Friday, December 31, 2010

Channa Korma Curry


Happy New Year's Potluck

Getting ready for a New Year's Day potluck, I was given the task of making a gluten-free and vegetarian meal. I've made my Channa Masala so many times recently, I didn't want to do it again. The problem was, chickpeas had to be the protein.

I then dug through my existing recipes and decided to make a variation of my Chicken Korma. I'd double the sauce and swap out the chicken for the legumes.

Channa Korma Curry
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 3 tbsp garlic
  • 3 tbsp ginger
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cup yoghurt
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cans chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  1. Heat oil and fry the onions for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, tomato sauce and yogurt and stir.
  4. Add the chickpeas and bring to a boil.
  5. Simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Reduce to low, add lemon juice and raisins and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
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    Wednesday, December 29, 2010

    Moroccan Beet Salad


    Beets on short notice

    On a Friday with very little planning, I found myself scrambling to put together a pickle/salad. I recalled seeing a Moroccan beet salad somewhere so I figured I should give it a spin.

    After letting the salad sit for about 30 minutes, I started eating the beets not realizing that: a) the guest hasn't arrived yet and would probably like some too, and; b) I hadn't taken a picture yet. I immediately ran for the camera and did a close-up of what remained in the bowl.

    They were very cumin heavy (by design, I assume) but the definitely had a Moroccan taste to them.

    Moroccan Beet Salad
    • 1 can beets, drained
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp cumin
    • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
    • pepper 
    • salt
    1. Combine all ingredients in a jar or plastic container.
    2. Shake and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.
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    Tuesday, December 28, 2010

    I know it's late, but...

    Happy Holidays from the Haggis and the Herring!



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    Wednesday, December 22, 2010

    Pea Soup


    Sent home from work sick one morning in late September I spent the afternoon sleeping and reading food blogs. Everyone is talking about soup: chicken soup for Rosh Hashanah, borscht, squash, sweet potato, onion, you name it. Just make it warm! I'm looking forward to a good soup season.

    One soup that caught my attention sometime last week was a pea soup. It uses frozen peas instead of dried (i.e., split). It also looked really quick and easy to make, and I wasn't in the mood to stand around the kitchen chopping, and hovering over the cooker.

    After waking for my nap, I decided it was time to try that soup.

    I took a big risk here because Meredith does not like peas (but does like split pea soup). After dinner, she said that she still tasted the fresh peas a bit, but she finished it with a smile. I thought it tasted great.

    Pea Soup
    • 2 cups vegetable stock (I used Aurora basil-garlic bullion)
    • 3 cups frozen peas
    • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tsp sugar
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 4 cauliflower florets, steamed
    • 1 slice toast, cut into small pieces
    1. Combine the peas and stock in a pot and heat until peas are tender and let cool slightly.
    2. Transfer peas and stock to a blender and puree. 
    3. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper (taste the stock before adding salt!) and puree again for a few seconds.
    4. Reheat mixture before serving and garnishing with cauliflower and toast pieces.

    makes four small bowls

    based on Sweet and Savory's Pea Soup

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    Wednesday, December 15, 2010

    Toasted Chickpeas Snack

    a selection of gluten-free goodies
    including the chickpeas (centre).
    Gluten-free guests

    No-Frills isn't the best place to find gluten-free treats for friends. That's quite unfortunate, because I prefer shopping there and not going to more than one grocery store.

    It was time for me to improvise. I quickly realized that it would've been much easier to make a gluten-free meal (a salad, main and dessert) than an assortment of gluten-free snacks (some of which I did find at No-Frills).

    When going through my "must try" file, I found a recipe for toasted chickpeas with pistachios. I wasn't fond of the recipe itself, but I did like the idea, so I went to work devising my own version (minus the pistachios).

    Tasted pretty good, I'm happy to say.

    Toasted Chickpeas Snack
    • 1 large can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 tsp thyme zatar
    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
    2. Toss all ingredients in a bowl and then spread out on a nonstick baking sheet. 
    3. Bake until chickpeas are golden and crisp.

      Note: stir occasionally for even toasting.
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    Also shared with MLLA #30 at Priya's blog.

    Wednesday, December 8, 2010

    Salsa Verde


    Meredith and I missed eating the top tier of our wedding cake on our first anniversary because we were busy in Alberta getting ready for my brother's wedding. Fortunately, my mother-in-law over-did the preserving and the cake was perfectly kept.


    She also brought two excellent salsas she made from fresh tomatillos she picked at a local farm. In fact, I think she brought the entire farm with her! Along with the salsa was a large bag of pears and apples she had picked with Jacob, and a few other things I'm pretty sure she just shoved into the fridge hoping I wouldn't notice.

    With Rosh Hashanah just two days away, I have no idea how we're going to eat all of this. However, I did recently see a great recipe for poached eggs in salsa. I guess I have some work to do!

    Salsa Verde
    • 1 quart tomatillos
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 purple onion, peeled and sliced crosswise in thirds
    • 3 serrano peppers
    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
    • 1/2 fresh juice of a lime
    1. Preheat oven to broil.
    2. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse. 
    3. Place tomatillos, garlic, onion and serrano peppers on a baking sheet and broil until the tomatillos are soft, leaking juice, and have just begun to blacken. 
    4. Place roasted vegetables and olive oil into a food processor and puree. 
    5. Remove mixture to a bowl, add lime and cilantro, and stir. 
    Note: salsa freezes well and last for three days in the fridge.

    Variation using with red jalapeno peppers instead of serrano peppers
    1. After broiling, set aside jalapeno peppers. Cut them in half, discard the seeds and do not add the peppers to the food processor (yet).
    2. Puree the remaining vegetables. 
    3. Add the jalapenos to the salsa and pulse until the jalapenos are small red flecks.
    4. Remove mixture to a bowl, add lime and cilantro, and stir.
    Original recipe from Hutchinson Farms

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    Sunday, December 5, 2010

    The top of the cake

    Meredith and I missed eating the top tier of our wedding cake on our first anniversary because we were busy in Alberta getting ready for my brother's wedding. Read more: Salsa Verde

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    MyMeatlessMondays

    Wednesday, December 1, 2010

    Pizza-dough Bread-sticks with Fresh Basil

    • 1 bag fresh pizza dough (or make your own from scratch)
    • 2 tbsp butter, melted
    • 1/2 cup grated marble cheddar cheese
    • 1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
    • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, ground
    • 1 cup fresh pizza sauce, warmed
    1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
    2. Roll dough into a 12" x 9" rectangle and transfer to a baking sheet.
    3. Brush butter onto dough.
    4. In a bowl, combine cheese, basil, garlic powder and pepper flakes. Sprinkle over dough.
    5. using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, slice the dough crosswise into 1-inch strips. Cut in half lengthwise to make twice as many shorter bread-sticks.
    6. Bake for 10-15 minutes until bread is golden-brown.
    7. Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.

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    Sunday, November 28, 2010

    Appetizers for a family housewarming

    Some of the last few recipes published here were served at a small dinner for Meredith's uncle, aunt and mom during Labour Day weekend. Meredith and I were busy in and out of the kitchen between having fun with Jacob, cleaning and hanging pictures.

    Thinking we didn't have enough food, Meredith decided that we didn't have enough food to serve (note: we always have more than enough) so she started making these yummy bread-sticks from whole-wheat pizza dough and some basil from the garden. We served it with some of the pizza sauce my mom made from scratch during her annual tomato sauce festival with her friends.

    So good.

    Recipe: Pizza-dough Bread Sticks with Fresh Basil

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    Wednesday, November 24, 2010

    Italian Sausage and Potato Curry

    • 1/2 cup canola oil
    • 2 cups finely chopped onions
    • 2 stick cinnamon
    • 4 tbsp minced garlic
    • 3 tbsp minced ginger
    • 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
    • 2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tbsp ground cumin
    • 1 tbsp ground coriander
    • 1 tbsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 500g Italian sausage (check label for gluten-free)
    • 4 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (including stems)
    1. In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat for one minute. Add onions and cinnamon, and sauté for five to eight minutes, until onions are golden. Add garlic and sauté for four more minutes. Add ginger, tomatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala and cayenne. Cook masala for five minutes, until the oil separates.
    2. Add sausage and cook for 10 minutes. Add sour cream and water and stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high. When curry starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring two or three times, until sausage is completely cooked and adding the potato at the 10 minute mark. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Cool curry for 5-10 minutes.
    3. Transfer sausage to a plate, slice into rounds and add back to curry. Just before serving, heat curry on medium heat until it starts to boil lightly. Stir in cilantro.
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    Humbly accepting awards

    Right when things were getting busy, my friend Mary (a.k.a., the Food Floozie) passed on three awards to me as one of the new blogs she's discovered.

    1. The "One Lovely Blog" award 
    Who am I to argue?
    2. "The Versatile Blogger"
    I couldn't argue that either.
    I'm definitely versatile.
    3. The "Stylish Blogger" award:
    (imagine the scratching sound
    of a turntable coming to an
    abrupt stop)
    Hold the phone. I imagine Meredith would disagree, however, I did manage to woo her while picking my own clothes. Or is this about how I present my blog, and the quality of the pictures? Aha! I'll leave my wardrobe out of this!

    Now, to accept these awards, I'm obligated to do three things:

    1. Link back to the person who gave me the rewards (done, at the top of this post and elsewhere)

    2. Share seven things about myself:
    a. Although I'm referred to as the techie guy, I've never owned a smartphone (my current phone is almost six years old) and I don't play videogames.
    b. I'm currently raising money for prostate cancer research through Movember, and I've raised a little over $250 so far. 
    c. I'm very proud of my wife, Meredith, who courageously started her own travel business last year as well as (re-)taught herself to knit. 
    d. This past November 5, my wife and I spent half the day watching the entire Back to the Future trilogy.
    e. Kermit is my favourite Muppet.
    f. I play in a community concert band called Resa's Pieces. I discovered the band after finding an old school friend on Facebook who invited me to join the band.
    g. My favourite baked good is the rosewater chocolate bun that my grandmother used to make. A year after she passed away, I found a bag of them in my grandfather's freezer.
    3. Pass the awards on to five new blogs you've discovered and contact the bloggers about the awards. It's up to them to accept the award and spread the love.

    • The Wizard and I
      One of my best friends started a blog very recently and he's found the writing process to be a great outlet.
    • Gluten Free Edmonton
      Although not a brand-new discovery, my sister-in-law recently decided to become a regular contributor. Her gluten-free adventures are a good read.
    • Chronicles of a Food Junkie
      The Food Junkie reviews restaurants wherever she goes - many in my hometown.
    • Sweet, Spicy and Sour
      A recent discovery with lots of neat recipes from various cuisines.
    • Devine Knits with Infiknit
      The blog of a local yarn retailer. I pop by every once in a while to see if there's anything I'd like Meredith to knit for me :-)

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    Chicken and Potato Patties (Croquettes)

    • 1 onion, diced
    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 2 cups boiled chicken (mom used chicken from a soup she made)
    • 2 eggs
    • salt and pepper
    • 2 cups mashed potatoes
    • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
    • oil for frying
    Chicken:
    1. In a bowl, mash chicken with a fork until ground and set aside.
    2. Brown onions in 2 tbsp oil.
    3. Add onions, 1 egg, salt and pepper to chicken and mix thoroughly.
    4. Form chicken mixture into patties taking note of the number of patties.
    Potatoes:
    1. Combine mashed potatoes with 1 egg, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
    2. Form into flat patties larger than the chicken patties. Note: make twice as many potato patties as chicken patties.
    Bringing it all together:
    1. Put a potato patty in your hand and form a slight bowl and put the meat patty on top.
    2. Put the second potato patty on top and roll/pat it.
    3. Dip patty in panko breadcrumbs and brown on both sides.
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    Monday, November 22, 2010

    Balsamic Coleslaw


    On Wednesday, Food Floozie posted a picture of Tom's coleslaw in balsamic vinaigrette. Unfortunately, wordless Wednesday means no recipe, so I was out of luck.

    It only took a day for me to make my way to the grocery store, pick up some shredded cabbage and get to work. My big fear was that I'd screw it up. I sometimes have a problem working with balsamic. Meredith frequently (in the nicest way possible) tells me that the dressings are too strong.

    Fortunately, I had a good recipe to work from that's served me well for years. I was able to make a few tweaks and my new balsamic coleslaw (my new favourite, by the way) turned out nice and tasty.

    Balsamic Coleslaw
    • 1 14 oz bag of shredded cabbage and carrots (I'm lazy)
    • ¼ cup white vinegar
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp balsamic mustard (or 1 tbsp dijon mustard)
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
    1. Stuff shredded cabbage into a jar.
    2. Combine the remaining ingredients into a small pot, stir and heat until mixture comes to a boil and sugar dissolves.
    3. Pour into jar, shake well and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.
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    Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.

    Tempted by the Food Floozie

    On Wednesday, Food Floozie posted a picture of Tom's coleslaw in balsamic vinaigrette. Unfortunately, wordless Wednesday means no recipe, so I was out of luck.

    Read more: Balsamic Coleslaw

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    hearthandsoulgirlichef

    MyMeatlessMondays

    Sunday, November 21, 2010

    Guest chef: mom in the kitchen

    Right before Rosh Hashanah, my mom dropped by with some food for the meal (she tends to make things well in advance). She also had a special treat for me: chicken and potato patties.

    She based her recipe on the Passover recipe in Second Helpings but changed it around because I prefer to not eat matzo meal.

    My dad's mom used to make a similar dish she called a mini pastel, which is a Sephardic meat, potato and egg casserole (like a cool Sheppard's pie). Her version would be spiced with cumin, tumeric and paprika - more "exotic" than my mom's Ashkenaz version that goes all out with the salt and pepper. I think mom's going to make the Sephardic version next time.

    Recipe: Chicken and Potato Patties

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    Wednesday, November 17, 2010

    Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tbsp soft butter
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup poppy seeds
    • 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
    • grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    1. Cream together the eggs, butter and sugar. Add poppy seeds, yogurt, lemon
    2. rind and lemon juice.
    3. Mix together the dry ingredients, and stir into creamed mixture.
    4. Pour into greased muffin tins and bake at 425-degrees for 15-20 minutes.
    Recipe from Julia of Fibre Fantastics.


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    Monday, November 15, 2010

    Deer Beer Pumpkinhead Chili (Venison, Pumpkin and Lager Chili)


    In early October, I was speaking to a colleague about the upcoming hunting season. Not wabbit season, or duck season...


    but deer season.

    Oh deer!
    My colleague usually takes his deer to a butcher before bringing it home for packaging and he still had some left in his freezer from last year.

    Well, I was glad to take some off his hands to free up some freezer space and shortly after, I was presented with a couple venison steaks and some burger (ground). I immediately went to work looking for what to do with the meat. I didn't want to do something plain, and I wanted something that would best reflect the fall season.

    I found a few chili recipes that interested me. One of them had pumpkin, ale and some sweet potatoes. I decided to use that concept as a starting point for what I made. The result was a very large pot of tasty chili.

    Deer Beer Pumpkinhead Chili

    1+2 tbsp canola oil
    1/2 kilo ground venison
    2 onions, finely chopped
    2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
    8 cloves garlic, finely minced
    1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
    1 bottle of Rickard's Red beer
    1 tbsp paprika
    1 tbsp cumin
    2 tsp ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    1 tsp sea salt
    1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
    1 can (5-6 oz) tomato paste
    3 cups chicken or beef stock (I used chicken)
    1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
    1 can romano beans
    1. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a deep pot and brown venison, remove and set aside.
    2. Add 2 tbsp oil, onion and potato to pan and saute for 8 minutes until onions are translucent.
    3. Add garlic and stir for one minute.
    4. Add beer to degalze pan and reduce for about ten minutes.
    5. Add jalapeno peppers, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, pumpkin, salt and tomato paste, stir and let simmer for 1 minute.
    6. Add venison, stock, tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil.
    7. Reduce to medium-low and let simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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    Oh deer, that's a lot of food

    Right before starting the parental leave, I was speaking to a colleague about the upcoming hunting season.

    Read more: Deer Beer Pumpkinhead Chili (Venison, Pumpkin and Lager Chili)

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    Hunk of Meat Mondays

    Sunday, November 14, 2010

    Meatless Mondays: the evolution of appetizers

    I've been eating beans and onions all my life.

    Read more: Beans and Onions

    MyMeatlessMondays

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    The power of barter

    I occasionally help our friend Julia of Fibre Fantastics with her website in return of something food related. Last year, it was a wonderful meal of her garden salad in poppy seed dressing and seduction chicken.

    This year I was handed a recipe for lemon poppy seed muffins - just in time for a housewarming. I'm writing this as Meredith is baking them and they smell delicious.

    Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

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    Wednesday, November 10, 2010

    Picked Beets and Pickled Eggs

    Pickled beets, pickled eggs, hummus, herring and
    dill pickles. Eggs had only marinated for 24 hours.
    Pickled Beets
    • 3 large beets
    • 3 + 2 cups water
    • 2 cup sugar
    • 1 cup vinegar
    • 1-1/2 tsp salt
    1. Wash beets, cut off ends and in half.
    2. Place beets in a medium-small sized pot with 3 cups of water (should be enough to cover) and boil until tender.
    3. Drain and reserve liquid for egg recipe.
    4. Remove skin from beets, slice into chunks and pack into sterilized jar(s).
    5. Combine sugar, 2 cup water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil (dissolving sugar).
    6. Pour vinegar mixture over beets leaving about 1/2 cm space at the top of the jar. Discard remaining liquid.
    7. Tighten lid on jar and let cool before refrigerating.
    Note: if bottles were sterilized, beets don't need to be refrigerated until opened.

    Pickled Eggs
    • 8 eggs, boiled and peeled
    • 1 cup beet liquid from beet recipe
    • 1 cup white vinegar
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 stick cinnamon
    1. Loosely pack boiled eggs into a sterilized jar (my mistake was cramming them into a small jar).
    2. Combine beet liquid, vinegar, sugar, garam masala and cinnamon in a pot and bring to a boil (dissolving sugar).
    3. Pour mixture through a strainer into jar leaving 1/2 cm space.
    4. Tighten lid on jar and let cool before refrigerating.
    5. Let marinate for several days before opening.
    Note: use eggs within one week after opening.


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    Tuesday, November 9, 2010

    Hearth and Soul Exclusive: Sausage Potato Curry

    I was finally given the go-ahead to make a curry so I headed to the grocery store to gather some ingredients.

    When I got there, I didn't like the chicken (mostly the price) and mild Italian pork sausages were on sale, so I opted for those instead.


    The yummy result is a variation on my Chicken Curry recipe with the following changes:
    • Substituted chicken with 1/2 kilo of mild Italian sausage, cut up
    • Substituted chickpeas with about six small potatoes, cut up and boiled before being added to the curry.
    The potatoes allowed me to skip making rice. Convenient since I was in a hurry to scoot off to band practice.

    Recipe: Italian Sausage and Potato Curry

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    Sunday, November 7, 2010

    When one recipe feeds another

    When I saw Jules Food's recipe for pink pickled eggs, I immediately wanted to try it. However, I also wanted to make the beet broth fresh (Jules used canned beets), so I had to make picked beets as well. Perfect, a double project (and way more work than I originally anticipated).

    When we went down to Kensington Market to shop, I started noticing that the beets were calling me, but I was distracted by Meredith and my new anniversary hat and some crazy wind (Meredith's hair is usually way-more under control).

    The final kick was when Meredith dashed into the knitting store and I wandered into the Grilled Cheese where they had an awesome wall of pickled things.


    I wanted to do some more pickling. 

    My biggest problem is that I didn't really have the proper jars, so I ended up cramming the eggs into a small mason jar (should've used a larger one) and using some jam jars for the beets. This resulted in the eggs being so tightly packed that the sides against the jar didn't absorb the colour very well, and the beets not being fit for long-term storage. I always recommend proper sterilized mason jars with new lids.

    Recipe: Pickled Beets and Pickled Eggs

    MyMeatlessMondays

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    Wednesday, November 3, 2010

    Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies


    1/2 cup shortening
    1/2 cup butter, softened
    1 cup brown sugar, packed
    1/2 cup granulated sugar
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    2 eggs
    1 tsp vanilla
    2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/4 cup reese peanut butter chips
    3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
    1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
    2. Using an electric mixer, beat shortening and butter on high-speed for 30 seconds.
    3. Add both sugars and baking soda and continue mixing until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary.
    4. Continue mixing and slowly add flour.
    5. When flour is completely mixed, add chocolate and peanut-butter chips.
    6. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, drop mix onto a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes (until edges are browned.
    7. Transfer to a rack to cool.
    (makes approximately 60 cookies; based on Better Homes and Gardens)

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    Monday, November 1, 2010

    It's Movember!

    An appeal to my readers and fellow food bloggers: it's that time of year again, time for me to start fundraising for men's health. Of the two fundraising campaigns I blog about (the other being the failed Dan wants a Doctor Who Scarf campaign of 2009), this particular cause is worthy of your attention and donation dollars.

    This Movember, the month formerly known as November I'm donating my face to raise awareness about prostate cancer. My donation and commitment is to grow a moustache for the entire month of Movember, which I'm sure will generate conversation, controversy and laughter. I'll be posting photos of my progress periodically on Schmaltz Herring dot Net for your amusement.

    I'm doing this because 4,400 men die of prostate cancer in Canada each year and one in six men will be diagnosed during his lifetime. This is a cause that I feel passionately about and I’m asking you to support my efforts by making a donation to Prostate Cancer Canada.

    To help, you can either:
    • Make a donation online and using your credit card or PayPal account
    • Write a cheque payable to Prostate Cancer Canada, referencing my name or Registration Number 44885 and mailing it to: Prostate Cancer Canada, Suite 306 145 Front Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1E3, Canada.
    All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

    For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please visit the Movember Canada website.

    Thanks so much for helping me support men's health.

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    Sunday, October 31, 2010

    Baking treats

    After a busy Sunday afternoon of kite flying at the park and running around a splash-pad with Jacob (okay, Meredith sat down on a blanket an knitted), it was time for an evening dessert. Meredith and Jacob hadn't made cookies together in quite a while, so this was a big treat for Jacob. His job is to start, stop, and add ingredients to the mixer.

    Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the in-process work (maybe next time).

    I'm very glad Jacob is being taught about kitchen safety while he's young. He knows that he's not supposed to put his fingers in the bowl unless it's not attached to the mixer, and to stay away from the oven when it's on. I hope he enjoys cooking when he's older.

    Recipe: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

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    Wednesday, October 27, 2010

    Fried Pork with Cashews

    • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce (check label for gluten-free)
    • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 1 pound pork (tenderloin, shoulder, or boneless ribs), cut into bite sized pieces
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
    • 1 cup roasted unsalted cashews - half coarsely chopped, half whole
    • 1/4 cup fresh whole cilantro leaves
    1. Combine the hoisin sauce, water, soy sauce, and pepper flakes in 1 liquid measuring cup.
    2. Heat a few teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick (or cast iron) pan over medium-high heat.
    3. Brown the pork and push it to the edge of the pan when done.
    4. Add the remaining oil, garlic and ginger. Fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds (until fragrant).
    5. Push the pork back to the middle of the pan and add the cashews and hoisin mixture.
    6. Cook until the sauce has thickened.
    7. Mix in cilantro and serve on a bed of fried noodles.

    Recipe mostly from What's Cookin, Chicago?

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    Monday, October 25, 2010

    Hearth 'n' Soul: Chicken Curry

    Today's posting is for the Hearth n' soul blog hop hosted by Girlchef where we revisit previously posted recipes at the Haggis and the Herring.

    Read more: Chicken Curry

    H‘nSgirlichef

    Recipes by the Haggis and the Herring: tasty world recipes tested in our kitchen

    Sunday, October 24, 2010

    When I was learning to cook

    I remember when I was 12 or 13 and my friend was "teaching me how to cook." This consisted of opening a can of mushrooms, chopping up half an onion and frying it all up with soy sauce. It was quite yummy at the time when a gourmet lunch was opening up a can of Campbell's Chunky Soup.

    Until I was in university, I made lots of stir frys. I had access to an unlimited number of sauces from the local Asian grocer so I experimented with some different flavours. I eventually learned that I could use fresh ingredients too, like broccoli and chicken. Wow, what a difference that made from the can of salty mushrooms!

    When I saw a cashew pork recipe on What's Cookin, Chicago?, it really brought me back. The cashews sounded yummy and I looked at the calendar to figure out when I could try the recipe out. When we sat down to eat it, wow. What flavour! It was just the right mixture of sweet, salty and spicy.

    Recipe: Fried Pork with Cashews

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    Saturday, October 23, 2010

    Cold snap in the UK spikes haggis sales

    I've worked in the media before and generally, it's a big no-no to to cut-and-paste press releases as a substitute for news. I'm not going to do that (completely).

    Earlier this week, Meredith and I received a personal email from Mr. Thomas Knorpp of Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd in the UK with an attached press release about a correlation in a change in weather, upcoming Halloween celebrations, and haggis sales. They also stock not one, but five different varieties. Interesting indeed.

    If I wasn't in such a fog with the new baby, wrapping up work, and other related house work, I'd probably give Mr. Knorpp a ring hello thanking him for the email (thank you Vonage and your free calls to the UK), get a few extra tidbits of information for this article and hit him up for some product for my favourite chefs across the pond, Lee and Uncle Chris (since, I imagine, Royal Mail would refuse to send haggis from Sainsbury's to me, in Canada).

    Sadly, I need to go to bed instead. So here's the bulk of the article from Mr. Knorpp. Enjoy!
    Frosty snap drives spike in Haggis sales as Sainsbury's hits record
    October 21, 2010
    A lovely plate of haggis and what I imagine is mashed swede or potatoes.
    Gosh, I miss the UK! --Dan
    This week Sainsbury's announces a record increase in sales of Haggis as figures mark a 168% increase year on year following the drop in temperatures.
    Seen as the traditional dish of Scotland, Haggis is historically consumed around Burn's night served with neeps and tatties. But this week, Sainsbury's has sold around 7,000 haggis', largely due to people stocking up on the traditional dish due to the cold weather and family feasts like Halloween.
    Temperatures sit 5 degrees lower than this time last year and this immediately affects consumers eating habits. Unlike other retailers, Sainsbury's sells five types of Haggis all year round in its Scottish stores and has helped drive further sales.
    This year Sainsbury's expects total Halloween sales across costumes, party accessories and themed food to exceed £10 million, after increasing its range by 100% in the past three years.
    Steve Wallace, Sainsbury's Scottish buyer, said: "Haggis is versatile and a great source of protein, whilst providing a warming dish as autumn starts to kick in.
    "We suspect that its popularity is due to the temperature snap, it is 5 degrees colder this week, than the same week last year.
    "In the run up to Halloween - we know people are holding more big parties and are obviously laying on a traditional feast for their friends and family."
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    Wednesday, October 20, 2010

    Meatball (Kefta) Tajine

    meatballs
    • 1/2 kilo ground lamb and/or chicken
    • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/2 cup onion, peeled and finely chopped
    • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    • salt to taste
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    Sauce
    • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
    • 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
    • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
    • 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
    • 1 can tomatoes, drained and chopped
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • pinch saffron, steeped in 1 oz hot water
    • 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 1 tsp salt
    1. Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and roll into1-inch balls.
    2. In a dutch oven (or tajine), heat 2 tbsp oil on medium, brown the meatballs in batches and set aside (reserve oil).
    3. Add onion, garlic and green pepper and saute until onion is translucent (about 10 minutes).
    4. Reduce to medium-low. Add parsley, tomatoes, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
    5. Add cilantro and meatballs and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.
    6. Serve on saffron-infused cous-cous or rice (for gluten-free).
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    Sunday, October 17, 2010

    This ain't my grandmother's meatballs

    My Moroccan grandmother was an excellent baker, but I didn't realize until I was older that the dinners she prepared were quite basic, but tasty nonetheless. Cooking a lunch for 20-25 people on Shabbat was a big job, and she still managed to put together several different choices. In additon to a few tapas (carrots, peppers, and the mandatory challah), she prepared: salad with lemon juice and olive oil dressing; meatballs and potatoes (we soaked up the broth/oil with challah); chicken in a brown sauce, and; cous-cous with chickpeas that we ate with cinnamon and sugar.

    It wasn't until after my grandmother passed away that I ventured into a Moroccan restaurant and learned more about how those flavours can mix together. It was a Boujadi that I first tried a meatball tajine and I was blown away. There were familiar flavours and much more. Unfortunately, Boujadi no longer exists, but I'll always remember my first taste of Moroccan food that wasn't my grandmother's.

    Recipe: Meatball (Kefta) Tajine

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    MakeItWithMondays

    Wednesday, October 13, 2010

    New at the Haggis and the Herring: Jeremy Nathan Saraga


    Jeremy Nathan Saraga was born on October 13 at 12:39 a.m.

    Extra special thanks to the excellent nurses and doctors in the labour and delivery, neonatal intensive care and mother and baby units at North York General Hospital in Toronto. There are too many names to mention, but we thank them with all our hearts.

    Needless to say, I might be offline for a while in terms of catching up on my favourite food blogs and I hope I have the time to at least post to Meatless Mondays and Hearth and Soul Tuesdays. But don't despair! I've prepared posts ahead of time so you'll still get your regular Sunday and Wednesday posts from us.

    As a present for my readers, I've saved up this bonus post that I wrote about six hours before Meredith's water broke:

    During Thanksgiving weekend, we stopped by a small Scottish shop in Burlington. It was time to put my money where my mouth is and buy some haggis.

    Now for the Jewish contingent, a haggis is kinda like a kishka - intestines or stomach stuffed with oatmeal, ground organ meat (liver, kidney, maybe heart), onions and pepper. It tastes fantastic.

    We picked up two smaller haggis made at the But 'N' Ben Butchers in Scarborough - fairly close to home. It was a long way for a haggis to travel.

    On the Monday after Thanksgiving it was time to cook the haggis. Without any instructions, all I knew was that the haggis needed to be boiled. I also knew that since it wasn't huge, it probably didn't need to cook for hours.

    I decided to serve the haggis with boiled potato, peas and (I couldn't resist) a side of pickled herring. I boiled the potato and haggis together for about 45 minutes before serving.

    Recipe: Haggis and Herring


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    hearthandsoulgirlichef

    Haggis and Herring

    • 2 small haggis
    • 2 medium potatoes
    • 1 cup peas
    • 6-8 pieces of pickled herring
    1. Place potatoes and haggis in a pot and fill pot to about 1/2 inch above with boiling water.
    2. Simmer on medium-low for about 45 minutes and then drain.
    3. Cook peas according to package directions.
    4. Place herring in a small bowl.
    5. Serve potatoes and peas with butter or margarine.

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    Grilled Chicken Cheeseburgers

    Note: This isn't one of my typical recipes. I usually don't publish recipes using prepared or partially prepared foods, however, this sandwich can be prepared using fresh ingredients if you choose. The version pictured below uses the prepared ingredients listed.



    For each burger:

    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1 President's Choice thick & juicy chicken burger
    • 2 slices Country Harvest Oat & Honey bread
    • margarine
    • 4 slices old Cheddar cheese


    1. In a cast-iron pan, fry burgers according to directions (6 minutes on each side on medium-low) so they're crispy and cooked through.
    2. Apply margarine lightly to one side of each slice. With the first slice margarine-side-down, put two slices of cheese, burger, 2 slices of cheese, bread (margarine-side up).
    3. Fry sandwich on low for 2-3 minutes on each side.
    4. Serve with a spinach salad to balance out all the greasy goodness.


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    Tuesday, October 12, 2010

    Canadian Thanksgiving.

    This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving and we were fortunate enough to have our good friends Christopher and Matthew from Chicago join us for dinner. Usually, a visit from them includes a trip to a restaurant, but this time I insisted that I prepare dinner. It wasn't just because I needed to add a photo of my chicken and tomato tajine to the already existing recipe. That was just a bonus. We usually only get together once a year so the intimacy of our dining room was much more conducive to good conversation, and we had so much to catch up on!

    Christopher, Meredith and Matthew
    Christopher isn't fond of spicy foods and Matthew avoids mushrooms and dark poultry, so I made the tajine exclusively with chicken breasts and opted to not serve jalapeno pickled mushroom as a side dish.

    Recipe: Chicken Tajine with Honeyed Tomatoes and Chickpeas

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     H‘nSgirlichef

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