Pasta al Limone: Lovely, Luscious and Creamy

 

Why is it that the best pasta sauces have the simplest ingredients? This is one of them. It's absolutely delicious and couldn't be simpler. Lovely, light, luscious, and creamy, it's an addictive lemony treat. A quintessential summer dish from the Amalfi coast in the Campania region of southern Italy where they grow exquisite lemons, Taglatelle al Limone is like sunshine on a plate. 

Pasta al Limone
Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

2 lemons
12 oz tagliatelle
Kosher salt

3/4 cup heavy cream
6 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly ground black and white pepper

2 tbsp minced fresh chives, for garnish

Finely grate the lemons into a fine zest, then cut them in half and squeeze out enough juice to yield 4 tablespoons into a small bowl, and set aside.

Cook the  pasta in a large pot of boiling heavily salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.

Meanwhile, add the cream to a small pot with lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the liquid is just beginning to simmer, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time until melted and the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Remove from heat.

Just before pasta is al dente, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking liquid. Add 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to the cream sauce and return to medium heat. Drain the pasta in a colander and then return to the pot along with the cream sauce. Cook, tossing often and adding the Parmesan little by little, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. If the sauce looks tight, add 1–2 tablespoons more of pasta cooking liquid, as the cream sauces tighten up very quickly as it cools, so it’s better to lean on the saucier side of things. Stir in the reserved lemon juice and season with more salt, if needed.

Divide the pasta among warmed bowls. Season with pepper, then garnish with minced chives.

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes with Garlic & Butter

 

One of the ultimate comfort foods, Scalloped Potatoes must be one of our favourite side dishes, especially when we're expecting a large group of ravenous friends for dinner. Rich, creamy and full of flavour, there are many versions of this classic gratin. My Mom used to make it using a can of Campbell's mushroom soup. Although we often add sliced onions, grated cheese, nutmeg or fresh thyme, our core recipe starts with sliced russet potatoes layered in a garlic rubbed baking dish, smothered in a combination of whole milk and cream then dotted with a butter. If I use onions and cheese, I add them with each layer of potato then cover with the cream mixture and top with a final flurry of grated cheese and sprigs of fresh thyme. Baked in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours until the potatoes are bubbling and golden brown, the mouthwatering aroma and buttery soft texture makes Scalloped Potatoes absolutely impossible to resist. 

Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 6

3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 lb russet or yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin

1 yellow onion, peeled and finely sliced

1/2 cup grated cheddar

1 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 garlic clove, halved

1 tsp Maldon sea salt

1/4 tsp ground white and black pepper

Preheat oven to 325°F with a rack set in the lower third of oven. Rinse the sliced potatoes in cold water and pat dry in a towel. Rub a shallow earthenware dish with the garlic clove and butter well. Arrange the sliced potatoes and onions in layers in the baking dish, starting with a layer of onions on the bottom, and season with salt and pepper. Dot with the remaining butter, pour the cream overtop and finish with grated cheddar, and an extra flurry of salt and pepper over the assembled gratin. Transfer the baking dish to oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours — I often place a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any drips. During the last 10 minutes, turn the heat up to 400°F to brown the top of the potatoes so that they become golden brown. Remove from oven and let the dish stand for 5 minutes, before serving the scalloped potatoes directly from the baking dish.

The Best Chocolate Cake: Simple, Sweet & Delicious

 

We all have treasured family recipes that have been passed down through generations that maybe your grandmother and great-grandmother used to make. My Mom has lots of admirable qualities but making cakes from scratch is not one of them, like this moist and delicious Chocolate Cake that she always does for my brother's birthday. Her secret comes in a little box — Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix. Lovingly frosted with store-bought Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Chocolate Frosting, this cake, as Shakespeare might have said, "is such stuff that dreams are made on." I love to cook and usually make everything from scratch, but this year I took a page out of my Mom's no-stress baking mantra, and made my brother's birthday cake this past weekend. Easy? You bet. Delicious? Absolutely. You just can't beat old family favourites. 

Mom's Chocolate Cake
Serves 12

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 1/4 cups water 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

3 large eggs

Frosting: 

1 16 oz container Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Chocolate Frosting

Heat oven to 350°F for shiny metal or glass pans or 325°F for dark or nonstick pans. Grease the bottom only of 13 in x 9 inch pan or bottom and sides of all other pans. Mix the Cake Mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with mixer on medium speed. Pour into two 9-inch round silver pans, as I did, for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely before frosting both in between the 2 layers and along the top and sides. 

Saag Gosht: Indian Lamb & Spinach Curry

 

Saag Gosht is a tender and delicious Lamb and Spinach Curry that originates from the northwest region of India. A well-loved dish from the greater Punjab area of India and Pakistan, Punjabi cuisine is known for its diversity, and varies regionally by the agriculture and farming lifestyle that's been prevalent throughout the area for centuries, where the men are mainly farmers and obtain their ingredients fresh from the fields. 'Saag' typically refers to mustard greens, and 'Gosht' tends to mean goat meat, however many recipes also feature leafy green spinach, or 'Palak', and boneless leg or shoulder of lamb cut up into large bite-size pieces. Browned with onions, an aromatic mixture of whole and ground spices, chopped ginger, garlic and dollops of plain yogurt, the lamb is slowly simmered for up to 2 hours then combined with chopped blanched leaves of fresh spinach and finished with a spoonful of ghee. A lovely, earthy dish with a mild and subtle flavour, it's not surprising that this luscious Lamb and Spinach Curry is considered one of the great curries of India.

Saag Gosht: Indian Lamb & Spinach Curry
Serves 6

2 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 lb boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large or 3 small onions, finely chopped
10 cloves
10 cardamom pods
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
10 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
3 tsp garam masala 
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 3-inch piece of ginger, finely grated
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup thick plain yogurt
2 tbsp ghee
1 lb spinach, washed, trimmed and roughly chopped

Place a small frying pan over low heat and dry roast the coriander seeds until aromatic, then remove and dry roast the cumin seeds. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the roasted seeds into a fine powder and set aside.  

Pat the pieces of lamb thoroughly with paper towel and trim off any excess fat or tissue. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-low heat and fry a few pieces of lamb at a time until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot and fry the onions, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, peppercorn and bay leaves, until the onion is lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Add the roasted cumin and coriander, garam masala, turmeric and paprika and fry for 30 seconds. Add the ginger, garlic and yogurt and stir until well combined, then add the lamb with 1 2/3 cups of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. At this stage, most of the water should have evaporated. If it hasn't, remove the lid, increase the heat and cook until the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and ghee, to taste.

Cook the spinach briefly in a little simmering water until it has just wilted, then refresh with cold water. Drain thoroughly, squeezing out any excess water, then finely chop and add to the lamb. Cook for another 10-15 minutes uncovered, or until the lamb and spinach are well mixed and any extra liquid has evaporated. To serve, place the curry in a warm dish with some basmati rice and warm naan.

Guy's Leek and Potato Soup with Cream & Dill

 

A traditional Irish soup, Leek and Potato is one of the most rich and satisfying. Simple and delicious, this heartwarming soup is taken up a notch with two perfect partners: cream and dill. Frugal, filling and full of flavour, this luscious soup can also be made in little more than half an hour. The leeks are simply sautéed in butter until soft, then combined with diced potatoes and vegetable stock and simmered for 30 minutes. Puréed until silky smooth and seasoned with salt and white pepper, this simple soup is one of my husband's signature recipes.

Guy's Leek and Potato Soup with Cream & Dill

Serves 4-6

4 tbsp butter
3 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cream

1 tbsp fresh dill, for garnish
1/8 cup sour cream, optional

In a large pot, warm the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the dill. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until very smooth. Add the cream and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, swirl in a dollop of sour cream and garnish with some sprigs of fresh dill.

Homemade Chicken and Vegetable Soup

 

The key to making any great soup is the flavour of the stock, and leftover turkey and chicken carcasses make an extraordinary rich and delicious poultry broth. It's quite easy too since all that's required is water, a few vegetables and a bouquet-garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Normally, after roasting a lovely plump chicken, we would save any leftovers, but with freezer space being a precious commodity these days, we discovered an easier way of making this prized golden elixir: Carnicero's at the St Lawrence Market. At just $2 a bag for 5 whole chicken carcasses, homemade chicken stock can be made anytime at all. 

Homemade Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Serves 10-12

Chicken Stock:

5 chicken carcasses

3 bay leaves

2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks with fronds, coarsely chopped

2 yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 parsley sprigs

3 thyme sprigs

Chicken Soup:

3 leeks, finely sliced

2 tbsp vegetable oil

6 carrots, finely diced

4 celery stalks, finely sliced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 large chicken, roasted and shredded into bitesize pieces, about 4 cups 

To make the stock, chop up the chicken carcasses to fit in a large stock pot. Add the bouquet-garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves, carrot, celery with fronds and 2 onions. Add enough water to cover the carcasses by an inch or two, and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down enough so it maintains a bubbling simmer, partially cover and let it bubble away for 3 to 4 hours, replenishing with additional water if the level gets too low.

Remove the carcasses and vegetables from the stock pot using a strainer, and discard. Meanwhile, keep the strained turkey stock at a gentle simmer in the stock pot until needed, or cool and freeze for future use. 

In a skillet, sauté the leeks and celery with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until soft, about 6 minutes. Add to the warm stock, then add the parsley and carrots. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Finally, add the peas, corn and roast chicken, and cook until they're heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The soup can be bagged and frozen for future use, or served hot, ladled into warmed bowls with a sprinkle of parsley and some lovely warm bread with a lump of good cheese.

Cold Japanese Buckwheat Noodle Salad

 

A cold noodle salad is one of the perfect side dishes for the spring or summer months. Cool and refreshing, these delicious noodles absorbs all the flavour of the Asian-style marinade made with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, minced garlic and a squeeze of orange. Delicious with Grilled Salmon, Ahi Tuna, Asian Chicken or Black Cod, these flavourful cold noodles add a umami touch to any Asian-inspired dish.

Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Serves 2

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.