Make this when you have leftover parsley or white wine. You can do it the mild way (Italian) or the spicy way (Asian). The difference is chili flakes and soy or fish sauce. One note about sustainability: Ask your fishmonger where the fish comes from and how it was caught. If it … [Read more...] about How to Cook Whole Fish: Baked Sustainable Bass Stuffed with Herbs
Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
If you think this is a cake only your grandmother would make, you have the world's best grandmother. Do you know what happens when you put a base of sugar below sweet, juicy fruit and bake it? It browns at the edges, so you get that chewier, almost crispy in places, caramel-y … [Read more...] about Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Calamari and Pomegranate Ceviche Salad
The dressing of this salad tastes sharp and bright like ceviche, but the fennel and pomegranate drag it far from its South and Central American roots. You could add other seafood, like thinly sliced scallops and shrimp if you like. Or if you can find really good quality white … [Read more...] about Calamari and Pomegranate Ceviche Salad
Balsamic Figs with Sheep’s Milk Cheese
The trick to this gorgeous appetizer is to find good figs. The rest is simple. But it's March! you say. Do you think a lot of figs grow in Montreal at any time of the year? My friend gets one per season, and the work she puts into burying that plant at the end of the growing … [Read more...] about Balsamic Figs with Sheep’s Milk Cheese
Spiced Orange, Fig and Toasted Sunflower Pilaf
I'm reviewing a new cookbook called The Smart Palate. It was created by the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Center at McGill University. It's three authors aim for easy-to-make recipes that are visually appealing and healthy. Healthy in their views means fairly low in … [Read more...] about Spiced Orange, Fig and Toasted Sunflower Pilaf
Shrimp with Bananas, Almonds and Agua Diabla: Recreating ABC Cocina Restaurant at Home
ABC Cocina restaurant in NYC blew me away, from the Tequila in my lime- and basil-rimmed margarita to my patatas bravas infused with vinegar and salt and topped with an addictive sweet chili sauce to the tamarind-glazed fish. But everyone at our table agreed on the best dish: the … [Read more...] about Shrimp with Bananas, Almonds and Agua Diabla: Recreating ABC Cocina Restaurant at Home
Healthy Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Avocado Dip
There's a slow burn that comes from cooked jalapeno. You bite into a baked or fried whole pepper and there's a mild sweetness of the roasted flesh. Then bitterness hits from the skin and membrane as you chew. And finally, there's the heat. That's what you wait for. It's what … [Read more...] about Healthy Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Avocado Dip
Flan Soup and Averting Dessert Disaster
There's no such dessert called flan soup in any recipe book I know. But some of the best foods in the world are mistakes. Popsicles, deep-fried ravioli, potato chips. To that list, I now add flan soup. Tastes just like flan, but you bake it forever and it never solidifies into … [Read more...] about Flan Soup and Averting Dessert Disaster
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apple Pico de Gallo, Sherry and Toasted Pecans
In a party over-loaded with tacos and deliciously sloppy comfort food, this was my favourite dish. It was sweet and comforting, savoury and simple, with being overly heavy. The best part is that it's pretty easy. Sauté some stuff, add some sherry and stuff it into the squash … [Read more...] about Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apple Pico de Gallo, Sherry and Toasted Pecans
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry
When you buy and cook a squash, don't throw out the seeds. Sure, they're sticky and kind of gross, but if you wash them, strain them and toss them with salt, pepper and oil, they bake up to cheap treat perfection. Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Seeds of 1 pumpkin or squash 1 tsp olive … [Read more...] about Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry