Thanks to everyone who came out to the Ile-des-Soeurs market yesterday. It was a beautiful day for Indian-spiced cauliflower, leeks in apple cider and parsley vinaigrette, and Toulouse sausages with grilled eggplant, all straight from the market producers to my portable grill. For everyone who stopped by looking for recipes, here they are! Oh! And thanks so much to my great friend, Thomas, who made the day possible and was the affable frontman for the demo while I ran back and forth to the kitchen.
Leeks Vinaigrette
12 small leeks (or 6 large ones)
½ cup sunflower oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp mustard
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp tarragon
1 tbsp chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the root ends of the leeks and split down the centre, but don’t cut through the root end. Add to the boiling water and cook until tender when prodded with a fork. Cook 3-10 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool.
2.Combine the remaining ingredients in a counter or a bowl and shake or stir (don’t shake the bowl…) until well blended. Arrange leeks on a platter and pour over vinaigrette. Optionally marinate overnight in the fridge before serving. Or serve immediately warm on baguette, as I did. Serves 6.
Cauliflower with Ginger and Cumin
1 clove garlic
1/2″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 tsp water
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
2 tsp whole fennel seeds
1 large onion, finely diced
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp ground coriander (you don’t even need to toast it first and then grind it first! Weird but time-saving!)
1 cup water
1 tomato, chopped in about 1/2″ cubes
3/4 tsp salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets, stem bottom trimmed and remaining steams cut into piece about the size of the florets.
2 tsp garam masala (recipe below. Much better than store-bought)
2″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup cilantro leaves for garnish (optional. Parsley is also fine)
1. Make the garam masala (below) in advance. Blend the garlic clove and the half-inch piece of fresh ginger with the 2 tsp of water in a blender. Transfer to bowl.
2. Chop the cauliflower, tomato, and remaining ginger, and measure all the spices. This recipe goes quickly once the heat is on.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat and when hot add the cumin and fennel seeds for 30 seconds. Add the onion and stir for 1 minute. Add the ginger-garlic paste you just blended, as well as the turmeric, cayenne, coriander, 1/2 cup of the water, the tomato, and the salt. Cook one minute.
4. Add the cauliflower for one minute, then add the rest of the water. Stir, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the cauliflower cook for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add 2 tsp of the garam masala as well as the ginger slices and half the cilantro leaves. Stir for 1 minute more, then transfer to a serving dish and garnish with remaining cilantro leaves. Serve with rice, naan, or on baguette.
Garam Masala
2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
2 tbsp whole cumin seeds
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 one-inch cinnamon stick
10 green cardamom cloves
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
5 bay leaves
Place spices in dry skillet and roast over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until aromatic. Remove spices to a bowl and let cool. When cool, grind spices in a spice grinder, a coffee grinder, a mortar and pestle, or in a plastic bag with a heavy saucepan or mallet (remove air from bag and hold end closed). Necessity is, after all, the mother of invention. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.
Sausage with Grilled Eggplant
1 package Toulouse sausage from Les Fermed Rheintal at market (4 sausages)
2 medium purple-skinned eggplant
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp salt
1. Place frozen sausages in boiling water for 25 minutes.
2. Slice eggplant thin width-wise (not lengthwise) and toss with oil and salt. Grill in batches on hot grill or in pan, turning once (about 10 minutes per batch depending on thickness of eggplant slices).
3. Add sausages to grill and grill 5 minutes per side (they are already cooked, so this is just to make the skin crisp and create grill marks. You can sear them in a frying pan). Slice into coins and skewer on toothpicks with folded slices of eggplant.
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