The Gouda Life

It’s funny how you get stuck in a funk with certain recipes in your weekly (monthly, yearly) routine. 

There are a few things I make regularly that I’ve made the same way for so long, I don’t even think about them when I make them. And in making them without thinking, I often forget that everything can be made better with a little extra love and a little more effort. 



Curry is one of those things. Onions, garlic, store-bought curry powder, cinnamon, coconut milk, whatever vegetables I happen to have on hand, and some cilantro and lime to brighten things up. Delicious, but far from inspired. And even further from how great a homemade curry can be. You probably already know this, since you’re always up to date on only the most awesome of things, but homemade curry paste is second to none. NONE. You hear me? If you could have seen my face when I tasted not one, but all of the raw ingredients used in making a curry paste, you wouldn’t be surprised when I tell you that each and every ingredient packs so much flavour, it would blow your shoes square off your feet. Not always in a good way, either. There’s a lot of extremely prominent, almost medicinal flavours that, for those of us not used to authentic Thai ingredients, would probably cause your face to contort into shapes you never thought possible. But when combined with everything else, it just works. 



After doing a little research, I was slightly more intimidated than I was initially to try making curry paste at home. I read a few food blogs that focus solely on Thai cuisine that stated “If you don’t have all the authentic ingredients, and they must be fresh, don’t even bother making at home”. Lucky for me, I was able to find everything I needed.  

 

I started asking around about ingredients and, as usual, Don, one half of the ever-wonderful local foodblog, foodiePrints, came to my rescue offering a suggestion of Manphong Supermarket for Thai/Vietnamese ingredients. And again, as usual, he was perfectly on point. A market that carried ingredients I’d never heard of, never seen before, and certainly never tasted (to the best of my knowledge, anyhow) took me completely out of my comfort zone and into a world that was exciting and new. I walked up and down every aisle, touching and smelling everything I could and grabbing up everything I needed. By the time I left, I had my arms filled with so many new and inciting ingredients, I could hardly fit them all into my basket to bike home with. 



I can’t tell you how incredibly happy I am that I ventured slightly out of my realm of comfort in order to try something completely new to my kitchen. Twenty extra minutes of chopping and blending made for the best curry I’ve ever made at home. And I have made my fair share of curry, believe you me.  The depth of flavours a homemade curry paste unleashes will shock you. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was a thrilling surprise. I promise you it’s worth it. Take the extra time, even if it’s just this once, to source out some not-as-easy-to-find ingredients and give it a shot. You’ll be shouting from the rooftops about how much you love it. I know you will! 



Coconut Red Curry Pork with Thai Eggplant, Snap Peas & Enoki Mushrooms
adapted from 101cookbooks

If you’re unable to find specific ingredients, there is no shame in buying a high quality pre-made curry paste. In fact, it’s better than making one with inferior ingredients. 

Red Curry Paste
makes about 1/2 cup
2 red Thai chilies
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 large shallot (2 small)
1 tsp galangal, rough chopped
1/2 tsp  kaffir lime zest 
1 tbsp lemongrass stalk, sliced thin
1 tbsp krachai, rough chopped
1/4 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1/4 tsp toasted coriander seeds
1/2 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside. 





Curry Ingredients
olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 pork tenderloin, silver-skin removed and cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
5-6 Thai eggplants, cut into quarters
two handfuls sugar snap peas
a few small bunches of enoki mushrooms
Thai basil for garnish (optional)
Lime for garnish (optional)
extra Thai peppers, sliced thin for garnish (optional)

In a wok or heavy dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sweat until translucent. Add the pork and brown on all sides. 



Add the curry paste, stir and let it cook for 1 min. Pour in the coconut milk and the eggplant and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook until reduce by 1/3, about 10 minutes. Add the snap peas and cook for another minute. 



Spoon into bowls and serve with a little bundle of mushrooms, a squeeze of lime, some basil and a sprinkle of peppers. 

I’ve been struggling to find inspiration lately. I’m not sure if I can blame being busy and not having as many opportunities to find myself grazing through the aisles of the market or hanging lazily over the pages of Food & Wine or if I’m just trying to find excuses to be lazy and sluggish. 

In any case, I’m over it. If I need to pencil time in to plunk myself right in the middle of the market or buried in a book or food magazine in order to feel inspired, I’m ready to do that. And do that, I did. I spent my lunch hour reading over my favourite blogs that I had very obviously avoided judging by the pages and pages of unread material I came across. And just as I’d suspected, inspiration leaped off the page in the form of a pot of summer squash and baked eggs from The Kitchn, which is always a main source of inspiration for me. 



Of course, baked eggs are not new to the pages of The Gouda Life, but I always find it so fascinating that eggs can be eaten so many ways, using so many methods and with such adaptable flavour.  Baking them has easily become one of my favourite ways to enjoy the protein-packed little gems. 

It’s getting to be that time of year when squash is readily available on every table at the farmers market and supermarket. Every possible variety you could ever imagine, as well. So when I arrived to the grocery store to find their varieties a little lacking, I was disappointed. So I settled for the Buttercup and Butternut varieties. A bit typical but no less delicious, I suppose. 



Smokey Summer Squash with Baked Eggs 
recipe adapted from The Kitchn

2 pounds summer squash (including zucchini!), peeled and cleaned if needed
1 tbsp Kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
olive oil
2 shallots, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp smoked paprika, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 pound tomatoes, chopped
4 oz soft goat cheese
1/4 cup loose packed basil (and more for garnish), sliced into ribbons (chiffonade) 
4 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
 
Preheat oven to 375. 

Using a box grater or your grater attachment for food processor,  grate the squash into a large bowl. Transfer squash to a large colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit in the sink or over a larger bowl for 30 minutes to let go of some of it’s liquid. 



In a large skillet (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat, drizzle a good coating of  olive oil and heat until shiny. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant.

Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the squash and add to the skillet along with the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture stops giving off liquid and everything is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add in goat cheese and basil. Stir until combined.



Using the back of a spoon, make 4 small, evenly spaced wells in the mixture. Break one egg at a time into a small bowl and pour very carefully into the well. Repeat for 3 other eggs. Sprinkle eggs with salt, pepper and paprika. 



Bake dish, uncovered, until egg whites have turned opaque and yolks are still runny, about  20 minutes. Garnish with extra basil and serve with crusty bread, a salad and you’ve got a lovely late summer meal. 

 

I came home tonight with full intentions of sharing a Frozen Lemon Soufflé with you. But given the circumstances, that can wait. Who cares about delicious light-as-air frozen lemony desserts, anyhow? (I do. A LOT. But it can wait one or two days, can’t it? CANT IT!?)

While I was sitting at my desk this afternoon, day-dreaming as is common after lunch, an idea popped into my head. Lasagna. But not just any lasagna. Caprese lasagna. Say it again with me, Capreeeese lasaaaaagna! Nice. Now if you’re like me, you’ll need to pick your jaw up off the floor before we continue. And I don’t mean to sound as though I’m tooting my own horn. But I totally am. I’m sorry.


(For some reason I have a much easier time copying recipes from my cookbooks to a notebook before cooking. It’s an OCD thing. And one that keeps my cookbooks free of stains)


Caprese salad is an Italian classic from the region of Campania that’s made up of tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and finished with a drizzle of of fruity olive oil and some fresh cracked pepper. That alone is enough to make me and most others weak in the knees, but with the addition of soft lasagna noodles and the ingredients layered between them, it was, in a word, perfect. Fresh, colourful, simple and packed full of flavour. It’s also a wonderful dish to use up all the tomatoes and basil you’ve no doubt planted and are starting to pop up right this second.

The only unauthentic part of this dish is the switch from fresh basil to basil pesto. I was hesitant about adding a sauce or dressing, but was worried the dish might feel a little dry. The pesto is the perfect compromise and helps it feel creamy and smooth. Plus, the look and colour of the pesto make me feel swoony.


(I wasn’t going to post this picture, but I had to because it was so funny. I started pouring the olive oil and taking a photo at the same time and thought I was oh-so-coordinated before I realized I was pouring olive oil everywhere. Turns out I’m not nearly as talented as I seem to think)


Because there are so few ingredients in the dish, it’s important you get the best ones you can find. Ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and high quality cheese and olive oil are all majorly important in making this lasagna as delightful as it is. If you’re ever going to spend a little extra on something, now is the time.

Perfect for an evening thats too hot too turn the oven on, and even better paired with a hunk of grilled meat or tofu on the side.

Lasagna Caprese

I assembled this on individual plates the way you would a typical Caprese, but it would be just as lovely served family style from a glass casserole pan. If you’re planning on doing it that way, don’t worry about folding the noodles. Just layer them, add a thin layer of pesto, tomatoes and cheese etc etc.

The pesto recipe here belongs to Marcella Hazan and is from her brilliant book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. She approves of the food processor method, so I feel safe in saying it is absolutely authentically Italian. So there.

2 cups tightly packed basil leaves, plus a few leaves to garnish each plate
3 tablespoons pine nuts, plus 2 tbsp to garnish
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine before being added to the processor
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
3 tablespoons butter, softened

12 lasagna noodles, boiled according to package instructions
4 large vine ripened tomatoes
1 1/2lbs fresh mozzarella
the best olive oil you can afford, to garnish
balsamic vinegar to garnish (optional)
fresh cracked pepper

Put first 4 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until creamy. Transfer to bowl (or leave in food processor bowl, but it’s a bit of a pain) and stir in cheese and butter. This gives it a nice rustic texture.



On each serving plate, place two slices of tomato. Top with one lasagna noodle, letting one half of it extend over the tomatoes. Spread 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp pesto over the half of the noodle that tops the tomatoes. Fold the noodle back over itself so it covers the pesto. Place two rounds of mozzarella on top of noodle. Place another noodle on top, spread with pesto and fold over. Repeat steps one more time ending at the mozzarella. (tomato, noodle/pesto, mozza, noodle/pesto, tomato, noodle/pesto, mozza = voila!)

Top each plate with a few basil leaves, a good drizzle of olive oil, some pepper and a little balsamic (if you like balsamic).



See? How easy was that? Almost too easy, am I right?

What a strange week it’s been so far. The weather here is borderline schitzophrenic and I’m not sure if I should put on another coat or start planting my tomatoes.

I always find the transition from one season to the next a little tough. The anxiousness of knowing that sunshine and warmth is just around the corner makes it all the more hard to get through these last few weeks of cold, ice, and yes, even a surprise blizzard! Just in case you got a little too cocky and wore your shorts out prematurely. Yes, you! The gentleman I saw rollerblading down Bank St in shorts. RELAX! It’s not time yet and you’re scaring away all the spring! Put your pants back on and give it a rest.



I’ve been trying to sneak in all the carby, cheese-filled, braise-heavy dishes I can in the last week or two, knowing full well it will be 30, humid as anything, and dangerously hard to move in no time at all. Summer has a way of kicking through the door like a masked intruder in this city. One minute you’re enjoying a cool spring breeze on your face, marveling at how lovely it is to be able to sit outside at all, the next you’re taking 10 cold showers just to be able to sit still without sweating. Or maybe it’s just me. I doubt I have to tell you my feelings on summer. And if you don’t know, well oh boy, you will.  

Much like our weather, dinner tonight was also a little schizophrenic. The pasta making it heavy enough to feel comforting enough for a winters eve, but the addition of lemon, both zest and juice, making it feel fresh, springy and surprisingly light. Confused has never tasted so good.



This recipe, originally followed from Cooks Illustrated, has been a regular spring guest at my table for a few years now. It’s simple, fresh and light, and other than some lemons and basil, consists mostly of pantry staples. Perfect weeknight pasta for one, two, or a whole table of guests.

Lemon & Olive Oil Pasta with Basil

I used rotini because it just happened to be what I had on hand. Feel free to use your favourite pasta. Spaghetti and linguine are both excellent for this.

1 pound pasta
1.5 tbsp lemon zest (about two lemons)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup cream or buttermilk
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 cup (handful) of fresh basil, chiffonaded
extra Parmesan and olive oil to garnish
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add your pasta and cook until just slightly under al dente. It won’t taste quite finished yet. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta water. 



Strain your pasta and set aside. Put the pot back on the stove and add the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 cup of pasta water, and cream. Boil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until reduced slightly. Add your pasta and parmesan cheese and stir until combined. Give it a quick taste for seasoning. If you think it needs more lemon juice, add the rest. If it needs a little more liquid, add the rest of the pasta water. When the liquid is absorbed, remove pot from heat and add the basil.





Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, parmesan and a few grinds of pepper.

On a sweaty, hot but sunny and beautiful day yesterday, my boyfriend and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary. I was tickled to find that he had planned and prepared a day of lovely things that made me feel like every lady should. There was breakfast in bed (which consisted of scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast, fresh berries, thick-cut maple-bacon and delicious orange juice - needless to say I fell even more in love), a morning basking in the pools at Spa Nordik in Chelsea, Quebec and then the most perfect picnic in the most perfect spot in the city. 

There were veggie wraps, ham & gruyere croissants, fresh berries, the best plum I’ve had since I was a kid, iced tea and a bottle of red wine. Everything was just what I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve never been treated to a day like that. I’m a lucky lady.

After the picnic came a trip to the Agriculture Museum down the road. We got to pet some baby cows and listen to the most hilarious sounding sheep I’ve ever heard. It was so much fun. We laughed like little kids.

All in all, a brilliant day. Perfect way to celebrate a year of togetherness, love and fun.

Needless to say, with the mixture of walking, the sun, the heat, the food, the wine… we were exhausted by the end of the day. And after a night of disrupted sleep (again, the heat. I know. I’m one of those people who complains about heat. Now you know!) I was even more exhausted today. There was no way in holy hell I was so much as turning that stove/oven knob one measly little inch today. NO WAY, you hear me?

But, as life would go, sometimes we need to eat. And I needed something filling but good for dinner so that I didn’t cave into a bag of chips or fast-food. And something I wouldn’t sweat into. (I know, I’m totally gross.) Enter Lemon-Pepper Tuna Salad w. Tomatoes, Avocados and Basil tossed in olive oil. It was light but filling, healthy, delicious and just what I needed. Perfect for a light dinner or lunch.

Lemon-Pepper Tuna Salad with Tomatoes, Avocados and Basil



Lemon-Pepper Tuna Salad
3 cans albacore tuna, packed in water (strained)
Zest from 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mayonnaise (my favourite is Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayo)
Juice from half or a whole lemon (depending on taste)
Fresh cracked pepper to taste (I used about 1-2 tsp)
Coarse salt to taste

Using a fork, break up the tuna until the pieces are uniform in size. Add the lemon zest, olive oil, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. The taste of pepper should be recognizable in the salad.
Add salt to taste (you may not need any).



Tomato-Avocado-Basil Salad in Olive Oil
1 large avocado, cut into slices
1 large tomato, cut into slices
Hand full of small (or torn) fresh basil leaves
1tbsp good quality olive oil
coarse salt
pepper

Toss the tomato/avocado slices, basil and the olive oil together gently. Add a few pinches of coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss again.

In a serving bowl, add the tuna salad and top with the tomato/avocado/basil mixture. 

I ate it right away but if you want to chill it for a little bit, that would be alright, too!