Farro with Wild Mushrooms – So Old it’s New

We don’t get to eat a lot of food that’s identical to what the ancient Romans would have eaten, which is one of the things that makes farro so fun. 

They must have had mushrooms and fermented cream back then, so it’s easy to imagine Cleopatra and Mark Antony enjoying this before an evening of who knows what.

You can buy dry farro in whole-grain form, but I prefer the “pearled” style, where the tougher outer layer has been polished down. Mine took about 40-45 minutes to cook, but that will depend on the brand you buy, as the sizes, and amount of polishing can vary.

I think this makes the perfect winter side dish, and while you could serve it as an entrée like a risotto, for me it’s much better as a co-star. It has a very unique, firm and chewy texture that makes it a great contrast for roasted or braised meat, but all by itself, it could get tiresome. That said, I hope you give this exciting “new” grain a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms (a small handful), *soaked, and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

10 brown mushrooms, cubed

1/2 onion, small dice

2 clove minced garlic

salt to taste
1 heaping cup pearled farro

3 cups chicken stock, divided

2 tbsp crème fraiche

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

grated Parmigiano Reggiano

*Note: You can strain and use the soaking liquid in the dish, but after only 20 minutes it’s fairly weak, and I wanted the extra flavor of chicken broth, so I didn’t use it. If you soak them for a longer time, and/or want to stay vegetarian, then go for it.

Quick and Easy Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

The Lunar New Year, often called the Chinese New Year, is next week and I take that as the perfect excuse to pull out some of my favourite Chinese recipes and to try some new ones. One of my favourite Chinese take out dishes is the hot and sour soup and a few years ago I shared a traditional Chinese hot and sour soup recipe but it required a few ingredients that you could only get on a trip down to Chinatown or a well stocked local Asian grocery store so I decided to come up with a more accessible or pantry friendly version. This version of Chinese hot and sour soup does not require any rare ingredients, it takes less 20 minutes to make and what's more is that it's still better than most take out versions! You really couldn't find a much simpler soup recipe than this one, you pretty much just throw everything into the pot, heat it, pour in the egg drop along with a few seasoning and you are done! If you are looking for a quick, easy and tasty Chinese hot and sour soup, this is it and it was perfect for me right now since it is far too cold out for me to head down to Chinatown to pick up some of those wood ear mushrooms and lily buds that are required for the more traditional version of the recipe!

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Caramelized Pear and Blue Cheese Soup

It's time for another warm comforting bowl of soup for these cold winter days! At first this pear and blue cheese soup might sound a little strange but the combination of pears and blue cheese can be a magical one; the trick is that you need to be careful not to overpower the delicate flavour of the pears with the strong flavour of the blue cheese. This soup starts off by caramelizing the pears in butter and brown sugar to add a little to their sweetness and to bring out more of the pears flavours. From there the recipe is pretty much a simple soup recipe where you cook some onions, garlic and thyme before adding the broth along with some potatoes to thicken the soup a bit, simmer until tender, puree and add the blue cheese along with some cream. I have to say that the sweet pear and savoury blue cheese combo is an absolutely fabulous one and it works amazingly well in this soup! As good as the soup is just like that it benefits from the saltiness from a garnish of some crispy fried pancetta or bacon; a must in my books! No matter how you make it, this soup is pure comfort food that will warm your soul through the dead of winter!

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Cauliflower Chowder

It's time for another soup and this time it's a cauliflower chowder that is so quick, easy, light, healthy and so tasty that you'll be coming back for seconds every time! My favourite cauliflower soup is my roasted cauliflower and aged white cheddar soup where the cauliflower is pureed to make a smooth soup but it's also nice to get the texture of the cauliflower and this chowder does just that. This recipe could not be simpler, you just saute the standard three veggies, onions, carrots and celery in oil, add some flour as a thickener, add the broth and cauliflower, simmer until the cauliflower is tender, add the cream and season to taste. The recipe as written is really good but I like to kick things up a bit by adding some umami in the form of melting parmesan cheese into the chowder, adding miso paste and finally by giving into my inner bacon addiction and topping things off with some crispy bacon! This is definitely one of my new favourite soups with it being both hearty and tasty while also being light and healthy and it's also a bowl of pure comfort food that is perfect for these cold winter days!

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Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Almonds, Pomegranate and Feta in a Lemony Tahini Dressing

After all of the football snacking in January it was time for some healthier dishes starting with this roasted cauliflower and chickpea quinoa and arugula salad/grain bowl. I start this salad out with a base of quinoa and arugula and I build it up with some meaty roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. From there I add some toasted almond slivers for crunch, pomegranate for both the colour and the juicy bursts of sweetness and some salty feta before finishing it off with plenty of fresh herbs like parsley and mint. Continuing with the Mediterranean theme I went with a simple lemony tahini based dressing and despite it simply consisting of tahini, lemon juice and salt it is so amazingly good! One of the things that I like most about this salad, other than the fact that it tastes amazing, is all of the vibrant colours from the black quinoa to the green arugula to the white cauliflower and finally the red pomegranate and I also thoroughly enjoy all of the contrasting textures. If you are looking for a healthy light meal (or a side dish) you just cannot go wrong with this tasty roasted cauliflower and chickpea quinoa and arugula salad/grain bowl!

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Truffled Cauliflower Gratin – Now 100% Truffle Oil Free

This cauliflower gratin would typically be “truffled” with truffle oil, but I’ve never been a big fan. Truffle oils are almost always synthetically produced, one-dimensional, and way too overpowering. 

So, in this otherwise humble gratin, we’re going to use another, much more delicious delivery system…truffle pecorino. For less than $10 worth of cheese, I think you can get a much nicer, truer truffle flavor – plus, it’s cheese. By the way, if you know they actually make this cheese with synthetic truffle oil, please keep it to yourself, and don't spoil it for me. 

This stuff is pretty easy to find in fancy grocery stores with decent sized cheese departments, but if you can’t, I’ve seen it online at even better prices.

It’s worth the effort to find, and turns this already great casserole into something truly special, and with side dish season in full swing, I really hope you consider giving this truffled cauliflower gratin a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6-8 Portions

6 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 tsp salt or to taste

pinch of cayenne

pinch of nutmeg

5 to 6 oz wedge of truffle pecorino, grated

1 large head of cauliflower

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano as needed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

a few fresh chives to garnish

Persian Rice – Sorry, Measuring Cups

I believe I’ve posted a few “fool proof” methods for cooking “perfect” rice, but this Persian version takes the grand prize, and it’s not even close for second. The beauty of this method is that it doesn’t rely on any specific measurements, or even exact times. This will make some of you very nervous, but just go with it.

As long as the pot you use to boil and steam the grains is large enough, this will work exactly as shown. Since we are basically steaming rice that’s already been par-boiled and drained, there are never any issues with too much, or too little water.

By the way, I’ve only made this a handful of times, and so I’m sure there are many things I could improve on. I hear that soaking the rice in cold, salted water before boiling it helps improve the texture even more, which I find kind of hard to believe.

I mean, is there a level of rice perfection that goes beyond perfection? Probably too deep a question for a food blog about rice, so I’ll simply close by saying, I hope you give this Persian rice a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 Portions:

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed very well

3 quarts water, brought to a boil with 3 tablespoons of salt

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 russets potato, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices

salt to taste

pinch of ground cumin

5 or 6 slices of butter for top

pinch of saffron, ground and mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
parsley to garnish 

Celery Root Puree – Come for the Flavor, Stay for the Low Carbs

As promised, here’s the celery root purée seen underneath our recently posted crispy pork belly video. To be honest, I’m not a huge root vegetable guy, but celeriac, as it’s called in certain parts, is something I really enjoy. Plus, I’m a sucker for ugly produce.

I joked in the video that celery root tastes like celery, if celery actually tasted good, and for the most part this is true. The flavor is quite mild and pleasant, and the texture is somewhat similar to mashed potatoes. Considering this stuff is only about 5% starch, somewhat similar it’s pretty good.

This simple puree is a very versatile side dish, but the tasty root will also work sliced thin and layered in a gratin, either with or without the aforementioned potatoes. I hope you give this great fall and winter vegetable a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1 large celery root, about 1 pound

1 lemon

salt to taste

2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup cream or milk, or as needed to adjust texture

cayenne to taste

Roasted Pumpkin and Green Bean Quinoa Salad in Thai Peanut Dressing

It's time for another pumpkin recipe and this time we've got a roasted pumpkin and green bean quinoa salad in a tasty Thai peanut dressing. Quinoa makes for both a nice addition to a salad and a great base for salads and if you are using it as a base for a salad all you really need to do is add some veggies, like pumpkin, along with a dressing and you're done! In addition to the pumpkin I added green beans (which I blanched rather than roasted to retain their bright green colour and crispy crunch) and red peppers along with some green onions and cilantro. The pumpkin and Thai peanut sauce combo is a fabulous one, and the inspiration for this salad, so a dressing based on it was a must! Although it's not required, I like to serve this salad on a bed of baby spinach, just to get some more veggie goodness!

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Spiced Apple Chutney ...I Mean “Applesauce”

We’re getting close to applesauce season, and if you’re in the mood for a little upgrade, then consider this exotic, but very easy, spiced apple chutney. Actually, it’s way more than a little upgrade.

These types of fruit chutneys are some of the most flavorful things you’ll ever taste, and perfect condiments for those special occasion holiday dinners. If you like applesauce, you’ll find this a fairly familiar experience, and despite the ingredient list, nothing really overpowers the fruit.

You don’t really taste shallots or garlic, and everything works to amplify the appleness. The salt, spice, and vinegar makes this a savory condiment to be sure, yet it still works in pretty much every situation regular applesauce would, except maybe as baby food. Although?

Anyway, like I said in the video, you may have to call this “applesauce,” and make it when no one’s around, but one taste and I’m sure you’ll agree the ends justify the means. I hope you give this great apple chutney a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 1/2 cups:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

4 apples, peeled, 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup diced dried apricots

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup diced shallots or red onion

5 thick slices ginger

1/4 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste

1 whole star anise

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 cloves minced garlic

Pesto Zucchini and Corn Quinoa Salad

Although fall is officially here and the days are cooling, there is still plenty of zucchini around and I wanted to give summer one last hurrah with this zucchini and corn quinoa salad with a basil pesto dressing. This salad is as easy as it sounds with the quinoa, sautéed zucchini and corn, the basil pesto dressing and I like to add some chickpeas to fill it out a bit along with some green onions and toasted pine nuts as garnish. Really all you need to do is cook the quinoa, zucchini and corn and mix everything and you are done! This pesto zucchini and corn quinoa salad makes for a great side or even a light meal and it's sure to brighten your day!

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Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Double Smoked Bacon

It's time for another side dish and this time it's one using one of my favourite fall green vegetables, brussels sprouts, in a parmesan roasted brussels sprouts dish. Ever since I discovered just how magical roasted brussels sprouts are I try to roast them every chance I get! Roasting the brussels sprouts brings out their flavour, mellows the slight bitterness and caramelizes the edges and those caramelized bits are the best part! This roasted brussels sprouts dish could not be easier to make, you simply slice or quarter the brussels sprouts (I prefer to slice so that there is more surface area to caramelize but quartering is quicker.), toss them in some oil along with chopped garlic, roast them, sprinkle on the parmesan and return them to the oven until the parmesan is all melted and good. Given my bacon addiction and how well bacon and brussels sprouts go together I almost always add bacon and a touch of lemon zest brightens things up a bit! In addition to being super easy to make, you can do most of the prep work a few days ahead of time and even roast the brussels sprout a few hours early and return them to the oven briefly to warm when ready to serve so this side dish is perfect for large meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!

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Spinach and Feta Mashed Cauliflower

I know I seem to say this a lot but I can't believe that it is fall already and what's more is that this weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving already! With that in mind I just had to share some Thanksgiving recipe ideas and since creative side dishes are what I enjoy most about a Thanksgiving feast I started with this spinach and feta mashed cauliflower. Mashed cauliflower is a healthy and light alternative to mashed potatoes and when you jazz them up with things like spinach and feta they become an absolute delight that could easily outshine the main on your dinner plate. The flavours in this mashed cauliflower are based on spanakopita a Greek spinach and feta phyllo pie with fresh herbs like dill and green onions. Normally mashed potatoes are made nice and creamy with the addition of heavy/whipping cream and/or sour cream, cream cheese and loads of butter but I went with creamy Greek style yogurt and a touch of butter to keep things lighter. Whether you are serving this spinach and feta mashed cauliflower at a Thanksgiving dinner or just any old weeknight dinner, they are super quick and easy and just packed with flavour!

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Bok Choy Steamed Rice – You Can Taste the Unconventional Wisdom

With all the fancy, grilled summer meats flying around, it’s easy to forget about the side dishes. Nobody wants to spend hours in the kitchen, when they could be outside playing volleyball in jhorts, but with this easy bok choy rice, you can have something way more interesting in the same time as it takes to make plain rice.

I believe we’ve covered this before, but yes, I’m cooking the stems about 15 minutes more than is fashionable. I love a crisp stalk of bok choy as much as the next guy, but here we kind of want it to melt into the rice. Conventional wisdom says to cook quick, but I wanted a softer, sweeter, and more subtly sulfuric grain. Think braised cabbage rolls if you’re still having a problem.

By the way, if your rice package says 2 parts water to 1 part rice, ignore it. Too much water is the main reason people screw up rice. I find 1 1/2 cups of water to each cup of long grain rice works way better, especially in dishes like this. So, ignore those directions, and give this delicious side a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 cup long grain rice

1 large bok choy, separated, and sliced

1 tsp soy sauce, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp sambal chili sauce

toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Strawberry and Avocado Salad with Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

It's time for another salad recipe and this time it's a strawberry and avocado salad with strawberry poppy seed vinaigrette! Strawberries work so well in salads and I find myself making them on a near weekly basis all summer long! This salad combines so many of my favourite ingredients from the strawberries to the avocados, the BACON, and feta and the dressing is just so tasty and summery fresh! The strawberry poppy seed vinaigrette uses fresh strawberries with white balsamic vinegar, honey, tamari, mustard, garlic and a touch of sriracha for some spicy heat and it is just perfect on this strawberry salad!

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Cauliflower Rice

I have been a little bit obsessed with the idea of cauliflower 'rice' ever since I came across it! I have used cauliflower rice in a number of recipes that I have shared with you and I think that it warranted sharing a basic version that can be used in pretty much and dish that calls for rice. Cauliflower rice is basically cauliflower that has been 'riced' by grating into small rice like pieces and sauteed until it is lightly golden brown on the outside and nice and tender on the inside. Although cauliflower rice does not have the exact same texture as rice it is a light, healthy, low carb and tasty alternative and it's a great way to sneak an extra vegetable into your meal!

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Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner I have been thinking about Mexican food a lot lately. Ever since I used cauliflower 'rice' in the chicken fried cauliflower rice I have been contemplating other ways to enjoy it! Of course one of the first things that came to mind was cilantro lime rice, one of my favourite Mexican side dishes, which takes boring old rice and gives it new life by infusing it with a hit of fresh cilantro and lime juice! This cilantro lime cauliflower rice is addictively good and so easy to make! You simply rice the cauliflower, saute it until tender and mix in the cilantro and lime! The next time you are making rice for your Mexican themed meal make some lighter and healthier cilantro lime cauliflower rice instead!

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Greek Style Salad

With spring here I have been thinking about salads more often and one of my favourites is a Greek style salad! A Greek salad is nice and simple containing tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, feta, onions, and a vibrant dressing. I really like the way the juiciness of the tomatoes and cucumers balance the saltiness of the olives and feta and the red onions provide a sweet and spicy counterpoint. The dressing for this salad is also pretty easy containing olive oil, lemon juice and oregano and the lemony vinaigrette really brightens the salad up.

Note: Traditionally Greek salads do not contain lettuce but it is always nice to add.

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Shaved Asparagus Salad with Fried Pastrami and Mustard Dressing – Keeping it Raw

This shaved asparagus salad actually started out as an asparagus wrapped with pastrami recipe, but when that didn’t work out, my wife Michele saved the day, and convinced me to go raw – and I do mean convince.

I really dislike under-cooked asparagus, and in virtually every video I’ve used it, I’ve pleaded with the audience to make sure the spears get to the sweet and tender stage. I’ve always felt that the main reason most people who don’t like asparagus, is that they grew up eating it crunchy, barely warm, and bitter.

However, when you shave it thin with a peeler, and give it a quick curing/pickling in the dressing, those harsh attributes mellow out substantially, and the sweet, grassy flavor comes through. In fact, it was so delicious that I contemplated serving it without the fried meat.  Happily, that passed.

Thanks to the pastrami’s aromatic spices, subtle smokiness, and peppery finish, it was a perfect match. Of course, you can substitute with bacon or ham; but the cured beef brisket was a nice change of pace to those much more common, pork-based choices.

Just be sure to not dress your raw asparagus until you’re ready to eat. The couple minutes it takes to fry the meat is all the marination time you’ll need. Anyway, peak asparagus season is almost upon us, and if you’re looking for a new way to enjoy it, I hope you give this shaved asparagus salad a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

24 large asparagus spears (save bottoms for soup)

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

4 oz pastrami, sliced thin

For the dressing:

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (or regular rice vinegar with a pinch of salt and sugar)

3-4 tbsp olive oil, or to taste

Syracuse Salt Potatoes – Lot's Wife Would Have Loved These

Not only is this Syracuse salt potatoes recipe one of the most delicious ways to cook baby spuds, it’s also one of the most interesting. I generally don’t like when people watch me cook their food, you know, in case anything gets dropped (#5secondrule), but these are kind of fun to do in front of guests; just to see that look of shock in their eyes, as you dump in all that salt. Amazingly, only a small amount of salt gets inside the potatoes, and by “small amount,” I mean “perfect amount.” 

This recipe really takes the guesswork out of seasoning. Of course, I could go into all the science behind why these don’t absorb too much salt, but that would mean having to learn it first, and then figure out how to explain it, which sounds like an awful lot of work. Instead, I’ll let my intrepid readers take wild guesses.

I mention in the video that these were invented by Irish salt miners, which is true, except I don’t think they used actual mines, but salt pools instead. Apparently digging is a lot harder than waiting for water to evaporate. Regardless, they used this abundant supply of salt to boil less-than-perfect quality new potatoes, and the rest is culinary history.

Regarding the amount of salt, I used a ratio of 1 cup of kosher salt to 5 cups of water. Believe it or not, this is actually less than traditionally used. Hey, we all don’t have salt factories in our backyards. A cup of the brand I use weighs about 6 ounces, which means if you’re using regular, fine table salt, you’ll need just over a half-cup to get the same amount of salt.

Anyway, other than having to sponge-up some salt speckles from the stovetop, this recipe is fast, easy, and truly unique. So, if you want to serve something this St. Paddy’s Day that truly celebrates Irish-American heritage, then I hope you give these salt potatoes a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 servings:

2 pounds of small new potatoes, scrubbed

5 cups of water

1 cup Kosher salt

melted butter