22 April 2014 Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Top Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Top Pie

April 22, 2014 By

Rhubarb PieEver since my grandma cut stalks of rhubarb from her garden, peeled them, sprinkled some sugar on them and fed them to my sister and me as kids, I’ve had this love for the spring vegetable.

FruitsThis pie truly covers all bases, slight tartness from the rhubarb, sweetness from the strawberries, flaky crust and great texture from the crumb top. Don’t be intimidated to try this pie because of the pie crust, the following recipe calls for a crust made in the food processor that’s a breeze to make….or, just get a store-bought crust!

Sugared Fruit

Sugared Fruit

Crumb Top Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Pie Ingredients:

  • 9” Pie crust, unbaked
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups rhubarb, cut into ¾” pieces
  • 2 cups strawberries, halved (or quartered if large)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp. salt

Crumb Top Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt.
  2. Using your fingertips, incorporate the butter with the flour until large clumps form. Chill, covered, until ready to use.
Crumb Top

Crumb Top

Pie Directions:

  1. Place pie crust in a 9” pie plate and refrigerate for one hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb and strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Let sit for 15 minutes then pour into pie crust. Sprinkle crumb top mixture over the berries/rhubarb.
  4. Place pie on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until topping is browned and crust is lightly browned, about 1 1/2 hours. (If topping or crust begins to brown too quickly, tent with foil.) Cool before serving.

8 servings.

Adapted from this recipe.

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
7 April 2014 Caprese Salad for #MeatlessMonday

Caprese Salad for #MeatlessMonday

April 7, 2014 By

CapreseI know it’s not technically a “recipe” but wanted to share my fresh and delicious caprese salad made with yellow cherry and kumato tomatoes. Just think the yellow and greenish/purple looks beautiful and I had super fresh Mozzarella so paired perfectly with a drizzle of Greek olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar. 

Just a simple, fresh and delicious entry for #MeatlessMonday!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With:
24 March 2014 Maple Fondue

Maple Fondue

March 24, 2014 By

Maple FondueAnother simple yet tasty maple recipe to help celebrate sugaring season. This fondue is great with fruit and other products typically served with chocolate fondue.

Recipe is courtesy of my aunt, Francoise.

Ingredients :

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  • 2 cups light cream
  • Fruits for dipping

Directions :

  1. In a heavy, medium pot over medium heat, simmer the maple syrup for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Set aside for later use.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the corn starch with 3 tablespoons of cold light cream.
  3. In another medium pot, bring the rest of the light cream to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the hot cream to the maple syrup and whisk over medium heat until fully combined. Raise the heat to medium-high and once the maple/cream mixture comes to a simmer, add the corn starch mixture. Whisk until thickened, about 3 minutes.
  5. Place the maple mixture in a fondue pot over a heat source and serve with various fruits.

Serves 6 people.

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Fruits, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , ,
22 March 2014 Tangy Maple Dip

Tangy Maple Dip

March 22, 2014 By

Maple DipEvery year, I feature some maple recipes at the start of maple season in Quebec. I have fond memories of going to the sugar shack growing up and each year, I engage my family and friends in sharing maple recipes with me for the blog. This one is from my aunt, Francoise.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup tomato catsup
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. green relish
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions :

  1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and process for 1 minute, or until smooth.
  2. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight – the dip will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Filed Under: Canadian, Maple Syrup, Sides, Starters Tagged With: , ,
17 March 2014 Meatless Bolognese Sauce

Meatless Bolognese Sauce

March 17, 2014 By
Portobello

Portobello

I’m not 100% sure my grandma would approve of me using her meat sauce recipe to create a meatless version, but it’s deeply-flavored and satisfying with pasta, gnocchi and in a lasagna. Perfect for #MeatlessMonday.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 5 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 8 large Portobello mushrooms, small diced
  • 1 ounce dried porcini, ground to a powder
  • ½ Tbsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt & pepper
  • ¼ tsp. cloves
  • 1 tbs. sugar
  • 1-20 ounce can tomato juice
  • 1 small can of tomato paste
  • 1-28 ounce can Italian-style tomatoes, chopped
Grinding Porcini

Grinding Porcini

Directions:

  1. Sauté onion and celery in oil for 5 minutes in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. 
  2. Add garlic and sauté another minute. 
  3. Add the Portobello and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the porcini powder, the spices and sugar and cook 1 minute. 
  4. Add tomato juice, paste, and Italian-style tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Re-season with salt and pepper if needed.

Makes 8 servings.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Italian, Mushrooms, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
16 March 2014 Individual Chocolate Challah Bread Pudding

Individual Chocolate Challah Bread Pudding

March 16, 2014 By
Bread Soaking

Bread Soaking

Challah Bread

Challah Bread

Rich buttery Challah bread, egg custard and chocolate – what could be better? To make this delicious bread pudding a bit more elegant for a recent dinner party, I baked it in individual ramekins.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1 pint half-and-half
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 loaf unseeded, day old Challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ½ cup dulce de leche
Unbaked Bread Pudding

Unbaked Bread Pudding

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter eight 4.5-ounce ramekins.
  3. In a medium saucepan, bring the half-and-half, cream and sugar to a slow boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate has melted.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add the warm cream mixture to the eggs and whisk until completely combined. Add the bread cubes to the custard and push them down to ensure they’re covered. Allow the bread to soak up the custard for 30-45 minutes.
  5. Ladle the custard and bread into the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  6. To serve, drizzle dulce de leche onto the bread puddings and top with a scoop of ice cream.

Serves 8.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, Eggs, French Tagged With: , , ,

Easy Mardi Gras Beignets

March 4, 2014 By
Photo by Eat with Dan

Photo by Eat with Dan

Mardi Gras is the perfect excuse to make a batch of soft, pillowy beignets. My issue with ‘standard’ beignets recipes is that they involve yeast and getting just the right warm water temperature. Who really wants to go through that on a week day?

This recipe is one that everyone can be successful with as all the ingredients get combined then fried. I know oil and frying can be intimidating, but with a heavy, deep pot, it’s a breeze.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 quarts vegetable or canola oil for frying
  • ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the baking powder, flour, salt and granulated sugar. Add the ricotta cheese, beaten eggs and vanilla and whish until combined. Stir over medium-low heat for 2 minutes – batter will be sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy, deep Dutch oven or pot until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees. Oil should come no higher than a third of the depth of the pot. Taking this precaution will alleviate the risk of overflowing.
  3. Add the confectioners’ sugar to a medium paper bag.
  4. Drop tablespoonful of batter into the hot oil, 4 or 5 at a time, ensuring oil remains at 375 degrees. Fry the beignets until golden brown, about 3 or 4 minutes.
  5. Add hot beignets to the paper bag and shake to cover in confectioners’ sugar – the more sugar on the beignets, the better.

Makes 3 dozen beignets.

Filed Under: American, Desserts Tagged With: , ,
25 February 2014 Easy Chicken Tarragon

Easy Chicken Tarragon

February 25, 2014 By

Chicken TerragonThis is a recipe I grew up with as it might have been my mom’s signature dish. Simply a comforting meal with lots of flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 2 tsp. tarragon
  • 3 ½ cups ( 1-750 ml bottle) white wine
  • 1-8 ounce pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • ½ cup yellow mustard
  • 1 tbs. corn starch
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place chicken in a bowl and coat with mustard.  Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat.  Brown chicken on all sides.  Add tarragon, mushrooms, and wine and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to medium, salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 45 minutes.
  2. Remove chicken pieces from pan and add cream to the sauce.  Simmer 5 minutes.
  3. In a glass, mix water and cornstarch and add to the sauce. Let mixture thicken for 3 minutes.
  4. Return chicken to the sauce and re-season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve over white rice.

4 Servings.

Filed Under: Canadian, Chicken, Entrees, French Tagged With: ,
24 February 2014 And the gold goes to….Team Canada

And the gold goes to….Team Canada

February 24, 2014 By

FlagYesterday, the men’s hockey team from Canada won the gold at the Sochi Olympics. I’m a huge hockey fan and was thrilled to see my countrymen win the gold (since the USA didn’t make it, especially).

 Here are 5 traditional Quebec dishes to help celebrate the big win.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Canadian Tagged With: , ,
20 February 2014 Beef Pot Pie

Beef Pot Pie

February 20, 2014 By
Beef Simmering

Beef Simmering

The first thing that comes to mind when pot pie is mentioned is the creamy, chicken kind. On a cold winter Sunday, I just love the comfort of beef simmered slowly in wine and aromatics. I had some puff pastry on hand and opted to combine the two comforting dishes: pot pie and simmered beef.

Beef in Gravy

Beef in Gravy

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp. each sat and pepper
  • 2 ½ pounds beef stewing meat, trimmed and cubed
  • 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. each thyme and oregano, chopped
  • ½ tsp. rosemary, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 package prepared puff pastry sheets
  • 1 egg, beaten
Puff Pastry Top

Puff Pastry Top

Directions:

  1. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches (if needed), sauté the beef in the oil until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the pan and set aside for later use.
  2. In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the onion, carrot and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in smoked paprika, herbs, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook for an additional minute while coating the vegetables with the aromatics.
  3. Return the beef to the pan, add the stock, red wine, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Combine the cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water. Turn the heat up to high and bring the stew to a boil. Pour the cornstarch mixture in the stew and stir gently until the gravy has thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove bay leaves from the stew.
  5. Preheat the oven to 400. Butter a 2 quart ovenproof dish (I use a souflee pan) and add the stew.
  6. Cut a circle of pastry two inches larger in circumference than your dish. Brush the outer rim of the dish with some of the beaten egg then place the pastry on top and pinch the pastry onto the rim. Cut 2 slits into the pastry and brush it with the rest of the beaten egg.
  7. Put the dish on a cookie sheet and place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or just until the pastry is golden brown.

Serves 6.

Note: If you have beef stew leftover after filling the dish, serve it over mashed potatoes.

Filed Under: American, Beef, Entrees, Irish Tagged With: , , ,
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