Ontario Root Vegetable Oven Fries, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention

"Knowledge is the food of the soul." Plato

Good day, followers!

As mentioned last week, I went to the 10th annual Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention on Thursday with my Dad and Uncle Jeff. Our purpose for going was a morning's talk about growing hops, with hopes of one day having our own mini 'hop yard' up at our 10 acres in Norfolk County!
We headed out to Niagara Falls early to register and make sure we got good seats. The convention centre was abuzz with farmers and city folk alike and there was a lot to see and do. The convention floor held dozens of exhibits encompassing ever aspect of farming, while several sessions were going on upstairs. At the same time our speakers were informing us on hops, the other rooms were having talks about anything from Farmer's Markets, to Apples, Tender Fruit and Dealing with Water. All very interesting subjects! Now, I'm not going get into the topic of hops today since my 'Homebrew Month' starts next week... But, what I can say is that after spending the day surrounded by Ontario farmers, I was inspired to do some cooking! On my way home, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some Ontario produce and make us up a tonne of delicious root vegetable fries for dinner!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Root Vegetable Oven Fries
(serves 6 to 8)

1 large potato, scrubbed and cut into french fry shape
1 large sweet potato, scrubbed or peeled and cut into french fry shape
2 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut into french fry shape
1 large yellow turnip (rutabaga), peeled and cut into french fry shape
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place all of the cut vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the oil, salt and pepper (it was important to cut the veggies into similar sizes, so they cook evenly). Spread the root vegetables out single layer onto two lightly greased trays. Do not overcrowd.
Remove the trays after 15 mins of roasting and turn the veggies over. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 to 20 mins until the root vegetables are browned and crisp. Enjoy!

Why stop at potatoes to make fries, when there are so many great locally grown winter vegetables available right now?! These oven fries were so good and my surprising favourites were the turnip fries! Yum! I also used rainbow carrots for something a bit different and the purple ones added such great colour to the mix.
After the convention, we went to Niagara-on-the-Lake to my fave pub The Olde Angel Inn for lunch. With hops on our minds, we ordered up some brew and discussed the upcoming month of blogging. I hope you all come back next week as 'Homebrew Month' gets underway! Without saying too much, I will be starting with the origins of beer, will continue with the key ingredients, will show you all the step by step method of making homebrew with my Uncle and will include a recipe featuring beer for each blog! How fun is March going to be?! Well, have a great rest of the weekend and I hope you will all be back next week! Bye for now!

No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread with Rolled Oats and Seeds

"If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens." Robert Browning

What a wonderful quote! Wouldn't you agree, my long weekend loving followers?!
Well, as promised I am back with a another 'no-knead' bread recipe. I have been experimenting for a little while and this one just happens to be my sweetie's favourite! This whole wheat bread, laden with rolled oats and various seeds, is dense and moist. It makes such flavourful toast, especially when slathered with butter or jam. And, I should also mention how wonderfully crunchy this bread becomes when made into a grilled cheese sandwich. Impeccable! This 'no-knead' method is so effortless that believe it or not, I still haven't bought bread in months. I can honestly see myself making my own breads for a long time and as far as I'm concerned, homemade bread tastes much better than store bought. Not to mention you know exactly what the ingredients are, it allows for creativity, personal taste and also saves a bit of money! How can you go wrong with that?

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

No-Knead Whole Wheat  Bread with Rolled Oats and Seeds
(makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves)

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp (21 gr) quick-rise (instant) yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup mixed seeds (I used pepitas, sunflower, flax, sesame and poppy)
1 2/3 cup lukewarm water

Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl and combine with a wooden spoon. Pour in the water and stir until all of the the ingredients are well combined with no dry floury bits. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or a recycled plastic bag without any holes) and allow to rest for 4 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size and is bubbly in appearance.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and with floured hands (the dough will be quite sticky!) shape your dough into a desired shape. If you please, cut the dough in half and shape two loaves. Place the loaf onto a parchment lined tray and allow to rise until doubled in size once again, about 1 1/2 hours. At this point you can cut a slash into the loaf, like I have. Heat the oven to 400, bake the bread on the middle rack for about 30 mins until browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. For a crusty loaf, place a shallow vessel filled with water onto the lower rack at the same time you put your bread in the oven. The steam will make the crust. Cool on a rack to room temperature before slicing, enjoy!

I really do hope you try this bread recipe out and I will definitely continue to experiment and let you all know how it's going!

Now followers, I have two exciting culinary adventures I'd like to announce! Next week I am joining my Dad and Uncle Jeff at the 2012 Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention being held in Niagara Falls. The point of interest for our visit is a lecture on growing hops. And we all know what hops are used for, right? Making beer! And that is exactly what my next announcement is about...

The month of March is going to be dedicated to homebrewed beer! Very exciting stuff! My Uncle Jeff's Nut Brown Ale is almost ready and once it is, the fun will begin. I will show you how homebrewed beer is made from start to finish and will also include beer based recipes. So, the countdown has begun and I promise great things are about to come! Enjoy your long weekend, followers and we will catch up next week!

Vietnamese Faux Pho Soup

'Knock my socks off!' Helina Efrem

Good day followers, isn't it nice that winter is back to pay us a visit? Yay snow!
Well, I'm here today with another recipe request and might I add, a challenging request at that! My old friend Helina has asked for a soup recipe that will 'knock her socks off'. She didn't ask for anything in particular. Nope, nothing about ingredients or flavours, just her socks being knocked off... Tough one, wouldn't you agree?! But, also very exciting!
To figure this one out, I started to think about the last time that my socks got knocked off! It was at last year's Fall Cottage Life Show. I had a sample of a Vietnamese pho soup made by Monda Rosenburg and it was delicious! A unique blend of cinnamon and star anise (pictured below) with garlic and ginger make this vigorous broth awake the senses. Thin slices of meat and rice noodles, served with lively garnishes on the side make this soup a pleasure to eat. With so many vivid flavours, this pho (pronounced 'fuh') is simply fantastic! Traditional phos are made either with beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga). But, since I'm feeling a bit adventurous, I'm going to stray and add some shrimp, mushrooms and carrots. Helina, put your socks on and get ready!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Vietnamese Faux Pho Soup
(serves 2)

2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced
2 gloves garlic, sliced in half
1 litre stock, beef, chicken or vegetable (preferably homemade), low in sodium
1 slice ginger root, cut 1 cm thick
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup sliced seasonal veggies (I used carrots and shiitake mushrooms)
1 cup thinly cooked or raw sliced meat, tofu or shrimp
2 cups rice noodles, fresh or cooked (follow package instructions)
sea salt

Garnishes:

1/2 lime, cut into wedges
hot sauce, I recommend Sriracha hot garlic chili sauce (our fave!)
a handful of beansprouts, fresh cilantro, Thai basil and mint

Heat the oil in a medium pot on medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic, fry until lightly browned, 3 to 4 mins, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock, add the ginger, cinnamon, star anise and sugar. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer with a lid on for about 10 mins.
Meanwhile... Arrange the garnishes neatly on a plate. Get out your serving bowls and the divide the cooked rice noodles between them, set aside. Also place the cooked meat into the bowls.
If your protein is raw, add the meat/shrimp/tofu to the simmering broth and cook fully (about 30 seconds or so). Remove and divide between the serving bowls. Add the sliced vegetables to the pot, return lid and cook for 3 to 4 mins more. Remove the ginger slice, cinnamon stick and star anise and if needed, adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt. Ladle the broth equally into the bowls. Serve immediately with the garnishes. An ngon mieng nhe!

So, so yummy! I really hope you like it, Helina!
Now, I know I sound like a broken record, but go ahead and make this faux pho your own! Add different veggies or try different noodles. So easy to do, just be adventurous! Oh, by the way, it's no mistake that I have made this soup to serve two... Having the garnishes on a communal plate makes for a fun sharing experience, perfect for Valentine's Day! Also sharing a bottle of an off dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer is guaranteed to add to the romance. Enjoy!
So followers, have a great weekend and Valentine's Day and I will be back next week with another culinary adventure!

Italian Wedding Soup (Minestra Maritata)

"Do not be afraid of simplicity" Marcel Boulestin

Buon giorno, followers!
Minestra maritata, a.k.a. Italian wedding soup... This is my first recipe request of 2012 and it comes from my new sister-in-law Crystal!
This simple soup is considered peasant's food that has most likely been enjoyed since Roman times. The name itself 'wedding soup' and the perception of this hearty dish being served at Italian weddings is purely a matter of mistranslation. The literal meaning of the soup is the 'marriage' of the complementary flavours of the leafy greens and savoury meat. And what helps this 'marriage' work is a little Parmigiano Reggiano. The Mill Street Cheese Market in Georgetown is where I picked up the cheese for the soup. Having real Parmigiano Reggiano makes a world of difference and to make sure your cheese is legit, just look at the rind. You see, the name will be stamped right into it!
Now, upon research I have found that there are endless variations of this soup. So, considering that this recipe is for Crystal (a busy working Mum of two), I have decided to make my version quick and easy to suit her lifestyle. Yet not overlooking flavour, of course!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Italian Wedding Soup (Minestra Maritata)
(serves 4 to 6)

Meatballs:

250 gr (1/2 lb) ground chicken or pork
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
Pinch sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Soup:

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 clove garlic, finely chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (preferably homemade), low in sodium
1/2 cup ancini di pepe pasta or orzo pasta
175gr fresh spinach, chopped or frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Parmigiano Regianno cheese, grated for garnish

Make the meatballs by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl. Remove about a teaspoon's worth and fry it until cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Using measuring spoons, make either about 40 1tsp meatballs or about 15 1tbsp meatballs. Place on a tray or plate, not touching and refrigerate until needed.
In a medium pot, add the oil and heat on medium low. Add in the onions and garlic and fry until soft, 4 to 5 mins. Stir frequently and do not brown. Pour in the stock, turn up to medium high and simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the pasta and pop in one meatball at a time to avoid sticking together. Simmer for about 6 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach and simmer for 2 to 3 mins more. Taste, adjust the seasoning, serve immediately and garnish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Heck, leave the cheese on the dining table for your guests to help themselves to a little more! Buon appetito!

With so many versions of this soup out there, please use my recipe as a guideline and get creative! Instead of spinach, try escarole, rapini, kale or chard (just remember to adjust the cooking times). Use your own meatball recipe or try using hot or mild Italian sausages instead. Believe me, you can't go wrong!
Well followers, it's that time to say good bye until next week. And just to keep you all in the loop, I will be helping my Uncle Jeff bottle up the homebrew I watched him make two weeks ago. How fun! Bye for now!