2 lb Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
salt to taste
Boil potatoes until tender, drain well and rice while still hot.
Bring cream and butter to a boil and pour over potatoes
Whisk well and season to taste
Adjust consistency with milk or cream if desired
This will make a nice sized jar, mix well, grind as needed and use to season meats and poultry.
3 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp green or pink peppercorns (dry)
1 tbsp Szechuan pepper
1 tbsp fennel seed
1 tbsp dill seed
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 tbsp yellow mustard seed
1 tbsp brown mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp chili flakes
Yield: 1 10†tart or 12 individual (1 ¾ oz each)
Almond sweet pastry crust
250 g flour
75 g sugar
pinch salt
50 g ground almonds
170 g butter, cubed and chilled
1 egg
1 tsp rum
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and almonds in food processor
Add butter cubes and process until mealy
Add egg, yolks, and rum and process until dough comes together
Turn out and knead lightly
Pat into disc
Wrap and chill for 1/2 hour
Roll out into a 12 inch circle and line a 10 inch tart shell with a removable bottom
Chill thoroughly
Preheat oven to 350 F
Dock and blind bake for 35 minutes, until fully cooked and golden brown
Set aside until needed
White wine poached pears
2 cups white wine
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 inch piece ginger, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 star anise
6 peppercorns
1 tbsp fennel seed
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
6 pears, peeled, halved, and cored
Bring all ingredients except pears up to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to develop flavour
Add pears and simmer until tender, 20-40 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the fruit
Remove with a slotted spoon, and place in a shallow dish
Pour poaching liquid over and allow to cool to room temperature
(pears may be poached and refrigerated for a few days in advance)
Ganache filling
2 cups pear poaching liquid
1 cup whipping cream
250 g dark chocolate, chopped
Reduce poaching liquid until it measures 1/2 cup and is thickened slightly (it should look like liquid honey in colour and viscosity) Keep warm
Place chocolate in a medium bowl
Scald cream and pour over chocolate, mixing well to melt.
Add reduced pear liquid and whisk well, making sure there are no lumps (you can set the bowl over a pan with a small amount of hot water if necessary to aid in the melting process)
Pour filling into prepared tart shell and set in fridge to set.
Once filling is firm, remove pears from liquid and pat dry ( I usually blot them lightly on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel)
Slice thinly almost all the way to the stem end and fan around tart (stem end should point towards the centre)
Allow to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
If you like, you can reduce the remaining poaching liquid as before and use the glaze to either brush over or use as a sauce
Fall brings football season, and this year all of our son’s games have fallen on Mondays, making it difficult to cook a hearty dinner and catch the game. We’ve resorted to preparing Monday’s dinner the day before, something that can be heated up quickly but will satisfy the hunger that comes from playing hard for two hours. You can add some cayenne if you all like it spicy, but we have a broad spectrum at our house so I put the hot sauce on the table and let everyone dictate their own level of heat. We usually serve it with some fresh biscuits, buns, or cornbread.
2 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 yellow peppers, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 28 oz (792 mL) tins diced tomatoes
2 10 oz (540 mL) tins kidney beans
In a heavy sauté pan brown beef well, remove and place in a strainer to allow fat to drain.
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil, and sauté vegetables until lightly coloured.
Add chili powder and cumin and stir until spices have coated vegetables
Add tomatoes, beans and drained beef and bring to a simmer
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, covered.
I have become a steadfast believer in direct ratios in cooking, as I find all of the best recipes seem to be based on some direct correlation in measures or weights of ingredients. I now use that methodology when writing a new recipe, and usually end up with good results. These cookies are no different. They are extremely satisfying, although with the large number of whole peanuts in the batter they tend to be a bit delicate, so eat them quickly. I’m sure it won’t be a problem, it never is in our house.
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup natural peanut butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups salted peanuts
Preheat oven to 350
Cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy
Add peanut butter and mix until well combined
Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth
Mix flour, baking soda, and salt, and add to peanut butter mixture
Stir until just incorporated
Add peanuts and chocolate chips and stir until just combined
Scoop into 3 tbsp (45 mL) balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment
Flatten lightly with a fork
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a rack to cool completely