The Gouda Life

Whenever I think about summer, I get this wonderful vision of leisurely lazy days filled with swimming and fizzy fruity drinks and friends and relaxation. 

And then summer gets here. And I remember that while there may be a few of the above mentioned wonderful things, there is also a ton of running around and busyness and stress. And perhaps the stressful busy things wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t so danged hot, but that tends to make it that much more exasperating. 

One of the most exciting and scary and stress-inducing items on my To-Do list this summer is a wedding I’m catering for a friend. While I’m no stranger to catering or wedding cake making, this wedding is much different than anything I’ve done before. Different in the most wonderful way, of course. The bride and groom have requested a doughnut cake. Yes, a DOUGHNUT CAKE! A three-tier doughnut cake! Isn’t that just the neatest thing you’ve ever heard of? I know if I were a guest at a wedding with doughnuts, I would leave a happy woman. To go along with the unique cake and round out the spread, we’ve decided to do some little cheesecake pots and a few pies. Another interesting and challenging piece of this task is that the couple are vegan. So I get to flex some vegan baking muscles which are, admittedly, quite weak. 

I’ve spent the last few days experimenting and tweaking and re-tweaking to make sure the desserts came out tasting as though they weren’t vegan at all. And for the most part, I think I’ve fared quite well if I do say so myself. The doughnuts, which I promise to post about sooner than later, were perfectly moist and dense inside with a sugary glaze that cracks ever so slightly when you bite into them. I, of course, couldn’t resist a colourful sprinkle topping and was thrilled when the couple said they wanted to have sprinkles for the big day. After all, what’s a doughnut without sprinkles? It’s nothing. That’s what. 

The cheesecake pots were another home run. Super lemony, light and creamy with a gingersnap crust and topped with a deep dreamy purple layer of blueberry compote. I have to say, my eyes have been opened to the wonders of vegan baking. In most cases, it’s no harder than non-vegan baking and really forces you to read labels and ingredients and be a little more conscious.  Which is something we could all benefit from every so often. 

Lastly, and also the reason I’m here right this second, is the pie. Ohhh, the pie. It was a first of many things yesterday, including my first vegan pie and my first vegan crumble. And they just happened to be smashed together into a crumble pie. Which, as you can imagine, is 100% as delicious as it sounds. The crust needs a little work and the filling was a little tart, but overall, it was a great learning experience. I’m going to share the pie recipe today with all of the little things I learned along the way. 

Vegan Raspberry Apricot Crumble Pie

Some of the photos won’t exactly look like the below recipes since there have been tweaks. Don’t get too worried if your pie doesn’t look exactly like mine. 

Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups pastry flour
1/2 cup frozen Earth Balance vegetable shortening
3 – 3 1/2 tbsp ice water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp raw cane-sugar, optional

Whisk flour, salt and sugar.
Using a food processor or a pastry cutter, add the shortening until pea-sized chunks remain. It will be a coarse looking crumb mixture. 
Add ice water, beginning with only 3 Tablespoons, mixing enough only to form a ball.

Pour dough onto a floured surface and pat into a ball. It should be soft and smooth and maybe a bit sticky at this point. Pat the ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Freeze for at least a half hour and up to overnight. Remove from freezer when ready to use and let thaw slightly until you’re able to roll out. 

Filling
1 1/2lbs fresh apricots (about 5-6)
1/2 pint raspberries
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside. 

Crumble Topping 
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
1 Earth Balance buttery sticks, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 400 and put rack in lower third of oven. 

Combine everything but the butter cubes in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the butter to the bowl and rub into the dry mixture until you have a crumbly mixture. 

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to fit a 9” pie pan. 

Spoon filling into the pie crust and crumble the topping over. 

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking for 50-60 minutes until filling is cooked and crust is golden. If the topping is browning too quickly, feel free to cover the pie with foil. 

 

I’m turning into an old man. Have you noticed? 

All I can seem to talk about lately is the weather. I want to talk about it all day long. And if I’m not talking about the weather, I’m talking about how I talk about the weather. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing about it by now, aren’t you? 

But guess what? It’s still hot as hell in Ottawa. And I’m still trying to find dishes that help cool me down without eating a freezer full of Popsicles. And I’ve got a great one for you today.

As I was flipping through the newest edition of Food & Drink, I came across a recipe that sounded almost as delicious as it ended up tasting. It’s simple, straightforward, fresh and tastes oh-so-decadent. And, in case you hadn’t already assumed, it’s easy. Almost as easy as this post. Which I do apologize for, but believe it or not, some nights I’m not nearly as brilliant and witty as I typically appear …. haw haw haw! (Ok, tell me that wasn’t even a little funny? No? Shoot.)

Parfaits are one of Mr GL’s favourite treats. Which is great considering they take 5 minutes to put together. Layers of whipped cream and fresh berries are easy and delicious enough, but when you add cream cheese and a citrus curd to the mix, it becomes something entirely different. The layers of flavour in this parfait are so fresh and clean. You can almost taste every ingredient separately before they combine in your mouth. To say they very least, it’s lovely. And also, it’s beautiful.

 

Strawberry-Mint Parfaits with Cheesecake Cream and Lime Curd
serves 4
adapted from Food & Drink

Because there are only two of us, we went the gluttonous route and piled the ingredients high into two glasses. But it actually does serve 4. Mais, nous sommes des cochons! 

If you don’t like lime, then you’re no friend of mine. No wait, I’m sorry. You can use lemon or grapefruit instead! 

6 cups fresh strawberries
2 tbsp sugar
handful fresh mint, chopped fine
1 package (250g) light cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 cup cold whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1-1 1/2 cups lime curd, recipe to follow
Zest of 1 lime 

Set 4 of the best looking strawberries aside. Hull and slice the rest of them. Place in a large bowl with sugar and chopped mint. Cover and refrigerate until ready to put parfaits together. 

Using a standing or handheld electric mixer whip the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth in a large bowl. In another bowl, add the vanilla and heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the two creams together until smooth. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

When ready to assemble parfaits - get 4 parfait or wine glasses capable of holding 1 cup and set on clean surface. Carefully add a spoonful or two of berries, followed by a large dollop of cream and a spoonful of curd. Finish with another layer of berries, cream and another spoonful of curd. Garnish with a whole berry and a sprinkle of lime zest. 

Lime Curd

4 large limes
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened

Finely zest one of the limes. Set aside. 

Juice the 4 limes into a small bowl. 

In a medium sauce pan, whisk eggs sugar and butter. Stir in juice and zest. Whisk constantly over low heat until mixture starts to thicken and turn lighter in colour. 15-18 minutes. Do not boil. 

Once thickened, pour through a mesh strainer into a glass bowl. Press plastic wrap right against the curd and let cool in fridge for 1 hour. 

Keep in fridge for one week or freeze and scoop as needed.
 
 

I do so love convenient eating. And frozen foods are just so convenient sometimes. Like when it’s 300 degrees outside and sweating into a pot over the stove seems only slightly less than glamorous.  I’ve more or less been living out of the freezer for the past few days. Frozen pizza? Yes please. Frozen chicken fingers and fries? How did you know? Frozen meat pie? OK, maybe it’s time to re-think this strategy. 

While obviously easy and not terribly unappetizing (to people like me who love crappy boxed food…. I know, it’s a problem), it doesn’t really sit as well as a home cooked meal does. I find myself feeling sluggish and heavy when I start eating like this. So with the first tiny bout of cool(er/ish) weather we’ve had this week, I decided to shake the dust from my lazy bones and get back in the kitchen. Admittedly, I’d be lying if I said we weren’t out of anything good in the freezer and didn’t want to go to the store. But hey, at least I’m honest about being a total sloth, right? I love when we agree.

Thankfully, Mr GL works right beside a grocery store, which saves my food-blogging buns so very often, so he was nice enough to bring me home some very fresh looking asparagus, radishes and goat cheese. Which I thought would be most delectable and especially healthy folded into some toasty almonds and red quinoa. And thankfully, I was right. Which only happens on occasion.

The combination of asparagus and goat cheese has always been a favourite under my roof, but with the nutty addition of the red quinoa and almonds, and the peppery sharp flavour of the radishes, it made for such a alluring combination of flavours that were as delicious as they were healthful. I hate leaving things to go to waste so I used the radish greens for a quick and beautifully vibrant vinaigrette that pulled everything together so perfectly. A home run suitable for dinner or, as I’ll be using it, for lunches for the next few days.
 
So if you’re slothing it out at home, eating your frozen chicken fingers, do yourself a favour and snap out of it for just an hour and you’ll have yourself a fresh, filling dish that feels damn good. 

Red Quinoa Salad with Radishes and Asparagus 

The salad will likely be warm when you first finish making it and it is perfectly delicious just like that, however, I sort of like it better cold the next day so be sure to save yourself a little bit for the next day! 

Salad
1 cup red (or white/black) quinoa, rinsed until water runs clear
2 cups water
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed into bite sized pieces
oil
salt and pepper
4-5 large radishes, sliced thin
1/2 cup almonds, toasted, chopped
1/4-1/3 cup goat cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

In a pot, bring water to a boil. Pour quinoa in and bring back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for 12-14 minutes or until quinoa is soft but still has a bit of a bite to it. Pour into a mesh strainer and let cool for 20 minutes. 

While quinoa is cooking, place bite-size asparagus chunks into a pan and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle a pinch of two of salt and a few crack of pepper. Roast until bright green and still slightly crunchy in the middle. 

Add the radishes, roasted asparagus, quinoa and almonds to a large bowl and toss lightly until combined. Taste and season to your liking with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Lemon & Radish Green Vinaigrette

handful radish greens (approx 1 cup), clean and dried 
1 1/2 tsp (about half a lemon) lemon zest
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 tbsp olive oil 
1 small clove garlic (half of a large clove)
salt to taste 

Put all ingredients other than salt into food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and season to your liking with salt.  

Add half of the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to combine. If it’s still slightly dry, add more until you have the desired coating.

Spoon into serving bowls and top with crumbled goat cheese. 

Happy Post Canada Day to all my Canadian friends! 

I hope you’re all recovering from what I assume was a long day (or if you’re like us, perhaps even 2 days) in the sun, filled with good food and drink and of course, great friends and family. 

We celebrated Canada Day in our usual manor. Mr GL’s parents welcome us and all of our friends into their home where we barbecue, swim, eat everything in sight, and enjoy seeing friends we haven’t been able to see in a while. It’s always one of my favourite days of the year. 

Being my favourite day of the year, I often over indulge on just about everything. Sun, food and especially drink. To make matters worse, we’re both lobster red and I managed to get mosquito bites on every square inch of my body (and somehow Mr GL came out with just one or two) making the day-after-indulgence pain feel just a touch more uncomfortable. 

I went in search of some lunch today in my hazy post-party state, and though my semi-rotted tummy is calling out for burgers and fries or anything dunked in grease, I know what I really need is clean food. So when I opened the fridge and found leftover salad from the other night, I knew it would make my mouth just as happy as my stomach. 

Fattoush is a Lebanese salad traditionally containing high-water-content summer vegetables (which makes it especially appealing in this warm weather), a whack-load of fresh herbs, toasted pita bread and za’atar. It’s as refreshing, crisp and cool as a salad can get. The use of Za’atar makes this salad especially bright. If you’ve never heard of it, or worse yet, tried it, you’ll be amazed at how wonderful this spice blend is with salad, sprinkled on pita bread or over fresh sliced tomatoes, or even on roasted root vegetables. The uses are endless. Seriously. Endless. Everything can be made better with a little sprinkle. 

Fattoush Salad with Zaatar Baked Pita Crisps
adapted from My New Roots

It’s important to know that the herbs in this salad are not simply for garnish. They are vital to the salads flavour and texture the way lettuce would be so the quantities are quite large. 

Salad:
2 red bell peppers
2 medium cucumbers, with skin
3 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large red onion, thinly sliced with a mandolin
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, rough chopped
1 cup chopped mint, rough chopped
4 tbsp za’atar, recipe follows

Cut the peppers and cucumbers into bite sized chunks and toss with the rest of the ingredients in a large salad bowl.  

Fattoush Dressing
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon 
1 tsp. agave nectar
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
a couple pinches of sea salt
a pinch of black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. 

Zaatar Baked Pita Crisps
5 large Lebanese-style pitas
2 tbsp zaatar
olive oil

Preheat oven to 325. 
Tear or cut pitas into chip-sized pieces. Brush each chip with olive oil and sprinkle with zaatar spice. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.  

When you’re ready to eat, throw half the dressing into the salad and toss. Add more until desired sauciness is achieved. Spoon onto plates and crumble pita crisps over the salad. 

Za’atar
makes about 1 cup 

1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup sumac
4 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp dried oregano

Stir all ingredients and pour into a glass jar. Store in a cool dark place.