Leek, Squash & Goat Cheese Frittata with Tarragon

A well-made frittata is one of the world's most perfect foods: equally good for breakfast or dinner, simple to make, and satisfying to eat. Take advantage of summer’s vibrant bounty from farmers' markets, local farm stands, or even your own backyard with this light and delicious Leek, Squash & Goat Cheese Frittata with Tarragon. The high ratio of leeks to eggs in this frittata brings the leeks’ sweet flavour and meltingly tender texture to the forefront, combined with the luscious goat cheese and sweet roasted butternut squash that abound in every bite. Quick and easy, a frittata is also ideal for using up leftovers. And when you have a lot of eggs, there's nothing better.

Leek, Squash & Goat Cheese Frittata with Tarragon

Serves 2

4 large eggs

1/8 cup light cream 

1 leek, washed and finely sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 cup butternut squash, cubed and roasted

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp chopped tarragon

Kosher salt and pepper

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt the butter in a 8-inch, ovenproof nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the leeks are soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Then add the roasted squash and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. Whisk the eggs and light cream together in a small bowl, then add to the pan and give a gentle stir. 

Next add in dollops of goat cheese around the pan followed by the fresh tarragon leaves, salt and pepper. Allow the frittata cook for 6-8 minutes without stirring to set the bottom of the eggs. As the outer edges of the eggs begin to cook and firm up a bit, the centre will still appear runny. Transfer the pan to the oven and continue to cook until the frittata is set in the centre, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 2 minutes. Carefully slide the frittata onto a serving plate, cut into wedges, and serve immediately with a light green salad.

Avocado, Blueberry & Pumpkin Seed Salad

Spanish conquistadors had their own historian, Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, who reported positively about avocados discovered in Mexico around 1519, but this creamy fruit has graced Central and South America cuisine for thousands of years, according to the avocado-inspired drawings and artifacts found in early Aztec settlements. With nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in an avocado, not to mention nutrition-rich and antioxidant benefits of blueberries and pumpkin seeds, this gorgeous 'super-food' summer salad with heart healthy fats as well as potent antioxidants, is gluten-free and absolutely delicious.

Avocado, Blueberry & Pumpkin Seed Salad
Serves 2

1 head Romain lettuce, washed and chopped
2 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1-2 tbsp olive oil, to taste
Maldon and fresh cracked white pepper, for garnish


Arrange the chopped lettuce on a decorative platter then top with the sliced avocado. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and season with malden salt and fresh cracked pepper, then garnish with the blueberries and pumpkin seeds. 

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash

One of the sweetest and most versatile of the winter squashes, Butternut Squash is a nutritional powerhouse. Loaded with vitamin A, it's also a good source of fibre, potassium and magnesium, and like most vegetables is fat, cholesterol and sodium-free. It's also easier to peel and prepare for cooking than other winter squashes, such as Acorn or Hubbard, which have a tougher skin and are best baked with the skin on. Deliciously versatile, Butternut Squash can be baked, roasted, stewed, puréed or mashed, but caramelization is the key to this recipe, producing an extraordinary depth of flavour for a simple and healthy side dish that pairs beautifully with grilled fish, poultry or as part of a vegetarian dinner.



Simple Oven Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 4-6

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes 
2 tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and ground black pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the butternut squash with olive oil in a large bowl and season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Arrange the coated squash on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender and lightly browned, turning once.

Braised Chicken with Leeks, Peas and Fava Beans

Inspired by a recipe that was featured in Food & Wine Magazine a few years ago, this moist and delicious Braised Chicken with Leeks and Peas is quick and easy to prepare and also makes an elegant weeknight dinner. In addition to the bright green peas, I also added a handful of plump fava beans, an ancient member of the pea family with a nutty taste and buttery texture all their own. Sautéed with sliced leeks, chicken broth and tangy white balsamic vinegar, the peas and fava beans are simmered with fresh herbs and crème fraîche for a light and fragrant summertime sauce, that once reduced is spooned over oven-roasted bone-in chicken breasts and braised together for a few minutes at the end to blend the flavours and thicken the sauce.



Braised Chicken with Leeks, Peas and Fava Beans
Serves 4

4 chicken breasts, bone-in 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar
6 oz frozen broad beans, thawed and peeled
6 oz frozen spring peas
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 top chopped parsley
1/4 cup crème fraîche


Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat the chicken breasts with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Line a baking pan with foil and set the breasts skin side up. Roast for 40 minutes until the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked through.

In a large sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high and cook the leeks until they soften, about 6-8 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the broad beans, peas, herbs and crème fraîche and simmer until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Set the cooked chicken skin side up on the sautéed leeks, spoon some the sauce over the chicken and braise in the oven for about 5 minutes. To serve, arrange the chicken on a warmed platter with the sauce spooned over top and season with additional fresh ground pepper if desired. 

Oven Roasted Tomato Soup: Easy & Delicious

There's something enormously comforting about a bowl of hot soup on a cold and rainy afternoon. This easy and delicious Oven Roasted Tomato Soup blends the fabulous flavours of garden fresh basil, garlic, onions and oven roasted tomatoes for a luxuriously smooth soup that's full of rich Italian flavours. Slow roasting caramelizes and intensifies the flavour of the tomatoes, enhances their natural sweetness, and lends extraordinary depth to this hearty and satisfying soup — ideal with a hot grilled cheese sandwich! Once roasted, these rich red tomatoes end up sweet and concentrated, not entirely dissimilar from sun-dried tomatoes but so much better. They can also be used in so many different ways, from adding them to a pasta dish, savoury tart, classic quiche, sumptuous strata, or as part of a simple crostini with brie, pesto, ricotta or tapenade — the possibilities are endless. 

Plum tomatoes are halved and tossed with a mixture of olive oil, salt and pepper 

then placed in one layer on a foil lined baking sheet

Roasted at 400°F for 45 minutes, the tomatoes become soft, lightly caramelized 

with a wonderfully fragrant

Onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes are sautéed in olive oil and butter 

Sautéed for 10 minutes over medium heat until the onions just start to brown

Fresh thyme, basil, chicken stock and a large tin of San Marzano tomatoes are added to the pot

Then the oven roasted tomatoes and their liquid are added 

and the mixture is simmered for 45 minutes

After 45 minutes, the soup has become much richer and aromatic

Using a hand immersion blender, the soup is puréed until smooth, 

with a dash of cream at the end for added richness

Roasted Tomato Soup
Serves 6-8

3 lb ripe plum tomatoes, washed, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-oz can plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 cups chicken stock 
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional


Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the tomatoes together in a large bowl with 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, in one layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and lightly caramelized.

In an large stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with two tablespoons of olive oil, butter and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Using a hand immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream and taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Apple, Pear & Cranberry Crisp with Streusel Topping

A deep and delicious Apple Crisp is one of my favourite ways to celebrate the bonanza of homegrown apples we harvest each autumn from our espaliered apple trees. This recipe for Apple, Pear & Cranberry Crisp is a fruitier version of my Mom's famous Apple Crisp, which like most family recipes, holds a special place in my heart. My Mom isn't much of a baker anymore, but she has mastered some desserts amazingly well, like her Nanaimo Squares, Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies and fabulous Fruit Crisps. Just thinking about them makes my cheeks tingle. This Apple, Pear & Cranberry Crisp still features my Mom's famous sweet streusel topping of oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and flour, which bakes into a buttery, crisp and delicious crumble. This crisp, like all fruit crisps, can be made any time of the year, but taste best when the fruit is plentiful and at their peak.




Apple, Pear & Cranberry Crisp
Serves 4-6

3 golden delicious or Granny Smith apples
2 ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears
3/4 cup fresh cranberries, dried cherries or raisins
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 cup Quaker Quick Oats 
1 cup melted butter


Peel, core and slice the apples and pears into eighths or sixteenths. Place them in a bowl with the cranberries and ground cinnamon, and gently toss to coat then pour into a casserole dish. For the topping, mix the flour and brown sugar in a large bowl, then add the Quaker Oats and mix well. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and again, mix well. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples and bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Grilled Swordfish with Leek, Shitake & Fava Succotash

There's no other fish quite like swordfish. When marinating this succulent fish, usually 'less is more' — a little lemon juice and olive oil, and that's it. However, this intense marinade of soy sauce, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and cumin melt into these meaty swordfish kebabs, yielding richly flavoured moist morsels of succulent fish. Served with a lively succotash of sautéed leeks, plump shiitake mushrooms and bright green fava beans with a hint of fresh thyme and chopped mint, makes this Leek, Shiitake & Fava Succotash a delicious and comforting summertime meal.




Grilled Swordfish Kebabs with Leek, Shiitake & Fava Succotash
Serves 2

Soy & Dijon Marinade:
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 lb swordfish, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch chunks for kebabs
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bamboo skewers, pre-soaked
Fresh chives and mint for garnish

Leek, Shiitake & Fava Succotash:
1 leek
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 cups fava beans, cooked and peeled
1 tsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

3 tbsp olive oil
, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper


Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, cumin, pepper and salt in a large bowl, and whisk together to make the marinade. Add the pieces of swordfish and toss gently to coat. Cover, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.

Trim the leek by removing the root and tough green ends. Cut in half lengthwise then slice into 1/8-inch pieces and soak in cold water for 5-10 minutes, to rinse off any dirt. Drain the leeks using a small sieve and set side. 

Preheat and outdoor grill or oven broiler. Make the swordfish kebabs by threading each piece of fish and red onion alternately onto each skewer and baste the kebabs with the remaining marinade. Grill, rotating the kebabs, until the fish is nicely browned and just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. 

While the fish is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the leeks until they begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add the shiitakes and fresh thyme and sauté until tender, about 3 more minutes. In another small saucepan, sauté the cooked fava beans and fresh mint in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes, so that they become slightly caramelized and crispy, then add to the leek and mushroom mixture. To serve, spoon the leek, mushroom and fava succotash onto 2 warmed plates and arrange a fish kebab on top. Garnish with some green chives, a sprig of fresh mint and a chive blossom.