Raspberry Yogurt Muffins

4 08 2008

Growing up in rural New Brunswick, we had a raspberry patch behind our house.  I didn’t exactly enjoy picking them – if you didn’t want to get scratched to pieces you had to wear long sleeves and pants in the summer heat.   However, they were so sweet and delicious, it was worth the trouble (my mom makes an excellent raspberry pie).  Luckily, farmer’s markets and some supermarkets are now carrying locally picked raspberries, sparing my limbs the trauma of picking my own.

The secret to making big, bakery-style muffins is to fill the muffin tins up to the top of the cups.  Be sure to grease the top of the tin as well as inside the cups because the muffin tops will puff up and cover the tin.  Another helpful tip: if you freeze the raspberries spread out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, the frozen berries will not bleed into the batter as much as fresh ones.

Raspberry Yogurt Muffins

Makes 6 large muffins or 12 small muffins

(VEGETARIAN)

  • 1-1/2 cups + 1 Tablespoon unbleached flour 
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
  • 1/3 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • Sugar to sprinkle on top of muffins
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir to combine.
  3. Add wet ingredients: the eggs, oil and yogurt.  Stir until batter is mixed together (it will be quite thick).
  4. In a separate bowl, combine raspberries with 1 Tablespoon flour and 1 Tablespoon sugar.  Toss to coat berries.
  5. Very carefully fold raspberries into muffin batter until they are mixed in.  Spoon batter into muffin cups (fill halfway for 12 small muffins or fill to the top of the cups to make 6 large muffins).
  6. Sprinkle muffin tops with a little bit of sugar.  For large muffins, bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the muffins comes out clean (reduce baking time for small muffins).
  7. Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin before removing – they are almost impossible to get out in one piece while they’re still hot!

Bon Appetit and Enjoy!

Raspberry Yogurt Muffins (shown with Banana Nut Muffins)

Raspberry Yogurt Muffins (shown with Banana Nut Muffins)


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Categories : Raspberries, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian

White Bean Dip with Fresh Herbs

30 07 2008

Any serious cook should try to keep an herb garden.  Even if you live in a small apartment, you can keep a small one in a pot on the counter.   The types of herbs will depend on what kind of cooking you’re interested in – if you like Thai food, for example, you’d want to grow fresh cilantro, whereas a cook who prefers Italian might grow a lot of basil.  The fresh herbs I typically have on hand include: sage, Italian parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano.  I love being able to snip off a bit of herb as I need it.  It’s the ultimate fresh, local ingredient.

Here is a recipe I developed that is quick to put together.  The dip’s flavour will get stronger over time so if you make it in advance, taste it and adjust seasonings before serving.

White Bean Dip with Fresh Herbs

Makes approximately 1-1/4 cups of dip

(VEGETARIAN)

  • One 14 oz. can (398 ml) cannelini beans (aka white kidney beans) OR 1-1/4 cups cooked cannelini beans
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh sage leaf (approximately 2 medium leaves)
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pita or flatbreads for serving
  1. Place rinsed and drained beans in a large mixing bowl.  Add olive oil and lemon juice.
  2. Using a potato masher, mash beans until they are completely mashed and relatively smooth.  Do not use a food processor as it results in a dip that is grainy and lacks creaminess.
  3. Mix in chopped herbs, garlic and add salt to taste.  Dip can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.  Serve with flatbread or grilled pita wedges.

Bon Appetit and Enjoy!


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Categories : Herbs, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian

Mid-Summer Inspiration

30 07 2008

It’s mid-summer and the farmer’s markets are full of great fresh produce.  Luckily, when fruits and vegetables are at their peak, you don’t have to do a lot with them to make them taste good.  Here are some simple ideas for fuss-free summer cooking. 

Why don’t you:

-Shuck some corn and brush with olive oil.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper on and roast in the oven or grill on the BBQ until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes (turn part way through cooking).  Serve with fresh butter.

-Make a chopped salad with fresh veggies.  Cut up fresh peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, thin sliced onion, blanched green beans, radishes, etc.  Arrange on a platter with some lettuce.  Drizzle with a basic vinaigrette:

Basic Vinaigrette

  • 1 Tablespoon your favourite vinegar (white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic, etc)
  • 3 to 4 Tablespoons neutral oil (such as safflower, canola, etc)
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.  Use on your favourite salads.

 

-Cook new potatoes in boiling water until tender.  Toss with pesto sauce and serve with grilled meats.

-Make roasted peppers: Cut a bunch of red, yellow or orange peppers in half lengthwise and remove stem and seeds.  Roast on a grill or in the oven until skin is black and charred.  Place in a large bowl and cover bowl with a plate and let them rest for 15 minutes.  Once peppers have cooled, peel off the charred skins and discard.  Serve peppers as a side dish, in salads or in dips.

-Cut the top 1/4 off of cocktail tomatoes or large cherry tomatoes.  Remove seeds.  Place a basil leaf and cube of buffalo mozzarella in each one.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and drizzle tomaotes with good olive oil.

-Toss cut up peaches with a splash of amaretto liqueur and top with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Bon Appetit and Enjoy!


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Categories : Inspiration, Recipes, Summer

Zucchini Blossoms

28 07 2008

One of the goals of The Seasonal Gourmet is to develop recipes that almost anyone can make without searching high and low for exotic ingredients.  However, I feel that I must make a minor exception for zucchini blossoms.  They are not easy to find but if you do happen to come across some they are a wonderful treat.  Your best chance of finding them is at a farmer’s market – they are too fragile to be shipped very far for supermarkets.  The are very popular in Italy where they are often stuffed and then fried in a batter.  I don’t know why they aren’t more popular in North America because there certainly isn’t a shortage of zucchini here.  Perhaps a lot of people don’t realize that the flowers are edible (and delicious!).

Here are two recipes I’ve developed based on zucchini flowers I’ve eaten in Italy.  There are a few steps but it comes together quite easily and the results are definitely worth it.

Zucchini Blossoms with Herbed Ricotta

(VEGETARIAN)

Ricotta Filling:

  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until blended.  Set aside until ready to use (can be made in advance and refrigerated).

Batter:

  • 1/2  cup unbleached flour
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil or neutral oil (such as canola or safflower)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water
  • 3 egg whites
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour and olive oil.  Mix together with a spoon.  Add water 1/4 cup at a time, stirring completely into flour mixture.  Add enough to make a smooth batter. 
  2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Carefully fold beaten egg whites into batter.  Set aside until ready to use.

Putting it all together:

  • 10 to 12 zucchini flowers
  • Neutral oil for frying (such as safflower or canola) – enough to fill a large sauce pan about 2″ deep OR if you have a deep fryer, fill with oil according to manufacturer’s instructions
  • Sea salt
  • Lemon wedges
  1. Clean blossoms thoroughly, by gently peeling back the petals and rinsing inside.  Remove any stamen inside the blossom.  Blot carefully to dry on clean dish cloths or paper towels.  
  2. Carefully separate the petals and fill each flower with a spoonful of ricotta mixture.  Fold petals back up to enclose filling.  Dip blossoms in batter until they are coated.   
  3. Very carefully heat oil in pan (or heat deep fryer) until it is around 350 degrees Farenheit.  You should be able to fry a cube of bread until golden brown in about 15 seconds once it’s at the proper temperature (watch closely and reduce heat if oil begins to smoke).
  4. Drop a few battered blossoms at a time into the oil.   Cook until puffed and golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove blossoms from heat and drain on a layer of paper towel.   
  5. Repeat the frying process with remaining blossoms.  Sprinkle with sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.

 

Zucchini Blossoms with Shrimp

This recipe was inspired by a dish I had at Ristorante Romano, a seafood restaurant in Viareggio, Italy on the Tuscan coast.  This follows the same technique as the ricotta stuffed blossoms above but is even simpler because the filling doesn’t require any mixing.

  • 10 to 12 zucchini blossoms
  • 10 to 12 large cooked shrimp, shells and tails removed
  • Batter – see recipe above
  • Neutral oil for frying (such as safflower or canola) – enough to fill a large sauce pan about 2″ deep OR if you have a deep fryer, fill with oil according to manufacturer’s instructions
  • Sea salt
  • Lemon wedges
  1. Clean blossoms thoroughly, by gently peeling back the petals and rinsing inside.  Remove any stamen inside the blossom.  Blot carefully to dry on clean dish cloths or paper towels.  
  2. Carefully separate the petals and fill each flower with a shrimp.  Fold petals back up to enclose shrimp.  Dip blossoms in batter until they are coated.   
  3. Very carefully heat oil in pan (or heat deep fryer) until it is around 350 degrees Farenheit.  You should be able to fry a cube of bread until golden brown in about 15 seconds once it’s at the proper temperature (watch closely and reduce heat if oil begins to smoke).
  4. Drop a few battered blossoms at a time into the oil.   Cook until puffed and golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove blossoms from heat and drain on a layer of paper towel.   
  5. Repeat the frying process with remaining blossoms.  Sprinkle with sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.

Bon Appetit and Enjoy!

 


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Categories : Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian, Zucchini

Souvlaki, Tzatziki Sauce and Greek Style Salad

28 07 2008

I was at a Farmer’s Market Saturday and picked up some beautiful red peppers, garlic, cucumbers and early field tomatoes.  While trying to decide what to make for dinner last night, I realized that I had the beginings of a Greek-style dinner.  I have some fresh oregano growing in my herb garden so I only needed a few additional ingredients to put together a light, refreshing dinner that can be made on the grill, which is ideal for keeping the kitchen cool on a hot summer day.   I usually make my souvlaki with chicken breasts but you could easily substitute pork, shrimp or even firm tofu.  There are a number of steps but everything can be done in advance.

Souvlaki

Serves 4

(Can be adapted to be VEGETARIAN)

Marinade:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice from 1 lemon (seeds removed), approximately 1/3 cup juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
  • Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper

For skewers:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or subsitute shrimp, pork or firm tofu), cut into 2″ cubes
  • Skewers – metal or bamboo  (if using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for approximately 20 minutes prior to using so they don’t burn on the grill)
  • 1 small green pepper, seeded and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 1 small red pepper, seed and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 1 small red onion, skin removed, cut into 1″ cubes
  1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients.  Toss meat (or tofu) so it is coated in marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  2. To assemble skewers, alternate putting the following ingredients onto the skewers: one piece of green pepper, one piece of red pepper, one piece of onion, one piece of chicken.   Like this:

  3. Helpful Tip: I try to buy flat bamboo skewers so the meat and vegetables don’t spin around the skewer when I turn them over on the grill.  If you can’t find flat ones, you can use two skewers so your souvlaki will stay in place.
  4. Repeat until all chicken is used up (there may be additional vegetables left over, you can do a couple of veggie skewers to use up the pieces.  Brush with marinade before grilling).
  5. Light your grill (alternately, skewers can be cooked under your oven’s broiler or on an indoor grill).  Once the grill is hot, cook skewers until browned on one side and turn over, approximately 7 minutes per side, depending on how hot your grill is.   Continue cooking until meat is cooked through.
  6. Remove from grill.  Serve with tzatziki sauce, salad (recipes follow) and grilled pita bread.

Tzatziki Sauce

Makes approximately 1 cup of sauce

(VEGETARIAN)

Note: the yogurt needs to drain for at least 5 to 6 hours before mixing with the garlic, cucumber and dill.

  • 1 cup plain yogurt (not low-fat)
  • Cheesecloth
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced  (for garlic lovers – reduce to one clove for a milder sauce!)
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2″ dice
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
  • Salt, to taste
  1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth (double thickness).  Spoon the yogurt into the cloth.  Cover with plastic wrap, place strainer over a bowl and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.   Liquid will drain from the yogurt, making it thick and cheese-like.
  2. When ready to use, discard the water that has collected in the bowl.  In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the thick yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic and salt.
  3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

 

Greek Style Salad

(VEGETARIAN)

Dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  1. Combine all ingredients and whisk until blended

Salad:

  • 2 cups (packed) mixed salad greens
  • 1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks
  • 1/4 red onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
  • 1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 green pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 12 grape or cocktail tomatoes, cut in half
  • 3/4 cup (4-1/2 oz. or 125 g) crumbled feta cheese
  • Handful of black olives (optional)
  1. In a large salad bowl, add all ingredients and toss to mix.  Add dressing to coat salad greens and toss.  Serve with souvlaki kebabs.

Bon Appetit and Enjoy!


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Categories : Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian

Cherry Almond Bread

25 07 2008

cherries

Last summer my husband Allan and I stayed at a beautifully restored villa near Cortona, Italy in the Tuscan countryside.  It was called Villa di Piazzano and the buildings and surrounding views were exactly how I envisioned Tuscany after reading Frances Mayes’s memoir ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’.   We stayed in the Luna Piena room (‘Full Moon’) and one night we slept with the window open so we could feel the cool evening breeze and enjoy the silence of the countryside (we live in the city so it was a welcome break!).  In the morning, the smell of baking from the kitchen below us woke me up.  When we went down to breakfast, there was a table full of local sheep’s cheeses, Tuscan fennel salami, juices and fantastic baked goods such as sweet breads and pastries.  I developed this Cherry Almond Bread so we could enjoy a similar type of breakfast on occasion.    The recipe calls for sweet cherries instead of sour ones – the sweet ones are usually a very dark reddish-burgundy.

The view from the Luna Piena room at Villa di Piazzano, Cortona, Italy

 

Cherry Almond Bread

(VEGETARIAN)

A note about pitting cherries: There are various methods you can use to pit cherries including buying a cherry/olive pitter.  Some people swear by using a chopstick to poke the pit through the cherry while others use the tip of a knife to dislodge it.  Because this recipe does not call for a lot of cherries, I simply cut around the middle of the cherry from top to bottom (cutting through the diametre until you hit the pit) and gently pull apart the two halves, using the tip of the knife to remove the pit.   This will minimize the mess and give you two nice halves.

  • 1-1/2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup neutral oil (such as safflower or canola)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 full cup (rounded) pitted, halved sweet cherries (see note at top for pitting advice)

Topping:

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.  Grease a standard size loaf pan and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cherry halves and 2 Tablespoons of flour.  Toss to coat the cherries and set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, the salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  Stir to combine.
  4. Add the eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla and almond extracts to dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined (the mixture will be quite thick). 
  5. Gently fold cherries into batter, stirring carefully to mix.  Spoon into greased loaf pan.  Top with slivered almonds and sugar.
  6. Bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let cool, remove from pan and cut into slices.

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!

cherry-almond-bread


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Categories : Cherries, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian

Ricotta Gnocchi with Basil Pesto

29 06 2008

Gnocchi w pesto

For years I could not figure out the appeal of gnocchi.  The small Italian dumplings can easily be found on restaurant menus and at the supermarket but the few times I dared try it, I found it heavy and gummy so I typically avoided ordering it.  Then one day I ordered a small bowl as a primi at an Italian resto and realized how good it can be.  The light, airy dumplings were bathed in a fresh tomato sauce – it was a revelation.  I did some research and discovered that gnocchi are actually very easy to make.   They are most often made with potato, however, I make a version with ricotta cheese that is very quick and simple to prepare.  It makes an impressive starter or main dish for a summer meal.  You can serve it with the fresh basil pesto that follows or top with your favourite sauce.

Ricotta Gnocchi

Serves 2 as a main dish or 3 to 4 as a starter (primi) course

(VEGETARIAN)

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 to 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for flouring countertop (amount of flour needed will depend on how wet your ricotta is)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup flour, salt and egg.  Mix until combined.
  2. Check texture of the dough.  If it is sticky and wet, add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time.  Mix into dough and re-check.  Continue adding flour a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Dough should be moist and pliable but not sticky.
  3. Once the dough is the correct consistency, sprinkle about 1/4 cup flour onto a clean countertop.  Scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough onto counter and roll it into a long ‘snake’, about 1/2″ in diameter.  Like this:

  4. Flatten the dough slightly with a fork, leaving groove marks in the dough.  Cut into pieces approximately 1″ long.  Set gnocchi aside on a plate.  Repeat the process with the remainder of the dough.
  5. Fill a large stock pot with water and add 1 Tablespoon of salt.  Bring to a boil.  Add gnocchi and cook until the dumplings float to the surface, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. 
  6. Drain cooked gnocchi into a colander and run under cold water to stop them from cooking further.  (If you are not serving the gnocchi immediately,  you can toss them with a tablespoon of olive oil and refrigerate until ready to proceed with the next step).
  7. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.  Add gnocchi and saute until browned on one side.  Turn them over and brown the other side.  Remove from pan and toss with your favourite sauce (see suggestion below).

Fresh Basil Pesto

Pesto originated in the city of Genoa, Italy.  Traditionally, it is made with pine nuts, however I tend to prefer it without the nuts.  You can always throw in a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts if you’d prefer. 

(VEGETARIAN)

  • 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, stems removed
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for grating on top
  1. In a food processor*, add all ingredients and pulse until combined and a thick sauce forms.  Toss with your favourite gnocchi or pasta and grate additional parmesan on top. 

*If you do not have a food processor, you can use the traditional method of mashing the ingredients with a mortar and pestle.  I usually use a Cuisinart hand blender with the ‘processor’ cup attachement instead of a full sized food processor. 

Bon Appetit & Enjoy!


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Categories : Basil, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian

Quick Strawberry Jam and Easy Drop Biscuits

15 06 2008

I love a good berry jam or jelly.  My mother used to always make big batches of strawberry jam and raspberry jelly when the berries were in season to keep through the winter.  It was an annual ritual for previous generations.  Unfortunately, canning large quantities can be time consuming so a lot of people don’t do it anymore.   I’ve been making do with jams I find at various shops or markets but it occured to me that it’s actually pretty easy to make small batches for immediate consumption (I do not include instructions for canning large quantities but you can easily find information if you’re interested in doing so.  See http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm).  Now that strawberries are in season, what could be better than fresh jam and hot biscuits? 

 

Quick Strawberry Jam

I don’t put very much sugar in mine as I like the fresh taste of the berries to shine through.  However, if you prefer a sweeter jam, adjust sugar to taste.

Makes about 2 cups of jam

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 package (57 g / 2 oz.) powdered pectin – I use Certo brand in a red box
  1. Place berries, sugar and water in a large saucepan.  Heat berries on medium-high until mixture begins to simmer and the berries are begining to cook down (approx. 7 minutes). 
  2. Using a potato masher, lightly mash berries.

  3. Reduce heat to medium and add pectin.  Cook on a gentle simmer until it begins to thicken, approximately 30 minutes.
  4. Stir mixture and bring to a boil for approximately 5 minutes.  Keep stirring it so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.
  5. Spoon jam into a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.  It will get thicker as it cools.  It will keep covered in the fridge for a few days.  Serve on toast or with fresh baked drop biscuits (recipe follows).

 

Easy Drop Biscuits

These biscuits are very easy – no rolling required.  They are best eaten hot out of the oven with butter or jam.

Makes 6 biscuits

(VEGETARIAN)

  • 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 Tbsp (3/4 of a stick or 1/8 + 1/4 cup) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
  • 1 cup milk (low fat is ok)
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a cookie sheet with butter and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda until combined.
  3. Cut butter into small pieces and add to dry mixture.  Using a wire pastry cutter*, cut butter into small pieces until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  See photo:

  4. Add milk and stir into mixture until combined – dough mix will be quite wet.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup,  scoop up a large spoonful of dough mixture and drop onto cookie sheet.   Repeat to make six biscuits.
  5. Bake until golden brown on top, approximately 15 minutes.  Enjoy hot out of the oven with fresh jam.

*If you do not have a pastry cutter, you can use two sharp knives to cut the butter into the dough.

Bon Appetit & Enjoy!


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Categories : Recipes, Spring, Strawberries, Vegetarian

Asparagus Soup

1 06 2008

Asparagus is without a doubt one of my favourite vegetables.  So you can imagine how pleased I am that we’re in the heart of asparagus season and locally grown stalks are available everywhere.   They make an excellent accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats, as the basis for a salad or stir fry or are delicious just on their own!  To get the asparagus season started, here is a simple asparagus soup that makes a nice lunch with a light sandwich or is great way to begin a spring-inspired dinner.

Asparagus Soup

Makes four 1-cup servings

(Can be made VEGETARIAN)

  • 1 Tablespoon neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
  • 3 leeks
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch (approx. 12 oz or 2 cups chopped) asparagus, woody ends discarded and cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ dice
  • 3 cups chicken OR vegetable stock (homemade or canned, try to use low-sodium stock)
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half (see ‘Helpful Tips’ at the bottom for further suggestions)
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  1. Place leeks on a cutting board.  Cut off and discard green leaves and root ends, leaving just the white bulbs.  Slice the bulbs lengthwise down the middle.  Rinse well under running water, making sure to clean out all the layers.  Return to cutting board and lay the flat side down.  Cut into ‘rings’, approximately 3/4″ thick.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium-high.  Add leeks and garlic and saute until the leeks are soft and just begining to brown, approximately 4 minutes (be careful they don’t start to burn!)
  3. Add asparagus pieces, potato and stock to pot.  Cover and simmer on medium heat until asparagus and potatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes.
  4. Once vegetables are tender, remove from heat and reserve a few of the tips for garnish.  Carefully puree vegetable mixture with an immersable hand blender or in a blender until smooth.
  5. Return puree to saucpan and add half-and-half.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish servings with reserved asparagus tips.

Helpful Tips:

  • The soup can be made in advance and re-heated for service, making an excellent starter course for a spring dinner party
  • Be careful not to overcook the asparagus – it will start to become an unappetizing colour!
  • When pureeing soup, be careful not to fill the blender too full.  You may have to puree the soup in batches
  • As a healthier alternative, you can substitute low-fat canned evaporated milk for the half-and-half.  It won’t be quite as good though!  Or, you could make it extra decadent by using whipping cream (35%) to produce a rich, silky soup.

Asparagus Soup


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Categories : Asparagus, General, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Spring, Vegetarian

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