soup essentials

I think about soup a lot this time of year.  This makes sense because almost nothing is more comforting than a hearty bowl of soup when it is rainy and miserable outside. Many amateur cooks think that soup is complicated or difficult to make.  Most restaurant cooks know better.  In a good commercial kitchen soup [...]

winter squash soup

1 large  chopped white onion 1 clove garlic minced 1 large butternut squash peeled seeded and diced 3 tablespoons butter
4 cups cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock) 1 bay leaf
a pinch of ginger 1/3 cup light cream salt and pepper to taste Sauté onions and garlic with butter. Add squash, vegetable stock, and bay leaf. Add [...]

beetroot dip

Note beets stain everything but the end result is worth it. 2 pounds cooked bulls blood beets (or your favorite variety, you can try yellow beets to keep your guests guessing) 1 cup plain yogurt 2 Tablespoons ground cumin 1/2 Tablespoon of ground coriander juice of one lemon salt and pepper Boil beets until soft [...]

benefits of beetroot

Many chefs lament the passing of summer and fall crops but not me.  Instead I celebrate the arrival of winter by cooking root vegetables.  They are in season this time of year and are hardy enough to last through the winter.  They are also very nutritious and delicious. There is so much more diversity in [...]

five onion polenta

1/2 cup coarse grain cornmeal 2 cups of good quality chicken stock 1 cup mixed sauteed onions (shallot, walla walla, leek, cippolinni and torpedo ) 2 bay leaves salt and pepper 1 or 2 large peices of parmesan rind 2 Tablespoons whole butter Bring stock to the boil. Add cornmeal in a slow steady stream [...]

cedar plank salmon & fire roasted corn

Find the appropriate sized untreated cedar plank.  Soak it in salt water for several hours to prevent it from incinerating in the cooking fire. To prepare the salmon place the whole side on the plank skin side down and dress it with sliced lemon salt and pepper.  I picked some wild fennel in the park, [...]

campsite salmon feast

Despite the fact that we are on a rooftop, we don’t have a patio at Vista 18 so outdoor cooking is a family affair for me. A couple of weeks ago my family and I packed into the Westy and launched ourselves on a road trip to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.  Rathtrevor is a [...]

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