shrp knvs

this brunch is not for the faint of heart. it's complicated, requires a lot of ingredients, and has several moving parts. that being said it is worth every single ounce of effort, and it's not as challenging as it looks. i mean i may have made it while nursing a slight hangover. 

i feel like today is the perfect day to post it though, because i mean what better day for a massive delicious brunch than new years. 

this brunch is a wonderful combination. the chorizo replaces bacon and adds a certain sophistication yet maintaining that necessary weekend brunch greasiness. pan con tomate is not something i'd ever made before, but believe me i'm going to make it for every brunch from now on. i kid you not. this soggy, garlicky, tomato bread is like crack.

you need to get this entire brunch into your belly now. luckily i have leftovers.

sunny-side eggs with a chorizo radish hash and pan con tomate

chorizo and radish hash - 

ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb cured chorizo, roll cut in bite-sized pieces

1/2 lb fingerling potatoes, roll cut bite-sized pieces

10 fresh thyme sprigs, tied with twine

1 bunch scallions, thinly chopped whites and greens chopped into 1-inch pieces, divided

1 medium red onion, diced

1 small delicata squash, diced into 1/2-inch pieces, or can sub and use sweet potato (no need to peel)

2-3 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced into rings

6-8 small radishes, roll cut

2 tbsp unsalted butter

salt and pepper

fresh parmesan cheese

heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. once hot, add chorizo. cook for about 2 minutes to add some caramelization and to render fat.

once the chorizo has turned a deeper crimson colour and the fat has rendered, add the fingerling potatoes and season with salt and pepper. add the thyme bundle and cook until the potatoes are softening on the outside, about 3 minutes.

stir in scallion whites and diced red onion. season with salt and pepper again. cook another 3 minutes.

add the garlic, stir, and cook another 1 minute. add the squash and 1/4 cup water. stir and cover with a lid. turn the heat down to simmer. remove lid every few minutes to stir. cook until potatoes and squash are cooked through, about 6 minutes. meanwhile prepare the pan con tomate (see below).

once the potatoes and squash are tender, uncover and add the chopped tomato scraps from the pan con tomate, the sliced shishito peppers, cut radishes, and butter. stir and then cook, uncovered over low heat while you cook the eggs. after five minutes, remove from heat. divide the mixture onto plates with the pan con tomate.

pan con tomate -

ingredients:

2 small loaves of ciabatta or other crusty bread

2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise

2 ripe tomatoes

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

olive oil

slice bread in half and then half again so you have four square-shaped pieces of bread.

in batches toast the bread in toaster. slightly over-toast the bread so there is a dark colour. once toasted rub the cut side of the bread with a halved clove of garlic. then mash the cut-side of a quartered tomato into the cut-side of the bread. rub the tomato in vigorously, crushing and pressing it in. use 1/4 tomato per piece of bread and reserve the scraps. add these scraps to the potato hash.

sprinkle sea salt and pepper on each piece of bread and then drizzle with olive oil. divide 2 pieces of bread between each plate.

sunny-side eggs -

ingredients:

4 tsp butter, divided

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise

2 fresh bay leaves (optional)

8 large farm eggs

salt and pepper

crack two eggs into a bowl. heat one tsp butter and tbsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. before the butter is entirely melter add half a clove of garlic and half a bay leaf to the skillet. swirl the garlic around with a fork for 10-15 seconds. once the butter has melted remove the garlic and the bay leaf.

turn the heat to low and gently add the two eggs. season with salt and pepper. you can use a spoon to scoop some butter and baste the uncooked sections of egg. leave the eggs on low heat until whites are cooked through.

slide the eggs onto one of the four plates and serve with potato hash and pan con tomate.

to serve, garnish with thinly sliced scallion greens and cover in grated parmesan cheese.

with the year rapidly coming to a close and the summer weather in december ending this week, i felt the need to give a little throwback to the summer. nothing screams summer like a bbq. this meal doesn’t really require too much time on the bbq, which is ideal for the winter weather when you’d rather not be outside for more than a few minutes if you can avoid it. it still maintains that summer feel though.

rainbow trout is a great local fish that often comes from our own rivers in ontario. this is certainly a nice change from salmon or most white fishes which are imported thousands of kilometres. this take on the taco has a really unique flavour combination and certainly isn’t something to be missed. 

rainbow trout tacos

pickled slaw - 

ingredients:

1/2 head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced, about 4 cups

1/2  red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

combine all slaw ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl and mix well. cover and place in fridge for several hours before serving.

cilantro mayo -

ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

juice of 2 limes, about 1/4 cup

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

add all mayo ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth. refrigerate until ready to use. makes about 1 and 1/2 cups.

marinated rainbow trout - 

ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin powder

1 and 1/2 lbs fresh boneless rainbow trout fillets (can substitute salmon if desired)

salt to taste

6 corn tortillas

whisk together all marinade ingredients and pour over fish. place in fridge and allow to marinate for 30-60 minutes.

heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat without any oil. once hot place fish in pan and cook for 4 minutes on the first side. carefully flip fish and cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through.

carefully peel away skin and break fish into large chunks.

place tortillas onto hot bbq and roughly char the outside. do not overcook or the tortillas will not be malleable.

divide fish among warm charred tortillas, top with pickled slaw, and drizzle with cilantro mayo. serve on a warm plate with a wedge of lime.

another delicious post made with my good friend nicole who has been featured on this blog quite a number of times. this time unfortunately i started work at midnight and even though it was an argentinian style meal with red meat and red wine would have been perfect i had to refrain. the others at the dinner didn’t exactly follow my lead.

chimichurri sauce is a green sauce from argentinian cuisine served with meat. it is made with different green herbs. there are many different ways to make it, here i chose to use cilantro and parsley mainly because i had a lot of cilantro lying around. i always find a bunch of cilantro or parsley is way too much to easily use. this recipe helps you put all those herbs to good use so they don’t end up in the trash can.

so grab some red meat, some green herbs, and a little hot red pepper for colour and kick and treat yourself to this south american classic. definitely serve some red wine with it also, assuming of course you aren’t unfortunate enough to work the graveyard shift.

cilantro chimichurri sauce

ingredients:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 red chile pepper

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

3/4 cup olive oil

flank steak, or other meat to serve sauce with

combine vinegar, salt, garlic, shallot, and chile in a medium bowl. let stand for 10 minutes. stir in herbs (cilantro, parsley, and oregano). with a fork, whisk in oil. alternatively can be prepared with food processor on low setting.

meat can be marinated with 1 cup of chimichurri sauce (reserving rest to serve with meat), or with another marinate of choice. marinate 3 hours, or overnight. grill on bbq, or broil in oven.

allow meat to cool and slice against grain. serve with chimchurri sauce on top.

this post was inspired by a trip to loblaw’s and an incredible deal on a whole duck. i don’t usually make whole duck, i usually just buy the breast. when i walked through the meat section i noticed the duck on sale. i looked closer and the entire duck was 10 dollars. i couldn’t believe it, you can't even buy two chicken breasts for that. dinner plans had been made.

this recipe is a great holiday meal and duck is delicious. it’s richer than chicken and albeit more expensive, sometimes you can get amazing deals, if you just look.

whole roasted duck with a blackberry and blueberry sauce

whole roasted duck - 

ingredients:

1 whole duck (2-3 kg)

6 cloves, whole

all-spice

peppercorns

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp salt

several sprigs cilantro

3 garlic cloves

grind together cloves, all-spice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper until a fine powder.

trim off excess fat and skin from the duck and discard. wash and pat duck dry with paper towel. with a sharp knife, make superficial criss-cross incisions across the skin of the duck breasts. this will help the fat drain as it roasts.

rub the entire duck, inside and outside, with spice mix. stuff the crushed garlic cloves and cilantro inside the duck cavity. truss the duck if desired.

refrigerate the duck for several hours or overnight.

preheat oven to 350 F. place duck into a large and deep roasting pan with the breast side up. roast in centre of oven for 1 hour. baste and brush the duck with the duck fat while roasting.

flip the duck breast side down and roast for another hour. flip the duck back breast-side up and turn the oven temperature up to 400 F. roast for another hour. continue brushing the duck with the duck fat while roasting.

remove the duck from the oven and allow to sit on a cutting board for 5 minutes before carving. strain and reserve the liquid duck fat and save in fridge or freezer as it can be used for many other recipes.

blackberry and blueberry sauce - 

ingredients:

1 small container blackberries

1 small container blueberries

handful of fresh mint, finely chopped

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp butter (or some preserved duck fat)

combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and heat over low-medium heat. once warm and simmering smash fruit with a wooden spoon and then blend with an emulsion blender.

ok. this post ends a long hiatus. you know i’m not sure exactly when the blog started trailing off, but at some point the urge to post was overwhelmed by the effort to do it and things just dropped off. i was a bit ashamed about that and would scrounge together an odd post here and there. but going back on to write something else would just kind of remind me of how little effort i’d been putting into it. sure it would be easy to just blame it on being “busy” but it’s not that. i have the time. i’ve just been neglecting it. 

i won’t say that’s magically all going to change, but this month has been an interesting one of reflection for me, and i definitely plan on readjusting my time to focus on things that are important to me. this blog is clearly one of them.

so without further ado i will get onto this incredibly quick and easy dinner i whipped up. i’m really proud of this recipe. i made the recipe up myself on a whim, and it turned out better than i ever could have expected. 

give this guy a try, its quick, relatively easy, and healthy. a great weeknight dinner that is also guaranteed to impress.

cajun tilapia with roasted butternut squash and a black bean and corn salsa

roasted butternut squash - 

ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes

1 tbsp ground cayenne pepper

1 tbsp chilli powder

1/2 tbsp onion powder

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

couple dashes sea salt

3-4 tbsp olive oil

preheat over to 425 F. pour oil and spices over squash and toss so it is all evenly coated. spread cubes onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. place into centre of preheated over and bake for 20 minutes. toss and turn the oven temperature down to 400 F. cook until easily poked with a fork, another 15-25 minutes.

black bean and corn salsa - 

ingredients:

1 can black beans (about 500 ml)

1 can corn kernels (about 350 ml)

1/2 cup tomatoes, diced

2 handfuls of green onions, chopped

1-2 handfuls of cilantro, roughly chopped

1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar

drain black beans and corn and mix together in a large bowl. add tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. toss with balsamic and red wine vinegar. add salt to taste.

cajun tilapia -

ingredients:

2 fillets of tilapia

1 tbsp of salt

2 tbsp chilli powder

1 tbsp cayenne pepper (optional for added kick)

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

heat some oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. meanwhile make spice mixture, pat fish dry with paper towel and rub spice mixture into both sides. sear the fish 3-4 minutes on each side, longer if a thick filet. carefully remove from pan and plate.

when the weather gets colder stews and soups are more and more appealing. i especially love making curries in the wintertime. they have a richness of flavour that can really warm you up on a cold day.

this malaysian curry is delicious and has complex flavours. the chicken and shrimp are a wonderful combination. i paired this meal with a nice wheat beer and it was a heavenly winter dinner.

laksa - coconut curry soup with shrimp and chicken

ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

olive oil

3/4 lb chicken breast fillets, sliced into thin strips

1 hot pepper, diced

1 1/2 oz thai red curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 lb vermicelli noodles

12-15 shrimp, cooked and peeled

garnish - 

2 green onions, sliced diagonally

1 cup bean sprouts

fresh coriander

lime wedges

bring a large pot of water to a boil. once boiling add vermicelli noodles and stir to prevent sticking. cook for 5-7 minutes or until well cooked. drain and set aside.

meanwhile, in a separate large pot bring chicken stock to a boil. heat oil in a large saucepan and brown chicken strips in batches. don't worry if not fully cooked. reserve.

add diced hot pepper and curry paste and cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat. add boiling chicken stock and coconut milk. also add cooked shrimp and chicken. bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

divide noodles among bowls and cover with chicken, shrimp, and soup. add garnishes as desired. serve hot.

i've taken another long break from this blog. something i never like doing, but will stop apologizing about. sometimes i get distracted, sometimes i get lazy, sometimes i'm busy, it doesn't really matter. sometimes i also just want to put up a post. 

this post is from a while ago but perfectly fitting for the end of fall. it provides the fall staple - the pumpkin - with a rich and hearty (and healthy!) curry. if you've read this blog before you'll know i love pumpkins. they're awesome. i've made pumpkin pie, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin ravioli with a sage butter sauce before. they were all delicious if i do say so myself. today i introduce the newest member of the shrp knvs pumpkin family, and something you will want to make again and again.

oh and by the way, it's totally vegan. that'll make it more popular right? maybe? whatever, this dish is so delicious you won't even care.

pumpkin lentil curry

ingredients:

2 small pie pumpkins (if you can't get you can also use a large can of pumpkin puree from your freezer, or the store)

2 cups dried red lentils

olive oil

2 small onions, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth, more as needed

1 can coconut milk

curry spice mixture - 

2 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

couple large pinches red pepper flakes

preheat oven to 400 F.

slice and scoop the seeds of the pumpkin. these can be reserved and baked for snacks or garnish if desired. slice the pumpkin meat into wedges and arrange on a baking sheet.

combine curry spices in a bowl. cover the pumpkin wedges in some oil and half the spice mixture. reserve the other half of the curry spice mixture. place the pumpkin wedges in the oven and continue to turn regularly. roast until soft, 30-40 minutes.

heat some oil in a large pot over medium heat. add the chopped onions and sautee until softened, about 8-10 minutes. 

once the pumpkin wedges are soft, remove from the oven and peel away pumpkin skin. roughly chop the pumpkin (it should be very soft and almost mash at this point).

add the remainder of the curry spices to the onions and cook for 1 minute. then add the pumpkin cubes. stir and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, partially mashing the pumpkin cubes.

add the broth and bring to a simmer.  stir in lentils and coconut milk. simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes until thickened and the lentils are soft.

i figured with another beautiful post call day again today i might as well stay in the summer seafood theme.  this is another recipe from a dinner i made with my wonderful friend nicole.  there was unfortunately no sailboat this time ... i guess i wasn't invited back to the boat.

ceviche is a meal i love in the summertime.  for those who don't know, ceviche just means a seafood dish where instead of cooking the fish with heat, you cook it with citrus.  this sounds like a strange concept until you try it and then you watch the fish "cook" in front of your eyes simply in the citrus.

the end result is an incredibly fresh and easy dish that is served cool.  perfect for a hot summer day like today.

peruvian ceviche

leche de tigre (aka the citrus "cooking" solution) -

ingredients:

2/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 habanero chile, seeded and halved lengthwise

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup bottled clam juice (optional)

salt

set a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl.  purée lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and habanero chile with 4 large ice cubes until smooth.  add onion.  pulse 3-4 times.  strain and stir in clam juice (if desired) and salt.  cover and chill.

nb - in peru the leche de tigre is believed to be both a hangover cure and an aphrodisiac, so use responsibly!

ceviche - 

ingredients:

1 small sweet potato

1 ear of corn, husked (or one can of corn)

1/2 habanero chile, seeded and halved lengthwise

1 lb fluke, flounder, sole, or tilapia (or other white fish), cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

salt

cilantro leaves for garnish

pour water pot fitted with a steamer basket until 1 inch of depth.  bring to a boil.  add sweet potato and cook in steamer until just fork tender, about 30 min.  transfer to plate and let cool.

meanwhile add more water to the same pot and bring to a boil again.  steam corn until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes.  if using canned corn you can skip this step.

halve potato lengthwise and, using a melon baller, scoop out potato balls.  alternatively cut into chunks.  cut kernels from corn cob and set aside.

rub a large bowl with the cut chile, the discard.  place fish, 2/3 of onion, leche de tigre, and 4 large ice cubes in the bowl, stir well.  let marinate for 2-3 minutes then remove ice.  fold in potato and corn and season with salt.

using a slotted spoon, divide into small bowls or onto plates.  drizzle with leche de tigre from the bowl and garnish with remaining onion and cilantro.

this summer hasn't been the hottest and the weather hasn't been the most amazing (especially last week), but i was post-call again today and up by my parents pool and got a great taste of the summer that most certainly is still left.

it also inspired me to put up this post from a couple weeks ago where i really made the most of a nice summer day and went to relax in the sun on my friend francois' sailboat.  dylan and i chilled there also with my friend nicole (who has previously been featured on the blog a few times as my partner in cooking crime) and had a few drinks in the sun.  

later that day i kept in the nautical theme with a perfect summer seafood dish that is light and delicious.  this dish is just so perfect for the summertime from the light and rich grilled avocado, to the crisp shrimp, to the salty bacon tying it all together.  not one to be missed.

grilled avocados stuffed with shrimp and bacon in a tomato vinaigrette

ingredients:

6 slices bacon

4 small, ripened tomatoes, such as campari, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 lb (35-40 per lb) small peeled, deveined shrimp

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

4 medium-large avocados

to prepare the vinaigrette fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7-8 minutes.  remove bacon and place on a paper towel, but do not drain pan.

add tomato and garlic to the same skillet and fry in bacon grease until softened and the pan in deglazed, 1-2 minutes.  transfer to a blender and add sugar, vinegar and olive oil.  blend until smooth.  season generously with salt and pepper.  

note: vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to use.  this recipe will make more vinaigrette than is required, but it's great to use for salads or wraps as well.

preheat grill to medium-low.  

wipe skillet clean and heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  fry the onion for 1-2 minutes.  then add the shrimp and stirring constantly cook until shrimp are pink, 2-3 minutes.  remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of vinaigrette to the shrimp as well as the chives.  stir in half of the crumbled bacon and set aside.

cut the avocados in half and remove the pit.  brush with some oil and place cut-side down on the grill until seared and warmed, 2-3 minutes.  transfer to plates and divide shrimp mixture between the avocados in the hollow.  drizzle with some additional vinaigrette and top with the remaining crumbled bacon and chives.

serve warm and enjoy this summer seafood treat.  and if you're so lucky get out on the sailboat too.

so this post is a day late, but in exchange i've thrown in a double recipe.  i've barely slept in the past two nights, so cut me some slack if there are typos also haha.

this pork tenderloin and risotto is exceptionally tasty.  it's a recipe modified from the lcbo catalogue (my fav) and as usual it is delicious and has a very sophisticated flavour.  sage combined with a hoppy or wheat beer makes for a succulent sauce for the pork, and the gruyère risotto can't be beat.

this is a recipe you need to try.  i've made and modified it at least 4 or 5 times now.  plus when you cook with beer, you also get to drink the beer.  it's really a fool proof way to cook.  

sage and beer pork tenderloin with gruyère and cranberry risotto

beer-glazed pork tenderloin - 

ingredients:

2 medium pork tenderloins (about 3/4 lb) cut to fit in pan

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp fresh sage

1/2 cup beer (nb - i used an ipa, a wheat beer would also work well)

2 tbsp apricot jam 

1 tbsp brown sugar

preheat oven to 350 F.  season pork with salt and pepper.  in an ovenproof pan that just fits the pork heat 1 tbsp butter over medium-high.  brown pork on all sides.  about 10 min.

cook in over until internal temp 150 F, 25-40 min depending on thickness of pork.  remove pork from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

in the same sauce pan heat remaining butter and sauté sage for 1-2 minutes.  add beer, brown sugar, and jam.  reduce the sauce over medium heat until it becomes a thick glaze.

gruyère and cranberry risotto - 

ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme or sage, finely chopped

1 cup arborio rice (nb - i had a red rice on hand so used it for some nice colour, any risotto rice will work)

1 tsp lemon juice

pinch of salt

4 cups beef stock

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup gruyère cheese (you can substitute for emmenthal), grated

in a large saucepan heat oil over medium.  add shallots, garlic, and thyme with a pinch of salt.  cook until shallots are fully tender, about 10 minutes.

stir in rice, combine well with shallots.  add lemon juice.  add enough stock to just cover the rice.  stir well.  once the stock has been absorbed continue to add stock 1/2 cup at a time adding more once the last addition has been absorbed.  continue until rice is al dente, about 20 min.  you may need more or less stock depending on your type of rice.  

in the last few minutes of cooking stir in the cranberries.  just before serving add the gruyère and butter and allow to melt.

serve with sliced pork and drizzle with sage and beer glaze.  garnish with fresh sage.

when you're post-call as i am today, or really anytime you've been up most of the night, a hearty breakfast is like a dream come true.  a while back i made this brunch with my friend nicole.  nicole has been featured on this blog a few times as she is often my cooking partner in crime.  usually we do dinner and drink a tiny bit too much wine, but this time we decided to make brunch one weekend when i was post-call.  we may or may not have also made mimosas to drink also ... no seriously, i'm not sure, i can't remember.

either way this brunch is fantastic, and worse the effort as it's a wonderful twist on one of the most classic of brunches: eggs benny.

nb - don't be afraid of the hollandaise, we made it perfectly the first time we tried and i was operating on less than an hour of sleep the night before, so i'm sure everyone else we be fine.  just remember that patience is critical when making hollandaise, so don't rush.

eggs benedict with avocado and potato home-fries

roasted potato home-fries - 

ingredients:

1/2 lb russet potatoes (or any type of roasting potato)

4 tbsp duck fat (use bacon fat or olive oil if you don't have duck fat, or want to be healthy or something strange like that)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 springs thyme

salt and pepper

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  wash and cut the potatoes into a medium dice and add them to the water.  boil for 5-8 minutes or until they are fork tender.  drain well.

place a cast iron skillet on low heat and add the duck fat.  once heated, add potatoes and turn the heat up to medium-high.  cook, turning often, for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and have a crispy exterior.

turn off the heat and add the minced garlic and thyme.  toss for 1-2 minutes and season with salt and pepper as needed.

remove to a plate and keep warm or serve immediately.

hollandaise sauce

ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup melted butter

pinch cayenne pepper

salt to taste

whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice in a metal or glass bowl until the eggs are light in colour, and thickened.

meanwhile heat about 2 inches of water in the bottom of a saucepan to simmering, and place the bowl on top without allowing the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.  alternatively use a double boiler.

the key here is slow heat, don't try and heat anything too quickly because if the egg mixture gets too hot it will scramble. patience is key.

continue whisking the egg mixture rapidly and slowly drizzle the melted butter into the eggs until the sauce in thick and doubled in volume.  remove from heat.

add cayenne pepper and salt.  cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

eggs benedict with avocado - 

ingredients:

4 eggs

1 tsp vinegar

1 avocado, sliced

2 english muffins

paprika for garnish

poach in a small non-stick skillet with a few inches of water.  add the touch of vinegar to the pan and bring the water just barely to a simmer.

crack an egg into a small glass bowl.  when bubbles appear on the bottom of the pan, carefully pour the egg into the water.  repeat with other 3 eggs.  cover the skillet and turn the heat down to low.

allow to cook for 4 minutes.  longer if you want the yolk cooked through.  remove from water gingerly with a slotted spatula and place on paper towels.

toast english muffins and assemble 1 half piece on each plate with sliced avocado on top.  carefully place poached egg on top of avocado and drizzle with warm hollandaise sauce.  

sprinkle with paprika for a nice garnish and serve with roasted potatoes.

another call shift, another post-call blog post.  now there's nothing better than some comfort food post call, but it's pretty easy to fall into the trap of unhealthy eating.  luckily this recipe is both delicious and satisfying but also very healthy.  it's chock-full of root vegetables, which are great for you.  you can read about them here if the pictures below don't convince you to make this vegan curry.  

give this bad boy a try.  your mouth and stomach will thank you today, but your heart will be the one thanking you down the road.

root vegetable curry

curry spices - 

ingredients:

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cayenne

pinch of ground cloves

curry base - 

ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups onions, chopped

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

1 tbsp ginger, chopped

1 red chilli, chopped

1 cinnamon stick

vegetables - 

ingredients:

2 cups squash, peeled and diced

2 cups jerusalem artichokes, peeled and chopped

2 cups carrots, peeled and diced

2 cups parsnips, peeled and diced

1 can (400 ml) coconut milk

1/2 cup canned tomatoes, crushed

3 cups packed kale or baby spinach

1 tbsp lemon juice

combine all spices in a bowl and set aside as curry spice mixture.

heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  add onions and some salt.  saute for 10 minutes until soft, but not browned.  add garlic, ginger, and chili and saute for another 2 minutes.  stir in spice mixture and cinnamon stick.  cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

raise heat to medium and add squash, artichokes, carrots, and parsnips.  toss and saute for 1-2 minutes.  then cover and cook until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

artichoke hearts have a very distinct flavour, and add a great deal to this dish.  worth tracking down.

add coconut milk and canned tomatoes.  if using kale remove the stalks and add it now.  bring to a boil, boil for 1 min then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and vegetables soften.  

if using spinach add and simmer until just wilted.  remove cinnamon stick and season with lemon juice as well as salt and pepper.

ok so i'm finally on a rotation with overnight call again (internal medicine!) and my call schedule is 1 in every 4 nights.  so i'm going back to my old habit of putting up a recipe on a post-call day.  at least i'm gonna try and put one every post-call day, i promise at least 1 per week.

for my first post back in a while i figured it best to throw up a recipe fitting for the season aka summer.  there's nothing quite like a frozen drink when you're on a beach.  this post actually dates back to when i was in florida last summer, but it's just as fitting for a beautiful day like today.  

so grab some liquor, some frozen fruit, and maybe even a few of the little umbrellas and go nuts.  it is summertime after all.

raspberry daiquiri 

ingredients:

1 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

8 oz white rum (for 4 drinks worth)

6 oz lime juice

8-12 oz simple syrup (depending on your sweetness preference)

ice

club soda to top

fresh mint

make your simple syrup ahead of time and allow to cool in the fridge.  combine frozen berries and fill rest of blender loosely with ice.  add lime juice, and rum.

blend in pulses at first and then on high until smooth and pours easily.  you can add your club soda to reach desired consistency at this point.  i found otherwise the drink can be a little too thick to drink easily.

garnish with some fresh mint and of course a little umbrella.

earlier this week i wrote a post about breakfast sandwiches two ways.  i thought it only appropriate to follow up with a lunch classic: grill cheese, but sophisticated.

so a helpful tip for everyone out there, if you say something has caramelized onions in it, it sounds impressive.  people associate them with being gourmand and seem to overestimate how difficult they are to make.  really they're dead simple, the only thing required is some patience.

this lunch is absolutely perfect for a cool, rainy day, and given the chilly weather we've been having recently it's perfect with a nice tomato soup like i did here.

caramelized onion and mushroom grilled cheese

ingredients:

crusty bread (you can buy some nice crusty bread, or try the recipe here)

1/4 c grated cheese mix (i used cheddar and mozzarella)

1/2 onion, diced

4 mushrooms, sliced

handful spinach

heat a frying pan over low-medium with some olive oil.  add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes until they begin to become translucent.  

add the mushrooms and continue to cook over medium heat for another 10-20 minutes (depending on how patient you are) stirring regularly.

meanwhile slice your bread, lightly butter the outsides, and add the cheese to the unbuttered sides.  carefully add some of the mushroom and onion mixture.  i like to also throw on a little spinach for some colour.

in the same frying pan, or a new frying pan, cook the grill cheese over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until one side is golden brown.  carefully flip, reduce heat and allow the other side to get a nice brown colour and the cheese to melt.  

if your bread is thick and the cheese isn't melting, turn down the heat and throw a lid on the frying pan.

allow your cooked grill cheese to cool and set for a couple minutes, and then serve with your soup or salad.

it's been a while and i've got no excuses.  i just took too long off.  so i'll stop talking and put my money where my mouth is with a double post: two super easy and delicious breakfast sandwiches, 'cause who doesn't like breakfast?

breakfast sandwiches 2 ways

bacon, kale, and egg breakfast sandwich - 

ingredients:

bagel

couple slices tomato

kale

bacon

1 egg

cheddar cheese

get your frying pan over medium heat and put the bacon into the pan while the pan is still cold.  this will help the bacon cook to a crispy deliciousness without burning.

once the bacon is cooked to your desired crispiness, remove to a piece of paper towel to remove excess grease. meanwhile toast your bagel.

prepare the kale by removing the thick stems from several pieces and reserving the leafy pieces.  into the same pan crisp up the kale until slightly browned and brittle.  these will almost taste like kale chips now.

fry the egg and melt the cheese on top and then assemble the entire sandwich with your favourite salsa, or with some siratcha sauce. 

avocado, kale, and prosciutto breakfast sandwich with jarlsberg cheese -

ingredients:

english muffin

1/4 avocado

prosciutto

jarlsberg cheese

kale

egg

heat a frying pan over medium-high until hot and then quickly crisp the prosciutto for 1 min/side.  remove from heat.

crisp the kale as above.

as before, fry the egg and melt the cheese on top and then assemble the entire sandwich with your favourite salsa, or with some siratcha sauce. 

boys and girls we're back.  i took a long time off posting and i'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen again.  i've just started on my surgery rotation which means i have call again.  and that means post-calls equal shrp knvs blog post days.  this is great for me, because i've been so lazy with the blog and i'm not happy about it.  well no more for now.

recently i went away to mexico to an all-inclusive resort.  let's just say the resort we picked catered to partying rather than food and well my diet for the week was not too hot.  fruits and vegetables weren't really anywhere to be found.  by the end of the trip and as we were coming home my cravings for fresh, healthy food and for vegetables grew stronger and stronger.  i knew i wanted to make something delicious and healthy for when i got back to toronto.  

i came across this recipe online and it seemed yummy, healthy, and quick to make.  i was sold.  a quick trip to the store and some modifications and changes to the original recipe and i was ready to go with something even tastier.  the experiment didn't disappoint at all, and with only 30 minutes of prep/cooking time, this is a great weekday meal option.

tuscan chicken and chickpea skillet

ingredients:

olive oil

1 lb chicken breast fillet

salt and pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapenos (optional)

12 oz mushrooms, sliced

2-3 fresh tomatoes

1 15 oz can of chick peas

1 bag spinach

2 15 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 tbsp sugar

parsley for garnish

season chicken with salt and pepper.  heat oil in a large saute pan or skillet over high heat.  once hot sear chicken for a couple minutes on each side until browned.

remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool.  (don't worry if chicken isn't cooked through, the chicken will continue to cook in the sauce later)

add some oil and return the pan to the heat.  brown the mushrooms on each side for a couple minutes, working in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan.  remove from heat when browned.

add the onions to the pan and saute for a couple minutes.  add garlic and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes.  stir in the diced tomatoes, spices, chickpeas, and sugar.  reduce heat to low.

return the chicken to the pan and cover in sauce.  add the spinach and cover pan until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes.

return mushrooms to the pan.  season to taste.  serve hot and garnish with parsley.

ok so i cheated.  i didn't post and i was post-call yesterday.  my bad guys.  but i was post-call and spent the whole day studying because earlier today i had my OB/GYN exam.  now that's done though and here i am busily making up for my slacking earlier by giving you a double post today.  hope you enjoy, even if its a wee bit late.

this post is from a while ago and i just rediscovered all the photos.  the timing couldn't have been better since all this cold weather has made me crave some nice soups.  i will definitely be re-making this delicious mushroom soup on the weekend with some crusty bread on the side.  i found a "secret" new method for cooking bread that gives you a really tough crust, but a melt-in-you-mouth centre that is absolutely perfect for soups.  check out the trick below!

creamy wild mushroom soup with crusty bread

creamy wild mushroom soup - 

ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth

50g dried porcini mushrooms

4 tbsp butter

5 tbsp chopped shallots or 1 medium onion

650g wild mushroom mixture

1/4 cup brandy (optional)

2 tbsp flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

fresh rosemary for garnish

in a saucepan over medium heat, boil 2 cups chicken broth.  add the dried porcini mushrooms once boiled and remove from heat.  allow to stand for 20 minutes until the mushrooms fully rehydrate.

strain (saving the broth) and remove the mushrooms to a cutting board.  coarsely chop.

in a larger saucepan, over medium heat, warm the butter and toss the shallots, sauteing until they turn clear - about 5 minutes.  add rehydrated porcini mushrooms, and other fresh wild mushrooms.  cook stirring for 5-7 minutes, adding some of the broth to loosen the scrapings from the bottom of the pan.

pour the brandy in and cook until nearly entirely evaporated, about 2 minutes, then sprinkle mushrooms with flour and mix well.

pour in the remainder of the broth, and the remaining chicken stock.  reduce heat to low and cook, simmering, for about 30 minutes.

transfer the soup to a blender, or with a hand blender, pulse until desired consistency.  pour back into saucepan, add cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.

garnish with rosemary or drizzle with olive oil and serve with rustic crusty bread.

crusty bread - 

the key to this bread is cooking it in a dutch oven or heavy covered pot.  this traps the steam in and gives you a tough outer crust without over cooking the inside of the dough so you can still have the soft and delicious interior as well.  it's a really useful tip and i use it for all kinds of other breads also, such as baguettes, to keep the inside tender and to get a crusty exterior.  this recipe would also be absolutely perfect for bread bowls for chilis or soups.  definitely worth a try.

ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp instant dry yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

in a large bowl whisk flour, yeast, and salt.  make a divot or well in the centre and add in the water.  with your hands mix the dough until it all comes together.

cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm dry place for at least 12 hours (over night works well also).  i used the microwave (not turned on) to keep away drafts etc.

half an hour before you're ready to bake, put the dutch oven into the oven and preheat the oven to 500 F.  this well help make the outside really nice and crispy.

remove the dough from the bowl and plop it onto a well floured surface.  press it out just a bit with your hands. pull the top third down to the center, then pull the bottom third up to the center. do the same with the right and left halves of the dough. turn the dough upside down so the seam is underneath. take a large, clean dish towel and sprinkle flour on the center. place the dough onto the floured towel, seam side down. sprinkle flour over the top of the dough. carefully remove the dutch oven, open the lid and, using the towel, place the dough into it, seam side up (these will make the cracks in the crust). cover the pot and put it back into the oven.

bake for 30 minutes. remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes. remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. 

serve warm with fresh butter and creamy wild mushroom soup.