Ontario Tomato La Caprese

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins." Laurie Colwin

Hello followers! Hot enough for yah?!
Well, it's day two of 'Salad Week' and we are talkin' tomatoes! Up at our 10 acres of land in Norfolk County, we grew four varieties of tomatoes this year and all have been successful! My Dad's fave have always been Beefsteaks. Perfect on a toasted tomato sandwich, these large tomatoes are hearty, juicy and sweet in flavour. I decided to take one and make my absolute favourite salad of all times... La Caprese. This classic Italian salad is a combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fragrant basil, that is finished with a full bodied extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.The key to this subtle salad is the quality of it's ingredients and it is only to be be enjoyed when tomatoes and basil are in season. The other ingredients can be found at the grocery store, but again, quality counts! Fresh mozzarella is traditionally made with buffalo's milk and can be found at some specialty food shops. If you see it, buy it! Cow's milk mozzarella is more common these days. Different in taste, but still delicious with it's mild flavour and rich, creamy texture. What's left? Oh yes, the extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Very important! Always have a good extra virgin olive oil around for dipping with crusty loaf, finishing off a dish or for a salad. They are expensive, but well worth it! Last Christmas my friend Wendy and her husband Pio gave us a bottle of organic e.v.o.o. straight from Pio's family run farm in Italy. Wow! Talk about a special treat! Absolutely delicious, I used it to heighten the experience of many dishes until it was finished and let me tell you, I enjoyed every last drop!


Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Tomato La Caprese

ripe tomatoes (of your preference), sliced
fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

.arrange the tomato and cheese on a platter or individual plates
.scatter the basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, buon appetito!

Enjoy this salad as a first or main course. Serve with a crusty loaf of  bread and a nice bottle of wine. Sit outside, play some Italian music and let your mind whisk you away to a patio outside a little trattoria in Italy somewhere. Ahh, now wouldn't that be lovely? Until tomorrow followers, when 'Salad Week' continues!

Ontario Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Oregano and Feta

"A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine." Anne Bronte

Hiya, my followers, how was your weekend? Mine was lovely, thanks for asking! Didn't get up to much, but I did have a culinary adventure...
I had a small catering on Saturday. You see, at my sweetie Kevin's work, the boys often make their own lunches in the small kitchen at the back. On Saturdays their boss pays, isn't that nice? Well, I have often made the joke that I would love to be their lunch lady and I finally made that joke to Kev's manager. Well, be careful what you ask for, because I now have the Saturday lunchtime gig! I'm very happy they liked my beef and spicy sausage lasagna and I'm excited to think of something else for next week! How fun is that?! I also did some searching through my blog and realized something... I have hardly any salad recipes. How very disappointing! So, I have decided dedicate this week to salads and proclaim it 'Salad Week' (kinda like 'Shark Week,' well, not really...)! But what is going to differentiate these salads from all others, is that these salads will be made with our own veggies! That's right, I am making my salads with the harvested vegetables from our large garden, located on our 10 acres up in Norfolk County. I am starting 'Salad Week' with corn. 'Corn is King' and the main ingredient in this yummy salad. Inspired by one I tested for Jane Rodmell's cookbook 'All the Best Recipes,' it is unique and delicious.

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Oregano and Feta
(serves 4)

2 corn cobs, grilled and kernels sliced off
1 tin (398 ml or 15 oz) your fave beans (I used giant Lima beans), drained and rinsed
2 green onions, sliced
handful cherry tomatoes, sliced
handful olives, pits removed (I used French cured, my absolute favourite!)
1 to 2 tbsp fresh oregano, sliced
1 to 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 to 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
salad greens of your choice
handful feta cheese, crumbled

.combine everything in a bowl, except for the greens and feta, adjust seasoning
.place the greens on the bottom of a platter, or individual plates
.spoon the corn salad on top of the greens, sprinkle with feta, enjoy!

This salad is easy to put together and the presentation is lovely. Using leftover boiled corn can easily be grilled for the salad. The grilling of the corn really adds another dimension to this simple summer salad, that is full of flavours and textures. Try it and let me know what you think! Hmm, what garden fresh vegetable should I highlight tomorrow during 'Salad Week'...? You'll just have to come back to find out! Ha ha!

Rosemary Crostini

"Homemade is better!" Me

 

Good day, my fave followers! Well, it's lovely to sleep with the windows open but last night I was freezing!
So, yesterday I mentioned that one could serve my marinated cheese with crostini. I then realized that I haven't even posted my crostini recipe... Sorry! Well, I am here today to share it with you. Crostini is Italian and literally translates into 'little toasts.' It is simply bite sized, thinly sliced pieces of bread that are either grilled or baked in the oven. Served plain or with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, they can be used for just about anything. Serve with an antipasto platter or cheese tray, throw a couple into a bowl of soup or top with just about anything to make a yummy little appetizer. I remember crostini became a dinner party conversation at my parent's house one night last year. My best friend Mary showed up with an offering of a box of Ace Bakery 'Rosemary Crostini.' Mary said how good they were, but the price was steep (about $5 for around 20 pcs). She asked me if I could crack the code and make them. No problem! I tackled the challenge after dinner! Once they were done, we had a taste test. We all agreed that they were very similar, but homemade was better! Since then, my rosemary crostini have become a family favourite. On occasion, I have even made them and sold them to Mary for parties she's held (and for a much better price, of course!).

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Rosemary Crostini
(1 baguette makes 50 to 60 pcs)

day old bread, preferably a ciabatta loaf, baguette or buns with a small circumference
dried rosemary
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

.preheat oven to 325
.slice the bread thinly with a good serated knife (a steak knife works and you should be able to yield 55 or 60 pcs per baguette)
.place slices single layer on a baking tray, drizzle or brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and top with the dried rosemary (I prefer to crush it in my fingers while sprinkling, just to release more flavour)
.put in the oven for about 15 mins until toasted and crunchy, buon appetito!

Now, I bake these until they are hard and crunchy, just like the Ace brand. But, you can take them out earlier, so they aren't as crunchy. For the price of one box of Ace Crostini, you could probably make 3 times as much at home. If you do bake the crostini until they are hard, they can be kept in an airtight container for at least a week or so (with no moisture in them, they won't go soggy). Simple, cheap and super yummy, make some crostini for you next get together. These homemade treats are guaranteed impress your guests!

Marinated Ontario Cheese with Fresh Herbs in Olive Oil

"The appetite is sharpened by the first bites." Joze Rizal

Good morning, followers! I'm back!
Well, yesterday evening Kev and I had dinner at my parent's house. I love eating at home, my Mum always makes something delicious to eat! My parents have had some fantastic dinner parties over the years... International cuisines, decor to match and the appropriate music to set the mood. My Mum always goes all out for her guests and the parties are always a hit! I remember my Mum would send my Dad and I to the Hamilton Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings with a list of ingredients. Working at the Hamilton Public Library, downtown, my Mum knows the neighbouring market like the back of her hand. My Dad and I would get the food, then go to the library to search the international music department for the evening's selection. Once, my Dad chose some steel drum music to liven up a summer BBQ. As my Dad was outside, enjoying a Red Stripe and the sounds of the Caribbean, two of my Uncles were standing in front of the entertainment system trying to turn the music off! Hilarious! Now, what I love most about my parent's dinner parties are the nibbles (Tapas, if you will!)! Always simple, always delicious! Well, keeping with the tradition, I thought I'd help out yesterday by offering up a little nibble of my own. Marinated cheese. If you love cheese, you're going to love this one, I promise!

Simple and Tasty Recipe: 

Marinated Ontario Cheese with Fresh Herbs in Olive Oil
(choose a jar or container with a tight fitting lid)

cheese (ie., feta, bocconcini, chevre), cut feta into cubes or roll chevre into 1 tbsp balls
fresh herbs (ie., rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, etc.), torn into pieces
bay leaf
whole peppercorns (I especially like pink peppercorns for this!)
* chili flakes (optional)
pinch of sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

.place all the ingredients in a jar, make sure the cheese is covered by the oil
.refrigerate for 24 hours before serving, to allow the flavours to infuse
.keep in the fridge for a month or two, the flavours will intensify
.take out of fridge 1 hour before serving
.serve on it's own, with flat breads, crackers, grilled or fresh bread, crostini (have I given you my crostini recipe yet?), on salads, etc., enjoy!

I love making this recipe. The presentation is lovely and I have even made these jars and given them out as Christmas presents to family and friends. Use any cheese or herbs you prefer. Add olives in with the cheese. Serve with whatever to like. Remember, my recipe is but a guideline... Use it well, young
follower Jedis!

Potato Chip Dip

"Almost every person has something secret he likes to eat." M.F.K. Fisher

 

Hello followers! Isn't it so nice to sleep with the windows open?
Well, anyone know who me knows what I like to eat... potato chips!! Well, it's actually not just the chips I secretly eat, it's just about anything salty with a crunch. Cheezies, cheese sticks, popcorn, corn chips, fries, etc.! Savoury not sweet, that's me! I can't tell you how many nights I had chips as my late night dinner... Living within in the food industry is not the healthiest way to survive, that's for sure! I remember in Chefs school, we'd finish up around midnight and would rush to the closest pub for a dinner of pints and potato chips. Over the years I've tried to cut down and with Kev's good habits to influence me, I'm doing much better. But let me tell yah, any special occasion when I know those salty snacks will be around, I get excited! So, even though I ate a huge meal at the Chinese restaurant the other evening, when my Grandma offered chips and dip, I could not refuse! I'm glad I did though, because that dip was delicious! My Grandpa emailed me the recipe yesterday and Kev and I enjoyed it last night for a snack! Yum, yum, yum!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Potato Chip Dip
(about 2 cups)

1 package of cream cheese, softened
2 green onions
1 hard boiled egg
2 tbsp mayonnaise
pinch of garlic salt
dash of Worcestershire sauce

.throw everything in a food processor or blend, chill in fridge for 1 hour before serving, enjoy!

Now, I decided to process one of the green onions and slice the other (Kev and I like chunks...). I was also thinking that the addition of another cheese would be super tasty! Grated old white Cheddar, grated asiago or even crumbled blue cheese! Oh man, good thing we finished that bag of chips last night, coz now I feel like eatin' some chips for brekkie! Thank you for the recipe and as it turns out, it actually belongs to my Aunt Debbie's Mum! Thank you Lorraine, we love your dip and hopefully my followers will as well!
Now for some bad news... I will not have a blog tomorrow. I will be out of reach of a computer, so we'll have to meet up again on Thursday. Sorry! Till then, my fave followers!