Archive for November, 2009

The hospitality is generous at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge's Christmas in November.

Twenty-one years ago the Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper Alberta joined forces with the Edmonton Journal to create a fabulous program called Christmas in November. I've lost track- a little - of how many years of these 21 I have flown to Edmonton, then journeyed across the plains into the foothills and finally Jasper Park - surely one of the most beautiful places in Canada.I will never take mountains for granted - they are just too spectacular and imposing.

Martinis are a tradition at Christmas in November

 The reward at the end is a week, sometimes only a weekend of sharing some of Canadian Living Magazine's festive recipes with guests. 

One of the smartest things I ever did was to invite a member of the Test Kitchen to accompany and help me - first it was fireball Jennifer MacKenzie, and ever since we worked together on Canadian Living Cooks, I've partnered with Emily Richards. 

Well, it's Christmas in November time again, and I'm packing up the odd pieces of equipment and my supply of aprons. Emily and I are presenting entertaining appetizers and little desserts - perfect for holiday open house celebrations - friends over for a glass of wine - get togethers where the three Fs reign: friends, family and good food. 

Brutti ma Buoni

This is a recipe from Emily's family who emigrated from Calabria to Sault Ste. Marie where Emily's grandmother still lives. The meringues base is particularly lustrous, and into it are folded goodies such as toasted nuts - h slivered almonds are particularly tasty, or chopped  dark chocolate, or both, or in a version that's more Canada than Calabria, chopped nougat milk chocolate bars - Toblerone is a popular brand.  Brutti ma Buoni means ugly but good - reflecting the irregular shapes of the cookies and the way they split to reveal the goodies folded into the meringue.

4 egg whites, from large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

3 tbsp (45 mL) all-purpose flour

2 cups (500 mL) coarsely chopped nougat milk chocolate bar or chopped dark chocolate or a combination of chopped dark chocolate and slivered almonds (as in the photo)

2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar

. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

. In a large heatproof bowl whisk together the egg whites and granulated sugar. Set over a slightly smaller saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking occasionally, until opaque, about 10 minutes.

. Remove from the heat; beat at high speed until cooled, thickened and glossy, about 7 minutes. 

. Fold in the vanilla and flour; fold in the chocolate.

. Drop the meringue batter by heaping tablespoonfuls (15 mL), or smaller if desired, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart onto the prepared pans.

. Bake 1 sheet at a time, in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown.

. Let cool on racks. (Make-ahead: store at cool room temperature, layered with waxed paper in airtight containers for up to 3 days.)

. Using a fine sieve, dust the Brutti ma Buoni with icing sugar.

. Makes 24 large, about 36 smaller cookies.

Shortbread - simply flour, sugar and butter. Possibly the world's most streamlined cookie. That is, until culinarily imaginative types are unleashed with the goal of designing a brand new shortbread recipe.

Here was the contest criteria: This perfect shortbread couldn't be too hard to make, but certainly it needs pizzazz, naturally has to have good looks, be creative and...YES, have a buttery taste. Not just because butter is the raison d'etre of shortbread, but also because the sponsors of the contest, open to student chefs was Gay Lea, a 400-strong farmers' cooperative who makes fine butter, both salted and unsalted.

We assembled, the four chefs in training, an audience of fellow students, friends and family,  the two other judges Dana McCauley, trend meister and cookbook author and Stephanie Pick, owner of The Queen of Tarts where she sells the acme of brown butter shortbread with either coarse salt or sugar gracing the top. (Go for the salt.) The bake-off location was the chic new Market Kitchen in the second floor of the St. Lawrence Market, once part of Toronto's original city hall, now a cooking school and party venue. Lots of afternoon light streaming through the original 20 foot windows, exposed brick and views of the historic and modern city outside.

The students had already made a batch of their shortbread for display and tasting, and were working through their recipes so the judges could see them in action and ask questions. There were some interesting (as in unusual) flavours going into the dough the students in whites were mixing up. Bacon and maple syrup, for example,or shortbread cookies sandwiched together with lemon curd from Alejandra Gonzales of Humber College, or lemon and lavender, cut into moons and stars by a second Humber College student Stephanie Lackie, even peanut butter and jam. This was certainly going to be a taste experience. While the judges nibbled, then withdrew to confer in private, the audience was munching to pass judgment for the Peoples' Choice.

As did Caesar, we judges came, we tasted and we chose the winner. Robert Maxwell from Liaison College and his Peanut Butter  and Jelly Shortbread. The People chose  Andrea Schmidt's Maple Glazed Bacon and Chive Shortbread. There's no denying bacon's appeal.

Robert Maxwell's shortbread met all the criteria for a buttery creative shortbread that's straightforward to make. While an egg yolk is not usual in shortbread, Maxwell used one in the dough in order to keep the peanut butter and jelly layer from bleeding into the dough. His shortbread has an interesting twist - he shapes  the dough into 2 equal logs and freezes them until time to bake. Then, he shreds half of the dough, pats it into the pan for the base, spreads peanut butter and a jam mixture over that, and shreds the remaining dough over the filling. The bars have an enticing pebbly surface that cuts neatly. Recipe and photos of Robert Maxwell and finished bars arranged at the top of the copy are courtesy of Gay Lea Foods.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shortbread Bars

Shortbread Base and Topping:

1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

1 egg yolk (large egg)

1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

Filling:

1/2 cup (125 mL) smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup jam (blueberry, strawberry or raspberry ) or grape jelly

. Line a 13 -x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan with parchment paper; set aside.

. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and egg yolk with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir half at a time into the butter mixture to make a smooth dough.

. Divide the dough in half; shape each half into a thick log. Wrap and freeze dough until firm, about 1 to 4 hours.

The dough has to be frozen and firm enough to shred on the large hole-side of a box grater, and to stay frozen/firm enough to spread in the parchment paper-lined pan seen behind the grater and cutting board.

. Remove half of the dough from the freezer. Shred the dough on the coarse side of a square grater. Arrange the dough in an even layer in the prepared pan. Lightly pat down the dough.

. Bake in the centre of a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven until light golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes.

. Filling:  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, blend together the peanut butter, icing sugar and butter. Spread evenly over the shortbread base.

.

. Drop spoonfuls of the jam over the peanut butter and without disturbing the peanut butter layer, spread in an even layer. An offset spatula makes getting the jam into the corners much easier.

. Remove the remaining dough from the freezer. Shred the dough and spread evenly over the jam. Bake until the top is lightly golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes.

. Transfer to rack to cool completely. Cut into bars. Or cut into squares and cut again diagonally into triangles or bars.

Depending on the occasion you can cut squares, triangles or bars. For a neat finish for all pieces, take a sharp long knife and cutting down evenly along the ends and sides of the making of bars, trim off the edges. Enjoy the scraps with a glass of milk before packing the shortbread into an airtight cookie tin.

. Makes 24 pieces.

Wine-Braised Brisket: photo Jodi Pudge

"I'm going home to dust off my slow cooker", commented one guest at a cooking demonstration I did recently at First Canadian Place in downtown Toronto. Just one more enthusiast of the slow cooker in a growing number of born-again slow cooker lovers. 

Sure, the casing, insert and lid combo have been around since the early 70s, and was mighty popular until the microwave nudged it off the culinary scene in the 80s and 90s. Speed seemed to be the answer to all our culinary needs.

 But Canadians, and especially Canadians, have rediscovered the usefulness of the slow cooker. Young and not-so-young like getting ingredients ready for the cooker, switching the on-button and going on with their business, be it out of house, or activities at home. It's a blissful easy way to cook, one that fits our practical nature. For inexperienced cooks, the appliance offers a simple way to put a meal on the table. Not just any meal, but a good meal.

There's another reason why we Canadians have embraced the slow cooker. Braised, slow cooked comfort food- the kind of food the slow cooker excells at - speaks to us, creatures of the north. Winter and the other two cold weather seasons - spring and fall,  are with us longer than we care to admit. A steaming soup, a one-pot stew, a chili or curry - now that says welcome home when we come in from blustery weather.

Canadian Living has published over 30 cookbooks in the last 35 years - barbecue, baking, one-pot, country-style, desserts, make-it-tonight quick suppers - but it has to be admitted, the magazine has been slow about publishing a slow cooker cookbook.

But we've caught up with the just published Canadian Living, The Slow Cooker Collection (Transcontinental Books, $22.95). It's been worth the wait - even if I have to say so. The Canadian Living Test Kitchen staff, especially Heather Howe and Rheanna Kish with food director Gabrielle Bright, have been creating slow cooker recipes for the magazine for many years and the collection in the cookbook represent our best, plus a goodly addition of new recipes (desserts and appetizers, for example) to pique the culinary interest of our faithful reader/cooks.

From the Slow Cooker Collection I have chose two recipes to encourage you to dust off your cooker, or to add to your list of must-do-again recipes. First the Wine Braised Brisket, a lovely pot roast that feeds a crowd, and is even better the next day.

Wine Braised Brisket

For this pot roast (see above), choose either a double beef brisket (which includes part of the flat and the point) or a more common cut, just the flat. You may need to cut the brisket in half to fit into the slow cooker insert. If so and you are near the slow cooker,  rotate the halves mid-way through the cooking.

No brisket? Try a pot roast cut such as a boneless beef cross rib or blade. 

1-1/4 tsp (6 mL) salt

3/4 tsp (4 mL) freshly ground pepper

3/4 tsp (4 mL)  rosemary leaves, chopped

1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper

4 lb (2 kg) double beef brisket pot roast

2 large onions, sliced vertically

4 large cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup (175 mL) dry red wine

1/2 cup (125 mL) sodium-reduced beef broth

1/2 cup (125 mL) thawed cranberry cocktail concentrate

1/4 cup (50 mL) soy sauce, sodium reduced if desired

1/4 cup (50 mL) all-purpose flour

. Use a medium slow cooker, 5 to 6 quarts (5 to 6 L).

. In a large bowl, combine the salt, pepper, rosemary and cayenne pepper; remove half and  rub over the brisket. To the bowl, add the onions and garlic; toss with the remaining spice mixture. Arrange the brisket, fat side up, over the onions and garlic mixture.

. In a large measuring cup or separate bowl, stir together the wine, broth, cranberry cocktail and soy sauce. Pour over the brisket. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or up to 1 day.  

. Transfer the onions, garlic and liquid to the slow cooker; top with the brisket. Cover and cook on low until the meat is fall-apart tender, about 5 to 6 hours.

. Transfer the brisket to cutting board; cover and keep warm for 20 minutes.

. Meanwhile, skim fat from liquid in slow cooker. In small bowl, whisk flour with 1/3 cup (75 mL) water; whisk into liquid.

. Cover and cook on high until thickened, about 20 minutes. (Make-ahead; Let brisket and sauce cool separately for 30 minutes. Combine brisket and sauce in uncovered airtight container; refrigerate until cold and refrigerate for 2 days.)

. Slice brisket across the grain and serve with the sauce. 

. Makes 10 servings. 

Tip: A brisket is much easier to slice cold than hot. This tip is encouragement to make the brisket one day, slice and reheat the next. 

Roasted Garlic

Heads of roasted garlic are like money in the culinary piggy bank. You can take a head and make a delicious vinaigrette dressing, work some into mashed white or sweet potatoes, add to pizza toppings or pasta sauces. Or, smear it on crusty baguette like butter. Anywhere you want a boost of sweet toasty mellow garlic. The photo below is by Jodi Pudge, and the food styling in both photos is by Claire Stubbs.

6 plump heads garlic

1 tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme or sage or oregano

. Use a medium slow cooker, 4 to 6 quart (4 to 6 L).

. Rub loose papery skin off garlic; cut off tops to just expose the tips of the cloves.

. Arrange the garlic, tips up, in a single layer on a sheet of foil large enough to enclose the garlic with room to spare. Drizzle the heads with the oil and sprinkle with the thyme.

. Pull the foil up and around the garlic loosely; fold in edges to seal. Fit ina  single layer in the slow cooker.

. Cover and cook on low until fragrant and garlic cloves are tender and golden, about 2 to 3 hours. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in foil packet for up to 3 days. Or freeze packet in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.)