Posts by The Culinary Chase
roasted rhubarb and custard
Local rhubarb in the grocery stores and farmers’ markets usually signals spring has arrived but the exceptionally cold and lingering winter forced our spring plants to show up much later. Last weekend I picked up my first local batch of rhubarb from the farmers’ market. It always makes me think of the ginormous rhubarb plant…
Read Morepuff pastry pizza tart
Pizza can be an easy midweek meal to make and it’s one where you can get the family involved. Make individual pizzas to cater for the fussy eaters in your family or have them build their own. I like making my own pizza dough but sometimes, to save time, it’s just as easy to buy…
Read MoreFIFA Women’s World Cup and food stops
The weekend was a good one. Mr. S and I were off to see two football games in Moncton…my first time watching a live game of football. Yes, I use the term football because that’s what it’s called. Only in North America is the game referred to as soccer. Mr. S, being English, wanted to…
Read Morecrab phyllo cups
The freezer compartment of our fridge is puny! While it has 2 levels, it’s like playing a game of Jenga. Everything placed in the freezer has to be done with much precision and each time the freezer drawer is opened, there’s constant reshuffling. A while ago we purchased a package of frozen crab meat (imitation,…
Read Moreturkey meatballs – with an Asian twist
This dish transports my foodie mind back to Thailand. One of the first things introduced to us was a welcome snack called Miang kham. The base is a betel nut leaf and piled onto the leaf are fried shallots, ginger, toasted coconut flakes, garlic, lime, peanuts, chopped chili peppers, and topped with a drizzle of…
Read Morefresh egg pasta and italian sausage
The other day I ‘attempted’ to make fresh pasta and absolutely failed! The more I tried to rectify the situation, the worse it got. It’s in these situations I’ve learned to walk away and try again at a later date when my mind is free from the noise. I’ve been making my own pasta for…
Read Morefiddleheads and baby gnocchi
Fiddleheads are the unfurled fronds of a young fern and are collected in the wild before the frond has opened. A spring-time vegetable, you’ll find them in food shops and outdoor markets. They are called fiddleheads because they resemble the curled end of a stringed instrument such as a fiddle. If you’re from the Maritimes…
Read Moreradish leaf pesto
Pesto derives its name from pestâ which means to pound/crush. A typical pesto consists of crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts mixed with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Pesto was originally used mostly to flavor vegetable soups. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s that it was used as a sauce for pasta. Earlier versions of pesto…
Read MoreLemon Olive Oil Cake
If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll see that I don’t post many desserts (the most recent was oats & cranberry bars back in March) and if I do it’s usually ones that are easy to make. My sweet tooth tends to gravitate to things such as blue cheese with fruit and a glass of…
Read MorePasta e Patate (pasta and potato)
Pasta e Patate is a recipe from a dear friend of mine. I met Francesca in Singapore back in 2001. I had heard glowing accounts of her Italian cooking classes and was eager to meet this culinary wizard. Francesca did not disappoint. Her kitchen was light and airy and her cheery disposition made all who…
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