Friday, September 30, 2011

COOKING FOR ONE - SCHIZOPHRENIA BEATS DINING ALONE


"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."  'A Room of One's Own', Virginia Woolf, English novelist (1882-1941).

My life when Francois is away turns a bit bizarre.  To begin with, I don't sleep well. And it's not missing that person beside me at night (although I do).  If I happen to wake at 2:00 in the morning there is no reason not to get up, read my current book (or three) , put on a movie, play some music, sing, dance - whatever I wish - even cook.

Which brings me to the next problem - dining alone.  I like to 'dine' when I eat....well prepared tasteful meals, pleasingly presented - maybe a bit of candle light and a sip of good wine.   Not much fun cooking for one though and can't continue my frozen pizza habit following trip to Paris.  I remember when I was a busy Mom and cooking for 3 hungry kids I had adopted the  method of  'cook once - eat twice'. Seemed like a logical approach to assume in this situation.  In this case it's more like 'cook once eat many times'.

I try (most of the time) to eat fresh, healthy and local and as much as possible, seasonal.  Thus the following recipes: corn on the cob is in season, my local butcher just brought in some little free range chickens.  And it is now autumn - the time when bears (and wild cats) put on those extra pounds in preparation for their winter hibernation - yum!  cake with cream cheese icing!

The following  are some share-worthy recipes from Kat's (now really messy) Kitchen......


Maque Choux: a creamy corn dish from southern Louisiana. 

3 ears of corn 
2 tablespoons butter or oil or bacon grease 
1/2 cup onion, finely diced 
1/4 cup celery, finely diced 
1/4 cup bell pepper, finely diced 
1 cup tomato, finely diced 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
1 teaspoon thyme 
2 green onions, sliced 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste 
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the corn kernels from the cob but only cut into them about 2/3 of the way and set aside

Scrape the remaining 1/3 of the corn kernels off in a large bowl and set aside

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat

Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes

Add the corn, tomatoes, cream and thyme and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes

Use an immersion blender to puree 1/4 of the corn mixture

Mix in the green onions, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.


Spatchcocked Ricotta Chicken

1 whole chicken, at least 3 1/2 pounds 
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese 
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
1 large egg, beaten 
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 
1/2 cup finely chopped basil 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest 
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Remove the innards from the chicken and reserve them for another use. Wash and pat dry the chicken.
Spatchcock (aka butterfly) the chicken using poultry shears or a sharp chef's knife: first remove the backbone, slicing or cutting it along each side all the way down to the tail end. Splay the chicken open with the skin side up on a flat surface. Place the heel of your hands, one on top of the other, over the middle of the chicken. Press down to flatten the chicken. You may hear the breast-bone crack.
Run your fingers under the skin at the neck opening to loosen the skin around the breasts, reaching as far down as the legs if possible.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg, bread crumbs, basil, garlic, lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a spoon, carefully stuff the cheese mixture into the chicken between the skin and the meat, starting at the breasts. Coax the mixture into an even layer by pressing and pushing it from the outside, above the skin. Place the chicken on a rack, or several 1/2-inch-thick slices of onion, in a roasting pan, skin side up. Rub it with about a tablespoon olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast for an hour or until the juices run clear from the thigh. To test for doneness with a thermometer, check the breast meat for an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting surface and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
To serve, divide the chicken into quarters, splitting the two breasts into four pieces if desired.


 Dark and Damp Molasses Cake

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups dark or blackstrap molasses
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups whole milk


Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or grease a 10-inch springform cake pan.

Place the chunks of butter in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Pour in the molasses and whisk in the brown sugar and white sugar. Whisk as the butter melts. When the butter has melted and is completely liquid, and the sugar has dissolved and is no longer grainy, give it a final stir and turn off the heat. Set the pan aside to cool. (The molasses will look slightly separated from the melted fat; they won't be smoothly combined.)

Use a clean dry whisk to combine the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and espresso powder in a large bowl. (The espresso powder is optional; it will lend one more dimension of flavor to your cake.)

Whisk the vanilla, eggs, and milk into the saucepan with the molasses and melted butter. When it is completely combined, pour this liquid slowly into the bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk thoroughly to combine, making sure there are no lumps.
Pour the thick batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20 or 30 minutes, then run a thin, flexible knife around the inside of the pan to help the cakes edges release. Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a cooling rack before icing.

Extra-Creamy Cooked Cream Cheese Icing
makes enough icing to sandwich and cover two 9-inch cake layers

16 ounces (2 bars) full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature for at least 1 hour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla


Place the softened cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or simply use a large bowl and hand beaters). Whip the cream cheese on high speed for several minutes, until it is completely smooth and silky. Scrape the cream cheese out into a separate bowl and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a small saucepan. Turn the heat on to medium and slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. It will look lumpy at first but whisk vigorously to create a smooth paste. Continue whisking as the mixture comes up to a simmer. It will thicken rapidly and dramatically as it comes to a boil. Simmer for 1 full minute, then turn off the heat. Scrape the flour and milk paste into the mixer bowl. (If you want to be 100% sure there are no small lumps, pour it through a mesh sieve.)

Turn on the mixer or beaters and whip the flour-milk mixture for 10 minutes, or until it is lightened and no longer piping hot. It should be lukewarm or cooler. Slowly add the whipped, softened cream cheese, whipping constantly. Add the vanilla. 

Continue whipping until the the two are completely combined and smooth and silky.
It is best to let this icing firm up a bit more in the refrigerator but you can use it now to ice a completely cooled cake. If not using immediately, store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Whip again briefly on high speed before using. It is also best to refrigerate cakes that are iced with this frosting. It is best eaten within three days or so. 

...the wild Kat is now ready to crawl into her cave and sleep.... 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

PERSISTANCE, INTEGRITY, GUTS - the P.I.G. warrior returns

“The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.” ~Martina Navratilova

Major Pig has finally returned from his latest adventure.  


 He most recently spent a week 'assisting' at a reconnaissance mission for a future exercise in North Carolina.










After a quick reset, he headed out again for a weekend exercise at CFB Valcartier, Quebec.








But his mission isn't complete as tomorrow he leaves for yet another trip - this time to CFB Shilo.



His fan base continues to increase with each passing day.  To date he is being viewed in ten countries on five continents and communicated with in three languages (not including Pig Latin). There are daily inquiries about his welfare and it's clogging up our inbox so we have decided to give him his own email address: majpig@gmail.com.   He will do his best to respond to all communication but keep in mind he is a very busy little pig.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

EIN PROSIT!

"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer". ~ Frank Zappa


Last night I attended the annual CFSA yacht club Oktoberfest gathering. What a party! Such fun!



Such good food (my favourite was the warm potato salad)!






Good music by such talented musicians (not all tunes were the predictable ‘oom paa paa’ polkas, some beautiful waltzes, some Russian and Hungarian pieces, even a touch of Scotland at the end of the evening)!




Such a good group of people! Someone commented that it was great seeing all ages enjoying themselves equally at the same venue.




Our bartender/organizer did a fabulous job putting this evening together.



Looking forward to the next event.




Saturday, September 24, 2011

PREPARING FOR OKTOBERFEST or THE LONELY WOMAN'S GUIDE TO HAVING FUN

"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." ~ Otto Von Bismarck

In preparation for this evening I made a trip back to Boulangerie Atlantique to pick up my order of brezel. Also bought some more Weisswurst (yum ;-)

The owner encouraged me to complete my purchase with some of their fresh Black Forest Plum cake for dessert (didn't take a whole lot of convincing).




Apparently the cooking method for the Weisswurst isn't the only unique thing about these white sausages. There is an art to eating them as well.  In fact I discovered there exists a book -
"The Essential Weisswurst Etiquette Guide” (intriguing that someone actually wrote a book on this topic).


You might ask yourself 'why does  one need to know how to eat Weisswurst?' Well, Weisswurst is a very traditional dish in Bavaria, Germany. Therefore eating Weisswurst the wrong way runs the risk of breaking with traditions, dining etiquette and, in the worst-case scenario, offending the feelings of Bavarian natives.

To properly eat Weisswurst you need three additional things: mustard , pretzels and beer .

 Mustard

There are several kinds of mustard available, but only a few mustards are an appropriate side order for Weisswurst. The mustard you need is called 'sweet mustard' or 'Weisswurst mustard'. 'Weisswurst mustard' is coloured brown with a slight touch of green and tastes very mild and a bit sweet as opposed to hot mustards which are of a yellowy-green colour and taste very spicy. All other kinds of mustards ('half-hot mustard', 'hot mustard' or any kind of mustard blends) are definitely not for use with Weisswurst.

Some people eat their Weisswurst with the wrong mustard or even worse, with ketchup. This is considered to be a sin in Bavaria. Some very traditional pubs won't even serve Weisswurst with something other than 'sweet mustard'. If you order Weisswurst in a pub like this you will get Weisswurst with the correct mustard, or NO WEISSWURST AT ALL.

 Brezel

Pretzels are also very important. Eating Weisswurst without pretzels is impossible for most Bavarian people, because they always go together. There are some arguments about the correct 'Weisswurst to pretzel ratio'. Some people say you should eat one pretzel with each Weisswurst, others think that one pretzel is sufficient for a pair of Weisswurst - this is also the most common practice.


This also shows you that Weisswurst is normally ordered in pairs – could be the reason for the strange look I got from the guy when I picked up my dozen brezel and asked him to include a dozen Weisswurst (silly Canadian doesn't know anything!)

 Beer

 Weissbier is apparently the most common drink that is consumed with Weisswurst and the one that was recommended to me.  The owner of the shop didn’t have Weissbier but said Bitburger would be acceptable as you should NEVER mix the north with the south.  He also said that some of our provincial liquor stores (SAQ) carry Weissbier so will get that for another occasion. 

Now for the consumption technique:


Zuzeln:  (oh my!).   

Zuzeln is the only way of eating Weisswurst that has a special name.  All techniques result from the fact that you normally do not eat the peel of the Weisswurst (a little piece of information I wasn't aware of the other day).


Zuzeln is a term in Bavarian slang and means sucking (oh this just keeps getting better and better). The technique is as follows: the first half of the Weisswurst filling is sucked through one open end of the Weisswurst. After that, the rest of the Weisswurst filling is sucked through the other open end. You may notice that in order for this technique to succeed, the Weisswurst must be open at both ends. 

Therefore you have to cut off the knots and metal clips that may sit on the ends of the sausage before starting to suck. You should also notice that you use your hands for this technique - don't even try to work it out with a knife and a fork.

You should be warned that Zuzeln is the most complicated technique. If you are not trained to eat your Weisswurst this way, it might end in a mess. It is an art to use this technique without disgusting the other guests.


First you should probably watch this technique several times before applying it yourself. For your initial tries you should especially be careful with your teeth, since the Weisswurst peel is very delicate. If the peel becomes perforated by your teeth, sucking will become impossible. The second thing that is very hard to accomplish is the elegant handling of the empty Weisswurst half when starting to suck at the second end. Since the empty half looks like a condom - which is not very appetizing - you should cover it with the palm of your hand. The same applies if you have finished eating the whole Weisswurst. Then you should try to elegantly put the peel on the plate without dangling it around.

First slicing, then peeling: This is an easier technique for eating Weisswurst. First you have to cut your Weisswurst in slices of about one or two centimetres in thickness. After that the trickier part starts. You have to remove the peel from each of the slices.


Ripping and slicing: This is the easiest, but also the most brutal technique. First you rip the Weisswurst along one side. Then you remove the peel, and finally you slice the sausage and eat the slices.


Conclusion:  eating Weisswurst is in fact an art or as was described to me ‘pure science’.

When Francois finally returns from all his travels there will hopefully be a little left over for him. .....maybe.....

Thursday, September 22, 2011

IN SEARCH OF BREZEL AND PERFECTING THE DRESS

"Why waltz with a guy for 10 rounds if you can knock him out in one?" ~ Rocky Maciano

This weekend I will be going to an Oktoberfest party (more like another Septemberfest but close enough) and am on the hunt for BREZEL. Not a wealth of German/Austrian markets in our fine French city but I was able to locate a couple.



I also need to have a dress altered for an upcoming formal military mess dinner (I think when it is a couple thing it's referred to as a 'candle light') and since the dress maker is in the same area as one of my German finds thought I would kill two birds with one stone.  Actually three, as there is a friend who I haven't seen in ages so arranged to meet her for a coffee as well.

It's a really pretty dress but unfortunately my 'cargo' has shifted in flight so it needs some (hopefully) minor alterations.  I have been told this dressmaker is a miracle worker - he may need to be.

So on today's agenda was a trip to Boulangerie Atlantique (http:www.boucherieatlantique.ca/). I would never have guessed by the name that it was a German market but found it through a couple of local forums. Search for brezel aside, I fell totally in love with the website. At first click I was treated to the lilting strains of Strauss' Blue Danube.  I must have remained on the site a good 10 minutes just listening to the music. Such memories (most of them pleasant) of my piano teacher with his wooden pointer tapping the rhythm (sometimes on my knuckles) as I played this piece.

The boulangerie was such an amazing find.  They didn't have any brezel left (apparently you have to shop early in the day to be able to snag some of these beauties) but I have ordered some for Saturday.  Plus they have the right sausage (Weisswurst) and sweet mustard.  I just had to get one link so I could try it out.

 I was given instructions on how to properly cook the little dear so as not to tear the casing.

 ...and voila...success! Apparently too, there is a specific way of eating Weisswurst so will do some reading up on the proper method before the weekend.

Had a great time catching up with my dear friend over coffee with plans to get together again very soon. 
 
Am hoping the dress can be altered in time for the formal evening.  Maybe there will be an accompanying dance. Maybe there will be a waltz or two so I can float around the floor with my handsome officer......(insert  big sigh here....sigh!....).
  




......thanks again Marcus for your input.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

INDIANA JONES and the ADVENTURE of ARCHAEOLOGY

" I find that if I just sit down and think......the solution presents itself." ~ Dr. Jones Senior (Sean Connery)


 This was a fun and very interesting interactive temporary exhibition at the Montreal Science Centre that would easily appeal to all ages.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkdcHArwczY



Second only to James Bond, Indiana Jones is a favourite of Francois’ (and mine, not to mention my kids – had to replace how many VHS tapes from overuse?). 

 Some artifacts and images, on loan from the Penn Museum were from real archaeological digs....
  
 Russian born Tatiana Proskouriakoff at a Mayan dig site


The real Indiana 
Hiram Bingham III 



 Some  props  from all five of the ‘Indie’ movies....







 The handheld guide pointed out some little know facts from the making of the movies. George Lucas felt the only person to play Jones senior had to be a James Bond and in his opinion Sean Connery was the best Bond ever.  The glasses Connery wore had to be handmade as this type at the time of the filming didn’t exist; and that he wore only the one suit during the whole movie so they had to make sure there were very few re-takes.

It was a great way to relax and have some mindless fun.  I enjoyed watching Francois channel his inner 'Indie'.
... “fortune and glory kid, fortune and glory”...
 Temple of Doom


Sunday, September 18, 2011

MEXICAN EGGS & TALL SHIPS

“Never a ship sails out of bay but carries my heart as a stowaway”

I had been cooking a lot before our trip to Paris and was used to sharing our favourite creations and recipes with friends and family. My sister contacted me the other day offering some of her new recipes (she belongs to a gourmet dinner club through her university women's group and they meet each month and put together some pretty spectacular meals). She asked if I had started cooking again or if we were living on poached eggs and dry toast since returning. Not too far from the truth - more like frozen pizzas and dining out.

So today I cooked - nothing gourmet but definitely share-worthy plus François' eyes lit up when I mentioned Mexican and it was a nice easy brunch to start our day........


Mexican Baked Eggs

Eggs baked in spicy black bean and tomato sauce topped with melted cheese.

It makes about 4 servings.
You will need:
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 jalapeno peppers,diced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes or 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 19 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon oregano
1 handful cilantro, chopped (we aren't big fans so I used Italian parsley
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated cheese such as jack and cheddar

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, chipotle chili powder, and jalapeno saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and black beans and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
7. Place half of the mixture into one or more baking dishes, top with the eggs and spoon the remaining mixture around the eggs.
8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the eggs just start to set (I found i took about 15 minutes).
9. Top with the cheese and broil until it melts, no more than a minute or so.
I served it with a few slices of avocado and I can see it also with some tortilla chips on the side.
Bon appétit!


After brunch we headed down to the Quay at the old port in Montreal to see the six tall ships that have been in port for the past couple of days.

The 2011 flotilla comprises six majestic ships, each with its own tales of adventure:


Niagara: A wooden brig with a total length of 198 feet (60.4 m), dating from the War of 1812. Home port: Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Pride of Baltimore II: A wooden topsail schooner, a 157 feet (47.9 m), a merchant ship armed for the War of 1812. Home port: Maryland, U.S.A.

Challenge: A steel three-masted schooner, 96 feet (29.3 m) long in all. A 20th-century pleasure and excursion ship. Home port: Toronto, Canada.

Lynx: A wooden topsail schooner, with a total length of 122 feet (37.2 m). A merchant ship armed for the war of 1812. Home port: California, U.S.A.


Pathfinder: A steel brigantine, 72 feet (22 m) long in all. A mid-19th-century merchant ship. Home port: Toronto, Canada.

St. Lawrence II: A steel brigantine, 72 feet (22 m) long in all. A mid-19th-century merchant ship. Home port: Kingston, Canada.

The venue hosted many displays of interesting marine related topics, characters dressed in period costumes, and attractions for kids and adults alike...

stork family

Francois likes tall women


and me?.. yowza!

great training for future sailors

Festivities and entertainment carried on into the evening.



Such a pleasure playing tourist in our own little corner of the world!


...."Never a ship sails out of a bay, but carries my heart as a stowaway"....