Category Archives: Vegetables

Zucchini Halloumi Skewers with Lemon Parsley Dressing

I have never understood the appeal of raw zucchini. Watery and flavourless are not attributes I look for in my food. But, put zucchini on the grill, and it transforms into something very special. The heat of the BBQ evaporates the moisture, and, as the zucchini becomes charred, the natural sugar in the zucchini caramelizes and becomes intensely flavourful. Bland becomes bright.

You’ll need to slice the zucchini very thin for these skewers, about 1/8 of an inch thick. If you have stellar knife skills, go ahead and do it by hand, but if you have a mandoline, now is the time to bust it out. It slices the zucchini quickly and very evenly.

Now, for the star of these skewers, halloumi cheese. It’s a semi-firm brined cheese, traditionally made from sheep’s and goat’s milk. Originally made in Greece, Turkey and Cypress, it’s now also made in North America, often from cow’s milk. What makes halloumi unique is the way it’s made. The curds are cooked at a very high temperature for at least an hour. This creates a cheese with a rubbery, semi-firm texture. When you bite into halloumi, it “squeaks” between your teeth. So much fun to eat!

Halloumi has a high melting point, making it ideal for frying or grilling. The exterior develops a golden crust, and the inside becomes soft, but never melts completely.

Before they hit the grill, give them a light brushing with some good olive oil, and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. I served them with a parsley-lemon dressing which adds a welcome hit of bright freshness and mild jolt of acid.

I’m excited for you to try making these. They’re bound to become a summer favourite.


Romanesco Cauliflower with Crispy Sicilian Topping

If there were ever a dish that could convince me to become a vegetarian, this would be the one! Eating this dish did not leave me feeling deprived of anything. Every bite was satisfying and left me craving for more.

Cauliflower is one of my favourite vegetables. I love it raw in this shaved salad. It makes an excellent substitution for rice in this stir-fried dish, and steamed and mashed with potatoes and cheddar cheese and stuffed into potato skins is one of my favourite winter dinners.

When I saw this beauty at the market, I knew she had to come home with me. This is a Romanesco cauliflower. (I have also seen it called Romanesco Broccoli). It’s crunchier than regular cauliflower with a more delicate and nutty flavour profile. Romanesco is essentially an edible fibonacci spiral. Linda at Garden Betty, does an excellent job explaining that last sentence. Mother Nature is really showing off all her glory here. Each tiny peaked floret is an identical but smaller version of the entire head.

I decided to showcase Romanesco’s delicate flavour by roasting it. Slice the head into thick planks. Little bits will fall off as you are slicing. Just put them in the center of the sheet pan to protect them from burning. Olive oil, salt and pepper and a hot oven are all it takes to turn them golden brown and delicious.

I was on the phone with my big sister Faith, the day I was making this. I told her I was planning to top the romanesco with toasted Panko breadcrumbs, capers and almonds. She suggested adding golden raisins to the mix. Brilliant idea Faith! Every bite offers a perfect blance of flavour and texture. Sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy and nutty. If you can’t find Romanesco, just use regular cauliflower of broccoli. It will be equally delicious.

Cilantro Lime Salmon and Cumin Roasted Carrots

This recipe is inspired by my new niece, Danit. She is a very welcome addition to our family and we were all thrilled when she agreed to marry our nephew Ben. They live in Florida and last month they welcomed a sweet baby girl into the family. The first of the next generation. I am now a great aunt, although if you were to ask some of my 24 nieces and nephews, I think that at least one or two would say I have always been a great aunt!

We finally managed a visit to Florida, a few weeks ago, to see the baby. She is adorable, and the most chill baby I have ever met. I’m convinced this is due, in no small part, to her relaxed parents. Their laid-back attitude was so unusual to see in a new parent. When we walked in, Danit immediately asked us if we wanted to hold her. Once I had her in my arms, sniffing in that delicious new baby scent, Danit proceeded to make lunch for us.

She made oven baked cilantro salmon, roasted shredded brussels sprouts, rice and a salad. I don’t recall being capable of making lunch for myself, let alone guests, when my first born was 5 weeks old! Everything was delicious and that sweet baby lay quietly in her bounce chair, dozing, while we ate lunch.

This is my take on Danit’s salmon. I used a mixture of tender green herbs, including cilantro, Italian parsley, mint and basil. Dill would be an excellent addition. This is a very flexible marinade. Cilantro haters, feel free to omit the cilantro and add more of the other herbs. Make it your own. I added some toasted pistachios to the mixture for a bit of texture, lime juice for fresh acidity and honey to balance the tartness.
I put the carrots in the oven before the fish, as they need a longer roasting time. They were simply dressed with salt, pepper, olive oil and cumin. Carrots and cumin are a really delicious pairing.

Fresh light and bright, for when the comfort foods of January fail to satisfy.

Click here to print recipe for Cilantro Lime Salmon with Cumin Roasted Carrots.

 

Charred Broccoli and Israeli Couscous Salad

I am continually amazed by the culinary alchemy that takes place when you roast or grill vegetables. The dry heat caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables, which brings about a sweetness and amazing depth of flavour. Have you tried roasting parsnips? Next level fabulous, I promise you.

So although, intellectually, I know the joys of charring, when it comes to broccoli I have stubbornly resisted grilling it. I just love the taste of plain boiled broccoli. With a little drizzle of olive oil and a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt, I could eat a huge bowl of it. I actually crave it. It’s kind of a comfort food for me. To be clear, it’s in a totally different comfort category than say, frozen chocolate chunk cookies. But chowing down on a big bowl of boiled broccoli makes me feel serene and calm.

I only tell you all this so that you will understand the depth of my resistance to grilling broccoli. But then something, or I should say someone, changed my mind and I decided to give it a try. I watched Michael Symon char broccoli and then combine it with Israeli couscous. I think he is such a talented chef.  I love the big bold flavours of his food. Plus, he is just so sweet. Liz is a lucky woman.

Cut the broccoli into one inch thick planks. The flatter the surface area, the more even the grilling. There will be some rounded pieces, but that’s ok. Please don’t cut off the stems. Just peel off the woody outer core. The center is tender and the best part of the broccoli, as far as I’m concerned. A few glugs of olive oil, lots of salt and pepper and you’re ready for the grill. You could also roast them in a 400°F oven for about 10-12 minutes.

If you’re grilling, turn the heat down to low. The flat parts and stems will get light golden brown. The florets will deeply char, and you might worry that they are too burned. That deep char is what give this dish it’s amazing flavour, so don’t worry if they look black.

Once you take them off the grill, chop them up into bite sized pieces. I mixed mine with Israeli couscous because I love their bouncy chewy texture. Feel free to use farro, wheat berries or even quinoa if that’s what you love.

Get creative with the other mix-ins. Michael used golden raisins and sliced almonds. I substituted dried cherries and pistachios. Just don’t forget to toast your nuts. Some green onions, mint and Italian parsley add a verdantl freshness. I tossed it all together with a gentle vinaigrette made with fresh clementine juice and some fruity extra-virgin olive oil. Any leftovers will keep for a day in the fridge.

Click here to print recipe for Charred Broccoli and Israeli Couscous Salad.

 

Spring Panzanella Salad

The Panzanella salad was created in Tuscany as a way to use up stale bread. The classic version  is traditionally made in summer. It includes chunks of stale bread and tomatoes, sometimes, onions and basil, simply dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

It is customary to soak the bread, as I discovered on a trip to the Amalfi coast a few years ago. I also discovered that the time honoured panzanella salad is not my jam. I really dislike the texture of the soaked bread. I prefer my stale bread with a bit of crunch.

This is my springtime take on the typical panzanella salad. It’s not prime tomato time yet, so I focused on spring produce. I have included a recipe at the end of the post, but there are no rules. Feel free to improvise and use what looks good to you.

I started with one of the first signs of spring, pea shoots. These are the sweet, curly, tender leaves and stems of the pea plant. Pea shoots have a subtle pea flavor and a light and crunchy texture. They are becoming more readily available. if you can’t find them, arugula or watercress would be a good substitute. If you can find fresh peas, they would add a perfect pop to this salad. Sugar snap peas are a good alternative.
Asparagus is a natural choice for this salad. Although I said there are no rules, I do have two fundamental edicts. Please don’t buy those flavourless skinny-ass pencil asparagus. And, please peel the bottom 2 inches of the stalk once you have trimmed the woody end off. It’s how I was trained. It’s a small detail that adds a bit of finesse and style to your salad.
Up next are radishes. Regular radishes add a bit of heat to the salad.

If you can find watermelon radishes, buy a few. They are larger than regular radishes and kind of gnarly looking on the outside.

But slice one open, and you will be smitten by that gorgeous magenta interior. They are milder than regular radishes and make any salad seem luxe.
And, because I refuse to believe that #putaneggonit is over, top the salad with a jammy (seven minute) egg.

Click here to print recipe for Spring Panzanella Salad.