Arrivederci a la bella Italia

Two wonderful weeks, countless amazing meals, and best of all the charming, friendly and hospitable people of Italy, added up to the very best holiday. Lots to digest and write about...as I spend the next several hours on the plane wending my way home, I'll begin to relive the delicious journey. Watch this space!

Daring Cooks Challenge: Three Spice Pâté and Homemade Bread

Deep into my Italian adventures, I completely missed the 14th, and the posting day for the latest Daring Cooks challenge.  But at least I did plan ahead and before leaving, made one of the delicious pâtés that Daring Cooks hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, and Valerie of The Chocolate Bunny, chose. Along with pâté, the June challenge called for freshly baked bread. They provided us with four different pâté recipes to choose from and allowed us to go wild with our homemade bread choice.

I chose to make the Three Spice Liver Pâté, adapted from Ravenous Couple, which was inspired by White on Rice Couple. For the bread, I made one of my favourites: Six Hour Artisantal Bread.  The rustic and chewy bread, with its crackling crust, was just right with the pâté.

Three Spice Liver Pâté

Yields one 10 x 5 inch terrine or loaf pan

1 lb pork liver (or beef or combination)
½ lb ground pork
½ lb pork fat (or pork belly)
2 cloves garlic
2 shallots
1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp coriander (ground or crushed)
½ tsp cumin*
¾ tsp salt
1 tbsp coarse freshly cracked peppercorns
2 tbsp cognac
2 bay leaves
1 package of bacon

*I roast and grind cumin seeds as needed, rather than buying gound cumin.  The roasting (done by heating the cumin gently in a pan over medium heat until fragrant), gives a richness to the cumin that store-bought can't replicate.

1.  Preheat oven to to 350ºF (180ºC).

2.  Cut liver and pork fat into small pieces and add to food processor. Add ground pork, garlic, shallots, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Grind until smooth.

3.  In mixing bowl, incorporate the meat and liver mixture with the cognac and eggs.

I used duck eggs for extra richness

4.  Line bottom of baking or ceramic pan with overlapping pieces of bacon. Place a bay leaf on the bottom and then fill with meat/liver mixture. Cover top with another bay leaf and then overlapping pieces of bacon.

5.  Place in oven in the larger baking pan and add enough water to cover 2/3rds of the pan containing the meat/liver mixture. Bake for about 1-1.5 hrs, and remove from oven.  The pâté will contract and the juices will be on the bottom. Allow to cool and soak up the juices. Remove any excess bacon and discard the bay leaves.

Six hour bread has crusty goodness

NB.  I clearly didn't read the directions carefully and left the bacon on - oops.  Must be my love of all things pork.

The pâté was part of a Sunday brunch spread, a birthday celebration with dear friends.  Watch for upcoming posts on the rest of the menu: Fire Roasted Chicken; Three Cheese Fritatta and a super-lemony panna cotta with the season's first strawberries.

The table set for a celebratory feast

Roasted garlic for the chicken

Italy Bound!

On my way to Italy for two glorious weeks, where I hope to eat lots of amazing food. And hopefully catch up on some blog posts that have been laying fallow. Follow me on Twitter for the blow by blow - or should I say bite by bite? A presto, tutti!

In Season: Grilled Spot Prawns with Spring Asparagus

There's that funny phenomenon in life when you happen to notice the same thing over and over again. Like when you buy a new car and suddenly it seems EVERYONE is driving the same model. That’s what happened to me with spot prawns. Had them for the first time just two weeks ago at Malena in a gorgeous spot prawn risotto with a crustacean brodetto, artichoke and cumin. And then there they were at Fisherfolk at the farmers' market last Saturday.  With no plans for dinner, we bought a pound, firmly frozen in sea water and picked up a bunch of fresh asparagus from Anne at the Wooler Dale Organic Farm stand. It was the perfect way to eat our first outdoor meal of the season.

I had never heard of spot prawns before, and it's good to know that they're deemed an acceptable seafood buy.  According to SeaChoice, which rates and ranks the sustainability of seafood:

"The spot prawn industry is currently centred on exports; over 90% of the prawns caught in our waters end up in Japan. At the same time, the imported, unsustainably harvested, and arguably less-tasty prawns from Asia are readily available on the Canadian market. It seems counterintuitive to think of flying all those little prawns around the world, when given sufficient local demand, consumers could affect these trends and make this product more readily available here in Canada."

The best part about these spot prawns is the simplicity of preparation.  A simple grill with the shells on, a squeeze of lemon, and the already salty prawns are ready for a happily messy meal.  You can also marinate them in an Asian style marinade. If you are lucky enough to get sashimi grade, try them raw. 

Grilled Spot Prawns
serves two

1 lb. sashami grade spot prawns
olive oil
2 lemon halves

1.  If frozen, thaw prawns and rinse well.  Dry on a tea towel.  If using a marinade, put the prawns in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.

2.  Heat a grill (either gas or charcoal) until hot.  Grill the prawns for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until just done (shells will be slightly charred)

The "spots" that give these prawns their name

3.  Serve immediately, squeezing lemon juice to taste before eating.

Simple Grilled Asparagus
serves two

Asparagus can be prepared in many ways, and combines beautifully with any number of ingredients.  Best of all though, is fresh just-picked spring asparagus, lightly grilled, and topped with a shaving of local cheese.

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
Olive oil
Salt to taste or grated cheese (such as Parmigiano Reggiano)

1.  Light a charcoal or gas grill on high.  Arrange asparagus crosswise on grill.  Cook, turning frequently, until lightly charred.

2.  Remove from heat, toss lightly with olive oil and salt, and top with grated cheese if desired.  We used a lovely sheep's milk from Monforte Dairy.

A little bit of quinoa rounds out the meal

Be sure to have plenty of wet napkins on hand for sticky fingers!

The garden lights come on, ushering in twilight and the end of a perfectly delicious dinner

Quick Bites: Summer Salsa Salad

Now that the days are long, the sun is shining, and suppertime can linger well into the evening, it’s time to simplify dinner with something light, easy and delicious.



Enjoying lunch at Waupoos Estates Winery in Prince Edward County

The inspiration for this salad started with salsa-flavoured cheese curds purchased from Black River Cheese Company in Prince Edward County. Curds are one of the few types of cheese that should be eaten fresh, ideally within a day or two of manufacture. We bought a bag to nibble on as we drove through the County, but there was plenty left by the time we got home. With no time for grocery shopping, the curds, combined with some fresh mixed lettuce, avocado, tomato, and a light vinaigrette, made an easy meal that was the perfect way to end the weekend.

Summer Salsa Salad
serves two for dinner

4-6 c. mixed greens, such as romaine and butter lettuce
1 large tomato, diced
½ avocado, diced
one bag fresh cheese curds (about 8 oz)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sherry vinegar
sea salt or Maldon salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.  Combine first four ingredients in a bowl and toss lightly.  Add next four ingredients, toss until combined, and serve with crusty bread alongside.

Use any type of firm cheese, cubed, for this simple supper salad.  To up the fiesta flavour, add diced red peppers and marcona almonds

Spring in a Bowl: Fava Bean, Wild Leek and Grilled Scallop Risotto

Seems that everyone in Toronto is shopping for fava beans these days, and some of us are even making the same thing with them.  Just about the time that I was reading about Isabelle's risotto with fava beans, fiddleheads and snow peas, I was making a batch of fava bean risotto of my own.  With fleeting spring greens like wild leeks and favas in season for just a few short weeks, it's worthwhile to seek them out this weekend at the farmers' market - even if you have to battle the Greek yiayias to do so.

Liz's Spring Risotto
serves 4

This delicious seafood risotto uses a hint of pancetta and chicken broth.  For a vegetarian version, omit the pancetta and use vegetable broth instead.

1½ lb. fava beans (unshelled weight)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (enough for ¼ c)
2 oz. pancetta, chopped (optional)
Freshly ground pepper
⅓ c chicken broth
2 tbsp each unsalted butter and olive oil
One bunch wild leeks (ramps), rinsed and chopped (white and green parts)
1½ c. arborio rice, unrinsed
½ c. dry white wine, divided
4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated to a slow simmer
10-12 fresh sea scallops

1.  Shell fava beans and wash in cold water.  Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan and sauté 2 tbsp of the shallots until they are translucent.  Add the pancetta and sauté for another minute.

2.  Add the fava beans and pepper, and stir until coated.  Add the ⅓ c water, cover the pot and cook over low heat for five minutes or until just tender.  Take off the heat and cool slightly.

  

3.  Divide the beans in two batches and puree half.  Set aside whole and pureed beans in one bowl.

4.  Cook the scallops next.  I use my handy cooktop to grill the scallops until they just opaque; you can also broil the scallops, or, if you have a second cook in the kitchen, do them over an outdoor grill just before adding to the risotto (see step 7).  If you are cooking at this stage, set aside when cooked and proceed with risotto recipe.

4.  If you haven't done so, rinse and chop the wild leeks, and set aside.

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and foamy.  Add the remaining shallots and sauté until the shallots are translucent and golden. 

5.  Add the chopped wild leeks, and sauté for about a minute.  Add the rice and continue cooking gently, ensuring all of the rice is well coated with the oil.

6. Now the fun - and the slow cooking - begins.  Add the wine and stir slowly until just evaporated.  Continue adding the hot broth slowly, half a cup at a time, waiting until the broth is absorbed, before adding more.  Stir the rice constantly to ensure that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan, and make sure the rice is not boiling at too high a temperature point.  The rice should take about 25 to 30 minutes to cook.  The risotto is done when the rice is chewy witn a slight firm centre - al dente.

7.  Stir in the grilled scallops and the reserved fava beans, heat through briefly and serve immediately.

Farmers' Market Find - Fresh Duck Eggs

There's always a treasure trove of wonderful food at the market - in season now are ramps, fiddlehead ferns, asparagus, fava beans. Seeing all those delicious greens reminds us that summer is practically here. 

But don’t forget to look for something new in the basics too. I first tried duck eggs last spring and was immediately hooked. It starts with the eggs themselves – beautiful mottled colours, all slightly different in size and shape, each egg looking as if it were cast of marble. These are eggs harvested by hand, not sorted by a machine.

The real prize is inside. While the eggs are virtually the same size as chicken eggs, the yolks are bigger and a deeper hue of yellow, the white pristine white. Use them for everything that you would normally use eggs for, but to appreciate the real “egginess” of them, make a couple sunny side up in a pan, served alongside freshly toasted bread. It will make your weekend a better thing.