Grilling in Groningen

It’s good to get out of town now and again. Even if the town in question is Amsterdam and you’re new to said town. After 5 weeks of heavy networking, 2-5 meetings a day with new people, biking like mad in order not to be late to said meetings and telling my story over and over again..well, I really needed a break.

Enter good friend Richard Kastelein of Agora Media Group, Expathos and a handful of other fascinating businesses (the man has his own wiki page for Pete’s sake!) and his lovely family; all lovely ladies, which includes his wife, three beautiful little girls, the cat and the dog.

After a smooth and relatively short (by US standards) train ride I arrived at the lovely town of Groningen, which is the northeastern most province of the Netherlands. It’s a nice sized town consisting of just over 185,000 residents and a good sized college which makes for a busy and ever changing mix of inhabitants.

After dropping off my bags our primary mission was to shop for that evening’s dinner via the local fish and vegetable market where Richard promised we’d find everything we needed for our grill fest.

Thankfully his little girls (ages 4-7) all enjoy fish so fish it would be. Here’s a nod to feeding young children foods parents eat..no chicken nuggets in this household! So off on our bikes we went with grocery bags tucked away and the lovely Spring day surrounding us.

When we arrived we did a quick visual tour to plan the meal…we’d grab the whole salmon last and head to a nearby Moroccan shop for olives, pita,  and hummus first then load up on veg, fruit, fresh herbs and local eggs.

Richard had a blast as I described uses for some vegetables he was unfamiliar with or whose uses extended beyond raw salads. I explained how the common red radish takes on a mellow, almost sweet flavour when tossed in olive oil and roasted in a hot oven; it’s red skin turning a beautiful pink with the slow caramelizing of internal starches. Same could be said for the long, white daikon radishes we passed. Roasted slowly in the oven, grilled over coals or sliced thinly for pickles, it really is a versatile vegetable whose radishness (I couldn’t help myself) is easily tamed with a bit of extra care.

Yet we opted to keep things simple, kids in mind, and try not to press our culinary luck too much with new additions to their existing repertoire. It was hard not to buy more than we needed because everything looked, smelled and tasted so good. I’m not afraid to admit that I spend more money on food than any other item in my life; more than shoes, clothes and cosmetics combined. To me there’s nothing more amazing, enjoyable or easy to share with others. Clothing styles come and go but great food is timeless and universal.

In the end we opted for simple side dishes of rosemary and garlic roasted baby red potatoes and grilled peppers with a little grilled fennel bulb. A cold cucumber and fresh dill salad was also included since the girls love cucumber. From the sea we chose to grill a whole salmon with a mix of fresh rosemary, red onions, garlic, fennel, olives and lemon; a blend of Mediterranean flavours that would perfectly match the weather, be easy to assemble and appeal to our young dinner guests.

Cycling back we stopped off at another square for a freshly made “Stroopwafle” which I have affectionately renamed “Crackwafle” since it’s my opinion that you can’t eat just one of these addictive, caramel centered, thin waffle-walled cookies. They are so addictive in fact that I have to force myself not to buy them when I go to the store..and yes, they come covered in chocolate as well! Pure sin.

Back at Richard’s we got to work prepping and talking shop. Seems cleaning fish and veggies goes quite well with talk of internet marketing, blogging, online publishing and social TV. Richard’s passion for Convergent Media, where all fields of on/offline communication cross to provide a true high point of social interaction, is akin to my love of fusion cuisine; where drawing from the various communication cultures blend into one harmonious and powerful way of connecting to each other. Where spices, herbs and raw ingredients blend in my world so does communication platforms merge in his. It all made for a great and delicious mix.

I’m not going to list any actual recipes in this post because we didn’t follow any. We used our collective experiences to create an incredible and simple meal that had us full-bellied and smiling by the end of the night. Breakfast the next day only extended the fun as we played “Duck, duck, goose!” with an incredible mix of duck and goose eggs from the market.

It was a weekend of pure food and shared experience that none of us will soon forget. Until next time gang!

Tapioca: going beyond pudding

If I say “tapioca?” most peoples’ responses would be “pudding”..

Cassava root

But is there more to those translucent pearls than just sticky sweets and weird teas? I like to think, yes. After moving a bag of tapioca pearls from one side of my pantry to the other I decided to play around a little bit and I hope you do too.

First off let’s consider what tapioca actually is. It’s a starch extracted from the flesh of the cassava root that is then processed into powder, dried pearls or dried sticks. Mainly used as a thickening agent and a dessert starch it’s a gluten-free food made up almost completely of starch (ie carbohydrates) and with close to no protein. The pearls come in an assortment of sizes from 1mm to 8mm.

From a gluten-free and low fat perspective it’s almost the perfect food..if it weren’t for all of that starch and carbs (not good for diabetics). Oh yeah, and that annoying lack of protein. To be honest I was craving pudding but I was also curious to see what else I could do with it. I opted to treat the pre-cooked tapioca pearls like any other starchy grain like rice, or barley. In the end the experiment led to four dishes: a cold, savory salad, a vegan caviar-like item, a hot dish with sauted mushrooms and a super quick, low-fat pudding.

Due to it’s high carb load and glycemic index it’s not a food you want to eat every day (unless of course you need that in your diet) but it makes for a fun treat now and again. The first step in almost all of these recipes was to pre-cook to tapioca pearls with a 6:1 (water:pearls) ratio. Depending on the next use of the pearls you can either rinse the pearls in a fine sieve with cold water (as I did for the salad) until they stop sticking to each other (for the most part) or cool them down in their cooking water for puddings and the like.

Have fun and get creative. After all tapioca is very inexpensive so if you make any mistakes it won’t cost you much in the end. After all tapioca is very inexpensive so if you make any mistakes it won’t cost you much in the end.

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Quick Kitchen Tips

• Run out of cheesecloth? A brand new, nude, knee high stocking will do the trick. Wash with hot, slightly soapy water first time out then use as needed. It can be washed well and reused again. Just make sure to dry it completely and place in a zip lock bag until it’s next use. Cheaper and far more flexible for fitting over glasses, quart containers and measuring cups.

• Turkeys stay moister and cook more evenly when their cavities are full. Stuff your bird with whole shallots, apple halves, whole tangerines and/or fennel bulb for extra flavour. Your pan drippings and resulting gravy will thank you for it.

• Run out of twine for the roast or turkey? Dental floss will do you in a pinch.

• Sliced green olives add zing and dimension to vegetarian stuffing as does substituting fresh fennel bulb for celery.

• Broken candy thermometer? To detect the perfect softball stage of a cooking syrup place any firm, looped, metal item (like the end of a small whisk or other kitchen item that hangs) into your syrup and try to blow a bubble through the hole. If your syrup has reached softball stage you should be able to blow a stable bubble that expands well before it pops.

• Before you pass out into a turkey coma take a little time to remove all of the meat from your bird (don’t forget the flavourful meat along the spine and back!) and place the remaining bones into zip lock bags for stock. Even if you don’t feel up to making soup right after the holidays it’s great to have the bones on hand for later use.

• Don’t have a wrack for your turkey/chicken/roast? Use a natural wrack of vegetables like full length carrot and celery sticks, potatoes cut in half and halved onions. The finished meat won’t be sitting in oil the entire time and the vegetables will brown and season. Instead of using cornstarch to thicken your gravy puree some of your caramelized rack veggies for added natural flavour, starch and fiber.

• A fast and effective way to sanitize your kitchen sponges or prep towels? After giving then a quick wash in the sink microwave them on high for 1 minute. Works better than bleach and won’t deteriorate your sponges.

• Don’t want to add dairy fat to a vegetarian dish but still want creaminess? Raw, Soaked and pureed almonds, cashews and/or Brazil nuts add incredible richness to any dish and are often used to mimic creamy dairy products in vegan cooking and baking. Nutritious and delicious their fats are beneficial and guilt-free. Just make sure to let visiting guests and family know there are nuts in your dishes in case of any allergies.

• Want to make a powdered sugar design on a cake but don’t have a stencil? The bottom of a plastic berry container can work in a pinch to give you a light lattice pattern. Cut the bottom of the container off and use it as often as needed. A slight turn and a second dusting of sugar will turn your squares into diamonds.

• Looking for a cholesterol-free and delicious way to butter your bird? Organic coconut oil is naturally cholesterol-free, packed with great taste, lauric acid (boosts metabolism and helps lower cholesterol), solid at room temp and makes for a great replacement for butter.

• Coffee filters make for great splatter protectors that allow steam out and keep scalding cranberry sauce and gravy in.

• Pureed avocado/guacamole adds creamy, vegan yuminess to mashed potatoes without the use butter or refined fats.

Brining for the Holidays ’09

Last year I posted “Brining for the Holidays” and this year I’m adding some pixs for this year’s Thanksgiving preparations at our new home.

For starters we made a huge move from Toronto to New Jersey at the start of October. It was a grueling move that involved packing up everything we owned (yes, the kitchen was the biggest challenge!) and separating everything into two categories: short term in NJ and longer term in Amsterdam (a move we’ll be making in 2010). I opted to put the majority of my hard core cooking equipment into storage for the Euro move so I’ve been working with limited kitchen “stuff”.

Originally we thought we were going to be in Michigan with Steve’s family for Thanksgiving but time and circumstances have made that option a no-go. Instead we’ll be hosting a “traditional” Thanksgiving dinner with our immediate family, co-workers from Microexcel/me-Interactive and friends.

The chef in me is thrilled (even though I couldn’t find my favorite veg peeler today) and I thought I’d add some pixs from this year along with a link to last year’s post on brining.

This year I opted to cook two 9+lb turkeys vs. one large one (or should I say Whole Foods only had 9+lbs and 24+lbs) so I was left with two smalls vs one extra large bird. In the end it’s actually a great alternative since smaller birds cook faster and I was able to use less brine and space in the end.

Enjoy and feel free to add your own questions and comments. I’ll be working from home on Nov. 25th so shoot any posts my way and I’ll gladly help.

26 Qt /$2.89 Foam cooler from Walmart

Snug as bugs in a rug

Ice, ice, baby

Sunken birds

Under pressure

Fit to be tied

Asleep with the fishes

Buttered Birds ready to dry in the fridge

One of the finished turkeys

Turkey stock that simmered on the lowest flame overnight.

Happy Holidays and don’t forget it’s not too late to brine this year’s turkey!!

Logan

Summer Salads: to Hell with frozen nibblets!

Sweet Ontario corn

Labour Day speaks to true Summertime fare with BBQ, salads and sweet Summer corn. Below you find some simple and fun ideas and the freedom to create your own dishes. Nothing too complex just enjoyable guidelines to help keep the work in the kitchen light and the long weekend relaxed.

Potato Salads

No need to get all gooped up with may this year. German style potato salads, yogurt based dressings and simple ingredients can turn your average dish into something fun and different. No need to much around with a blender either, just make a few additions to your favourite bottled dressing to add a little wow to the dish.

Trio of Summer Salads: two potato, one beet

Potato Salad Basics:

• Any potato you have on hand will do, be it sweet, baking or red bliss. Well washed and simmered in salted water until cooked through but still firm. Cook a few days in advance for less work the day before your BBQ. Have more than one type on hand, make your salad colorful by combining varieties.

• Give your salad some time to marinate, let those spuds soak up the flavour. Check your salad for salt and vinegar before serving, you may need to adjust at the last minute.

• Once your spuds are boiled and cooled slice and pan fry for added texture and flavour before adding to your salad.

• Spuds love citrus so play with adding both lime and lemon zest and juice to your salads.

• Adding vinaigrette based dressings to warm potatoes helps the dressing absorb into your spuds.

• Add some crunch! Last minute additions like diced peppers, shaved carrot or chopped water chestnuts add unexpected crunch and a nice departure from steadfast celery.

• Add creaminess without the fat. Cook a few potatoes a little longer than the red, skin and puree along with your dressing of choice. The pureed potatoes will add body to your salad and lessen the amount of mayo you’ll need.

• Make-your-own: who says you can’t have a make-you-own potato salad bar. Some chopped, crisp bacon, sliced, scallions, assorted veggies and condiments let guests make it their way when they dress up their burgers and dogs.

• Add zip and zing: adding a touch of mustard adds a nice tang to salad. With so many types to choose from with herb-infused, stone ground and ethnic chutneys the sky’s the limit.

• Don’t get stuck in a mayo rut. Thick, low-fat yogurt makes for a great dressing addition. Add all of part yogurt to lighten your salads.

  

  Light potato salad with crisp veggies and yogurt dressing

Sweet Summer Corn

What would Summer be without corn? Steams, boiled, first roasted or even eaten raw it’s no wonder this beloved staple of the BBQ is so well used. From golden yellow to two-toned “Peaches and Cream” you better take full advantage of some of the incredible end of Summer sales at places like No Frills before the season is gone and it’s back to frozen nibblettes.

Perfect corn salad filled with Mexican flavours

Summer Corn Basics:

• The sugar in corn quickly converts to starch as soon as it’s picked so the freshest corn you can get really will be the best since the older it is the more it will taste like feed.

• Don’t just chuck the shuck! Corn silk and the tender center leaves make a great soup stock filled with mellow corn flavour. If you’re not in the mood for making soup now, stuff the golden strands into a zip lock bag and store in the freezer, soup making weather is a stone’s throw away.

• Want a fast, healthy snack? You don’t need to go to Little India for that amazing spicy corn. All you need is a gas stove/broiler, a nice spice mixture and a lime and you’re all set at a fraction of the price. (see recipe below)

• Need a crisp, refreshing salad that won’t wilt in the sun? Quick roasted corn cut from the cob and mixed with diced, peppers, red onion, kidney beans and a tangy citrus dressing will fit the bill nicely. Don’t forget the herbs, corn loves mixing it up with sage, rosemary, parsley, thyme, chives and basil just to name a few.

• Speaking of herbs, compound butters make for a nice addition for hot corn on the cob. Puree softened butter with the herb(s) of your choosing and your ready to go. Make sure to let guests know if you’re using salted butter so they don’t add more salt then they need when seasoning their corn.

• Just finished cutting the kernels from your roasted corn? Good, now save those cobs for your stock or use them to create a natural wrack under over roasted chicken.

South Indian Corn Spice Mix

Perfectly fire roasted corn

2 tsp Cumin Seed, lightly roasted

4 tsp Garlic Powder

4 tsp Ancho Chili Powder

1 tsp Spanish Paprika

8 Tbs Kosher Salt

2 tsp Black Pepper

Optional:

2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

• Use only if you and your guests want to add a little heat to the mix. Make a separate spice mix without heat when serving to young children.

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients into a spice grinder and grind until fine. Store in an airtight container until needed.
2. While corn is still hot cut a lime into 1/4s and dip into spice mixture before rubbing along the length of the corn. Re-dip into the spices as needed.
3. Spice mix can also be made into a compound butter with lime zest for a similar effect.

Baby Roma Tomatoes with Herb Ricotta

These easy to make and beautiful gems combine fresh flavors to make a classic hor d’oeuvre or plated starter. Ripe Roma tomatoes, fresh herbs and a simple, homemade ricotta cheese recipe makes for a flavor explosion that sings of Summer patios, crisp white wines and the company of family and friends. This recipe is very easy to multiply to fit your needs and the ricotta filling can be used on crustini and in pasta dishes as well.

Ingredients:

1.5 cps Homemade Ricotta

2 cloves of Garlic, grated

Zest of 1/2 Lemon

3 Tbs of fresh herbs (rosemary, dill, basil, lavender buds)

2 Tbs Fresh Chives, small slice

1.5 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1lb Baby Roma Tomatoes

Fresh Herbs for garnish

Method:

1. Combine all filing ingredients and reserve in fridge.
2. Gently wash and dry tomatoes.
3. Using a very sharp knife, cut a small sliver off of each tomato end then cut tomatoes in half on the bias. Cutting just the slightest bit of each end off will allow halves to sit upright.
4. Gently cut out the seeds and insides of each half and discard.
5. Pat halves with dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
6. Fill a piping bag (or zip lock bag with it’s end cut) with the cheese mixture and fill each tomato half.
7. Garnish and chill until service.
8. Cam be made 2-3 hours in advance.

Options:

• Use different varieties of a single herb: 5 basil ricotta, pineapple and varigated sage, lemon thyme and orange thyme are just a few ideas.
• Add chopped olives and anchovies.
• Add chilled, minced, grilled chicken for an ultra rich chicken salad.
• Broil tomatoes before adding garnish and serve hot…. really, the sky is the limit.

Roasted Corn, Herb and Ricotta Ravioli

Thanks to ready-made wonton wrappers making your own ravioli can take a matter of minutes vs. labour-intense hours. This recipe can be easily augmented to include any flavour profile you wish or can got from vegetarian to non-vegetarian in minutes with the addition of cooked chicken, meat or seafood.

Once prepared these ravioli can be cooked immediately or blanched, chilled in cold water and rubbed with olive oil for later use via a quick bath on boiling water. The corn used is on the cob and can be roasted directly over the flame of any home gas stove or on a backyard grill. A good, dark char on the kernels is more important than cooking the corn completely through. Thawed frozen corn kernels can also be used off season by flash roasting in a non-stick pan over the highest heat setting.

Ingredients: Serves 6 (8 Ravioli per guest)

1 Package of Wonton Skins, 400gm

2 Egg Whites, lightly whipped

4-6 Fresh Ears of Corn, flame roasted and sliced off of the cob

2 cps Homemade Ricotta

4 tsp Fresh Sage, finely chopped

4 tsp Fresh Shives, finely sliced

2 tsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

2 tsp Fresh Lime zest or 1/4 tsp natural lime powder

2 Tbs. Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin (preferably roasted)

2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Ancho Chili Powder

Enough whey left over from ricotta making to cook all of the raiolli.

Herbs and Parmesan cheese to garnish.

Method:

1. Char the corn over an open flame, turning every minute or so to get an even toast all the way around. Don’t worry if some of the kernels get quite black, this will only add to the smoky flavour of the dish.
2. Cool the corn then the kernels cut from the cobs, using 1/2cp for the ricotta filling and reserving the rest for garnish.
3. Combine remaining ingredients except for the egg whites to make your filling.
4. Lay out 6-8 wonton skins at a time on a clean surface, brush lightly with egg white and place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton and seal with a second, gently pushing out any extra air.
5. Continue until all of the filling and skins are used. Freeze wontons in a single layer or cook fresh.
6. Heat the left over whey from your ricotta making add salt to taste with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Gently boil fresh ravioli for 1-2 mins or frozen ravioli for 3-4 mins until wonton is translucent.
7. Toss with sauce of choice (light cream sauce, red sauce or hot whey) and garnish with fresh herbs and remainder of roasted corn.

Options:

• Prepare ravioli in advance: cook ravioli for slightly less time than directed and shock immediately in ice cold water to stop cooking. Dry with paper towel, brush with olive oil and store on a sheet pan covered with plastic wrap. Separate layers of pre-cooked ravioli with more plastic wrap and seal tightly. Ravioli can be kept refrigerated this way up to two days in advance. Reheat in boiling water of hot whey when needed.

The Dairy Days of Summer

Ricotta is an incredibly easy cheese to make. Though it’s traditionally made with the whey left over from hard cheese manufacturing (makes you wonder why it’s so expensive doesn’t it?) the average cook can use a mixture of whole milk dairy to produce the same effect.  Whole milk and yogurt are the best options to start with. Balkan style or Greek style yogurts are best due to their rich taste and high fat content.  Use the best dairy you can find including organic, raw or goat milks and if you’re feeling really decadent you can make a full fat version using heavy cream. You can also make a similar cheese using soy milk or a mixture of soy and dairy milk. Have fun and say goodbye to the watery, overly expensive store-bought stuff you’ve been buying. Check out additional recipes like including this delicate, fresh ricotta like Roasted Corn, Herb and Ricotta Ravioli and Baby Roma Tomatoes with Herb Ricotta.

Soy Ricotta with Buckwheat Honey and Lavender & Fresh Whole Milk Ricotta with Olive Oil and Lemon

Fresh Homemade Ricotta:

yields around 2 lbs

1 Gal (or 4 Lts) Whole Milk
1 Quart Plain Whole-Milk Yogurt (the higher the fat % the better)
3 teaspoons White Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Lemon Juice
1-2 teaspoon Salt (reserve 1 teaspoon for finished ricotta if necessary)
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Method:

1. In a large stainless steel pot, bring the milk, yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice and salt over medium heat. Stir for a few minutes just enough to blend all of the ingredients. Heat until just under boiling then turn off completely and let sit for 2 minutes. Don’t actually allow the mixture to boil since too much heat will lead to rubbery curds.
2. Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth (or use a new, fine weave, all cotton dish towel) and set it over a deep bowl.
3. Carefully pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 10-15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid. This will leave you with very dry ricotta.
4. Reserve the left over whey (the liquid separated out from the curd) for additional recipes and as a tasty drink for people and pets.
5. If desired add in the heavy cream and some of the left over whey to create a smoother, creamier ricotta. Of just add more whey and omit cream. Adjust salt as needed.

Use immediately while still warm or chill thoroughly and refrigerated for up to three days.

Options:

• Use all lemon juice vs. Vinegar and add an additional 2 tsp for a more tangy and lemony curd.
• Though you can used reduced fat milk and/or yogurt the trues tastes lies in the high fat content.
• Removes as much whey as possible to use the ricotta as a salad topping or as a finish for baked goods.

• 

  Baby Roma Tomatoes filled with Herb Ricotta

Soy Ricotta:

yields just under 2 cps

4 cps Soy Milk (plain for savoury and vanilla for dessert ricotta)
1 teaspoon White Vinegar
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Salt as needed

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Cook for 2-3mins then store then fridge overnight to allow whey and curds to slowly separate.
3. Strain through extra thick cheesecloth for 2 hours.
4. *Due to the very fine, small curds formed soy ricotta tends to hold far more water and requires longer straining.
5. Add additional salt where needed.

This vegan ricotta is best used chilled though it can be added to hot pasta dishes just before service. The vanilla version is particularly delicious served as a spread on muffins, breakfast breads or on fresh fruit. Store for 3-5 days refrigerated.

If you don’t have time to make your own fabulous dairy products then you can check out Hans Dairy, the largest Ontario dairy specializing in South Asian dairy products, and their new Lassi/Yogurt Smoothies in Passion Fruit and Mango flavours. Delicious chilled or on ice and surprisingly fat-free even though the mouth feel is decidedly silky, rich and smooth. With only 70 calories per 125 mL it’s a great snack when you’re on the run or for lunch boxes. Look for Hans line of quality dairy products in South Asian grocery stores.

Hans Passion Fruit and Mango Lassi

NatureSeal®- Friend to chefs, busy parents and the health conscious alike

NatureSeal®

It’s not uncommon to have that little voice in the back of your head say “Yeah, right!” when you first hear about an amazing product whose benefits sound too good to be true; be it the latest ab exerciser, diet pill or wrinkle cream.

When I first heard about NatureSeal®, and it’s ability to keep fresh-cut/peeled produce from oxidizing, from catering guru Bill Hansen, my little voice went off…followed by an internal snort of disbelief (and probably the very visible lift of my left eyebrow) at hearing the product was “all natural”. But I trust Bill’s opinion and I was/am always up for a new way to cut down on prep time (ie staff hours) and get a jump on the ever rotating “to do” list a life in catering/food service  provides. So I ordered up a few retail-size packets for a trial run and figured I wouldn’t be out any big bucks when things didn’t work out. “Avocados, huh? Yeah, right!”

I am very glad I took the chance because NatureSeal® is pretty amazing stuff and does indeed perform as promised:

“NatureSeal is a patented blend of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) vitamins and minerals that extend the shelf life of fresh-cut produce up to 21 days.  By inhibiting respiration and the oxidation process, fresh-cut produce can last longer on the shelf…NatureSeal maintains the natural taste, texture and color of fresh-cut produce.”

They aren’t kidding either. I’ve had great success prepping sliced romaine for salads plus peeled pears, apples, kiwi, avocado and even bananas hours in advance (and days in advance depending on the item) thanks to this tasteless, odorless, white powder (which should in no way be confused with a similarly described, exceptionally illegal and costly white powder from South of the boarder). Once again, as promised, without altering the flavour or texture of the produce in question. This is of particularly great help when prepping large amounts of raw produce for buffet salads, crudites or fresh fruit platters where copious amounts of damp paper towel and numerous layers of plastic wrap where the best solution for keeping items fresh in the past, though not necessarily free from discoloration. “Fresh-sliced kiwi that isn’t off-colored? Yeah, that’s right!”

Now that the majority of my day isn’t spent in catering production I’m still glad to have NatureSeal® on hand to use on perishables for food styling shoots, demos and family parties. As a busy mother it’s also great to know I can prep up to a week’s worth of nutritious and healthy items to have on hand vs. resorting to processed snacks or end up with a toddler whining about “gross” brown edges on his salad greens and apple slices.  If you’ve had to deal with a 3 year-old for extended periods of time you know exactly what I’m talking about.

It also makes preparing individual salads much easier when trying to drop a few pounds through dietary changes and portion control. I love romaine lettuce over mesclun greens for it’s great shelf-life combined with the crisp, hearty crunch and truly filling feel you get from a few handfuls of sliced leaves. Plus I’m a sucker for healthy fixings; fresh bell peppers, shredded carrot, avocado slices and refreshing cucumber to name a few. What I don’t love is having to prep all of these items day after day after day. With NatureSeal® I can prep everything to last 3-5 days; 3 days for avocado slices and longer for romaine and hardier vegetables. This way I get my two salads a day in and can’t talk myself out of eating well because I don’t have the time or desire to put a fresh salad together from scratch.

From professional chef to busy consultant to diet-conscious mom, NatureSeal® has truly been a blessing that has factored into my many culinary lives by reducing my work load, keeping more money in my pocket and providing me with a little less to think about when it comes to keeping the food I handle as fresh and natural as possible from prep to plate.

So thanks Bill and thanks to Tim Grady and the gang at NatureSeal®!

NatureSeal can be ordered wholesale or retail via the NatureSeal website: http://www.NatureSeal.com

Brining for the Holidays

Every holiday I brine either a turkey or pork loin for the main roast at our house and since I first learned about brining I became an instant fan of this easy cooking technique. Brining meat is an age old culinary technique that adds great, personalized flavour to meat, fowl and even seafood. Not only will a brine add flavour, but it keeps your food moist even when cooked at high temperatures and shortens cooking time. Brining consists of a completely submerging your product of choice in a salty-sweet liquid you prepare using ingredients that best compliments the item you’re cooking. If a little sodium in your meal doesn’t bother you then this is a great technique you may like to enlist for your next holiday meal.

Turkey brines are great with fresh sage, apple cider/apple cider vinegar and a little brandy. Chicken works great with lots of garlic, fresh rosemary, white wine and bay leaves, as does pork loin; while salmon fillets benefit from fresh dill, shallots, mustard seeds and sea salt. Brines can also take on the ethnic characteristics of a particular cuisine beautifully so your imagination sets the limit when it comes to ingredient choices. Just a few, of many, wonderful options below to help add an ethnic kick to your next brine recipe:

Asian: Ginger, garlic, scallion, lemon grass, white pepper, chilies, star anise, kaffir lime leaf, galangal root, 5 spice powder, soy sauce, coriander/cilantro, rice wine vinegar, sugarcane vinegar.

East Indian: Turmeric, white onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaf, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, coriander/cilantro, fenugreek.

Italian: Basil, garlic, rosemary, lemon peel, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar, parsley.

Middle Eastern: Sumac, garlic, cinnamon, saffron, ginger, clove, sweet paprika, cilantro, parsley, orange, lemon, mint, honey, anise, Turkish pepper, za’atar.

Greek: Oregano, thyme, olive juice, parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, citrus peel, bay leaf, red onion, honey.

Spanish: Onion, garlic, sherry vinegar, piquillo peppers, olive juice, saffron, citrus peel, paprika, sherry.

Latin: Cumin, coriander/cilantro, onion, garlic, chilies, hoja santa leaf, avocado leaf, epazote, bitter orange, anotto, rum.

Classic French: Thyme, parsley, savory, chervil, garlic, shallots, wine vinegars, bay leaves, lemon, regional wines, capers.

Coconut sugar

Your choice of salts and sweeteners also play a vital role in the flavour profile of your brines and finished product. Experiment with mixing sugars like standard white, dark brown, molasses, varietal honeys, coconut, palm or date sugars to bring a mellow base note to your brine.

Artisan Salts from Salt Works

The world of salt, non-iodized only please, has greatly expanded from the basic stuff your grandmother always used. Companies like Salt Works carry an impressive offering of naturally harvested and even smoked sea salts from around the world. The deep, musky Salish, an Alderwood smoked salt, goes wonderfully with pork and fowl while the Kala Namak, or “Indian Black Salt”, deepens the flavour of traditional Indian fare; especially any dish with coconut milk. Though more pricey than store say kosher salt when preparing smaller portions a little specialty product goes a long way in creating a truly memorable meal with added depth and dimension to your food without a great deal of work on your part.

The base of your brine can be water or a flavourful, low (or no) sodium stock like chicken or vegetable. Keep in mind though that once your food has brined the brine can’t be re-used and must be discarded so if cost is a factor then water will be your best bet.

Lastly a little acid helps to add a little zing and added tenderizing properties when used in moderation so various vinegars and/or alcohol products like, rum, beer or wine make great additions. For meats/seafood cooked to well done what little alcohol content went into the food will be cooked out by this point.

The internet has a wealth of recipes and additional info regarding brines but one great site I highly recommend is: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brining.html which provides great basic recipes, tricks, tips and well researched “how to” information. I’ll also add one of my recipes for a basic turkey brine below.

If you’re in the Toronto area spices and herbs can be purchased at Bulk Barn, various grocery stores in Little India/China Town and House of Spice as well as at Kensington Market for the more exotic items. New York shoppers will find everything they need, and then some, at Kalustyan’s Oriental Trading. So get into the kitchen this holiday season and start brining so you can be a pro come the Summer when you get to combine brining and smoking for the absolute in BBQ flavour!

Logan’s Basic Turkey Brine yield: 1 Gallon

1/2 Gallon of Water

1/2 Gallon of Apple Cider

2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar

1.5 cups Kosher Salt

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Yellow Onion, large dice

1 Head of Garlic, cut in half

1 Bunch of Parsley Stems

1.5 package of Fresh Sage (or 2 Tbs. dried)

1 package of Fresh Thyme (or 1 Tbs dried)

1 Sprig of Fresh Rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

5 Fresh Bay Leaves (or 3 dried)

1 tsp Black Pepper

1. Combine all ingredients into a non-corrosive pot and simmer for 30mins. Cool completely and pour over, raw, rinsed turkey. Make sure brine covers the turkey completely.
2. Brine for 8-24 hours (depending on weight of bird) then “air dry” on a rack for 8-24 hours to ensure a crisp skin.
3. Prior to air drying add Turkey Butter under skin (recipe below).
4. Follow normal cooking instructions but note brined turkey will cook faster so check internal temperature 3/4 of the way through.
5. Since your brined bird will have a good salt content to it so will the cooking juices so wait until the last minute to add salt (if needed) to your pan gravy.

Logan’s Turkey Butter yield: 1/2 quart

1/2 lb. Soft Butter, Australian is best

1 Shallot

6 ea. Fresh Sage Leaves

1 Tbs. Fresh Oregano

2 Tbs. Fresh Parsley

1 Tbs. Fresh Thyme

2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1. Combine all ingredients (fresh herbs are a must) in food processor and puree until well combined.
2. Carefully lift turkey skin from breast and thighs w/out breaking.
3. Spoon or use a pastry bag to get as much butter under the skin as possible. Depending on the size of your bird you may have extra or need more. Extra butter can be used for basting or fully baked stuffing only due to contamination of butter with raw turkey juices.
4. If turkey has been brined allow it to continue to air dry but make sure to add butter prior to drying or skin will be too taunt to manipulate.

Enjoy and have a safe, wonderful holiday!