The Gouda Life

I’ve been so completely all over the place lately that I forgot completely we were having some friends over for dinner last night. 

Not daring to ever serve guests take-out at my house (the reason for that is much less pretentious than it sounds, I just REALLY like takeout and want it all to myself) I opted for one of those marvelously simple one-pot-dinners. They save me from a life of Kraft Dinner on a pretty regular basis these days. A little protein, some starch, and veggies all thrown in a roasting pan with spices and out pops a fragrant and satisfying dinner good enough to serve dinner guests. Doesn’t that just sound like the bees knees? It really is. Let me show you! 

 

Since there are so few ingredients in this dish, try to buy the best quality you can afford. The chorizo should be fresh, the produce and chicken organic, and your wine glass full. Wait. What? There isn’t any wine in this dish, you say? That’s no reason no to have a full glass anyways. You’ve had a long day, I’m sure. 



One-Pot Spanish Chicken and Chorizo with Potatoes and Cauliflower
adapted from Life is Great

I found the hunks of chorizo to be quiet tough to chew on so I’m going to recommend you cut them up a bit smaller so your guests don’t hurt their mouths. No one likes to be beat up by their dinner. 

We served a simple salad of Arugula, Roasted Golden Beets, Toasted Pecans and Piave Vecchio cheese and some crusty bread to sop up the beautiful bright orange sauce on the side. 

8 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
1 large piece Chorizo (8-10”), cut into bite sized pieces
1 bag baby potatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 2” florets
2 tsp dried oregano
zest or 2 oranges
4 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
1 small red onion, rough chopped
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Dry the chicken with a clean towel (or paper towel) and salt on both sides. 

Pour the potatoes into a large roasting or jellyroll pan. Toss in the onions. Nestle the chicken thighs on top and tuck the cauliflower and chorizo around them evenly. Throw in the garlic cloves and sprinkle the oregano and orange zest evenly over everything. Give the whole pan a good drizzle of olive oil. 



Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 170. Spoon onto plates and serve. 

Wasn’t that the easiest? Why don’t you have another glass of wine to celebrate? 

TACO. 

Did you just get so excited? I know I did. 

The word ‘taco’ brings about emotions in me that food shouldn’t be able to. I get excited from the pit of my tummy to the tips of my toes when I hear that sacred word. TACO! It happened again. Oh god I love them so much. 



Whenever my mom asks my sister or I what we want for our birthday dinners (yes, we still get to pick whatever we want even though we’re both well into our 20s) its consistently a resounding “TACOS!” or “FAJITAS!”. We do love our Mexican food so very much. So much, in fact, that Mr. GL doesn’t much like to be around me when I’m eating Mexican because I turn into a rabid dog focused only on stuffing as much of everything-on-the-table as I can in one tortilla. Often I fill my tortilla so full that I end up eating it with a fork and knife, defeating the whole purpose of tacos all together. Oh, what a life. 

Over the summer I had the pleasure of dining Ottawa’s SideDoor Contemporary Kitchen & Bar a few times and was amazed to learn that there was more to tacos than Old El Paso had told to me.  How pathetic, right? Somehow I believed that tacos were a thing of merely taco seasoning and ground meat. I feel ashamed to tell you this, but we’re friends. And friends tell each other the truth. My eyes were opened. And tacos have never been the same. Not that I plan on wiping Old El Paso from regular rotation around here, that will never happen, but I shall be expanding my taco-horizons. 



When I accidentally stumbled across a recipe for crispy shrimp tacos this week, my world came to a sudden halt. A doughy taco shell, stuffed full of a cumin-spiked tomato, shrimp and cilantro mixture and then… get this, are you ready? Rolled up and DEEP FRIED. The resulting roll is somewhere between a taco and a taquito, bursting with this extremely bright and fresh filling. It was a game changer. A life changer. A WORLD changer, if you will. I know you won’t be surprised to learn it’s a recipe from White on Rice Couple’s stunning blog. They are the cat’s ass, Diane and Todd. If you haven’t been for a visit, I’ll wait here while you go and take a look. Go ahead. Right now. I insist!

See what I’m saying? Brilliant. And those photos? Forget about it. I can only dream of being that kind of talented some day.

These tacos are so good I didn’t even sit down to eat them. I stood there, hanging over the counter, tossing them back as fast as I could. What a pretty picture that paints. I served some quick pickles alongside to contrast with the rich filling and they were a perfect addition. 



Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Tomato Broth and Quick Pickled Vegetables
adapted from White on Rice Couple 

The recipe calls for corn tortillas, but my market had run out the day I went in to grab some. I urge you to try and find some at your Latin Market, their flavour is so much better than flour tortillas, I find.  

Taco Filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapenos (or chilies of your choice), diced
1 tsp ground cumin
3-4 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1lb shrimp, peeled, de-veined and cut into 1/2” pieces 
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Oil for frying, enough to fill 2” in your frying pan (preferably peanut or Grapeseed oil)

8-10 corn tortillas
Tomato Broth (recipe follows)
Quick pickled vegetables (recipe follows)

Filling;
In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and let them sweat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, chilies and cumin and cook for another minute.  Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is about ketchup-consistency. It shouldn’t be too watery. Stir in the cilantro, remove from heat and let cool. 



Roll and Fill the Tacos;
Fill frying pan with oil to a depth of about 2”. Heat the oil to about 350-375 or until a drop of water sizzles when you flick it in the oil. 

Two at a time, drop the tortillas in the oil for 1 second just to soften. Place on paper towels to drain. 

Lay tortillas flat and spoon 2-3 tbsp of the mixture onto one side of the tortilla. Roll them up tight (ends open) and secure with a tooth pick. Repeat until no more filling remains. 



Place tacos, 3-4 at a time, into the hot oil for 1.5 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 1 minutes until golden brown. 

Place fried tacos on paper towels to drain. Serve with tomato broth and quick pickles. 





Tomato Broth;
3-4 tomatoes, rough chopped
1/2 sweet onion, rough chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed

In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. 
Pour tomato puree into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by about 1/3. It should be a soupy consistency. 







Quick Pickles
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
2 jalapenos, sliced into rounds
2 carrots, cut into thing strips
1 small daikon, cut into thin strips 
1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
large pinch of salt
Large mason jar

In a bowl, add the vinegar, water sugar and salt. Whisk until sugar dissolves

Place half the cauliflower and jalapenos into the bottom of the jar. Add the carrot/daikon strips, and finish with the rest of the cauliflower jalapenos. Pour pickling bring over until the jar is filled and vegetables are submerged. Place the lid on the jar and let pickle for at least an hour in the fridge. These will keep for 1 week. 



 

Every so often, a day comes along where the weather is so perfect. And if you’re schedule permits, you get to enjoy this day the way beautiful fall days should be enjoyed. 

That was yesterday. I had a quick latte to start the day off while I watched my stories (aka Regis & Kelly - can’t start a day at home without them. Won’t.) and then headed out on my bike to the grocery store. It was threatening rain when I left the house but as though the weather God’s knew I wasn’t prepared, the clouds parted and let the sun shine through for just a little while.  



You know those moments that are so perfect, so heart-stoppingly beautiful, that you wish you could freeze them in time, stick them in a box, and look at them whenever you were having a less-than-perfect day? Again, that was yesterday. Halfway to the store, as I was zipping down 2nd Ave, the air was cool and the sun was shining bright on my back, hefty gusts of wind took the leaves from their summer homes on the trees and exploded them into orange confetti, and the air smelled of thick smoke from someone burning a fire nearby. I slowed my biked to a snails pace so I could soak myself in every single second of it. From that moment on, my day was made. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that. 

 

I had my heart set on spaghetti as I headed in the direction of the grocery store. There was no denying myself that. It just felt like a good day to be twisting and slurping noodles with a movie on and a glass of wine to accompany. And what’s more classic than a few big, tender meatballs in marinara piled high atop a bowl of tangled noodles? Answer: nothing. Don’t try and argue with me on this one. Not up for debate. I won’t have it!

The rest of the day, though the weather took a turn for the rainiest, I busied myself making meatballs and sauce. And I did so with the biggest of smiles and a warm heart. But that could have been from the wine. Come to think of it, it was probably the wine. 



Spaghetti and Meatballs
adapted from Ina Garten

It’s vital to the tenderness of a meatball that you be gentle when mixing and forming. Do these steps with tender love and care and I promise you will come out with a soft, flavourful meatball. 

Meatballs
1 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices of white bread, crusts removed an  processed)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp  black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3/4 cup warm water 
Vegetable oil



Combine all ingredients except for oil and blend, very gently, with a fork until combined. 



In a large, heavy pan, add enough oil to reach a depth of about 1/4” and heat over medium-high until shiny. 

While oil is heating, very gently roll the meat mixture into balls just bigger than a golf ball. You want them to be big but not massive.  Put the meatballs into the oil, about 5-6 at a time, and let them brown on all sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer them to a dish until you’ve finished. Set aside. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pot. 





Basic Marinara 
adapted from Ina Garten

I used whole plum tomatoes for the sauce, which was fine, but having a picky eater in the house meant I needed to puree. So I left the original recipe’s suggestion of crushed tomatoes for those who like it smooooth. 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup good red wine
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Extras
1 1/2lbs spaghetti, cooked to al dente accordingly to package instructions
Parmesan cheese
Good quality olive oil



In the same pot as you browned the meatballs, drizzle with a little oil and add the onions. Cook over medium heat until translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and turn the heat up to high. Cook, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until wine has almost reduced completely. Add the tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly and meatballs are cooked through. 

 

Serve over spaghetti with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of your best olive oil.  

 
(and to answer your question, YES, I DO love Parmesan. A LOT. And I won’t apologize for it.)

What a beautiful few weeks it’s been. 

In the aftermath of a hectic month that’s included a whirlwind trip out East, baking for a wedding of 130, followed by sisters stunning wedding last weekend, came many nights of nothing. Nothing. We’re talking buns on couch, wine in hand, sweater wrapped snug around my midsection and toes locked in by moccasin slippers. There might have been some reading. There might have been some movies. But for the most part, my movement has been minimal, at best. 

In the slothful days that passed while I was on the couch, something beautiful happened. The air got cooler, gently urging for knitted sweaters and stored blankets to come out of storage, the windows whined to be closed each evening and the unmistakable, intoxicating smell of evening fires and slow roasted dinners made their way into my nose and filled me with feelings of nostalgia. Of course, this can only mean one thing. And that one thing is what I look forward to 365 days a year. Fall. My time.



I have a fairy-tale romance with fall. When I think of it, I get butterflies in my stomach. It’s all I can do to stifle the heavy sighs that escape me when I get a whiff of someone starting a fire, or cooking, what I like to imagine, is roasted chicken, homemade bread and braised vegetables.Can I really sniff out what random people are cooking for dinner every night during the fall? No. But do I imagine everyone, every single one of you, is sitting around a grand table, with friends and family alike, feasting on a spread of roasted, braised, mashed, creamy, rich concoctions? Abso-frigging-lutely. 

It’s always a challenge for me to adjust healthily to cooking for the change in season. My stomach urges me to grab for the nearest bag of pasta and block of cheese and eat ooey gooey cheesy pasta every night. Probably not the best decision if I plan on.. you know, making it through fall/winter without exploding. 



On a particularly brisk night last week, I decided I would opt out of the pasta and instead reach for the bag of cornmeal. Polenta is comforting in ways pasta can’t quite grasp. It’s smooth and creamy, rich without being heavy. It’s, quite simply, perfect. This time around, I added some crunchy green beans and mushrooms sauteed with thyme and vermouth. It’s a simple dish that’s comforting and perfect for a fall evening. 



Polenta with Green Beans and Vermouth Sauteed Mushrooms with Thyme

I use Marcella Hazan’s recipe for No-Stir Polenta. It’s simple and yeilds perfect results every time. If you have your own method you prefer, go with that. 
 
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2-1 cup Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
2 handfuls green beans, trimmed
olive oil
3 cups cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup vermouth 
2 tbsp fresh thyme
salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large heavy pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Once boiling, add the polenta in a thin stream while whisking. Turn heat down to medium-low and stir constantly for 2 minutes until it thickens slightly. Turn heat to low and cover pot, stirring with a large spoon for 1 minutes after every 10 minutes of cooking. It will take about 45 minutes to cook through completely. 



While polenta is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the green beans and cook until bright green but still crunchy, about 1-2 minutes. Dunk beans into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let sit for a few minutes. Strain and set aside. 



Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a heavy pan and place over medium-high heat. Once oil is shiny, add mushrooms and cook, stirring every couple minutes, until deep brown and soft. Add the vermouth and thyme and cook until the liquid is absorbed. 



Once polenta has cooked through, add the butter and cheese and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. 

Spoon into bowls and top each bowl with the mushrooms and beans. Serve with extra cheese, olive oil and pepper. 

 

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 have a hard time at restaurants. 

It’s not that I’m picky. In fact, quite the opposite. The whole other end of the spectrum, actually. I want it all. I’m greedy for everything that establishment has to offer. What might seem like indecisiveness due to specific taste, is really just me feeling exasperated knowing I’m only allowed (financially, anyways) to order one of many options. 

When I learned a few years back that my favourite (yes, favourite!) Ottawa restaurant, Allium, was starting to do a tapas and wine night on Mondays, I was convinced someone finally heard my indecisive sighs and saw my heavily furrowed menu-scanning brows. At long last! A chance to eat a few small plates from the menu I most pined after. 



A girlfriend of mine, also conveniently one of the chef’s wives, and I decided to head over there last night to close out a Monday with a cold glass of wine, some gossip, catching up, and a few plates of the most delicious dishes in Ottawa. As usual, the plates did not disappoint. We each chose two of our favourite dishes and finished the meal off with a cheese plate. My girlfriend first chose some creamy Mushroom Toasts, which reminded me a lot of a broken down cream of mushroom soup. Rich, buttery, and comforting. Second, a Tuna Tadaki, perfectly seared, pink in the middle, seasoned to perfection and served with pickled ramps (!), orange, almonds and sour cream. 



My first pick was Duck Chili Cheese Fries. Can you blame me? I’d love to see you pass that up on a menu. The chili was lovely. Rich and bursting with flavour. Made only better by melted cheese and hand cut fries. Secondly, and most importantly, I chose a Scallop Crudo. It was something I would have passed up any other day, but it being particularly hot yesterday, I didn’t think I could do anything heavy after the fries. They say everything happens for a reason and I am now a believer. The crudo was… unbelievable. If summer had a flavour, that would have been it. Giant thin sliced scallops, marinated for a short period in citrus, and served with edamame, cucumber, tomato and spiced honey. If I could find a way to express just how much I enjoyed this dish, I would. But words escape me (shockingly). It was perfect. 


Our Allium plates. Mind the photo quality. Because I am not a food critic, or anything close to the likes, I don’t like to be ‘that guy’ and whip out my camera to take shots. A quick cell phone photo was all I could muster without turning red. 

I couldn’t imagine not being able to have it again, this simple plate of ingredients so perfectly balanced and bright. And thus, came home in search of a way to recreate it. Immediately. Before I forgot the way it tasted. While some changes were made based on ingredient availability and how I was feeling today, I think I came pretty darn close. Though it will never taste as good as when someone else makes it for you, I’m glad I can get my fill of summer flavour whenever I want it. 



Scallop Crudo with Grapefruit, Edamame, Zucchini and Mint Oil 
Dish based on Allium Ottawa Scallop Crudo
serves 2 as a main, 4 as an appetizer. 

If you live in Ottawa, I highly suggest making a trip to The Whalesbone Sustainable Oyster and Fish Supply for your scallops. Not only are they the size of your head (a very slight exaggeration), but they sell all sustainable species and while you’re buying you can pick up their awesome brown bag lunch. If that’s not enough to send you in their direction, I don’t know what is.

Vegetarian Note: While the scallops were delicious, they are certainly not vital to this dish. The citrus marinated zucchini slices with the rest of the ingredients would have made a wonderfully acceptable dish as well. 

4 scallops (3 if very large), sliced into 1/4” rounds
half a large zucchini, sliced as thin as you can, preferably with a mandoline
1 tsp zest from lime
Juice from 1 lime
1 tsp zest from grapefruit
Juice from half a grapefruit
1/3 cup mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
2-4 tbsp canola oil
1 cup edamame (soy beans), shelled
Large flake salt, to finish
Best olive oil you can afford, to finish
1-2 red Thai hot peppers, sliced thing to garnish (optional)

Add the sliced scallops and zucchini to a shallow bowl.



Add the lime and grapefruit zest and juice. Cover and let rest in the fridge until you’re ready to plate. 

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the mint leaves, reserving extra leaves for garnish, and blanch for about 1 minute until bright green. Add to a bowl of ice water to stop the coking process. Reserve the ice bath. Add the leaves to the bowl of a food processor with 2 tbsp canola oil. Pulse until well blended. If the mixture is still a little dry, add more oil until it’s smooth. Set aside. 

Fill the same pot up with water and a few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the edamame and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the the ice bath. 



Take scallops and zucchini out of the fridge. On each plate, place a few zucchinis down, overlapping slightly. Place a row of scallops atop the zucchinis. Sprinkle some edamame, mint leaves, and hot pepper around the plate. Finish with a drizzle of the mint oil, olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky salt and reserved mint leaves. 



I paired this with a glass of Muscadet, which was perfect. Though I certainly don’t fancy myself a sommelier. 

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?

Whoooooeeeee. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a scorcher here in Ottawa. 30 degrees, sunny, and humid. And surprisingly, I’m loving it. No complaints from me (not to say there won’t be in the future. There will be. Lots. I promise) about this heat wave after weeks of dreary, wet weather. I’m only too happy to wipe the sweat from my brow 5 minutes after my second cold shower of the day.

Since I’m not totally insane (nor completely sane), I decided to keep the heat out of our already face-meltingly humid apartment by retiring to the balcony early in the evening and barbecuing for my first time in ages. Every time I use our little bitty balcony barbecue, I wonder why it’s taken me so long to do so. Everything tastes bigger, bolder and better when it’s grilled. Everything. And I’ve decided that this year, I’m going to test the limits of what ‘everything’ really means. But that’s all to come in the not so distant future. For now, I just wanted something simple and packed with flavours.



Grilled vegetables are high atop my list of most favourite summer things. The natural sweetness paired with the smokey flavour only a barbecue can lend takes your everyday vegetables, especially those lurking in the bottom of the crisper, inching close to death, feel indulgent and thoroughly satisfying. If we’re barbecuing, there are always vegetables of some sort peeking out from between whatever main course is charring away. I can’t think of one that wouldn’t taste better with a little caramelized flavour, so be creative!

I woke up craving soft, doughy flatbreads yesterday, so with that in mind, I decided they would be the perfect container to house the grilled veggies. Having not made flat bread before, I spent much of the day searching for one that was easy, and didn’t need an overnight rest. The one I found, from King Arthur Flour, was perfect. A simple dough that uses potato flour to keep the breads soft and chewy, an hour and a half to rest, and you’re ready to grill (or fry) some wonderfully soft, easily foldable flat breads to fill with whatever your heart desires. In this case, vegetables and a light, lemony herbed ricotta. It was a dish that was not only delicious, but fun to eat, allowing everyone to pile their bread with as much or as little as they please. If you’re looking for something more, grilled or slow cooked meat would be an absolutely perfect addition to this meal.




Grilled Vegetable Flatbreads with Lemon-Herb Ricotta Spread

Make the ricotta dip during the first resting period of the dough. It tastes better if it has some time to sit and soak in the flavours.

Prepare the vegetables during the last resting period of the flat breads. If they sit for too long, they may start to turn brown.


2 italian/graffitii eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise and then each halve sliced again (once more if large eggplant)
2 medium zucchini, sliced into long strips or large slices
3-4 green onions
2 red peppers, each cored, seeded and cut into large slices
olive oil
salt and pepper
Lemon-Herb Ricotta Spread (recipe follows)

Throw all prepared vegetables into a large pan. Drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat everything. Add a few pinches of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Toss to coat.

 

Flat breads
adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cup boiling water

1/2 - 1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup potato flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp instant yeast

In a bowl, add the flour and boiling water and stir until smooth. Cover and let sit to cool for 30 minutes. This cooks some fo the flour first, which results in a soft dough that doesn’t taste as starchy.



Stir the 1/2 cup of flour (you may need a little more once you start mixing, keep the other 1/2 cup aside) and remaining ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you’re using a hand mixer). Add the cooled flour mixture and mix until well blended. It may seem dry at first, but it will come together. If it’s too sticky, add more all-purpose flour 1 tbsp at a time. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Attach the dough-hook and knead for 4 minutes until very soft. If you don’t have a mixer, you can easily knead by hand.

Put the dough in a large bowl, spritz or rub with a little oil, and cover. Place in a warm spot and let rest for 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a board and divide into 8 equal pieces. No need to be exact. Roll each piece into a ball and place back int he bowl. Cover and let rest for an additional 15-20 minutes.



At this point, the dough will be very easy to work with. Flatten each ball, and then roll out to approximately 7-8” in diameter.



Heat grill to medium-high (unless you have a dinky one like me, in which case heat to high).

Grill flat breads, two at a time for 1-2 minutes on each side. If bubbles appear, just pop with a toothpick or skewer. Set aside. If you want to keep them warm, put them between two slightly damp towels in an oven preheated to 200. I was happy with them a little cooler.




(our dinky little pathetic barbecue that I love so much!)

Grilled veggies until lightly charred on both sides, about 2-4 minutes on each side depending on vegetable (eggplant and zucchini take a little longer).

Pile vegetables onto a flatbread slathered with ricotta spread and enjoy!

Lemon Herb Ricotta Spread

1 1/2 cup best quality ricotta you can find
salt
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp mint, chopped
2 tbsp flat parsley, chopped
1 tbsp chives, chopped
zest of one lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Add a pinch of salt and a garlic clove to a mortar. Smoosh and smash until it becomes a paste texture. Add the chopped herbs and give them a second or two of smooshing to bruise the leaves and bring out the flavours.



Add the lemon zest, juice and ricotta (I served the dip in my mortar to save on dishes, but if you don’t want to, feel free to add it all to a bowl). Stir until combined. Taste and season to your liking. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Cover and set in the fridge for an hour.

Oh crud, is it Tuesday already? The long weekend can’t possibly be over, can it? I feel like I blinked and it went from Thursday evening to Tuesday evening. But oh, what a tremendous weekend it was.


(whatever guilt we had about eating and drinking to our hearts content during the weekend was quickly whisked away when we saw these stairs)

Mr. GL and I spent three days in Low, Quebec, paddle boating around Lac St Bernard, playing epically long games of Monopoly, barbecuing anything that wasn’t nailed down, watching movies and simply enjoying each other’s company without any distractions. Though we live together, we don’t often get to spend hours upon hours together. Life seems to get in the way more often than not. Getting away from the city and into the wilderness was just what we needed to rid ourselves of everyday stresses and reset for another few months until we’re able to escape again. A few photos of our weekend away in case, like us, you don’t get away often and need to live vicariously through us.


(in case it really needs to be said - these are Mr GL’s legs. I shave mine… sometimes)




(herb/citrus/honey chicken + teriyaki chicken kebabs)


(This was my gluttonous breakfast on Sunday morning. Sausage-Chicken-Potato Hash on cream cheese toast. Please don`t tell anyone how I live.)

As I may have mentioned once or 300 times before, Mr. GL is a meat and potatoes man. As such, when we eat dinner together, we often have something meat based with some sort of potato side. This is perfectly fine with me, but after three consecutive nights, I needed to step away from the chicken/steak/sausage/bacon and slip into something a little lighter. If said something happens to stuff nicely into a flour tortilla, even better.

I first had sweet potato and black bean burritos while visiting my wonderful friend Melody for dinner one night. She has this effortless elegance to her cooking. “Nothing fancy, something simple” she would say, almost exclusively, when I asked what we would be having for dinner. But time and time again, she impressed with perfectly cooked vegetarian dishes that satisfied right down to the soul. Always something she claimed to have just thrown together, but I suspect she’s holding back a culinary prowess only those lucky enough to eat at her table would ever see. Because Melody has left me for a life on the East Coast of Canada, I am unhappily forced to make her dishes on my own. And while always delicious, they never taste quite the same as when she makes them.

These burritos are certainly far from fancy, and could definitely be filed under ‘simple’ in preparation, but they pack a punch in flavour and texture. I made a few slight changes to the recipe she gave me based on things I had on hand and needed to use up, but the base is always the same. Mashed sweet potatoes, smooshed black beans, cheese, cilantro. Whatever you decide to add as an extra can only make them better. 



Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos with Mexican Rice
Makes 5-6 burritos.

6 flour or corn Tortillas
2 cups cups Mexican rice (recipe follows)
2 cups lime-black beans (recipe follows)
2 cups roasted sweet potatoes (recipe follows)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup pickled jalapenos
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated

Other optional additions:
2 avocados, diced
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400.

Lay tortillas flat, add a few spoonfuls of black beans, sweet potatoes, and rice to each. Top with some cilantro and cheese. Roll up, tucking sides in as you go to keep the filling in. 





Place burritos in a roasting pan and bake until lightly browned and crisp around the edges.



Mexican Rice
adapted from Homesick Texan

1 cup white or brown rice
1 tbsp butter
2 cups chicken stock or water

1 small onion (whatever you have), diced
2 tbsp oil
1 jalapeno (optional), diced
4 cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup of cilantro, chopped
2 tsp cumin
Salt to taste

In a medium pot, add the stock, butter and rice. Bring to a boil, stir once and cover. Turn heat down to medium-low to simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

While rice is cooking, add onion and oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Let onion cook for about 10 minutes or until just starting to brown. Add the garlic and jalapeno and let cook for an additional minute. Stir in tomato paste, lime juice, cilantro and cumin. Taste and season with salt. Set aside.





Lime-Spiked Black Beans
2 cans black beans, strained
juice and zest from 1 lime
salt to taste

Add beans and lime juice and zest to a pot over medium heat. Cook until warmed through. Using a fork or a potato masher, smoosh beans until they are smooth but still have some texture to them.

Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 2” cubes
oil
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large roasting pan, add potatoes, paprika and enough oil to lightly coat everything. Roast until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Mashed with a fork until you have a textured paste.



Since I am not, and never will be,one to waste anything that even resembles Mexican food, the leftovers are put into Tupperware and eaten, simply, like this…

I’ve been feeling pretty lazy lately.

Not the sort of lazy that restricts you from cooking a three course meal, but rather, a deep set-in lazy that has me dreading walking to the kitchen, let alone doing anything once I finally get there.

Granted, I have been a little under the weather and feeling some stress from that, but generally that doesn’t stop me. I feel at ease in the kitchen and can usually work my way through any stresses or problems while concentrating on putting a meal together. Often, I don’t even have to focus on the issue at hand for it to instantly dissolve into the cutting board in front of me.



This past week, however, I haven’t even had the urge to do so much as boil pasta and add a jar of sauce. There have been a lot of visits to restaurants, a lot of take-out, and a shameful amount of snacking. And today I decided the party was over. Time to get back to business before I wake up in two months, poor and bloated from one too many greasy slices of pizza.

Despite the fact that I still don’t feel quite myself, I’m ready to try and find my way back the only way I know how. Which, as I’m sure you guessed, is in the kitchen, standing steady in front of the cutting board, camera in one hand, knife in the other. My lingering want to hang out on the couch and watch endless re-runs of Criminal Minds made it necessary for me to ease in slowly lest I run screaming from the kitchen,  knife in hand. Nobody likes crazy Kelly. She’s definitely an acquired taste.



After a few laps around the kitchen, peeking in cupboards, opening and closing the fridge as if somehow something new would appear each time, I decided on a simple pasta dish of linguine, artichoke hearts, arugula, lemon and some mustard spiked breadcrumbs. All things I had on hand, which certainly made the task slightly less daunting. I was pleasantly surprised at the resulting dish. It was something I’d expect from a two-weeks ago version of myself, rather than the sour-faced-lump-on-the-couch version that types before you. Maybe this was just what I needed to get back on track. I’ll let you know after this next episode of Criminal Minds, ok? 

Lemony Linguine with Artichoke Hearts, Arugula and Dijon-Breadcrumbs

I used canned artichoke hearts, but you’re welcome to use hearts you’ve cooked yourself, or marinated jarred ones. Whatever you have on hand will be just fine.

1 lb linguine

Olive oil
4-5 artichoke hearts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1/2 - 1 tbsp red pepper flakes (depending on your spice tolerance)
Zest of one lemon
3 handfuls arugula
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (instructions below)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Dijon mustard, grainy or smooth
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water. (You may only use one cup, but better to have more than not enough)

While pasta is cooking, add a few glugs of olive oil to coat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil starts to ripple, add the artichoke heart pieces, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are just starting to brown.



In small skillet over medium heat, add the butter and cook until melted. Add the Dijon and whisk to combine. Add breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Let cook, stirring often, until they are lightly browned and crisp. About 7-8 minutes.

Add strained pasta back to the pot. Add artichokes, lemon, arugula, parmesan and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss to combine. If it’s too dry, add more water until desired consistency.



Serve pasta with breadcrumbs and fresh grated Parmesan.

And then promptly return to your spot on the couch, and flip on your favourite show.  Bon Appetit!

*****************
Fresh Breadcrumbs
Cut the crusts off 4-5 slices of your favourite bread (I used a 12-grain). Place in blender or food processor and pulse until they resemble a soft sandy texture.