this issue is plugged full of seasonally appropriate stick-to-your-ribs kind of food.  When the mercury is dipping into uncomfortable temperatures here in the Nations Capital, I help our furnace out a bit by turning on the oven.

The Cranberry Streusel Upside-Down Cake by Katherine Eastman Seeley on page 84 caught my eye. Despite having packed up every last ribbon and bobble from the holidays already, I find I am still attracted to Christmas red. Well, truth be told, I actually had some buttermilk to move along.

Not a single cranberry could be found in the house.  Though, my supply of frozen rhubarb is still holding strong and it seemed like a decent substitute since 'tart' would play a lead role against all that sweet richness.

I followed the recipe except for the change in fruit. I would consider adding more pecans to the streusel next time as I just love that nut.

If it is too cold to venture out today to pick it up issue 127, this recipe is found on their website.

This cake goes quite well with a strong cup of morning coffee for those that think a wedge of it could substitute for muffin.

WARNING: Fine Cooking says a slice of this cake is 400 calories and 19 grams of fat, so enjoy sparingly!

RHUBARB STREUSEL UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
Serves 10 to 12

For the streusel 
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans 
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour 
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 
1/4 tsp. kosher salt 
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted 

For the topping 
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more for the pan 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen rhubarb* 

For the cake 
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour 
2 tsp. baking powder 
1 tsp. kosher salt 
4-1/2 oz. (9 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
3 large eggs, at room temperature 
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

* The original recipe called for cranberry.  I substituted in 600 grams of frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained.

Read Fine Cooking online for the method.

'Preserving' and 'In Season': My CSA Food Basket Companions for Season Three

I am about to go into my third season as a member of Roots and Shoots Farm's CSA (community supported agriculture) food basket program.

Being is a CSA member is both exhilarating and challenging. The two challenges that loom large are: what surprises will be in my weekly basket and how will I use this produce respectfully.

I have chosen to recruit support this season to help me to be better informed about my foods and to also provide me with more recipe ideas beyond my current repertoire. I am also looking to extend my bounty beyond the end of the growing season.

I consider Pat Crocker's latest book, Preserving, a must have reference resource in my food library. Even if you don't want to go the third mile and do canning or freezing, Preserving is loaded with information for using your fresh produce. In Season, put out by Fine Cooking, is also a similar compendium. They are well matched companion pieces.

The books are both laid out by the harvest seasons. Between the two of them they give much information. Background on the fruits, vegetables and herbs. Descriptions of varieties and history. Details about care, storage, preparation, cooking, and matching. And if you are feeling ambitious, how you can preserve it - canning, pickling, jamming, drying, freezing...

Of the two books, I find Preserving to be more comprehensive. Size alone would be your first clue. It is over 500 pages of carefully crafted pictures and text.

Pat Crocker's book appeals to my sense of responsibility to food safety. In fact, she is emphatic. In a time where preserving has been romanticized, it is critical to understand the dos and don'ts of proper preserving. It is not difficult to perform these tasks but it is critical they are fully understood. Botulism and food spoilage is serious business.

Although Preserving is encyclopedic, it is well written and an easy read. How many times do we turn to mom and ask, "Help me. I want to make .... How do I do it."? When I am reading Preserving, I find its voice so similar to that of my late mother. (High praise, indeed!) The pictures help too. Pat Crocker supplied her own stunning photos for her book.

It was a pleasure to meet Pat Crocker at Nick and Nat's Uptown 21 in Waterloo where Nick and Nat put on a special dinner to showcase Pat's creations from the book. Chef Nick Benninger is already a dedicated preserver. So it was no surprise that the food was delicious and inspiring. The take away message resonated loud and clear - this is easier than you think.



I am feeling more ready than ever for this growing season. With Preserving and In Season by my side, new and exciting magic will be taking place in my kitchen this spring, summer and fall. Oh yes, and winter too.

Heirloom Tomato Napoleon with Parmesan Crisps & Herb Salad

A fresh heirloom tomato salad is a rainbow of flavours bursting with sweetness and complicating the gastronomic senses.

The cascade of colours in our salad was a combination of fruit from local growers we hold in high regard:

• Roots and Shoots Farm (our latest CSA basket)
• Bryson Farms (sourced at The Piggy Market in Westboro)
• Vicki's Veggies (we planted one of her Yellow Perfection seedlings in June)
• Fran, a garden enthusiast and friend from Manotick (our Sweet 100 seedling was gifted to us at Easter and lovingly christened Heinz)

I first made Fine Cooking's Heirloom Tomato Napoleon with Parmesan Crisps & Herb Salad in September 2008 when I read about it in their July 2008 issue.


[The 4 tomatoes on the left are from Bryson Farms. The 10 wee red marbles are my Sweet 100's. The 3 yellow tomatoes in the middle are Vicki's Veggies' Yellow Perfection also grown in our garden. The remaining 7 tomatoes on the right are from Roots and Shoots Farm.]



Heirloom Tomato Napoleon with Parmesan Crisps & Herb Salad
Serves 4

For the Parmesan crisps:
2-1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, minced (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)
4 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil

For the salad:
1 cup baby arugula leaves
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into bite-size pieces if large
1/2 cup fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup 1-inch-long fresh chive pieces
20 small nasturtium leaves (optional)
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sixteen 1/3-inch-thick heirloom tomato slices, preferably of different colors, sizes, and shapes (2 to 3 lb.)
About 20 various heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered



The above is Fine Cooking's ingredient list. I made a few changes to the recipe:

• Because I used a grater to prepare my cheese, I only baked the Parmigiano-Reggiano for 8 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• I used only arugula for the greens and only enough to set a base on the plate.
• I used chives as a garnish - both as 1-inch straws but also finely chopped.
• I chose a different plating for the ingredients instead of the Napoleon formation. (see picture)
• Of their oil suggestions, I used olive oil and grapeseed oil in the dressing.
  

Roots and Shoots Farm
1004 Manotick Station Road
Manotick, Ontario
robin@rootsandshootsfarm.com
Website: www.rootsandshootsfarm.com
Facebook: Roots and Shoots Farm
Twitter: RootsShootsFarm

Bryson Farms
R.R.1, 25 Stewart Road
Shawville, Quebec
819-647-3456
Website: www.brysonfarms.com

The Piggy Market
400 Winston Avenue (in Westboro)
Ottawa, Ontario
613-371-6124
Website: www.ThePiggyMarket.com
Twitter: ThePiggyMarket

Vicki's Veggies
81 Morrison Pt Rd
Milford, Ontario
613-476-7241
Website: www.VickisVeggies.com
Facebook: Vicki's Veggies Farm
Twitter: VickisVeggies

Cottage Life - Tranquility Has Found Me

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Tranquility presents itself in many forms. For some it exists only in a setting of deafening silence. Others need a tactile experience. A sense of pampering - spa-like conditions.

For me, I experienced tranquility on the July long weekend while cottaging on the south shores of a large lake a short drive from Ottawa. We visited for just 7.5 hours, with an action packed agenda.

It started in high gear with a quick tour of the rustic cottage, bunkie, vegetable garden and the beautifully manicured acreage pushing out onto a topographically notable large point.



Then on to the first order of cottage business. With chairs in lakeside formation, we quaffed happy-hour drinks and nibbled salty snacks. For the indecisive, it meant two fisting their 'balanced diet'.





The collection of young people congregated nearby to engage in the cut-throat card game, 'President'. They incorporated well-timed, relaxing intermissions.







Fully refreshed, we scrolled the cottage road to do the land-side tour. The brother and sister of our host also have cottages just doors away. With all siblings propertied on the lake, so close together, it symbolizes a family bond of 'compound' status. We neighboured in, the gathering grew and the visiting continued dockside. More refreshments, salty snacks and good chats.

Dinner beckoned us as we wandered back to the point. The many hands of the hungry pitched in.









The cool breeze gently shouldered us as we dined just feet from the rocky shore with the last warm rays of the afternoon sun buoying downward.



There was a rapid gesture at cleanup.

As dusk settled in, we took the requisite party boat ride around the waters, now touring the neighbourhood lakeside. I was already dreaming of a strategically placed For Sale sign pounded in on the shoreline somewhere nearby.

With the sun tucked away for the evening, we took in a colourfully home-choreographed display of fireworks. Surgically executed, with a strong support team of testosterone. Me, I was safe behind the screened in porch, far from the munching of sparrow-sized mosquitoes.

Some huddled at the cozy pit fire, in the pitch black of the night sky that held a scattering of diamond glittering stars.

The closing of the day was celebrated with Strawberry and Lemon Curd Smartie cake, plus 4-Biter World Famous Butter Tarts. For some, seconds of both.



To the observer it would seem we were going at breakneck speed, considering our short stay. But I just floated on the ebb and flow of activities knitted together like poetry in motion. I found my place in conversation, behind the camera, prepping food, serving, cheering pyrotechnics.

I was somewhere I had never been before. For a brief period my troubles were pulled out onto the waves and hidden in the darkness of the night sky. I was surrounded by that family's cottage life, including their family extensions. It was inviting. It was safe. It was beautiful. And for just a short time, tranquility found me.

Vietnamese Chicken and Salad with Lime-Peanut Thai Dressing

Our house is about to lose one of its biggest appetites. And as the days dwindle, I find myself wondering just how on earth we are going to cope with the quantity of food still in our freezer. It is just a bottom-mount in our kitchen refrigerator, but the volume it holds is daunting. I have been on a mission to drastically reduce its contents. The thing is bottomless.

My bedtime reading of late has been a re-read of The Best of Fine Cooking 's Fresh & Quick 2010 Magazine. Every night I pick it up from my night table and go through it like it just arrived today. A bit of a Groundhog Day experience. You would think by now I would have it memorized.

Last night my eyes fixated on Vietnamese-Style Caramel-Braised Chicken. I liked its dessert-like name. I liked that it seemed dead easy. This was going to be a dinner that would help me unload that freezer. I found inspiration.

Today I discovered 2 lbs of frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It was a package of a reasonable size and I felt that focusing on the bigger packages in the freezer would eventually show greater progress for PROJECT EMPTY. Remembering the Fine Cooking inspiration recipe from the night before, out it came.

I chose to serve it with steamed jasmine rice and mixed greens with an Asian style dressing.



VIETNAMESE-STYLE CARAMEL-BRAISED CHICKEN
Adapted from a recipe by Adam Ried of The Best of Fine Cooking's Fresh & Quick 2010
Servings: 4

1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into strips
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a measuring cup combine the fish sauce and 1/4 cup water. Set aside.

Put the sugar into a skillet (preferably not a dark one like non-stick or cast iron) with 3 tablespoons of water. Heat over medium to medium low heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a slow boil, swirling pan occasionally, until the sugar has a deep amber color. This may take 5 minutes or more. Let the colour tell you when you are done. Don't use a spoon or whisk; it just sticks to it.

Remove pan from the heat and carefully add the fish sauce mixture. Swirl pan to combine. Return pan to medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper and black pepper. Cook until the onions are soft. This just takes a few minutes.

Add the chick to the pan in a single layer. Reduce the heat. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. About 8 minutes. When you know the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle with fresh cilantro.



SALAD GREENS AND PEACHES WITH LIME-PEANUT THAI DRESSING

mixed greens
peaches

Dressing:
vegetable oil
lime juice
sesame oil
soy sauce
chili paste
ginger
garlic
pepper
peanut butter
sugar

Crab Cakes Followed by Veal Scallopini in Mushroom Madeira Sauce

Yesterday my niece turned 26. She lives in town for now since she is enrolled in graduate studies at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. To celebrate her big day and the 'almost' completion of her program, she accepted the invitation to our 'restaurant' and she brought along two of her school friends. We eased into the meal with a very meaty crab cake appetizer. The recipe is from Cook's Illustrated and therefore guaranteed to be tried and true.



I like to get my crab (real) for this dish at the Produce Depot on Carling Avenue. In their seafood section they carry a container of crab that is close to 1 pound and the crab has already been prepared. We had tried it once before and found it worked well and it is a super easy way to begin the preparation of this delectable treat. What a starter for fine dining!



Although the recipe says it makes 4 patties, I pushed for 5 to accommodate the crowd (one person sat this one out). They still weighed in at a good 4 ounces each. I also made a few change ups to the recipe. I decided to try Panko (Japanese bread flakes) instead of the more pedestrian, everyday bread crumbs. And the herb I chose was cilantro. The picture below is plating in progress and; therefore, pre-sauce. I made a concoction of mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, horseradish and capers. A real burst of flavours. For me, the crab cakes turned out to be my favourite dish from the evening.



PAN-FRIED CRAB CAKES WITH OLD BAY SEASONING
Source: The 'New' Best Recipe - from the editors of Cook's Illustrated

The amount of bread crumbs you add will depend on the crab meat's juiciness. Start with the smallest amount, adjust the seasonings, and then add the egg. If the cakes won't bind at this point, add more bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time.

1 pound crab meat
4 scallions, green parts only, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, or dill, basil or parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seafood seasoning
2 tablespoons bread crumbs, plain dry
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt
ground white pepper
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
lemon wedges

Gently fold the crab meat, scallions, herb, Old Bay, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and mayonnaise together in a medium bowl, being careful not to break up the lumps of crab. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Carefully fold in the egg with a rubber spatula until the mixture just clings together. Add more crumbs if necessary.

Divide the crab mixture into 4 portions and shape each into a fat, round cake, about 3 inches across and 1 1/2 inches high. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed or parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. (The crab cakes can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

Put the flour on a plate or in a pie tin. Lightly dredge the crab cakes in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Gently lay the chilled crab cakes in the skillet and pan-fry until the outsides are crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately with lemon wedges or dipping sauce.

***

Then on to the main course. The veal dish is one we found back in 1990. It came from the then newly published Canadian Rush Hour Cookbook. We made it expecting 'reliable' but came away pleasantly surprised at the WOW factor. What a fantastic dish for entertaining. I ended up getting the veal at Produce Depot as well. Costco was sold out and the product at Farm Boy, although on sale, didn't warm me.

For sides, we chose oven roast potatoes and sautéed green beans and red, yellow and orange peppers. The peeled, red (because they are so creamy!) potatoes are first tossed lightly in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. The Pampered Chef stoneware pan gives consistent results every time. I vary the temperature and roasting time depending on the dinner party and how we are juggling other dishes timing-wise. If we need them fast, it is 425ºF for an hour. Last night I went for 350ºF and maybe as long as 2 hours as we were trying to throttle back on their readiness. The vegetables were first steamed and then quickly sautéed lightly in butter to finish.




VEAL SCALLOPINI IN MUSHROOM MADEIRA SAUCE
Source: The Canadian Living Rush Hour Cookbook

A simple but stylish sauce over quickly cooked meat makes classy
rush-hour fare. Use pork or turkey scallopini for a change of flavor.

All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 lb Mushrooms, small, cut in half
2 tbsp Shallots, minced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 lb veal scallops
1/2 cups Beef Stock
1/4 cups Madeira
1/2 cups Whipping Cream (35%)
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped

Using flat side of meat cleaver, pound veal very thin between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Dust veal lightly with flour.

In large skillet, heat oil with 1 tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat; cook veal (in batches if necessary) for about 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Remove veal; set aside.

Melt remaining butter in skillet; cook mushrooms, stirring, for about 3 minutes or just until tender, adding a little more butter if needed. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside with veal.

To juices in pan, add shallots and garlic; cook briefly until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in stock and Madeira; cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add any juice that has accumulated around veal and mushrooms; pour in cream.

Reduce again to thicken slightly, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add veal, mushrooms and parsley; heat through. Makes 4 servings.

***

We went at a relaxing pace towards dessert. As the lattes were being brewed from our Rancilio Silvia, the Triple Lemon Layer Cake was being prepped with candles. Really, really long candles. The cake is a find from Fine Cooking. It is family tradition to decorate the birthday cake with smarties. 26 is the age of sophistication so we dispensed with multicolour and artfully placed only the yellow smarties, along with the house favourite jujubes and the ubiquitous silver dragées.



The Lemon Curd filling (also Fine Cooking) between the layers is to die for. This is definitely a worth-while recipe to have tucked away for future use.



All in all, a very good birthday dinner that left us all feeling a wee bit soporific!