Spring Has Sprung

Can you feel it? I can. The first twinges of Spring have set into my being and I am now excited about those first few food items that come along with this season; rhubarb, fiddleheads and lovage. Yes, a crazy combination of sorts, but hey, I am a crazy kinda gal.

Let's start with lovage. When I was growing up in Quebec, my parents had this big, crazy bush of lovage that I had to walk by everyday. Everyday that I walked by that bush I complained that it stank and that the smell made me sick to my stomach; typical child behaviour. To me, lovage was the bane of my existence! It was only many years later, when I moved to Prince Edward Island to become Executive Chef of The Inn At Bay Fortune, that I had to face my fear. 

Working in a kitchen where I changed the menu daily, and depended on the garden for ninety percent of my produce, I realized that lovage and I were going to have to fall in love with one another. I took it upon myself to learn about this magical herb, that I could only describe as "celery on crack".

Lovage grows year round in some parts of the world, and unlike most herbs, when you cook it, it does not lose it's flavour. So, out came lovage soups, oils, purees and salads.  It works wonders in a chicken salad sandwich, and pairs perfectly with pears! I am now proud to admit that the first thing I planted when we bought our house, was a tiny lovage plant that has now turned into a beautiful, aromatic bush.

Fiddleheads, those green little creatures that look like a caterpillar. Full of Omega 3, 6, iron and fibre, these green guys pack a major punch. Only available for about 4-6 weeks out of the year, I hoard them and freeze, pickle and devour them until their short season is over. The thing about these ferny friends is that you must wash them several times and fully cook them to get rid of any harmful microbes. A trick? Soak them in cold water, rinsing several times and a quick blanch in salted boiling water. A little olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice is all these guys need.

Doug and I have lived in our little blue house on Lake Banook in Dartmouth for 6 years now, and it wasn't until last spring, while doing some major yard work, that I discovered a very random patch of rhubarb growing in our yard. How exciting, I thought. It reminded me of my childhood days, and how I would go over to Sheila's (she was our neighbor in Shawville), and secretly cut her rhubarb from the patch behind her garage, and hope that none of the neighbors saw me! I would stuff it under my shirt, and make a run for my yard and bolt through the side door completely out of breath. Of course, my rhubarb cutting never went unnoticed, as my mother would interrogate me on my "lucky" find, and would place a call to the McDowell residence to inform Sheila of my bad behaviour. To make it up to everyone, I would bake a rhubarb crisp, taken from a local Shawville Minor Hockey Cookbook, and eat it hot right out of the pan! Now that I have my own rhubarb patch, I can make this sweet and sour concoction anytime.

The Shawville Rhubarb Crisp

• 250ml (1 C) all purpose flour
• 250ml (1C) packed brown sugar
• 200ml (¾ C) oatmeal
• 125ml (½ C) melted butter
• 2 1/2 L (5 C) chopped fresh rhubarb
• 250ml (1C) white sugar
• 250ml (1C) cold water
• 30ml (2 Tbsp) cornstarch
• 5ml (1 Tsp) vanilla

In a bowl, mix the flour and brown sugar with the butter and oatmeal. Press ¾ of the mixture into the bottom of a 9" pan; cover with the rhubarb. In a saucepan, mix all the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Pour over the rhubarb and sprinkle the remaining topping on top. Bake in a 350F oven for 45-60 minutes until it is oozy, bubbly and brown!

TIBS Family Dinner - The Easter Eggstravaganza

It had been a week of getting ready for bunnies and chocolate eggs and what better way to celebrate than our TIBS Family Dinner Easter Eggstravaganza that happened on March 29th.

Here's a collection of photos from last Friday's dinner. Our next dinner will be held on Friday, April 19th. We will be doing a beer themed dinner and what fun it will be! Tickets go on sale on Monday April 8th at Two If By Sea in Dartmouth.

If you're interested in attending any of our upcoming dinners, please join our mailing list, or our Facebook Page.​

The Mighty Chedabucto Bay Shrimp

Shrimp have a special place in my heart. As a child, nothing made me happier than a shrimp cocktail - big, plump, pink shrimp placed beautifully around a cocktail glass with zippy horseradish infused cocktail sauce.

As the years have progressed, my love has remained true, but knowing that many ofthese little creatures are farmed, processed and shipped here from Asia, my affection started to fade - that is until my introduction to a very special local shrimp product.

A few years back, after moving to Halifax, I was introduced to the most spectacular little treats; the Chedabucto Bay Trap Caught Shrimp! Not only are these some of the best tasting shrimp I had ever eaten, but they're trap-caught off the shores of Canso. Local and sustainable - could it get any better than that? I think not! 

Super sweet and utterly decadent, these shrimp are the perfect snack. I have prepared these shrimp in a variety of different ways. Here are my favourite ways to enjoy them:

• Flash Fried - simply dusted with flour, flash fried in hot vegetable oil and dressed with a bit of salt and lemon juice, these beauties can be eaten whole - head, body, tail and all.
• Pasta - ​so easy, yet tasty. Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta and start cleaning your shrimp. In a pan, add olive oil, garlic and some chili flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and add yellow or red grape tomatoes. Sautee and add salt and pepper; add a ladleful of the pasta water. Turn off heat. Once pasta is cooked, drain and set aside for an instant while you finish the sauce. Add the shrimp, lemon zest (1 lemon) and a touch of heavy cream. Add a handful of baby spinach and chopped parsley, grated parmesan and toss with the cooked pasta.
• Chowder - ​what better way than to use in a chowder. The key with these little guys is to simply add to your favourite chowder or seafood soup recipe at the very end. 

These shrimp are harvested during the winter months and are available through the Off the Hook Community Supported Fishery or Local Source Market in Halifax or Fisherman's Market on the Bedford Highway.

Whether you eat them whole, blanch and peel, or toss cooked in a chowder or pasta, these Nova Scotian gems are sure to make you smile and appreciate yet another awesome local seafood product we have here to offer.​

Beautiful little creature.

Star of the chowder.

Flash fried shrimp with salt and lemon juice.

Simple pasta with shrimp, peas & tomatoes.

Star Fish Co. - Seafood worth the wait.

I have been going to Florida almost every year since I was a baby. I have eaten great food, mediocre food, and just truly horrible grub. But on a recent trip, I experienced what I can only call "food nirvana".​

Okay, so you might not believe that some pretty rocking food can be found down in the land of old people, Cadillacs and early bird specials, but it definitely does exist. For the past three years, my husband and I had been trying unsuccessfully to eat at a local seafood joint called Star Fish Company in Cortez, thanks to a solid tip from our friend Grodon Stevens (@uncommongroup).​

Let me explain. Year number one - the babes were crying and the line up was too long. Year number two - again, massive line ups and no seats, so we turned to their fresh seafood shop and bought our own fish to take home. But in year number three, the food gods were on our side!

With our kids gone with the grandparents over night, our next morning was free and we set our clocks to 11:00am so that we would be first in line at Star Fish Co. We arrived only to discover we had not brought enough cash money to pay - so we made our way to a nearby ATM. Yes, Star Fish Co. ONLY accepts cash.

With cash in hand, I got back in line and I sent Doug to find us a table, but we opted to sit at the bar, which was perfect as my love for cheap beer is rampant that day. With an excited grin I ordered conch fritters, boiled crawfish, a shrimp Po' Boy with cheese grits and what they called the "Cortez Special" (blackened grouper and sauteed shrimp with hush puppies). Doug was a little skeptical at the amount of food I had ordered, but hey, I had been dreaming of this place for three years!

 

​The conch fritters arrived in front of us; hot, crunchy and absolutely delicious. Doug had never had conch, and boy was he surprised! We could not get these into our mouths fast enough.

Next came the crawfish; salty, sweet and messy. Always a crowd pleaser. The shrimp Po-Boy was just as I had envisioned; crunchy and sweet fried Gulf shrimp,  on a bun with homemade remoulade.

Our last box of food, was just as amazing as the rest. Fresh grouper and shrimp, the cheesiest grits and tantalizing hush puppies. I felt like this was my last meal and managed to scarf down a solid helping while drinking copious amounts of very reasonably priced Michelob Amberbock.

This meal may sound pedestrian to some, but the fact that all the seafood was caught nearby that morning, and that it was all done in house - from scratch, made this meal the most memorable. A Florida meal that will not be forgotten.

Next time you're in the vicinity of Cortez, Florida (on the Gulf Coast), grab some cash and an empty stomach before visiting this amazing fishing community and restaurant. You will definitely thank me for it.​​

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Lamb Stew - The proper choice for St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patricks Day is just around the corner  and one of my favorite meals to serve at this time of year is lamb stew. Hearty, rich and delicious, it is the perfect accompaniment to a pint of beer - especially a nice stout.

I love lamb and I am super lucky to have not only the handsomest lamb farmer in Nova Scotia as a supplier, but his lamb happens to be pretty damn good too. Bill Wood of Wood N Hart Farm has been suppyling me since I moved here back in 2005, and to this day, his lamb is still number one in my books! He can be found at the Historic Brewery Market in Halifax every Saturday morning.

This particular lamb stew was made for our TIBS Family Dinner St. Patricks Day Feast back in 2011, and it was a big hit.​ Hopefully you will pay Bill a visit, buy some lamb, and make a batch of this satisfying stew.

Oh yeah - don't forget to pick up some local craft beer to wash it all down. I would suggest the Propeller Lodon Style Porter or the Garrison Nut Brown Ale. 

​Lamb Stew

SERVES 4-6 ​

​2lbs stewing lamb
1 garlic clove; minced
1 onion; diced
4 ribs of celery; diced
2 carrots; diced
6 small new potatoes; quartered
12 button or cremini mushrooms; halved
1 Tbsp flour
1 C red wine or dark beer (see suggestions above)
1L beef or lamb stock
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary; chopped
Salt & pepper
1 C peas (fresh or frozen)
Puff Pastry stars

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, add a small amount of oil and sauté the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes and add the lamb. Brown. Add the celery, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes and season with salt and pepper; cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the flour and saute a further 2-3 minutes and add the wine or beer. Cook until the alcohol is cooked off and add the stock and half of the rosemary. Check for seasoning and add more if needed.

Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the lamb is tender. Once cooked, check again for seasoning and add the peas and the remaining rosemary.

Serve immediately with puff pastry stars if desired. 

Chorizo & Okra Gumbo

I often find myself hungry for a spicy and satisfying meal on a Sunday night. Recently, after a busy day cooking at Acadian Maple, I came home and whipped up this quick and very hearty chorizo and okra gumbo.

The spiciness of the sausage and jalapeño pepper are enough to carry me into an amazing week, and the creaminess of the okra always puts a smile on my face. A hot bowl of this soup at the end of a busy week is just what the doctor ordered. 

​Chorizo & Okra Gumbo

Serves 4-6 ​

​1 onion; diced
1 garlic clove; minced
4 chorizo sausage; crumbled (I used Sweet Williams)
4 ribs of celery; diced
1 red pepper; diced
6 small new potatoes; diced
1 pint of grape tomatoes
1  jalapeño pepper; minced
12 okra; thickly sliced
1L chicken stock
1/2 C white rice
1 C chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes; juice
1 Tsp allspice

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, add a small amount of oil and sauté the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes and add the crumbled chorizo. Brown. Add the celery, jalapeno, pepper and potatoes and add the allspice; cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the okra and tomatoes. Saute a further 2-3 minutes and add the stock. Check for seasoning and add if needed.

Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer and add the rice. Add half of the cilantro. Cook until the rice and potato are cooked through.

Add the lime juice and the remainder of the cilantro.

A Boiled Dinner Fit for the Feisty One

Recently I mentioned on Twitter and Facebook that I had made a traditional boiled dinner for the first time ever and the response I received was crazy! I know that I have been living out on the East Coast for over eight years, but it had never crossed my mind to make one boiled dinner for my family at home.

The beauty about a boiled dinner is that all of the ingredients are locally grown and available throughout the winter. Anytime that I can purchase all of the ingredients for a winter meal at the farmers' market, I'm a happy lady.

Was it easy? Yes. Was it tasty? Oh yeah! Did I get to eat any? Nope. Most of it was gone by the time it was my turn to eat. Don't feel sorry for me though, I did manage to make myself the best ever corned beef sandwich the next day with some rye bread, hot mustard and the scraps of meat and vegetables that were left.

Will I re-make a boiled dinner in the future? It is guaranteed and next time, I'll eat first!

​Boiled Dinner, Dartmouth Style

Serves 2-4 ​

​1- 2-3lbs corned beef; rinsed in cold water (I got mine from Oulton's Farm)
4 bay leaves
6 black peppercons
6 whole cloves
6 medium new potatoes
4 carrots; peeled
1/2 green cabbage; cut into quarters
4 onions, peeled and whole

In a very large pot, cover the rinsed corned beef in cold water. Add the spices and the onions. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat starts to become tender and flakes easily.

Add the rest of the vegetables and cook until tender. Serve immediately with some green tomato chow and hot mustard.

PLEASE NOTE

Corned beef can vary greatly in saltiness. If the water is too salty as it comes to a boil, discard and cover again with fresh cold water. ​