A few jerk chicken primers: 1. Jerk chicken is long-marinaded Jamaican chicken grilled until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside 2. Peas does not refer to green peas. It refers to black-eyed peas, aka beans. 3. The rice is usually cooked with coconut milk. 4. Most … [Read more...] about Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas
On the Wonders of Pressure Cookers, Baking Soda, and Modernist Cuisine’s Caramelized Carrot Soup
Me: "When you add baking soda it speeds up the Maillard reaction! So you get this browned, caramelized, super rich carrot flavour!" My chef friend: "Uhuh." Me: "But don't you see how cool that is? You know when you brown duck confit or sear fish and it gets that great texture … [Read more...] about On the Wonders of Pressure Cookers, Baking Soda, and Modernist Cuisine’s Caramelized Carrot Soup
Indian Chili Bison Tacos with Homemade Taco Cups
Basically I made this because I was having a dinner party and wanted to make raw vegan tacos with sprouted mung beans and then happened to stumble upon this recipe in Hari Nayak's "Easy Indian Cooking" for beef chili. Despite the elevated temperatures my body wanted something hot … [Read more...] about Indian Chili Bison Tacos with Homemade Taco Cups
Raw Chipotle Tacos with Sprouted Mung Beans
Executive chef Barry Pall of Crudessence gave me a tour of the raw food restaurant's commercial kitchen space a few weeks ago, way up in a loft in one of my favourite areas of Montreal. I figured it'd be nice and cool, not needing air conditioning because Crudessence is a "raw" … [Read more...] about Raw Chipotle Tacos with Sprouted Mung Beans
Indian Lamb Curry from Hari Nayak’s Easy Indian Cooking
Nayak has a new Indian cookbook out. I'm slowly working through the recipes. It's not as big or beautiful as his last one, but if the recipes work I'm all for it. So far it seems the recipes are easier (blend things up all together rather than multi-step processes). This recipe … [Read more...] about Indian Lamb Curry from Hari Nayak’s Easy Indian Cooking
Montreal Canning Class this Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 4:30pm: Peach, raspberry and strawberry jam
Want to learn to can? Love jam? Want to take home a jar of delicious confiture? You can! In fact, you can can! Whether your legs go above your head is up to you, but we can all eat jam with just enough sugar and a generous amount of maple syrup... Learn all about safe canning, … [Read more...] about Montreal Canning Class this Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 4:30pm: Peach, raspberry and strawberry jam
Maple-Candied Pecan Salad with Arugula, Raw Sheep’s Milk Cheese, and Quebec-Bottled Moroccan Olive Oil
I'm an olive oil snob. It's not my fault. It's this darn lactose-intolerance. At restaurants (before I became gluten-intolerant...) I always had to request olive oil instead of butter for bread, and a good olive oil made me feel almost as though I wasn't missing out, especially … [Read more...] about Maple-Candied Pecan Salad with Arugula, Raw Sheep’s Milk Cheese, and Quebec-Bottled Moroccan Olive Oil
Juicing with Greens and Cheating on Raw: Apple, lychee, kale, quince, peach, spirulina
Raw and I were never exclusive. In fact, a friend of mine in Peru would say there's no need. We're wired to polygamy and monogamy is learned. I've also heard that pheromones make us calm so that we simmer down when we're around someone we're attracted to, making us less likely … [Read more...] about Juicing with Greens and Cheating on Raw: Apple, lychee, kale, quince, peach, spirulina
Green Smoothies 101: Apple, orange, kale, pineapple, soaked dates, and magical(?) spirulina
I had a chat with a green smoothie-lover from Crudessence in Montreal about variations on a green theme. I'm going to say upfront that I'm not a huge fan of green smoothies. Or, I wasn't for a long time. The idea of using a lot of high sugar fruit to mask the flavour of healthy, … [Read more...] about Green Smoothies 101: Apple, orange, kale, pineapple, soaked dates, and magical(?) spirulina
Making Friends With Salad: Du Puy lentils with red wine-maple vinaigrette, candied pecans and grilled endive
This is a salad that will make you enjoy eating: A. Lentils B. Salad Both, I believe, are important in life. Both, however, can be horrendously disappointing. I get why carnivores who only know romaine lettuce and Kraft Caesar dressing from a bottle stick to steak. I can't … [Read more...] about Making Friends With Salad: Du Puy lentils with red wine-maple vinaigrette, candied pecans and grilled endive