Food Challenges

Spanish Rice with Lamb Kabobs

2 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup green pepper, finely diced
½ cup red pepper, finely diced
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 beef bouillon cube
28 fl oz can (796 ml) diced tomatoes, drained – reserve the tomato liquid
1 ¾ cups tomato juice (reserved tomato juice + extra to make 1 ¾ cups)
¼ cup red wine
Sea salt and fresh cracked mixed pepper corns


Use a large frying pan that has a lid. Sauté the onions and peppers in the oil until the onions are almost translucent. Add the rice and continue to sauté until the rice becomes aromatic. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, thyme and the crumbled bouillon cube. Continue to stir constantly. Add the drained tomatoes, the tomato juice and red wine. Mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer, add the mushrooms, stir one last time and cover. Continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (15 to 20 minutes). Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Fluff with a fork and serve hot.


Add your favourite lamb kabob. I use lamb steak that has been marinated in oil, garlic and Herb de Provence. I add mushrooms, sweet peppers and purple onion to the skewer with the lamb. Brush the kebob with olive oil. Grill it about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare lamb.


Serve over the Spanish rice.

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Beef Stroganoff

This is an old favourite and adaptation of one of my mother’s recipes. It’s great for those cool fall evenings or cold winter nights that are quickly approaching. I particularly like it as a vehicle for using up left over prime rib roast, which is too delicate and flavourful to use in a soup or stew. Continue Reading…

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Tortiere Medallions

My husband, Paul, is French Canadian and enjoys a traditional meat pie called Tortiere. My mother has an excellent recipe, which we bake on Christmas Eve for dinner. Tortiere has been a favourite in our family for many years, but I have had to forgo this savoury pie when it’s served, because of the pastry.

Recently, while watching “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri, on the Food Network, I saw a cook wrap a meatloaf in bacon. (Please don’t ask which episode. I have no idea!) That concept gave me some ideas which lead to this recipe. The results were fabulous and gluten free. Now I can enjoy all the flavours of Tortiere without the crust! Continue Reading…

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Eggs in a Basket

2 oz of cheese, low sodium, grated
2 eggs
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 sprig of fresh parsley
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 tsp butter or oil


Heat a griddle or flat pan on medium heat. Place the grated cheese on the flat, heated surface, in a single layer. Allow it to melt and toast slightly on the bottom. When it is cooked, remove it from the pan with a lifter and transfer it, quickly, to an inverted bowl, allowing it to droop over the edges. Pat it into the shape of the bowl. Set aside to cool.


In a non-stick frying pan, sauté the onions in the butter. When they are translucent, add the chopped parsley. Beat the eggs in a bowl until they are light and frothy. Pour the beaten eggs over the cooked onion and parsley. Move them around the pan with a lifter or wooden spoon until the eggs are scrambled. Turn off the heat.


To assemble, lift the cheese crisp off the bowl and invert, so it becomes a bowl itself. Fill the cheese bowl with scrambled eggs and garnish with the tomato wedges and parsley spring.


I enjoyed breaking bits of the bowl off as I ate the eggs. I used them to replace toast. This makes a great brunch item as the baskets can be made in advance. It’s a real treat for kids as well.


For variety, try adding diced, cooked bacon, hash browns, chives or sautéed mushrooms to the scrambled eggs. You could also fill the bowls with seafood stroganoff or cold chicken salad to create a luncheon dish.


It’s very important to use a low sodium cheese or the baskets will be very salty and can turn bitter. Do not overcook the cheese crisps. Otherwise, they develop a very strong taste. I use a low sodium smoky gouda or Swiss cheese.


Makes one serving.

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Sweet and Savoury Ribs

My butcher, Al Chater of the Pig and Olive, recently introduced me to traditionally raised (organic) pork. The meat is sweet and tender and tastes like something Gramma used to cook. I decided to try some side ribs…. Continue Reading…

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Chicken Cacciatore

This is my version of an old classic.





3 chicken legs, separated into the drum stick and thigh pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ¼ cups red wine
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
5 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
2 tsp Herb de Provence
1 Tbsp capers, crushed
1 – 2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


Brown the chicken pieces in a frying pan, with the olive oil, over medium high heat. Remove the chicken pieces when the skin is nicely browned and a bit crispy. Set them aside on a plate covered with paper towel.


Add the onion to the frying pan and sauté it until the onion is translucent (about 4 to 5 minutes). Add the crushed garlic, rosemary and Herb de Provence. Sauté the herbs and onion for another minute or two to allow the herbs and onions to get coated with oil. Add the red wine, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, honey and chicken broth. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, until all the ingredients are well blended and the mixture has started to boil.


Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the chicken pieces in an oven proof casserole dish. Cover the chicken pieces with the sauce in the frying pan. Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven. Add the crushed capers and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven after 45 minutes total cooking time.


Serve the Chicken Cacciatore, hot, over fresh pasta or with potatoes and a side vegetable.

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Mediterranean Moments

Spring is just around the corner. I can feel it in the warmth of the sun; see it in the melting snow; hear it in the raucous calls of crows. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, we get eight inches of the white stuff! I know in my heart that spring is almost here, but this snowy reminder tells me that it’s a few weeks off yet. My mind wanders to warmer climes; sun drenched beaches; azure blues seas and I think of the Mediterranean. That’s the only excuse I can come up with in regard to this string of Mediterranean inspired dishes I’ve been cooking. It must be my own version of cabin fever! Continue Reading…

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Chicken Marengo

4 whole chicken legs
2 cups chopped onions
20 pearl red onions
2 cups cremini mushrooms
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp fresh thyme (stripped off the stems)
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned 28 oz)
½ cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup black pitted olives
1 lemon
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper
2 oz of cognac


Preheat the oven to 350F.


Cut the chicken legs at the joint and trim any excess fat. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Season the chicken thighs and drumsticks with salt, pepper and 1 Tbsp of thyme. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides, in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Sauté the chopped onions in the frying pan in the remaining oil until they are tender. Add the crushed garlic and continue sautéing for another minute. Add the remaining thyme, parsley, tomatoes, white wine, and chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.


Peel and clean the pearl onions. In a large casserole dish, arrange the chicken and onions on the bottom of the dish.





Pour the hot tomato mixture on top of the chicken pieces and pearl onions. Place in the oven and cook, uncovered, on the middle rack, for an hour.


Clean the mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Check the casserole after 30 minutes. Add the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning. Continue cooking uncovered for the remaining 30 minutes.


Juice the lemon. When the dish has cooked for one hour, add the lemon juice, cognac and black olives. Return to the oven for 10 to 20 minutes to warm the dish through.


Serve over rice.

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The Great Lasagne Adventure – Valentine’s Day 2010

My husband and I both love to cook. We designated yesterday as our Valentine’s Day because Paul, my husband, will actually be working on Sunday. We decided to spend our Valentine’s Day together making a gluten free lasagne from scratch. Paul prefers to eat vegetarian, although he does eat meat once in a while, so I suggested we do a lasagne with mushrooms and leeks. I did some research and finally came up with a recipe that promised to be a treat fit for our special, celebratory dinner. Continue Reading…

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Tandoori Masala Lamb

3 pounds cubed stewing lamb
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 pomegranate, seeded
½ cup fresh or frozen peas
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup pure pomegranate juice
3 Tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1 squeeze of lemon juice
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 –3 Tbsp honey
1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1” ginger root finely grated
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter

½ cup yoghurt
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp tandoori masala
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid. Brown the lamb pieces, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, turn down the heat to medium and sauté the chopped onion until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and other spices to the hot pan gradually, stirring constantly. When the onion and spices are well mixed and aromatic, slowly add the chicken broth and pomegranate juice. Use the liquid to deglaze the pan
( get all the sticky bits off the bottom ). Stir in the tomato paste, honey and squeeze of lemon. Mix well and return the browned lamb pieces to the pan. Bring up to the boil. Cover the pan and reduce the pan to a gentle simmer ( low heat ). Simmer covered until the lamb is tender ( 60 to 90 minutes ).

Add the peas, most of the pomegranate seed ( reserve some for a garnish )and half of the flat leaf parsley. Simmer until the peas are cooked ( 10 minutes ). Using a slotted spoon, remove all the solids from the pan, set aside and keep warm. Allow the liquid to reduce by half ( about 10 minutes ). Add the butter to thicken the liquid. In a small bowl, combine some of the cooking liquid with the yoghurt. Stir to mix well. Add the yoghurt mixture to the liquid in the pot, stirring constantly. Return all the solids to the pan and stir. Heat through without boiling.

Serve over rice. Garnish each serving with pomegranate seeds and flat leaf parsley.  Makes 4 servings

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