Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (without pectin)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpiDQ3xmB-A

(youtube link)

I had extra strawberries and rhubarb from a crumble I made the other day and thought why not make some jam?!...

Ingredients:

3 cups hulled strawberries

3 cups chopped rhubarb

2 cups sugar (use one cup first, taste it and see if it needs more)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:

Pour one cup of sugar on the strawberries and mash them until the berries start to break down a little. Add the rhubarb and place on a burner. Bring to a boil and stir every couple of minutes, making sure to get any bits that stick to the bottom. After about 45 minutes, add the lemon juice and reduce for another ten minutes. Taste it.. if it's too tart add more sugar. You can tell if the jam is ready if you place it on a cold plate and then hold the plate up vertically. If it stays put or sluggishly goes when you touch it it's good!

Eggplant Parcel

I was really inspired with the fresh tomato sauce I had on hand yesterday and decided to make a little treat. Eggplant is my favourite 'fruit'.. it's actually classified as a fruit but eats like a veggie. There's something so wonderfully rich and velvety about it. I love the way it takes on flavours and enhances them by adding a soft pillowy cushion of texture. It collapses to your bite and embraces your mouth with a smoky goodness that's impossible to beat. I've stuffed them with mozzarella and fresh basil for even more sinful goodness!

Ingredients:
1 Italian eggplant cut into thin lengthwise slices (about 4-5 per ramekin)
2 cups FRESH tomato sauce (see my tomato sauce recipe)
4 tablespoons buffalo mozzarella
four fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a nonstick pan heat half the olive oil and add the eggplant slices in one single layer. Fry on medium-low heat until golden on both sides (about 3-5 minutes). Place on a paper-towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat until you've finished frying all the eggplant (you may need more oil).

Place ramekins on a baking tray and rub with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Place one end of the eggplant in the center of the ramekin and gently press it along the bowl so it adheres to its structure. There will be extra eggplant hanging over which is important. Repeat this until the ramekin is covered with eggplant and has an open center. Place a tablespoon of tomato sauce on top of the eggplant, then a tablespoon of mozzarella, a basil leaf and one more tablespoon of tomato sauce. Fold the hanging pieces over so that the filling is covered. Top with a small amount of sauce (about 1 teaspoon). Repeat until you've finished all your ramekins and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Let it cool slightly and then flip it onto a plate. Finish with a light drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y99V3bDcEms

(link to youtube video)

I love homemade tomato sauce! It's quite a production to make in bulk but totally worth it. I made close to 40 pounds of tomatoes which yielded 21 jars of tomatoes.  I resort to my precious stash when I'm craving a very simple, perfectly fresh pasta pomodoro. Even though it takes several hours to make, it saves me a lot of time preparing dinner throughout the year!

Ingredients:
40 pounds of tomatoes (or more!)
1 bushel of basil, cleaned and patted dry
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons vinegar

Method:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Core and place an "x" on the bottom of your tomatoes. Immerse in water for about one minute or until skin becomes loose enough to peal. Remove the tomatoes, peel, quarter and add to the blender with half the skins (skin makes it thicker). Once it's blended to the consistency you like place it in a large pot. Repeat.

Bring the tomatoes to a boil. The scum/foam will rise to the top. Keep on removing it until there's little if any left. There will be a large amount, about 2 cups or more! Add salt and vinegar. Simmer on low for 2 hours. You want it to be bland enough that you'll still need to add salt to the final product but still seasoned.

Place about 2-5 leaves of basil in your sterilized jars. Using a funnel and ladle, pour sauce into jars. Look for air bubbles and pop them with a knife. Wipe the sides of the jar of any sauce. Place the lid and rims and then immerse in a canning pot to seal.

Parmesan Lima Beans and Grilled Cod

Even though I crave lighter foods during the summer, I still want to eat something that makes me feel content.. If I don't, I'll just end up snacking on rubbish later!

This dish is simple, clean and elegant. You can literally make it in minutes!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound lima beans (preferably fresh)
4 cod fillets
2 tablespoons parm cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot finely sliced
1/2 small leek finely sliced
2 cloves garlic smashed
1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock
1/2 lemon squeezed

Method:
If you're using fresh beans take them from their pod and blanch them until they're almost cooked. If you're using frozen beans thaw them and pat dry.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet and add shallots and leeks. Cook on low heat until their tender and softens. Add the garlic and cook a couple minutes longer. Add the beans and wine or chicken stock. Let it reduce. Once it's thickened, add the parm cheese and cook until it's well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve promptly.

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on the fish and rub well with salt, pepper and smashed garlic. Drizzle with lemon juice and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place on a grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side or to your desired level of doneness. Serve on a bed of lima beans and some charred tomatoes.

Refried Beans

I take hosting taco night very seriously and ensure I have all the fixings from homemade salsa, guacamole and the often overlooked but crucially important refried beans.

To call them refried is misleading as you just bring them to a boil and pound away with some cheese and my added ingredient of jarred jalapeno liquid for a bit of umph! There's nothing better than slathering this dip over a warm tortilla and topping it with lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and meat....yum yum yum!

Ingredients:
2 cans pinto beans
1 cup..or more grated montery jack cheese (or cheddar)
1 tablespoon jarred jalapeno liquid
1 tablespoon chopped jarred jalapeno (optional if you want a good kick!)

Method:
Place all the beans and half their liquid in a nonstick pan. Reserve the rest of the liquid as you may need more of it. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. After it simmers for 3 minutes start mashing the beans with a potato mashed. The consistency is up to you, you can make them chunkier which requires less smashing or velvety smooth which requires more or something in between- just eyeball it. Once it's at a consistency you're happy with add the jalapeno liquid, cheese and chopped jalapeno (option). Mix with a  spoon until everything is incorporated. Serve immediately!

Chicken Paillard

 I love it when diet food tastes delicious! Chicken paillard has very little fat and is usually served on a bed of mixed  greens. The idea is to pound the chicken breast quite thinly so it cooks in no time and is tender to the bite. I like serving it with a salad that boosts the flavour of this rather bland cut of meat. Today I served it with a red wine vinegar and Parmesan dressing that was divine.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs thyme

Salad Dressing Ingredients:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1.5 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tablespoon canola oil
1 clove of garlic, grated on am microplane
1 tablespoon parm cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Add olive oil and garlic to a large bowl and reserve.

Place plastic wrap on a work surface, you want it to have the dimension of a large cutting board. Place your chicken in the middle of the plastic section and lightly pound with a food tenderizer until it is about 3/4 of an inch thick or almost double in surface area. Make sure to pound both sides lightly, don't hit it too hard or there will be a hole in the fillet. Salt and pepper both sides and place in the large bowl. Repeat process for the other breasts. Toss them gently in the garlic oil mixture and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to 5 hours.

Prepare salad dressing by mixing the garlic, Dijon and vinegar together. Whisk in the two oils and finish by whisking in the parm cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss into a bowl of mixed greens. Reserve.

Remove the chicken from the fridge while you heat a grill pan on high. Add the chicken and leave it untouched until the bottom bit goes from pink to white, at this point gently lift  it with tongs and place on a diagonal to create hatch marks. Cook another minute longer and flip over. Cook for two minutes and lift the chicken, place it on a diagonal again to get hatch marks. Once the chicken is cooked, lay on a bed of greens and place a sprig of thyme on it....or lay it on the plate and place the salad on top..whatever tickles your fancy..

Banana Bread

I love cooking with my Goddaughter Talina! She's eager to learn, helps put things away, understands that knives are sharp and not for her to touch and loves to eat as much as me! She is precious and I can't say 'No' to her, so it's obvious that I'd accommodate her request to make banana bread 20 minutes before her bed time!

I love this banana bread because there's so much going on. We have blueberries that moisten the bread, chocolate chips for the extra rich sweetness and bits of pecan for the extra crunch! It's amazing fresh from the oven with a nice piece of butter and a tall glass of ice cold milk!

Ingredients:

2 bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.5 cups AP flour

1/2 cup melted butter 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

Method:

Mash banana to a pulp with your fork. Add the butter and egg and beat until well incorporated. Sift in the dry ingredients and add the blueberries, chocolate chips and pecans. Mix with a spatula until everything JUST comes together (don't overwork it). Place in a buttered bread loaf tin and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clear when inserted.