Dad's Rotisserie Pork Roast

Dad's love of entertaining and cooking for crowds has always inspired me. My childhood memories from the cabin are full of large dinners with family friends, usually involving a large peice of meat cooked on the rotisserie. I'm lucky that some of dad's cooking creedos have stuck with me: brown everything (sugar, butter, meat), always use the full fat option (cream, butter, cuts of beef), some recipes take time and the one thing I'm still trying to learn: relax in the kitchen!

I realized last weekend as we were grilling up this roast why Dad always chose it for those summer weekends when cooking for crowds: you can prep everything the night before, then by the time you're a few beers deep, all you have to do to get dinner on the table is sit out on the deck in the sun, looking like a hero as your roast sizzles to perfect doneness. I don't often cook pork, but I remeber Dad's pork roast being as good as beef. I picked this one up from Costco, it could easily have served twenty people, and cost me a total of $30! It came out so juicy and flavourful. If you've never tried it before, it's so worth it, and it's not at all like ham.

I had to trust Dad for this recipe, something that doesn't come easily to me! When he brought out the cumin and curry powder I was weary - told him I didn't want an Indian pork rub, but he just laughed and told me to trust him. What resulted was the perfect rub to compliment the pork. Using the rotisserie was easier than I expected, and I feel as though it's a dying method that no one uses anymore. I'm definitely going to bring it back this summer! We were lucky enough to share this roast with dear family and friends after a pretty classic day at Brereton - a bit of work, walking the dogs, and a lot of shooting the shit at the Kippen's picnic table.  

Leek and Gruyere Tarts

Having enjoyed a couple of 20 degree days I think we can start cautiously proclaiming that spring has arrived. Today on my morning walk with Steeler I didn't just see geese passing over head, but three white swans. The potluck gals will recall seeing two swans on the Rennie River last October, how amazing that they're already heading back for the summer! Pretty magical way to start a Tuesday. 

Leeks scream spring. Huge shocker: puff pastry, onion and cheese for dinner was a winner. This made an insanely quick and easy week night dinner. Likely considered a brunch or lunch recipe by most however as soon as the snow melts I don't mind having a smaller dinner so long as my glass of wine isn't downsized accordingly.  This rich tart should've been accompanied by a salad, but that wasn't in the cards given what we had in the fridge. I didn't make the puff pastry from scratch. When it comes already rolled out in parchment from Safeway or Sobey's freezer section, why bother. 

Korean Salmon and Brown Rice Bowl (Bibimbap)

Cue the cabin fever - by this point in February the patience is unfortunately disappearing faster then the snow and ice. Waking up to an extreme cold warning a few mornings in a row induces cravings for something warm and comforting, preferably served in a bowl allowing it to be easily spooned into one's mouth while watching trashy reality TV. Mac and cheese or gnocchi would've been an obvious choice for me, but Bibimbap is certainly up to the challenge. The spicy sauce and soft rice warm from the inside but you also get the nutrient bonus from the veggies, whole grains and good protein. 

Having recently discovered Korean cuisine at a mall food court, I'm obviously an authority on it. After trying the Bibimbap from KIM CHI a few times then ordering it twice in one week from the korean sushi place at the top of our street, I'm convinced that it just might be one of the most flavourful, but still fresh tasting, Westernized Asian food I've ever tasted. I've only ever ordered it with beef bulgogi - and have no idea whether it would ever traditionally be made with baked salmon, but it certainly works. I marinated the salmon in a bulgogi style marinade to imitate the  usual flavour.

The fiery sauce is definitely the key to this dish, which is achieved by using a korean red chili paste called Gochujang. Much to my surprise I couldn't find it at Superstore (not even the one on Pembina with the expansive asian food isle) - but found it easily at the ING Supermarket near the U of M. Using good salmon is also important. I've only recently started enjoying salmon and I find the individually packaged, frozen, farm raised bag of Kirkland salmon from Costco to be the most palatable. Marinating it over night might be excessive to some, but I like the fishy flavour to be completely masked. 

Austrian Goulash

I am often inspired in the kitchen by places we've been and specific memories of travel. Our honeymoon was an absolute gold mine of culinary experiences (Italy, Austria, Germany and France). Although we loved each and every spot visited, Dave and I felt most comfortable in Salzburg, Austria. Salzburg made us want to quit our jobs, and move, a la House Hunters International.

I wasn't a stranger to the Austrian and German dishes we ate on our honeymoon. Dave's family all hail from Germany so over the years I've tried many of the classic dishes (rouladen, schnitzel, red cabbage). However, I think Austria was the first time both of us ever tasted Goulash. Dave probably ordered it mostly for the novelty factor. Where else do you get to look a server in the eye and order goulash. I'm not sure what you think of when you hear the word "goulash", but the Austrian version, likely borrowed from Hungary, was a thick stew like dish, heavy on paprika and sweet onion flavour. After trying it in Austria and loving it, we also found it on a menu in Munich and couldn't resist.

On our honeymoon, we would too often eat breakfast, first lunch, second lunch, first dinner and sometimes second dinner. The picture above of the massive platters of goulash with spaetzle was a second dinner - perhaps the reason you can see some sweat on Dave's brow. I think the key to getting this one right at home is to find good hungarian sweet paprika and to caramelize the onions. 

 

Ravioli in Broth with Arugula

Monday and Tuesdays in the Winter, after a long day of work, often all I want to cook, or eat for that matter, is a steaming pot of soup. Making soup at the beginning of week usually means I get at least one lunch out of it, also a bonus. Dave and I are usually ready for a lighter dinner when the start of the week rolls around. While Dave graded tests, I whipped up a quick pot, and we were able to take 10 minutes out of our busy evenings to huddle together around our bowls of vegetables, pasta, broth and cheese. 

One of my go to recipes for soup is this Three Cheese Mushroom and Tortellini Soup from my favourite healthy cooking site Skinnytaste. That recipes method of using a parmesan rind to flavour the broth, very much inspired this one. Cooking stuffed pasta in a broth and calling it a soup is a wonderful way to enjoy pasta, without a ton of guilt. You get the satisfaction of ravioli, but you're not eating a plateful in a butter laden sauce. I like to put arugula on/in anything I possibly can - and I loved the freshness it added to this soup.

Braised Bison Short Rib Ragu on Porcini Pappardelle

I am really excited about this recipe. The method for braised beef short ribs that inspired this post, found on the Simply Recipes site here, is my winter go-to for snowy weekend meals. 9 out of 10 people  I've prepared this recipe for request an explanation of how to make it, always a good sign. We recently hosted a dinner party for ten people and I knew the rustic flavour of short ribs would be perfect, but I also knew that cooking two whole short ribs per person wouldn't be possible (budget and dutch oven capacity issues). Enter Ragu. Shredding the short ribs into a sauce and serving over buttery egg noodles allowed me to be more casual (i.e. cheap) about how many ribs were required per person. Shredding before serving also meant I could remove all the fatty and unpleasant bits - so that every single bite was moan inducing. Although this recipe is cooked over a few days, it's easy and allows you to prepare everything beforehand, thereby being the perfect recipe to entertain with. Plus I love serving guests beef, on a chicken budget. 

I haven't prepared a lot of bison in my short life, but I can say with certainty this will be the first of many adventures in cooking Manitoba's mascot. Ever since the St. Norbert's Farmers Market announced their online store I've been eyeing the various bison cuts offered by Storsley Bison Ranch (of Beausejour). Their bison is grass fed and raised with no antibiotics or growth hormones. Compared to beef, bison is low in fat, calories and cholesterol and is a good source of iron. When you're not a huge meat eater, like me, this means consuming bison pays nice dividends. Also, consider that it is truly a Manitoba food - more so than any other immigrant or settler food we often think of as defining Prairie cuisine. What food could be more prairie than an animal that has lived here well before confederation, was a staple of indigenous cuisine, that itself subsists on the very grasses that define what a prairie is? I could go on... but I'll spare you.

Perhaps the very best part about cooking bison this past weekend was that it gave us the excuse to invite our friends Delaney and Bhavesh over for dinner. Bhav doesn't eat beef, so I knew he would appreciate coming over for a classic red meat meal, without a hint of beef in the ingredients. Delaney will eat anything. When usually I would've used beef stock to braise, to keep it beef-less, I used a combination of chicken and vegetable broth, and the recipe didn't suffer in the least. If you don't want to go to the trouble of finding bison, you could absolutely use this recipe to cook beef short ribs (I prefer the ones that Sobeys sells). 

One last local plug: the Nature's Farm pasta I crowned with the bison was a key player in this recipe. I've been coveting their Porcini Pappardelle for a few months now, and was so thankful to find it available on the online farmers market. Using good pasta makes all the difference in this dish, and nothing beats Nature's Farm pasta made with their amazing fresh, free run eggs. 

Beet Risotto with Seared Scallops

Is there anything better then tender scallops atop creamy risotto? To cap off the most fantastic thirtieth birthday, I made dinner for Dave and I after a day spent at the new Thermea spa here in Winnipeg. I figured after being in a robe, bare faced with naturally dried hair (fro) - getting dolled up for a dinner would seem more like a chore then a celebration. Scallops and risotto seemed like an appropriate choice for such an occasion.

If you've been over to our place for dinner, you've likely had my mushroom risotto, which is largely based on this recipe from allrecipes.com. I first decided to make this beet version this summer for my potluck girls when my horticulturally inclined friend Naomi gave me some beets from her garden. I like the contrast of combining a sophisticated dish like risotto with a subterranean vegetable like the beet - very prairie. I figured a few weeks before Valentine's Day this would be a great recipe to share with you - given the neon pink colour. Red meat is generally my go to for a Valentine's Dinner, but scallops are the way to go - they are a decadent splurge that won't leave you feeling too full for whatever the rest of the night entails for you.

With the goal being to make the brightest risotto possible, I used the broth needed for the risotto to boil the beets in so that not a drop of the pigment went to waste. I usually roast my beets for the intensity of flavour, but for this one, boiling is quick, easy and leads to ruby red rice. I recommend cooking the scallops after you've finished preparing the risotto. They only take a few minutes to cook and they will need your undivided attention. I used the frozen scallops from Costco. Be sure to take them out to thaw in the fridge 24 hours before you need them. I let them thaw covered in paper towel with a weighted plate on top to ensure that all the liquid is squished out and absorbed - otherwise when you go to cook them the may "weep" and then not brown. Take them out of the fridge to come to room temperature before cooking. 

Warm Quinoa and Roasted Cauliflower with Balsamic-Tahini Dressing

It's back to work and school. Dave just started back into his Masters classes, every Thursday night he's not home ... which means I feel not an ounce of guilt when I make a meatless dinner. 

Another recipe with tahini in it. I don't know what it is, but there is something so addicting about the flavour. I love the concept of mixing quinoa with any roasted veggie, tossing it in a dressing and adding cheese and other yummy toppings. It is pretty healthy for being so comforting. This recipe can basically be a choose your own adventure - I often roast sweet potato and mushrooms along with the cauliflower. And then instead of the feta and pea shoots you could do anything (goat cheese, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds etc). To me, it's more then satisfying as a meal, but you could add a chicken breast to the top or maybe some chickpeas if you insist.

Simple Cottage Pizza with Arugula on the BBQ

Disclaimer: This is more of a method of combining a bunch of store-bought items than it is a recipe.

One of my favourtie things about living on the prairies (at least where we are) is the proximity to beautiful Canadian Shield lakes and boreal forrest. This May Long weekend I was lucky enough to make this pizza twice - once for my bestest gal friends at Liz's cabin on Lake of the Woods, and a second time for my family at our cabin on Brereton Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park.

I love "recipes" like this one for the lake. Generally - we are either starving after arriving on Friday night, or we are more then a few beers deep after a beautiful day on the water. The last thing you want to do at the cottage is spend hours in the kitchen or to have to turn  on your oven. The key to this one is to purchase delicious, high quaility ingredients (preferably from a great Italian Store like Delucca's). With an evening like we had on Saturday (see picture below), I was so thankful to have something so quick and easy to throw together. I sometimes make my own pizza dough and sauce - but who wants to miss out on dock time to go start the rising process - not this sun worshipper!

The Best Borscht

Well it's May 13th, so it's technically been "spring" for almost two months now, but it's going below freezing tonight, with a risk of snow flurries. Solution: Borscht of course! It's warm and comforting but with the colour, flavour and freshness of spring. I generally cringe at the thought of cabbage soup (perhaps from many attempts at the horrible diet of the same name that I used to suffer through before I saw the light). However, this version of borscht for some reason doesn't produce that cabbage stench - and for that reason alone you should try it.

I have made many different borscht recipes over the years, some very simple and some more complex, and this one is the winner. I was largely inspired by a favourite blogger Coffee & Quinoa in her post here. She caught my attention when she noted her Grandma Jane's similar search for the perfect borscht recipe. Her recipe was adapted from Mollie Katzen's The New Moosewood Cookbook. My only substantial change to her recipe is the addition of Paprika - a flavour I fell in love with honeymooning in Austria and Germany, filling my face with goulash (romantic). I bought some delicious Hungarian Paprika as soon as we came home because I think it's a great secret ingredient for adding savoury depth to a dish. It goes so nicely with the caraway seeds.

There are a lot of ingredients and a few extra steps in this recipe than most soups, but all the ingredients are cheap and easy to find. There is a fair bit of chopping, which I find therapeutic. The extra bit of time and steps are worth it. There is a real richness to this soup that is shocking when you consider there's only one tablespoon of butter.