Grilled Cheese; A Gift From The Gods

What makes me happy? A bottle of red wine and a big ol' piece of cheese? Perhaps. But when the wind is whipping at the windowsill and the snow is coming down, nothing makes me happier than the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

I am a purist; I like to keep things in my kitchen simple. The same holds true with my grilled cheese creations. Great bread, Canadian cheese, butter and maybe even a slice of locally cured ham. During the recent holidays, when my belly was about to burst from over-alcholization and roasted goose, I decided to take make a quick lunch for the troops.

The grilled cheese components included extra Old Cheddar from Mapledale Cheese in Ontario, apple-walnut bread from Boulangerie La Vendeenne, Westphalia ham from Roselane Farm and... mayo. Yep, mayonaise. I recently came across a cool trick in a CHOW recipe about how mayo won't burn the bread like butter. I was skeptical about this tip, but I had to give it a try.

With meat and cheese neatly tucked between the bread, I spread some mayo on both sides of the bread and placed the sandwich onto a medium heat  non-stick pan to slowly brown, crisp and melt.

The result was pure bliss - salty, creamy and crunchy with not a burnt bit in sight! My holiday snack was as I would say, outta sight!

Scallop, Celeriac & Beetroot Salad

Looking for a super simple, yet elegant salad for this holiday season? Here is one of my favorites! Crunchy, salty and sweet, this salad is perfect to start one of those heavy, sleep inducing holiday meals.

This simple raw salad or slaw can be made and dressed in advance. The seared scallops should be made to order and placed on the salad while they are still hot. Some of vinaigrette can be reserved for drizzling over and around the salad after it’s plated.

Salad (Makes enough for 4-6 people)

1 celery root / celeriac; peeled, julienne 1 golden beet; peeled, julienne 1 candy cane beet; peeled, julienne 1 firm tart red apples; julienne 1/2 C dried cranberries 1/2 C chopped flat leaf parsley 2 lemons; zest

Vinaigrette

1 C  olive oil 1/2 C walnut oil 1/2 C apple cider vinegar 1/4 C  honey 1/4 C  lemon juice salt & pepper

Mix all salad ingredients and dress with vinaigrette right away to ensure that apples do not turn brown.

Seared Scallops

3 Frozen Scallops (10/20) per serving Grapeseed oil (for frying) Salt & pepper

Make Chowder Your Choice for the Holidays

What is the most beloved soup in Nova Scotia? The answer is easy. Chowder. Be it lobster or clam or fish or seafood, chowder is warm, comforting and soothing. What could be better during this holiday season.

Chowder; it comes in many forms. Perhaps it is all clams or a mix of white fish. There may be a few shrimp lurking in the bowl or even an oyster. It can be cream based, tomato based or even a broth, but anyway you like to eat or cook it, this soup is a staple on most menus in restaurants and home kitchens in the province.

I am a very anal person when it comes to making my chowder. I have several rules that I apply, and I know that many people will disagree with me, but hey, that's just how I like it.

Rule #1 of the Lavallée Chowder

No "pink" fish. So Mr. Salmon, you and your friends Char and Trout will have to find another bowl to play in.

Rule #2 of the Lavallée Chowder

No cream. Listen, just cause I weigh 105lbs doesn't mean I can wave around a carton of 35% cream an use it liberally in my cooking; it's gotta be 2% milk for this lil' lady.

Rule #3 of the Lavallée Chowder

Carrots belong in a stew, not in my velvety white chowder. I do not want these orange floaties discoloring my soup.

So, how many disagree? Probably quite a few, but how many of you will try my recipe and perhaps change your minds? Hopefully more. Mine is a mix of clams, smoked fish, smoked oysters and haddock. Sometimes when I am feeling crazy, I'll even put in a few cold water shrimp!

This holiday season, try impressing your guests with a chowder. Duper MacDonald, this one is for you! Enjoy.

The Chowder of Chowders

Serves 6 adults

• 8 slices of bacon; roughly chopped

• 1 onion; chopped

• 1 leek; chopped

• 3 ribs of celery; chopped

• 3 potatoes; washed and chopped (I keep the skin on)

• 1C (250ml) corn(fresh or frozen)

• 3C (750ml) chicken stock

• 1C (250ml) white wine

• 2 C (500ml) 2% milk

• 1 can clams (add the juice too!)

• 3 tins smoked oysters

• 1lb (450g) haddock (or any fish you like)

• 200g smoked halibut or haddock

• 1C (250ml) cold water shrimp

• 1tbsp (15ml) chopped tarragon

• salt and pepper

In a large pot, cook off the bacon with a little oil and add the onion, leek, celery and potato. Sweat for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and cook another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and the liquid from the clams and cook for 1/2 hour until the vegetables are soft. Add in the smoked fish (cut up) and the white fish. Cook for another 10 minutes and then add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh dill.

Guest Chef Dinner at Fleur De Sel

Saturday, November 26, 2011, 7PM

I have eaten some of my all time favourite meals at Fleur De Sel in Lunenburg, and have even done some events with Martin & Sylvie (oh the fun we had!). So, I was really exited when "Marty" asked me if I would be willing to come to the restaurant at the end of November to pair up and cook some food.

Martin and I have been admirers of each other's work for some time now, but this will be the first time we will have the chance to actually cook together – the results should be fantastic. We are really looking forward to the night and we do hope to see you there.

MENU

AMUSE BOUCHE (Martin) Pavé of beetroot, ‘marrownaise’, crispy shallots Wine: Kir Royale- Vedrenne Crème de Cassis & Bouvet du Ladubay, Brut de Blanc (Loire)

SECOND DISH (Renée) Salad of veal sweetbreads, pancetta, warm anchovy vinaigrette Wine: 2009’ Paul Zinck, Pinot Gris (Alsace)

THIRD DISH(Martin) Parsley & parsley root soup, beignet of escargot, garlic scape oil Wine: 2009’ Olivier LeFlaive, Bourgogne Chardonnay (Burgundy)

FOURTH DISH (Renée) Pan seared scallops, salt cod brandade, thyme braised leeks, ‘Old Growler’ cheese Wine: 2009’ Mont Tauch ‘Les Garrigues’, Grenache Blanc (Vin de Pays de Torgan)

FIFTH DISH (Martin) Rack of Valley lamb, white bean and root vegetable cassoulet, celeriac, in house lamb bacon Wine: 2006’ Chateau de Pitray Premier Vin, Merlot/Cabernet Franc (Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux)

DESSERT (Renée) Salt baked pear, homemade caramel, Fleur de Sel ice cream Wine: NV Mont Tauch, Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC

7pm – Fleur de Sel Restaurant on November 26th $125/person (includes wine pairings)

For reservations please call Sylvie at 902-640-2121

Spicy Beans Delight

Have you ever ordered a Caesar or Bloody Mary and had the pleasure of having it served with a spicy bean? These gorgeous pickled beans are what my dreams are made of; spicy, crunchy and salty. What more could I ask for?

It wasn't until a friend of mine, Alexis Kelsall, and her blog "Domestic Bliss" inspired me, that I decided to get crackin' and create a few jars of these 'blissful' beans myself. Alexis has been a canning machine this past summer and fall, and this is one of her prize pickle recipes.

If you aren't into pickling, and you are slightly anxious about spending hours in the kitchen toiling over jars and hot pots, then this recipe is for you. It's simple, fast and most effective.

Alexis only uses chili flakes for the heat in her recipe, but I adapted it a wee bit by also adding in some pickled scotch bonnet peppers that I had picked up on a late spring trip to Barbados. This extra touch makes for beans with the perfect amount of spiciness for this hot mama.

If beans aren't your thing, this recipe also works well with carrots. I even have big plans on trying it with beets later on this fall. Give the recipe a shot and let me know what you think.

Spicy Beans

• 4 cups white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 5 sprigs of fresh dill
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 5 teaspoons (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 pounds crisp beans, ends trimmed

Directions

Sterilize jars and lids and keep warm.

In a large preserving pot combine the vinegar, 4 cups water, and the salt. Bring to just a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt.

Quickly put a sprig of dill, clove of garlic and red pepper flakes in each hot jar. Pack the beans in the jars upright. Ladle hot brine into the jars leaving 1/2" headspace.

Wipe rims clean with damp paper towel, place lid on top and screw on ring just finger tight.

Return jars to canning pot and make sure water covers jars by 1". Bring water to simmer and simmer for 10 minutes to process. Remove jars, place on kitchen towel and don't disturb for 12 hours.

If after one hour any lids have not sealed (if it can be pushed down, it's not sealed) refrigerate immediately. Store the sealed jars in a cool dark place.

Makes about 8 x 500ml jars

My Big Day Downtown - Part 2

I was happy to participate for the 2nd Annual Big Day Downtown. (Read about my first Big Day Downtown here.) A great campaign organized by the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. This year they selected your truly as one of their featured bloggers. Watch the video below to see what I did for my Big Day Downtown.

Getting Into a Pickle

There is something very meditative about pickling. In my world of poopy diapers and tantrums, the thought of spending an uninterrupted afternoon where my biggest challenge is getting the wee cucumbers into the cumbersome jars, is a dream.

I recently had someone say to me "the best pickle will always be the homemade pickle", so I vowed to make my own this year.

Making your own pickles is by no means rocket science, but if done properly, can become a hot commodity amongst people you know. I recently made a batch where I ended up with 20, 500ml jars, and I have already eaten 2 and given away 4 (I made them last week!). If I continue on this path, I shall have no more by the end of this month! So, I am going to make another batch, keep them hidden, and pray that they turn out just as good as the first!

If you have a 3 hour break in your day and want some exciting fun? Make some dill pickles.

Dilly Pickles

• 7lbs baby cucumbers; washed
• 3 heads garlic; cloves peeled & kept whole
• 1 bunch dill about to seed

Brine:

• 19 C water
• 5 1/2 C white vinegar
• 1 C coarse salt

Sterilize the jars and tops and set aside. Make the brine by combining the ingredients and bringing to a boil; set aside. Place the washed cucumbers in the jars, making sure to get as many shoved in their as humanly possible. Don't be scared to use a little muscle. Add 3 cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of the dill to each jar. Cover with the brine, seal and process in simmering water for 13-15 minutes.

Makes approximately 20 x 500ml jars.

We ate our first jar after a week and they were great. If have more will power than us, you could probably leave them for little longer to maximize the flavour. Enjoy. And remember, you will always be loved if you show up with a jar of homemade pickles.

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