Poutine: greasy truck-stop food ending in heartburn or a gastronomic adventure that ends in foodgasm? Ever since I scarfed back the most amazing plate of poutine 13 months ago, I’ve been committed to recreating that dish prepared by the servers of Le St-Estèphe. There seemed no better time than now, especially with the advent of…
Scalloped Fennel-Potatoes au Gratin
Cooking with a twist … that’s how a lot of my ideas form: take an idea, an ingredient, a ‘classic’ creation and then ask the question “What if …?” As you’ve seen from my previous post, I had prime rib on the brain and one of the comfort foods I love to serve alongside this…
Persimmon Salsa
If Roald Dahl had been in my kitchen this past winter while writing his children’s classics, he may well have titled the one about “James” as Dale and the Giant Persimmon. Though I haven’t had any particularly giant fruits in my kitchen, persimmons have certainly been giant my culinary craft this season as I continue…
Curried Sweet Potato Wedges
Life is too short and far too complicated not to be able to make simple and great food from scratch. Yes, my recipe annals are replete with examples to the contrary, so perhaps I need to find a bit more balance in the recipes I post. You tell me …. But for starters, here is…
Wilted Spinach with Black Mustard Seed and Lemon
Simple, healthy and, most importantly, delicious …. Love spinach? Want to do something a bit different with it? Look no further …. Here’s a side dish I prepared to go with my Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Banana-Date Glaze. As a result, both are “Indian” inspired and fusions. What makes this dish most amazing, apart that…
Baked Brie with Maple-Apple Jelly
I’ve talked many times about the hedonistic pleasures of food, but there are going to be few things in life that get more hedonistic than baked brie in all its molten, gooey glory. When I created my maple-apple jelly in the fall, I knew I was going to be tested in terms of what I…
Pearl Barley Risotto
You already know that I adore (absolutely adore) risotto. It’s definitely one of my signature dishes and something that I love to experiment with creating … and you’ve seen in it already in some of last year’s creations: Lemon Tuscan Kale Risotto and Rum-Kabocha (Pumpkin) Risotto. So when I set out to create my Crispy Duck…
Sweet Potato Praline Casserole
The holidays have arrived and with that, I hope, more time to get caught up with my blog. My first contribution to the holiday season is a sweet, succulent sweet potato dish that will make believers out of the most ardent doubters who question the rightful place of this tuber on the dinner table. First,…
Roasted Rutabaga with Fall Herbs
Ah, the dreaded rutabaga. I suspect it is one of the veggies that people fear — and avoid — if for no other reason than the name itself scares them off. But truly, with the exception of the overly ubiquitous carrot and potato, most other ground veggies, at least in this country, have fallen hugely…
Maple-Apple Jelly
At its most fundamental level, cooking is pure chemistry and physics. At its most profound, it is art, tradition, culture, identity and love. Nothing arguably combines both as purely as making preserves. Thus when I took up the most recent challenge in The Canadian Food Experience Project chose to make it personal, I found myself with the challenge…