Banrock Station - saving Canada's wildlife

Banrock Station Shiraz has become a staple in our house over the last few years. It's big, Jammy goodness has become like a comfort food around here. That goodness has also come with the knowledge that the wine is made by a company with a solid dedication to preserving wetlands in it's native Australia. Last week, it was announced through the conventional media that Banrock Station would be helping to restock Lake Ontario with Atlantic Salmon. While native to the lake, the species has pretty much disappeared from the lake. Radio & TV sources are reporting that Banrock Station has committed to spending 1.4 million dollars to restock Lake Ontario with 400,000 Atlantic Salmon fingerlings & more mature fish. At the same time, it was announced that 3 Banrock Station wines sold in Ontario would be available in the new, recycleable Tetra packs. While this may seem like a tragedy to some wine lovers, it really doesn't seem to affect the taste of their wines. We bought the Shiraz & the Cab over the weekend and so far, the Cab was wonderful.

It's good to see a company that lives by it's motto "Good Earth, Fine Wine"

Blog review: Palatable

Palatable is an American blog that will enlighten you on some of the scarier things that affect the processed foods that most of us on a daily basis. Be sure to check out the Manburger and the shitty teddy. They also have instructions on how to grow your own bean sprouts. Very cool.

In the links section, I found Easy Eats which is a bachelor's feedbag blog that looks pretty cool too.

Awesome Tealight holder

As regular readers may have figured out, I love checking out what Arieanna has found over at Cooking Gadgets. This week, we've combined some things from The Garage with some things for around the house. You can get these wicked recycled bike sprocket tea light holders from ELSEWHERES for only 12 bucks a piece! I'm thinkin' that by the time he's read this far, Mooby's already left the page, with the plastic in hand to order a couple! Don't forget to check out the Bike Chain beer opener!

Less Stinky Soup

Many years ago (about 15), Time Life came out with a series of American Country books. At that time, we were into many things country. The series of books was well done with great photographs but the most interesting to us was the country cooking book. I still use some of these recipes today and since I was already into the soup mode, here is another one. Fortunately, this one is a little less stinky!!!

Cheddar Cheese Soup with Cauliflower

3 tblsp butter
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups finely chopped cauliflower florets (about 1 small head)
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1/2 large) I often use red pepper or omit this altogether
1 medium carrot, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 tblsp flour
3 cups canned chicken broth
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 chopped parsley

1. In a 2-3 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower, green pepper, and carrot. Increase the heat to medium-high and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Gradually pour in the chicken broth and whisk until slightly thickened. Blend in the mustard. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup, partially covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. A handful at a time, add the grated cheese and stir until it is completely melted. Increase the heat to medium high and bring almost to a boil. Sprinkle the soup with the parsley and serve hot.
Serves 4-6
For and interesting color contrast, garnish this all-white soup with some grated sharp yellow Cheddar cheese.
Enjoy!

Blog review: Road Foodie

Last week, One of Seven posted a review of a couple of recipes from The low carb gourmet, by Brigit Binns. This wonderful post has introduced us to Brigit and her new blog. Road Foodie is Brigit's journal of food and drink she's enjoyed (or not) as she travels around the world. She's witty and well written and I just love reading about steak houses in Texas. As one who spent time as a bartender years ago, I can relate to Brigit's description of what makes a good bartender.

Welcome to Foodies Across Borders Brigit Binns.

Big Stinky Soup

A few years ago we had a dinner party where every couple was expected to bring a specific course and a bottle of wine (or two) to accompany it. We had 5 couples who brought an appetizer, salad, soup, a main course and dessert. For this particular evening, we made the soup; a Roasted Garlic Soup that we had found in the Bon Appetit magazine. Now, we love garlic but this is the most garlicy recipe I have ever made. Since everyone ate it, it wasn't a big deal but the next day, the garlic was still oozing from our pores! I lost this recipe until recently, but I am looking forward to making it again. I wouldn't change a thing, but let me know what you think.

Roasted Garlic Soup with Parmesan Cheese

26 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp butter
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
18 garlic cloves, peeled
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tblsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.
Melt butter in heavy, large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and thyme and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 18 raw cloves and cook 3 minutes.
Add chicken stock, cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan, add cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.)
Divide grated chese among 4 bowls and ladle soup over. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into each bowl and serve. Serves 4.

Hot Dog Steamer

If you love a good steamy weinie, you've got to get one of these! No more exploded microwave hot dogs or split dogs that have boiled for too long. I bet the kids would love filling the hopper up with doggies & jamming the buns on the steam spikes. Speaking of the steam spikes, while they are cool, how come there are only 2? The hopper looks like it holds a full dozen weinies, but only 2 buns. Dumb!

You can pick one of these up from brandsonsale for $49.99

thanks to Techie Diva

Jamie Oliver friggin ROCKS!!!!

I'm outta place here, "cause Sandy is halfway through a real review of the new show, but I've been into the Banrock Station & this Dude's show just kills!

This cat rolls into an old Italian monastary, gets the monk dudes shit faced & teaches them how to cook! Just imagine the opportunity....stroll into an ancient place with a misplaced rep & rejuvenate a bunch of really old dudes. He had a 70 year old monk (who had been in the place for 60 years) shakin' his ass to The Cure!!!

Stay tuned for more coherant comments from mama G

What the Heck is a Noisette, Anyway?

Definition Paraphrased:

It's obvious now that I should have included a bit of Brigit Binns’ prelude to the “Seared Lamb Noisettes with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad”, as discovered when both the Grill Maestro and our own Garage Guy confessed that they didn't know what the heck a noisette was.... Well, fair enough -- and shame on me!! The author explains that noisettes are “very popular in England but rarely seen in the United States” and are made from racks of lamb by cutting the meat away from the bones, while leaving it in one piece. An 8-bone rack would produce 8 noisettes by tying it like a roast in 8 equidistant places, then cutting the meat crosswise. But as I mentioned, the presentation, in my opinion, is much nicer with the bones in and I *really* hate to waste a single morsel of lamb!

If you're as much of a grill fanatic as the G-Maestro, the Garage Guy or me, don't hesitate to shift from noisettes or racks to loin chops, which we did with friends for Easter dinner (about 5 minutes a side for medium-rare, using 1-inch chops)!! Even better, because it's so versatile, use that 4-ingredient marinade on chicken (wings, breasts...) and pork tenderloin -- throw in some basil for an extra dimension of flavour!

~ One of Seven

The Carnival of the Recipes

Foodies has been included in a blog carnival for the first time. Thanks to the Grill Maestro for including us in the Carnival of the Recipes. The Carnival featured a link to One of Seven's double recipe review.

Squash Pesto Bake

Since we always celebrate the major holidays at our house, we are always looking for new recipes to try out. On Friday morning, we were flipping through the TV and stopped on Everyday Italian, a show we had never watched before. The hostess, Giada De Laurentis, was reviewing vegetable recipes. One of the featured recipes was a squash and pesto dish but unfortunately, they don't publish the recipes on Foodtv.ca, so we had to go freestyle. The above picture is the result of our Easter squash dish that although it has many flavours in each mouthful, will probably become a regular in our house. Even our 12 year old liked it.
Take one large butternut squash (we used 3 small ones). Cut and cube it and boil it until soft. When cooked, put it in a food processor until pureed. (We don't have a processor so we mashed it). Butter a rectangular baking dish and add half of the squash mixture and spead it over the bottom of the dish. Take some store bought pesto (or homemade if you are ambitious) and add a layer of that on top of the squash. Cover the pesto with fresh, grated parmesan cheese. Follow with a layer of the remaining squash and a layer of the pesto and cover with more parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the cheese is crispy. (We actually cooked it for 40 minutes and then put it under the broiler. Just be careful the cheese doesn't burn.
As I said, each mouthful has a bunch of flavours but it is really tasty and a very different and distinct vegetable dish.

Double Recipe Review

“Seared Lamb Noisettes with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad” and “Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagnas”

I wish I had taken a picture – the meal we made last night was attractive and really colourful – but more importantly, it was freakin’ delicious!! Whether or not you subscribe to the low-carb trend of this decade, this dinner was spectacular! My superstar girlfriend gave us a wonderful cookbook for as a gift, The Low-Carb Gourmet: Recipes for the new Lifestyle by Brigit Binns. Two stellar recipes, plus comments, below….

Seared Lamb Noisettes with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad
Minced or grated zest of 1 scrubbed lemon
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 noisettes of lamb, 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick, trimmed and tied (about 1 pound)
2 cups shelled fresh peas (or use thawed frozen petits pois)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Pinch of ground allspice
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon water
3 ounces mild French feta cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes

In a shallow glass or ceramic dish, whisk the lemon zest and juice, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the lamb and turn once, then cover with plastic srap and let stand for 15 minutes. Turn over again and let stand for 15 minutes more.

Prepare an ice bath, and blanch the fresh peas for 1 to 2 minutes in lightly salted boiling water, until not quite tender. Immediately drain and then plunge into the ice bath. Drain well and spread on a layer of paper towels. (If using thawed frozen peitis pois, simply roll them around gently on paper towels to dry.)

In a bowl, combine the peas, ½ tablespoon of the olive oil, salt, pepper and mint. Toss together gently and spread into a thin, even layer on a flat serving platter. Pat the noisettes dry with paper towels (reserve the marninade) and season both sides generously with salt, pepper and a tiny pinch of allspice.

Place a large, heavy sauté pan or skillet over high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter (use 2 pans if necessary to avoid crowding). When the butter is starting to brown, add and sear the noisettes for 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 2 minutes more, for medium-rare. Transfer the noisettes to the platter, placing them on top of the peas. Add the remaining marinade and 1 tablespoon of water to the pan and deglaze over high heat for a minute, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Drizzle the juices over the lamb and the peas, scatter the feta around the lamb, and serve.

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagnas
2 large globe eggplants, preferably long and thin
¼ cup coarse sea salt
Olive oil, for brushing
Freshly ground black pepper
Best-quality dried oregano, for sprinkling
3 ounces soft, mile goat cheese, such as Montrachet
1/3 cup freshly grated imported pecorino, grana padano, or Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 ounces slivered fontina cheese
8 leaves fresh basil, cut into julienne
1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch julienne
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Trim off the stems of the eggplants and peel them, leaving four 1/2-inch-wide, lengthwise strips of peel around each one. Slice them crosswise about 5/8 inch thick (you should have 12 nice slices). Gently combine the eggplant slices with the salt in a colander, distributing the salt with your fingers. Let drain for 20 minutes, then rinse briefly and pat dry thoroughly with kitchen towels.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the slices in a single layer on the parchment, and brush them lightly with olive oil. Season generously with pepper and oregano and bake for 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Remove from the oven, leaving it on if you plan to finish the dish immediately (the slices can stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours).

Cut the goat cheese into 4 equal pieces. On the same baking sheet, choose the 4 largest eggplant slices as the bases. Place a piece of goat cheese in the center of each and top with a pinch of pecorino. Top each with a medium-sized slice of eggplant, and top this slice with one fourth of the slivered fontina, one fourth of the basil, and another pinch of pecorino. Top each with another eggplant slice and press the top layer gently but firmly with a flat spatula to compact the stack a little. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and cover the pan with foil.

Bake the lasagnes for 20 to 25 minutes, until warmed through wit the cheese bubbling slightly around the edges. Remove the foil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, if necessary, until soft enough to cut with a fork (the peel will be a little tough, but it looks far more interesting than completely peeled eggplant). To serve, place a small jumble of red pepper julienne on top of each lasagne and scatter with a little parsley.

Comments
We modified the lamb recipe by quite a bit, so I’ll give you the “tried and true” version from last night. The first recipe calls for noisettes, but we used New Zealand rack of lamb, cut into chops – mostly for presentation purposes, but also to avoid waste. Now that it’s barbeque season, heat your barbeque to medium-high. On the one hand, you’ll miss out on the whole pan-searing, deglazing aspect (in which case, you won’t need the butter or the water), but we enjoyed the barbequed results (still roughly 2 minutes per side)…. The marinade was a snap and the cooked lamb was absolutely delicious. As for the salad, it was sweet and tangy at once, and the mint was lovely and refreshing. I put all of the salad ingredients together from the outset and would definitely recommend bringing it to room temperature ahead of time, especially if you intend to use heated plates (bag that platter idea!).

I confess that, even with a bit of background in the culinary arts, I was an eggplant-cookin’-virgin until last night (to be honest, it’s never held that much interest for me). This recipe was straightforward and speedy, prep-wise. The three cheeses (on hand I had peppered chèvre, Danish havarti and Parmigiano Reggiano) made the end effect completely decadent and delicious. Use bamboo skewers to hold the stacked eggplant together and to avoid having the foil stick to the cheese. The stylin’ presentation, along with the splash of colour, really made the plate.

These three components created extraordinary eye appeal and the combination of flavours was extremely complimentary. My husband and I have more of an affinity for Asian dishes, so this dinner was an uncommon foray into Mediterranean flavours and a really special treat. We decided after about three bites that we would definitely serve this meal to guests and are now planning our next dinner party!

As for the book, it has so, so many wonderful looking and sounding dishes, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, especially given how this meal turned out. With amazing recipes from each of the predictable categories, plus sections on Breakfast and Brunch and The Cheese Course, this book will be a serious addition to your collection. Of special note is her collection of Stellar Sides which, if you are of the carb-avoiding crew, offers unique dishes that avoid high-carb components, but are absolutely mouth-watering. If you don’t consider carbs to be the devil’s work, you’ll just be treated to innovative, flavourful offerings that will compliment your current repertoire. I am super-impressed by this book!

~ One of Seven

Bloody heart AKA Hoisin Marinated Pork Chops

After chasing the kids around with a bag of pork chops soaking in red stuff, they were all determined that they weren't going to eat that stuff. How things changed when they tasted it. Everybody loves that pork you get with chinese food take out, the pork with the nice red colour that penetrates into the meat and has a nice sweet taste. Now, you can have it at home. Best of all, it's really easy! Our 5 year old, who doesn't eat much meat, came back for seconds and ate almost a whole huge chop by himself.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cups of hoisin sauce
1 cup of oyster sauce
1/4 cup of black bean garlic sauce
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (if you're lazy like me, use a huge tbsp of prechopped stuff)
1 tbsp of chopped, peeled fresh ginger (I grated it)
1 teaspoon of red food colouring
6 nice fat pork rib chops

mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
Place chops in a big ziplok bag. Pour in the mixture from the bowl, squeeze out the air and stick em in the fridge. Leave them there for 3-5 days. We actually left them in the beer fridge for 6 days.

When cooking time comes:
Preheat the broiler - we used the default 500 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil. This is a killer recommendation, as it cuts down on the clean up.
Remove chops from marinade & put them on the sheet. Don't drain off the marinade, as you want them to be goopy.
We followed the instructions and cooked them for 9 minutes a side. When you turn them over, they look a little raw, but it all evens out & they are perfect.

We sliced the chops thin, like you would have from Wong's delivery, but you could serve them as regular chops. It might be a good idea to make a couple of extras to slice up and add to some noodles.

The menu suggestion from Bon Appetit included a funky applesauce and something else that sounded like it would take too much time. I had no interest, so I don't even remember what it was! Instead, we took the easy route & used some Asian Home Gourmet brand Singapore stir fry noodles, tossed with a half a bag of pre shredded coleslaw. Easy, colourful and very tasty!

A funny aside about the noodles. Twelve year old Shelby loved them. 5 Year old Riley hated them. The freak of the house, 7 year old Duncan hated the noodles, but picked out and ate ALL of the cabbage!!

Overall, this recipe was a huge hit in the house and I think it will become a staple. Next time, I think we'll try the chops on the barbie.

Shikar Poppa Dums

We've all had papadums at our fave indian restaurant, and maybe even tried frying some up at home. Now you can get little ones that come in a can sort of like a Pringles tube. I recently came across these wonderful treats in the local Superstore & just had to pick them up. They are miniature papadums and come in 4 flavours, Green Chili & Garlic, Black Pepper, Red Chili & Cumin. So far, we have tried the Black Pepper & the Green Chili & Garlic and the whole family loves them. Having a look at the Hunter Foods web site, they have all sorts of unique snacks. If they are all as good as Poppa Dums, these folks will enjoy huge sales growth here in Canada.

Burgers from Heaven (and Hell)

Believe me, I can cook. I don’t think I love anything more than the satisfaction of preparing an elaborate dinner and sharing a little wine with some friends. But one of the other things I love most in life is a great freakin’ burger!! Whether it’s right off our own barbeque or a treat at a local hangout, there’s nothing better than a super-juicy, hand-packed, made-with-love….

In the last few weeks, we’ve made a point of trying a bunch of new and not-so-new spots and comparing patties from heaven. Here are our Canmore results, to date:

Rose & Crown (Railway Avenue)
Last week, I mentioned that this burger was held over from the previous menu – which is true – in all three of its glorious formats: their regular Burger, the Mushroom & Swiss and the totally awesome Banquet Burger (cheddar, fried onions, sautéed mushrooms and bacon). What I neglected to mention was that the Rose has increased the SIZE of their hand-packed patty and it’s now an 8-oz-er!! Served with choice of fries, soup or salad, this one ROCKS: “A+”!

Miner’s Lamp (Georgetown Inn, Bow Valley Trail)
A girlfriend tried their burger recently and invited us to come out and experience it for ourselves. This “best-kept secret” of a pub has a really intriguing menu – a combination of pub food and Rocky Mountain cuisine, but we were on a burger mission! I do have to say that it was completely divine! Served with caramelized onions and a brie “upgrade” (from cheddar), the burger was completely stellar!! A little skimpy with the fries, I can only give it an “A”, but the burger itself was heavenly.

Sage Bistro (Bow Valley Trail)
My husband had been to Sage for breakfast with a couple of friends a few months ago when I was out of town. Suddenly, he had an urge to go back, so we invited the same friends and made a bit of an event out of it…. Now, I’m all for breakfast being the most important meal of the day, but when I found out I could actually order lunch instead, that just made my day (it was a late breakfast, anyway). I opted for the lamb burger, which was beautiful and juicy, and not as lamb-y as I might have thought, which suited me fine. Served with Oka cheese, it was just incredible, as were the absolutely divine sweet potato fries!! The one knock, unfortunately, was the onion bun; I know some people must like them, but yuck. So I can only rate the experience an “A”. And heck, if you like onion buns, this burger is going to knock your socks off!!

Crazyweed (Main Street)
Another girlfriend once told me that she thought this was the best burger in town, but honestly, “what’s all the hubbub, Bub?” This burger was dry and unimpressive, with little flavour and a crappy bun. Served with nary a side dish in sight (nope: no fries; no salad; just plain nothin’) and no cheese option, I can’t help but give this burger an “F”. I’ve heard that they sometimes have a lamb burger “special”, but I’m not feeling hopeful so it would take a lot to make me go back to try it.

Don’t hesitate to try any of the first three spots for a super-delicious meal. Try to get a window seat, too, to make the most of your visit! And, if it’s your thing, be sure to try a local micro brew (each of the three will offer something different, whether on tap or in a bottle)…. Tell them "One of Seven" sent you! Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

Smoke-free P.S.

I really should mention, after last week’s submission on smoke-free pubs in Canmore, that the Drake and the Rose were two of six, count ‘em six establishments to voluntarily adopt a non-smoking policy this weekend. The Sherwood House (reopening in May), the Canmore Hotel, the Last Call and The Legion are all on the bandwagon. Also of note, the Miner’s Lamp at the Georgetown Inn should be blaring the fact that they’ve been “smoke free since day one”.

~ One of Seven

We're having a bloody heart for dinner!!!

The March 06 issue of Bon Appetit has tasty looking recipe for Hoisin Marinated pork chops. It's got lot's of cool stuff in the marinade like oyster sauce, black bean sauce, garlic, ginger and of course hoisin sauce. One odd ingredient is a whole teaspoon full of red food dye. Throw all this stuff in a giant ziploc with a bunch of pig for 3-5 days & then broil. I may choose to BBQ it, because it's just that time of year.

Once I finished putting it all together, after noticing it's wonderful dark red colour, I just couldn't help but have some fun with the kids. Only the Mini Dude bit. "I'm not eating heart" he announced as I took the bag outside to show it off to the other kids. They aren't quite so easily fooled.

The marinade tastes great, and later this week I'll review the finished product and post the recipe.