French Canadian Tourtiere

I've posted this holiday recipe previously. It's very Canadian and very seasonal, so I'm posting it again. 

I bought a very expensive tourtiere from a high-end food shop to serve during the holidays. It had little flavour and a difficult texture. There had to be a better way.

According to the Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook, this French Canadian specialty was originally prepared with passenger pigeon (tourtes). As a child, I read a fictionalized account of the final days of the last passenger pigeon and it just about did me in. It was not until adulthood that I had any idea that my favourite pork pie had any relationship to a now extinct bird.

These days either minced pork or a mixture of different meats is used to make this savoury pie. Many people serve tourtiere on Christmas Eve, but our family often served it on New Year's Eve or on the first day of the new year, (along with oyster stew). This is really wonderful served with chutney and a green salad with an acidic dressing.

Just try not to think about the pigeons.

Ingredients:

• enough pastry for a 2-crust, 9 inch pie

• 3 potatoes

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan combine the rest of the ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 pounds of ground pork 

• 1 small onion minced

• 1/2 cup of boiling water

• 1 clove of garlic, chopped

• 1&1/2 teaspoons of salt

• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt

• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage

• pinch of ground cloves

Methods: 
Cook the meat mixture over a low heat, stirring constantly until it loses its redness and about half of the liquid has evaporated. Cover and cook for 45 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, boil and mash 3 medium sized potatoes. Mix the mashed potatoes into the meat mixture and cool.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Roll out half the dough and line a deep 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Fill with the cooled meat mixture and cover with the remaining dough. Seal the edges and make a cut in the top crust with a sharp knife. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake for 30-40 minutes longer. Makes 6 to 7 servings.

Merry Christmas

Hard Sauce

Serve this sauce with warm bread pudding or Christmas pudding or anything your little heart desires.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 and 1/2 cups of sifted icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons rum or brandy

Methods:
Cream the butter with the icing sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the rum or brandy. Place a generous dollop on top of warm pudding and get happy and fat.

Speedy Stollen

Stollen is a traditional Christmas sweet bread that originates in the city of Dresden. This recipe is not the traditional one that requires yeast but a much speedier, and some might say yummier, version. This is another recipe from the LCBO's Food and Drink magazine.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. tube of marzipan/almond paste (I used about twice that much 'cause I like marzipan)
• 2 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup of cold butter (grated with a cheese grater)
• 1 cup of extra smooth ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons of rum or brandy
• 1/4 cup each of raisins, dried currants, dried cranberries and candied citrus peel (Alternatively, use 1 cup of whatever bits of dried fruit you prefer)
•  3/4 cup of slivered almonds (toasted)
• 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 2 tablespoons of sugar for topping the bread after it is baked (The recipe calls for vanilla sugar but plain white sugar will do)

Methods:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 

Form the almond paste into a 'log' about 10 inches (25 cm) in length. 

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Grate the butter into the flour mixture and toss the mixture to distribute the butter evenly. Whisk the cheese, egg, milk, rum and vanilla together until smooth. Add the mixed fruit and almonds to the flour mixture; stir in the cheese mixture until everything is well combined. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, then turn the dough onto the baking sheet and pat it into an oval about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 8 inches (20 cm) wide. Lay the almond paste down the middle of the oval in a line that is slightly off centre. Fold the dough over the almond paste to form a loaf. Bake in the centre of your oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the loaf comes out clean. Place the baked stollen on a cooling rack and immediately brush the top with the melted butter, then sprinkle with the vanilla sugar.

Apparently, you can buy vanilla sugar (Dr. Oetker brand) in the baking section of the grocery store. You can also make it at home by placing a vanilla pod in sugar in a jar with a lid; allow it to sit and infuse its flavour for several days.

Skillet Cookies

This recipe was torn out of a magazine some decades ago so I can't attribute it to anyone/any publication in particular. It's another sweet that I tend to make at Christmas. The name is somewhat misleading. The ingredients are cooked in a skillet, but the end product is not a cookie at all. It is, instead, a sweet buttery ball. Absolutely delicious.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup butter
• 1 tsp.
• salt
• 1 cup of pitted chopped dates
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs well beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 cups rice krispies 
• 3 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Methods:

Cook butter, salt, sugar and dates in a skillet over a low heat until pasty. The following photograph indicates what this mixture will look like.

Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool somewhat, being careful not to scramble the eggs, then add the vanilla, eggs and milk. Mix well. 

Return the mixture to a low heat and cook for another 2 minutes. Cool a little, then add the cereal and nuts.

After the mixture has cooled sufficiently to be handled, form 1 inch balls and roll them in coconut. This is a messy process but can be done. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Peanut Butter Balls

My mother used to make these peanut butter balls at Christmastime. They look like snowballs and taste like heaven.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2-3 cups of Rice Krispies
• 2 cups of shredded coconut
• about a cup of thin vanilla icing (a little butter, a little milk, a little vanilla, then add confectioner's sugar until you have an icing in which the balls can be dipped)

Methods:
Mix the first 4 ingredients very well. Gently stir in the Rice Krispies cereal. Shape the mixture into balls. Roll the balls in the icing and finally, in coconut. Refrigerate.

Molasses Butter Sticks

This recipe is from a very old booklet by the makers of Robin Hood flour, called 'Holiday Entertaining'. I've been thumbing through this recipe booklet for at least 50 years. (Made the ice cream snowballs for the first Christmas party I hosted at the age of 12.)

There are certain recipes that members of my family particularly enjoy. These molasses butter sticks happen to be among the favourites. As it states in the booklet,  "a hint of molasses makes these special."

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup soft butter
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• icing sugar

Methods:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Measure the flour and salt onto a piece of wax paper and stir to blend. Cream the butter, molasses and vanilla well, then gradually add the flour mixing well after each addition. Chill the dough for one hour.

Shape level tablespoonfuls of dough into 3 inch sticks and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from the baking sheet. These are very tender cookies, so handle them carefully. 

While the cookies are still warm, roll them in icing sugar to coat.

The ice cream snowballs 

Shortbread Cookies

I struggle with shortbread and have tried numerous recipes in an attempt to find one that I like. Elva and Helen have shared their Aunt Pearl's recipe with me, and what a recipe it is!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. room temperature butter
• 1/2 pound icing sugar(or 2 cups sifted)
• 4 cups sifted flour

Methods:
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Place all three ingredients in a large mixing bowl and have at them. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients and work the mixture until you can press it together into several large balls of dough. Roll the dough on a floured board until you reach the desired thickness, (thick or thin depending on your preference). Cut the rolled dough with a cookie cutter or use a sharp knife to define bars, (also known as 'fingers'), approximately 1/2 inch wide by 2 inches long. Bake the cookies on ungreased cookie sheets until very light brown. 

More Thoughts on Shortbread....

I happened upon the following in my recipe box and made it because I liked its name, Ultimate Shortbread. However, I read the recipe incorrectly and added too much flour. With great difficulty I managed to roll the dough sufficiently to produce four cookie cutter snowmen. With the remaining dough I gave up rolling and made round 8 inch patties of shortbread about 1/2 inch thick, scored them before baking and cut them into 8 wedges while they were still warm, then sprinkled them with sugar. Ultimately, it worked.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups flour plus additional flour if dough is sticky

Methods:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With your fingertips gradually add in 2 cups of flour, adding more if necessary to make a soft but not sticky dough. Roll dough to about 1/3 inch or 8 mm. thickness and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool on wire racks.



And finally, my sister P. chimes in with her thoughts on shortbread.....

"I find the recipe on the back of the cornstarch box very easy. Variations: you can add 1/4 cup cocoa (Fry's) for chocolate shortbread. You can add 3/4 cup sliced filberts, roll into a 1 1/2 inch log, refrigerate, cut into 1/4 inch slices. Mom used to roll the dough around a red or green maraschino cherry, then ice them after baking with pink or light green icing.

At a public school Christmas party, someone's mother had made cookies like candy canes. There were two colours of dough (pink and white) twisted together with a crook at one end to make a cane shape. It seems to me there was also a peppermint flavour."

Tomato Soup

The genesis of this recipe was the New York Times Cooking column. I admit to changing up the recipe slightly. I suspect I improved it....I certainly made it easier. In any case it worked.

I put a drop of heavy cream on top, along with several grilled cheese 'croutons', and served it at our annual Christmas cookie exchange to rave reviews.

Ingredients:

• ½  pound butter
• 1  pound onions about 3 medium, cut into small dice
• ½  cup all-purpose flour
• 3  28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1 900ml carton of chicken broth
• ¼  cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon celery salt
• ¾  teaspoon pepper 
• about a cup of 35% cream (AKA whipping cream)
• 2  tablespoons honey

Methods:
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.

Add the flour and stir until mixture is slightly thickened and pale gold, about 3 minutes; do not allow to brown.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, celery salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium until the liquid bubbles, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot frequently.

Stir in the cream and honey. Heat just until heated through.

Walnut Rum Balls

My sister Sylvia's recipe for walnut rum balls inspired me to concoct my own recipe for these shiny globes of chocolatey booziness. 

Ingredients:

• 125 grams of finely chopped walnuts, divided into 2 parts
• 400 gram box of Oreo baking crumbs
• 1/2 cup of grape jelly (mine happened to be homemade wild grape jelly, but I'm not bragging or anything)
• 1/3 cup of dark rum

Methods:
Place the cookie crumbs and 1/2 of the ground walnuts in a medium-sized mixing bowl, then stir in the rum and grape jelly. Combine the ingredients thoroughly. Chill the mixture until firm, then roll it into small balls and finally, roll the balls in the remaining ground walnuts. Refrigerate or freeze until use.

Church Windows

Here is an easy, retro recipe for making a large volume of a Christmas treat that resembles a stained-glass window. They're retro yummy too.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound of butter (equivalent to 1 stick or 1/2 cup)
• 1 bag of chocolate chips (340 grams)
• 1 bag of multi-coloured miniature marshmallows (400 grams)
• 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts

Methods:
Melt the butter and chocolate chips and stir gently until smooth, then cool. Pour over the marshmallows and nuts and stir to combine. Roll the mixture into logs and refrigerate; this is easier said than done, and takes a little bit of coordinated effort. I laid out 2 fairly long sheets of waxed paper, blobbed half of the mixture onto each sheet and used my hands to form the mixture into 2 loosely held- together 'log' shapes, each about 16 inches long. After washing my hands, I brought one (long) edge of the waxed paper up and over the log and squeezed gently while rolling it to cover the log completely in waxed paper, then held the whole thing together by twisting the paper at each end.

After the logs have hardened in the fridge, they can be removed from their waxed paper covering and sliced.

I guess I'll never be hired as a "technical writer". Darn it.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

A woman by the name of Dorcas O'Reilly invented this recipe in 1955 when she worked as a manager in Campbell's test kitchen. I'm sure a number of Canadian housewives have tried this dish since its origination but I'm not sure that it took off in Canada the way it did in the United States, where apparently, it is a classic at the Thanksgiving meal. Along with marshmallows on sweet potatoes.

So, I ended up making this dish on the Thursday that was Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., in an attempt to better understand American 'appetites'. Didn't love it, but I probably should have used tinned beans rather than frozen, and Campbell's mushroom soup as opposed to a generic brand. 

Below you will find the link to the original recipe as well as a link to Ms. O'Reilly's obituary. She died in 2018 at the age of 92.

https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/recipes/classic-green-bean-casserole/

http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/10/dorcas-reilly-inventor-of-green-bean-casserole-dies-at-92.html

Artichoke Canapes

This is my sister Penelope's recipe for an easy to serve and very tasty canape. She puts a minced clove of garlic in the mix. I did not. She also adds oregano, whereas I simply used seasoned breadcrumbs and a smoked cheddar to add flavour. 

These puppies can be served at room temperature. The ones you see below are freezer bound for later use.

Ingredients:

• 1 large tin (398 ml) of artichoke hearts chopped, or a couple of smaller tins. Do not use pickled artichokes 
• 3 beaten eggs
• 2 cups grated cheese (I happened to use smoked cheddar)
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs 
• 1 small onion chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• minced garlic (optional)
• additional seasonings (optional)

Methods: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 by 9 inch baking tin with parchment paper.

Saute the onions in a couple of tablespoons of butter, then set them aside to cool as you compile the rest of the ingredients. 

Beat 3 eggs lightly in a medium-sized bowl, then add the grated cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped artichokes and finally the onions. Mix thoroughly and turn into the baking pan, spreading the mixture evenly in the pan. 

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the surface of the dish is lightly browned. Cool and cut into squares for serving.