Make your own mustard

Last October, at the end of pickling season, I saw a trend of people starting to make their own mustard. The first post about it caught my attention mainly because it stressed how easy it is to make, and you're really on your own to put whatever you'd like into the mixture.

I saw recipes using booze (e.g., vermouth or beer), juices, vinegars, herbs, dried tomatoes, you name it. I had to try it, and whatever I did had to be unique. I decided to make three different varieties.

For the first, I remembered Meredith's bottle of green apple rum. As a drink, I can't stand it, but I thought it would make a great base for a mustard. I got to work and when it was done, it had quite a punch. I originally added two tablespoons of mustard powder, however, I changed the recipe to one tablespoon (it was a little hot). When Meredith tried it, she said that the combination of apple and heat make it scream for a pork roast.

For the second, I wanted to use some balsamic vinegar. It turned out really tasty and I used it to make some coleslaw the same day. It was at that point when I noticed that the blender base was the same size as the standard mason jar lid. I no longer need to buy a spice grinder.

For the third, I wanted to use some whiskey. The recipe I found also used honey. I unfortunately didn't have any rye on hand, or an inclination to go shopping and I didn't want to use my single malt so I used some Crown Royal that was a gift from my brother. Of course, my brother took some of the mustard home with him to Edmonton.

Recipes:

• Balsamic Mustard
• Whiskey Mustard
• Loaded Green Apple Mustard

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

Chicken Vindaloo

I know the photo is terrible, just trust me that
tastes great, and if you like lots of sauce for your rice ...

Vindaloo is Portugal's Butter Chicken? Who knew? 

Apparently Priya does. I think the best thing about making Chicken Vindaloo is this new piece of information. Now that I know, it the influence is quite obvious - meat marinated in spices and vinegar instead of oil or yogurt. It's based on the Portuguese dish Carne de Vinha d' Alhos, meat with wine and garlic (thanks, Wikipedia).

In my opinion, this is one of the more difficult recipes, however, by "difficult," I don't mean "technically difficult," like a Moroccan bistilla, where you're working with delicate pastry. More along the lines of one needs to plan ahead to prepare the spices and marinate the meat.

The Vindaloo I made tasted delicious, but the photo turned out terrible. I should've taken a photo of the chicken on a plate with rice, but by the time our guests arrived, we just dove right in, so all I had was a picture of the chicken deep in the sauce (and the sauce was yummy!).

Chicken Vindaloo

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp corriander seeds
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 3-6 dried red chilies
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 kilo chicken
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1. Heat a small pan on medium heat and individually toast the cumin, fenugreek, corriander, peppercorns and chilies.
2. Grind spices using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
3. Combine spices with garlic, ginger, salt and vinegar and mix.
4. Cover chicken in spice mixture and let marinate for 1 to 8 hours.
5. Heat oil on medium and fry onions until translucent.
6. Add tomatoes and continue to fry until tomatoes are also soft.
7. Puree tomato-onion mixture and transfer back to pan.
8. Add chicken and let simmer on medium until chicken is cooked and the puree thickens.
9. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Inspired by Priya's Chicken Vindaloo and My Fabulous Recipes for changing things up a bit.

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

Vindaloo is Portugal's Butter Chicken?

Who knew? Apparently Priya does...

Read more: Chicken Vindaloo

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



Hearth and Soul Hop-volume 37!

Kasha (Buckwheat) with Mushrooms, Onions and Green Peppers

Buckwheat. No. The small "b" buckwheat.

No, not Eddie Murphy. The grain. a.k.a. Kasha. I imagine that the package for the brand of Kasha I buy hasn't changed in 20 years, minus the new little banner that says "wheat & gluten free."

Kasha is one of those grains that rarely make, just because I keep forgetting that it's there. It's quite good, with a slight nutty flavour.

When My Sweet and Savory posted a Kasha recipe, it gave me a kick to get moving on it myself. It's quite simple to make (following the package directions) and you simply add whatever vegetables and spices you are in the mood for.

I opted to load up on mushrooms and other vegetables that happen to be in the fridge. Meredith and I demolished the entire dish for lunch in a single sitting.

Kasha (Buckwheat) with Mushrooms, Onions and Green Peppers

• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• 1+1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup kasha (buckwheat)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 onion, diced
• 1-2 cups mushrooms (your preference)
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a deep pan, set stock, water and 1 tbsp butter to boil.
2. Mix kasha and egg until kasha is coated.
3. In cast-iron pan, fry kasha on medium-high heat until egg is dry.
4. Add the kasha to the liquid, cover, bring to a boil and then let simmer on medium-low for 10-15 minutes until kasha is fluffy.
5. While the kasha is cooking, fry onion, mushrooms and pepper in the remaining 1 tbsp butter and add salt, pepper and paprika.
6. Combine kasha and vegetables into a single pan before serving.

we stirred the pan after taking this picture

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

Asian Baked Salmon

• 1 salmon fillet (half a salmon)
• 2 tbsp mustard
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (see note)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, minced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the salmon on a parchment-lined baking pan and score the salmon down to the skin every two inches (without breaking the skin).
3. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, sesame seeds, sugar, onion powder and oil and pour half of the mixture over the salmon.
4. Put chopped red onion on top of each salmon piece and drizzle the remaining marinate over the fish.
5. Transfer to oven and bake for 15-25 minutes.

Note: for gluten-free, check label of soy sauce.

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

The infrequent fish

I really like eating fish, however, I don't enjoy cooking it. I usually over- or under-cook it, or it ends up tasting funny. My ideal fish dinner is at a good seafood restaurant or at a fellow foodie's home where I'm not cooking.

Meredith recently asked me to start buying more fish. Last week, I happened to find giant frozen salmon fillets on sale and brought one home for dinner that evening with our friend, Sue. After looking at a few baked salmon recipes, I took the method from one place, and ingredients from a couple of others and devised my own concoction.

Recipe: Asian Baked Salmon

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

Sweet Potato and Black Eyed Peas

Substitute toast with rice crackers for gluten-free dipping.

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Peel and chop sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and boil for about 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool for at least five minutes.
2. In a food processor, combine and mix all ingredients until smooth. Serve warm.

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

Try other tasty recipes

Gotta get that boom-boom-potato

I can't stand the Black Eyed Peas. I won't listen to them in a car or on a train. In a house or on a plane. I don't like them Wil I Am, I do not like them. But I laughed when Perez Hilton got what was coming to him from the head Pea (maybe a little more - a punch to the nose might be excessive).

I do, however, like to eat black eyed peas, and when I saw a sweet potato dip that was basically potatoes and beans, I grabbed a can of black-eyed peas and went to work running with the concept.

Unfortunately, I forgot about what to dip into it, so I ended up with toast sticks (so the picture is a little funny). It didn't taste as I expected (i.e., not great for a dip), but served warm it's perfect for a side-dish at the holiday table.

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Black Eyed Peas

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

Best Valentine's Day Gift Ever. Ever.

From the best wife ever. Thanks, Meredith xo xo xo xo

From the spatula tag:

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the Jedi Kitchen Council determined that master chefs need custom gear for their culinary adventures. The result is this official Star Wars (TM) Darth Vader (TM) spatula. Jedi master chefs will appreciate the heat-resistance of the nylon-silicone head along with the secure grip provided by the stainless-steel handle. 

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

Broken Bakugans (Chocolate Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwiches)

• 1-1/3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed yellow sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, both sugars, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
3. Cut in the margarine until the mixture is well mixed and crumbly.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
5. Using a 1" cookie scoop, scoop mixture into balls on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.
6. After cookies cool, make sandwiches using two cookies and about 1 tsp peanut butter.

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

Snow day cookies

Last Wednesday was apparently "Snowmageddon" on the East Coast, and Toronto got a good taste of it as well. Jacob's school preemptively canceled class the day before - the snow hadn't even started to fall but the media was getting out of control.

Jacob was thrilled to have the day off and spend the day with his little brother and his new dog. Just before lunch, Jacob decided that we needed to make cookies. Not just any cookies, but sandwich cookies made with chocolate cookies and peanut-butter filling.

It took Meredith and I about 30 minutes to find a decent base recipe, but Meredith pulled through with the help of one of her cookbooks and several changes. The cookies were more domes than flat cookies, so the final product looked more like a brown planet with a peanut-butter equator. Jacob decided that they looked like "broken bakugans*," so that's what his creations are called.

*Bakugans are robot balls that transform into various creatures.

Recipe: Broken Bakugans

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

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Cookies

• 1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp butter (unsalted)
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 ripe banana, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 2 cups oats

Peanut Butter Honey Glaze:

• 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp honey

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.
3. In the mixer bowl, fold butter, sugar and brown sugar and mix until smooth.
4. Continue mixing while adding peanut butter, honey, vanilla and egg.
5. Continue mixing and add the banana.
6. Continue mixing and slowly add the flour mixture.
7. Continue mixing and add the oats.
8. Using a cookie scoop, place dough balls 2-inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets or baking mats.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and cool on wire racks.
10. To make the glaze, combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, milk, and honey in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk. If it's too thin, add more sugar. Drizzle glaze over cookies once they've cooled.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Recipe inspired by Two Peas and their Pod

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

Another Stylish Blogger Award!

I've won another Stylish Blogger Award. This one is from Michele at Fit Foodista. I tried to find the origins of the award, but I just couldn't. However, I think it might have something to do with fashion blogs.

Either way, these awards are pretty neat. In addition to being recognized by your blogging colleagues, you also get promoted and, in turn, promote and recognize other bloggers.

Step I: Make a post linking back to the person who gave you the award.

(done)

Step II: Share 7 (random) things about yourself.

1. I shave my heard because my wife doesn't like the "balding" look.
2. We recently adopted a dog and I named her after my college pub, Ceilie.
3. I really, really hate shoveling snow but I enjoy working with my neighbours to clear snow.
4. My oldest son calls my 12-year-old-hand-me-down Pontiac a "sports car" because of its aerodynamic looks and spoiler.
5. I'm eagerly waiting for the snow to melt so I can fire up my newly refurbished barbecue (thanks Barbecue Pro!).
6. I like listening to Klezmer music when I cook.
7. I dislike cooking and preparing seafood (it makes my hands smell), but I enjoy eating it.

Step III: Award 15 recently discovered bloggers with this award.


Fifteen? Seriously? That's a tall order. The last time I received this award the number was five!

1. What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine
2. Hungry Jenny (good luck with the recovery)
3. Nancy Miyasaki (Cook, Eat, Share)
4. Niya's World
5. Memorie di Angelina
6. Anastasia's Secret Garden (and her musical food blog)
7. Add to Taste
8. Couscous & Consciousness
9. Enriching Your Kid!
10. Niya's World
11. One Perfect Bite
12. Buttercream Barbie
13. Couldn't Be Pareve
14. Smitten Kitchen
15. Are You Gonna Eat That?

Step IV: Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won your award.

Done.

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

Cooking post-baby

As I mentioned before, leading up to the birth of our new addition, I cooked like a madman queuing up posts for a few months in case I wasn't able to commit myself properly to the project during the first few months.

Nearly one month in, I was starting to cook again on somewhat of a regular basis. Nothing worth writing about: some dishes with prepared ingredients, others from previous posts, but cooking nonetheless.

At about the one-month post-baby mark, I was putting together a menu for the week including trying out some new stuff and out of the blue, Meredith announced that she was going to make cookies. I got to choose the recipe, so I dove into my trove of saved recipes from my fellow food bloggers and found one from Two Peas and their Pod that really drew my attention (and we had all of the ingredients in stock).

I set up the mixer and brought the ingredients down from the higher cabinets (she's still wasn't able to lift heavy objects), she wrapped herself up with Jeremy in a 30-foot long contraption and she was off!

The result brought smiles everywhere (except for Jeremy, who can't eat cookies... yet.)

Recipe: Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Cookies

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

Sweet Potato Pudding

The walnuts are optional, in addition to the
awesome doily action under the plate

• 4-5 cups sweet potato, boiled and mashed (3-4 large sweet potatoes)
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup crushed walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
2. In a large bowl, fold margarine into mashed potatoes and set aside.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, milk and sugar.
4. Add contents of small bowl to larger and mix thoroughly.
5. Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish and sprinkle with walnuts.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The top of the pudding should be firm and dry.

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

My mom never cooked

The story about my mom's cooking is an interesting one. Aside from the occasional brisket, Greek Salad and Chanukah latkes, it didn't really start until I was in my early 20s.

We reheated things and ate lots of packaged foods. My aunt and uncle lived next door. When I was nine, I discovered I could eat my supper there pretty much whenever I wanted, and I did. It didn't help that when I was a teenager, they had a computer running MS-DOS and WordPerfect that I could use to do my homework (a luxury I didn't have until I was 17).

She even had a rice cooker that she didn't use - "when I retire," she said.

Anyway, she retired a couple years after I graduated university. My parents moved North-West and became friends with a really nice couple who made a similar move from North York. They're Italian, and they like to cook - lots. My mom suddenly started helping prepare cookies, tomato sauce, pickled tomatoes, roasted peppers, marinated olives, pizza and lasanga.

Since then, mom gained confidence in her own abilities and started trying new things, or preparing things she used to buy prepared from the store. While growing up, Friday nights was a store-bought roasted chicken or KFC. Suddenly, Friday night dinner could be breaded chicken cutlets with home-made tomato sauce, or with peppers and duck sauce, or roasted and stuffed chicken with roasted potatoes made from scratch, along with rib roasts or corned beef.

Mom slowly started trying things from her cookbooks and clippings from the food section in the Toronto Star. Now, her cookbooks are nearly as old as I am. Many of the "classics" come from "Second Helpings, Please!" - dating from the late 1960's, her library even includes at least three "microwave cookbooks." Despite having a few relatively new books as well, her favourite book to try new recipes was written by a country singer in the early 1980s. The cover is hilarious.

When I call her, she's frequently excited because she's trying something she's never made before. I'm really proud of my mom for taking the plunge. She doesn't get down if something doesn't work, and will try it again (making chagnes) when she's really determined.

Last weekend, we had a dinner party with my mother-in-law that included rib roasts, my grandmother's chicken burgers (I'll save that recipe and story for another time), and two "vegetable dishes" (see note) that were actually a sweet potato pudding and a crustless quiche. Mom did her own thing with the pudding, adding extra potato and walnuts. We had a great evening.

Note: I'm still working on her about "vegetable dishes."

Recipe: Crustless Broccoli Quiche
Recipe: Sweet Potato Pudding

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

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

• 4 tbsp margarine
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2-3 tbsp processed cheese (e.g., Cheese Whiz or equivalent spreadable cheese product)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 large broccoli, steamed and finely chopped (using a food processor)
• 4 tsp margarine

1. Preheat oven to 325-degrees.
2. In a deep pan, heat margarine over medium heat and saute onions until soft.
3. Stir in flour.
4. Stir in water, cover and let simmer on low until mixture thickens and starts to bubble.
5. Add cheddar and processed cheese and stir until blended.
6. Add broccoli and eggs and stir gently until combined.
7. Pour mixture into a 1-1/2 quart greased casserole.
8. Dab the four teaspoons of margarine along the top.
9. Bake for at least 35-40 minutes, until the top begins to brown and firm.
10. Let cool before cutting into squares for serving.

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

Split Pea Soup

• 150g (3/4 cup) split peas
• 7 cups water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 potato, shredded
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, ground
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a food processor, pulse split peas into smaller chunks (see note).
2. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to medium-low and let simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the peas have mostly dissolved.
4. Process with an immersion blender until smooth.

Note: I used the peas from a tube of Manischewitz split pea soup and threw out the "soup mix."

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