Chicken Samosa Pie
Thighs work well in this new main-course take on a popular appetizer because they stay moist during cooking. Serve with Coriander Chutney.
Thighs work well in this new main-course take on a popular appetizer because they stay moist during cooking. Serve with Coriander Chutney.
This entree combines local food Arctic Char & blueberries with hearty vegetables that can withstand a plane trip to the north. This is best made with freshly caught fish and blueberries picked from the tundra, but can be made with frozen fish and blueberries, for a taste of fleeting Arctic summer anytime of the year.
This one-pot meal is loaded with juicy chicken, smoky bacon, hearty potatoes and tender-crisp veggies. We like to call it comfort in a bowl.
We prefer steaming over boiling because it prevents fresh crab from becoming waterlogged—and adding ingredients such as herbs, garlic and citrus during cooking enhances the crustacean's natural sweetness.
By Cindy Ball, Vancouver
Cook of The Year 2009 Winner, Vegetarian category
Cindy layers roasted and sautéed vegetables between three highly flavoured quinoa mixtures to create a colourful vegetarian “lasagna.” This dish was invented not only for her oldest daughter (the lone vegetarian in a household of meat lovers), but also so the whole family could enjoy more vegetarian meals.
The basis of great eggs Benedict is a perfect hollandaise sauce. When making it, keep the water at a bare simmer so that the egg yolks don't scramble.
Harissa, a paste made from crushed chilies, gives these North African-inspired lamb sausages their signature kick. Find boneless lamb shoulder and sausage casings at your butcher, and make sure the meat is chilled before you work with it. For easy prep, enlist a helper for filling the casings.
This turkey is full of flavour thanks to the brine and smoke. Cooking on the barbecue not only allows you to smoke the bird but also keeps your oven free for other dishes. For best results, do not use a bird larger than 13 lb (6 kg) on the barbecue. You'll need about 2-1/2 cups applewood chips; be sure to soak them in water for an hour before using.
To simplify dinner prep, bake and freeze these rolls in advance—if you can resist eating them fresh out of the oven. The secret to their divine texture is to use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
My family absolutely loves this dish. It is one of those wonderful dishes that is best prepared the day ahead which leaves you plenty of time for entertaining when your friends are over. It came about as my son was dating a girl who was a vegetarian, I wanted to make a dish for supper that we could all enjoy with her. I looked at a variety of recipes and formulated this one, which we have come to love - I have shared the recipe with garlic loving friends who just can't get enough! All the ingredients can be grown in my backyard, although I usually buy the eggplant at the St. Jacobs Farmers market in Waterloo, about 15 minutes from my home. Serve this with a caesar salad and some crusty bread and voila! A meal your friends won't soon forget!
