Kris and I have both been on mountain holidays this week, enjoying sun, skiing, friends, family and great food.  In Aspen Colorado we paused for lunch in some scenic mountain-top  havens:  Bonnie’s, Gwyn’s High Alpine, Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro, and Lynn Britt Cabin.  In town we dined at The Wild Fig, Steakhouse 316, and Gisella.   All were delicious and offered wonderful ambience, but some of our best memories are of the dinners we put together in the kitchens we borrowed for the week.   

Nora and Reid at the Lynn Britt Cabin

Doug and Janet warming their toes by the fire

Ted assumes post-lunch nap position

Bev, Doug, Andrea Nora, Reid, Janet and Tim

An al fresco lunch in the sun is such a treat!

Doug provided after-dinner entertainment

 

Our first night Ted brushed the snow off a barbecue and grilled some chicken to serve with a simple salad and broccoli.  On Shrove Tuesday we had the wackiest combination of ribs, beans, potatoes, pancakes and macaroni ..... a little bit of everyone’s favourites.  And our last night in, Tim made two incredible pots of chilli:  one with bison and pork, and the other was a once-around –the –kitchen special featuring the leftover grilled chicken.  Tim is a very intuitive chef and can create magic with whatever is on hand. 

Tim’s Grilled Chicken Chili

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into ¾” chunks

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 habanera pepper, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3 tablespoons chilli powder

1 teaspoon ground chipotle peppers

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup ground tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 can coconut milk

2 cans beans:  black, kidney, navy or a combination

1 small zucchini, sliced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

Handful fresh oregano, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish:

Chopped fresh cilantro

Grated cheese:  cheddar, or  Monterey jack

Avocados, cut into chunks

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add onions , celery, carrots and peppers and sauté until the onion is tender.  Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then add the spices.  Stir until fragrant, then add tomatoes, stock and coconut milk.  Simmer for ½ hour,  or until all the vegetables are tender and the sauce is beginning to thicken.  Add the chicken and beans and heat through.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook until mushrooms are dense, and zucchini is lightly browned.  Add them to the chilli pot along with the fresh oregano.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice and add garnishes.

Valentine's Beef Oxtails on the Smoker

 

This Valentine’s Day Mark and Ted were distracted by hockey games and business trips, so the celebrations had to be postponed.  Fortunately, Pluto remembered and sent long-stemmed roses to some of his favourite girls.  He is a bit of a hopeless romantic.

However, the next day we lovingly created and produced a special menu using the Broil King Keg.  Little did we know that the grand conclusion of the evening was going to be watching UFC......!

Valentines Boxing Day Menu

Smoked Oxtails and Mushrooms with Demi-Glace

Risotto Hearts stuffed with Blue Cheese

French Green Beans with Oven Dried Cherry Tomatoes

Heart-shaped Braised Carrots

Chocolate Soufflés with Raspberry Sauce

Smoked Beef Oxtails

Note:  apply rub one night before cooking

4 beef oxtails, about 3” thick

For the rub:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

4 thick slices onion

Handful fresh thyme sprigs

8 ounces cremini mushrooms

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup veal or beef demi-glace

The night before serving, mix all the rub ingredients and coat the oxtails generously.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

The next day, around noon, light the Broil King Keg following the instructions in the techniques section.  Sprinkle glowing coals with soaked maple wood chips. Fill the diffuser with warm water.

Place the oxtails on the grids and smoke for 3-4 hours, maintaining a temperature of 200° F. 

Prepare 4 sheets of heavy aluminum foil large enough to surround the oxtails.  Place one slice of onion and a few sprigs of thyme in the centre of the foil.  Top with oxtail, wrap tightly, and place on the outside edge of the smoker.  Toss the mushrooms with oil, vinegar, herbs and spices, and place on the grids in the centre of the smoker.  Continue to cook for 2-3 hours at 200 F.

Serve with heated veal or beef demi-glace

Risotto Hearts stuffed with Blue Cheese

1 ½ cups leftover beet risotto (see future posts for beet risotto, but any leftover risotto can be substituted)

 2 ounces Blue d’Auverne cheese

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Using a sheet of parchment paper, shape risotto into 4 heart shaped-mounds.  Hollow slightly, and sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese.  Cover with another layer of risotto.  Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs.  Using a flat spatula, turn carefully and sprinkle with more panko.  Place on a flat platter and refrigerate until ready to cook.

In a large non-stick skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.  Place the prepared risotto hearts in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. 

 

Braised Heart-Shaped Carrots

3 large carrots, sliced into desired shape

(If you wish to make them heart-shaped, use a vegetable peeler to create the pointed edge along the whole carrot and a knife to cut the impression at the top.  Use the peeler again to round the shape, then cut into thick slices)

½ cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 375°.  Spread the prepared carrots in a single layer in an 8” x 10” pan.  In a small bowl whisk together the rest of the ingredients.  Pour over carrots, and cover with foil.  Place in oven for 45 minutes, then remove cover and cook for another 15 minutes, until golden brown and tender.

Chocolate Soufflés

4 individual soufflés

2 teaspoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar, divided

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

4 large eggwhites, at room temperature

3 large yolks

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Using the butter, grease 4 large individual ramekins and sprinkle them with about 1 teaspoon sugar per ramekin.

In a large metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring it with a whisk from time to time. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the heat and let cool slightly.

In another bowl beat the egg whites with 1/4 cup of the sugar until stiff and glossy.

Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time, add the orange liqueur, and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Fold in the egg whites and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared ramekins, place on a baking sheet, and bake until they're puffed and somewhat firm, for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Raspberry Sauce:

1 pint raspberries

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Place a food mill over a small bowl.  Pour in raspberries, and churn until all the juice is extracted.  Discard the seeds, and add sugar to the raspberry pulp.  Spoon over chocolate soufflés and garnish with fresh raspberries.

      

We all show our love to different people in different ways, but one of the very sweetest expressions is taking the time to bake with little ones.  Hayley and Brooklyn discovered their inner-bakers this week and produced some spectacular and delicious Valentine’s sugar cookies for Brooklyn’s school party.  

Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Fondant, kneaded with your choice of paste colour

Piping gel, to “glue” the fondant to the cookies

 In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.   Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Dust countertop with icing sugar or corn starch and roll the fondant fairly thinly, about 1/8”.   Using the same shape cutter as you used for your cookies, cut fondant shapes.

Lightly brush cookies with piping gel.  Apply the corresponding fondant shapes onto the cookies.

Herb-Stuffed Boneless Leg of Lamb for Mark's Birthday

Mark slicing smoked Wolfe Island duck breast.

Herb-Stuffed Boneless Leg of Lamb with Grainy Mustard Crust

We cooked this lamb roast on our smoker, The Broil King Keg, because we wanted to highlight the rich flavour of the lamb. It could just as easily be done on a gas barbecue, as long as the temperature control can be set to cook constantly at a fairly low temperature. We cooked this at 250⁰F for 2 hours and finished the roast at 300⁰F for another 30 minutes.

1 4-pound boneless leg of lamb

Fresh Herb Stuffing:

4 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup parsley, chopped

6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

6 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped

1 tbsp Mexican seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp dry mustard

1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground

1 tsp chili pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Grainy Mustard Paste:

¼ cup grainy mustard

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup canola oil

1 tbsp granular garlic powder

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp Mexican seasoning

Honey-Balsamic Glaze:

½ cup honey

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1) Combine all of the ingredients for the fresh herb stuffing in a large glass bowl.  Spread open the leg of lamb and pat the herb mixture on the inside of the roast. Roll lamb and tie with kitchen twine, folding in the small open end.  Combine all ingredients for the Grainy Mustard Paste and pat over the surface of the rest. Set aside for 2 hours to allow flavours to develop.

2) Meanwhile, setup the Broil King Keg to cook at a constant temperature of 250⁰F. 

3) When ready to cook, throw 2 handfuls of soaked hardwood chips or chunks (for lamb, we like oak, hickory or pecan) on the coals. Place a drip pan, lined with foil and filled with water, over the coals. Place the lamb roast on the grids and close the lid. Check that the temperature of the grill is constant at 250⁰F and allow the lamb to cook slowly for approximately 2 ½ hours,  until the internal temperature of the roast is 130⁰F for medium/rare. One half hour before removing the roast from the smoker, brush the glaze carefully over the surface of the lamb.
4) When internal temperature has reached 130⁰F, remove from smoker and cover with foil and allow the lamb to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Bev made Mark’s delicious Birthday cake this year, using a recipe from Lucy Waverman and James Chatto’s wonderful book:  A Matter of Taste.

Chocolate Passion with Mango Lime Sauce

 Chocolate Passion

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ancho chilli powder

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, melted

 Mango Lime Sauce

 ¼ cup sugar syrup (see below)

2 tablespoons chopped candied ginger

1 ripe mango, peeled and coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon grated lime zest

1 tablespoon lime juice

¼ cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Butter a non-stick loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate and water in a heavy pot over low heat.  Cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, sugar and chilli powder until light.  Beat in flour.  Slowly whisk in chocolate and melted butter.  Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Place loaf pan in a larger baking pan.  Pour boiling water into larger pan until water reaches halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour, or until the loaf is firm on top and a cake tester comes out clean.  Remove from oven, cool and refrigerate in pan until set. 

Turn out loaf onto a large sheet of parchment paper.  Fold paper over dessert, wrap in foil and freeze. 

Prepare sauce by pureeing sugar syrup, ginger, mango, lime zest, lime juice and cream in a food processor. 

Remove cake from freezer about 15 minutes before slicing.  Slice and serve with sauce. 

To make Sugar Syrup:

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine water and sugar in a pot over high heat.  Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, or until a light syrup forms.  Add lemon juice and remove from heat. 

Happiness is.......relaxing at the end of a busy day.

Superbowl Steak

For those of us whose primary interest in the Superbowl began and ended with the halftime show, we have an anti-football menu that would be appropriate for any night of the week. (Requires a knife and fork!).

It was a treat to have Reid home from Montreal!  He grilled for us on his Gran's terrace.

Grilled Flank Steak

Serves 4

 

We bucked the chicken wing trend for Superbowl Sunday, and instead elected to grill some lean beef.  Flank steak is a healthy choice for your grill, and is particularly tasty when marinated for 24 hours, infusing delicious flavour and resulting in juicy tenderness. 

1 2-pound flank steak

For the Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of ½ lemon

1 teaspoon sambal olek (asian chili sauce)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over the steak.  Allow to marinate 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Preheat barbecue on HIGH, then reduce heat to MEDIUM.  Meanwhile, remove the flank steak from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and brush lightly with vegetable oil. 


Place on the barbecue, and grill for 2 minutes.  Flip to the other side for 2 minutes.  Following directions for Perfect Grill Marks, continue cooking 2 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes for medium rare.  At the same time, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil until slightly thickened.

To get the most out of your flank steak, using a sharp knife, cut a cross-hatch pattern into the surface of the meat.  This allows the marinade to penetrate deeper.  

Resealable "Ziplock" bags are ideal for marinating flank steak and other meats. 

Coconut Jasmine Rice

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot

1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed and drained

1 can coconut milk, plus enough water to measure 2 cups

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon sesame oil

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat canola oil over low heat.   Add gingerroot and sauté about 1 minute.  Add rice, and stir to coat with oil.  Add the coconut milk,  honey and sesame oil, and increase heat to bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat to LOW, cover with a tight-fitting lid for 20 minutes, then turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff rice with a fork. Serve with grilled peppers and a steamed green vegetable.

For dessert, we went to Sabletine, the most marvellous French bakery in Waterloo, for Ventoux cakes, and chocolate pecan tarts. 

There is also the traditional way to celebrate the Superbowl.  In Kingston, our friend Geoff and his buddies fired up the Broil King Keg and smoked a sirloin roast.  This was accompanied by nachos loaded with cheese, and a very creative football pizza.  Thanks to the boys of Aberdeen for sharing these photos of their creations.