Author Archives: klomas2013

Jill’s  Caramelized Roasted Cauliflower

½ teasp (2ml) each, ground turmeric, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder

2 tables. (30ml) olive oil.

1 cauliflower cut into small florets.

Salt and pepper.

(I only used half a cauliflower with above ingredients, so add more or less ingredients depending on amount of cauliflower being used)

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 450f (230 c)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the spices and oil. Add the cauliflower and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Place on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through and golden brown.

Jill’s Cashew Dip

1 cup raw cashews.

1tbls coconut oil.

¼ cup water.

3 pinches sea salt.

2 pinches black  pepper.

2 pinches cayenne pepper.

Half a squeeze of lemon.

2 cloves of garlic.

Blend all ingredients together.

After putting in serving  bowl, add a dribble of balsamic vinegar around the dip. (sorry, I forgot that and it does make a difference)

To all, the schmooa kumpst’ s recipe I found on-line. It originally came from “Mennonite girls can cook”.  As to the swiss chard’s recipe. It’s my own twist on an ole favorite.  You can even make it a tomato base sauce or filling. It’s very playful. It reads complicated but it’s really very fast.  Other then the cooling time, it should take you no more then 30 min. to prepare.

Schmooa kumpst

Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped or shredded cabbage
• 1 cup finely chopped dried apple rings
• 10 prunes — quartered
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar (less if desired)

Method 

1. Mix fruit and cabbage in saucepan
2. Mix remaining ingredients and add to fruit and cabbage
3. Cook stirring until mixture boils
4. Remove from stove and put into slow cooker — setting on high and cook for 1 1/2 hours. (can also be simmered on stove top – stirring occasionally)
5. Serve hot immediately or refrigerate and reheat when needed.

Cabbage rolls with a twist 🙂

Ingredients

• Large to medium Swiss chard cutting stems off. (one per person, instead of cabbage.  I’ve also made this dish using eggplants.  Both really yummy!)
• I onion
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)
• Tofu (I used a full block of the firm tofu, ground meat can be substituted)
• 6 to 7 cups of mushroom slices (lots, because I like them 🙂
• One sliced jalapeño (habanero peppers are delicious too)
• Half a log of the large goat cheese log
• Butter and olive oil
• Salt, pepper, turmeric, curry paste, herbes de Provence (to taste, I put a lot of each)
• 1 cup of liquids (I used chicken broth low sodium, but you can use whatever you have on hand, even water would work)
• Parmesan and mozzarella cheese for grilling “au gratin”
• 2 cups of béchamel sauce ( butter, flour, milk…….more cheese, I also added some apple cider since I had some….)
• I think that’s it but feel free to play with the ingredients, the spices and herbs. I’ve made this “roll” with a variety of ingredients e.g., sausage meat and/or other ground meats, kale, basil……. It’s a very playful recipe

Method 

1. Melt butter and olive oil
2. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño and cook for a few minutes
3. then add spices and mushrooms and cook a bit more
4. Add tofu and herbs
5. Stir, you may want to put lid on. Cook for 30 min or so
6. Near the end of the cooking I added the goat cheese and some chicken broth.
7. Then allow pan to cool,
8.  When cooled enough put all ingredients in cuisinart and coarsely blend/chop.
9. Begin making your rolls using swiss chard’s leaves placing each rolls in a butter/oiled baking dish
10. Spread béchamel sauce evenly over rolls
11. Sprinkle on the cheese
12. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 min, uncover and grill
13. Serve hot immediately

Frozen Lemon Puff/Soufflé
A great Make Ahead
5 eggs (separate 3 and reserve the whites)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (175ml)
1 cup sugar (250 ml)
2 cups whipping cream
Vanilla wafers to cover the bottom and sides of pan
Dash of cream of tartar
1/4 cup icing sugar (60 l)
Whisk 2 eggs and 3 egg yolks, lemon juice and sugar together in a double boiler and cook until
thick. Stirring constantly. Cool.
Whip the whipping cream and fold into lemon mixture.
Line sides and bottom of a 9″ springform pan with vanilla biscuits.
Pour in lemon mixture.
Beat the 3 egg whites until foamy.Add the cream of tartar and icing sugar and beat until the
peaks are stiff.
Spread over the lemon mixture and broil until the egg whites are lightly browned. Watch
carefully!
Cover with foil,making sure the foil doesn’t touch the foil. Freeze for at least 8 hours.
Remove from freezer taking off foil immediately at lease 1 hour before serving.
Serves 10-12
Spicy Cheese Crackers
Yummy
Makes about 50
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
5 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
11/2 cups all- purpose flour
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoons coleman’s mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoon water (may need more)
In a food processor, combine cheeses. Pulse until the cheddar is finely chopped.add flour,
butter, mustard, salt and cayenne pepper.
Pulse until the mixture looks like small pellets. Add Worchestershire sauce and iced water, then
pulse until just combined.
Pour the dough on
Not the counter, divide into 2 mounds, then use the palm of your hand to smear the mixture
across the counter several times, or until it comes quickly together
.transfer each half of the dough onto a 16 inch sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into a 12 inch
log.wrap tightly. Chill for at least 1 hour.
When ready to bake heat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove
one of the cylinders, slice the dough crosswise about 1/3 inch and place on baking tray. Sprinkle
each cracker with a pinch of Parmesan. Place trays on centre rack and bake until browned.
About 30 minutes.
Transfer to rack to cool.
Cassoulet a la Food and Drink magazine
As Josee said, there are many variations of cassoulet, depending on region, even what’s in the
cupboard. This recipe uses chicken thighs to make the confit. Often it is made with duck and
you can buy duck co fit but it is expensive. I made some other variations as well.
1 lb (500 g) Great Northern white beans
8 confit chicken thighs ( recipe follows)
1 lb (550 g) fresh pork shoulder or pork loin ( used a small loin roast and cut it to size but you
can use chops)
1 lb fresh or cured garlic sausage. I used fresh chorizo from Longos
2 tbsp 30mi) olive oil preferably from the confit chicken. Wonderfully herbed.
11/3 cups small diced yellow cooking onion (2)
11/2 cups small diced celery (2 stalks)
11/2 cups finely diced carrot (2)
1tbsp minced garlic
I cup dry white wine
31/2 cups combination of stock from confit and chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce or 2tbsp tomato paste I used a cup of seasoned diced tomatoes
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme 11/2 tsp dried. I used herb de province
I large bay leaf
Buttered Bread crumbs
Step 1
Chicken confit
Use thighs with bone in and skin on
Place chicken thighs snuggly, skin down in 8×8 glass baking dish.
Rub exposed flesh with a mixture of
1tsp sea salt
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried ( I used Herb de Province)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night
Preheat oven to 200
Discard plastic wrap and pour oil over the thighs to cover
Bake for 10 to 12 hours
Separate fat from the juice. You will be using all the chicken juice. Use the fat needed in the
recipe and refrigerate the rest to use for sautéing meat Etc. Wonderfully aromatic cooking oil.
To use chicken scrape off the skin and gently remove from the bone, keeping the chicken in
large chunks.
Step 2
Place the beans in a large bowl. Generously cover water. Let soak over night. Drain and discard
water just before using.
Step 3
1.Remove and discard the skin, bones and. Clinging fat from the confit thighs. Keep the meat in
large chunks.
2. Preheat oven to 325
Cut pork into – inch cubes. Cut sausage into 1 inch lengths.
3. In a large Dutch oven that can go into the oven heat oil unroll hot and sauté the pork for 8-10
minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Add the sausage to the fat already in the pan. Sauté 8-10 minutes. Remove and see aside
5. To the fat already in the pan add onion, celery, carrots all at once. Saute8-10 minutes, add
garlic. Sauté till fragrant. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high and boil briskly until the
wine has reduced by half.
6. Add broth and tomato sauce to the pot. Stir in beans, pork, sausage and thyme.fold in
chicken pieces. Tuck in bay leaf and heat mixture until it begins to bubble but not boil.
7. Cover and place in oven for 11/2 hours. Uncover and scatter buttered breadcrumbs overtop
and bake for another 1/2 hour.
Serve with salad and crusty bread to soak up juices.
Cassoulet will keep well when properly refrigerated for 3-4 days. Loses flavour if frozen.