100 n. 30th

Sick Day

2010-12-17T15:41:00.003-08:00

Hit with a virus that knocked me out. Plain Cantonese-style rice congee, served with a preserved duck egg.

Leeks & Papardelle

2010-11-20T09:45:00.002-08:00

From Jamie Oliver At Home, braised leeks and pappardelle.

Small Bird

2010-11-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

Roast quail with orange shallot sauce. Arugula salad tossed with a light orange vinaigrette.

Drunken Spaghetti

2010-09-27T11:59:00.001-07:00

Spaghetti all'ubriaco. I bookmarked this recipe when I first saw it and finally had the occasion (of too much leftover wine) to use it.

September

2010-09-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Sablefish (Black Cod)

2010-09-10T06:29:00.000-07:00

The silkiest sablefish, with roasted veggies and pea puree. Drool.

Broccoli Slaw

2010-09-07T14:48:00.001-07:00

My version of broccoli slaw with shredded chicken makes an easy lunch to munch on at work.

One Claw Crab

2010-09-05T02:01:00.000-07:00

With ginger & Chinese black vinegar dipping sauce.

Making Lemonade

2010-09-03T20:18:00.002-07:00

Macarons that cracked during baking.

Papardelle With Peas

2010-08-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

Papardelle with English peas, radicchio and some lemon.

Sweet Cinnamon Morning

2010-07-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

How awesome is this to have for breakfast? Soft and fluffy cinnamon buns made by my sister with vanilla cream cheese frosting. mmmmMMMM.

First Burger

2010-07-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

The first burger of the summer! Summer arrived very late this year. These juicy patties were sandwiched inside mini brioche buns with morbier cheese and red onion jam.

Dumplings

2010-05-26T23:12:00.001-07:00

Potstickers, gyozas, whathaveyou. A while ago some friends and I had spent the afternoon making batches of Chinese dumplings and frying them up for dinner. We each went home with freezer bagfuls for a rainy day. This rainy day I pan fried some of the pork and yellow chive dumplings, making sure to get nicely browned, crispy bottoms. For the dipping sauce I like to mix equal parts soy sauce and rice vinegar, grated garlic and a dash each of sesame oil and Tabasco sauce.

Sprung!

2010-05-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

Although I despise beets in my borscht, I quite enjoy them in a salad. Beets, toasted pecans, mild chevre, radicchio, baby arugula.

Sprang!

2010-05-02T18:40:00.001-07:00

Time for some of my favorites to return. Warm mushroom salad and asparagus soup. I added peas to the soup to preserve the color. You can get the recipes here and here.

Hello, Spring!

2010-04-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

Finding time to cook or even eat at home has been tough lately. What's great about this one bowl meal is that I can make a big batch for an easy take-to-work lunch the next day. This atypical pasta salad is just tossed together orzo, radicchio, parmesan, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and lemon juice with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Can't Stop Won't Stop

2010-04-11T21:42:00.001-07:00

How can I resist a great eggs & tomato recipe? I can't. Especially when they're as easy and simple as this. You must also know that this is delicious when eaten with a giant piece of sangak bread.

Goodbye, March

2010-03-31T06:19:00.003-07:00

Hello, spring.

Poached Salmon

2010-03-23T19:40:00.001-07:00

I adapted this recipe for a main course last night. I subbed in morels for truffles and unfortunately skipped out the shrimp and shrimp butter. I used truffle salt and brown butter whenever I could, didn't bother with the cognac, and added a side of linguine liberally tossed in the very delectable sauce. Next time though, I'm definitely going for the shrimp.

Chicken & Purple Potato Salad

2010-03-22T06:07:00.005-07:00

Last night I made a big salad with chicken, purple potato and dill. To this I added some gobs of good mayo, extra strong dijon mustard, pepper and a generous dash of cumin. At 12:30 am this morning, I realized I couldn't fall asleep unless I polished off the rest of the bowl. So I did. In bed! And on the seventh day, I rested.

Feelin' Like...

2010-03-10T22:14:00.001-08:00

...a juicy sandwich with lightly spiced pork loin, havarti and red onion jam dripping out of a georgian baguette.

Odds and Ends

2010-03-01T09:13:00.003-08:00

The last eggs in the carton, the ends of the loaf of rye, and lox trimmings = eggs en cocotte.

Crab Cakes

2010-02-28T06:57:00.000-08:00

I love crab cakes and I've made them several times before using various recipes, but none to my satisfaction. Recently I was craving them and used some canned crab meat I picked up at Costco. I improvised adding leeks, mustard, mayo, garlic and worchestershire sauce. Baked, then fried. Liberal drizzle of lemon-paprika aioli with some more on the side. I must admit they're still not the perfect crab cakes of my dreams but they're the closest yet.

Two for Tea

2010-02-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

A couple of these bad boys with some milky Assam tea. These crispy-yet-chewy, light-yet-rich, chocolatey cookies were made by my sis from this recipe.

Frenched, Toasted

2010-02-25T22:51:00.001-08:00

This is the kind of French toast I grew up with. Quartered slices dipped in a mix of beaten eggs and sugar. No syrup. I love how vividly yellow these are from the orange yolks of free range eggs.

Breakfast of Champions

2010-01-25T21:36:00.003-08:00

Awwwwwwww yeaaaah. Two perfectly soft-boiled eggs. Toasted multigrain bread slices rubbed with raw garlic and spread with anchovy butter. Baby, let's round this off with some fruit and a big cup of tea, shall we? And of course there's cream.

January Study

2010-01-18T09:08:00.003-08:00

Veggie Pizza

2010-01-10T06:30:00.003-08:00

Shiitake mushroom and asparagus pizza on whole wheat dough, with a sprinkling of truffle salt.

Snack Attack

2010-01-04T23:01:00.002-08:00

A couple of friends returned from a trip to Tokyo with treasures! Edamame crackers, wasabi biscuits, strawberry milk-chocolate cornflake balls, "tree ring" swiss roll-like cookies, yuzu prawn crackers, tiramisu cookies shaped like mushrooms....and the most bizarre item? Ramune flavored Kit Kat. The chocolate coating is light blue and it smells really strongly of bubble gum. It tastes mildly like 7-up. Not unpleasant, just odd.

Quick Pasta

2010-01-04T18:50:00.001-08:00

Prawn linguine with a rose sauce.

Wine and Pie

2009-12-29T20:28:00.003-08:00

Organic blueberry pie from Aphrodite's on 4th.

Sunday morning after

2009-12-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

Check out the crema on this muthafuckin' brew!!!1!11!!!

Quiet post-Christmas morning with homemade speculaas cookies (a present) and a big bowl of frozen black grapes.

Still Rainy

2009-12-21T18:51:00.006-08:00

Pan-fried udon noodles with shredded beef, shiitake mushroom, sesame and onions.

Mini Quiches

2009-12-20T12:01:00.006-08:00

Mini quiches with proscuitto cups I made for a holiday party this year. I got the idea from this recipe on Epicurious, but improv'd the quiche filling itself because I was in a rush. Chive and asiago, anyone?

Mushroom Soup

2009-11-19T21:11:00.006-08:00

Look, the weather stinks, it's been nothing but cold, windy and wet the past week, and I want to do nothing but curl up in a blanket by the fireplace and drink soup. Done and done, minus the fireplace. Mad Men episodes will suffice, also here's a great cream of mushroom soup recipe.

November Still Life

2009-11-10T20:39:00.003-08:00

October Still Life

2009-10-26T06:02:00.002-07:00

Because it is cold out

2009-10-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

Eggs florentine with dill
Black kale, potato and onion soup
Thyme, ricotta and tomato tart with walnut and spinach salad

September Recap

2009-10-10T11:35:00.017-07:00

I spent several weeks in Toronto (and Montreal, briefly) in September and am now just going through my photos and food memories.

One of the few great dining experiences I had was at Le Paradis. The simple appetizer of grilled sardines and tomatos was amazing! I was also impressed with the modestly priced menu. At Nota Bene, the rabbit and papardelle was perfect. Pho Hung in the heart of Chinatown served their noodles in a refreshingly light broth. At Trattoria Nervosa, I had the braised veal meatballs with osso bucco which was a carnivore's delight.

The most memorable meal was a late lunch I had across the street from the AGO. I was between film showings and wanted some real food. Swayed simply by the Illy sign outside, I popped into a small gallery/cafe, passing through the long gallery to the creperie in the back. To my delight, they had a hidden garden space with a few small tables between the narrow buildings. There was also a cooler full of handmade truffles. Very tempting, but it was impossible to choose between the dozen or so flavors. I ended up having just the smoked salmon crepe with goat cheese, resolving to have their truffles someday.

I spent most mornings at B Espresso inside the Royal Conservatory of Music. A flaky croissant and an impeccablely made latte. The sun-filled atrium was one of the few places I found in Toronto that was still and quiet. Though the city doesn't have the same coffee culture as the west coast, Dark Horse on Spadina Ave (thanks to Will for taking me there) brewed 49th Parallel beans. Tasty, tasty americanos and a disconcertingly Seattle-like atmosphere.

One thing I was envious of is the proliferation of pubs in Toronto. Vancouver is inundated with restaurant/bar chains that look like nightclubs/sportsbars. Toronto pubs have the most colorful names...The Spotted Dick, The Village Idiot, The Overdraught Irishman. I'm tempted to turn my next visit there into a city-wide pub crawl!

Jewelled Salad

2009-09-02T17:59:00.002-07:00

Last night's impromptu salad (I am clearing out the fridge) yielded this lovely creation. Your favorite salad mix + valencia orange segments + avocado + figs = jewelled salad. A light, fruity vinaigrette made with the juice of your orange, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled!

2009-09-01T21:55:00.005-07:00

Summer grilled beans! Few things are more simple and snack-worthy than long, crispy green beans grilled with olive oil and tossed with a squeeze of lemon and sea salt. While they're grilling, mix 1 part sriracha with 4 parts mayo for a spicy dipping sauce. YES.

Quickies

2009-08-22T11:10:00.004-07:00

Here's a crappy picture of a completely uncrappy Cobb salad I made with the scraps of proscuitto and blue goat cheese from the BC Day long weekend. I was so famished, I hastily took the pic before I devoured this.

Forgot to talk about how refreshing Zaru Soba is in the summer heat, served cold. These are the green tea buckwheat noodles. Easy peasy.

Remains of the Day

2009-08-04T22:31:00.005-07:00

That's it. The last remains of the wonderful long weekend. The final slice of the proscuitto and ricotta pizza with red onions. Tub ricotta, italian proscuitto and pizza dough from Duco's on Granville Island. I accidentally threw in a too generous portion of red pepper flakes to the onions which imparted a nice heat to the thin crust pizza. Served with a walnut and blue goat cheese salad, a glass of pinot noir, and a soft summer breeze.

Summer Food

2009-08-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a delicious summer so far and now that Vancouver's fully engulfed in a heatwave, it's all about the dips! Pita chips (baked in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, pepper and paprika) and tzatziki. All about home made iced tea and cold sandwiches by the water. A 2 foot long herbed salmon on the BBQ. Sushi and air conditioning. Fig and roasted almond gelato. And lots and lots of mouthwateringly sweet local berries.

Green Salad

2009-05-13T19:04:00.005-07:00

I got sidetracked just when I began my Arugula week. Instead, here's an impromptu spring salad with lightly blanched asparagus, green bean and defrosted frozen peas. Toss with baby spinach, thin slices of cucumber (I used Japanese mini cukes), chopped dill, a few glugs of olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. And some generous splashes of lemon juice.

Arugula: Weeknight Spaghetti

2009-05-04T21:14:00.001-07:00

I think this week will arugula week, all because I bought a box of baby arugula and I'm trying to use it all up. Dinner tonight was a simple spaghetti with pesto, garlic and wilted arugula. Some butter while sauteing the garlic, and some parmesan to top it all off in the end. I also tend to use a pinch of nutmeg in non-tomato-based sauces, which I did here.

BLAT

2009-04-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

Starting the day off with a B-L-A-T, juice and coffee because I am awesome.

Tub Salad

2009-04-16T19:59:00.004-07:00

Doesn't sound very glamorous, but "tub salad" is what I'm calling this excellent lunch I made the other day. I based the recipe on the Smoked Salmon with Egg Salad and Green Beans recipe from Gourmet magazine, substituting thin, steamed asparagus for the green beans. Using three free range extra large eggs, dill and extra mustard, I made egg salad which topped off this four layer salad. Packed nicely in a 3-cup Gladware container, it was a compact and immensely satisfying patio lunch on a sunny afternoon.

Catch Up

2009-04-05T23:25:00.007-07:00

Quick catch up after spending weeks in a culinary wasteland...I made a proscuitto, mushroom and chives tart using organic frozen puff pastry.

Feeling deprived of fresh greens, I also had an enormous craving for caesar salad.

And a quick snack..."japanese" meatballs.

Basically pan-fried Ikea frozen meatballs (not bad for frozen meat) with ottogi (pork cutlet sauce), Kewpie mayo, toasted sesame seeds and dried nori strips.

The weather's suddenly beautiful, spring is arriving, and hopefully I'll be hitting some markets soon. It's good to be back.

Artichoke Dip

2009-02-25T21:48:00.013-08:00

So Sunday night during the Oscars, I had this hot artichoke dip simply because I needed a reason to finish up those baby artichokes from last week. And like all my recipes, I just eyeball everything and adjust according to taste and ingredients on hand (and sudden whims).

Prep and steam (or grill, or sautee) the artichokes until cooked, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, roughly 1 cup of light cream cheese gets mixed with a tablespoon of mayo, handfuls of grated parmesan and romano cheese, some finely chopped green onion, a big dab of dijon mustard, a dash of Worchestershire sauce, grated garlic, salt, pepper and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Chop up the artichoke and add it to the mix. Spoon the mixture into a ramekin (did I mention the oven should be at 400F?), top off with powdered parmesan cheese (for texture, and also because I keep it around for making cheesy croutons) and bake until brown and bubbly! Sometimes I add some bell pepper to this and if you have crabmeat around, this could easily become a great Crab & Artichoke Dip. In any case, you need to serve with homemade pita chips or Guiltless Gourmet tortilla chips, because those tasty mofos are the crispiest beeyotches you have ever had. Trust me.

Chicken Asparagus Salad

2009-02-23T19:17:00.006-08:00

Maybe it was because I was feeling a little under the weather today, maybe it was the rain finally reappearing after weeks of sun....but when I finally tossed everything together for this salad, I nearly fainted from the deliciousness. Using a roast chicken from Safeway cut back on a big chunk of time, so dinner was done in under half an hour. The salad can be served hot or cold, which makes it a good lunch for work the next day.

Asparagus and Almond Salad with Chicken from Breakfast Lunch Tea - The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery

Serves 6
- 18 asparagus spears, trimmed
- 1 handful of whole almonds, skinned
- 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- extra virgin olive oil, for frying chicken
- salt and ground black pepper
- arugula, for garnish

For the dressing
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 4 tbsps red wine vinegar
- 2 large handfuls chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- salt and ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Place asparagus in simmering water and cook for about 5 minutes until the spears are just cooked. Drain and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, place almonds in a roasting pan with a little olive oil and roast for about 15 minutes--until they're golden. Set aside to cool. Fry or grill the chicken breasts until they are cooked through. Season with salt & pepper.

Cut the asparagus into 3 - 4 cm pieces. Slice the chicken breasts diagonally into four or five pieces (I just hand shredded them). I also decided to chop up the almonds as well. Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, adding oil at the end. Carefully fold in the chicken, asparagus and almonds into the dressing and garnish with arugula.

Lambchops & Artichoke

2009-02-16T18:28:00.004-08:00

From the lunch section of Breakfast Lunch Tea - The Many Meals of Rose Bakery, I made the recipe for Braised Artichoke, Lemon and Lamb Chops recipe for dinner. I used baby artichokes and New Zealand shoulder lamb chops that were on sale, and served it all on a bed of brown and wild rice.

Braised Artichoke, Lemon and Lamb Chops from Breakfast Lunch Tea

Serves 6
- juice of 2 lemons (for prepping artichokes)
- 12-14 medium globe artichokes
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (plus more for frying lamb)
- 3 onions diced
- 1 celery heart finely sliced (I omitted this)
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch of black pepper
- grated zest of a lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 cups veg or chicken stock
- 1 tsp sugar (I omitted this)
- 1 tsp of thyme (my addition for the lamb)

Prep artichokes (fill a bowl with water and lemon juice, cut off artichoke stalks and remove tips and outer leaves, slice in half and discard chokes if there are any, then place artichokes in the bowl).

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onions until softened. Add carrots, seasoning and lemon zest. Cook for about 15 minutes. Then add garlic and artichoke hearts, and pour in the stock to cover everything. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Taste and see if sugar needs to be added.

Season the lamb chops (salt, pepper and thyme) and fry them in oil or grilled until they are cooked through, but still slightly pink inside--about 5 minutes each side.

Serve with artichokes on the side.

And More Fish

2009-02-11T20:24:00.005-08:00

Fish is really the protein I forget to eat. It's not that I don't enjoy it--it's just that when I think of meat, I think of the rich hearty texture of beef, the tasty fat from pork, and let's face it, the ease of cooking chicken. Time to change my ways. I've had the Chopped Lemon Bagna Cauda recipe from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook in the back of my mind for a long time, so I tried their suggestion of serving it with fish.

In the bagna cauda, I substituted anchovy paste for anchovy fillets. For the main, I grilled a fillet of snapper in a pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and fennel seeds. I also toasted some crostini as per the book's direction, and topped it with roasted tomatos, garlic and onion. Spoonfuls of the bagna cauda all over everything. Success! The bright lemoniness went well with the licorice taste of fennel, and the tomatos were sweet like the fish. I still had some of the sauce left over after the meal, which prompted me to quickly blanch some spindly asparagus, which I then used to eat up the rest of the bagna cauda.

Fruit: Here and There

2009-02-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

Grapefruit from California + blackberries from Mexico + Fraser Valley Wildflower Honey from The Honeybee Centre in Surrey. I couldn't resist when I saw blackberries for sale. It was like heaven in a bowl.

Tomatos and Fish

2009-02-03T06:30:00.002-08:00

Inspired by this post for an easy fish meal, I made a simple snapper meal last night. Using:

- chunks of fresh snapper
- about 2 cups grape tomatos, halved
- 2 large shallots
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- a giant handful of pre-washed baby spinach
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tbsps of tomato paste
- olive oil
- dash of dried oregano
- salt, pepper

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on med-high heat, then crush the cloves of garlic and throw them in. As it gets fragrant, thinly slice the shallots and throw them in, stirring until they get translucent. After that, the tomatos and then let the mix sautee slowly until the tomatos get really broken down and mushy. Add tomato paste, salt, freshly cracked pepper, oregano and keep stirring and add a more oil if needed. After about 10 more minutes, add the white wine (this is always my favorite part because I just love the splashy, bubbling sound it makes). While it's reducing, quickly blanch the spinach in a small pot of lightly salted water. Drain and remove the spinach as soon as the leaves get bright green. Set aside. Return to the skillet and throw in the snapper, turning the pieces around every so often to make sure it cooks evenly. It shouldn't take more than another 5 minutes, because you don't want dry, overcooked fish. Scoop the mixture onto a bed spinach and serve.

This would be great using a whole fish, and another good variation on the recipe would be to use lots of fennel instead of oregano.

Super Sunday

2009-02-01T21:32:00.002-08:00

Ok, I'm not into football at all, but Super Sunday gave me enough of an excuse to make chicken wings for breakfast. Yes, that's chicken wings. For breakfast. Donald's Market usually carries non-medicated and/or free range chicken and from time to time, even chicken wings. For less than 3 dollars, I picked up a pack of fairly sized half dozen wings--drummettes and tip attached. I discarded the tips and separated the chicken into drummettes and wings. To keep things somewhat "light", I opted not to do buffalo wings (because one has to draw a line somewhere when indulging in a bowlful of wings for breakfast). My standby breaded chicken wing recipe is a simple mix of breadcrumbs, panko, salt & pepper, paprika and chipotle seasoning. No egg mix for dredging, the chicken pieces have no trouble getting coated on their own. 395 degrees on a greased baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes makes perfectly browned and crispy wings. Burp.

Lunch Salad

2009-01-25T23:23:00.003-08:00

I made a big bowl of this for lunch today, and I think a smaller portion of this would also be really nice with a bowl of fish chowder. Using a mix of frissee, arugula and curly lettuce, I added strips of proscuitto and a light mustard-y vinaigrette (extra virgin olive oil + teaspoon of dijon mustard + dash of sherry vinegar + 1 squeeze of lemon juice + sprinkle of sugar and sea salt). Tossed with some parmesan & herb croutons (a stale whole wheat baguette cut into cubes, tossed with olive oil, powdered parmesan cheese and oregano, then baked). Top off with a poached egg and lots of pepper.

Salmon Eggs Benedict

2009-01-12T23:21:00.006-08:00

Ahhh, weekends. I made salmon eggs benedict, a popular spin on the classic eggs benny here in the Pacific Northwest. First off, I've never liked the overly spongy texture of English muffins, so I decided to use a potato base. I finely shredded a small Yukon gold with with my Benriner (a gift from my sister when she went to New York). After squeezing out the excess moisture from the potatoes, I lightly salted it and fried small cakes of in a shallow pan with grapeseed oil, a little like making potato latkes.

I alternated two potato cakes with slices of smoked salmon in between. Top with a perfectly poached egg, dill, and Hollandaise sauce. I tested out two different Hollandaise recipes (one with cream, the other without) over the weekend, and I'm still not completely satisfied. I think next weekend's project will be finding the perfect one!

Classic Lunch to Dinner

2009-01-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

Speaking of sandwiches, one of my favorite comfort lunches a classic grilled cheese sandwich with a good tomato soup that's not too creamy, not too runny, and not too spicy. With some tweaks and the addition of a simple salad, I turned it into Tuesday night's dinner. First, I used the adapted tomato soup recipe from Lottie and Doof, cutting back on the cream and adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika along with a generous pinch of cayenne pepper. During roasting, I also threw in a bunch of on-the-vine cherry tomatoes that were way overripe--better to use it in a soup than to toss it in the garbage can tomorrow. A generous bowl of the soup served with a dollop of sour cream and snipped chives.

As for the grilled cheese, a couple of slices of cheese bread (from Mediterranean Bakery) rubbed with a clove of garlic over both sides after toasting, are topped off with slices of emmental and grated romano (although gruyere would've been better). Pop them into a toaster oven until the cheese bubbles over and starts crusting. Of course, the bread gets dunked into the soup--is there any other way to eat it?

With a side of a plain arugula salad dressed with a basic vinaigrette (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and in this case, some honey too) and it was a very satisfying weeknight meal.

Olive, Cheese & Arugula

2009-01-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

I had a few olives left from making harissa spaghetti (see previous post) that I quickly needed to get rid of. This idea from The Kitchn came together in a delicious, cheesy way. As the comments suggested, I chopped up my half dozen olives with roughly a tablespoon of mayo (I imagine an olive tapenade would work even better). I put the spread on some purplish walnut bread with a thick slice of gruyere and some baby arugula, and grilled it. Mmm.

Harissa Spaghetti

2009-01-04T09:02:00.001-08:00

One of the first meals I made this year was Heidi's Harissa Spaghettini recipe at 101 Cookbooks. This recipe is perfect for using your whole wheat pasta (I used a #5 whole wheat spaghetti here), because the denser texture holds up well with the pine nuts and olives, and the darker color doesn't interfere with the color of your sauce. Very satisfying, but this was one spicy dish--the brand of harissa I used had a lot of kick. It's great especially if you've got a cold and are in need of a hearty meal on a cold, rainy night.

The Year's Favorites

2008-12-24T13:55:00.007-08:00

Schweppe's Bitter Lemon - Sweet fancy moses, I've finally found the soda for me! Not sugary, but fresh and lemony with a slightly quinine taste. Individual cans are sold at Famous Foods on Kingsway, though I've yet to see them available by the case or in bottles.

Pastes in tubes - Tomato, anchovy, wasabi, harissa. Tubes are the way to go.

Porcelain grater - Made for grating ginger, this is also fantastic for garlic. I've never liked using a garlic press and this grater makes short work of a couple of cloves. It's also much easier to clean and can be had for $2 in Chinatown. It made the list of 15 Useful Kitchen Items over at The Kitchn

Non-stick cheese grater - I hate washing those big metal box graters, when the cheese bits and residue stick around the sharp edges. Years ago I found one at HomeSense, with a black non-stick coating, and it takes all of three seconds to clean.

Best new bread bakery - Mediterranean Bakery. Select Safeways carried them for a time and they have a location at Park Royal in West Vancouver, but I trek to Meinhardt's to pick them up. I prefer their Italian loaves over others' because they're consistent and reliably good, as well as being 95% certified organic.

Favorite Breads - Swiss Bakery's Country Rye and Onion Walnut. The latter is fantastic for a roast beef sandwich, or with turkey and cranberry chutney. Mediterranean Bakery's Parmesan Bread toasted with heapings of extra cheese and eaten with tomato soup. Terra Bread's Fig and Anise, my favorite bread to snack on.

Still thinking about... - The warm madelines from DB Bistro. Like eating baked, little, fluffy clouds. The gyu tataki and buttery rich Monkfish liver at Nanchu. The Opera a la Noisette from Ganache, the best treat I had this Halloween.

All I want for Christmas - Was for Congee Noodle House (on Main off Broadway) to reopen. It's been under renovations since early November, and I just can't get my congee fix anywhere else.

In Memoriam - Farewell, Think! cafe (W. 10th at Sasamat). Goodbye, Pho Bich Nga (this legendarily-named Vietnamese restaurant was at Victoria & Kingsway). See ya, Caffe de Medici.

Green Beans & Leeks

2008-12-22T19:37:00.004-08:00

One more belated post! Last week I happened to see some great looking off-season green beans at my local market, so I didn't hesitate to make 101 Cookbook's green bean recipe, which I've been dying to try. I decided to toss in some cooked quinoa to the mix, making it an easy lunch to bring to work the next day.

Fish and Chips

2008-12-22T19:24:00.004-08:00

Another belated post, among many. I came home one night craving fish and chips, so I picked up a snapper fillet and breaded it with a mix of breadcrumbs, panko, salt, pepper and paprika and baked it along with those easy but excellent frozen fries. I scarfed the meal down with a generous side of garlic and lemon aioli.

Eggs & Kale on Bread

2008-12-17T22:19:00.005-08:00

I love eggs on bread. So when work dismissed us early due to the snowstorm today, I raced home to make one of my favorite lunches--eggs and boiled kale on bread. Taken from the always wonderful posts at Orangette, I indulgently made this as a late lunch for myself today. No shortcuts for this one--don't skip out any steps when making this relatively simple meal, because it's oh so worth it. My preferred bread for this is Country Rye. It's toothsome, chewy texture makes it also a great munching bread for dipping in oil and vinegar. In Vancouver, you can pick this up at Swiss Bakery on E. 3rd Ave and Main St.

Wakame Salad

2008-12-14T22:51:00.004-08:00

I grew up enjoying the ocean-y taste and slippery yet crunchy texture of seaweed, and a nice little bowl of wakame salad makes a refreshing snack. I adapted this from Mark Bittman's recipe for seaweed salad with cucumber. I took out the minced shallots and cayenne in the original recipe, instead adding a dash of shichimi spice. Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and let marinate overnight. This also makes for a delicious side during the summer.

- 1 oz assorted seaweed
- 2-3 Japanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- splash of mirin
- splash of sesame oil
- pinch of sea salt
- generous sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds

Proscuitto-wrapped Snapper with Greens

2008-12-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

Belated post--I made an impromptu recipe to clean out my fridge. I had a quarter of an onion left in my fridge, which I chopped and sauteed with a clove of garlic. While that was cooking, I used two last pieces of proscuitto to wrap a small fillet of snapper. Sprinkle some pepper and top with the leftover dill in my fridge that would start to wilt soon. I threw this in the pan with some juice from half a lemon and covered it. After the fish was ready, I threw in a bunch of pre-washed baby spinach, pinch of salt, and stirred it with the onions for two minutes. 20 minutes for a meal and a cleaned-out fridge.

Asparagus Egg Redux

2008-12-02T19:21:00.001-08:00

I made asparagus and egg again, this time I sped up the process by frying the asparagus in a pan filled with grapeseed oil. Tossed it with breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and transferred them to a plate. Then I cracked an egg into the remains in the pan, cranked up the burner for a few quick minutes and slid the egg on top of my asparagus heap letting the yolk run. Add some more fresh cracked pepper on top. Eat by dipping the toasty asparagus segments into the yolky mixture. Mmmm.

Crispy Kale

2008-11-29T09:44:00.002-08:00

One of the easiest and healthiest sides I regularly make is the baked kale from Michael Pollan's salmon recipe on Martha Stewart. Once you've got your oven pre-heated, it takes no more than ten minutes to prepare and cook. I like sprinkling some paprika on the leaves before baking. These turn out so crispy, they taste almost fried, like delicate chips.

Mussels

2008-11-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

I'm craving a quick meal after a long day so I grab a pack of frozen half-shell mussels from the freezer (yes, I keep emergency mussels on hand). White sauce--sautee onions and mushrooms with a little butter, throw in white wine, chicken broth, fresh dill and spinach. Serve with toasted garlic bread.

Holy Guacamole

2008-11-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone has makes their own version of guacamole, with variations on tomatos, cilantro, onions, etc. My version (I like it somewhat chunky) is as follows:

- rough ratio of 3/4 chopped avocado to 1/4 seeded roma tomatos
- finely chopped green onion (adjust to taste)
- equal parts cayenne pepper and cumin (adjust to taste)
- dash of salt and black pepper
- squirt of lemon or lime juice

Mash all together in a bowl with a fork. I prefer green onion because it's milder tasting, and no cilantro either, because I hate cilantro.

Breakfast

2008-11-15T08:41:00.003-08:00

Stuff on toast is the best. Fried some sausage, and with the bit of grease left in the pan, I threw in a handful of baby spinach (just the amount I needed to get rid of in my fridge), and a loosely beaten egg with some salt and pepper. Top the mix onto some pieces of toasted garlic-buttered rosemary & garlic bread.

Asparagus & Proscuitto Sandwich

2008-11-13T21:14:00.003-08:00

Yum, two of my favorite things, now in a sandwich. I made David Leite's asparagus and proscuitto tea sandwich today, using garlic & herbs cream cheese instead of just plain whipped cream cheese. For the bread, I used two generous slices of Pan e Formaggio's Rosemary and Garlic. The sandwich was good, with a nice crunch from the asparagus. After I finished it, I had the wicked idea of frying the proscuitto-wrapped spears next time, before sandwiching them.

Eggs, again

2008-11-11T08:17:00.003-08:00

Hooray for these extra long weekends, because I can't stop. Especially when it comes to making full use of the ingredients I have on hand. Today, I layered asparagus stems along the bottom with proscuitto and parmesan, saving the spears to partially fence the outer rim. More parmesan on top. The possibilities are endless--I'm already looking forward to next weekend, when I can throw in some mushrooms and cream, or salami and basil!

Ramekin Eggs

2008-11-10T08:53:00.001-08:00

Hooray for long weekends! Breakfast today consisted of eggs, tomato, spinach and proscuitto baked in ramekins. You can get the recipe here. I also had my usual big cup of coffee (with lots of cream), toast, and a sliced anjou pear.

Soup's up

2008-11-09T11:03:00.002-08:00

Mmmm, this is why I love autumn--it's soup season! Last week, I made French onion soup one night, spending over an hour caramelizing two yellow onions in butter. There's not too much more to it other than all natural low-sodium beef stock, a dash of thyme, pepper, and some toasted Gruyere croutons (actually loaf ends). I had it with some extra bread and a basic green salad with balsamic dressing.

Quinoa with Chard and Cranberries

2008-11-06T23:02:00.006-08:00

For dinner tonight, I sauteed some chard with a clove of crushed garlic in olive oil. Tossed it into a bowl of fluffy quinoa with a handful of dried cranberries. Salt, pepper, eat.

Eggs on Toast

2008-11-03T09:07:00.006-08:00

Lazy rainy day morning breakfast...scrambled eggs on buttered toast. Cup of coffee, bowl of cereal, and my news feeds.

Quick Weeknight Meal

2008-10-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

Got home late, so I made a quick dinner with salmon and leftover veggies I found in the fridge. Put them all together in a foil packet and stick in the toaster oven. No brainer.

Rice Cooker Bibimbap

2008-10-26T22:35:00.005-07:00

Making bibimbap (a Korean rice dish) in a rice cooker is such a genius idea. I adapted my first attempt using the brilliant suggestion from Teczcape. In my small kitchen, I don't have much room for any more small appliances or a big Korean stone pot, so this is perfect.

I cooked the rice as usual, and when the cooker was done, I threw in a big handful of spinach, cut up kimchi, nori strips, and a sprinkle of furikake. I shut the rice cooker again and pressed the "cook" button once more. After it was "twice done" in a few minutes, I cracked in two quail eggs and let the machine steam it for another minute. The eggs were too cooked for my liking; next time I'll crack the eggs in just prior to mixing it up before serving. Forcing the rice cooker to "re-cook" it several times dries up the rice more, which gives you some crispy edges--similar to the slightly toasted rice you get when bibimbap is cooked in a traditional Korean hot stone pot.

Chili Pasta

2008-10-22T21:12:00.003-07:00

Leftover chili con carne from yesterday now becomes spicy pasta for today, when I add some whole wheat spaghetti.

Ch-ch-ch-chili

2008-10-21T07:55:00.007-07:00

That's it--autumn's already over and winter's here. Frost is appearing on cars everywhere and the only thing I can do is make chili to battle the, uh, chill (sorry). Now before I go on, I must confess I don't really like beans. I only enjoy them as various pastes and curds. So cutting out beans, I sautee garlic, plenty of onions and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. Throw in some ground beef. Add a half a dozen low-sodium beef stock ice cubes that I keep handy in the freezer, toss in carrots, tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper, smoked paprika and some chipotle powder. Simmer and stir...serve with sour cream and toasted garlic-buttered loaf ends. The perfect food for vegging out in front of the TV, watching Mad Men on a cold rainy day.

Steak Wrap

2008-10-19T08:25:00.004-07:00

Cheap steak at the supermarket = steak wrap with avocado and crispy greens.

Turkey Salad Sandwich

2008-10-16T20:21:00.009-07:00

October 13th was Thanksgiving in Canada. As usual, my talented sister and I made Thanksgiving dinner, although it always seems more like her making the turkey and meal, and me helping out with the sides and prep.

So I'm polishing off the leftover turkey right now, turning the trimmings into turkey salad, substituting turkey in my usual chicken salad. Celery, mayo, toasted pine nuts, a dash of cumin, salt and pepper are added. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours (it's even better overnight), and I spread a little bit of dijon mustard onto both sides of some light country rye bread before spooning in the mix and toasting the sandwich. I always make a big bowl because I always end up eating forkfuls of this while making the sandwich.

Our Thanksgiving meal consisted of a 48-hour-brined turkey stuffed with herbs and oranges, celeriac mashed potatoes, gravy, fried fresh sweet corn cakes, turkey stuffing made with mushrooms and Italian sausage, cranberry sauce spiked with citrus zest, sauteed carrots, green salad with pear and pomegranate dressing, and my sister's dessert of fruit segments, cranberry and prosecco jellies.

Improvised "Flammekueche"

2008-10-15T22:15:00.005-07:00

I came across this flammekueche recipe and decided to improvise it into more of a mini pizza for an easy meal. Using whole wheat pitas as a base, I spread a layer of sour cream and topped it off with proscuitto, red onions, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

As a side, I made a roasted fig, proscuitto and walnut salad with balsamic dressing.

Still Life: Late Summer Fruit

2008-09-01T19:09:00.001-07:00

Not Food: Processed Meat Recall Edition

2008-08-26T20:39:00.005-07:00

Listeria outbreak! How do you know if what you're eating might be processed foodstuffs? Do the words on the packaging even remotely sound like food? Among the many gems on the extensive recall list are:

- Maple Leaf Ezee Sub Dagwood Yeah...not food.

- Foodservice Meat Institution-grade no-frills protein.

- Shopsys Old Vienna All Beef Salami This sounds like the creepy old octagenarian next door who's always staring at you through your window.

- Boston Pizza Slow Cooked Shaved Roast Beef Just pause and say those words slowly in your head. How do any of these words go together?

- Generic Compliments Cooked Ham The ham? It was ok. Give my generic regards to the chef.

- Burns Burns Regular Summer MP 3's I can haz mixtape now now?

- Mr. Sub Corned Beef 'Cuz when I want corned beef, I think of Mr. Sub.

- Coorsh Smoked Meat Issh schmoked schmeeesh, of coorsh.

- Equality Cooked Ham Gender parity meat means either sex has equal opportunity to contract listeria poisoning.

- Sub Delicious Meat Pita Sandwich Twist Is it a pita? A sandwich? A twist?

- Sub Delicious Belly Buster Club Sub This sounds painful and less-than-yummy.

- Needs Clubhouse Sandwich on Ciabatta I got needs. Ciabatta-related needs.

- Burns Bung Bologna I kid you not.

Moules!

2008-08-24T08:48:00.001-07:00

How can I say no to mussels? A few weeks back, me and my sister got together to make a meal. The mussels weren't as large as the ones I picked up at Granville Island on Canada Day, but they still hit the spot. Sauteed onions, garlic, shallots, mushrooms and leeks with butter and white wine. Sprinkle of dill. My sister made veggie sides with some produce she picked up at a farm market. The real revelation were the English peas she hand-shelled. They were amazing! I've never known what real peas tasted like, having eaten only frozen or canned peas all my life, and they're merely a bland imitator of the real thing.

Hots vs. Nots: Part I

2008-08-22T06:02:00.003-07:00

My list of Hots and Nots in the sidebar probably bear some explanation. You probably have your own or think I'm nuts, so feel free to argue your case or share your thoughts in the comments.

1. Butter vs. Margarine - Come on. They're both evil (margarine = hydrogenated vegetable and/or soybean oil = trans fat), so why would you want to skimp on the taste? The only reasonably non-vomitous facsimile that I've found is Earth Balance. Expeller-pressed, non-GMO, 100% vegan--it must be the least evil condiment in existence. They probably even donate a percentage of their profits to help save baby seals from being clubbed to death or something.

2. Kleen Kanteen vs. Nalgene - You know this one already. I'm actually not too concerned with the plastic stuff as long as you're not storing months-old liquid in it to feed your newborn, but that Nalgene crap is ugly and heavy anyways. Aluminum bottles are much lighter, particularly when you're lugging around a litre or two of water. I prefer Kleen Kanteen over those Sigg bottles simply because they don't have that narrow neck which forces you to buy their over-priced cleaning brush just to keep that jug of yours germ-free.

3. Epicurean Cutting Boards vs. Magnetic Knife Racks - Ok, it's not really a good comparison, but Epicurean cutting boards rock my world. Made from sustainable pressed wood, they're light, they're NSF-approved (resists bacteria), won't dull your knives, heat-resistant and dishwasher safe. Magnetic knife racks...ok, I know many of my friends have them and my last place had one too. And it was a pain in the ass. I didn't find it a very secure way to store my knives, the look of a wall full of exposed blades never sat right with me, and it was a little awkward to use, the way I'd have to maneuver the knife off the wall. I prefer storing knives in a drawer--I think it feels more natural bringing the knife out of a sliding drawer already in position to use on the cutting board.

4. Chopsticks vs. Sporks - Another easy one. Having been raised in an Asian family, I firmly believe that chopsticks are the ultimate utensil. Those will real skill can eat nearly any meal without needing any other tool. Sporks are just retarded. They neither spoon nor fork well. Actually, chopsticks probably trump both table knives and forks too.

5. Prep bowls vs. Pinch bowls - I've never found those teeny tiny bowls to be good for anything other than to look cute in a Martha Stewart magazine. Then again, I never cook by measuring out every ingredient beforehand, so whatever. If a spice calls for a "pinch" or "dash", I just "pinch" and "dash" it in when the time comes.

6. Garburators vs. Magnetic Spice Jars - Well, garburators just rock. I miss having one. Magnetic spice jars look nifty, but they're a bit of a pain to use (you need to make sure the lids are really secure, since they're stored vertically). People also tend to stick them near or on their stove tops to save space, and I always think that the heat from your elements will shorten your spices' shelf life.

7. Matcha Tea vs. Mate Tea - Simple: one tastes awesome, the other tastes gross. I like drinking a sweetened, cold matcha with milk drink in the summer, and hot matcha with some red bean sweets in the winter. Mate tea is just nasty.

Stay tuned for Part II!

Easy Pasta

2008-08-20T21:46:00.001-07:00

What to do with that remaining capicollo I had in the fridge...I decided to throw together a pasta for dinner and the leftovers went to today's lunch. A roasted red pepper, portobello mushroom, garlic, onions and cream on linguine. That's it.

If I had a Panini Press

2008-08-19T22:07:00.001-07:00

This capicollo and fried eggplant sandwich would've been grilled perfection.

Not Food: Olympics Edition

2008-08-19T17:13:00.001-07:00

Nastia Liukin may be the decorated favorite, but she hasn't got a butter statue of her like Shawn Johnson does.

We've all heard about superfreak Michael Phelps' 12,000 calorie per day diet. Pizza, French toast, chocolate-chip pancakes, omelets, oh my! A brave soul tries it out. If Phelps wants to add to his list of endorsements he could also plug McD's cheeseburgers. McD's--it's the Disneyland meal for Olympic winners!

August Fruit

2008-08-18T21:52:00.005-07:00

I feel like I've been eating nectarines and blueberries by the ton these past two weeks, and I can't stop. I keep meaning to dress up the nectarines with some yogurt or honey, but they're so fresh and delicious just on their own.

My first visit to Richmond Country Farm Market yielded some great big glorious green figs. By the time I got there, they were mostly picked over and I could see the remaining ones were so ripe they had to be eaten immediately. They were like no other fig I'd ever seen--bright medium green, heavy with flesh, and the size of large eggs. They were so ripe that some were oozing juice. By the time I got them home, one of them had already burst open.

I love figs. I love their honeyed sweetness and their meaty texture. They also look rather gruesome closeup, with their alien red pulp and many tiny seeds. The sign at the market simply said "Local Green Figs", but I believe they may be San Pietro figs, what with their tapered necks and a full cavity of jammy red flesh. The sweetness of these figs were amazingly fragrant and there was almost a floral tone to it. If only I'd gotten to the market early that morning! I would've scooped up a dozen more!

Tale of Two Izakayas

2008-08-17T21:51:00.005-07:00

I went to two izakayas in Richmond over the weekend and came away with two very different experiences. First night I paid my first and last visit to Manzo Itamae (located on Capstan way, not to be confused with the Manzo on Alexandra Road), which has taken over the now defunct Dozo restaurant.

We ordered five dishes, starting with the flying fish sashimi. We originally tried to order the bluefin, but were told that they were all out (which was strange since it was on the day's specials and we had arrived early, being the second set of customers in the place). The flying fish was well-presented, but we found a small bone in a piece and a fish scale on another. The sashimi also wasn't very fresh; a distinct "fishy" odor prevented us from even finishing the 7 or 8 pieces that were there. The sashimi was $19.

We also ordered a standard izakaya dish--grilled squid. A sizeable dish, the squid came with some nicely crispy tentacles, and was served plain with a slice of lemon. I also had to try their chopped scallop roll and of everything we had that night, I think this was the best thing that evening.

Next came the grilled ox tongue and a pan-fried udon dish. The ox tongue turned out to be six thinly-cut pieces (which we suspected were cut wrong--against the grain of the meat) which were rubbery. The udon noodles, pan-fried with scallions, mushrooms and beef, were remarkably bland. The beef was dried and overcooked.

For the five dishes, our bill came to $56.

---------------------
Disappointed with the previous night's meal, we decided to pay a visit to one of our favorite izakayas, Nan Chuu. The last few visits we noticed quite a few changes to their menu and now they have finally come out with newly updated menu. We ordered seven dishes.

First to start was the new Ika Tan Tan, which was an appetizer of raw squid and kelp marinated in a spicy sauce and served with strips of dried nori. Heaven! I worried that the squid would be too rubbery and fishy, but I was happily wrong. The squid was slightly chewy, just enough for a good mouthfeel, and was deliciously buttery. The sauce was spicier than I expected, but the heat was well paired with the taste of the nori.

Next, we had one of the chef's daily sashimi selections - 2 pieces of ebi, 3 of tuna, 3 of the hamachi, and 3 of the tako. The tako was more crunchy and soft than rubbery, the hamachi was generously sized and light-tasting, the tuna was perfectly oh-so-slightly seared and melty, and the ebi was amazingly sweet and succulent. The ebi were also larger than I expected. This dish was $24.

Grilled ox tongue is one of my favorites, and their thick cut chunks of perfectly grilled tongue were up to Nan Chuu's usual standards. The meat was flavorful with a slightly smoky beef taste, and it was served with mustard on the side. We also ordered the Gyu Tataki - thin slices of lightly seared beef served with raw scallions and a light soy-based dipping sauce. It was so thin and tender that it almost melts in your mouth. Another favorite of mine is their wagyu beef robata, which were eight cubes of tender marbled Japanese wagyu beef on two skewers. The meat was juicy and tender and perfectly cooked - slightly bleeding rare in the center.

Agedashi tofu is not usually one of my favorites, but I decided to try their take on it. What I expected was a small dish of 3 or 4 cubes of fried tofu with a light vegetable gravy sauce. What came to our table was a bowl of 6 or 7 large cubes of crispy, fried sweet and silky yellow tofu in their "special mushroom sauce" which consisted of shiitake and enoki mushrooms. Delicious!

For dessert, we ordered 3 kinds of ice cream - green tea, mango, and black sesame. The three small scoops came with a dollop of whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a patter of red bean for the green tea ice cream. The mango was standard, and the real standout was the black sesame ice cream. I could've done without the whipped cream and chocolate shavings, and instead asked for more red bean to pair with the black sesame.

For seven dishes at Nan Chuu, our bill came to $58.

Peanut Sesame Noodles

2008-07-20T22:23:00.004-07:00

Another hot weekend, so I searched for some cold noodle recipes. I settled on this fairly straightforward Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles recipe, seeing as I had nearly all the ingredients already in my fridge. I added shredded carrots to add texture. Next time I'll use plain buckwheat soba noodles instead of the green tea soba ones I had on hand, and I'll probably marinate the chicken (as suggested in the comments) before grilling as well. It was very yummy, so I don't think it'll be long before I make this again.

Smoky Mushroom Salad

2008-07-19T22:44:00.002-07:00

I didn't know what to call this simple salad -- "smoky" really only refers to the slightly smokey flavor of the dressing. I sliced some brown field mushrooms thinly on a mandoline, tossed it together with shavings of parmesan in a bed of herb boxed greens, favoring red leaf lettuces and radicchio. For the dressing, I mixed together olive oil, red wine vinegar, sesame oil and a small teaspoon of miso paste. It was so good, I made more the next night and brought the rest to work the next day.

Thursday Night Scallops

2008-07-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

This was Thursday night's dinner after an exhausting day. I had frozen some fresh scallops about a week ago, so I thawed them in a bowl of warm water while I grabbed some boxed greens and made a quick vinaigrette with olive oil, white wine vinegar, a smidge of dijon mustard, salt and brown sugar. Top off the greens with seared scallops and sprinkled chopped chives and black pepper.

Still Life: Artichoke

2008-07-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Salad

2008-07-03T21:23:00.002-07:00

I've had a few heavy suppers the last week, so I thought it was time for a light summery salad. I threw together an impromptu mish-mash of sharp, peppery greens (arugula, watercress, baby spinach, chervil) plus toasted walnuts, sliced strawberries, soft goat cheese and a berry vinaigrette.

Ciopinno

2008-07-01T23:10:00.007-07:00

Success! I braved the Canada Day crowds at Granville Island today and picked up a few pounds of fresh mussels for dinner. I adapted this easy Cioppino recipe, subbing in salmon, prosciutto, and used leftover cabernet. Few meals of mine are wholly without carbs, so I just had to throw in some capellini as well to soak up the thick stew. And buttered bread on the side, too.