Every year our church has a pie sale, and for the last few years I have been making the traditional pies called 'Tourtière'. They are from my French Canadian background, and are usually served on Christmas Eve after Midnight Mass, during the celebration of 'Reveillon'. Every town, or perhaps, every family in Quebec has their own version of this classic pie. They are very filling, as they contain meat and spices. Some people add potato, as I do, and some do not. The meat can be pork, beef, veal, lamb, or a combination of any of them. I have not heard of a version with poultry, but there is a different pie for the birds, called `rappé pie`. Here is my version of Tourtière. I will have to work on finding - or creating - a gluten free dough recipe.
What you need: pastry for one double crust pie; 300 gr lean ground pork; 300 gr lean ground beef; 1/2 package (375 gr) of frozen shredded style hash browns; 1/4 cup minced onion; 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced; 1 tsp each: ground cinnamon, ground coriander, and dried summer savoury leaves; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2 tbs dried; salt and pepper.
What you do: Cook beef and pork until cooked through, stirring to break up the pieces. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place meat in a strainer and drain off the juices. Place the drippings into the fridge, and allow the fat to congeal. Place meat in a large bowl. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and spices. If fat layer has hardened, remove drippings from fridge. Lift off fat, and pour any juices back into the meat mixture. Stir the filling well, and taste, adjusting seasonings to your preference. Place bottom pie pastry in pie plate. Fill with meat mixture. Moisten edges of pastry, and cover with top crust, sealing and fluting edges. Make several cuts in top crust, to allow steam to escape.
Bake at 450F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake for 30 minutes more.
This can be served hot or cold, but I like it hot best. Enjoy.
This recipe also freezes well.
Monday, 1 October 2012
Stuffed Salmon (another gluten free dish)
I have been making this recipe for over 28 years, and have had many compliments from guests. It is a little more time consuming, so usually save it for when we have company. It can be done in the oven, or on a BBQ, so it is a year round treat. This is a 'start early in the day' production. The most important thing about cooking fish, is to get it cooked without over-cooking. This can be very tricky, and I still have days when I left it too long. When over cooked, fish becomes dried, and difficult to swallow. The perfect point of cooking is when the flesh is just opaque, but still moist and very tender. If done right, it just melts in your mouth.
What you need: 1 whole salmon, 4-5 pounds (head and tail removed if you wish); 1 cup of raw wild rice, 2 cups of raw long grain white rice or brown rice; 1 small onion, 3 - 4 cloves of garlic; a bunch of fresh parsley; 2 lemons; salt; pepper; 2 tbs 'herbes fines' , or your favourite blend of herbs.
About 4 hours before serving time, cook wild rice in 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside in remaining cooking water.
Peel and mince the onoin and garlic. Heat a little butter, margarine, or oil and gently saute the onion and garlic until transparent, but not browned.
Cook white or brown rice as directed on package. Finely chop the parsley.
Add wild rice to other cooked rice, reserving cooking liquid from wild rice. Add sauted onion and garlic, and season with salt, pepper, parsley and the fine herbs.
Remove wrappings from salmon and wash well in cool water. Place on a large doubled sheet of heavy duty foil, which is long enough to enclose the whole fish. Season inside and outside of the fish with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with rice mixture. Thinly slice 1 lemon, and place slices on top of fish. Roll the fish to the other side, and repeat with second lemon. Tightly wrap the foil, folding edges together to seal. Place remaining rice mixture in an oven safe crock or baking dish. Add cooking liquid from wild rice to about an inch depth. Cover tightly with foil.
Oven baking - Place fish on a cookie sheet to bake in oven, and bake about 15-20 minutes per side at 350 F. Place extra stuffing in oven to keep hot. Check for doneness, by slicing into the fish to see if the flesh in opaque. the industry says cook fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Use that as your guide, because the fish will take more or less time depending on it's size.
If using the BBQ preheat at maximum. After initial heating, reduce to about medium heat. Place foil wrapped fish directly on rack, and place extra stuffing on upper rack to keep hot. Turn whole package over after 10 minutes. Check the fish after 10 minutes for doneness.
To serve, peel back top side of the skin. It should separate fairly easily from the flesh. Use a metal spatula to lift the meat from the ribcage and spinal bones. When all the usable meat is removed from the top side, turn fish and repeat to get meat from other side. Serve with the rice mixture and a salad or cooked vegetables of your choice. Also, I usually make a Hollandaise sauce to go with this. I make it from scratch, but there are also many mixes available at the market. The recipe I use is from the Vancouver 1986 World's Fair cookbook, so I am not able to share, as I do not own the rights to it.
Hope you enjoy.
What you need: 1 whole salmon, 4-5 pounds (head and tail removed if you wish); 1 cup of raw wild rice, 2 cups of raw long grain white rice or brown rice; 1 small onion, 3 - 4 cloves of garlic; a bunch of fresh parsley; 2 lemons; salt; pepper; 2 tbs 'herbes fines' , or your favourite blend of herbs.
About 4 hours before serving time, cook wild rice in 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside in remaining cooking water.
Peel and mince the onoin and garlic. Heat a little butter, margarine, or oil and gently saute the onion and garlic until transparent, but not browned.
Cook white or brown rice as directed on package. Finely chop the parsley.
Add wild rice to other cooked rice, reserving cooking liquid from wild rice. Add sauted onion and garlic, and season with salt, pepper, parsley and the fine herbs.
Remove wrappings from salmon and wash well in cool water. Place on a large doubled sheet of heavy duty foil, which is long enough to enclose the whole fish. Season inside and outside of the fish with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with rice mixture. Thinly slice 1 lemon, and place slices on top of fish. Roll the fish to the other side, and repeat with second lemon. Tightly wrap the foil, folding edges together to seal. Place remaining rice mixture in an oven safe crock or baking dish. Add cooking liquid from wild rice to about an inch depth. Cover tightly with foil.
Oven baking - Place fish on a cookie sheet to bake in oven, and bake about 15-20 minutes per side at 350 F. Place extra stuffing in oven to keep hot. Check for doneness, by slicing into the fish to see if the flesh in opaque. the industry says cook fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Use that as your guide, because the fish will take more or less time depending on it's size.
If using the BBQ preheat at maximum. After initial heating, reduce to about medium heat. Place foil wrapped fish directly on rack, and place extra stuffing on upper rack to keep hot. Turn whole package over after 10 minutes. Check the fish after 10 minutes for doneness.
To serve, peel back top side of the skin. It should separate fairly easily from the flesh. Use a metal spatula to lift the meat from the ribcage and spinal bones. When all the usable meat is removed from the top side, turn fish and repeat to get meat from other side. Serve with the rice mixture and a salad or cooked vegetables of your choice. Also, I usually make a Hollandaise sauce to go with this. I make it from scratch, but there are also many mixes available at the market. The recipe I use is from the Vancouver 1986 World's Fair cookbook, so I am not able to share, as I do not own the rights to it.
Hope you enjoy.
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Shepherd's Pie - (with Gluten free version)
Was looking on Cooks.com and found lots of recipes for shepherds pie, including an upside down one which I will have to try, but they all used canned veggies and canned gravy. Here is my version - and it is safe for gluten free diets.
What you need: 1 kg of ground beef, (you can buy lean, but you will drain the fat, so regular is fine, too); 1 small onion, minced; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 5 or 6 medium potatoes - (about 1 kg), scrubbed and peeled; 2 -4 Tbs butter; 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk; 2 cups of lightly steamed veggies of your choice (you can also use 2 cups of frozen veggeis) - peas, carrots, broccoli, green beans; salt and pepper to taste; 2 Tbs dried parsley flakes; 2 cups of homemade gravy. (I make gravy, or save drippings, from almost every cooked meat, and freeze leftovers for soup, stews, or recipes like this. Of course I sometimes do use mixes to add to pan drippings for gravy, but people who are gluten free can't use those.If you are gluten free, thicken your gravy with 1/3 corn starch and 2/3 potato flour. It tastes great, and looks very much like traditional gravy.)
What you do: Bring potatoes to a boil in a large pot, and simmer until soft enough to mash. While you boil the potatoes, brown the beef in a large skillet. Drain the liquid into a bowl. Put 1 Tbs of beef dripping back into the skillet, and add minced onion and garlic. Cook until just softened and fragrant, then add the beef. Stir well. Add salt and pepper. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish, by greasing it lightly with removed fat. (Then place the pan drippings in the fridge to let the fat congeal. You can lift the fat off and use the broth under it to add to your gravy,). Drain and mash potatoes with enough butter and milk to make a smooth mix.
Place the cooked beef, onions and garlic on the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Add cooked vegetables in an even layer. Add parsley, then pour the gravy over all. Spoon the potatoes on top and spread to cover entire dish.
Bake in 350F oven for 40 minutes. This is another one of those great comfort foods for a cold winter day.
Serve and enjoy.
What you need: 1 kg of ground beef, (you can buy lean, but you will drain the fat, so regular is fine, too); 1 small onion, minced; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 5 or 6 medium potatoes - (about 1 kg), scrubbed and peeled; 2 -4 Tbs butter; 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk; 2 cups of lightly steamed veggies of your choice (you can also use 2 cups of frozen veggeis) - peas, carrots, broccoli, green beans; salt and pepper to taste; 2 Tbs dried parsley flakes; 2 cups of homemade gravy. (I make gravy, or save drippings, from almost every cooked meat, and freeze leftovers for soup, stews, or recipes like this. Of course I sometimes do use mixes to add to pan drippings for gravy, but people who are gluten free can't use those.If you are gluten free, thicken your gravy with 1/3 corn starch and 2/3 potato flour. It tastes great, and looks very much like traditional gravy.)
What you do: Bring potatoes to a boil in a large pot, and simmer until soft enough to mash. While you boil the potatoes, brown the beef in a large skillet. Drain the liquid into a bowl. Put 1 Tbs of beef dripping back into the skillet, and add minced onion and garlic. Cook until just softened and fragrant, then add the beef. Stir well. Add salt and pepper. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish, by greasing it lightly with removed fat. (Then place the pan drippings in the fridge to let the fat congeal. You can lift the fat off and use the broth under it to add to your gravy,). Drain and mash potatoes with enough butter and milk to make a smooth mix.
Place the cooked beef, onions and garlic on the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Add cooked vegetables in an even layer. Add parsley, then pour the gravy over all. Spoon the potatoes on top and spread to cover entire dish.
Bake in 350F oven for 40 minutes. This is another one of those great comfort foods for a cold winter day.
Serve and enjoy.
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Special Fried Mushrooms - (Gluten Free)
Wil makes several varieties of side dishes with mushrooms, but I usually just do this. I have no idea how it tastes, because I am deadly allergic to mushrooms, however most of my family loves them. Only one son is also allergic.
What you need: 200 gr of mushrooms per person; 1 Tbs margarine for frying; pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper per person, 1 Tsp each of dried minced onion and garlic per person; 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of crushed red chillies per person.
What you do: wash and slice the mushrooms. Heat the margarine in a skillet, Add sliced mushrooms and cook over med high to brown. Stir often to get all slices browned on both sides. Add all the spices, and reduce heat, continue cooking for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Serve.
Wil cooks these on the BBQ sometimes, and if you want to do that, you will need a heavy bottomed pot which is cast iron, or enamelled iron. You do the same thing, basically, but when the browning is finished, place the pot on the top shelf of the BBQ and cover to finish cooking.
What you need: 200 gr of mushrooms per person; 1 Tbs margarine for frying; pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper per person, 1 Tsp each of dried minced onion and garlic per person; 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of crushed red chillies per person.
What you do: wash and slice the mushrooms. Heat the margarine in a skillet, Add sliced mushrooms and cook over med high to brown. Stir often to get all slices browned on both sides. Add all the spices, and reduce heat, continue cooking for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Serve.
Wil cooks these on the BBQ sometimes, and if you want to do that, you will need a heavy bottomed pot which is cast iron, or enamelled iron. You do the same thing, basically, but when the browning is finished, place the pot on the top shelf of the BBQ and cover to finish cooking.
Elegant Chicken in Sauce
This one came as an accident, when trying to make something else, but I like it enough to keep the ingredients and method to use again. We had it last night, so pictures are below. This can be served over noodles or rice.
What you need: 3 chicken breasts, cut into long strips; a flour dredge* see below; 2 Tbs margarine for cooking; 1/2 cup white wine, about a cup of water, and 1 envelope of chicken stock - Oxo or similar, or 1 cup of chicken broth.
Flour dredge - here are 3 variations:(use rice or potato flour in place of all purpose to make it gluten free).
Spicy - 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder; 1/2 tsp each chilli powder, cumin and corriander - or a Tbs of a cajun blend of spice.
Herb - 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder; 1/2 tsp each ground sage, rosemary, thyme and basil; 1 Tbs crushed dried parsley leaves.
Garlic Lovers - 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder; 2 Tbs of garlic dip mix, or 2 Tbs of a garlic spice blend - such as Dean and Cobbs Spicy Garlic.
What you do: Make the drege by mixing all the ingredients in a flat bottomed glass dish. Dip chicken pieces one at a time to coat evenly with your dredge. Place chicken pieces on a plate and repeat until all are coated. Heat a large skillet to medium high, and add margarine. Add chicken pieces in a single layer to brown. Meanwhile, add the liquids to your dredge mix, and whisk to blend all the flour. Cook in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Turn the chicken over to brown other side while sauce is cooking. Remove sauce from microwave, and pour over chicken in skillet. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken pieces are well done. Prepare the side of either noodles or rice while the chicken is cooking.
Collette's
Wil's
To serve, place a cup of noodles or 1/2 cup of rice on a plate. Add 2 - 4 slices of chicken, then pour 2 or 3 ladles of sauce over all. Other vegetables or salad completes the meal. Wil has special fried mushrooms with his. My friend K.L. came over and ate, too. She got a shock with the mushrooms, as they had more kick than she was expecting. That recipe will be in the next post.
We also had the spinach salad with the chicken and noodles.
What you need: 3 chicken breasts, cut into long strips; a flour dredge* see below; 2 Tbs margarine for cooking; 1/2 cup white wine, about a cup of water, and 1 envelope of chicken stock - Oxo or similar, or 1 cup of chicken broth.
Flour dredge - here are 3 variations:(use rice or potato flour in place of all purpose to make it gluten free).
Spicy - 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder; 1/2 tsp each chilli powder, cumin and corriander - or a Tbs of a cajun blend of spice.
Herb - 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder; 1/2 tsp each ground sage, rosemary, thyme and basil; 1 Tbs crushed dried parsley leaves.
Garlic Lovers - 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder; 2 Tbs of garlic dip mix, or 2 Tbs of a garlic spice blend - such as Dean and Cobbs Spicy Garlic.
What you do: Make the drege by mixing all the ingredients in a flat bottomed glass dish. Dip chicken pieces one at a time to coat evenly with your dredge. Place chicken pieces on a plate and repeat until all are coated. Heat a large skillet to medium high, and add margarine. Add chicken pieces in a single layer to brown. Meanwhile, add the liquids to your dredge mix, and whisk to blend all the flour. Cook in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Turn the chicken over to brown other side while sauce is cooking. Remove sauce from microwave, and pour over chicken in skillet. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken pieces are well done. Prepare the side of either noodles or rice while the chicken is cooking.
Collette's
Wil'sWe also had the spinach salad with the chicken and noodles.
Easy Spinach Salad - (Gluten Free)
Spinach salad is one of the easiest ones to make, except for a bag of pre-tossed salad, (and I am know to buy those, too). The salad is colourful and has a wonderful variety of flavours. It goes with nearly any meat and starch combination.
What you need: 3 cups of washed spinach leaves; 5 strawberries; 2 Tbs of sliced or crushed nuts; a few Tbs of a mild salad dressing, (I used raspberry vinaigrette). Optional, 75 gr or so, of a mild cheese, (I used Havarti, but Brie, Bocconcini or similar will work, too.
What you do: In a large bowl, place spinach leaves. Hull and slice strawberries, and add to the bowl. Add the nuts and cheese (if using). Sprinkle dressing on just before serving, and toss to lightly coat the salad.
Serve and enjoy.
What you need: 3 cups of washed spinach leaves; 5 strawberries; 2 Tbs of sliced or crushed nuts; a few Tbs of a mild salad dressing, (I used raspberry vinaigrette). Optional, 75 gr or so, of a mild cheese, (I used Havarti, but Brie, Bocconcini or similar will work, too.
Serve and enjoy.
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Seafood Lasagna; or Lasagna Rolls
A great variation for seafood lovers, this recipe uses a cream sauce in place of the tomato one. Think of carbonnera!
What you need: lasagna noodles cooked and cooled - enough for 4 layers in your pan; 2 tbs margarine or butter, 2 tbs of flour; salt and white pepper to taste; 1 bottle of clam juice; 1/2 cup of dry white wine; 500 ml of coffeecream -10% butterfat; 1 block of cream cheese, softened; 1 container - 500 gr of sour cream - (or 250 gr and the same of plain yogurt, blended together); 3 tbs of fresh, minced onion; dried herbs -(3 tbs parsley flakes; 2 tbs basil leaves; 1 tbs oregano leaves); 2 eggs; 2 cups of cooked mixed seafood - shrimp, clams, scallops, crab. lobster, salmon, cod, or any other fish you enjoy; 500 gr of cottage cheese; 300 gr of grated Parmesan cheese, 300 gr of grated mozzarella cheese.
Preheat oven ot 350F
What you do: to make the sauce - in 1L. large glass measuring cup or bowl, melt the margarine or butter in the microwave - about 30 seconds on high - then whisk in flour. add clam juice, wine and cream. Whisk well, then microwave for 3 minutes on high, stirring once. Add 1 tbs minced onion, and salt and white pepper to taste. Microwave on 50% power for 3 - 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and smooth. Stir in half of the sour cream, or sourcream and yogurt. Keep covered in microwave until ready to use.
Meanwhile, mix the filling. Place softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, second portion of sour cream or yogurt blend, herb blend, and eggs into a large bowl and whisk together. Add half the Parmesan chees and stir. Add seafood and fish, folding into filling mix.
To make Lasagna - Place 1/3 of sauce into lasagna pan, layer noodles, 1/2 of seafood filling. noodles, 1/3 of sauce, noodles, reamining filling, noodles and remaining sauce. Top with remaining Parmesan and grated mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and place 4 minutes or so under broiler to brown cheese.
To do a little something different, place 1/2 of sauce in the pan. Cut each lasagna noodle into 2 shorter pieces. Put 2 tbs of filling at the end of a noodle and roll up. Repeat with all the noodles. Place rolls in a single layer in the sauce. Cover with remaining sauce. Add Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese, cover and bake as above.
Serve with green salad and garlic bread. (Also goes great with a good dry white wine.)
What you need: lasagna noodles cooked and cooled - enough for 4 layers in your pan; 2 tbs margarine or butter, 2 tbs of flour; salt and white pepper to taste; 1 bottle of clam juice; 1/2 cup of dry white wine; 500 ml of coffeecream -10% butterfat; 1 block of cream cheese, softened; 1 container - 500 gr of sour cream - (or 250 gr and the same of plain yogurt, blended together); 3 tbs of fresh, minced onion; dried herbs -(3 tbs parsley flakes; 2 tbs basil leaves; 1 tbs oregano leaves); 2 eggs; 2 cups of cooked mixed seafood - shrimp, clams, scallops, crab. lobster, salmon, cod, or any other fish you enjoy; 500 gr of cottage cheese; 300 gr of grated Parmesan cheese, 300 gr of grated mozzarella cheese.
Preheat oven ot 350F
What you do: to make the sauce - in 1L. large glass measuring cup or bowl, melt the margarine or butter in the microwave - about 30 seconds on high - then whisk in flour. add clam juice, wine and cream. Whisk well, then microwave for 3 minutes on high, stirring once. Add 1 tbs minced onion, and salt and white pepper to taste. Microwave on 50% power for 3 - 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and smooth. Stir in half of the sour cream, or sourcream and yogurt. Keep covered in microwave until ready to use.
Meanwhile, mix the filling. Place softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, second portion of sour cream or yogurt blend, herb blend, and eggs into a large bowl and whisk together. Add half the Parmesan chees and stir. Add seafood and fish, folding into filling mix.
To make Lasagna - Place 1/3 of sauce into lasagna pan, layer noodles, 1/2 of seafood filling. noodles, 1/3 of sauce, noodles, reamining filling, noodles and remaining sauce. Top with remaining Parmesan and grated mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and place 4 minutes or so under broiler to brown cheese.
To do a little something different, place 1/2 of sauce in the pan. Cut each lasagna noodle into 2 shorter pieces. Put 2 tbs of filling at the end of a noodle and roll up. Repeat with all the noodles. Place rolls in a single layer in the sauce. Cover with remaining sauce. Add Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese, cover and bake as above.
Serve with green salad and garlic bread. (Also goes great with a good dry white wine.)
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