Oh Happy Day!

I spent most of the weekend, in the backyard tending to my humble vegetable garden... finally. The heirloom tomatoes & tomatillos are now in and my peas, radishes, and beets now have their early leaves. Yes, I know it's already June and it is a little bit late, but I have a decent excuse. Our backyard renovations have just been completed. It was a total gut job. Unfortunately, it was not a renovation we had planned, but nevertheless had to be taken care of. In the end, we have a space at the back of our house we can claim as our home.

If that was not already enough to contribute to my joyful mood, my husband and I drove across the city to pick up this



It's an alpine strawberry. Perfect for container gardening and apparently superior in taste to the mass-cultivated sort. (I know it may be a little late - it's practically strawberry season around here. But I am an optimist.) While I love all my plants, my strawberry plant is my most precious. She is my pride and joy.

Oh happy day, indeed.

Onto this week's recipe...

For dinner this evening, my husband put steaks on the grill. I went into the fridge to rummage around for something else to go with dinner. Then an unusual guest made it to dinner last night. The previous day, I had summoned the courage to try Belgian Endive again after watching a review of a local restaurant on tv. I don't normally like bitter vegetables but, I thought I would give it a go.

Roasting vegetables seems to be such a natural way to eat them when it's warm out and the bbq is already on. The hot hot heat softens crisp vegetables, intensifies their inherent sweetness and exudes a wonderfully smokey aroma. There is nothing like the summer's bounty roasted on a hot barbie and why should endive be any different? The result is bittersweet, slightly crunchy and perfectly complemented for an unctuous bbq'd steak.


Grilled Belgian Endive




Serves 4

2 Belgian Endives
olive oil
salt & pepper

1. Heat BBQ on high heat (this can be prepared with a hot grill pan on a stove)
2. Clean & quarter Belgian Endives
3. Toss with olive oil & salt & pepper
4. Place on hot grill until grill marks appear & slightly caramelized. Flip and repeat on all three sides.
5. Serve immediately. ...Read more

A Summer's Lunch

In everyone's kitchen, there is one appliance that is indispensible. It's the one appliance that never collects dust. It works harder than all the rest, while the others are relegated to dark corners of the kitchen. In our household, it's our panini maker.

Perhaps the reason our panini maker gets quite a workout is our love for warmed, toasted sandwiches with delicious savoury fillings. In our household, there are few lunches that are as satisfying as a savoury cup of soup and a grilled sandwich oozing with melted cheese. No matter the season, our lunch-time mood always suits a grilled sandwich.

This week, I share with you one of my absolute favourite summer sandwiches. It includes a thick (read: generous) smear of tangy softened goat cheese, roasted sweet red pepper, and fresh fragrant basil leaves sandwiched between fresh toasted ciabatta melded together in my trusty panini maker.

Grilled Sandwich with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes and Roasted Red Peppers
1 4" slice fresh ciabatta bread sliced cross-wise
1-2 tbsp soft goat cheese (chevre)
1/4c roasted red pepper slices
1 small tomato sliced length-wise
3 large sized basil leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat panini maker. Toast ciabatta slices cut side down until toasted & grilled markets appear.
2. Once toast is ready, spread goat cheese onto bottom slice of hot toasted bread.
3. Top with roasted red pepper & tomato slices. Sprinkle with sea salt & pepper. Then layer basil leaves and firmly place top of the ciabatta on top.

Serve with a spring mix salad or a small cup of roasted tomato soup.
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What To Do With... Celeriac

How would I describe this vegetable to someone who had never seen one before? Knobby? Gnarly? Ugly? Hmmm. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. How about delicious? Fresh? Delicately-flavoured? The more I thought about this neglected tuber, the more I realized Celeriac needs a publicist or better still, an agent. Celeriac needs someone who can help it cultivate a reputation for being delectable, versatile and easy to work with.

Sure, Celeriac isn’t the darling of the vegetable world (yet) and that’s okay. But certainly it is destined to feature in more than French bistro favourite, celeriac remoulade. It doesn’t have to be a niche vegetable, as it can be integrated into everyday meals and has far greater range than you might expect.

As I have gotten to know Celeriac over several meals together, I have really come to enjoy this time. In fact, it came to remind me of one of Canadian literature's most beloved characters, Dunstan Ramsey, from the novel, Fifth Business, by Robertson Davies. (Mandatory high school English Lit around these parts. In my mind, it is a shining example of the Canadian literature at its best.)

The main protagonist, Dunstan Ramsay, is a headmaster of an elite Canadian boys school, who reflects upon a life lived. As he tells his story, he comes to realize that he is Fifth Business, referring to a plot device who isn’t a main character but essential for plot progression.

Anyway, it’s a food blog and not an English essay so I will get to the point. In food terms, celeriac is Fifth Business. It is a great supporting cast member in many a meal, perhaps making an appearance as part of an appetizer or soup course or as a great side to a main.

Celeriac is generally easy to find at the grocery store (of course, this varies depending on where you are reading this), and is deceptively easy to cook. Celeriac has an incredible but mellow flavour, too. Being related to celery, it carries the familiar faint aroma of that childhood snack. It tastes clean and crisp but unlike it’s school yard counterpart, celeriac can be filling and substantive with a texture similar to potatoes (when cooked.)

Celeriac, I am a fan. If you’re looking for an agent, call me. I could be the Jerry Maguire to your Rod Tidwell. We’ll do lunch or dinner…



A note on produce selection: When buying celeriac, phalange-like roots are okay. Pick up the celeriac. It should feel sizable and firm but not heavy for it’s size. It will be a little dirty and there should be limited spots of green on the vegetable. Check the ends for white mould, and if it feels soft or wrinkled, put it back down. It’s old.

To prep celeriac: Carefully peel the celeriac with a sharp knife. If you think this is going to take a little bit of time, prepare a bowl of acidulated water (add lemon juice to a bowl of water), and drop chunks of celeriac as you go along to prevent it from browning.

Here are a couple of things you can do with celeriac:

1. Roast root vegetables with duck fat– celeriac, carrots, turnips, Swedes (rutabagas), and potatoes. Peel vegetables and cut into large chunks. Cook potatoes, swedes and celeriac for ten minutes, until it’s mostly tender. Drain well. Toss vegetables (parboiled and raw) with (brace yourself) a tablespoon or two of duck fat. Sprinkle with salt and toss well to coat evenly. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 45 minutes. After about 25 minutes, remove from oven and give them vegetables a flip. Resist the urge to flip them more than once so that the outside develops a nice golden crusty exterior with a soft fluffy interior.

(Yes, you read that right. Duck fat. Yes, artery clogging glorious luscious animal fat. I know I have said this before, but you’re going to have to trust me on this one. Duck fat lends an incredibly rich, complex but subtle flavour. Even if you don’t like duck, you still may like duck fat. It’s absolutely delicious. Save the fat next time you roast off a duck, or if you’re like me, just ask your butcher.)

2. Celeriac remoulade- the classic French bistro preparation – so easy to do at home: Peel celeriac and julienne 1 medium sized celeriac. Toss gently with lemon juice. Mix 1/2c mayonnaise, 1/3c to 1/2c light sour cream. (I have seen some recipes with a full cup of mayo, I am substituting to lighten the dish) with 3 cornichons, diced finely, 1 tbsp of capers (here’s another use for capers if you need a refresher), and 1 tbsp of grainy mustard (we have one with a bit of horseradish and it’s nice.) Add a pinch of salt and pepper, toss with celeriac and garnish with about 1-2 tbsp of chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve.

3. Mashed celeriac (like mashed potatoes) – peel celeriac and cut into large chunks. Cook in a large pot with lightly salted water until fork tender. Drain well. Add 1/2c warmed milk, 2 tbsp of butter, salt and pepper and mash well.

4. Cream of Celeriac Soup - peel celeriac and cut into large chunks. In a large dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp of butter, once the butter has melted, tumble in celeriac. Cook until celeriac is soft and the edges are golden. Add 1 liter of chicken stock and 1 tsp of celery salt. Turn down heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until tender (about 15-20 minutes). Carefully blend until all the soup is smooth and free of chunks. Stir in 1/2 c of cream (or evaporated milk if you're cutting the calories.) Adjust seasoning and serve.

...Read more