Foodisima

Etoufee with a Rainforest Twist

2011-10-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

Etoufee is a classic Cajun and creole dish. “Etoufee” translates roughly to “smothered.”

Traditionally, etoufees are made with shrimp or crawfish but faced, one day, with an abundance of chanterelle mushrooms and some unexpected vegetarians at my table, I thought I’d try a vegetarian version, replacing the shellfish entirely with cleaned and sliced chanterelles. Despite the regional wrongness -- a classic Southern US favorite made with mushrooms most often found in the rainforest -- the dish was a big success.

Another replacement: classically, where I’ve indicated olive oil, the Cajun and creole versions would use butter. I like the foresty flavor the olive oil adds, plus that simple swap makes this dish not only vegetarian, but completely vegan. However the dish works equally well -- and is perhaps even a little richer -- when made with butter.

Mushroom Etoufee

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or butter or a combination of both
1/4 all purpose or unbleached flour
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black Ppepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teasp dried thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cups vegetable or mushroom stock
1 tablespoon hot sauce
4 cups fresh sliced chanterelles or 2 cups dried mushrooms

If using dried mushrooms, start by adding boiling water to mushrooms to cover. Cover with lid and set aside for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until the roux turns a dark golden color, between 15 and 20 minutes. Add onion, celery and bell pepper and continue to whisk until the vegetables start to soften. Add garlic, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, thyme, basil and oregon and continue to whisk for a further two minutes. Still whisking, add the tomatoes and stir. When the liquid has all been absorbed, add the stock, a little at a time, until it as all incorporated. Finally add the mushrooms, reduce heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer 20 minutes.

You should now have a thick, rich-looking stew. If it seems too thick, add a bit more liquid: stock, if you still have some, or even a bit of water, a 1/4 cup at a time. If it’s too thin, leave the lid off, raise the heat slightly and stir while the sauce thickens.

Serve over long-grained white rice.

Serves 6

Caesar Salad

2011-10-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

There is something splendidly decadent about a well-made Caesar salad. By a lot of people's reckoning, it shouldn’t be a salad at all. It’s rich and dense, full-flavored, full bodied and all the things a salad mostly shouldn’t be.

As a result, the classic caesar tends to go in and out of fashion -- like mini skirts and wedged soles -- because as much as we tell ourselves we loathe it, there’s a part of us that just can’t get enough.

Don’t kid yourself, either: it may be a salad and it may be green, but if you’re looking for a light dinner, you’d best keep looking. On the other hand, with a caesar salad at its base, it’s possible to make a fast and even somewhat elegant supper by whipping it together quickly and plopping some protein on top while you’re plating. A chicken breast or grilled salmon filet are classic, but here’s a fun twist: try throwing a handful of peeled shrimp in while you’re toasting the croutons.

This is a creamy variation of caesar, my own favorite. It’s also a fast approach. Many recipes call for raw egg as you make the dressing, but I’ve encountered so many people who are unnerved at working with raw eggs. In any case, using the mayonnaise is a shortcut that provides a more than acceptable result.

Caesar Salad

For the croutons:

4 slices white bread or two dinner rolls, cubed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
paprika, garlic powder, pepper, cumin or a popular spice blend: two teaspoons in total

Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add spice and toast briefly before adding bread. Saute until bread absorbs oil and browns. Set aside.

For the dressing:

4 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon Djon mustard
1.5 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 light salad oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine garlic, mustard, vinegar, mayonnaise, anchovy paste and salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. While the processor is running, drizzle the oil into the bowl in a steady stream. Correct the seasoning.

For the salad:

1 large or 3 small heads romaine or cos lettuce
caesar salad dressing
croutons
shaved parmesan cheese

Prepare the lettuce. In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce with as much of the dressing as seems appropriate (dress to taste, is what I mean to say here) and the croutons. Top with shaved parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Ravenswick Apple Chutney

2011-10-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

In the early autumn it’s difficult to keep up with the sudden supply of apples in my area. The apples are naturally organic, deeply flavorful and, once a year, mind-blowingly abundant.

Inspired by this embarrassment of riches, I came up with this terrific chutney. The flavors are also inspired by those luxurious and faintly exotic mango chutneys. I’ve always wanted to make mango chutney but, faced with a box of mangoes, I can never bring myself to do anything with them other than eat them fresh. But I don’t live in a place where mangoes are abundant: here it’s apples so… apple chutney.

Use this gorgeous chutney alongside a grilled chicken breast or to add a posh touch to a cheese sandwich. Jarlsberg, a touch of green on a nice rustic bread with a slathering of this chutney and you’ll have created a sandwich that is also a memorable meal.

Ravenswick Apple Chutney

Ingredients:

Two pounds apples
Two cups apple cider vinegar
Two cups sugar
Two tablespoons fresh chopped garlic
Four tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup raisins
juice of one lemon

Peel, core and coarsely chop the apples. In a large bowl add the raisins then toss with the lemon. Set aside.

In a food processor combine garlic, ginger, salt and red pepper flakes. Process until finely chopped.

Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a large non-reactive saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes. Add apple and garlic mixtures. Continue simmering for 30-40 minutes, until apples are tender and the chutney has thickened.

Place in sterilized jars and process or cool it in a couple of serving bowls.

Stored properly, this chutney will keep for several weeks without processing.

Makes about 4 eight ounce jars.

Cookbooks: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

2011-09-09T10:03:00.001-07:00

It’s possible that the reason Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty (Chronicle Books) was such a huge and instant hit when it was published in the UK last year is because, in many ways, it is the sort of book that can define an age. Chef and food writer, Israeli-born Yotam Ottolenghi, seems absolutely of his moment.

More than a decade ago Donna Hay introduced food so minimalist it seemed almost to prepare itself. By comparison, Ottolenghi seems the anti-Hay. It’s not that his food is complicated, exactly, as much as it is involved. Many recipes include multiple processes and long lists of ingredients. The food is healthful, flavorful and beautiful, but even just reading the book, you don’t get the idea that any of this will make itself.

That said, don’t think you need to be an expert level chef in order to take a run at Plenty. It would be helpful to know your way around a kitchen and to not be intimidated by semi-exotic ingredients. And if you are a vegetarian, so much the better because Plenty is a vegetarian cookbook, even if the chef himself is not.

The book comes partly from “The New Vegetarian” column Ottolenghi has been writing for the Guardian since 2006. Ottolenghi says the newspaper asked him because his London restaurant, Ottolenghi, had “become famous for what we did with vegetables and grains, for the freshness and originality of our salads, and it only made sense to ask me to share this with vegetarian readers.”

The 120 recipes in Plenty are organized by ingredients: Roots, Funny Onions, Mushrooms, Brassicas and so on. This makes for a surprisingly coherent cookbook. And it seems especially sensible in a book based on vegetable matter.

In the growing season, I find myself regularly faced with a surplus of wonderful things from my friends who garden and who know I enjoy the challenge of doing something interesting with the things they produce. Boxes of organic chard, zucchinis, beans and other things too lovely to consider wasting. At those times, Ottolenghi’s organization will make the most sense. With an armload of leeks and Ottolenghi’s book, I might make Leek Fritters, or Fried Leeks or I might even be inspired to toss some into a stunning Caramelized Garlic Tart.

Eggplant gets a complete examination and tomatoes have probably never had it so good, especially in Ottolenghi’s Tomato Party, a stunning salad designed to “make use of as many as possible of the infinite types of tomatoes that are available now.” Some are cooked a little, some a lot and some are raw and all are tossed with fregola and couscous. It’s actually quite a simple dish but mind-blowingly good.

Plenty is just as good as everyone has been saying it is. This is vegetarian food as you always dreamed you’d find it. But do prepare to roll up your sleeves.

Spring is Sprung: Nettle Chocolate Chip Biscotti

2011-04-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Stinging nettles offer the first peeks of green after winter’s grey-brown. They offer a promise, but not without bite. This year, a nasty cold raged through our house days after I saw the first spiny shoots. I hastened to make a healing broth, adding finely chopped baby nettle leaves to the tonic right before serving. They are so full of everything you need to recover from winter, that cold didn’t stand a chance once I’d hit it with a mittfull of nettle leaves.

By now, in my neck of the woods, the nettles are beginning to grow tall and strong. I pluck only the very tender tips of the plant, and only in the brightest part of spring. When first picked, they smell exactly as they look: bright green and filled with promise.

The problem in our house is that, even though we know stinging nettles are super good for us, no one here likes them very much. It’s something about the fine fuzz on the leaves. Even though even light cooking takes the sting out, the fuzz is unpleasant to certain palates; mine among them. I do a very finely chopped creamed nettle-type of dish that I don’t mind very much. It’s inspired by the Austrian preparation of spinach that my mother used to do: very finely chopped nettles are added to a roux (in this case, equal amounts of butter or olive oil and flour) with water as needed and seasoning to taste. This creates a bright green paste that is slightly evil-looking, but surprisingly delicious.

These Nettle Chocolate Chip Biscotti are about as far opposite of that evil green gruel as can be imagined. If you like biscotti, you’ll love these: and never mind if you like nettle or not. Even though I use quite a bit, you can’t taste anything beyond a slight and pleasant earthiness.

Nettle Chocolate Chip Biscotti

3.5 cups unbleached flour
2.5 cups sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup chopped, boiled nettles, with liquid squeezed out
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in food processor. Blend dry ingredients. While processor is running add eggs, then nettles. Blend until ingredients are roughly blended. (Some of the flour mixture will appear bright green, some will be pale but moist from the eggs.) Turn out into a large bowl. Add chocolate chips and mix until roughly blended and holds together when packed. If the mixture does not hang together, beat another egg and add it to the mixture a very small amount at a time until the a dough forms when handled.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and form a large ball. Separate into two even pieces and form a log from each, about 1-inch high and three or four across. Pack each log portion very tightly, to remove excess air or cracks. Transfer to a heavy parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the logs are dry and firm. Remove to a wire cooling rack and allow to stand for up to half an hour, until logs are cool enough to handle. Using your best bread knife, cut the logs into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a baking sheet. Reduce heat to 265F and bake for 10-15 minutes, turning the biscotti halfway through baking.

Remember: the longer the second bake, the sturdier, harder and drier the cookie will be, so adjust this to your own taste.

A Wedding Meal Without Compromise

2011-03-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

In one of those odd turns of fate that life hands us, during a full calendar of wedding catering in the summer of 2010, we at Foodisima prepared not a single wedding meal that included meat other than -- in certain cases -- some wild and sustainably caught salmon.

We did some beautiful weddings, too. They were mostly gorgeous affairs that included white dresses, rented tuxes, perfectly turned-out bridesmaids, elegant cakes and weeping mothers of the bride. In short, from the outside looking in, they were mostly somewhat traditional, beautiful weddings. And the food we prepared for these weddings was beautiful and, in some ways, traditional, as well. That is, looking at the food what you would see is elegant, well-prepared and served wedding fare.

Foodisima Catering & Chef Services have always prided ourselves on local food that is, as much as possible, handmade. We make our own stocks and sauces, our own breads. Our polenta begins with cornmeal and when we serve scones or sorbets (and a lot of other things!) they are made by hand.

Over the years, our own awareness of local, organic food has grown to the point where we are very sensitive of carbon footprints, not only for ourselves but for our clients: we recycle, of course (doesn’t everyone?), but we also expend a lot of effort thinking about how we can not only reduce our own waste, but that of our clients, as well. It turns out that if you think like that long enough and hard enough, it trickles down into everything you do. Which, one way or another, led to the summer of 2010: all those weddings. No meat.

In the middle of what I think I will look back on as a watershed summer, Chelsea Clinton got married. And it happened that while I was busy preparing stocks and sauces and dressings for what would be a mostly vegan wedding, I was hearing about how Clinton -- who is vegan -- would be serving some vegan cuisine at her wedding, but also organically raised beef. The thought of this very prominent vegan serving meat at her wedding sort of appalled me. After all, this would be her day. Well, her and her (presumably also vegan) groom. If you can not, on that very special day, ask that your friends and family respect your choices, when can you? The rationale I heard (though admittedly not from Clinton herself) was that people have traditionally offered vegetarian options at carnivorecentric weddings, so why should vegan weddings not offer meat for attending carnivores? And my answer to that is... well, it’s different.

It isn’t that we at Foodisima don’t like meat or have a problem with it. In fact, aside from the watershed wedding thing, we prepared meat for a lot of other types of functions last summer. We don’t mind doing it and we do it very well. Also, if you want meat at your wedding -- if that’s part of your personal design brief for your special day, or even if it’s just that you always dreamed of filet mignon at your wedding, or chicken kiev, that’s just what you should have. But if what you really want is a different kind of wedding, well... nothing need stand in your way.

See, here’s the thing: for many people, their wedding will be the largest party they ever host. And it’s meaningful, this party. It represents a new beginning, in a way. And the birth of a new aspect in a special relationship. A whole new day. A party like that -- an important party, heavy in symbolism and sharing -- should stand for something. Especially if the wedding couples have made choices of conviction in their lives.

And here’s the other thing: even while I was hearing about Clinton’s compromise at her own wedding, I knew from experience that it was a compromise not worth making. And why? Because by that point I had helped create a special and meaningful day for several vegetarian couples and had watched while guest after guest not only ate happily of the vegetarian and vegan food on offer, they raved about it: this including grumpy looking uncles and obviously meat-eating dads. That’s because we’ve discovered that really good vegetarian and vegan celebration food is not about what isn’t there. It’s truly about celebrating what is.

Somewhere during that watershed summer -- somewhere between Chelsea and eight or ten happy brides -- I came to a place of conviction about what a wedding meal should look like. Truly, it can take many forms: it can be a stand-up affair, with luscious tidbits handed round by cater-waiters. It can be five courses beautifully served while the wedding party sips and toasts. Or it can be a bountiful buffet. But whatever it consists of, it should reflect the convictions of the wedding couple, whatever they happen to be.

This is your special day. The most special day ever. It need not be a day for compromise: it’s the day that will take you forward into the next phase of your life. Having that day -- and that beautiful party -- perfectly reflect your beliefs is not too much to ask.

Cookbooks: Veganize This! by Jenn Shagrin

2011-03-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

In a very general sort of way, I dislike books like Veganize This! (DaCapo) because, rather than celebrating all that can be really wonderful and freeing about the vegan lifestyle, it serves to make what is an alternative way of eating seem like a freakish aberration to be gotten around. The subtitle tells that story: “From Surf and Turf to Ice Cream Pie: 200 Animal-Free Recipes for People Who Love to Eat.” And, fair enough: there are people for whom vegan choices are entirely social or moral and who miss what they no longer have.

My own approach to vegan and vegetarian cooking tends to be one of celebration for what is rather than intense focus on what isn’t. And there are lots of cookbook authors who agree with that approach: increasingly, their beautiful books become more and more available.

Actress, comedienne and vegan chef Jenn Shagrin has a different approach and her book seems to celebrate food in disguise as other food. Vegan Veal Chops with Sunchoke Caponata. Tofu Scallops. Even Vegan Twinkies. Shagrin uses a small arsenal to fake her way to delicious results: her recipes tend to be heavy on seitan -- a wheat gluten-based meat substitute -- as well as several commercial ingredients.

Now all of that said, Veganize This! is clear, well laid out and the recipes are easy to follow. If you’re the kind of vegetarian who misses your meaty treats but is no longer comfortable eating meat products, Veganize This! is for you.

Wedding Catering on Galiano Island

2010-11-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

After a full summer of wedding catering on Galiano Island, followed by a quieter but still busy fall, we’ve settled in for a peaceful winter. The events we’re doing right now are smaller and less stressful -- yoga retreats, corporate shindigs and the occasional film industry event in Vancouver -- but it’s difficult not to miss the excitement of a wedding and being a central part of someone’s special day.

We have already taken bookings for weddings in 2011 and even one for 2012, even though 2012 still seems so far away! Still, it is important to do your legwork and homework as far in advance as possible. You want to be certain you find a caterer you feel comfortable with and who makes you feel confident they will deliver the meal you’ve been dreaming about.

Foodisima catered eight weddings in the summer of 2010. One of the things that really came home to me as we worked our way through a fun and busy summer was the fact that providing the catering for a wedding is so much more than making sure the food is on time, as ordered and delicious. For a lot of people, the meal associated with their wedding is the largest and most important party they will ever host. It’s essential that the caterer not lose sight of that: that they stay focused on being part of the team that will render wedding dreams.

I realize that some of that sounds ethereal, but it’s not really. It means working with the wedding couple for months before the big day, thinking through menu possibilities and permutations. It means being ready for bridal melt-downs (though I feel lucky not to have seen one yet, I’m always ready for the eventuality!) and pitching in when details outside of the kitchen have been overlooked.

Weddings are special. It’s different than any other type of catering. A corporate dinner for 100 just can’t compare to a wedding dinner for the same number. People are happy, laughing. Love is in the air and everyone comes prepared to have a good time.

If you’re getting ready for your wedding on Galiano Island, we’re looking forward to talking with you. We anticipate another summer of love and laughter, perhaps playing a part in your special day. ◊

Note: we created the menu above at left for one of the weddings we catered during the summer of 2010. This is a special service we provide, including one for each of your guests as well as a few extra for your scrapbook or wedding album.

Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free by Silvana Nardone

2010-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

It seems that, over the last decade or so, even the simple act of feeding ourselves has gotten to be a lot more complicated. I’m sometimes undecided: was it just that we all suffered in silence -- or at least in ignorance -- when we were kids? Or are we all just more vulnerable these days in a world gone mad with GMOs and other attacks on our delicate systems? Whatever the case, gone are the days when whole platoons of people could relax in the comfort of their “meat and potatoes” preferences. Lately it seems everyone I speak with is dealing with some sort of food sensitivity somewhere close to them. And as anyone who has dealt with these sort of issues knows, anything from a simple (and increasingly common) peanut allergy to lactose intolerance or gluten sensitivities can wreak havoc with a whole family.

This is just what Silvana Nardone had to deal with when her 13-year-old son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with food sensitivities to gluten and dairy. Nardone was forced to rethink every aspect of the way her family ate. The book that resulted from this exploration of whole new food worlds, Cooking for Isaiah (Sprig) could well be life-changing for less talented chefs in a similar position.

“I am not a doctor,” Nardone writes in her introduction. “I am not a nutritionist. I am not a trained chef. I am not a food scientist. I am just a mom who wants to feed her kids.” While all of this is undoubtedly true, more things are true, as well. For instance, unlike a lot of non-chef moms who “just wants to feed her kids,” Nardone is the founding editor of Every Day with Rachel Ray (in fact, Ray writes the introduction here). She’s also a cooking instructor and food consultant and the co-author of Saveur Cooks Italian. However, her understatement is your big gain. Cooking for Isaiah is anything but the floundering amateur chef mom’s attempts at getting dinner on the table. Cooking for Isaiah is simply stuffed full of recipes anyone could feed anyone. Beautiful food, simply prepared, gorgeously presented, lucidly shared. All of us should be as lucky as Nardone’s Isaiah.

Warm Beet Salad with Beet & Red Wine Emulsion and Feta Cheese over Arugala

2010-09-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

Though I’ve been evolving this dish over the last several years, I created this particular version for a wedding Foodisima catered earlier this month. The bride’s colors were “fig” and green and the gorgeous red of the beets on the bold green of the arugala fit the bill perfectly.

It’s fun when you can tailor a wedding menu to not only suit the wedding couple’s lifestyle and tastes, but the colors they’ve chosen for their special day, as well.

This salad is at its most delicious when served just slightly warm. Warmth brings out the earthy sweetness of the beets and the rich, salty flavor of the feta while arugala’s sharp bite provides a welcome counterpoint. Vegans take note: without the feta, this is a gorgeous vegan first course.

2 pounds beets
1 cup red wine
½ cup balsamic vinegar
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
4 wedges feta cheese

Scrub beets, remove greens and roast beets in a casserole with a tight-fitting lid at 425 F for 90 minutes or until beets pierce easily with a fork.

Allow beets to cool before removing skins. The cooked beets should slide easily from their jackets. Slice beets in ¼-inch rounds, set aside reserving approx. one quarter of the cooked beets. Place the reserved beets in a medium-sized pot with the wine and balsamic vinegar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until liquid reduces by half: approximately 15 minutes.

Puree beets, wine and vinegar with an immersion blender or food processor, adding salt and pepper to taste. When puree is very fine pour mixture through a fine sieve, pressing with a wooden spoon until as much liquid as possible has been pushed through. Set aside.

To assemble, warm cooked beet rounds slightly.

Arrange a bed of arugala on the plate. Mound one quarter of the sliced beets at the center of the plate. Surround this with about two big tablespoons of the beet and wine emulsion. Top with wedge of feta and serve.

Photo by David Middleton.

Cookbooks: The Geometry of Pasta by Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kennedy

2010-09-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

I was absolutely astonished to discover that The Geometry of Pasta (Quirk Books) is not some obliquely named self-help book, but that it is actually about... pasta. Not only that, it takes a sober, educational -- and even a little art school -- approach to the subject. The end result is the kind of cookbook that seems likely to find resting spots on chef’s bookshelves for a long time to come. It’s just very, very good.

The Geometry of Pasta is a collaboration between designer Caz Hildebrand (who has, among other things, designed the tastiest of Nigella Lawson’s rich and lovely cookbooks) and Chef Jacob Kennedy, co-owner of London’s very successful Bocca di Lupo.

The resulting book is, I think, probably one of the definitive works on pasta of all time. It is, as I said, low-key and considered. It is as much discussion about food as it is creation of it as Kennedy walks us through the history and evolution of hundreds of pasta shapes and recipes. And so we learn that corzetti are “large coins of pasta from Liguria,” and that fusilli “are an industrial semolina pasta, a triple helix, like an elongated propeller or fan blade.” There are tips for making pasta, for choosing it and for plumbing it for maximum enjoyment.

Many of the pasta entries are accompanied by Hildebrand’s gorgeous black and white illustrations. In her introduction to the book, she writes that the duo here offer “a guide to the geometry of pasta; pasta at its simplest and best, to be enjoyed as the Italians do.”

Found in the Forest

2010-08-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have to mark my calendar right now: set it up for next year. On this date, I found 2010’s first serious armload of chanterelles. Remember.

I won’t share the where with you. I can’t. The location is a secret so great, I only barely whisper it to my dog. But my delight -- year after year -- is unchanging. There is something so promising about that first glimmer of gold. The edge of that first cap. And then another nearby. And by the time I’d gathered my armload, visions of what they will become were dancing in my head. Back in my kitchen, I discovered I’d scored a generous half pound of perfect, golden forest chanterelles. Certainly enough to take a run at something wonderful.

So what will they become? Though the possibilities are vast, this time I think they’re speaking to me about meat. On my last visit to Salt Spring Island, I brought home some really special locally produced beef. The last steak from this terrific find is even now defrosting for my dinner. Some time later today, I’ll slice my beautiful mushrooms -- not too thin! Then, after I’ve cooked my steak in my favorite cast iron pan, I’ll let the chanterelle slices tumble into some melted butter I’ll have added to the pan juices. Sauteed briskly, I’ll add a bit of wine, then still more butter, finally pouring the result over the steak and some haricot vertes that I roasted while the steak and mushroom cooking was going on.

With a grind of sea salt and a glass of a big, velvety red I’ll sit on my deck and contemplate the view and the coming fall. One so filled with promise, it takes my breath away.

Curried Squash and Apple Soup

2010-08-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

You have to love the versatility of this smooth and delicious curried squash and apple soup. Sure: the character of the soup will be different if you use zucchini or pumpkin, but both results will be delicious. It’s forgiving, fast and so easy to make.

This soup is gorgeous in the bowl, served just as it is. For an elegant touch, add a swirl of balsamic reduction or a nice, heavy red pepper sauce. Or give it a delicious caloric boost with a dollop of crème fraiche or even sour cream or yoghurt. Sans the dairy products, though, this soup is vegan. But if you don’t tell anyone, they’re not going to notice: it’s rich on the palate and satisfying in every way.

3-5 lb. Squash – summer squash, butternut squash or pumpkin
1 large apple, chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – chopped fine
1 tablespoon good quality curry powder
1 teaspoon good quality garam masala
8 cups vegetable stock
2 cups coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute onions for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and sauté a further minute. A curry powder and garam masala and sauté another minute.

Scrape squash from skin and add to onion and spice mixture. Add chopped apple. Stir. Add vegetable stock and coconut milk. Cook covered on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend soup with immersion blender or potato masher. If the soup appears too thick, add water until, ¼ cup at a time, until desired consistency. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve and enjoy.

Photo by David Middleton

Discovering The Locavore Way

2010-08-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

So many people are talking about green issues these days, alternative lifestyles have gotten to be mainstream. Long gone are the days when a hostess could plunk a steak down in front of dinner guests without first asking about food preferences and considering the social and moral implications of such an act. In the West, we are critically concerned with the consequences of our actions and while, in broad strokes, that’s a good thing, on a micro level, it can get a little cloying. And you’ve encountered those books. Self-righteous finger-pointers waggling correctively at us while we choke on the meat fiber that would otherwise have been enjoyed.

Amy Cotler’s The Locavore Way (Storey Publishing) isn’t that book. Quite the opposite, in fact. Cotler brings the uninitiated joyously into the fold, while taking those already moving towards a slower food lifestyle more deeply into a world she is comfortable with: both to travel in and to share. She explains herself and her mission succinctly, then shows us how to get to where she’d like us to go: to a place where fresh food is simply cooked and joyously shared. She makes this sound like an attainable place. She makes it sound like Nirvana:

Imagine a healthy landscape, dotted with small farms raising food without ravaging the land, water and air, promoting better-nourished communities and local economies, and creating less dependence of the fossil fuels needed to transport food from afar.

As idyllic as she makes it sound, in subsequent pages she demonstrates that this is more than a distant vision. For many people, it’s a growing reality. With stories, profiles, recipes and tips, Cotler engages us with possibilities and ideas.

Here, from a slender book filled with great real-world examples of how to bring local and organic into your life, a list that breaks things down to its most essential components (something this author does very well):

Why Bother?
10 Reasons to Eat Locally Produced Food:

1. For the sheer pleasure of it.
2. To connect.
3. For the health and safety of your family and yourself.
4. For the health of our planet.
5. To boost the local economy, community and region.
6. For an open, working landscape.
7. To maintain biodiversity.
8. To support our neighboring farms and farmers.
9. To prepare our culinary heritage.
10. To give us a just choice.

The End of Gourmet

2009-10-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Shock waves are ringing through the foodie world today on the news that Gourmet Magazine -- an American staple since 1941 -- would cease publication. The mainsrteam press has been zinging with food metaphors. From The Globe & Mail:
In media interviews, the chief executive of Condé Nast Publications Inc., said the reason was simple: Gourmet, the oldest culinary monthly in North America, was losing money. Ad pages had fallen like an overdone soufflé, down nearly 45 per cent between January and September. With a staff numbering around 100, circulation stubbornly below one million, and its corporate sister Bon Appétit proving both cheaper to produce and far more appetizing to advertisers, Gourmet was taken out back and slaughtered like a terrified Thanksgiving turkey. Readers reacted as if they had lost a loved one. "Gourmet is like a bible," the Toronto-based chef Susur Lee said yesterday. "I'm a little depressed. When I heard, I called my wife to tell her the news. Something like that, you want to share with your family."
On Twitter, Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl was necessarily -- and characteristically -- succinct. “Dishes done,” she tweeted. “All gone. Great gathering at the house tonight. I so love the people I've worked with at Gourmet. Hard to believe it's over.”

Indeed.

Meze for a Crowd

2009-10-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

Middle Eastern meze, like Spain’s Tapas, are a fantastic way to eat. Small dishes, intended to encourage conversation and the shared consumption of a meal made out of many different flavors and textures. Foodisma’s meze could just as easily be called tapas... or even something else.

We’ve just uploaded Foodisma’s new tapas catering menu. One of the great things about this style of eating: it can easily suit a group a vegans, vegetarians or a mixed group that includes carnivores. And it’s so much fun.

We have yet to do mese for a wedding, but I think the possibilites in that context are interesting, as well.

Foodisima’s meze menu is here.

Welcome to... Foodisima?

2009-09-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

Though it’s a work in progress, we’ve just uploaded the Foodisima Web site which supports Foodisima’s catering and chef services for Galiano Island, British Columbia and the Southern Gulf Islands. Come and visit and let us know what you think and what the site still needs. (Aside from more menus, of course. We’re working on those!)

Happy weekend!

Looking at Cookbooks: Sips & Apps by Kathy Casey

2009-08-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Author, chef and expert mixologist Kathy Casey had me at Zen Turkey Dumplings. With peanut sauce. They are, in a way, typical of the type of food she’s opted to include in Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers (Chronicle Books). They are easy to make -- can, in fact, be made by a group, preparing to party together. And they represent interesting flavor and texture combinations and will please a wide swath of your potential party going public.

Sips and Apps is more about the Sips than the Apps -- sips win 69 to 35 in the number of recipes included. (Though variations bring the numbers up on both sides.) But the number included might also speak to the type of recipes chosen for both sides. The apps here are solid, basic, crowd-pleasing favorites. For the most part, you won’t have seen these recipes before -- Casey’s flavor choices and presentations are interesting and original -- but they are the sort of backbone recipes frequent hosts may very well come to treasure.

The Sips, though, are a different matter. Very good bar basics sections get things going in the right direction and by the time you’re ready to make a drink, you’ll know just what everything is. (And if you’ve skipped ahead, you can go back and look for whatever it was you missed.) So if you decide to make, for instance, a Strawberry Shag or a Rouge Pulp, you’ll know how to do it. There’s even a section called Clear-Headed Cocktails: gorgeous drinks with fruit and finish, but no alcohol.

Sips and Apps is excellent. Those who enjoy entertaining at home will find this to be a useful and interesting book.

Welcome to Mojitoville!

2009-07-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

It’s getting to be that time of year again: long evenings on the patio with a tableful of tapas and a mittfull of mojitos. Here's our favorite recipe. Feel free to tweak it... just don’t be tempted to leave out the rum!

Foodisima’s Mojitoville Mojitos

2.5 ounces rum
8 - 12 sprigs fresh mint
3 tablespoons simple syrup or sugar
juice of one half lime
ice
sparkling water

Muddle four to six sprigs of fresh mint in a tall glass. (Note: If you don’t actually have a muddler toss a teaspoon of granulated sugar onto the mint in the glass. The sugar acts as an abrasive, allowing you to mash things up pretty easily with a spoon.

Add rum, simple syrup and lime juice. Stir. Add ice, fill with fizzy water, garnish with the balance of the mint, grab your book, a shady tree and enjoy.

Food for Grown-Ups? Yes, Please!

2009-06-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

Adult food from The Accidental Hedonist:

There are foods that seemingly met with the approval of all age brackets. Chocolate is a gimme, as is pizza. Rare is the person who would turn down fried chicken, or a nice dish of ice cream.

Let’s go!

National Grape Popsicle Day?

2009-05-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

While that one seems like a bit of a reach, even to me, The Nibble here rounds up all of the completely unnecessary but very fun food holidays that I can’t actually imagine anyone observing. (Mentioning them, however, is something entirely different.) And, again while National Grape Popsicle Day doesn’t really sound like much fun for anyone (unless everyone was doing it) what about National Coq au Vin Day (May 29th) or National Mint Julep Day which, of course, should be on Derby Day but is, instead, on May 30th.

Hmmm... might be time to dig out my Coq au Vin recipe in honor of. I haven’t used it in a while and, after all, Coq au Vin is a wonderful thing. One shouldn’t really require an excuse.

The Nibble’s Food Holidays are here. Tip of the hat to Dying for Chocolate.

Respect for the Headless Chicken (and other semi-related tidbits)

2009-05-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

This has been a big month for chicken. First Oprah said she wanted everyone to try KFC’s new chicken (grilled not fried). Then the LA Times pointed out that Oprah’s chicken pointing outing made a lot of people mad. And then, still from The Times:

On a mildly related front, it's worth mentioning that it's International Respect for Chickens Month. And that we, uh, had two-front page Food section stories today about, um, buying them marinating them.

Finally, it seems a little ironic that, smack dab in the middle of International Respect for Chickens month, the weekend some people are making a bee-line for the Headless Chicken Festival. It’s possible that vegetarians will want to give Fruita, Colorado a miss this weekend, maybe head for the New Orleans Veggie Fest instead.

Roast Pork Loin and Asparagus with Wild Morel Sauce

2009-04-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

It makes no sense -- not even to me does it make sense -- but I’ve been craving -- and consuming -- pork all week. (This week, of all weeks!)

I tell myself it has something to do with building immunity, but it does not: the two thoughts are really not connected. It has to do with the fact that pork really is the other white meat: it has that terrific richness (they don’t call it “pork fat” for nothin’), is incredibly versatile and surprisingly economical, especially for a dish as luxurious and just wonderful as this one.

The technique seems to strike neophytes as weird and labor intensive, probably because of the different surfaces involved: from skillet to roaster to cuttingboard. It’s not really and it’s worth getting the hang of as it’s a useful technique for other types of meat. You can, for instance, do a really lovely steak this way, just cut the time appropriately.

This recipe will serve four. Add a starch -- some roasted potatoes or a bit of rice -- if you’re serving bigger eaters or just like the look of a filled plate.

Roast Pork Loin and Asparagus with Wild Morel Sauce

1 lb. loin of pork or thick boneless chop
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
10 ounces fresh morel mushrooms, halved lengthwise (sliced button or crimini will do, as well)
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 lb. asparagus, with ends cut or snapped

Prepare the asparagus by snapping or cutting the bottom inch of stalk. Lay the asparagus in a shallow ovenproof dish. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and brown the pork loin all over. Putting the skillet aside, transfer the roast to a foil-lined pan, bake in preheated 400 F. oven until juices run clear, approx. 18-20 minutes. When removed from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board and tent with foil to let rest at least five minutes before slicing and serving.

While the pork is roasting, go back to the original skillet. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pork scraps in the pan, then add the onion and soften over medium heat, about four minutes. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste, sauté until the mushrooms are cooked through, about eight minutes. (Slightly less if using common white mushrooms.) Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, stirring to deglaze brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add stock and cook for another six minutes.

Mix butter and flour and add to sauce and simmer until sauce is thickened. Add the parsley and pan juices from the pork a couple of minutes before the sauce is done.

While the pork is resting and you’re still fussing with your gorgeous sauce, pop your previously prepared asparagus into a 450 F. oven. Cook for seven to 10 minutes or until tender. Peek in roughly halfway through cooking and move the stalks around a bit so that they roast evenly.

Slice the pork and arrange beautifully on a plate with asparagus stalks and sauce.

Five Foods to Help Fight Swine Flu

2009-04-27T01:45:00.000-07:00

Pushing these immune-building foods as helping to fight swine flu in particular seems a bit sensationalist to me but, hey, I didn’t make it up. That part fell to “Internet Chef” Bridget Davis who, oddly enough for a chef, lists the foods, but leaves it up to us to figure out what to do with them.
When the World Health Organisation- WHO releases a global warning about a possible pandemic, currently swine influenza A (H1N1) or the swine flu public reaction tends to take one of the following forms.

You have your pragmatist or ‘well stocked pantry personality’ who is boy scout ready for any possible outbreak including stock piling face masks, bottles of drinking water and long-life batteries.
Lacking a recipe, I considered the five immune-building foods and it occurred to me that an answer could be very simple, indeed. If you were to combine the five, sauté slowly with a cup of coconut milk and then you poured the whole shebang over steamed rice, you’d have a rather lovely lunch.

Internet Chef’s list of the big five is here.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

In some ways, around here every day is Earth Day! We’re very concerned about sustainable food options and how to make your kitchen a happier, greener place. Because today the whole Foodisima team is being pulled around to Earth Day events, here are a couple of links to tide you over. Kaboose overs up a whole bouquet of Earth Day friendly recipes here. And January Magazine delivers a review of Alice Waters very important Edible Schoolyard as well as a contest to win one of five copies.

Happy Earth Day!

Chocolate Sorbet: the Other Ice Cream

2009-04-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

If you ever make your own ice cream, you know that there’s a lot of stuff in proper ice cream that aren’t especially good for the bits of you that you sit on. You can follow the urge to make ice cream “lite,” but -- on a certain level -- light ice cream just feels... well... wrong somehow. So when I came across this recipe for a rich, Mexican chocolate sorbet, something just clicked. It just feels right somehow. It’s a proper sorbet, so there’s absolutely no milk or eggs in this recipe, but it’s so rich you really don’t notice that they’re missing. It’s fabulous: but because it’s so rich, you really don’t need very much.

I love this recipe. It’s easy, rich, sinfully chocolaty and -- get this -- totally vegan not to mention ideal for anyone with food restrictions: it’s made out of almost nothing but water and chocolate.

Mexican Chocolate Sorbet with Bittersweet Nibs
from Cooking for Two (Chronicle Books) by Jessica Strand

¼ cup sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup cacao nibs or mini bittersweet chocolate nibs

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine ½ cup water with the sugar until dissolved. Whisk in the cocoa, then add the cloves and cinnamon. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from the stove and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Strain the chocolate mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl, then pour into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

When the mixture is nearly ready, add the chocolate nibs or mini-chips, and continue mixing until frozen. Serve immediately, or for a firmer consistency, place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours.

Use Your Dishwasher to Go Green!

2009-04-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

I always suspected that running a full dishwasher was more environmentally friendly than hand-washing. And now I have proof: Epicurious told me so!
Appliances might seem energy-intensive, but running the dishwasher when it's completely full is actually more energy- and water-efficient than hand washing. For an extra green measure, skip the heated dry cycle and let your dishes air-dry.
This from an article and video offering from the magazine by author and Better Homes & Gardens editor Danny Seo who offers up several suprisingly easy tips for greening up your kitchen. There’s tips on countertop and sponge cleaning, acceptable kitchen paints and this little snippet on choosing countertops that is not so easy, but is deeply interesting:
Choosing kitchen countertops is tricky business because many of the options can be harmful for you as well as the environment. For instance, granite is mined deep from the earth's surface (scarring the land and leading to erosion) and may emit high levels of radon gas into your home. Fortunately, there is an eco-friendly option: countertops made of recycled glass mixed into concrete. This durable composite doesn't require mining, uses mostly recycled materials, emits zero VOCs, and when tested for radon emissions, gets the lowest possible score. In addition, using this type of countertop can contribute to LEED certification—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a green building rating system. Recycled-glass-and-concrete countertops are available in a variety of styles and colors. Two of Seo's favorite sources are IceStone and Vetrazzo.
There’s lots more in the piece, as well as lots more to the series. You can find it all on the Epicurious Web site here.

Eggs Benedict Day

2009-04-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I’m a little bit distressed about the fact that I’m completely unprepared for National Eggs Benedict Day. I mean, let’s face it: Easter was less than a week ago so, of course, my egg supply has been depleted by design-mad colorists.

Even if I was prepared in the egg department, I’m not quite sure what I’d do to celebrate. Not make eggs benedict, that’s for sure. I haven’t made a proper eggs benedict since around the time I had a moonroof in my car. (To tell the truth: I still have a moonroof in my car, I just don’t call it that anymore.)

The trouble wasn’t with the eggs -- I’m a killer-mean poacher -- nor with the ham (since we’ve just had National Glazed Ham Day, the ham part won’t be problematic for most people... right?) and I usually have english muffins somewhere on the premises. No: it’s the hollandaise that gives me trouble. Not actually making it: it’s not that difficult to make a proper hollandaise if you follow a good recipe and make a commitment. And I certainly don’t mind eating it. The trouble is, when you make it you’re forced to acknowledge what’s in it, and what’s in it is not good for either my heart or my ass, two bits I’m quite fond of.

So, for me, when it comes to eggs benedict, ignorance is bliss. If you are bolder here are a couple recipes that likely won’t steer you wrong. The one, a classic bennie, is from Delia Smith (I love it when she says "squidgy" as she does in this one). Any recipe with "squidgy" in it can’t be half bad.) This recipe has been “Emerlized” so it’s not actually a benedict at all. (Looks good, though.) And this one is from mystery author Mary Daheim, so it’s a bit more about getting there quickly so you still have time to read. (You can argue for that.)

Happy Eggs Benedict Day!

Stinging Nettle

2009-04-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

It’s said that stinging nettle is good for almost everything. Depending on what you read, it has the ability to aid in the treatment of coughs, tuberculosis and arthritis. Nettle is an antioxidant and may have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbal and anti-cancer properties.

All of these cures have been proven to various depths, but none of them make nettle sound very appetizing. Yet it is. And while it’s a challenging vegetable to prepare, it can be incredibly satisfying to eat something that tastes this good that is so good for you, it makes steamed kale look like junk food by comparison. (OK: not really, but you get what I mean.)

While there are many preparations possible for this incredibly iron and mineral rich leafy green, I personally find the slight fuzziness that remains in most preparations a bit distressing. As a result, I’ve adapted a classic western European spinach preparation to nettles. It leaves absolutely no fuzziness behind and is great on its own or as a base for other recipes.

Pureed Stinging Nettle

½ pound nettles – choose the leafy tops of young plants
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the nettles carefully, using tongs to avoid being stung.

Blanch fresh nettles in boiling water for two minutes. Drain, reserving two cups of the liquid.

Process the blanched nettles along with two cloves of fresh garlic with a food processor’s steel blade. Set aside.

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for two minutes, until the flour is cooked. Add the chopped nettles and garlic and cook over low heat for seven to 10 minutes. You’re looking for a bright green, even puree, a bit smoother and firmer than a pesto. If the mixture appears too thick, add some of the reserved nettle water, a few tablespoons at a time. Cook, stirring regularly, until the garlic is cooked through. Serve over polenta, tossed into pasta or roasted potatoes.

National Pecan Day

2009-04-14T13:15:00.001-07:00

Did you know that pecans are the only major tree nut that is indigenous to North America? As a result, the pecan features richly in American history. All those pecan pies! But, also, it is well known that Presidents Washington and Jefferson enjoyed their pecans and the nut has been propagated widely and successfully in the United States since the 1880s.

Want to learn more about the history of pecans? Check here. Need information about National Pecan Day? That's here. Want to learn how to make a pecan pie? (And who doesn't?) Start here.

World's Biggest Cheese

2009-04-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

According to Holland Trade, in 2006, the biggest piece of cheese in the world was weighed in the cheese-producing city of Alkmaar in (unsurprisingly) Holland.

The Beemster cheese wheel weighed 600.5 kilos -- a little over 1200 pounds -- which Holland trade made the cheese "eligible for entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest piece of cheese in the world."

That's a lot of cheese!

Nutrition and Mushrooms

2009-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mushrooms picked in sunlight are a great way to supplement your Vitamin D. In his 2005 book Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World (Ten speed Press), Dr. Paul Stamets suggests that “populations where vitamin D is seriously deficient, sun-exposed dried mushrooms can help address a serious health issue.”

In 2004, Stamets made the discovery that the levels of Vitamin D in freshly picked Shiitake mushrooms grown indoors rose from 110 IU per 100 grams to 46,000 IU when they were placed upside down in the sun for six hours.

Upshot: we’ve always known that mushrooms are delicious. Now we also know they’re good for you, too.

Welcome to Foodisima!

2009-04-14T00:09:00.000-07:00

This is where we begin our journey of fun and food. Have a special topic you’d like to see covered? A recipe you can’t find anywhere else? Some food-related fact you’d like us to help you find? Let this be your starting point. We’ll begin here. No telling where the journey might lead us.