Mushroom Ravioli- Laura Calder Style

I have been craving mushrooms. I recalled seeing Laura Calder make a sort of 'deconstructed' ravioli with mushrooms and decided to try it. The recipe was incredibly simple. Just an assortment of mushrooms sauteed with some garlic in a bit of olive oil, adding stock to create a sauce. I started cooking everything too early, anticipating the P-Man's arrival from work. He was about a half an hour late. I think the dish suffered from being not quite as hot as it should have been. By the time he got home,the sauce had thickened considerably and should have been reheated with more stock to make it a mushroom sauce, rather than a filling. The ravioli could have been further moistened with browned butter poured over the top, as the original recipe suggested. I just couldn't bring my 'Weight Watchers Self' to do it! Despite all of the above, We were pleasantly surprised by the flavours and texture of the dish. I loved the earthy sweetness of the mushrooms, combined with the silky pasta. Laura's photo is far prettier than mine, so don't let my photo put you off! I would definitely make this again.
I found Laura Calder's recipe on a super cute blog called:

Living in the kitchen with puppies.

Have a look, her substitutions sound tasty. I stuck with the original recipe, my only substitutions being parsley instead of dill, a few Shitake mushrooms thrown in for extra flavour, and a handful of fresh Thyme.

For a meatless meal, I found it comfortably filling. It succeeds in showcasing the flavour and texture of mushrooms in the best possible way.

Aunty Ann's Kick-Ass Coleslaw

I had 3 Aunts on my Mother's side. They were all good cooks. My Aunty Nancy was the least good cook. But in her defense, it is hard to cook with a cigarette in your mouth, the smoke wafting into your scrunched up eye. Another problem, was the inch long finger of ash, threatening to fall into the pot of whatever CAN she had just emptied into a pot to warm up. Her last problem was the difficulty stirring the pot,because her stirring hand was usually wrapped around a cold bottle of beer!

My Aunty Mary was the next best cook. I remember HUGE family meals at her place. Perogies, cabbage rolls, mushrooms in gravy, roast pork. Aunty Mary had a bad heart, a bad back, and an ulcer. I remember her swigging whipping cream out of the carton, in hopes of soothing her stomach full of acid. She also never slept. She loved to read, late into the night, so when I visited, I always remember her getting up for snacks. One of our favorites was a thick roast beef sandwich, on rye bread, slathered with yellow mustard, and sour dill pickle slices. Looking back, it's a miracle, I never got an ulcer!

Aunty Ann was the best cook. My mom used to say that she never used a recipe. When they lived on the farm, as girls, Ann would spend all day in the kitchen, rather than working outside, on the farm. I remember eating all kinds of meals at Aunty Ann's. I don't remember when she showed me how to make this coleslaw...but I have made it for more than 20 years now...and this last batch,that I made day before yesterday, was absolutely KILLER!! I'll try to give you the recipe...but it's really more of a method. The thing you have to remember, The most important thing...is that you have to mix it with your HANDS. You have to squeeze it and scrunch it with your hands. The dressing can't sit on top. You have to work it in. You know you have mixed enough, when it looks like you have less cabbage than you started with. You also can't use too much garlic and onion. If you are the kind of person who worries about having smelly garlic breath...this is NOT the recipe for you. The P-Man insisted on taking some to work with him today. I really feel sorry for anyone he has a conversation with, AFTER lunch! I made this coleslaw 2 days ago, and it is in my fridge, in a bowl wrapped with plastic wrap. As I was unloading my dishwasher this morning, I could smell it, THROUGH THE FRIDGE DOOR!! You will Thank me...as I Thank Aunty Ann, every time I make it.

Aunty Ann's Kick-Ass Coleslaw

Finely shredded white and purple cabbage (I just used white...but it needs to be
FINELY SHREDDED)
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 large onion, coarsely grated (in the Spring and Summer I use a bunch of green onions finely sliced)
4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
white sugar, to taste (a generous sprinkle over the top, at least a 1/4 cup)
salt-kosher, at least a good handful (it helps break down the cabbage)
black pepper-lots
cider vinegar- a good splash ( at least a 1/2 cup)
canola oil- at least 1 cup ( the oil should be neutral- olive oil is WAY too strong)

Take off your rings, and wash your hands well...get under your nails! put all the vegetables into a VERY LARGE BOWL. Add the ingredients in order, and start mixing with your hands. This should take at least 3 to 5 minutes. You should have NO LIQUID at the bottom of the bowl. If you do, drain the liquid into a smaller bowl, and mix vegetables for another minute. Now you have to taste it. Take a nice big forkful, and chew it well. It should be BALANCED. You should taste sweet and sour, and salty. Nothing should be overpowering. If it is, start adding the other ingredients, mixing and tasting, until it tastes good to you. Leave it out for another 1/2 hour or so, and then taste it again. If it's good now...cover it, and place it in the fridge, and don't eat it again until tomorrow. This coleslaw is meant to be eaten at room temperature. So if you are having it at supper, take it out at least an hour before you are ready to eat, and mix it again,(just use a big spoon) and taste it before serving. This recipe makes a huge bowl, and after a couple of days, there will be juice at the bottom of the bowl. Don't worry about that...feel free to mix it in...it will just add flavour!

Minestrone Soup

I made some chicken stock the other day. I put it in the refrigerator to cool, and had a look in the pantry and the refrigerator to see what kind of soup I could make WITHOUT walking to the grocery store in the pouring rain! I had a can of kidney beans, I had some cabbage, I had some pasta. Minestrone it would be! I usually search for recipes on-line, or through my favorite new food website: FOODBUZZ. This time, for some reason, I opened up my cookbook cupboard, and reached for one of my ancient cookbooks:
The Harrowsmith Cookbook: Volume#1. I scanned the soup section, and found a recipe to match my ingredients...sort of. I very rarely have EVERYTHING that a recipe calls for, but I am very good at knowing what can substitute for what, and what can be left out, or added, without ruining a perfectly good recipe.

Here's the original recipe, with my substitutions in brackets:

MINESTRONE
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery (1/2 a lg fennel bulb, chopped)
1 Tbsp oil
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
19 oz can of tomatoes (21 oz tomato juice)
5 cups beef stock(6 cups chicken stock)
1/2 cup chopped parsley (had none)
1/2 tsp pepper
Salt
1 cup broken spaghetti noodles(4 sheets of dried lasagna noodles cooked a bit then cut into 1 inch squares)
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini(had none)
2-3 cups cooked kidney beans, undrained( 19 oz can kidney beans 1/2 drained)
2 cups cooked beef, finely chopped(2 cups roast turkey breast chopped into 1 inch cubes)
Grated Parmesan cheese to garnish( I threw in a Parmesan rind end I found in the fridge, and took it out before I stored the soup in the refrigerator)

In a heavy pot, saute garlic, onion and celery in oil. Add carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, stock,parsley, pepper, and salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add noodles, zucchini,beans,and meat. Simmer 10 minutes longer or until spaghetti and vegetables are cooked. Add more salt if necessary.
Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and accompanied by hot crusty bread.
Serves 6.
Jan Gilbert
Ashton, Ontario

I really enjoyed this soup. So much so, that I burned my mouth eating it, and still had to have another bowl. I think it was extra good for 3 reasons:
1) The tomato juice: It made the texture of the soup so silky. I forgot how much I like tomato juice...and how long it has been since I have had any!
2) The fennel: I think the sweet anise flavour really balanced the acidity of the tomato juice
3) The Parmesan Rind: I believe the rind slightly thickened and enriched the broth, without giving it a cheesy flavour.
I had another bowl yesterday...and I do believe that it is improving with age!

Jenny Pooh's Lemon Pasta Sauce...A Variation

I have been craving lemons lately. I don't know if the dreary January weather has anything to do with it but the other night I just had to make Jenny's lemon pasta sauce. I had no fresh Rosemary, so I added a couple of cups of broccoli florets, a can of salmon, and some capers.

The flavour was good, but I must say that the broccoli was overcooked, and slightly bitter. I decided to add the broccoli to the boiling pasta for the last minute of cooking. I realize now that this was a mistake. If I made this again...and I think I will, I will blanch the broccoli in advance, shock it in ice water, and stir it in, while I am softening the garlic, before everything else goes back into the pot.

The P-Man enjoyed it...no surprise there...but I am curious to taste the dish again, with the broccoli bright green, and slightly al dente.

Breakfast a la James Barber

I like to eat pancakes. My dad and I used to go to Phil's Pancake House in Calgary and Banff almost every week when I was little...so I must have gotten hooked then. I am a big fan of anita's organic multi-grain pancake and waffle mix...but sometimes, I want the light, fluffy, not so good for you, pancakes I used to make...after Phil's, and before Weight Watchers: James Barber's ' P-Seudo P-Sourdough P-sancakes

This recipe is from his book: ' Immodest but Honest Good Eating Cookbook ' It's a great recipe...but I always change it a bit. Here it is, with my little tweaks:

Beat 3 eggs and add 1 cup of flour ( I substitute 1/2 cup whole wheat flour/1/2 cup regular unbleached white flour) 6 ounces of yogurt ( I use non fat Greek yogurt) and 1 cup milk ( I use 1%) Beat smooth. Now still beating add: 2 TBSP sugar ( I use 1 TBSP) 1 teaspoon salt ( I use 1/2 tsp) 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 4 TBSP oil or melted butter ( I use 2 TBSP melted butter) Let stand 10 minutes before cooking.

The P-Man and I put homemade applesauce and real maple syrup on our pancakes, and in the spirit of James Barber...We had a REALLY good Sunday!