Canada Day Blackberry-Strawberry Gelato

It's so gratifying to make homemade gelato with all the fresh fruit in the market these days. This recipe celebrates Canada Day as it takes advantage of beautiful fresh red strawberries and plump blackberries and the results are spectacular! Brilliant fuschia in colour and bursting with berry goodness, this gelato recipe is one of my favourites, and makes a cool end to any hot summer evening. Happy Canada Day!



Canada Day Blackberry-Strawberry Gelato
Makes 1 quart; Serves 6-8

1 lb strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
1/2 lb blackberries
1/2 cup sugar + 2 tbsp
2 tbsp Framboise
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
equipment: Lello Gelato Machine


In a small saucepan over med-high heat, cook the blackberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of Framboise and 1/2 cup water, until the fruit is softened, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Place the berry mixture into a food processor and blend until combined. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula to push through. Discard seeds and rinse the food processor bowl for the next step.

Place the strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar into the cleaned food processor and blend until the berries are well combined. Then add the blackberry juice and the cream and process until well blended, about 2-3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of the Lello Gelato machine and freeze 35-40 minutes. The gelato can be stored for 2-3 days in the freezer.

Roasted Beet, Chickpea & Arugula Salad with Chèvre

The vibrant jewel-toned colours of magenta beets, golden chickpeas, bright green arugula and tangy chèvre play off each other deliciously in this fabulous Mediterranean-inspired salad. The bolt of colour from sweet earthy roasted beets and the chunks of creamy chèvre balance perfectly with the nutty flavour and buttery texture of the chickpeas, nestled on a bed of peppery wild arugula and dressed with a simple vinaigrette. This wildly flavourful and nutritious salad is great on its own or served alongside some simply grilled fish or seafood. 

Roasted Beet, Chickpea & Arugula Salad with Chèvre
Serves 6

4 small beets, washed & leafy tops removed
3 cups arugula
2 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed
8 oz goat cheese or chèvre, crumbled
Maldon sea salt, for garnish

Vinaigrette:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove, minced
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste


Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wrap each of the beets in aluminum foil and bake for at least an hour, or until a knife passes easily through the beets. Allow them to cool then using plastic gloves, peel the skins off. Cut the beets into small wedges and place in a bowl. To make the vinaigrette, add the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon and minced garlic together in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Season with fresh cracked black pepper to taste. To serve, arrange the arugula, beets, chèvre and chickpeas on a serving dish and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Garnish with some Maldon sea salt for a little extra zing.

Sesame-Shiitake Bok Choy with Salmon Bulgogi

A popular Korean dish, Bulgogi is typically made with thin strips of beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and other seasonings, but is equally delicious when used as an aromatic marinade for salmon, chicken or even pork. Served with a light, healthy and fragrant Asian-inspired Sesame-Shiitake Bok Choy with ginger, garlic, sesame oil and oyster sauce, the combination of flavours and textures are outstanding. Reserving some of the marinade for the Salmon Bulgogi, makes for a rich and fragrant syrupy glaze for the fillets, once they've been removed from the grill. Served with a Cold Soba Noodle Salad, this is a sensational light meal for a hot summer evening.

Salmon Bulgogi with Sesame-Shiitake Bok Choy
Serves 4

4 6-ounce center-cut salmon fillets
1 tbsp olive oil

Marinade:
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, divided
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry Sherry
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
3/4 tsp chili-garlic sauce

Sesame-Shiitake Bok Choy:
1 tbsp oil, canola
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lb bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced
4 cups shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 pinch crushed red pepper, optional


Blend one garlic clove and remaining marinade ingredients in mini processor. Arrange the salmon in a glass baking dish, spoon the marinade over top and let marinate 10-15 minutes.

Preheat and outdoor grill to medium-high or indoor oven to 500°F. Arrange the fish, with some marinade still clinging, on rimmed baking sheet, or on the heated grill. Transfer any leftover marinade into to small saucepan. Roast/Grill the fish until just opaque in the centre, about 8-12 minutes. Bring the marinade in the saucepan to a boil, then set aside and reserve for a finishing glaze.

Meanwhile, start the sesame-shiitake bok choy by heating one tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy, mushrooms and ginger, and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring often, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in the oyster sauce, sesame oil and salt. Garnish with sesame seeds, crushed red pepper and serve immediately.

To serve, place the vegetables on a decorative platter or divide among warmed dinner plates, and top with the salmon. Brush the fish with the glaze and serve immediately.

Cold Soba Noodle Salad
Serves 4

2 bundles (3.5oz) of soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles)
3/4 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime, zest and juice
1/4 orange, juiced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sriracha chili paste or similar, to taste
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds


Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook soba noodles for 5-7 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Add all of the ingredients together in a medium size bowl and stir to combine. Add the cold noodles, cover and refrigerate one hour. The flavours will meld and the noodles will absorb the flavourful liquid. Serve with an extra scattering of chopped scallions and sesame seeds.

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Rich, moist and delicious, these Banana Cupcakes with fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting are one of my favourite mini desserts. A sweet symbol of celebration, you don't need a special occasion to make these divine little morsels. An excellent way to use up over ripe bananas — the browner they are, the better — the same recipe can be used to make mini banana breads or even smaller bite-size cocktail muffins.



Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 14 cupcakes

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
5 tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
14 whole or chopped pecans, for garnish

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake wrappers and set aside. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Stir in the nuts, and pour into the muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are firm to the touch. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese until smooth; then add the sugar and vanilla, and mix until light and fluffy. Chill the frosting for about 30-60 minutes for a firmer icing. To assemble the cupcakes, spread tops with cream cheese frosting and garnish with a whole or chopped pecans.

Acccordian-Fanned Caprese alla Sorrentina

This sensational acccordian-fanned Caprese alla Sorrentina was inspired by a dish that I enjoyed last summer at Ristorante Giardino in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Styled on the traditional presentation technique used for making Hasselback Potatoes, this beautifully presented Caprese Salad is served as a whole beefsteak tomato, fanned open with ripe and creamy fior di latte mozzarella, garnished with basil pesto, balsamic vinegar, mixed olives nestled on a bed of arugula and topped with baby sprouts. Simple, healthy and delicious, I've recreated this fabulous summer salad many times with great delight.

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes  photo: tastykitchen.com

The inspiration for this Caprese Salad came from Hasselback Potatoes, a Swedish recipe named after Hasselbacken, a Stockholm restaurant which first served the dish in 1748, where they were called hasselbackspotatis. In their simplest form, they're nothing more than whole potatoes cut in such a way as to resemble a fan or accordion when roasted. The outside of the potato becomes crisp and brown while the inside is soft and creamy, and makes a delicious accompaniment to grilled beef, pork or chicken. The accordian-fanned Hasselback presentation can be used for lots of other dishes, such as Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, Accordian Fanned Strawberries with Mint & Marscapone or my fabulous Caprese alla Sorrentina.



Acccordian-Fanned Caprese alla Sorrentina
Serves 4

4 ripe hot house tomatoes
4 fior di latte mozzarella or Mozzarella di Bufala (same size as tomato), sliced
1/4 cup basil pesto
Balsamic vinegar or glaze, for garnish
4 cups of arugula or mixed greens
12 sun-dried black olives
2 cups microgreens
Maldon salt

Make a series of 1/4-inch thick slices into each tomato, making sure not to cut through to the other side. Fan out the tomatoes, and insert a slice of fresh buffalo mozzarella between each slice. To serve, place a bed of arugula or mixed greens in the centre of 4 dinner plates and top each of the stuffed tomatoes. Garnish generously with tablespoonfuls of basil pesto and a drizzle of glazed balsamic vinegar over top. Finish with your favourite sea salt, a few sun-dried back olives and crown with a mound of fresh baby microgreens. 





Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy tastykitchen.com

4 whole russet potatoes
1/4 cup butter
4 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp and 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cheddar 
Sour cream and chopped chives, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Wash and dry the potatoes. You'll need 2 wooden spoons with handles of the same width. Place a spoon on each side of the potato and start slicing the potato into thin slices. The spoons will stop the knife from cutting all the way through the potato. Slice the butter into thin pieces. Alternate the butter and the parmesan, stuffing them in between the slices of the potato. Season the potato with garlic powder and kosher salt, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake on a parchment lined baking tray at 400ºF for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle heavy cream over the potatoes and top with cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven for 10-12 more minutes. Remove and serve with a dollop of sour cream and flurry of chopped chives.

Spicy Red Lentil Soup with Harissa, Bacon & Cumin

Red lentils or “masoor dal” in India, are one of my favourite types of legume, full of fiber, protein, and iron, they're a near perfect food. Wonderfully versatile, they cook faster than other varieties and can be paired with a multitude of ingredients. This savoury Moroccan-spiced recipe for Red Lentil Soup with Harissa, Bacon & Cumin is both comforting and delicious, and gets an extra kick from the harissa, a hot chili paste typically associated with Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Most lentil soups fall into one of two categories: highly spiced, or not spiced — sometimes called bland. This one sits very happily at the spicy end with the harissa adding a tolerable amount of heat and a wonderful complexity of flavour. A hearty, thick and satisfying soup, the bacon, cumin and yogurt add a robust note to this delicious low fat soup. 



Spicy Red Lentil Soup with Harissa, Bacon & Cumin
Serves 4-6

5 slices (4-ounces) bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp harissa paste
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water
6 tbsp low fat yogurt
6 fresh sprigs of basil, for garnish


In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a piece of paper towel, and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from pan. Add the garlic, onion, and carrots to saucepan. Cook vegetables over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the the lentils, cumin, harissa (or tomato paste), chicken stock, wine and water; stir to combine. Simmer until the lentils are cooked and falling apart, about 25-30 minutes. The soup is fairly thick, so if you prefer it thinner just add more stock or water. Using an immersion or regular blender, purée the soup, leaving it somewhat chunky or smooth. Reheat if necessary, stirring in the lemon juice. To serve, divide the hot soup among four warmed soup plates and garnish with the reserved crumbled bacon, a dollop of yogurt and fresh sprig of basil.

Chlodnik: Crazy Crimson Chilled Beet Soup

Wonderfully light and refreshing, Chlodnik is the ultimate Polish summer soup. Pronounced 'who-wad-neek', the key ingredients in this fabulous fuchsia soup are fresh young beets. Chlodnik is typically made with a selection of crunchy raw chopped vegetables such as cucumbers and spring onions, and flavoured with some chopped dill. The soup's brilliant magenta colour can vary depending on how much dairy is used, so for a crazy crimson Chlodnik, use a little less buttermilk. Smacznego! Bon appetit.

Chunky-style Chlodonik

Chlodnik (Chilled Beet Soup)
Serves 4-6

1 bunch fresh red beets
1 English cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 bunch of dill
1 bunch of spring onions
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 cups buttermilk 
salt and pepper


Wash the beets, then wrap them individually in foil and roast at 450°F for 1 hour. Cool completely, then peel and dice the beets — use plastic gloves if you don't want crimson hands.

Finely dice the cucumbers and spring onion, then chop the dill. Combine the vegetables and beets in a large pot and mix gently. Add the yogurt and buttermilk and mix again, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Chill the soup for minimum 2 hours, but it tastes much better if left in the fridge overnight as it allows the flavours to meld and become more intense.

The soup can be served as is, a little chunky, or can be processed in a blender for a finer consistency. Serve cold with a dollop of sour cream a sprig of dill, and even some chopped hard boiled eggs for a traditional Polish Chlodnik.