Your Food Rescuer, from Kitchen Inspired

Willie and Juan Mexican Orleans

2011-04-17T23:50:00.000-04:00

Visited Willie and Juan's in Orleans yesterday on St.Joseph Blvd. Went in late aft for a few snacks so the review is not going to include mains this time. Seated right away in a booth, restaurant only had two other customers. Had a hurricane to drink which was very well made. Ordered the chorizo sausage with two dipping sauces and the mix platter which included quesadilas, fried zuccini, asiago cheese dip, and freshly fried tortillas.
Everything came fairly quickly as it should since there were very few other customers.
The sausage claims to be home-made and I definately agree that it was. Actually very delicious although it was supposed to come with two sauces, one being a mustard sauce, but was just plain everyday dijon which I thought was wrong. It is quite easy to make a mustard based sauce and they went the easy route on that.
Next the sharing platter, the guacamole was freshly made and the quesadilas were not overly stuffed, the right amount of cheese and stuffing. It does not come with a salsa which I found a bit odd, but the waitress was nice enough to bring it as soon as we asked for it.
The asiago cheese dip was warm but a bit too rich for my liking, really too heavy to be an app, something more suited to be shared among 4 or 5 guests. Lastly the zuccini, freshly battered and fried and topped with a mexican cheese that resembled parm. The zuccini was a huge hit as it really was very freshly prepared.
Finally the service, generally I was pleased with the service and the food came out fairly quickly, however at the end of the meal our waitress wasnt seen for a good 10-15 minutes. Last time she had come to check on us we were 3/4 of the way completed so I assumed she would come shortly to check on us again which sadly didnt happen. So definately lose a mark on that one.
All in all a good meal, and if you find yourself out by Orleans or live there and havent tried it I definately recommend it.

Edoko Japanese Cuisine - Tempanyaki

2011-04-13T20:32:00.000-04:00

Time for another review. This time of Japanese Cuisine on Queen street between Metcalfe and Elgin Street.

Walked in and was seated immediately, drinks were ordered and I had gone for the House Saki, drinks came very promptly. Going over the menu and you will see plenty of tradtional Japanese tempanyaki favourites such as Beef and Chicken Teriyaki, Salmon, Shrimp and Duck. Sushi is also available but that is usually served in the common restaurant room rather than the tempanyaki room.

We were seated infront of a large grill plate and the drinks were served and it was time to order. For apps Ika Ten which is lightly fried pieces of squid served with soy and pork spring rolls were ordered. For the main I ordered the Chicken and Beef combo and my guest ordered the Duck. Mine was with the salad and my guest ordered the soup.

Sadly the wait for the apps was a little longer than expected, we waited about 15 minutes and the place wasnt super busy. When the apps arrived they were exactly as described and not overly oily. Both apps tasted quite good and I would order them again. The springroll was crisp, very little oil dripped out and very flaky. Meat inside was tender and just the right amount of onion. The squid was crispy as well but just a bit chewy on the inside, but not enough to complain too much. However for the salad and soup to arrive took way too long, I would say almost 15-20 minutes, the problem was though with what arrived after that length of time. I wasn't expecting a bit of iceberg, one slice of tomato a few shreds of carrot and two cucumbers and a few drops of ginger sauce. The soup was a clear both with a few mushrooms floating on it and some chopped green onion. Neither was flavorful and so simple that it should have taken 30 seconds to put together and get out to us. I understand waiting between your apps and the salad arriving but first of all the salad and soup should have been first and secondly the portion was quite small and could have come out a lot earlier.
After the dismal salad and soup the chef came out to do the mains. He started with preping the veggies and flaming onion. As he dropped the veggies on the grill plate, he began to show off his flare. Lots of fun and entertaining tricks, which included a flaming onion. Not overly chatty with the guests like they do at some other places but fun to watch nonetheless. He started with the chicken next on the grill and the duck. The duck was quite a large portion and was topped with teriyaki sauce, garlic butter, green onions, broth and soy and served. The chicken and beef were done next, beef was asked to be rare, although a couple of pieces I would say were raw and had no sear. It seemed during the cooking portion the chef was rushing a bit and the flare stopped as well. When cooking he just kept tossing the food over itself and then serving it drenched in sauce. Noodles and rice are also served, the rice can be asked to be fried rice but we opted for the white and the noodles are also done on the hot grill plate. Meats are served with two sauces, ginger and sesame. The ginger is similar to many other Japanese places in the city with no exceptional qualities, and the sesame is the same, good but nothing spectacular. Having both rice and noodles was a bit too much starch and you could feel it all expanding inside fast lol. The other negative I would add is that due to the chef's rushing, the sauces on the meat really didnt get a chance to flavour the meat or veg too much and it was a bit salty. For dessert they had fried banana and various icecream, but we decided against it. Costs for each was about 27 after taxes and tips so not overly expensive at all.
Would I return, probably. Would I recommend, well this ones gets a sure why not give it a shot recommendation, nothing strong nothing weak, a middle of the road recommendation.
Till next time.

Grand Pizzeria Review

2011-04-10T17:32:00.000-04:00

My wife and I went to the Grand Pizzeria in the Market a few days ago.
When they first opened, I found the food to be top notch. The pizza tasted extremely authentic to Naples, and the service was fairly decent too. Over time though, the service level has dropped and the food is not as well done as before.

Seating was quick, and our server seemed pleasant enough. We ordered the Soup Special, which was tomato with Pasta. First off the tomato really tasted like out of a can, and the worst part the pasta was extremely undercooked. We did not eat any more than one piece each before realizing that it was all very very very undercooked. We decided to leave finish the tomato portion and leave all the pasta at the bottom of the bowl hoping the server would mention/ask us about it, but ofcourse nothing was noted.
I ordered the Calzone and my wife ordered the margarita pizza. The pizza was as it always is, crisp thin crust, good quality san marizano tomato sauce lightly sprinkled with cheese and a bit of basil. My sausage calzone was pretty good as well, with lots of salami and tasty sauce, the only complaint I would have is the crust at one end was a bit burned but not enough to make an issue with it.
You will read many reviews of this place where people complain about the quality of sauce, lack of basil on the margarita, the thin crust etc... most of those reviewers don't know quality pizza. While I would agree that sometimes the Grand doesnt deliver on service or other items than the pizza. Traditional Napolitana Pizza is done the way they do it. If those reviewers went to Naples and ordered a napolitana pizza it would be one sprig of basil in the center and I am sure they would complain.
I personally cannot stand those chain pizza places with the bready crust, loaded with crap quality toppings, and disgusting low grade cheese that is smothered on it with that thick sauce. I accept that many do like that, if you are one of them, avoid The Grand, if not give it a shot, I don't recommend their pasta's though, they are average in taste and similar to most chain Italian places. Their apps are ok if you are extra hungry and I would recommend their meatballs, and zuccini parmigana. Havent had desserts there yet, as I usually get convinced to grab a beaver tail afterwards.
One more think, if you are a fan of hot sauces, they have an excellent one that is also available at La Bottega next door.

Back after travels, and restaurant reviews are coming

2011-03-24T22:07:00.000-04:00

Hi All,
Sorry for the recent lack of updates, been out of town for a few (many) weeks enjoying the sights and sounds of other cultures and cuisines. Now that I am back, it’s time to get back into the groove of the kitchen and also to the blog. For a while now I have been thinking about adding reviews of restaurants to the blog and have decided to go ahead and try it out.
Believe it or not but a majority of chefs that I would consider friends are not that hard to please in when we go out to dinner. Usually it’s because we understand what our fellow brethren are up against on a given night.
For me if I can see effort in what the chef prepared, I am a happy camper. No effort and I rarely give the place a second chance. What do I mean by effort; quite simply did they take care in prep or open up a jar or can and serve it. One of the simplest items to make for example is a classic caesar salad, when done with care can be a simple item of great beauty and taste. Done without effort and using shoddy produce shows how much the chef truly gives a damn about his customers. For me one of the biggest pet peeves is when a caesar salad comes with out of the box croutons. To me that is a massive what the fuck!
Most restaurants have bread, and after a few days have stale bread, and if they choose not to do anything with the bread, they are lazy time wasting chefs who cannot be bothered to care for the customer. To me it is unforgivable to show this lack of effort for my customers and usually it is after seeing this that one can generally guarantee how the remainder of the meal will be presented.
In the next week or so, expect to see our first review; going forward should any readers out there want a review of a specific place, please do not hesitate to ask and we will try our best to get a review out for you.
Until next time,
Happy Eating

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2011-02-02T01:07:00.000-05:00

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Home Made Chicken Stock

2011-01-28T22:57:00.000-05:00

Hello again all, hope everyone had a great holiday season! Over the last couple of weeks of cooking, teaching, catering, found myself using a lot more stock than usual and thought about how often people just buy a simple stock from the grocery store. For those that haven't had the pleasure of using a freshly prepared stock, I suggest trying the following recipe for a simple chicken stock. The flavour will be immense and using a quality bird will enhance it even more so. Enjoy!

1. To make basic chicken stock, we used the bones from two organic chickens, water, 2 medium onions, 2 medium carrots, 2 stalks celery and 1/4 of celery leaves, 15 whole black peppercorns, and a bay leaf. This yields about 2 quarts of stock.
2. Remove as much fat from the chicken bones as possible. Don't worry about getting it all; you'll skim off the remaining fat before the stock is finished.

3. Place the bones in a large stockpot and add water to cover. Bring the water to a near-boil, and immediately reduce the heat to low. (Boiling causes impurities to churn in the pot rather than rise to the top where you can skim off any foam.) Cooking at a low simmer ensures a clear golden stock.

4. While the water is heating, chop the vegetables. Since they'll be discarded after flavoring the stock, they don't need to be bite-sized: quarter the onions or cut them in large chunks.
5. Peel and trim the ends off the carrots. Cut them in thirds or coarsely chop.
6. You can add the entire celery stalk, leaves and all--just be sure to clean the leaves thoroughly. Cut the celery into chunks.
7. Combine the chopped veggies, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a bowl.
8. Check the simmering stock: a layer of fat will have risen to the surface.
9. Use a ladle or skimmer to strain off the fat.
10. After the stock has simmered for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, add the vegetables to the pot. Bring the stock back to a simmer and cook for an additional 45 minutes, skimming occasionally if fat rises to the surface.
11. Strain the stock through a fine colander.
12. The finished stock should be a clear, light tan color and have little or no fat floating on the surface. The stock is now ready to use. If you don't need the full amount for soup, pour it into ice cube trays and freeze them, so you'll have small amounts ready to use.
After making this a few times, start adding a few simple herbs to change the flavor, some garlic or ginger for a nice twist.

The Greatest Cranberry Sauce EVER!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-12-17T22:55:00.000-05:00

Hello All,
So chatting with a few clients some of whom are using Kitchen Inspired to prepare their Christmas Dinner, and a few that have asked for pointers and tips/tricks for doing it themselves. Whether catered or done yourself there is nothing like a proper Christmas meal done from SCRATCH, that means no pre stuffed butterball, no jarred cranberry sauce, or powdered gravy. Nothing beats a pre brined turkey, pan drippings used for gravy, perfectly whipped potatoes or perhaps a potato gratin with pounds of swiss emental, a stuffing done with corn bread mmmmmmmm, getting hungry just thinking about it. With the holidays fast approaching I thought I would share with you a recipe I found online a while back on an amazing cranberry sauce. Cannot take credit for it, but oh man is it ever good. I will go on record and say for me this is the best cranberry sauce I have ever had.

With nothing more to say other than enjoy, here it is:

Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir Recipe
Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (about 8 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cups Pinot Noir or other dry red wine
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon each of tumeric powder and cumin powder
Large pinch of Chinese five-spice powder

Method
1 Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cranberries and fresh ginger; stir until cranberries begin to burst, 3-5 minutes.

2 Add wine and sugar; boil until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.
3 Add crystallized ginger, cumin, tumeric and five-spice powder.

Serve sauce cold or warm. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Sambuca Shrimp

2010-11-30T15:40:00.000-05:00

Hey All,

As the holiday season is approaching, have had many many many many many requests for ideas on apps to make for guests. Something different is what is always asked, something they are not used to. These days it is getting harder and harder to find things people have never heard of, but cooking something properly is an item that may elude your guests, so I always recommend keeping it simple but doing it well. Case in point the recipe listed below is a simple Sambuca Shrimp, the difference is making the sauce using the best ingredients, finding the best quality of shrimp possible, and giving it just the right amount of kick to help warm your guests from the cold.

Hope you all enjoy!

4 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion diced
3 cloves of garlic cloves, minced
1tsp dried basil
pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans San Marizano Tomatoes (only use the real kind stamped from San Marizano region) if trouble finding, email me and I will tell you where to look for them
10 leaves of Basil thinly sliced

1lb peeled deveined raw shrimp (not from grocery store, in Ottawa go to Whalesbone Oyster Sustainable Fish market...get best quality you can find and the freshest)

4 ounces of Sambucca

3 tbs fresh parsley, minced

Preparation:

In large deep skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, 2 cloves of garlic, dried basil, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, breaking up with back of spoon; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened enough to mound on spoon finish with fresh basil
To a pan add 1tbs butter and a bit of olive oil to stop it from burning over medium heat. Once butter begins to bubble, add last clove of minced garlic and add shrimp to pan, after one minute add sambuca to pan and flambe, wait one minute for the alcohol to burn off and then add your tomato sauce (about 2 to 3 ladels) to the pan. Cook just until shrimp begin to turn pink, about 1 minute more. Remove from heat; cover and let stand until shrimp are pink. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with good crusty bread

Holy Crap Cereal from Dragon's Den

2010-11-18T20:23:00.001-05:00

For anyone watching Dragon's Den on CBC this past Wednesday, you may have seen a husband and wife present what they called the healthiest thing you will put into your body, a cereal so amazing that once eaten you too will say Holy Crap that is the best breakfast cereal I have ever tasted.

I had received a couple of emails this morning asking if I have had the chance to taste this yet. It is advertised as being Vegan, Wheat Free, Gluten Free, Lactose Free, and 100% natural and raw. The Dragon's did enjoy what they tasted and Jim Treliving of Boston Pizza fame said he wanted to deal and gave Holy Crap exactly the investment they were looking for. As of a few minutes ago, I too have purchased this from their website. I am going to be doing a review of this cereal as soon as I get it and will post my thoughts hopefully within the next week or so on how it turned out.

Here is a link to their website for those that don't want to wait for the review. Enjoy

Holy Crap, The Worlds Best Breakfast Cereal

Cheese Please

2010-11-15T19:50:00.000-05:00

Sorry to all for the lack of posts lately, things have been quite hectic with catering and October and November brought with it a number of family and community events.

Today I received an email from Kim, who asked about the etiquette and method of having a cheese plate as the main event for a small dinner party. For those not well versed in cheese, now is the time to step away from the marble and kraft mozzarella that have plagued your fridge and learn about the textures and flavors of cheeses from around the world.

First thing to do is find a proper place to purchase your cheese, and that rarely means your superstore grocery store where the cheese is next to the diapers which is next to the linens which is next to the carrots. In Ottawa there are a few places to visit: Farm Boy, La Bottega, The Farmers Market, The House of Cheese (in the market) and Serious Cheese (on Bank St.). These are places that carry a variety of cheese with experts well versed in the language of cheese. If you are a novice in the cheese department, I highly recommend Serious Cheese on Bank Street. Just walk in there, ask someone to introduce you to some different types of cheese and let them do their work. They will take the time to explain the cheese, its region and the tastes, everything from salty to creamy and nutty. Once you become familar with a few cheeses, and are ready to build your first cheese plate for either an appetizer or as your main meal, ensure you do not choose too many, the general recommendation is 4 to 6 cheeses. Three ounces per person if it’s an appetizer, 6 ounces per person if it’s the main event and choose cheeses with a variety of milks, regions, and textures. For example:

A medium-aged Manchego (Spain, semifirm, sheep)
Redwood Hill Bucheret (California, semisoft, goat)
Prima Donna (Netherlands, hard, cow)
Gorgonzola dolce (Italy, soft, cow)
Mimolette (semi-hard – cow – France)
Le 1608 (semi soft – unpasteurized cow - Quebec)

When plating your cheeses, if you do not have a cheese board, a simple wooden cutting board works just fine, and try to arrange your cheeses from mildest to strongest in terms of of flavor so that when you introduce your cheeses to your guests they can start there sampling in an organized fashion and get a taste of everything before moving around to their favorites.

A proper cheese knife will help with the cutting and if you can get your hands on small cheese knives for each of your guests so much the better, but if this is your first time and you do not have a cheese slicer, use a fillet knife which can actually work very nicely for your cheeses

Lastly, what to serve with your cheeses. Stick to plain simple baguettes, water crackers nothing with too much flavor like a sourdough or garlic crackers as they can drown out the taste of cheese. Next to add to your cheeses are accompaniments such as apples, pears, figs, dates, grapes and berries. Stay away from citrus, which is too acidic and will overwhelm your cheeses. Try chutneys, fruit pastes, jams, and honey.

As you progress with your cheese plates, you can change it up from a variety of cheeses from different regions to sticking to cheeses from one region and changing the accompaniments. For example doing a cheese plate from Italy, and have a gorgonzola, ricotta salata, bel paise and real parmigiano reggiano and pair with that some honey or dates, or even have some antipasto with it like marrinated artichokes or spicy marrinated eggplant. FYI, when I wrote real parmigian in that last sentence I meant the real stuff, if you use the kraft simulated stuff hang your head in shame, I have no clue what that crap is, but it isnt parm no matter what the label says. Real parm is stamped with a date, has a rind and you must shred it, it is a hard salty cheese that is amazing, that pre shredded simulated cheese you can also find at pizzerias is a disgrace.

Oh before I forget, what drinks go well with cheeses? Well you can't go wrong with having some different wines both red and white, as well as dessert or fortifed wines such as sherry to go with your cheeses. The best way is to discuss this when purchasing your cheeses with the cheese monger. Also ensure that you have on hand a few bottles of sparkling or still water on hand for guests to get the flavor of the last cheese out of their mouth before hitting the next cheese.

Happy Cheeses Everyone

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

2010-09-12T12:53:00.000-04:00

Recently saw a video of Gordon Ramsay where he discusses the perfect scrambled eggs breakfast. It is a technique and method used by many chefs today, and truly does make an excellent scrambled egg. Keep in mind the recipe does not allow the eggs to get hard and rubbery, if that is your thing then cook them as much as you like, but please don't share it with others. Sorry to sound like a snob, actually not sorry; rubbery eggs are disgusting, soft moist scrambled eggs are sublime. Also adding chives is not your only option, as in the video, try adding oregano or feta cheese to them. Perhaps even trying to add some chinese five spice powder and grated ginger. But before trying different ways, ensure that you have perfected the art of making moist, buttery scrambled eggs.

If all you have ever known about scrambled eggs was the rubbery semi hard/hard kind then you are in for a treat, and if you don't like it then well sucks to be you lol.

Interesting fact about scrambled eggs, James Bond creator Ian Fleming's favorite food was scrambled eggs and he also made his famous characted love them as well and prefer them fairly the way as described in the video below.

Chiffonade

2010-09-11T00:56:00.000-04:00

Was recently at a cooking demonstration, where one of the guests asked what a chiffonade was. As soon as she asked, almost everyone else nodded and was also wondering as they had heard the term before. I quickly explained the cutting process for a chiffonade and many knew it once they saw it, or have done it often but just did not know the official term for it. So for any others out there curious here is the definition along with a pic depicting it

The French term "Chiffinade" means "made of rags". In cooking, it is a technique for slicing herbs and leafy vegetables into long thin strips.

To chiffonade something, stack and roll a small pile of leaves and then slice or snip them into thin ribbons.

See pic below.

An Updated Banana's Fosters from Fine Cooking

2010-07-25T13:18:00.000-04:00

Recently got the new issue of Fine Cooking Magazine, which I highly recommend subscribing to.
They have an updated version and classic version section for particular recipes. This month they did one of my favs, Banana's Fosters!!!!!! Here is the updated version below, FYI, I already tried it and words cannot describe how good it is. Enjoy!

For the chocolate crust

7-7/8 oz. (1-3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 oz. (1/3 cup) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
6 oz. (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, diced
1-3/4 oz. (6 Tbs.) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg

For the pastry cream

2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-3/4 oz. (5 Tbs.) cornstarch
2 tsp. dark rum
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
1/2 oz. (1 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened

For the chocolate sauce

1/2 lb. extra-bitter chocolate (67% to 72% cacao), preferably Valrhona, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
2 Tbs. light corn syrup
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter

For the whipped cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For assembly

4 to 6 large ripe bananas (7 to 8 oz. each)
10 tsp. turbinado sugar
Dutch-processed cocoa powder
Mint leaves (optional)
Rum-raisin ice cream, preferably Häagen-Dazs

Make the chocolate dough

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl. Add the egg and beat well. In two batches, add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated.

Scrape the dough onto plastic wrap, shape into a flat square, and wrap well. Refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make the pastry cream

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high heat until small bubbles form around the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, rum, and vanilla seeds. Slowly whisk in the milk. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir well. On medium heat, whisk until it boils and becomes thick and shiny, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Pass the cream through a fine sieve into a shallow bowl. Transfer to a disposable pastry bag. Squeeze it down to the tip and refrigerate until ready to use. (The pastry cream can be made up to 1 day ahead.)

Make the chocolate sauce

Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream, milk, corn syrup, and butter over medium heat. When steaming hot, pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Bake the crusts

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Between two large sheets of parchment, roll the dough out into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle that’s about 13-1/2x10 inches. Slide it onto a rimmed baking sheet and freeze. Once the dough is firm, after about 30 minutes, trim to 12-1/2x9 inches and then cut it into ten 2-1/2x4-1/2-inch rectangles. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until set and dry, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan after 5 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheet on a rack.

Whip the cream

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream on medium speed until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and switch to a hand whisk, whipping until the cream forms stiff peaks.

Assemble the tarts

In a small saucepan, gently warm the chocolate sauce over low heat.

Cut a 1/2-inch hole at the tip of the bag of pastry cream. Pipe the cream in a zigzag pattern across each tart crust to cover completely.

Peel and cut the bananas into 2-1/2-inch lengths, then slice them lengthwise 1/8 inch thick. Shingle the bananas across the pastry cream. Sprinkle each tart with 1 tsp. turbinado sugar. Pass the flame of a small kitchen torch over the bananas until the sugar bubbles and caramelizes. Let cool briefly.

Transfer the whipped cream to another pastry bag, fitted with a star tip, and pipe a string of 1/2-inch rosettes down one long side of each tart over the bananas. Dust with cocoa powder. Garnish with mint leaves (if using).

Serve the tarts with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Pour the warm chocolate sauce over the tart at the table.

nutrition information (per serving):

Calories (kcal): 750; Fat (g): 45; Fat Calories (kcal): 400; Saturated Fat (g): 27; Protein (g): 10; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 8; Carbohydrates (g): 78; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 75; Cholesterol (mg): 260; Fiber (g): 4; photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 106, pp. 87

The Perfect Espresso

2010-07-04T22:49:00.001-04:00

Pulling the Perfect Espresso

Last year I was travelling though Italy on a food, wine, olive oil, and scenery tour. My lovely wife and I worked our way from Venice to the Amalfi Coast, and everyday had multiple memories that will last a lifetime. Food and wine are a passion there, and unlike most North American places fast food is not just the golden arches. Everything there was done properly and done well when it came to anything food related. We saw men fishing in the early day time and serving what they caught us in the evening, if I had a craving for red snapper and none was caught, none was being had case closed. Throughout our travels, we asked many locals about the best place to eat in the particular area we may have been at the time and the answer was almost always the same, best place...”My house”...which was sometimes followed by, “you come, eat with us”.
I cannot wait to go back and cannot stress enough that if you have the chance to go, jump on it, but very importantly stay away from tourist areas and tourist traps, find out the where the locals eat, or go to their market and you will see the real Italy.
Before we had left for Italy, I was told by a good friend of mine who happens to be Italian that I would travel for my espresso. When I pushed for a more clear explanation, he told me how here if you want a coffee you pull into the nearest timmy’s, maybe starbucks or if you are really bold here in Ottawa you will hit Bridgehead. To top it off if you are in a rush you will get it from the drive through and drink it in the car towards your destination. My friend explained that in Italy you have to first find your favourite coffee place...sorry espresso! When Italians think of Americanized coffee they call it “Stained Water”, to them it is espresso for your caffeine fix. In Italy I was further told, that your favourite place does not have to be the corner destination, it can be a place 30 minutes down the road and they will go there multiple times a day for the hit of espresso. Initially I scoffed at the idea of finding a place, I like a good espresso and each place that, if it does it well would work for me. Well I was proven wrong! I enjoyed my espresso in most places, but about a 15 minute walk from my B&B in Florence was Corona’s Cafe, a place that had an espresso with my name on it. Cannot explain why, but the atmosphere the way the barrista pulled the shot of espresso, the mini antipasto plate served after work, just everything about this place was right for me. As I was told I would do, I made sure that two to three times a day I went for my favourite espresso from my new favourite place, and I really never really lingered there for more than 5-6 minutes, but when I needed my caffeine hit, there was only one place for me.

Many of the locals stand around have their quick hit, and head off to work, home or where ever their destination is, some linger on for a bit chatting it up with other locals, and then usually more cafe is ordered, then some vino, then some antipasto, then some more vino etc, etc, etc...

But one thing I noticed and also fell in love with was called cafe corretto, which means corrected with booze, yes booze! Think of it...a strong shot of caffeine topped with sambuca or grappa, I could have danced all night!
Anyways, below is a video from youtube about pulling the perfect espresso, also below is a list of the different types of cafe found in Italy. If you get the chance and there is a little Italy near where you live, try and find a good quality espresso like the one described in the video, then go back to Starbucks and order one from them or any other chain coffee shop and see the difference.

Espresso : known a Cafe in Italy, served in a 3 oz or demitasse cup. Strong in taste with a rich bronze froth known as a crema on top.

Doppio : Simply a double espresso.

Ristretto: More concentrated than a regular espresso that is made with less water.

Lungo or Caffe Americano: An Espresso made with more water - opposite a Ristretto.

Macchiato: Espresso that is "marked" with a dollop of steamed milk on top.

Corretto: Espresso that is "corrected" with grappa, cognac or sambuca.

Cappuccino: Espresso with foamed milk and containing equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foamed milk.

Cappuccino scuro: Cappuccino prepared with less milk and is a darker color.

Cappuccino chiaro: Cappuccino prepared with more milk (but less than a cafe latte) and is lighter in color.

Cafe' latte: Espresso made with more milk than a cappuccino but only a small amount of foam. In Italy it is usually a breakfast drink.

Latte macchiato: Steamed milk that is "marked" (sometimes ornately) with a shot of espresso coffee.

Catering Ottawa: Kitchen Inspired: Mother's Day

2010-05-10T23:37:00.000-04:00

Hi all,
Just wanted to toss out an idea that has been brewing. Our Ottawa catering company Kitchen Inspired, is thinking taking it up a notch when it comes to cooking demonstrations and getting people passionate about food. Thinking about Mother's Day yesterday, and how we were asked by a few gentlemen to cater for their wives and moms. While I already booked myself for my own family, I thought about the number of guys in Ottawa who want to have their special day catered from Kitchen Inspired, simply because they were too lost in the kitchen. I have completed by book for men, called Grin N' Bear, A Men's Guide to Surviving the Heat of the Kitchen, now comes the fun task of properly publishing it. But before going further with that, I want to see if Men in the Ottawa Area who want learn more about cooking, but aren't interested in taking any continuing education classes to contact me and lets see if we can get a Men's Only Cooking Group organized. Hope to hear those interested soon.

Harissa

2010-05-06T00:05:00.000-04:00

Sharik asked about harissa, how to make it and where to buy it in the Ottawa area.

After a bit of research I was able to find it at La Bottega in the Ottawa Market, and also the Whalesbone Oyster House on Kent Street, and Alladhin on St.Laurent Blvd.

Harissa is a North African hot sauce where the main ingredients are Piri piri style chili peppers, tomatoes and smoked paprika.

Now the following recipe for Harissa comes from the Professional Chef Series Volume 7,

Ingredients:

•10 dried red chili peppers
•4-5 cloves garlic, finely minced
•1 teaspoon salt
•2-3 tablespoons olive oil
•1 teaspoon coriander seeds
•1 teaspoon caraway seeds
•1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Directions:
Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds.
In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt and olive oil. Blend.
Using a mortar and pestle grind the coriander and caraway seeds to a fine powder.
Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste.
Store in airtight container and top with a little olive oil. Can last up to one month in the fridge.
see below a picture of the finished product.

Hope this helps and would love to hear what you tried making with Harissa.

Grandmothers to Grandmothers, from the Stephen Lewis Foundation

2010-04-28T01:14:00.001-04:00

A little over a week ago, I had the privilege of doing a cooking demonstration for a wonderful charitable organization called Grandmothers to Grandmothers, which is a campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. These grandmothers have jewelry parties to raise money for grandmothers looking after their grandchildren in Africa. The jewelry is made in Africa and sold here with all the proceeds going back to them.

Kitchen Inspired provided a cooking demonstration at their party and included demonstrations on authentic African cuisine from the regions of Tanzania and Dar es salaam. Below are pictures of the demo and pics of some of the dishes, which included cumin oil shrimp and crushed peanuts, and an Indian/African Fusion Sambusa(very similar to Samosas of India)chaat.

To find out more about the Grandmothers Campaign please see visit the following site: http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/grandmothers.htm

Photograph Credit: Maureen Murphy

When all else fails...a good Frittata never hurt anyone

2010-04-15T18:57:00.000-04:00

Long day, cannot decide what to eat, wife is in the mood for whatever, raining outside and it is very gray and dreary. When all else fails a good Frittata is the way to go, all you need are a few left over items in the fridge and you are good to go. Today we went for a goat cheese, spinach and roasted red pepper one. Below is the recipe, and it totally hit the spot. Hope you enjoy...sorry no pic for this one

6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Generous pinches of salt and pepper
1 roasted red pepper, patted dry and cut into bite-sized strips
A handful of baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup creamy plain or flavoured goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp. butter

Preheat broiler and set rach about 3 inches from element.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Stir in roasted pepper, spinach and half the goat cheese.

In a large nonstick pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir egg mixture, then add to pan. Evenly distribute red pepper, spinach and cheese.

Once edges start to set, tilt pan and lift set edges. Let uncooked egg run onto pan. Cook until the top is barely set, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining goat cheese.

If hand of pan is not ovenproof, wrap with foil. Set pan under broiler for 30 to 60 seconds. Let stand a couple of minutes before serving in wedges.

Recommended beverage: a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver

Request for Utensil and Chicken Curry

2010-04-07T18:13:00.000-04:00

Anonymous wrote

Chef Bear,

I am looking for an uber-utensil - a potato peeler and a zester. I want the best money can buy - any suggestions?

Also, I'd like to make a chicken curry dish, with a twist for a gal-pal get-together in April. Got any suggestions?

cap from Ottawa

For the Potato Peeler, I am quite happy with my Paderno one, been using it for years and has yet to really go dull on me. Price wise it is quite resonable, have a look at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-8-Inch-Stainless/dp/B001VMAW3Q

As for the zester, I have a few and the best one I have used that is found at Home Sense in Ottawa is a Wusthof Silverpoint Lemon Zester.

Now Chicken Curry with a twist, that is a bit of a noodle scratcher and I thought about it for a couple of days and came up with the following:

Chicken Curry Penne

Ingredients:

3-4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

3-4 onions finely chopped

2-3 chopped tomatoes

1 Green chilli de-seeded and chopped very fine

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp grated Garlic

1 tsp grated Ginger

1 tsp Chilly powder

1.5 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

3-4 tsp cooking oil

2 cloves

1 cup coconut milk

1 Stalk curry leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

Enough Penne for 5 people

3 tomatoes peeled and de-seeded
(see the following link from e-how on how to peel and deseed: http://www.ehow.com/how_5616460_deseed-tomato-tomato-soup.html)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. They will begin to "pop" and once that happens, lower your heat and move to the next step.

3. Add ginger and garlic paste and saute for about 3-4 minutes careful not to allow it to burn
4. Add Green chilli, chopped onion, curry leaves and sauté for 5-6 minutes till the onions turn golden brown

5. Add chopped tomatoes and salt and sauté few minutes till the tomatoes are crushed into a paste

6. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, Garam masala powder, cloves and stir fry few minutes.
7. Add chicken pieces , mix well and stir for about 5-6 minutes
8. Add water as required if mixture is very dry and salt and pepper. Then cover for about 15 minutes

9. After about 15 minutes, when chicken fully cooked add coconut milk and boil for 1 or 2 minutes.
10. Garnish with curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves

11. Boil Penne according to directions or if using fresh penne, boil until al-dente about 3-4 minutes.

12. Once the penne, has cooked add it to a pan with some olive oil on medium heat and add in the peeled and de-seeded tomatoes. Saute for about 5 minutes and transfer to a large serving plate.

13. Top the penne with the chicken curry, toss ensuring the penne ends get filled with some of the delicious curry sauce and server.

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks

Gumbo Required

2010-04-07T17:50:00.001-04:00

Raining here like crazy last two days, after an amazingly beautiful Easter long weekend. Was lucky enough to BBQ two of those days, but for the past two days nothing but thunder showers and grey skies. Started feeling like the weather was right for some good old fashioned seafood gumbo, also known as swamp water in some parts. While I always enjoyed the way I was taught to make it, I stumbled across a website and decided to try their version out. It turned out amazing!!!!!
This is the way I am doing my gumbo going forward. Below is the recipe and a link to the site I got it from. Enjoy!

Seafood Gumbo Courtesy of http://gumbopages.com/food/soups/seafood-gumbo.html
Just remember ... you CANNOT have a good seafood gumbo without a good seafood stock. Don't use water, and don't use bottled clam juice.

Remember to use a non-reactive (non-cast iron) pot for any gumbo (or any dish, for that matter) that includes okra or tomatoes, as they will discolor.

These recipes can be cut in half if you don't want to feed an army.

Do NOT under any circumstances use imitation crabmeat, or surimi, in any crab gumbo dishes. If you tried that in Louisiana, you'd be shot on sight. If you try it elsewhere ... I'll know. And I'll come into your dreams and haunt you and you'll be slowly devoured by dull-toothed alligators.

This gumbo uses a very small amount of roux, so that it remains light. You may omit the okra if you like, and thicken the gumbo with filé powder instead -- it'll still be good, but will have a quite different flavor.

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour
2 medium onions, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
3 ribs celery, finely diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes (or 8 Roma tomatoes), seeded and diced (if you like tomatoes in your gumbo)
1 cup tomato purée (see above)
2 pounds okra, chopped
4 quarts shrimp stock, crab stock or fish stock
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning blend
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 dozen oysters, freshly shucked, liquor reserved
4 blue crabs, cleaned (optional)
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 tablespoon filé powder (if okra isn't used)
8 cups cooked long-grain white rice

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and add the flour. Stir constantly until a light brown roux is formed, then add the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Sauté until the onions become translucent and the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes and tomato purée, if you wish, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. (I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm not one of those people who likes tomatoes in my gumbo, but lots of people do. Your mileage may vary.)

Add the seasonings, and about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Add the okra, and cook for another 10 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook another 30 minutes.

(If you wish a more rustic gumbo, you may add whole blue crabs. Remove the hard top shell from the crabs (reserving for stuffed crabs or for shellfish stock), and break each crab in two down the middle. Remove the claws. Add to the stock.) With the gumbo on very low heat, add the shrimp 10 minutes before serving, the oysters and oyster liquor 5 minutes before serving, and the crabmeat just before serving (don't cook the crabmeat, just stir until it is heated through). Taste and correct seasonings.

If you don't like okra, or if you just prefer to make a filé gumbo, remove from heat and sprinkle the filé powder on the surface of the gumbo, then cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Then uncover and stir to mix. Be careful if there are leftovers -- filé doesn't reheat all that well, and you must be careful to reheat gently. If the gumbo comes back to a boil after the filé has been added, it will get stringy.

Place about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of rice in each bowl and ladle the gumbo over and around it. Serve with plenty of french bread and good beer or white wine.

YIELD: About 10-12 entrée servings or 20-24 appetizer servings (omit hard shell crabs if serving cups of gumbo as an appetizer).

thinking about that garden

2010-03-27T17:30:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again, to start thinking about what to plant for the upcoming summer season. Last season the tomatoes almost took over the house and we were worried about being attacked, so this year green beans, peas, one tomato plant, and maybe some peppers are the way to go. Our yard while small in size has an area for planting that is really beautiful. Two years ago, watermelon was grown, and despite everyone laughing at an Ottawa boy attempting watermelon, 4 of the biggest juicies watermellons came out of my yard. One was ofcourse injected with vodka for a perfect refreshment, while one was used for a watermelon salad with olives and feta....if you haven't had the opportunity to mix your watemelon with a salty feta, make sure you experiment with that this summer. The flavours are amazing and with the right herbs like mint, or lemon parsely it just adds an freshing spring to the taste.

Watermelon Salad with olives and feta
1 small red onion
Juice of two limes
1.5 kg sweet, ripe watermelon (you can also use watermelon injected with kirtsh, or vermouth)
250g feta cheese
bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
bunch fresh mint, chopped
6-7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
100g pitted black olives that have been dried in an oven (about 45 minutes at 150 degrees)
black pepper

Peel the red onion and cut into strips and put in a small bowl with the lime juice.
Remove the rind and pips from the watermelon, and cut into medium bite sized pieces, and the cut the feta into small pieces but not crumbled and put them both into a large, wide shallow bowl. Use spring of parsley , and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.

Tip the onions, along with the lime juice over the salad in the bowl, add the oil and olives, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don’t lose their shape. Add plenty of freshly cracked black pepper to finish and serve.

Watermelon

Recipes for Around the World Surf and Turf

2010-03-26T00:40:00.000-04:00

As promised here are the recipes for Al's dinner.
As discussed in yesterdays post, the dinner is for approximately 15 guests, and portion control is the key. Enjoy

Amouse Bouche – Tequilla Infused Shrimp

10 medium size shrimp peeled
1/3 cup tequila (your choice on brand but use a decent quality one)
3tbs butter
Small handful of chopped parsley and cilantro (total amount when put together should be about 1/3 of a cup)
Chilli flakes to taste depending on spice level of guests (the amount to use is your choice)
Splash of olive oil
1lime
1red pepper
1 red onion
1tbs garlic chopped
1/3 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauté pan, at medium heat add olive oil, then butter, then garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds, if the garlic starts to brown, start over, it should not brown just let it cook slightly, add the chilli flakes and then add the shrimp, toss with garlic and chilli, then as the shrimp begin to change color, add the tequila and half the juice of one lime and salt and pepper to taste. As the shrimp gets further cooked and is almost pink, add the cilantro and parsley and toss. The shrimp should take about 3 minutes per side to finish cooking, once it`s done shut off the stove and let it rest in the juices. Next, as finely as possible cut about ¼ of the red pepper into a fine dice, almost to the point of it being a mince. Do the same for about a 1/3 of the red onion and then mix the two together. To this add the corn kernels, if using frozen, thaw them in the microwave. Add the remaining juice of the other half of lime to this red pepper salsa, and top with a little more cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.
To serve this dish, take each shrimp and cut into two pieces. Ideally you want to serve this dish in Chinese spoons (here is what they look like http://asianideas.com/trchsp24pc.html) I have even seen them in dollar stores. But if you cannot find them we can try something else. One option that doesn’t cost anything that I used the first time I made this dish was to go to an oyster bar and ask them for their discarded oyster shells. I cleaned and rinsed and scrubbed them clean and then used them and it looked very nice. Take a spoon of the red pepper salsa, and place it gently in the center of the oyster or Chinese spoon and then top that with two pieces of shrimp (do not include the shrimp tail). Then take a teaspoon of the sauce the shrimp was resting in and spoon a very small amount of that over the entire item. If serving in oysters you may provide a small spoon if guests do not want to shuck that, or if using the asian spoon then they just use that.

Appetizer - Salmon and Rib Eye Crostini

5-7 ounces smoked salmon (I usually by it in a pack at the grocery store, if you get it from there too, 2 packs should be enough)
Small log of goat cheese
1/3 cup chopped red onion
a small jar of capers
olive oil salt and pepper

2 1/2 pounds steak, rib eye
1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, optional
2 tablespoons shallots minced
3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1-2 baguettes (the baguette I buy, I can cut into about 30 pieces which is the amount you need)
A small bag of mixed greens
1 shallot minced
Juice of half a lemon

First we prep the salmon and goat cheese crostini

Drizzle 15 slices of baguette with a little olive oil then top with a thin slice of smoked salmon, top with a small knob of goat cheese, top goat cheese with a few chopped pieces of red onion and maybe 2-3 capers. Salt and pepper to taste and drizzle once more with olive oil, the olive oil to top it is important cause you don`t want anything to burn but at the same time do not soak it in oil as it is a light drizzle. Once it is ready, put the slices on a baking tray and into the oven at 425 degrees for about 5-7 minutes. Make sure to watch it and not let it burn, the bread should be lightly toasted. Once done remove and let rest, and prep the rib eye.

All the ingredients listed under the rib eye steak above are used for the chimichuri sauce (1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley to 3 tablespoons lemon juice). Place all chimichurri sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well chopped well, but not puréed and put aside. Salt and pepper your steak and grill your steak until medium rare to a maximum doneness of medium. When grilling try to baste your steak a few times with a tablespoon of butter. Once the steak is ready, let it rest so the juices do not run away when cut into (let rest about 5 minutes). While it is resting, toss the bag of mixed greens with the minced shallot, juice of half a lemon, and olive oil and salt and pepper. We want to have that simple of a vinaigrette to the tossed greens. Slice the steak into about 15 medium thick slices and place on crostini (do not toast the baguette for this one) and then top the steak with a spoon of the chimichuri sauce.

To plate, place small amount of mixed greens on an appetizer size plate and top with a salmon crostini and steak crostini, and then drizzle a good quality olive oil over entire plate.

Soup Course – Italian Mussel Wedding Soup

For the meatballs:
1/4 lb ground beef
1/4 lb, pork
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp spanish smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

For the soup:
7 cups chicken broth
2 cups spinach, chopped
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Orzo pasta
15 Mussels

Combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, minced garlic and salt and pepper in mixing bowl. Hand mix and form into very small balls (that`s what she said) and form into tiny meat balls.

Put the meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes at 350F, until brown.

Approximately 15 minutes before serving, bring the chicken broth to a boil, add the spinach and orzo and cook until tender. Add the meatballs and return soup to a simmer. Now before adding the mussels to this, make sure the mussels have been scrubbed clean and no hairs remain. Any mussels already starting to open, do not add them, they have gone bad and discard them, only use ones that are closed. So add the mussels to the broth and cover for about 5-7 minutes. Take off the cover and the mussels should have opened up. Take the mussels out and stir in the Pecorino cheese to the soup. To serve, I recommend using very small bowls, or cups which actually make it look very nice. Take a tea cup and at the bottom of it add an opened mussel (mouth of mussel pointing upwards) and then spoon the broth and ensure everyone gets at least two to three small meatballs. To take it up a notch if you have left over baguette from the appetizer, use some thin slices of baguette, and brush them with a mixture of butter, garlic, olive oil and a dash of oregano and lightly toast in the over for a few minutes. On top of the tea cup or on the saucer for the tea cup place the garlic baguette slice. Make sure to tell guests that the mussel is best eaten at the very end as it develops all the flavors of the soup resting on it.

Mains – Cumin Crusted Tuna and Jerk Crusted Pork Loin

Tuna
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
15 (4-ounce) tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)
olive oil
To a saute pan add coriander and cumin seeds, NO OIL THOUGH, and heat on medium for about 1-2 minutes constantly shaking pan and toasting your spices. You will notice a really nice aroma coming from the pan, that is the sign that they are ready. Take the seeds and grind them using a mortar and pestle, or coffee grinder or blender etc…
Combine coriander, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish.
Next, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat and let rest.

Jerk Pork Loin
3 (approx 1.5 to a max of 2 pounds¬) pork tenderloins
2.5 bunches green onions (minced)
3 fresh limes
2.5 tablespoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon fresh thyme
1.5 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoon paprika
1-2 scotch bonnet or habenero chile pepper (one is not deadly, two can be tough, judgement call)
3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Place all the ingredients in a bowl except the pork and make into a paste, using mortar and pestle or hand mixed or blender etc...
Use a glove and massage the jerk paste all over the pork tenderloin.
Put on a sheet tray and let marinade for 6 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium or oven at 350 degrees. Make sure not to cook the pork over a very high heat because it will burn your marinade. Cook the tenderloin (turning occasionally) for 10 minutes. Remove the pork from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 to 7 minutes. After pork has rested place back on the grill and cook to the temperature you like. Ideally the temperature you want is when the meat thermometer registers 160°.

Items on main plate as garnish and sides

Asparagus that has been sauted in olive oil, garlic, a few chilli flakes, butter, salt and pepper and the juice of half a sweet orange.
Fennel salad, take fennel (2-3 fennels), cut off tops and fronds (save a few of those fronds though, do not throw them), and cut off base and slice super duper thinly,using a mandolin works best i find but if you do not have one use a very sharp knife. The fennel should be paper and almost see through thin. Mix the thin slices with the saved fronds that you cut up, and to that add, the juice of one lemon, the rind of one lemon,lots and lots of salt and pepper. Use a good quality salt here like a gray salt, mediteranian salt etc... then finish it with the best quality olive oil you can find. The salad will taste very fresh and vibrant.
Rice cooked with fresh peas. Cook about 4-5 cups of rice with fresh peas, once the rice is cooked add two diced and de-seeded tomatoes to it and mix together.

To Serve

Get a plate, and a small to medium size round cookie cutter. At the top of the plate, place the cookie cutter and fill it with the rice dish, press down on the rice and then gently remove the cookie cutter leaving a small to medium sized tower of rice(each person gets a ¼ to a little more than a ¼ of a cup of rice). Below the rice, using your hands, put a small mound of the fennel salad, under that place 3-4 asparagus spears. Have the spears form a trident or you can wrap all three of them in prosciutto. To either side of the fennel salad, which should be in the middle of the plate, add on each side the cumin tuna and jerk pork loin. Wipe the plates clean, and make sure nothing is dripping or moving around and then do the same to the rest of the plates, serve and enjoy.

Dessert – Chocolate Espresso Pot De Creme

12 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
2 2/3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup whole milk do this twice so its 2/3 and then another 2/3 of milk
2 - 4 teaspoons instant-espresso powder (again depends on how strong of an espresso flavor you like)
12 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
15 (4- to 5-oz) ramekins
Garnish: bittersweet chocolate curls
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk, espresso powder (to taste), and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until espresso powder is dissolved, then pour over chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure and cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Line bottom of a baking pan (large enough to hold ramekins) with a folded kitchen towel and arrange ramekins on towel. Poke several holes in a large sheet of foil with a skewer. Divide custard among ramekins, then bake custards in a hot water bath , pan covered tightly with foil, until custards are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers, 30 to 35 minutes.
Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, uncovered, about 1 hour. (Custards will set as they cool.) Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours

There you go, hopefully by Monday or Tuesday next week we can get some feedback on how it all went.

Al from Chicago has a request to impress

2010-03-24T22:32:00.000-04:00

Al from Chicago said...
Chef Bear,
Once a year, the men in my family prepare a gourmet dinner for our wives. We like to impress so we have several courses like appetizers, soup, salad, main dishes and then dessert. We even do a themed drink. The issue is we always have twice as much food as we need and since this tradition has been going on for several years, we are running out of ideas.
Any suggestions that can make our dinner a success to earn us the points we need for the rest of the year?
Please help!
Al from Chicago

Al and I have exchanged emails since his post and the following information is added to the above request: No allergies, 15 person guest list, 5 course dinner is ideal, no specific food aversions, everyone likes their meat and seafood, all the men share items to make and then bring it over, and wine pairings are not neccessary.

So with this information in mind, I have decided to suggest Al an "Around the World Surf and Turf". It will incorporate all the elements of land and sea from a variety of nationalities and incorporate many different flavors. When this was suggested to Al, him and his team seemed ready and willing to give it a shot. The first and most important thing to remember was that each course is not a main course sized meal. The amouse-bouche is meant to be a one to one and a half bite item, the soup will be served espresso style so it is only about 7-10 small spoonfuls.

Here is the menu set out for Al....Tune in tomorrow where the recipes will be included on the blog site.

Menu: Around the World Surf and Turf

Amouse Bouche –
Tequilla Infused Shrimp(along with dessert, the only non themed menu item)

Appetizer - Salmon and Rib Eye Crostini

Soup Course – Italian Mussel Wedding Soup

Mains – Cumin Crusted Tuna and Jerk Crusted Pork Loin

Dessert – Chocolate Espresso Pot De Creme

Remember tomorrow I will include the recipes for these items, and I will ask Al to post how it all went.

Gorgonzola suffed mushrooms....mmmmmmm......mmmmm.....mmmmm

2010-03-21T17:57:00.000-04:00

Last night, my lovely wife had her cousin visiting from T-dot and we ended up going to Aroma Mezze for dinner on Nepean street. For anyone who has not been, it's a wonderful authentic Greek tapas style place in downtown Ottawa, that is perfect for vegetarian and carnivores alike. Their signature is the always enjoyable to watch, Saganaki. The cheese used in saganaki cheese is usually kefalograviera, kasseri, kefalotyri, or halloumi cheese from Cyprus is also widely used, and more easily accessable to those of us in North America. The cheese is melted in a small frying-pan until it is bubbling, and generally served with lemon juice and pepper and is eaten with bread. At Aroma Mezze as most places in North America that do Saganaki cheese is after being fried, the saganaki cheese is flambéed at the table and the flames then extinguished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to add a fresh taste to this gooey finger licking dish. After dinner, we decided to head across the street to Beckta Food and Wine for dessert. Our table ordered the apple crème brûlée, and their cocoa explosion which is a chocolate lovers heaven, and lastly the always popular cheese plate with a few dessert wines to compliment it all. Sampled 5 very distict cheeses, and enjoyed them with candied walnuts, thinly sliced baguettes, and for drinks had a very nice Mederia, and Sautern wines. As usual with Beckta Food and Wine, the service and food were absolutely perfect. This team of skilled staff know how to treat and feed their customers and it shows with their multiple awards. Most places after getting so many accolades cannot possible live up to hype, but Beckta some how always manages to excede all expectations. Anyways, I was talking about gorgonzola stuffed mushrooms in the title, and as usual gave way too much info leading up to it, oh well.... anyways, after dinner and dessert at around 1:30 in the am, someone remembered he had some gorgonzola cheese to use the next day and in the process of thinking what to do with it also remembered the extra mushrooms laying around....sure you can see where this is going....well far be it from me to wait to try to make something, got downstairs, and make those delicious mushrooms cause the craving was just too strong. So with that in mind below is the recipe I used. I also made it a few weeks ago, and took a pic of it at that time so I will include it as well. If you have any questions about this recipe or something else you want to know about or want me to try, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or most it in the comments section. Happy Eatings!
Gorgonzola Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small shallot finely chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
16 large button mushrooms, with stems removed (but retain stems)
1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup cream
4 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled
salt and pepper
Directions
Cook shallot and garlic in olive oil in saucepan until soft.
Chop mushroom stems& add to saucepan, cooking until golden.
Add remaining ingredients, and finsh with salt and pepper to taste
Fill the mushroom caps and brush all over with olive oil.
To cook either bake at 350 F for about 15-20 minutes until moisture is evaporated.
Boil for another 5 minutes to lose remaining moisture from mushrooms and create a nice crisp topping.

Welcome to our new Blog

2010-03-15T20:59:00.003-04:00

Kitchen Inspired is proud to announce the re-lauch of our newly designed website, Twitter page, and now our Food Rescuer Blog. The focus of the blog will be for you our readers. Giving you a place to ask any and all food related questions. A place where together, kitchen nightmares will turn into culinary adventures.

I want this blog to be all about food and the kitchen all the time. Tell me about your latest kitchen diaster and lets see how to fix it. Want me to try a new kitchen gadget out and give it a thumbs up or down before you buy, just ask. If you are going to the grocery store and want to know how to buy avocados, post the question and I will answer you asap.

Food is my passion, the kitchen is my heaven, and I want you to experience that feeling I get from feeding family and friends. Remember one important thing as we begin this journey together. Cooking is one of the only arts that appeals to all your senses and together we will enhance all of them.