You don’t have to trek to the nearest bakery to enjoy a great bagel. Try this recipe and you may never want to purchase these delicious classics again!
Fish is a staple in our home and I am always trying to create new accompaniments, while at the same time using local foods. I enjoy creating nutritious meals that are diabetic friendly (two of my children have Type 1 Diabetes), heart healthy, and always incorporating as many colours of the rainbow that I can. This dish can be made with any white fish as it looks so inviting with the reds and greens of the sides. Wild blueberries and Halibut - a perfect marriage as opposites do attract! I have (tried) roasted beets before but was always a bit disappointed when they dried out, so I tried this crusting method and it turns out a moist brightly colored beet with just a hint of horseradish! When plating this recipe, layering creates a presentation that is not only eye-appealing, but a superb blend of flavors. Using summers' bounty means delicious fresh menus for friends and family.
These Gnocchi alla Romana are infused with rosemary, garlic and sage while the butternut squash is caramelizing and roasting in the oven. The squash is then added to the polenta like dough while cooking on the stove top. It was a winner and a technique I will use over and over again.
I don't eat sugar as an additive at all and am quite health-conscious with my diet. This recipe has no added sugar but is sweet from natural fruit sugars. Many of my friends are not quite so health-conscious, so I try to create healthful yet delicious entrees to share with them. I chose pork as a base for this recipe because it is highly available and inexpensive; so that even for a budget of under $60 anyone could host a dinner party and confidently serve a fabulous entree (students included!). Finally, I enjoyed the challenge of transforming a typically dry and, in my dining experiences, boring cut of meat into an exciting and unexpectedly flavorful dish with Canadian ingredients from my birthplace of Winnipeg and my new home in Ontario.
It is hard to believe that this entire meal for 6 can be prepared in under an hour. The ingredients in this main course and side dishes are completely Canadian (including the Canola oil), but just like our country's unique cultural mosaic -- they have been flavoured with exotic spices and other wonderful additions which highlight Canada's tolerance and respect for people of other lands. The lamb was reared in Ontario and the eggplant can be grown in almost any Canadian garden. I sometimes serve the lamb with chick pea fries and chuckle when I remind my Indian in-laws that Canada and Australia are now growing garbanzo beans, too.
Menu:
Lake Brome Duck Breast with Cranberry and Kumquat Chutney
Oven Roasted Nova Scotia Organic Fingerling Potatoes
Organic Nova Scotia Carrots in Maple Syrup Glaze
Salad of Organic Nova Scotia Micro Greens and Sprouts with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette and Honey Goat Cheese Puffs
Inspiration: The inspiration for this meal comes from the 100 mile challenge featured on Food Network. I am currently involved with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm here in Nova Scotia and am quite passionate about eating Slow Food, which is locally grown. I want to reduce my carbon footprint by using as many ingredients as possible that come from the province where I live in rather than from afar. It is nice to know, not only where your food comes from, but who grew it as well. Our children are quite excited each week to see our food box arrive, and always wonder what our farmer has sent us. Part of what I like about this recipe is that although it appears complicated, it really is quite simple and requires nothing out of the ordinary for most kitchens these days, with the exception of the kumquats. I have also included the recipes for the side dishes I like to serve with this meal. Preparation time includes preparing and cooking the side dishes as well. There are substitutions for the vegetables, for example using new baby potatoes or baby carrots, and substituting a peppery arugula for the micro greens. Food doesn't have to be pretentious or difficult to taste good. This recipe calls for one duck breast for each person, which for some appetites may be alot. The recipe could be stretched to serve 8, if the breasts are on the larger side. Wine Pairing: Jost L'Acadie Blanc Chardonnay (The Flight of the Silver Dart Commemorative) or Domaine de Grand Pre L'Acadie Blanc
Presentation: When presenting this dish, place a spoonful of the chutney in the centre of a warmed plate. Slice the duck thinly crossways and fan half over either side of the chutney. I place the carrots at one end of the plate with a bit of the glaze and the potatoes at the other, and drizzle balsamic glaze on each plate.
