Mussels with Leek-Cream Sauce

11 11 2010

Mussels make an easy, versatile and inexpensive meal.

A feast of mussels is one of the cheapest and easiest meals you can make.  For less than $10 and 15 minutes of your time, you can have a big pile of tasty mussels to share.  Serve with fresh bread or toast to mop up the delicious sauce.

Preparing Mussels for Cooking

Many of the mussels found in Canada and the U.S. come from Prince Edward Island. They should be easy to find at fish markets and the fish department of most grocery stores. They’re very easy to cook, however, there are a few guidelines to follow for safe handling:

  • Discard any mussels with cracked or broken shells.
  • Rinse the mussles in cold water and pluck off any ‘beards’ that are present on the shell. The ‘beard’ is a moss-like growth that keeps the mussel attached when it is growing in the water. Soak the mussels for about 15 minutes in a large bowl of cold water to ensure they are clean and free of grit.
  • Make sure all mussel shells are tightly closed before cooking. If a shell is slightly open, give it a light tap on a hard surface – if it doesn’t close up, the mussel may be dead and it should be discarded.
  • Mussels need to steam for about 10 minutes to fully cook and their shells will open once they’re done. Inspect cooked mussels before serving and throw away any that do not open. Do not force closed shells open – this is an indication that the mussel is dead and may cause illness if consumed.

Mussels in a Leek Cream Sauce

Makes about 50 mussels

This recipe should make plenty for two to four people (depending on whether it’s a starter or main).  You can easily double or triple the recipe if you have a big enough pot.

  • 2 lbs. (907 g) mussels, cleaned and inspected (see instructions above)
  • 4 medium or 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only
  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or safflower
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup whipping cream
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Chopped thyme or parsley to garnish – optional
  1. Trim the leeks of any roots and tough green tops. Slice them lengthwise down the middle and run under cold water to ensure any sand is rinsed from their layers. Pat the leeks dry and cut into thin ‘rings’, about ¼” thick.
  2. In a large stockpot with a lid, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the chopped leeks and let cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and let cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.
  3. Pour in the wine and stir the tomato paste into the mixture until thoroughly combined. Dump in the cleaned mussels.
  4. Put the lid on the pot and let the mussels steam for 10 minutes. Check on them after 10 minutes and if a lot of the shells are still closed, let them steam for another 2 minutes.
  5. Remove pot lid and stir in the cream. Discard any shells that haven’t opened. Season with salt and pepper and pour the mussels and sauce into a large bowl. Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme if desired.
  6. Serve the mussels with fresh toast or bread to mop up the sauce or with homemade frites, if you’re feeling ambitious.

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

This article first appeared on Suite 101.com.


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Categories : Fall, Leeks, Recipes, Seafood

Curried Parsnip Soup

22 03 2011

Parsnips are often overlooked but they are surprisingly delicious and versatile

We have finally welcomed spring after a long winter. Unfortunately, in many areas, there will not be a lot of new local produce available for at least six to eight more weeks.  However, there is an overlooked vegetable that is usually the first crop harvested each spring (sort of): Parsnips!

Parsnips are root vegetables that look like white carrots, although they taste a bit nuttier and sweeter.  In Ontario, parsnips are typically planted in the spring.  While most of crop is harvested in the fall and stored for the winter (much like potatoes and carrots), some parsnips are left in the ground through the winter and harvested in March and April. As a result, parsnips are considered both a winter and spring vegetable.  They are also delicious but sadly under appreciated. They can be used in soups, stews, dips and pasta sauces.

This soup is the perfect antidote to grey March days.  It’s hearty and warming and can be dressed up with the addition of seafood or shredded duck confit (the original recipe called for mussels but the soup is delicious without them). Be sure to use vegetable stock and skip the garnishes if serving vegetarians.

Curried Parsnip Soup

Makes about 6 cups

  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 lb. (454 grams) medium sized parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds 1/8” thick (equals about 8 parsnips)
  • 1 medium tart apple (such as a Granny Smith), peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (preferably low-sodium)
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Items to garnish (optional) – shredded duck confit, steamed mussels or sautéed scallops
  1. In an enameled cast iron pot or medium stockpot, heat butter on medium until melted. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add parsnips and stir into the onions. Let parsnips cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and sticking. Add the apple cubes and cook for another minute. Add curry and nutmeg and stir through until combined.
  3. Add stock and bring to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes, until parsnips are very tender. Remove parsnip mixture from the heat. Using a regular blender or immersion blender, carefully puree soup until very smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot and place back on medium heat.
  4. Add cream and stir through. Heat the soup until it’s warmed through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. To serve: ladle some soup into each bowl.  If using any of the garnish ideas, place a couple of cooked mussels, sauteed scallops or a small amount of shredded duck confit in the centre of each serving.

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

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Curried Parsnip Soup can be dressed up with steamed mussels, sautéed scallops or shredded duck confit

This recipe first appeared on Suite 101.com.

Copyright Trish Coleman. Please contact the author to obtain permission for republication.


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Categories : Parsnips, Recipes, Soup, Spring, Winter

The Friday Five – January 28th, 2011

28 01 2011

A weekly round up food and drink-related news stories:

1.  If you’ve ever been stuck somewhere with a bottle of wine and no corkscrew (I have), take note of these Five Creative Ways to Open Wine Without a Corkscrew. Consider it crucial survival training! (The Daily Meal)

2.  When it comes to diets, I thought I had heard it all (cabbage soup diet, Atkins, grapefruit diet, South Beach…). However, Le Whif and Le Whaf are new to me. Apparently you inhale vapours such as chocolate or caffeine to satisfy cravings. (Gawker)

3.  A lawsuit has been filed against Taco Bell concerning the contents of their beef. An Alabama law firm claims that Taco Bell’s fillings are only 36% beef but the popular chain disputes this number (they claim their tacos contain 88% beef). I’ll let the courts decide but the lengthy list of ingredients in their taco filling is certainly interesting… (The Globe and Mail)

4.  These are the types of things I shouldn’t read: the FDA’s handbook of Food Defect Action Levels outlines how many parts of foreign objects (ie. bugs, rodent hairs, etc) can wind up in your food. Anyone fancy a nice bowl of broccoli and aphids? (Salon)

5. This sounds like one of the most terrifying jobs I’ve ever heard of: In Canada’s Arctic, the Inuit harvest mussels from under the sea ice, risking their lives as it shifts with the tides. (BBC News)

Have a great weekend!

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Cheddar Herb Biscuits

30 09 2010

Freshly baked biscuits flecked with herbs and cheddar are the perfect accompaniment to a hearty bowl of soup

Now that fall has arrived and the weather has cooled, it’s soup season!  I love making soup and am always experimenting with different ingredients to come up with hearty versions that are a meal on their own (see below for links to my favourite soup recipes).  Of course, crackers or bread are classic accompaniments to a comforting bowl of soup but why not try something different by making some hot, fresh biscuits?

Some people are a bit intimated by working with biscuit dough but it’s not difficult if you follow a few guidelines. To make flaky and flavourful biscuits, here are a few tips:

  • Use cold, unsalted butter – don’t substitute margarine.
  • Don’t handle the dough too much.  This will make the biscuits tough and melt the butter, keeping them from puffing up during baking.
  • Use a wire pasty cutter (or two sharp knives) to cut the butter into the flour mixture.  The dough should look like small, coarse pebbles once the dough has been thoroughly mixed in.
  • Baking powder is the key ingredient to help the biscuits rise.  Make sure your powder is fresh and still active.
  • Buttermilk gives the biscuits a nice tangy flavour.  If you don’t have buttermilk, check out these Buttermilk Substitutes.  Regular milk is ok in a pinch but the biscuits won’t be quite the same.
  • Use old or extra old cheddar for the best flavour.
  • Cook the biscuits in a hot oven (450 degrees Fahrenheit) that has been adequately pre-heated.

Cheddar Herb Biscuits

Makes about 12 biscuits

  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the countertop
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
  • 2 teaspoons very finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 cup (packed) grated old cheddar cheese
  • 5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and chopped herbs. Stir with a fork until combined.
  3. Add the grated cheese and use your fingers to gently distribute it through the dough so it’s not all in one clump.
  4. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture.  Using a wire pastry cutter or two sharp knives, cut the butter into the dough until it looks like small pebbles.
  5. In a mug or glass measuring cup, add the buttermilk, egg and mustard and stir with a fork until smooth.  Pour into the flour mixture and gently mix together until the dough just holds together.
  6. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean countertop and turn out the dough onto the counter.  Use your hands to shape it so it just holds together.  Flatten the dough so it’s in a circle about 1″ thick.
  7. Use a cookie cutter or the top of a glass to cut out round biscuits (a 2-1/2″ circle is a good size).  Place the biscuits into a pie plate or baking dish so they are just touching one another.  Re-form any dough scraps and cut out the remainder of the biscuits.
  8. Let the biscuits rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.  Place the oven rack in the centre position and bake the biscuits for 15 minutes or until they are golden on top.
  9. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Here are a few of my favourite hearty autumn soups to go with the biscuits:

Beef, Barley and Mushroom

Peppery Leek and Potato

Curried Parsnip Soup

Corn Chowder with Bell Peppers

Cabbage Roll Soup

Chicken Noodle

Mushroom Soup

Seafood Chowder

Curried Parsnip Soup topped with a few cooked mussels

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

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Categories : All Seasons, Cheese, Fall, Herbs, Recipes

A Few of My Favourite (Canadian) Things…

2 07 2010

Maple syrup in a maple leaf bottle

A belated Happy Canada Day to all of my Canadian readers!  I must admit that I started to write this yesterday (Canada Day) and got distracted by various holiday celebrations, including a great fireworks display over Lake Ontario.

Canada Day is the one day of the year when we pull out our flags to celebrate our country and all the things that make it great (or just enjoy a day off in the middle of the week).  Canada is easy to stereotype but there’s a lot more going on here than hockey, moose, Celine Dion and beer (although there’s plenty of those too).  The culinary scene in Canada has never been so diverse and interesting and I’m constantly finding inspiration from local chefs, farmers, producers and writers.  Here are a few of my favourite Canadian food-related things:

Canadian Wines

A selection of Ontario wines

People outside of Canada might not even be aware that we have a number of wine producing regions that are growing rapidly. British Columbia and Ontario lead the way with dozens of wineries, ranging from small family-run producers to larger, corporate-owned vineyards.  Canadian icewines have won international awards and we also produce some top-notch whites including riesling (a favourite of mine in the summer).  To learn more about the largest wine regions of Canada, visit www.winebc.com and www.winesofontario.com

Unique Dishes

A take-out container of poutine

Every nation has dishes that are considered specialties of that country.  Because Canada is so spread out and diverse, a number of iconic dishes can be found across the country including poutine (french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy), donairs (spiced meat wrapped in a pita and topped with a sweet garlic sauce), smoked meat, Bloody Caesars, butter tarts, and Nanaimo bars.  A recent Globe and Mail feature asked what we thought our national dish might be: My National Dish (click through the slide show of Contenders at the bottom).  I’d rather not choose one – I like them all!

Great Products

Atlantic lobsters are served in restaurants around the world

Despite a relatively short growing season, Canada has great produce.  During the peak summer months, farmer’s markets are full of locally grown fruits and vegetables that range from the familiar to more exotic fare such as bitter melon and rapini.  We also have some of the world’s best seafood, fished from both the east and west coasts.  Prince Edward Island oysters, B.C. smoked salmon and Atlantic lobster are served at fine restaurants around the world.  Maple syrup is another famous Canadian export that is readily available at any grocery store across the country. Canadian artisan cheese makers are beginning to make their presence felt in the world with a Quebec produced goat cheese, Le Cendrillon, winning the title of Best Cheese in the World at the 2009 World Cheese awards.  Many provinces are now producing interesting and unique cheeses from goat, sheep and cow’s milk.

Another Canadian product I’ve been experimenting with over the past few months is duck. Brome Lake in Quebec’s Eastern Townships is famous for its ducks and many products are now easier to find in stores outside of the province.  I’ve been testing recipes using confit legs, smoked breasts and duck foie gras I’ve purchased at the St. Lawrence Market and A Taste of Quebec in Toronto.  There is even a store dedicated to duck products on Boulevard St-Laurent in Montreal called  Le Canard Libéré.

For some delicious recipes using Canadian products, check out some of these recipes:

Home Grown Talent

Some of Canada’s food personalities have recently gained more recognition abroad with the launch of the Cooking Channel in the United States.  Although their programs have been airing on Food Network Canada for a while, TV chefs such as Chuck Hughes (Chuck’s Day Off), David Rocco (Dolce Vita), Laura Calder (French Food at Home) and Roger Mooking (Everyday Exotic) will gain a much wider audience in the U.S.  Laura Calder also recently won a James Beard Foundation Award for her program, beating out popular nominees The Barefoot Contessa and Iron Chef America.  Other prolific Canadian food personalities include Lucy Waverman, celebrity chef Lynn Crawford, who recently launched a new tv show and a restaurant, and Michael Smith, who competed on Iron Chef America and cooked for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Local Restaurants

The Au Pied de Cochon cookbook

The restaurant scene in Canada has never been so exciting.  Many of the country’s top chefs are championing the use of local products and creating dishes that are uniquely and distinctly Canadian.  Chef Martin Picard of Montreal’s temple of decadence, Au Pied du Cochon, uses local products to fuel his over-the-top cuisine. The menu features such madness as poutine topped with foie gras, cromesquis (fried cubes of foie gras that explode and melt in your mouth) and towers of Canadian seafood in the summer.  The last time I was there, I watched the chefs plate an entire pig’s head that had been cooked in their wood-burning oven.  Toronto’s Black Hoof restaurant is curing their own meats for charcuterie plates while Vancouver’s C Restaurant is featuring the best of local seafood in artistic presentations.  These are just a few examples – there are many other innovative Canadian restaurants from coast to coast who are shaping the culinary direction of our nation.

Diversity

Le Petit Alep, a Syrian/Armenian restaurant in Montreal

One of the great things about living in Canada in general is the great cultural diversity of our people.  In major cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, you can sample the cuisines from dozens of nations – the world is your oyster, so to speak. You can have dim sum for lunch, sushi for dinner and Lebanese sandwiches as a midnight snack, if you so choose.  Many restauranteurs are using local ingredients in the preparation of ‘ethnic’ dishes (such as Vij’s in Vancouver), creating local/global hybrid dishes that are unique and interesting. As our population continues to grow, the fusion of various influences will only make eating ‘Canadian’ food more exciting.

Bon Appétit and Happy Canada Day!


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Categories : General, Holidays, Inspiration

Braised Short Ribs

11 12 2008

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Braising is the perfect cooking method for cold winter days.  It’s a technique that involves searing meat in oil, adding a small amount of liquid and cooking in a covered vessel at a lower temperature for a long period of time.  Tough cuts of meat become tender and juicy and a rich sauce develops.  Although preparing a slow cooked braise requires some planning ahead and prep work, once it’s in the oven you can sit back and relax for a few hours.  This dish is ideal for entertaining because it tastes even better the next day.  Just reheat and serve with your favourite side dishes.

This recipe has been adapted from the short rib recipe at Balthazar restaurant in New York City.  It’s a French brasserie serving up such classics as steak frites and mussels.  The ribs pair well with mashed potatoes and sautéed winter greens such as swiss chard.

The secret to success with this dish is to use the meatiest short ribs you can find.  If you can’t find ones that are large and marbled with fat, increase the number of ribs used and reduce the cooking time slightly.  The recipe makes enough for 4 but it can easily be doubled.  Plus, it’s so delicious, you’ll probably want to have some leftovers to enjoy!

Some great side dishes that pair well with the ribs:

Try to find large meaty short ribs for this dish

Try to find large meaty short ribs for this dish

Braised Short Ribs

Makes 4 servings – can easily be doubled

  • 2-1/2 lbs. (about 1 kg) beef shortribs – about 2 to 3 large meaty ribs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil such as canola or safflower
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 shallots, chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup port
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 cups beef stock
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.   Cut each long rib in half and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
  2. In an enameled cast iron pot, heat oil on medium heat.  Add the ribs to the pot and brown on all sides.  Once browned, remove from pot and set aside.
  3. Add carrots, onion, shallot, celery and garlic to the pot and sauté until softened and golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
  4. Stir tomato paste into vegetable mix.  Add flour and stir to combine.  Cook for another 2 minutes.
  5. Add wine, port and herbs.  Turn heat to medium-high and simmer for about 10 minutes, until mixture begins to reduce.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
  6. Add stock and return ribs to pot.  Cover tightly and put in the oven.  Cook for 3 hours, checking on them each hour to ensure nothing is burning at the bottom of the pot.  The meat should be very tender.
  7. Once the ribs are done, use tongs to remove the ribs from the sauce.  Place meat in a bowl and set aside.  With a mesh strainer or cheesecloth-lined colander, strain sauce into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract all liquid.  Discard solids.
  8. Bring strained sauce to a boil and reduce for about 10 minutes.  Pour sauce over ribs and serve.
Braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and a rosemary sprig garnish

Braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and a rosemary sprig garnish

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

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Categories : Braising, Fall, Slow Cooking, Winter