I'm standing at my kitchen counter. Late afternoon light is streaming in through the windows as I take my uncleaned squid tubes and tentacles from the fridge. It was $1 less a pound to buy them uncleaned, with the inky skin, entrails and plastic-like clean quills (it's actually … [Read more...] about Tender Pressure Cooker Calamari with Red Wine-Tomato Sauce (aka a Messy Sunset and How to Clean Squid)
Greens & Herbs
Cooking With Seal, Part 1: Meatballs
This might seem weird, but yes, I cooked seal meatballs. The upsides: It's lean protein, high iron and totally sustainable (they're eating all the cod and these are not the cute baby ones). There are no antibiotics or grain in the feed since it's a wild meat. And it tastes … [Read more...] about Cooking With Seal, Part 1: Meatballs
Slow-Braised Arctic Char Fillets with Gremolata (Dairy-Free)
The inspiration for this dish came from a dinner at Lili.Co in Montreal. From our table a few steps from the bar/open kitchen, we watched a chef spend more than five minutes slowly basting a fillet of fish in hot, seasoned oil, essentially poaching it in oil. He then topped it … [Read more...] about Slow-Braised Arctic Char Fillets with Gremolata (Dairy-Free)
Vegan Dinner Party: Balsamic-Braised Oyster Mushrooms on Pressure Caramelized Parsnip Purée with Bok Choy and Flame-Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Do you have that one vegan friend that you never invite to a dinner party? That's me. And I'm not even vegan! (Gluten and lactose intolerant, no pork, no beef, no tofu and the list goes on, generally FODMAPs at the moment.) It's a little annoying to not get invited to a lot of … [Read more...] about Vegan Dinner Party: Balsamic-Braised Oyster Mushrooms on Pressure Caramelized Parsnip Purée with Bok Choy and Flame-Toasted Sunflower Seeds
This Year’s Sauerkraut: Three Ways
Why would you make one batch of sauerkraut when you could make three? That was the theory behind this year's non-spicy cabbage fermentation binge. In addition to the annual kimchi fest, I invited friends over to make less fiery ferments (speaking of that, it's a great … [Read more...] about This Year’s Sauerkraut: Three Ways
Risotto-like Sorrel Rice With Egg and Pecorino Sheep’s Milk Cheese
It's a bit annoying that even when I follow Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe properly, his photos are prettier than mine. Case in point, the recipe for sorrel rice with pecorino and egg yolk from his Sept. 9, 2017 The Guardian food column. This was the second Pecorino recipe I made … [Read more...] about Risotto-like Sorrel Rice With Egg and Pecorino Sheep’s Milk Cheese
Pecorino, Potato and Anchovy Flatbread Pizza with Lemon Zest on a Gluten free Crust
I know, I know. I'm lactose intolerant. Why am I writing about a recipe with Italian sheep's milk cheese? Because life's too short. And just a little bit won't kill me. So what if my digestion was unhappy for a few days? Worth it. I could blame Yotam Ottolenghi and his … [Read more...] about Pecorino, Potato and Anchovy Flatbread Pizza with Lemon Zest on a Gluten free Crust
Vegetarian Lentil Stew in a Baked Squash Bread Bowl, Plus a Thanksgiving Story
A couple years ago, I went to a Thanksgiving potluck for people in Montreal who didn't have family in the city. It was called an "Orphan Thanksgiving" and it brought people from all over the world together at the loft of a group of circus performers. Most of their friends were … [Read more...] about Vegetarian Lentil Stew in a Baked Squash Bread Bowl, Plus a Thanksgiving Story
How to Throw a Vegan Ethiopian Dinner Party and Make Your Friends Eat Off the Table
All I'd told my dinner party guests was that I'd be making an Ethiopian feast. Gluten free injera from scratch and a multitude of berbere-spiced stewed dishes. What I didn't tell them was that we were going to eat the meal with our hands...directly off of the table. Yes, I took … [Read more...] about How to Throw a Vegan Ethiopian Dinner Party and Make Your Friends Eat Off the Table
Creamy Wild Mushroom and Shrimp Risotto (Dairy Free)
Lactose intolerant? Can't eat Parmesan? Not feeling like drowning yourself in dairy and suffering from a heavy-stomached post-risotto feeling of regret? I love the idea of slow-simmering rice in broth until the starch of the rice makes the dish creamy. The traditional cheese … [Read more...] about Creamy Wild Mushroom and Shrimp Risotto (Dairy Free)