Cranberry, White Chocolate and Toasted Pistachio Biscotti

Well, I am leaving for the airport in less than two hours and so I really should be doing stuff like packing my suitcase and cleaning the house and finishing off the laundry... Yet I didn't want to leave for two weeks without saying goodbye and sending off this year with something sweet and seasonal.

Because we are not going to be home in Vancouer for Christmas I didn't do the major baking extravaganza that usually happens around this time. I really love to get together with a few friends and make cookies and chocolate truffles and sea salt caramels to give away to my nearest and dearest. Then there is the major bake sale at Max's school that happens on the last day before winter vacation. They have a little Christmas concert where everyone jams into the gym and sings along with the kids while a couple of the talented teachers strum along on their guitars. They have coffee and juice and a ton of amazing baking and it is one of my favourite fundraisers of the year. I am pretty sad to miss it this year.

I always make these cranberry, white chocolate and toasted pistachio biscotti for the school bake sale and even though I won't be there this year I baked up a bunch of these on Sunday to give out to friends and family. These are great as they last a while and are a nice change from all of that shortbread. Also with the cranberries and the pistachios and the orange zest I can sometimes convince myself they are almost like a breakfast bar and not feel too guilty about eating a couple with my morning coffee.

I am looking forward to being back here in the new year and I have a couple of surprises to share with you too.

Thanks to all of you who have followed along and supported this site over the past year, it has been a really wonderful experience.

Happy, happy holidays and see you in January.

xo J

Cranberry, White Chocolate and Toasted Pistachio Biscotti

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar, divided
3 eggs separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup of pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg yolk at a time and then the vanilla and orange zest.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix until just crumbly.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks form and then beat in the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form but not to the point of dryness.

Fold the meringue into the crumbly dough, mixing with a spatula until it clings together. Add the chopped nuts, cranberries and chocolate and fold into the dough until well combined.

Divide the dough in half and form into two logs on a floured work surface. The logs should be about 1/2 an inch thick and 12 inches long by 5 inches wide (approximately). Using a long metal spatula transfer the biscotti logs to a parchment lined baking sheet. Both should fit side by side on one sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until set and golden brown. Transfer from the baking sheet to a rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then, place on a cutting board and slice each log into 3/4 inch slices.

Turn down the oven to 300 degrees.

Place the slices upright on a baking sheet and return to the oven to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes to dry slightly.

Cool on a rack and then store in a tightly covered container.

Makes approximately 4 dozen.

Day 12 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Oysters on the Half Shell with a Champagne Mignonette

So here we are at day 12. I have absolutely enjoyed working with these hors d'oeuvres over the last days and think I may need to make this an annual event here. 

We just arrived home from a wonderful pre-Christmas dinner with Glen's family in Squamish where Glen's brother Peter and his girlfriend Tanis put on a really wonderful meal. I am, however, now in the middle of  a full-on turkey coma and am heading straight to bed so this last post will be a short one.

Oysters on the half shell are fresh, seasonal and surprisingly interactive at parties. Put out a few oyster knives, a cutting board or two and a pile of dish towels and demo how to open a few of these bivalves and soon everyone is willing to give it a go. If you don't know how to properly shuck and oyster just ask your local fish monger to show you. Though not difficult it is a bit of a finesse move and really is all in the wrist.

My sweet friend Jeannot loves fresh oysters more than anyone I know and he absolutely disapproves of eating them with cocktail sauce or fresh shaved horseradish (which I love) but he will allow a small drizzle of a mignonette or a few drops of lemon juice.

I think this Champagne mignonette served with some very fresh local oysters (I served Skookums, Royal Miyagis and Kushi oysters) is particularly festive. Shuck about a dozen at a time and keep well chilled by serving on some crushed ice.

Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette

24 oysters, rinsed well to remove any dirt or sand

Crushed ice

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar

Zest from 1 lemon

2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

Freshly ground black peppercorns

Fine grain sea salt

Lemon wedges to serve

To make the mignonette, place the vinegar, lemon zest, shallot and ground pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Place a small spoon in the sauce and set aside.

Line a serving platter with crushed ice and open 12 oysters at a time. Lay the shucked oysters on the bed of crushed ice, nestle the lemon wedges around the oyster and serve with the mignonette sauce.

Serves 6.

Printable recipe

Day 11 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Aged Cheddar and Apple Panini with Dijon and Honey on Pecan and Fruit Bread

Wow, here we already are at day 11! One more canapé recipe for tomorrow and then... well actually, then I am going to be taking a few weeks off from here. It is not like posting everyday for 12 days was gruelling or anything but it just so happens that I am going with my sweet family to Mexico for Christmas until the end of the year.

My Mom and Dad have a little house by the beach in a very small town and have been spending their winters down there for the past 13 years or so. We spend every second Christmas with them (to make it fair for Glen's family) and being down there turns the whole Christmas thing into a very low key and relaxing affair. Don't get me wrong I love having a huge Christmassy holiday here with the tree and the lights and the presents and the cookies and the eggnog and the shopping at the mall (ok maybe not the shopping at the mall part). It is nice, however, to shake it up every second year.

In Mexico we don't do presents (although Santa always manages to figure out where Max is at and delivers one special gift) and we actually go out and have a turkey dinner on Christmas day which further reduces any stress or strain. My Mom and I will probably make some Christmas cookies and we may host a holiday cocktail party for their friends but otherwise it is all about reading books, hanging out with family, going to the beach and eating tacos at the corner taco stand and maybe even drinking a margarita or two.

But before we leave on Wednesday I still have a couple of posts left to do here.  So, back to our canapé of the day.

Almost everyone I know loves a grilled cheese sandwich. I have a real affection for the most basic version with some slices of orange cheddar between two pieces of white bread alongside a bowl of tomato soup, but I am also open to the endless variations on the theme.

I made these two or three bite-size sandwiches using a panini maker but of course you could just butter the outsides of the bread and grill them in a pan.

I have noticed that people always gravitate to these at a party and I think it may be because they conjure up happy childhood food memories. Once people have tried a taste they love the slightly more complex flavours that are going on here. Sharp, aged cheddar and some crunchy Granny Smith apples and a bit of honey and Dijon. You could absolutely use plain white bread or sourdough or walnut or raisin bread. Feel free to experiment. I used a pecan fruit loaf from Terra Breads in Vancouver and it is so very good here. I cut my loaf lengthwise so that I can just grill 5 or 6 big paninis and then just slice them into finger sandwiches. Perfect for an informal gathering with friends...

Aged Cheddar and Apple Paninis with Honey and Dijon on Pecan and Fruit Bread
You can assemble these sandwiches earlier in the day and then just grill them off as needed. Let them rest and cool down a bit before you slice them to keep the melted cheese from going everywhere.


1 500 g loaf of pecan and fruit bread (or the bread of your choice) sliced lengthwise
200 g aged, sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/8 of a cup of honey
1/8 of a cup of Dijon mustard
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl mix together the honey and the mustard. Combine well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

On a work surface place two slices on bread. Spread approximately 2 teaspoons of the honey mustard mixture on one of the slices of bread. Layer on some apple slices and some cheddar slices. Season with salt and pepper and place on a preheated panini grill. Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes or so until the bread is grilled and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining bread, cheese, dijon/honey mixture and apples.

Allow to cool down a bit before slicing the paninis. The bread can be sliced into 6 or so finger size slices or into triangle wedges. Serve warm.

Makes approximately 36 mini paninis.
Printable recipe

Day 10 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Warm Yukon Gold Blinis with Crème Fraîche and Salmon "Caviar"

Let's pull out all the stops and do a west coast version of blinis and caviar! These are always a hit at parties and seem very elegant and impressive yet are surprisingly straightforward to make. Have you ever made pancakes? Then you can certainly make these little gems.

We are going to start with the great Canadian potato, the Yukon Gold. These yellow fleshed potatoes are prized for their sweetness, creamy texture and beautiful yellow colour. They are the base of a batter which is rounded out with some flour, eggs, crème fraîche, milk and of course salt and pepper. A quick spell in a non-stick pan (2 minutes on one side and an additional minute on the other) and these emerge golden on the outside and creamy on the inside.

I have chosen to serve these blinis with just a dollop of crème fraîche (or sour cream), a bit of salmon roe and a clean tasting Italian parsley sprig.  You could really go all out and add other traditional caviar garnishes such as capers, chopped hard boiled eggs and finely diced red onion or shallot.

Perfect for New Year's Eve!

Warm Yukon Gold Blinis with Salmon "Caviar" and Crème Fraîche
Just like making pancakes the first blini is a bit of a throwaway, so use it as your learning curve to determine the correct heat level for your pan.  No butter is needed to cook the blinis as long as you use a good quality non-stick pan. You can, of course, use sour cream in place of the crème fraîche.

For the blinis:
1 lb. Yukon Gold Potatoes, skins on
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 to 2 tablespoons of milk
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the garnish:
2 ounces of salmon roe (also called Ikura)
1/4 cup crème fraîche
Parsley leaves for garnish (optional)

To make the blinis:
Place the un-peeled potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Drain the potatoes and when they are still warm (but cool enough to handle) peel the potatoes and press them through a fine mesh sieve or a potato ricer. Place the potatoes into a medium bowl and quickly work in the flour with a fork and then add it the crème fraîche and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the egg yolk and mixing well after each egg is added. Season well with salt and white pepper

At this stage the batter should resemble a somewhat thick pancake batter. If is is really thick then add in 1  to 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve the right consistency.

Preheat a nonstick pan over medium heat and allow it to heat up thoroughly. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the batter into the hot pan and allow to cook for approximately 2 minutes and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the blini and allow to cook on the other side for an additional minute.

Remove to a small sheet pan and keep warm is a 200 degree oven while you cook the remaining blinis.

To serve:
Place the blinis on a serving platter and place a dollop (or a small quenelle if you are feeling super fancy) of crème fraîche in the centre of the blini. Place another small dollop of the salmon roe on top and garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Makes 40 canapés.

Recipe adapted from the Lumière Cookbook.
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Day 9 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Cantonese BBQ Duck with Kumquat Marmalade Canapés

Here is a recipe that made an earlier appearance on this blog way back in March. I wanted to include it again for this canapés series as it is an easy two-bite wonder to balance out some of the more labour intensive hors d'oeuvres featured here.

I originally posted this recipe as part three in a series of "things to do with kumquat marmalade" and will post the recipe below for those who want to give it a whirl. You can, of course, skip making the marmalade and simply purchase a good quality store bought orange or citrus version. Then this recipe becomes all about some careful shopping and some last minute assembly.

I live about a twenty minute walk away from Chinatown in Vancouver where I was able to pick up 1/2 a BBQ duck for just under $8 (I used a whole duck for the recipe below) but your local Chinese restaurant should be able to sell you something similar pricewise. If you are heading to Chinatown you may want to pick up some five spice powder for seasoning the mayonnaise and some radish sprouts for the garnish while you are there. You can also buy the duck the day before you want to use it as it keeps well refrigerated.

Duck and kumquat have a natural affinity as the French well know (think canard a l'orange) but I love this new, easy, delicious Asian twist on an old favourite.

BBQ Duck with Kumquat Marmalade Canapés


For the kumquat marmalade:
1/2 lb kumquats
1/4 cup orange segments, skin and membranes removed
1/2 vanilla bean, split with the pulp extracted from the pod and then set both the pulp and the pod aside
1 cup of granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

For the canapés:
1 baguette sliced into approximately 40 slices
1 BBQ duck, meat removed from the bones and sliced or shredded
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (or more to taste)
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Kumquat marmalade or good quality store bought orange, kumquat, mixed citrus marmalade
Radish sprouts for garnish

To make the kumquat marmalade:
Wash the kumquats well and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch coins. Remove the seeds and discard. Place the kumquat coins, the orange segments, vanilla bean pod and the pulp, sugar and the lemon juice into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the vanilla bean and allow the marmalade to cool. Place in a glass container and seal. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes approximately 1 cup.

To assemble the canapés:
Mix the five spice powder into the mayonnaise and season well with salt and white pepper.

Place the slices of baguette on a serving platter and lightly coat each slice with a thin layer of the five spice mayonnaise. Top with a small amount of the duck meat and then top with some marmalade. Garnish with radish sprouts and serve.

Makes approximately 40 canapés

Kumquat marmalade recipe from the Lumière cookbook by Rob Feenie.
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Day 8 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Spicy Rosemary Cashews

Okay, so I know that this is technically not a canapé but no holiday cocktail party would be complete without a bowl or two of these salty, spicy, herbal cashews. And if you have invited a few friends over for a cocktail before going out for dinner and are in a particularly minimalist mood you could open up a bottle of wine or Champagne, whip up a batch of these nuts and call it a day. 

These are also great to take along when you are invited to a party as a gift for the host/hostess or for something to share with your fellow party guests. You can put them in a clear cellophane party bag and tie with some festive ribbon or use a pretty glass jar with a hand drawn label and you have a lovely gift to give to friends.  

These are best served warm but still absolutely delicious served at room temperature and take all of 5 minutes to make. Every time I set a bowl of these out at a party at least a 3 or 4 people ask me for the recipe and I wish I could claim that I was clever enough to have come up with this particularly winning flavour combination myself. If I did I would be sure to be as rich and famous as Ina Garten who is the author of this recipe. Apparently this recipe was inspired by the bar nuts at the famous New York City restaurant Unions Square Cafe. Delicious!

Spicy Rosemary Cashews

1 pound roasted unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon fine grain sea salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the cashews in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the cashews are warm and a bit toasted.

While the cashews are in the oven place the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Once the nuts are warm and toasted remove them from the oven and transfer them into the bowl with the spice butter and mix well.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8.

Recipe from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

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Day 7 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Crab Salad with Green Apples and Grapefruit Vinaigrette in Endive Petals

How about something light and fresh tasting that still manages to be special and festive? I have nothing against mini meatballs, piggies in a blanket, or a nut studded cheese ball but it is always nice to round out the heavy duty, rib-sticking hors d'oeuvres with something that is lighter and brighter, crunchy and fresh.

Endive leaves are the perfect vessel for all kinds of fillings. I have seen the beautiful elongated petals filled with gingered salmon tartare, figs with goat cheese, candied pecans and a port reduction or a truly decadent lobster salad with citrus segments and frisée.

I love the combination of crab meat and crunchy green apple and to keep it light I have opted to dress this "salad" with reduced grapefruit juice and a bit of olive oil, vinegar salt and pepper. The citrus is a nice counterpoint to the rich crabmeat and the tang of the apple.

Because there are so few ingredients for this canapé it's important that they are really fresh, especially the crab meat. We are lucky in Vancouver to have access to fresh Dungeness crabs and I am thrilled that I was able to buy the amazing crab meat for these hors d'oeuvres at a new seafood shop that has opened up just one block away from my house. A quick shout out to the amazing folks at The Daily Catch located at 1418 Commercial Drive. They recently opened their lovely shop and only supply seafood that is 100% Ocean Wise which is based on the conservation program out of the Vancouver Aquarium. I met one of the owners, Ryan, the other day and he seems like a really good guy who truly cares about sustainable seafood. I am very glad that they are a part of the neighbourhood.

This wouldn't really be considered a do-ahead recipe although you can reduce the grapefruit juice an advance and make the vinaigrette. Then it is just picking over the crabmeat for stray bits of shell or cartilage, cutting the apple (and putting it in some acidulated water to keep it from browning) and slicing the endives and separating the leaves. Toss your salad components, fill the leaves and serve.

One quick note on the Belgian endive (also labelled as chicory or witloof). Endive are grown indoors, underground and completely in the dark which gives them their light cream/light yellow colouring and mild bitter flavour. Exposing them to light causes them to turn green and increases the bitterness. Buy endives that are only tinged with yellow (they are often stored in boxes and covered in blue paper to protect them from light) and tightly closed and store them away from light until ready to use.

Crab Salad with Green Apples and Grapefruit Vinaigrette in Endive Petals

4 heads of Belgian endive
Juice of 1 large, ruby grapefruit
2 teaspoons of sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Granny Smith apple
1/2 lb (250 g) fresh cooked lump crab meat (I used Dungeness crab meat) picked over for cartilage and shell fragments
1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon white wine or Champagne vinegar
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Parsley leaves to garnish (optional)

In a small saucepan combine the grapefruit juice with the two teaspoons of sugar, Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes and a light syrup forms. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Once cooled you can whisk in the vinegar, olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Fill a small bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Cut the apples into quarters and then remove the core from each of the quarters. Put them in the bowl with the acidulated water to prevent them from turning brown. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin (USE the plastic finger guard!) thinly slice the cored apples into thin slices. Then using a sharp knife cut the slices into a julienne that will fit into the endive petals. Once you have sliced the apples return them to the acidulated bowl of water.

In a medium bowl place the crab meat, the grapefruit vinaigrette and some salt and pepper. Dry off the apple slices on a kitchen towel and place in with the crab mixture. Gently fold in all of the ingredients to mix well and taste for seasoning.

Cut 1/2 inch (12 mm) off of the stem end of each of the endives. Separate the leaves (you may have to cut off a bit more of the stem end as you go) and choose the 20 largest, unblemished leaves. (You can reserve the smaller ones for a salad, sliced up and tossed with a grainy mustard vinaigrette which is really delicious.)

Place the endive petals on a serving platter and place a spoonful of the mixed crab mixture in each leaf. Garnish with a grind of black pepper and a sprig of parsley.

Serve.

Makes 20 canapés.

Recipe adapted from Christmas Entertaining by Williams-Sonoma
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Day 6 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Gougères with Prosciutto, Parmesan, Pesto and Pea Shoots

I love these little puffs made from pâte a choux dough as they are so very versatile. For today's canapé I am using them as a vessel for a tiny Italian themed "bunwich" with some prosciutto, pesto and a shaving of Parmesan cheese. But these can go in so many delicious directions. Think of pairing them with a herbed crème fraîche, some silky smoked salmon and chopped capers or a shrimp salad with tarragon and a touch of mayonnaise, curried egg salad with frisée or even some thin slices of ham with a sharp cheddar and some honey and Dijon mustard.

I will include a recipe to make the gougères but if the thought of working with choux pastry makes you want to run screaming from the kitchen you can find these little puffs at many Italian or French bakeries. When you buy them from a bakery they are often called choux puffs or unfilled profiteroles and they won't have the cheese in the mixture but they still work well in this recipe. In Vancouver they are available at La Baguette on Granville Island (often freshly baked but if not then in their freezer labelled Choux and $4.99 per dozen) and also as a pre-order from Fratelli's Bakery on Commercial Drive.

They can be assembled, depending on your filling, an hour or two in advance and are a great job to pass along to those people hanging out in the kitchen with you who want to help. I always really love those people...

Gougères with Prosciutto, Parmesan, Pesto and Pea Shoots

The puffs can be made in advance and frozen. Just thaw them before assembling.

For the puffs:

1 cup of milk

1/4 lb (113.4 g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup flour

5 large eggs, 4 will be used for the dough and the 

1/2 cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese

For the filling:

10.5 ounces (300 g) of thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma (or other good quality dry cured ham)

1 cup homemade or good quality purchased basil pesto

5 ounce (140 g) block of Parmesan cheese shaved into thin slices using a vegetable peeler.

1 ounce (28 g) fresh pea shoots

Freshly ground black pepper

To make the choux puffs:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with two racks. Line two baking sheet pans with Silpats or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan heat the milk, butter and salt and pepper over medium high heat and bring to almost a boil. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once and using a wooden spoon stir vigorously. Return the pan to the burner and over low heat continue stirring the flour mixture for 2 minutes or so. At this point the mixture will come together in a smooth mass and there will be a thin coating on the bottom of the pan. Take the pan off the heat and dump the contents into a food processor that has been fitted with a steel blade. Add 4 of the 5 eggs and the cheese and pulse until the eggs are well incorporated and the batter is thick and smooth. 

Using a pastry bag (or two teaspoons) pipe the dough into mounds 1 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch high with each mound being about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Once you have all the mounds piped wet you index finger with some water and gently smooth down the swirl on the top of each puff (and to smooth the edges if you have used two teaspoons instead of a piping bag).

Make an egg wash with the remaining egg mixed with 1 teaspoon of water. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the choux mounds with the egg wash.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes and then rotate the trays and reduce the heat to 375. Continue to bake until the puffs are golden and just starting to brown approximately another 10 - 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

To assemble:

Slice the puffs open and spread a teaspoon or so of the pesto on the bottom of the puff. Fold up a small portion of Prosciutto (about 1/2 a slice) and place it on top of the pesto. Layer on a shaving of the parmesan, a pea shoot or two and then a grind of black pepper. Put the top of puff back on and place on a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining puffs and serve.

Makes approximately 40 canapés.

Printable recipe

Day 5 of the 12 Days of Canapés - White Bean Crostini with Rosemary

This is a recipe that has a lot of things going for it. It is healthy, easy to make, a good vegetarian/vegan option, cost effective and really delicious. No difficult to find ingredients and no special equipment is needed. It is from Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's Italy" cookbook and was passed along to me by my friend Sarolta.

You can toast your baguette slices early in the day either on a grill or in the oven and you can also make up the rosemary oil ahead. The beans are best served warm so it is good to make them just before serving. We have, however made them up ahead of time and then warmed them up for a minute in the microwave before serving. If you are going this route it is a good idea to add, as Jamie would say, a good "glug" of olive oil before you reheat it so that it is not too dry.

White Bean Crostini with Rosemary
As is Jamie Oliver's way, there are no real measurements in his recipe just instructions to add "a good swig" of the vinegar and "a couple of glugs" of olive oil. I am far too uptight to roll that way so I have given amounts but take these as a starting point only and feel free to adjust according to your own palate preferences.


For the crostinis:
1 baguette sliced into approximately 40 slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the rosemary oil:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive
2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
Fine grain sea salt

For the white beans:
2 x 14 ounce (398 ml) cans of white cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking rack placed on top of a cookie sheet and drizzle on a little bit of olive oil on each side and season with salt and pepper. Toast in the preheated oven for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and once the baguette slices are cool enough to handle take the cut garlic and rub the toasts on one side with the cut cloves. If making ahead they can be stored in an airtight container for a day or two.

Place the finely chopped rosemary in a small bowl and stir in the olive oil and some salt. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan add the 1/4 cup of olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and  fry until lightly golden. Add the drained and rinsed beans and simmer gently for 10 minutes or so. Season the beans well with salt and pepper and add in the red wine vinegar. Then, using the back of a fork mash the beans until you have a coarse purée.

On a platter place the toasted baguette slices and top with a smear of the hot bean mixture. Drizzle on some of the rosemary oil and serve.

Makes approximately 40 canapés.

Adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver.
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Day 4 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Roast Beef Canapés with Stilton Cream and Red Onion Jam

A bit late in the day for this recipe but I just got cleaned up (with a lot of help from Leigh-Anne) from last night's fundraiser. We hosted the First Annual Kitchen Culinaire Food Bank Fundraiser and while I can't speak for anyone else I can say that I had a fantastic time.

I was so thrilled and touched and inspired by how many people managed to make time during the busy holiday season to come out and support a charity that is the closest to my heart. I am very excited to report that we raised $1000 for the Vancouver Food Bank and I want to send out a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out last night and contributed. We cooked some hors d'oeuvres, drank some wine, mixed and mingled and had more than a few laughs. Truly wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

One of the recipes that we demonstrated last night was this classic cocktail menu canapé. Perfect with a lovely glass of Cabernet from California, Malbec from Argentina or a Bordeaux from France this roast beef canapé is all about making the components ahead of time and a bit of last minute assembly.

The red onion jam takes a bit of time as you really want the onions to caramelize long and slow. Feel free to add a touch of sugar or balsamic or a splash of red wine to the onion recipe and also feel free to make the onions, and the Stilton cream, a day (or two) ahead of time.

Roast Beef Canapés with Stilton Cream and Red Onion Jam
Both the red onion jam and the Stilton cream can be made a day or two before serving.

3 large red onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, sliced into approximately 40 slices
6 ounces (168 g) of Stilton cheese, crumbles
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
14 ounces (400 g) sliced roast beef
2 ounces (60 g) baby arugula leaves

To make the red onion jam:
Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the thinly sliced onion. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat down to medium low. Allow the onions to slowly caramelize and stir occasionally until they are soft and well browned. This may take up to one and a half hours. The longer and slower that you caramelize the onion the better the flavour. Allow to cool and set aside.

To make the Stilton cream:
In a medium bowl combine the crumbled Stilton, sour cream and mayonnaise. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble:
Place the sliced baguette slices on a serving platter. Place a heaping teaspoon of the red onion jam onto the base of the baguette slice. Take a small portion of the roast beef and roll it up to add a bit of height. Top with a dollop of the Stilton cream and place a few leaves of baby arugula on top. Season with a bit of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper.

Makes approximately 40 canapés.
Printable recipe

Day 3 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Pistachio Dusted Red Grape and Chèvre "Truffles"

Tonight I am hosting the first annual Kitchen Culinaire Food Bank Fundraiser. Every year we host some kind of Christmas party but this year I thought it would be a nice twist to invite our friends not only to stop by and have a cocktail and a bite (or two) but to also help us raise some funds to help out our local food bank.

As an added incentive for people to come out (what? our sparkling company isn't enough?) we are going to do an informal cooking class and demonstrate six different hors d'oeuvre recipes over the course of the evening.

Still lots to do before people start arriving this evening but wanted to share one of the recipes we will be serving and teaching tonight.

This is a bit of a ubiquitous recipe but with its endless variations it is a good one to have in your repertoire. The version I will post today is based on a recipe from Trish Magwood's Dish Entertains cookbook but take this as a starting point only. You can use dates instead of grapes (as Trish does) you can add minced rosemary or black pepper to the chèvre or even replace the chèvre with a blue cheese like Gorgonzola or Roquefort. Don't want to use port? Replace it with a bit of cream to thin out the cheese mixture for easier rolling.

Then their are the nuts. Toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamias are all great choices. A note on making these ahead: many recipes say they can be done two days in advance but I find that there is no crunch left to the nuts if you pre-make these. For me it is best to make just an hour or two ahead of time. Also, lots of people use nuts that have been ground almost to a powder. I tend to like my nuts coarsely chopped so that you really get that crunch with the softness of the cheese and the burst of the grape. Personal choice.

One final note: these are a fun, interactive recipe to teach but they are quite messy. If you do enlist someone to help you make these ensure you pour them a nice glass of wine first...

Pistachio Dusted Red Grape and Chèvre "Truffles"


4 ounces (125 g) of chèvre, softened
2 ounces (60 g) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons port
Fine grain sea salt and freshly
40 seedless red grapes
3/4 cup lightly toasted pistachios

In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and the chèvre using a fork to ensure they are well mixed and that there are no lumps. Add the port and stir combine and season with salt and pepper.

Coarsely chop the pistachios either by hand or by using a food processor. Transfer to an shallow wide dish.

Wash the grapes and dry them well. Here comes the messy part. Drop 4 or 5 grapes into the chèvre mixture and using your fingers coat the grapes. Then, working one at a time drop the grapes into the toasted and chopped pistachios and roll the grapes until they are well coated.

Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue coating and rolling the grapes and then transfer to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes 40 hors d'oeuvres.

Adapted from Dish Entertains: Everyday Simple to Special Occasions
Printable recipe

Day 2 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Alsatian Onion and Bacon Tartlets

Here is a recipe that has appeared before on this blog but it was way back last January. And no list of seasonal canapé recipes would be complete without these wonderful, flavourful, easy-to-do-ahead, straight forward tartlets.

I make these tarts a lot. I make them in large sheets to take to a potluck where I then cut them into medium squares. I make them into 5 inch rounds and top each one with a micro green salad that has been lightly tossed with a truffle vinaigrette and serve them as a first course at a multi course dinner party. And I make them as these delightful little two bite squares.

I will often roll out the puff pastry the day before, cut it into the squares using a pizza cutter,  place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment and then into the freezer they go. You can also get a jump on things by cutting the bacon, slicing the onions and grating the cheese the day before. They can be assembled in the morning of the day they will be served, wrapped and refrigerated until needed. Pop them in the oven just before your guests arrive and they will fill your house with the rich scent of bacon and cheese.

These also travel well so they are a great choice if you are asked to bring an appetizers/hors d'oeuvre to a party.  You can always skip the bacon and add more cheese and onions to transport these into vegetarian friendly territory.

Wine/Beer Pairing: German-style lager beer and for wine I love to serve these with an Alsatian Pinot Gris. A nice choice would be:
Pfaffenheim Pinot Gris, 2007
Alsace, France 13% alcohol $19.99

Alsatian Onion and Bacon Tart

1 10 x 13 inch pre-rolled puff pastry sheet or 1/2 a package frozen puff pastry, thawed
2/3 cup fromage frais (Little Qualicum Cheeseworks makes a nice one) or Quark Cheese or even Boursin
Pinch of nutmeg
3 strips of bacon (applewood or double smoked works well), cut into thin batons
1/2 medium onion, sliced very very thin (I use a mandolin for this part)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

On a lightly floured flat surface, roll the pastry to 1/8th of an inch in thickness. Cut into squares (approximately 2 inches).

Place on a parchment or Silpat lined heavy baking sheet. The squares may not all fit on one sheet. Chill until the pastry is very cold as this will facilitate the spreading of the cheese.

Using an offset spatula, spread a small amount of the fromage frais or Quark onto the puff pastry.

Scatter on the onion slices and bacon and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg to taste. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until needed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the tartlets for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Makes 42 - 2 inch square tartlets, 6 - 5 inch round tarts or 1 - 16 x 12 large tart.

Adapted from the recipe "Alsace Tart Flambée from Rob Feenie's Lumière cookbook.
Printable recipe

Day 1 of the 12 Days of Canapés - Tuna Tartare on Cucumber Rounds with Spicy Mayonnaise and Toasted Black Sesame Seeds

Welcome to the First Annual 12 Days of Canapés at Kitchen Culinaire!

January 4th will be my one year anniversary hosting this site and so this is my very first holiday season.  I have been thinking about something I could do that would be fun and special and seasonal and perhaps even helpful for those of you who are frequent visitors here...

On a number of my favourite sites I have seen "12 days of cookie recipes", "12 days of Giveaways" or a "12 Day Gift Guide" but what I need is some help with getting through all of the upcoming cocktail parties, pot luck dinners and recipe exchanges. Having a few good hors d'oeuvre recipes up your sleeve can literally save your bacon during this frenzied season. In fact, inviting over some dear friends, opening up a bottle of sparkling wine (or two) and serving a few well chosen canapés may one of most relaxing and enjoyable ways of entertaining regardless of the time of year.

So, for these first 12 days of December I will post a recipe each day for a canapé with an accompanying photo. I will try to keep my chit chat to a minimum. I may have to reach back for a recipe or two from the last year but most of the recipes presented will be new to this site. I may even throw in a wine pairing or two. I would love to hear from you if you have a favourite canapé recipe that you would like to share! Happy holidays.

Suggested wine pairing: A sparkling rosé really works well with the asian flavours in this hors d'oeuvre. This Crémant from Alsace is one of my favourites but really any sparkling wine would be lovely here.

Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose 

Alsace, France 12% alcohol N/V

100% Pinot Noir

$29.99

Tuna Tartare on Cucumber Rounds 

You want to buy a sushi quality tuna for this that is very, very fresh. I also buy mine a day before I am going to use it and then freeze it for 24 hours in the coldest part of my freezer or deep freeze. This will kill any fish parasites that may be present (it will not kill any potential bacteria though) and as an added bonus it makes it easier to cut into uniform size cubes if you cut it while it is still frozen.


Also, you are going to want to seek out an Atlantic, wild, pole or troll caught Yellowfin (aka Ahi) tuna in order to support ocean sustainability.

1 pound very fresh Yellowfin/Ahi tuna, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup homemade or good quality purchased mayonnaise (like Hellmann's)
2 teaspoons Thai red chili paste (I use a brand called Namjai)
2 Japanese cucumbers
1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds

Slice the cucumbers into 1 inch slices and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise with the chilli paste and using a fork combine well. I then transfer the spicy mayonnaise into a small sandwich ziplock bag and refrigerate. When I ready to top each canapé with the small dollop of mayonnaise I simply cut off one of bottom corners and then use the sandwich bag as a mini piping bag. You could of course just leave the mayo in a bowl and use a small spoon to add the dollop of mayonnaise.

In another medium bowl combine the tuna, chives, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use. You can make this a few hours ahead of time or at least 30 minutes before serving.

Place your cut cucumber slices on a serving platter. Using a small spoon place 1 heaping teaspoon on top of each cucumber slice. Add a small dollop of the spicy mayonnaise and then top with a sprinkling of the toasted sesame seeds.

Makes 4 dozen.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Hors D'oeuvres Handbook.
Printable recipe

Potato and Feta Pancakes with Wild Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche and Dill Plus an Invitation

I'm excited to share a great hors d'oeuvre recipe with you today. However, I am even more excited to extend an invitation for my friend Ross' Eastside Culture Crawl Studio Opening coming up this weekend, November 26th through the 28th.

Anyone who lives in East Van or happens to love art in Vancouver will be quite familiar with the Culture Crawl. Now in its 14th year it's a free, 3 day visual arts festival that allows the public at large to engage with artists who open their studios and sell their art directly to those who attend. It is a wonderful way to spend an evening (Friday night only) or weekend afternoon (Saturday and Sunday) walking from open studio to open studio, chatting with the artists and seeing where and what they create. It's also a great way of supporting local artists while getting a bit of a jump on your holiday shopping. Picking up a little work of art for yourself isn't a bad idea either!  The studios are all in East Van and many are within walking distance of one another so there are lots of folks who plan a tour of those studios they want to check out. For a full list of participating artists go to eastsideculturecrawl.com

My dear friend Ross, in addition to being a talented photographer, also happens to be an amazing mixed media artist and will be throwing open the doors of his fabulous studio at 830 Union Street to partake in his 3rd Culture Crawl event. I love his work and have half a dozen of his pieces displayed in my home. And apparently I'm not the only one that admires his artistic aesthetic. His works, in the last year, have been exhibited at a number of galleries including Diane Farris Gallery, Presentation House and Hycroft Gallery and have also been included at such Charitable Art Actions as Art For Life, Unite with Art, and Splash which benefits Vancouver Arts Umbrella.

In addition to his beautiful Culture Crawl art offerings (of which partial proceeds will be donated to the Heart and Stroke Foundation because that is just the kind of cool and thoughtful guy he is) he and his lovely wife Sarolta will be hosting an opening reception on Friday, November 26th from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm in their studio space at 830 Union Street. And they have asked me to do the food! This will be my 3rd year of cooking at this event (with lots of help in the kitchen from Sarolta and our good friend Leigh-Anne) and it is always a great evening filled with lots of interesting people, beautiful art, some good conversation and laughs and (hopefully) some lovely nibbles.

Our tentative hors d'oeuvre menu for the evening includes:
Alsatian tarts with double smoked bacon
Tuna tartare on cucumber rounds with black sesame seeds
Gougères with prosciutto and shaved parmesan and tomato pesto
Rare roast beef canapes with Stilton cream and red onion jam
Sharp cheddar and apple panini with Dijon and honey
White bean and rosemary crostini
Black pepper pear canapes with melted brie

We will also be serving some of the delightful potato feta pancakes with wild smoked salmon, creme fraîche and dill that you see above.

So, if you are able to make it by the studio on Friday evening please make sure you swing by the kitchen to say hi.  I will be the one wearing the apron, covered in flour (we are also making some mini pizzas with Cambazola, caramelized onions and thyme). It would be very nice to meet you.

Potato and Feta Pancakes with Wild Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche and Dill
This recipe works well as an hors d'oeuvre or, made somewhat larger, as a first course.


For the pancakes:
1 pound (1/2 kg) potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold)
1 small onion
2 eggs
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup flour
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of grape seed oil
2 tablespoons of butter

To serve:
3 1/2 ounces (100 g) wild, cold smoked salmon
1/4 cup of crème fraîche
Sprigs of dill for garnish

Peel and grate the potatoes and the onion using the large holes on a box grater. Place in a colander over a medium bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and allow to drain for 15 to 20 minutes. You will have a bunch of brown water that will have drained into the bowl by the end of the 20 minutes and then then you will want to squeeze any remaining moisture from the potato mixture and place this drained and squeezed mixture in a clean, large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, mint, feta and flour and combine well. Season with some salt (not too much depending on how salty your feta is) and some freshly ground pepper.

Place a few sheets of paper towel on a large ovenproof plate and set aside. Heat half of the oil and butter in a large non-stick or cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Add approximately 1 tablespoon (if making the hors d'oeuvre size) of the potato mixture per pancake to the pan. Using a small offset spatula or the back of a fork gently press the potato mixture to make a flat pancake. Cook on both sides until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Once cooked remove the pancakes from a pan and place on the paper towel lined plate and keep in a warm oven while making the remaining pancakes.

To serve, place the pancakes on a serving platter and top with some of the smoked salmon, a small dollop of crème fraîche and a sprig of dill.

Makes 16 to 20 hors d'oeuvre size pancakes or serves 6 as a first course.

Adapted from Bills: Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner by Bill Granger.
Printable recipe

Butternut Squash and Mascarpone Ravioli in Wonton Wrappers with Brown Butter, Crispy Sage Leaves and Shaved Parmesan

I have been feeling some trepidation about posting this recipe. You see, it has to do with the dumpling wrappers for the ravioli. I can imagine there are more than a few people out there (food purists and true Italians among them) who are thinking "A wonton wrapper?! To make ravioli? Ravioli is not made using a wonton wrapper! Ravioli is made with a pasta fresca all'uovo dough using imported doppio zero (00) flour! Is this a gimmick or some sort of crazy fusion thing?"

I assure you it is not. I never even liked that whole food fusion movement.

And just for the record I have a pretty good relationship with my Grazia pasta maker and generally have access to some great, imported flour and lovely farmer's market eggs. It's just that there are times when I don't have access to special equipment or ingredients and I don't have the extra hour that it takes to make the dough and let it rest and roll it out. To be fair, these wrappers lack the richness of an egg dough but there is a lightness to them and a simplicity that often adds to the overall dish. This truly is one of those occasions where the old saying "it is neither better nor worse, just different" applies.

I also love how when I have demonstrated these at a cooking class people's eyes light up. People who never thought they could make "ravioli" are suddenly excited about potential fillings and the proper way to seal the dough to eliminate air pockets and what sauce will best compliment what filling. Some have even become so enamoured with the process they have graduated on to buying a pasta machine and making a traditional Italian ravioli dough.

For these non-traditional ravioli I use a brand of wrapper that are locally made from Double Happiness Foods and they are labelled as Shanghai Dumpling Wrappers. So technically these are dumpling ravioli not wonton ravioli. I prefer to use the dumpling wrappers as they are a bit thicker than wonton wrapper and they are round instead of square. However, I think good old wonton wrappers are far more widely available and I have used these on a number of occasions as well. If using wonton wrappers you may want to paste two of them together (using a pastry brush and some water) to make a double thickness for both the top and bottom layer. This will make them less light but prevent them from bursting when being boiled.  I get my dumpling wrappers at South China Seas in Vancouver but any Asian grocery store will certainly carry wonton wrappers if not the dumpling wrappers.

The ingredient list on these dumpling wrappers is mercifully short with no crazy, unrecognizable ingredients and and they are so easy to work with. Lay them out on a work surface and place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of the wrapper and then brush the edges of the wrapper with water. A second wrapper is placed on top and then you gently run your fingers around the wrapper, pressing out any air and sealing the two wrappers together. Then, if you want to be decorative you can use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges which also ensures a good seal on each ravioli. 

When it comes to the filling we are heading back into more traditional Italian territory. Roasted butternut squash, some mascarpone cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and a bit of nutmeg, salt and pepper. This filling is dead simple to make but to achieve a silky smooth consistency it is necessary to push the puréed filling through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. This takes a bit of time and muscle but it's worth it.

This recipe is adapted from a dish that was famously served at the Lumière tasting bar here in Vancouver. Their version was luxuriously sauced with a truffle beurre blanc (if you want that sauce recipe email me and I will pass it along) but for this post I wanted to keep it simple and seasonal. Some browned butter, toasted walnuts (or hazelnuts) and crispy sage leaves says autumn to me. I have served these ravioli at a multi-course dinner party as an amuse bouche (with a single ravioli on each plate) or at a family meal piled on a platter alongside a couple of roasted chickens and a green salad with a mustard vinaigrette. Simple, easy delicious.

Butternut Squash and Mascarpone Ravioli in Wonton Wrappers with Brown Butter, Toasted Walnuts and Crispy Sage Leaves
These can be made ahead of time and kept frozen. Do not thaw before boiling. Also the ravioli can be cooked ahead of time and reheated by placing in boiling water for 45 seconds.


If using wonton wrappers instead of Shanghai dumpling wrappers you may want to double the thickness of the wrappers for both the top and bottom layer (by pasting two wrappers together using a pastry brush dipped in water) to make these easier to boil them without having them burst. They can be made with a single wonton skin on the top and bottom but take great care when cooking them and removing them from the boiling water as they are far more delicate.

For the filling:
2 butternut squash, (approximately 3 lbs total) cut and deseeded
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the ravioli:
454 g/16 oz package of Shanghai Dumpling Wrappers (you will have some wrappers left over which can be frozen for future use)

For the sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup toasted walnuts
28 g/3 ounces freshly shaved Parmesan cheese using a vegetable peeler
48 medium sage leaves
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To make the butternut squash filling:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment sheet. Place the cut and deseeded squash cut side up and season with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper. Flip the squash pieces so that they are cut side down and bake in the oven for 34 to 45 minutes or until they are easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Once the squash is cool scoop out the flesh and measure out two cups of the flesh for this recipe. Any remaining can be used in a different recipe or frozen for future use.

In the bowl of a food processor place the 2 cups of squash, the mascarpone cheese and the nutmeg. Purée this mixture until smooth. Remove the puréed mixture from the food processor and press through a fine mesh sieve using a rubber spatula to press the mixture through. This will help remove any lumps.

Add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Set aside until ready to use. Can be refrigerated up to a day in advance.

To assemble the ravioli:

Place a wonton wrapper on a work surface and place approximately 1 tablespoon of the butternut squash filling in the centre. Using a pastry brush, dip the brush is a small bowl of water and brush around the outside edge of the wrapper. Take a second wrapper and place on top of the first wrapper and the filling. Gently run your fingers around the outside edge of the wrapper(s), pressing out any air that has accumulated around the filling. Using the tines of a fork, gently press around the perimeter of the ravioli to seal it well. Place this sealed ravioli on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside. Continue with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling.

Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile make the crispy sage leaves:

Line a plate with several layers of paper towel and set aside.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat and allow to heat up for a minute or so. Add the olive oil and then carefully add one of the fresh sage leaves. Check to see that you oil is hot enough so that the sage leaf fries in about 5 seconds per side or so. You may need to use the back of a fork to keep the leaf flat and submerged in the oil. After 5 seconds flip the sage leaf over and fry for an additional 5 seconds. The leaves should emerge a bright green with no hint of browning. Remove from the oil using tongs and place on the sheets of paper towel.

Once you have the proper temperature add 4 or 5 sage leaves at a time and cook the remaining leaves in batches. If the leaves are turning brown or cooking too quickly turn the heat down to medium low. Once they are cooling on the sheets of paper towel season with salt.

To make the sauce place the butter into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Swirl the pan to ensure that the butter doesn't burn but cook until the butter turns a light brown colour and gives off a nutty aroma. set aside but keep warm.

When the water is boiling add the ravioli in small batches and cook for 2 minutes or so until the ravioli float to the top. Transfer to a large bowl or cookie sheet and add a little bit of olive oil to ensure that the ravioli doesn't stick together. Continue to cook in batches.

To serve:
Place 4 ravioli on each warmed dinner plate. Spoon the warm brown butter over the top and garnish with the toasted walnuts, shaved Parmesan and the crispy sage leaves. Season with a bit of fine sea salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Serve at once.

Makes 26 to 28 ravioli. Serves 6.
Adapted from Lumière Light Recipes from the Tasting Bar by Rob Feenie and Marnie Coldham.
Printable recipe

Crispy Sage Leaves

Just a quick post today to share a "recipe" that is the garnish for a butternut squash and mascarpone ravioli (with a twist) that I am hoping to post tomorrow.

I have a bit of an issue when it comes to garnishes. It personally drives me crazy when an absolutely random ingredient is used as the garnish on a plate or, even worse, if that garnish is not even edible. This reminds me of a local restauranteur who used to jab these huge sprigs of rosemary in the middle of an otherwise lovely plate of food. I could never figure out what the heck I was supposed to do with it. Smell it? Tuck it behind my ear? Use it as a toothpick at the end of the meal? He has, thankfully, stopped doing this and his restaurant is thriving. Coincidence? I think not.

The Chef at the restaurant where I worked didn't want to see anything come back on the plates. He would position himself near the kitchen entrance so that he could witness the plates returning from the dining room on their way to the dish pit. He would question the waiters as to why some salad greens or a part of an entrée or a few bites of dessert were not happily ingested. He cared deeply about his food and wanted the people he was feeding to love it as much as he did. In this kitchen there were never any inedible garnishes on the dishes. The man loved a clean plate. And God help the cook on the grill station if he/she forgot to clip off the piece of kitchen string that was used to tie the tenderloins during cooking. If Chef happened to catch a glimpse of that on an otherwise clean plate the entire kitchen would get very, very quiet before it got very, very loud with a expletive laced dressing down for the poor person responsible.

But I digress.

A garnish, in my books, should always be edible and always be a thoughtful and delicious compliment to a dish. These crispy sage leaves are just that.  The ravioli dish that I will share tomorrow features a rich and creamy roasted butternut squash, mascarpone and Parmigiano Reggiano filling. It is simply seasoned with some freshly ground nutmeg, salt and pepper. The herbal, salty crunch of quickly fried fresh sage leaves is the perfect companion to the ravioli.  I find that using regular (read: not fried/crispy) fresh sage leaves, even thinly sliced, is too overpowering in flavour as well as in texture. As these crispy leaves are so light and delicious make sure that you make more than the recipe calls for as more than a few will certainly be eaten out of hand. They can be made a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Crispy Sage Leaves

These leaves crisp up after they have been removed from the hot oil and begin to cool down.

They can be made a couple of days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

25 medium or large fresh sage leaves 

Fine grain sea salt

Wash your sage leaves and then ensure that they are very thoroughly dried. Set aside.

Line a plate with several layers of paper towel and set aside.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat and allow to heat up for a minute or so. Add the olive oil and then carefully add one of the fresh sage leaves. Check to see that your oil is hot enough so that the sage leaf fries in about 5 seconds per side or so. You may need to use the back of a fork to keep the leaf flat and submerged in the oil. After 5 seconds flip the sage leaf over and fry for an additional 5 seconds. The leaves should emerge a bright green with no hints of browning. Remove from the oil using tongs and place on the sheets of paper towel. 

Once you have the proper temperature add 4 or 5 sage leaves at a time and cook the remaining leaves in batches. If the leaves are turning brown or cooking too quickly turn the heat down to medium low. Once they are cooling on the sheets of paper towel season with salt.

Makes 25 leaves.

Printable recipe

Dried Cherry Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Baby Potatoes and Bacon and Sherry Vinaigrette

Last night we hosted a very special birthday dinner here at the house. It was a small group of us, only nine people, but the birthday girl was surrounded by her daughter, two granddaughters, a dear friend, a grandson (through marriage), two great grandsons and her boyfriend of 50 years.

It was my Baba's 97th birthday. Some of you might remember Baba (Ukrainian for Grandma) from an earlier post where she came over to my house and showed my sister and me how to make a couple hundred pierogies. That link is here.

Well, it was wonderful for me to return the cooking favour and host a dinner to celebrate her big day. And with my Baba there really is a lot to celebrate. She is truly one of the most amazing women I have ever known. At 97 she still lives in her own home with Jimmy, her "boyfriend" of 50 years, and she walks every day and shops and cooks, knits and reads and is up on current events and has a well formed and intelligent opinion on almost everything. We keep trying to persuade her to tie the knot with Jimmy, her longtime love, but she continues to put us off, telling us that perhaps when she turns 100 she will indulge us with a winter wedding.

When you are cooking for the over 90 crowd it is best to keep things pretty simple. Last year I roasted a couple of chickens and Baba declared them "almost as good as the ones at Swiss Chalet!" This year I decided to switch gears and make something that Swiss Chalet doesn't serve (I wasn't up for the competition) and went with this stuffed pork tenderloin. This is a great recipe as you can change and adapt it with what you happen to have on hand and/or the occasion at which it will be served. Last night I used dried cherries but if I was doing this for a holiday dinner (like Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve) I might want to use a combination of dried apricots, currants, cranberries and add in some fresh sage. The lovely thing about this recipe is that you can stuff the tenderloins ahead of time and then just sear them off and roast them right before serving. The bacon vinaigrette is the perfect combination of salty/savory bacon and a piquant, acidic kick from the sherry vinegar. I served last night's pork and roasted potatoes with carrots but green beans with pine nuts or braised radicchio would be wonderful here. An unfussy yet still celebratory menu. 

We ate and drank (sparkling apple juice) and laughed and talked and the great grandchildren ran around hooting and hollering. We lit candles, sang happy birthday, ate cake and toasted to the joy of having so many generations in one room. And I felt very, very lucky.

Dried Cherry Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Baby Potatoes and Bacon Sherry Vinaigrette

2 pounds baby red potatoes

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dried cherries

2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced, divided

1/2 cup water

1 20 ounce pork tenderloin, cleaned and halved

3 tablespoons of canola or grape seed oil

1/2 cup, uncooked bacon batons

1/2 cup red onion, small dice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 1/2 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, sesame oil and the salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan or a sheet pan and roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden, crispy and cooked through.

Meanwhile prepare the dried cherry stuffing. Put the cherries and 1 tablespoon of the minced thyme leaves in a medium saucepan. Add the 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside and allow to cool.

To prepare the pork tenderloin, start from the end of each half tenderloin. Cut a slit using a slender, sharp knife through the centre. You may need to do this from each end if your knife is not long enough. Turn the tenderloins on their sides and cut another slit to create an X in the centre of each loin. Using your fingers insert on either end of the loin and rotate you fingers to help stretch a hole through the centre.

Then, once again using your fingers, stuff as much filling as possible into each loin. Season the outside of each loin with salt and pepper.

Place a large, oven proof sauté pan over medium heat and allow to get very hot but not smoking. Add the canola oil and then the stuffed pork loins. Sear off the loins on all sides until well browned. Place the pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 25 minutes until the pork registers at least 150 degrees. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. The pork will still be a bit pink inside. If you want your pork well done cook for an additional 5 minutes or so.

While the pork is in the oven prepare the bacon sherry vinaigrette. Render the bacon in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of minced thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and add the sherry wine vinegar. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

To serve place 1/4 of the potatoes on a dinner plate. Slice the pork tenderloin into 1/4 inch thick slices and place 3 slices on top of the roasted potatoes. Spoon some of the bacon and sherry vinaigrette over the pork and around the place and season with some freshly ground black pepper. Serve.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter.

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Chocolate Chip, Apricot and Hazelnut Cookie Slices

With Halloween being just one week behind us it seems a little bit crazy to be putting up a recipe that features chocolate in any form. Last Sunday and Monday I made a valiant effort to reduce the number of little chocolate bars that were hanging around and Max and Glen joined in to help. I ate mini Kit Kats and Oh Henrys and Aeros and even a Tootsie Roll or two. We still have a massive bowl of treats staring at me from the kitchen counter and yet by Wednesday I was longing for something with some good chocolate in it. Maybe with some nuts and/or dried fruit. Something homemade. Something that would be perfect with an afternoon cup of tea. I like a Kit Kat as much as the next person but it doesn't really go with a steaming cup of Earl Grey.

I have been dying to try out this recipe that is from one of my favourite new food blogs called pastry studio. The site is beautiful and spare and the recipes are so inspiring, every one a little jewel. From what I can piece together it is written by a (female?) pastry chef who lives in San Francisco. The photos are lovely, the writing is intelligent and the recipes are a wonderful mix of relatively easy to more challenging yet still doable. There is even a little "bench notes" section that gives a bit of extra information about the recipe and sometimes clarifies a method or ingredient choice.


This is the first recipe that I have made from pastry studio and it was everything I had hoped for. A chocolate chip cookie amped up with hazelnuts and dried apricots and cut into slices as small as a sliver or as large as you please. The original recipe calls for the addition of crystallized ginger which would add a nice spicy note but neither Max nor Glen are crazy about ginger so I left it out. The dried apricots and chocolate are magic together and the crunchy, earthy, toasted hazelnuts are so perfect for fall. A new seasonal favourite.

Chocolate Chip, Apricot and Hazelnut Cookie Slices

The original recipe calls for baking these for 22 to 24 minutes but I found I needed to bake mine for 30 to 32 minutes. To check for doneness insert a wooden skewer in the centre of the pan and ensure it emerges clean. Allow to cool completely in the spring form pan.

1/2 cup hazelnuts
4 ounces of unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon good vanilla
1 cup of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1 scant cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9 inch springform pan and line the base with parchment paper.

Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the papery skins look cracked. Allow to cool just slightly and then gather the still warm nuts in a kitchen towel. Rub the nuts in the towel in a circular motion on a countertop to remove the bitter, papery skins. There may be some nuts that you need to pick out and rub individually and keep in mind, for this recipe, a bit of the skin left on the hazelnut is fine.  Once the skins have been (mostly) removed transfer the nuts to a cutting board and coarsely chop and then set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and add the egg. Beat until the egg is well incorporated and then add the teaspoon of vanilla. Combine well.

Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined and a few dry streaks of flour remain. Remove from the mix and using a rubber spatula fold in the chocolate chips, chopped apricots and hazelnuts.

Transfer the batter into the prepared springform pan and using an offset spatula smooth the batter into an even layer.

Bake until slightly golden 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when placed in the centre of the batter. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

To un-mold, run a knife around the edge of the pan and release the springform ring. Invert the pastry onto a large plate or platter and remove the bottom of the pan and the parchment paper. Invert again onto a cutting board to cut into slices.

Makes 16 slices.

Recipe from pastry studio.
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