And the Winner is...

Last night's Oscar ceremony was the first time in year's that I actually really cared about the awards, generally I just care about having or going to an Oscar party.

At the somewhat last minute I asked my friend Avery if she and her husband Ian would like to watch the Oscars.  Avery wasn't so sure Ian would be too interested in the ceremony, but then I had a stroke of culinary genius (modest much?).  Ian and I would both make appetizers and have a little cooking show down. 

Ian is one of the few people I know who is as interested in food as I am.  I knew he wouldn't disappoint.  Frankly, he kicked my ass (but then again I did have to travel with my appetizers, so I was somewhat limited in my scope).  However, I am nothing if not humble and I admit when the better person has won, just as so many other Canadian women did last night.

My Rachael Ray Mini Corn Dogs were cute but a pain to make.  They were also damn tasty and good for soaking up the copius amounts of sparkling wine we consumed.

I asked Ian to give me the recipe of the dish he liked the best.  Out of Black Bean Dip with Fried Tortilla Chips (homemade), Chicken and Green Onion Skewers and Crab Cakes, it was ultimately the Crab Cakes that won out.  You'll find his recipe below.

Some props to Ave who provided us with the baguette and Leslieville Cheese Dip you see below.  Spicy Mexican Smoked Mozzarella Dip to be exact.  If you are ever in Leslieville I can not encourage you enough to check out the Cheese Market.

Ian's Flay (as in Bobby) Inspired Crab Balls with Basil Aioli

Yields 8-10 Crab Balls

2 Cans PC Crab Meat (always pick over for shells)

1/2 red onion

2 cloves garlic minced

1 jalapeno diced and seeded

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tbl spoons of whole grain mustard

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

2-4 tbl spoons of whole wheat flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

2-4 cups peanut oil

1.  Saute onion, jalapeno and garlic until soft (5-10 min) set aside to cool.

2. In mixing bowl add crab meat, mayo, mustard and horseradish together.  Mix well to break up crab meat into fine strands.

3.  Add jalapeno, onion and garlic when cooled - mix well.

4.  Slowly add flour (1 tbl spoon at a time) until mixture is thick and could be manipulated into ball form.

5. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour up to 1 day.

6. Roll balls into size of golf balls.

7.  In a seperate bowl combine bread crumbs with ancho and chipotle chile powders.  Roll balls in bread crumb mixture until they are well covered on all sides.

8. Heat peanut oil to frying temperature (375 degrees)

9.  Fry crab balls for 5 minutes or until a deep golden browl.  Serve with basil aioli.

Basil Aioli

1 cup mayo

1 tbl spoon whole grain mustard

1 garlic clove finely minced

20 - 25 basil leaves

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1.  Blanche basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Shock with ice water to cool rapidly.

2.  Finely chop the basil.

3.  Whisk together all ingredients.

4.  Serve immediately.

No Name or Puns Needed

This weekend was the first annual Family Day in Ontario, so I decided to head home and actually spend it with family.  Because my Mom knows I like cooking she had a Rachael Ray magazine saved for me to read.

A few times on this blog I have taken a Rachael Ray recipe and made it healthier.  But when I found this one, I realized it didn't really need any adjusting.  And it is suitable for vegetarians, which makes my mom happy.  It made me happy because I wasn't able to go grocery shopping this weekend and the only vegetable I had left in my fridge upon my return to the city were shallots.  

I divided the recipe in half so that I didn't have an over abundance, but here I offer the full version.  It so damn easy and really really tasty.  Buy good ingredients and show case them here if you have the occasion.

I refuse, though, to use her cutesy title (That's Shallotta Flavor Spaghetti).  I offer it up to you to name.

"Insert Recipe Title Here"

From Everyday with Rachael Ray, March 2008

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

10 shallots, halved and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used the minced kind in the jar, again working with what i gots)

Salt and Pepper

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (use could also use Light Parmesean)

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (I had to use dried, so I used less)

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium low heat.  Add the shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 20 minutes (though mine took less time, keep an eye on it).

2.  While the shallots are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.  Pour 3 ladlefuls of the pasta cooking water into the cooked shallots and stir.  Drain the pasta and add to the shallots.  Add the cheese and parsley, season with salt and pepper and toss.

Wine and The Internet

Usually these two things are NOT a good combination (especially today! the big V DAY). Forget drunk dialing, drunk emailing is way worse.

But now the LCBO will be launching podcasts devoted to helping people learn more about wine.

The first two are mysteriously titled "Decoding Wine Labels" and "Raise the Perfect Glass."

Hit the link above to check them out.

In the mean time, here is a Valentine's Cocktail.

Balsamic Strawberry Cocktail
*I made this one up after brunch one day.

Step 1: Make yourself some Balsamic Strawberries. First cut up about 1/2 pound of strawberries (hulled of course) into quarters. Combine with sugar (or Splenda) and balsamic vinegar (about 1 tablespoon of each). Mash them up a bit. Put it in the fridge to marinate for about 15 min.

Step 2: Pour A Glass of Sparkling Wine or Champagne, size is totally personal, and put in a flute for heaven's sake!

Step 3: Take a small spoon and put some strawberries in a glass.

Step 4: Consume.

Are You there God? It's Me, Tomato Sauce

Attempting to make your own tomato sauce is sort of a right of passage.  Since I am not exactly a trained chef I decided to consult a few recipes and then develop my own out of what I had on hand.

The result was actually pretty good!  I made it on a week night just to prove how easy it can be, but if I had more time obviously I would have let it simmer for longer (maybe even all day).

I paired mine with whole wheat pasta (the only kind I use) and topped it right before serving with Grana Padano cheese.  To store the cheese after first use wrap wax paper tightly around the cheese and then wrap that in plastic wrap.  Store it in the veggie crisper to keep it longer.

I also threw in some green olives for good measure, again just before serving.

Here I offer you a recipe adjust at will according to taste.

Have Fun!

Hilly's Week Night Pasta Sauce

3 Shallots Minced

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

Olive Oil (enough the saute the shallots and garlic)

14 fl oz can of diced tomatoes

7 fl oz can of reduced sodium chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Italian Seasoning to Taste

4 oz of tomato paste

Heat Olive Oil in sauce pan.  Add Shallots and Garlic and saute until soft.  Add Diced Tomatoes and Chicken stock.  Stir.

Add Seasonings and Tomato paste and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer to taste.

Keep tasting and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Makes about 4 or 5 cups.

A Winterlicious Guest Post!

A Guest Post by Jenna Zuschlag.

Last Saturday we were lucky enough to get a reservation at Edward Levesque Kitchen during Winterlicious.

The restaurant is located at the eastern end of Leslieville on Queen Street. When you first step into the restaurant you literally find yourself in the kitchen. We think Edward Levesque himself was at the helm of the grill, but we're not entirely sure.

After a short wait, our waitress (who was incredibly friendly without being invasive or overbearing) seated us in a row of tables along one side of the long narrow dining room. They had a small wine selection for Winterlicious, none of which really appealed to us, so we were allowed to order off the main wine list. They have an extensive list mostly made up of private label bottles from Australia and New Zealand. We chose a lovely Shiraz Grenache from Clare Valley - it was amazing.

The Winterlicious menu had quite a large selection compared to other participating restos we've been to. From the six apps offered we chose the halved fennel salad made with shredded apples, blood oranges, almonds, and pomegranate in a rosemary and buckwheat honey vinaigrette (for dan), and the roasted beets with onion, arugula, chevre and tarragon vinaigrette (for me).
The fennel salad was great, but sort of weak flavour-wise. The beets were earthy tasting and were perfectly paired with the herbed chevre. It's definitely something I would have again and probably try to make on my own.

The mains selection was great. You could chose from hangar steak, oxtail, salmon, scallops, and roast lamb. Dan had the hangar steak, which was served with roasted plum tomatoes, chive mashed potatoes, and jus. He thoroughly enjoyed the meat, it was prepared according to his liking, but the portion was on the small side. I chose the seared scallops with parsnip puree, grilled leeks, and beet compote. The scallops were great, cooked just right, not too raw, but a bit lacking in the portion department as well. I wasn't a fan of the huge piece of leek wrapped around my plate, but at least it was tender enough to cut through without making a mess of the presentation. I'll be honest though, I spent most of the time coveting Dan's steak over my scallops.

For dessert, three options were advertised, but only two were actually available that night - a triple layer carrot cake and chocolate truffle cake. We had both and split. The carrot cake was great, with rich icing and sans raisins (yuck). The chocolate cake was a bit on the rich side, but it quickly disappeared just the same.

All in all, it was a great meal. Lots of choice, great service, fantastic wine, and cozy atmosphere. We'll definitely be back, probably to try out their brunch menu, which looks incredible.

Why I Love Food

Lately I have been doing a lot of thinking about food and why a few years ago I became somewhat obsessed with it. I graduated with a degree in Technical Theatre and throughout university I was proud if I made Kraft Dinner that didn't have lumps in it.

So why did I become a "food enthusiast"? How do you get from margarine and noodles to fois gras?

About 3 or so years ago I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This was after a battery of tests confirmed that I was healthy enough to go into space. Really, those were the words the doctor used. I was lucky that I had a male doctor that really did believe there was something wrong and referred me to a specialist; a gastroenterologist.

The gastroenterologist was one of the most abrupt people I had ever met, he also had a bit of a tact issue, but I guess if you are talking about fecal matter all day your boundaries may be a bit different. For example, one of his questions in our relatively short pre-diagnosis interview was "Were you abused as a child?" Wow. I later found out why he was asking that, but still.

Within a few minutes of our first visit he looked at me and said "We don't need to run anymore tests, you have IBS, and I am sorry no one caught it sooner." After he explained what it was, we talked about treatment options. IBS is not cureable (though some claim it is, I don't believe it) but it is manageable.

In addition to leaving what was at the time a high stress job, I also started taking prescription medication. Eventually it stopped working and it was quite expensive without a health plan. I started exercising but didn't really change my eating habits too much. Then in early 2006 while I was working at an actor's agency one of the clients recommended the GI Diet. It made me look at food in a whole new light.

It meant not dieting but more watching what you were putting in your body. That food serves a very real and essential purpose in life. I also started reading French Women Don't Get Fat which taught me about how to savour food and how it can tie into passion and emotion.

They both inspired me to take a hard look at what I was eating and that it wasn't really that hard to eat healthier (look at the recipes I adapt on this site). As a side bonus to both the exercise and the new eating I dropped 20 pounds, it took a little over a year but I did it (The Last 10 pounds Boot Camp can kiss my butt). This was also spurred on by the Gastroenterologist saying I could stand to lose a few pounds (no I wasn't offended, it was true, my BMI was high)

After spending a long time on the GI Diet I try to stick as close to it as I can, but I don't let it stop me at restaurants, especially gourmet ones. I gained a new appreciation for chefs as people who have a real chance to make an impression on someone's life through the food they serve them.

I now know more what foods and situations can trigger me feeling "not so great," and I do the best I can. I have come to terms with the fact that this will never go away and sometimes it will just act up even if I am meditating and eating only pure foods.

So that is the first and hopefully last time I will mention the word bowel on this site. But hopefully it gives you a bit more of an insight into my love of food. Hit the link above if you want to learn more about IBS or think you might have it.

You are what you eat.

The Winterlicious Post

There are two schools of thought on Winterlicious (and Summerlicious). One is that it is a great thing, giving people the chance to explore restaurants they may not be able to afford normally. It breaks down social barriers and makes the Toronto dining scene not seem so "snobby."

The other school of thought (mainly from those in the industry), is that it is like suffering two successive weeks of non-stop root canals. In other words, it is pure hell. Waiters get lower tips, restaurants are booked solid and instead of getting to be creative in the kitchen chefs are stuck with churning out the same few dishes each night.

I understand both schools of thought, but I still participate. In some ways I use it to pick and choose which restaurants I want to go back to and pay full price. And I am lucky to have friends and a boyfriend who are "good drinkers" and "good tippers," so we do it up right.

This time around I was only able to make it to one (work, dear friends, work) and luckily it was a gem.

As you can tell from above it was the iconic Bistro 990. This is the kind of restaurant that is ideal for Winterlicious, it has a fun history of celebrity attendance and a great atmosphere that makes you feel special just being there. Bistro 990 has a menu of classic bistro fare with a provencal influence. I went with folks who appreciate a good meal.

To start we were split half and half. Jenny and I each had the Bistro Pate with Quince and Red Onion Marmalade. It came with an ample basket of bread crisps and was rich and dare it say it creamy. The Marmalade helped to cut some of the richness.

Homer and Meg had the Mushroom soup, which was hearty and had a nice dose of cream. Thankfully the baguette kept coming in order to sop it up.

For the mains we all opted for the AAA Flank Steak with Blue Cheese, Mash and Bordelaise Sauce. We felt no guilt about ignoring the other option of Tuna Nicoise as it was so damn cold outside. The only thing that would do was red meat. The steak was great but the real star was the Blue Cheese Mash, the next time I make mashed potatoes I am definitely going to try to replicate this.

By this point my control tops were begging for mercy but I had to soldier on because it was dessert time. Again we were spit with Meg and Jenny ordering the Individual Pavlova with Raspberry Mousse and Chantilly. It was nice and light and probably what I should have ordered. I instead went for the Chocolate Ginger Pot de Crème, which was accompanied by a biscotti that also had ginger flavour. It was creamy and rich and put me over the edge.

Accompanying the meal was a nice bottle of Cote du Rhone which was affordably priced at $39. While we were there I had a look at the regular menu and to be honest it wasn't out of this world. I would go back for a fancy dinner any time.

I hadn't been out for a fancy dinner in a little while and I love the occasion of it. There is still a week left so if you can get in anywhere make a night of it, even a Wednesday night.

Be well and tip well.