Corona Virus Crab Dip

A little canned crab meat, a little diced onion, a little lemon juice and zest, a little cream cheese, a little shredded cheese, a little salt and pepper mixed up and baked in the oven at 350 degrees F. until gooey and bubbly.

Cooking with Chris- Poached Eggs and Mushrooms on Toast

My nephew Chris is a food lover, sushi aficionado, expert on the barbecue, and aspiring cook. He recently viewed Gordon Ramsay's Masterclass on poached eggs on brioche. And voila.   

Here's the link to the recipe. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gordon-ramsays-poached-egg-recipe#gordon-ramsays-poached-eggs-on-brioche-toast-recipe

Nothing says June in Ontario like strawberries....well maybe asparagus

Eat Your Vegetables! Kale and Goat Cheese Appetizers

My friend Lyndsay, an accomplished cook, served these kale consumables at a dinner party several years ago. They pair well with gin and tonic. Many had already been consumed with gusto by the time this photo was taken. Of note, Lyndsay modified the original recipe somewhat by using herbed goat cheese and spreading it on the toasted bread prior to layering on the kale. She also substituted lime for lemon. Here's the link to the recipe: https://happyhealthymama.com/open-faced-sandwich-with-smoky-kale-and-goat-cheese.html

I’ve always thought of rhubarb as one of those late spring/ early summer treats. Something pink and tart to look forward to after a cold, grey winter.  Apparently not everyone thinks this way. A friend of mine who grew up in Alberta dismissively refers to rhubarb as ‘pie plant’. 

Humph.

You can make a traditional two-crust pie using only rhubarb, or by combining rhubarb and strawberries.  But this one crust rhubarb custard pie is pretty darn good. Although  I've made a few modifications, I must attribute most of this recipe to a website called The Creative Bite. I don’t think I’ve ever made a pie that contains a cup of heavy cream but have to say, I just might do it again.

Ingredients:

• An unbaked pie shell
• 3 cups of rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch or 1 cm pieces
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup 35% cream aka whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the rhubarb in the unbaked pie shell and spread it around. This is a large pie so you will need a good sized pie-plate and pastry shell. Whisk all the other ingredients together in a bowl, then pour this custard mixture over the rhubarb. Bake for about an hour or until the custard is mostly set.

Cool before serving and store in the fridge.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Galette

Not only is this the season for both rhubarb and strawberry, these early summer fruits happen to make a great combo. In this recipe they are combined in a galette, which is basically a rustic pie designed for those lacking both sufficient pastry for two crusts, and a pie plate. 

Ingredients: 

• pastry for one large pie crust
• about 1 pound of rhubarb cut into 1 cm pieces
• about 10 large strawberries, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• finely grated zest of one lemon 
• about a tablespoon of 35 % whipping cream

Methods: 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out the pastry dough as you would if making a pie, into a large round. Transfer to a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. 

Combine the fruit, flour, sugar and zest in a bowl then pile the fruit mixture into the middle of the pastry leaving a 2 inch border all ‘round. Fold the dough up and over the filling. Brush the dough with the cream and place the galette in the oven for about an hour,  or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is a golden brown.

Eton Mess....for the strawberries

Eton Mess is so-called because a) it originated at Eton College, and b) it looks a mess (in a good way).  It’s a simple dessert made with approximately equal quantities of broken meringues, sugared sliced strawberries and whipped cream. Anyone can make a Mess.

Skirlie Mash... a pandemic recipe from my sister who is fond of both oatmeal and potatoes.

The following recipe was in my inbox recently. I don't have a photo, so you will just have to use your imagination.

Penelope wrote: "I found this newspaper clipping in my old blue recipe box yesterday. I made it last night for supper with the addition of a couple of cups of kale pieces. It was delish. I toasted the rolled oats first. I added the kale pieces to the softened onion and cooked for a few minutes to soften the kale - then I added the toasted oats. Will definitely make this again.

Skirlie is an oatmeal mixture that is used as a flavouring for other dishes. Best to use steel cut oats or regular rolled oats."

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup oatmeal
• 3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes cooked and mashed (I used one large baking potato)
• 1/2 cup warm milk (I did not use)

Methods: 

Melt butter until foamy, add onion and saute 2 minutes or until softened. Add toasted oatmeal and let it absorb butter. Add to mashed potato (adding milk if using). Season with salt & pepper.

Berry Buttermilk Cake from the NYT's Cooking Column

The texture and taste of this cake was reminiscent of what I would call a cottage pudding. I did cut the amount of sugar by about half, which was perhaps too draconian a decrease, but the result was still tasty. Fresh berries will work as well as frozen in this recipe. Speaking of fresh fruit, I was given some rhubarb yesterday, so am on to baking a pie today. But is rhubarb really a fruit?

Ingredients:

• ½ cup/120 mls vegetable oil or other neutral oil, plus more for greasing the pan
• ½ cup/120 mls buttermilk or milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups/190 grams plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups frozen berries, any kind, any combination (large berries quartered)

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch baking dish or pan (square or round) with oil and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and 1 cup sugar. In a separate medium bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Toss the berries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour then fold them into the batter before pouring it into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top of the batter in the pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 53 to 58 minutes. 

Cacio e Pepe from the NYT's Cooking Column

This simple pasta recipe comes to you from Mark Bittman of the New York Times. Google tells me that the name translates to 'cheese and pepper' in English. I'm afraid my childish mind had gone elsewhere with a translation. I'm not sure whether the quality of the cheese I used was inadequate, but I wasn't wowed by this recipe. I can say that it was an absolute breeze to make. 


Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of finely grated pecorino Romano
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound long pasta (I used capellini, which is so thin you could thread a needle with it)
• good olive oil

Methods: 
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. Add the pasta when the water boils.

In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper, then mash them together with enough water to form a paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl. When the pasta is done, transfer it to the bowl with the cheeses. Reserve a cup of the pasta water. Stir the pasta  to coat it, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and pasta cooking water to thin the sauce as necessary. Serve with additional pecorino and pepper.

Holy Green Guacamole

There is nothing like the spring-green colour of a perfectly ripe avocado. 

Guacamole is an avocado-based dip that originated in Mexico. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with a molcajete (mortar and pestle) and adding tomatoes and seasonings. Guacamole was made by the Aztecs as early as the 1500s. After the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, guacamole became popular in Spain. The name comes from an Aztec dialect, from āhuacatl (="avocado") + molli (="sauce"). (Source: Wikipedia) Over the years I have refined my recipe for guacamole to its simple green essence. More traditional recipes contain additional ingredients such as tomato, chilies, cumin, garlic, black pepper, hot pepper sauce and cilantro. Guacamole is one of those dishes where you can play around with the ingredients to suit your taste and arrive at a 'house' version of this traditional Mexican dip. This is the version that you will get Chez Bubba. 

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
• 2 chopped scallions/green onions (use both the green and white parts)
• juice of one juicy lime (2 tablespoons)
• salt to taste

Methods: 
Cut the avocado into large chunks and mash coarsely in a bowl with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and blend gently. The guacamole does not have to be absolutely smooth. Leaving a few small chunks is fine and some people prefer it that way.

Lime juice adds flavor and slows the enzyme-caused browning so get it on the avocado quickly.

San Antonio Margarita

This recipe is brought to you by Sam Sifton of the New York Times, who credits the drink to Josie Davidson of South Texas. To be brief; it's good.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup plus a splash of tequila
• 1 cup plus a splash of orange liqueur
• 1 cup plus a splash of lime juice

Methods:
Combine liquids in a pitcher with 6 ounces of water and stir to combine. Chill in the fridge. Serve over ice in glasses rimmed with salt. Then carry on carrying on in the time of coronavirus.

Atlantic Pie-.....using up the Saltine crackers in the time of coronavirus

I'm not sure of the original source of this recipe, so cannot provide proper credit where credit is due. It is delicious! And very easy to prepare. Kinda' like a key lime pie only better.



Ingredients:

• 60 saltine crackers
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup lime juice
• fresh whipped cream
• coarse sea salt

Methods:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Crush crackers finely with your hands. Add the sugar, then knead in the butter until crumbs hold together like dough. Press into an 8" pie pan. Chill 15 minutes, then bake for 18 minutes or until the crust colors a little.

While the crust is cooling (it doesn't need to be cold), beat the egg yolks into the milk, then beat in the citrus juice until completely combined. Pour the filling into the shell and bake for 16 minutes until set. Chill completely before slicing. Serve with fresh whipped cream and a sprinkling of sea salt.