Eggplant Milanese: Crispy Cutlets Without the Veal
Golden, crunchy, and crisp. These eggplant cutlets take their cue from classic veal Milanese, but swap the meat for something lighter (and honestly, more fun to make).
spatchcock cornish hens
Spatchcock you ask? According to the Oxford Companion to Food, “spatchcock is a culinary term found in cookery books of the 18th and 19th centuries, and revived towards the end of the 20th century. It is said to be of Irish origin. The theory is that the word is an abbreviation of ‘dispatch cock’, a…
orange jelly slices
According to What’s Cooking America, gelatin was once considered a sign of wealth, before the commercial version appeared, only members of the elite classes could afford it. It took hours to render gelatin, clarify it, and turn it into fancy aspics, molded salads, desserts. etc. The use of gelatin was a sign that the host…
fish tacos (tacos de pescado)
“What’s for dinner?” asked Mr. S. I said I was thinking of fish and he said good! We haven’t had fish in a while but these days with the way my memory works it was most likely only a week or so ago. Cinco de Mayo (the 1862 victory of the Mexican militia over the…
artichoke pesto
Making use of what’s in your cupboard before expiration date always feels good. I am guilty, at times, of having to throw food out. According to Second Harvest, Canadians waste $31 billion of food every year of which 47% is wasted in the home. Over 30% of fruits and vegetables are rejected by supermarkets because…
plum dessert – fresh and light
A dessert concludes the main meal and for me, it’s the last thing I think about when planning a meal. I’m just as happy to snack on fruit and a bit of cheese than fill my stomach with another course. I am usually too full. But give me an option to savour fruit with yogurt,…
bbq cauliflower wings
We’re all familiar with buffalo chicken wings but cauliflower wings? It was through a snapchat from my niece, Sara, that I discovered the vegetarian version. She sent me the photo and I was intrigued; it’s a guilt-free snack. The meat version happened quite by accident, as most ingenious recipes do. The original Buffalo chicken wing…
lamb tagine – a feast for the senses!
A tagine, the conical shaped cooking vessel, is traditionally made out of clay and was first used by North African nomads. The tagine’s conical top allows moisture escaping from the ingredients to condense on the lid and fall back onto the dish, resulting in fork-tender meat and vegetables using a minimum of liquid. Think of…
pizza smoked mozzarella and lemon slices
If I were to take a poll to find out what toppings people like to see on their pizza, I’ll bet tomato sauce, cheese, and some sort of meat would be at the top of the list. Pizza is a centuries old snack although 2,000 years ago it looked more like a flatbread with olive…
baked summer squash – stuffed to perfection!
Summer squash is available all year round which sounds a bit confusing. The name refers to a squash harvested when it’s not fully mature. The skin is soft and thin while the flesh is a softer texture. Some of the most popular and familiar varieties are: zucchini, pattypan squash, cousa squash, crookneck squash. Summer squash…
whole roasted cauliflower with a parsley sauce
Do you remember eating cauliflower when you were a kid? I do. My favorite was smothered in my mom’s homemade cheddar cheese sauce. Come to think of it, I don’t think I really liked cauliflower; I loved the cheese sauce! Fast forward to my adult years and I have served cauliflower many ways and fondly…
sautéed purple cabbage with pasta
Do you ever wish you could turn back time? I do, not to alter events but to be more inquisitive with my elders thus being able to pass the story-telling torch onto my children. My great, great paternal grandmother, Anna Marie Schmeltzer (Nanny Kent), died when I was 11 – she was 86. My memories…
marbled eggs – just in time for Easter
Looking for a fun way to serve hard boiled eggs? Start with the eggshell. Years ago when the kids were younger, I would make colored eggs for them as part of the Easter egg hunt. I would also make marbled deviled eggs to serve to the adults. Marbled eggs are a cinch to make and…