This meal-in-a-bowl from our November 2005 "Loaf & Ladle" story will disappear quickly, but if you do have leftovers, adjust consistency with a little liquid.
The size of the shrimp doesn't matter in these pastries. However, choose raw shrimp rather than cooked to ensure they don't overcook when baked.
A stylish vegetarian dish is a welcome component of any meal, and this one especially will find favour with both vegetarians and meat lovers.
Simmering whole shanks adds tons of flavour from the bones, and the rich gelatin from any marrow gives the soup body. To round out the meal, serve with a side of couscous.
You can make this hearty soup vegetarian by omitting the bacon, sautéing the veggies in olive oil instead of the bacon fat and substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Use the bottom of a heavy saucepan to crush the fennel seeds, which will release their licorice-like flavour. If you don't have fresh spinach, you can use half of a 300-gram package of frozen spinach; just be sure to thaw and drain it well before stirring it into the soup.
This is the Greek variation of lasagna, made with less fuss and less fat, too. It's great for company — make it the day before, then pop it in the oven. Serve with a light green salad tossed with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.
Executive chef John Cordeaux of The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto gets back to his British roots with this rich and traditional beef pie, enriched with Guinness and updated with notes of smoky bacon.
Everyone loves the comfort of hearty meat lasagna. Using oven-ready noodles cuts down on the preparation time. There are four Canadian cheeses in this dish, but the secret ingredient is Canadian Cream cheese, which gives this classic dish its special flavour. When it comes to cheese, the more the merrier!
This vegetable-filled ground lamb sauce alternates with layers of Canadian cheeses and pasta to make a Greek-style comfort casserole. You could use ground beef instead of lamb if you prefer. To plan ahead for a busy weeknight, assemble and refrigerate this dish for up to 3 days, then bake as directed, adding up to 15 minutes to the cooking time.
Take the chill off Canada's chilly autumn nights with soups, stews and casseroles from the "Kitchen Comfort" collection of recipes in the November 2006 issue of Canadian Living magazine.
