Traced Elements

Tag: recipes

  • Southern Style

    Southern Style

     

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    For those who do not know me, my name is Raven. I own a little bakery in one of the greatest mountain towns ever, Pemberton in British Columbia. I have a deep love for gluten, wheat, and all that it brings to my life. Today initially I wanted to write on a traditional favourite from where I grew up in the Southern Appalachian mountains, cast iron skillet cornbread. But as I sifted through this wheat-lover’s cupboards I found I had all the ingredients except my beloved wheat flour. What was I to do? With complete reluctance to change my topic, I let my topic change me.  Because for some reason there was, in the deep lost corners of my cabinet, a small bag of Gluten Free Flour.

    One of the very real and important things I want to say about my love for cornbread is that it comes to me with a remembrance of home, of the Appalachian mountain culture and all that I hope to share with you over time.

    It is important to me that food represent something more than nutrients. It is, as Elizabeth David said, and this is a very loose quote to be sure…

    “every bite we eat is not just food, it’s our culture, our history, our memories of ourselves, of our families, of times when we were particularly happy.”

    So today, I created for myself a new memory.  I hope you too, as you cook for yourself, your family and friends, find the time to honor and create memories of food filled with life and memories.

    So I now give to you my recipe for Gluten Free Skillet Corn Bread.

    1. The most important step is get a cornbread skillet.  Like this one that my mom gave to me when I first settled down. It’s of great value but not of the  monetary kind, and is only as good as the time you put into it, the “seasoning.”IMG_6626
    2. Gather all your ingredients, as organic as you can afford and as local as it can be.
    3. Next, turn on your oven to 425 degrees F.  Then put your cast iron skillet onto the your stove top on med low heat.
    4. Add 1/4 cup of a high heat tolerant oil.  I prefer grapeseed,  but please just no olive oil. While your oil is warming —
    5. Grab a med mixing bowl, whisk, spatula, and a measuring cup.
    6. Then, add into your bowl, 1 cup of buttermilk, 3 large eggs, 3 tablespoons of organic sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda and whisk it up.
    7. Note: after many years of cooking I do not mix my dry ingredients all together.  If you have that compulsion, it is ok.
    8.  Now add 2 cups of stoneground yellow organic corn meal, followed my 1 1/2 cups of my favourite wheat flour replacement Cup4Cup.  I do believe in this product and it is an amazing.
    9. Whisk it all together to make a batter…now add 3/4’s of that what-should-now-be-very-warm oil from your skillet and mix in.
    10. Take your spatula and pour the batter into your hot skillet.  The idea is that we are doing two things — frying it a tiny bit, as we love to do in ol’ Dixie, but we are also keeping your cornbread from sticking.
    11. For 4-5 mins let it cook on the stovetop, then put it into the oven until its done.  How long’s that you ask? At least 30 minutes, but it depends on your oven. Just until you stick a knife into it and it comes clean.
    12.  Your cornbread finally is done when you flip it out of the pan in awe and admiration that it actually did not stick to the pan.
    13. How do you eat it? With butter. Lots of butter! Who am I kidding?!  Gluten free, maybe, but without butter what do we have?

    r-xx

  • Food and Feelings: Jerk

    Food and Feelings: Jerk

    My name is Blair Kaplan Venables and some people may say that I have an insatiable hunger for life. I would say that I have an insatiable hunger for food.

    I love to eat.

    I eat when I’m happy. I eat when I’m sad. I eat when I’m stressed out. I eat when I’m nervous. I eat to celebrate. I eat to mourn. I eat three meals a day plus a few snacks.

    My feelings directly impact what I eat and crave (and normally the craving is cheese-centric).

    I’m also someone who isn’t “in love” with cooking or baking. Every so often I’ll get into cooking but I like things that are easy to make, fast to make and yummy.

    I know what you are thinking and YES, we own a slow cooker but I don’t even use that. I have a few recipes that I’ve mastered and they are on a constant rotation.

    Over the past few years, I made a few lifestyle changes to help positively impact my life. So, I’ve looked for ways to make healthy food taste better. Chicken, in my opinion, is one of those foods that needs a little extra help.

    One of my most favourite discoveries is The Metropolitan Chef’s Jerk Rub, which is made in Port Alberni, B.C and I tell everyone about it. I’ve even got my mother hooked on it. It’s super easy to use and makes chicken (especially free-range chicken) taste scrumptious.

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    You see, my love for jerk chicken stemmed from a trip with my friends to Negril, Jamaica. It wasn’t until this trip that I truly fell in love with jerk chicken. However, I’m slightly domestically challenged and I could never make it taste as good…until I discovered this magical rub.

    Most recently, I’ve personally hand-delivered two packages of it to my mom in Winnipeg. This, my friends, is a jerk rub that’s gone national.

    So, want in on this game-changing jerk rub? You can buy it at Mile One Eating House.

  • For the love of baking: Zoe Martin shares a cranberry orange scone recipe

    For the love of baking: Zoe Martin shares a cranberry orange scone recipe

    I am that person. The one in a restaurant who looks at the dessert menu first before deciding whether or not to order a starter. I am the person who would much rather have a chocolate bar over a packet of crisps, sorry chips.

    Yes, I have a sweet tooth, to which my waistline can attest, and I put it down to my genes. For example, my dad could polish off half a packet of digestive biscuits in one sitting, but he could also cycle for miles on end so that he worked them off again!

    Throughout my childhood, I loved to visit my Granny’s house as there would inevitably be the chance to lick the spoon clean, god forbid nowadays, of some kind of raw cake mixture. (BTW I survived just fine!) She would always have drop scones, griddle scones, cherry cake, tea cake or shortbread on hand in a tin in the larder. The first two of which were mouth-wateringly delicious, especially with her home-made Bramble Jelly, something that I have yet to attempt to make.

    So if you invite me to a potluck, or if I’m popping round to friends, I am likely going to be the one bringing something sweet – brownies, cupcakes, muffins, apple pies – you get my drift. (Good job I don’t have many gluten free friends!)

    When my husband was away recently I found myself at a loose end and what better thing to do than make something? For this particular occasion I decided that scones seemed like a good idea so set off in search of the perfect recipe – Pinterest is great tool for research! I happened upon this one for Cranberry Orange Scones which looked like they might go particularly well with a cup of tea while catching up with a friend. And they did! Soft, fluffy and buttery with the perfect hint of orange (I had even added a bit more than suggested in the recipe), chewy cranberries and, actually, not overly sweet.

    fullsizeoutput_7beNow that I have this recipe tested I should be able to take the basic recipe and create my own flavours. As they say, practise makes perfect!

    Ingredients for the scones:

    • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tbsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tbsp grated orange zest (from 1/2 orange)
    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks
    • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1 tbsp to brush the top
    • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
    • 1 tbsp coarse/raw sugar to sprinkle the top, optional

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    Ingredients for the glaze:

    • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

    How to make:

    Makes 12. Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

    1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and grated orange zest. Add the butter pieces and use a pastry cutter (or 2 knives, or hands like I did) to cut the butter into the mixture until you have coarse pea-sized crumbs.
    2. Toss in the dried cranberries and stir gently to combine. Make a well in the centre and set aside.
    3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to stir until just moistened.
    4. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface and pull it together into a round disk, about 3/4″ thick. (Note – it doesn’t have to be perfect, in fact it looks more home-made when uneven and rough looking!)
    5. Cut the disk into 12 equal wedges and pull apart slightly. Brush the tops of scones with 1 tbsp of heavy cream and sprinkle the top with raw sugar, if desired.
    6. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden.
    7. Place the scones on a wire cooling rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
    8. Whisk together the powdered sugar and the freshly squeezed orange juice, adding more or less for desired thickness, and then drizzle over cranberry scones.
    9. Eat and enjoy!

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  • Nidhi Raina’s Bad Boy Rutabaga & Turnips

    Nidhi Raina’s Bad Boy Rutabaga & Turnips

    Yes, we live in Spud Valley, but let’s not overlook the other root vegetables that also flourish in Pemberton’s silt-rich soil. Today, local cook and the wizard behind Nidhi’s Cuisine, Nidhi Raina, gives turnips and rutabagas their due.

    I’ve never eaten either, unless it was by mistaken, so it’s surprising to learn that rutabagas and turnips are among the most commonly grown and widely adapted root crop. Rootdown Farms, IceCap Organics and North Arm Farm all grow ’em.

    Turnips (brassica rapa) and rutabagas (brassica napobrassica) are relatives – part of  the Cruciferae or mustard family, of the genus Brassica. They are similar in plant size and general characteristics.

    rutabaga centre stage in rootdown organic farms winter csa box
    The rutabaga, centre stage of Rootdown Organic’s winter harvest box.

    They are cool-season crops and can be grown as either a spring or fall crop. Rutabagas are the slower grower – needing on average 90 days. Turnips, have a field to plate timeline of 40 – 75 days, depending on the variety.

    raidshes and hakurei turnips at Rootdown organic farm
    Hakurei turnips cosying up to radishes at Rootdown Organic Farm.

    Bad Boy Rutabaga & Turnips

    by Nidhi Raina

    Here is the very first recipe inspired by rutabagas and turnips sitting on the supermarket shelf begging to be wowed into a delight on a dinner table this February 2018.

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    Number of Servings: 4
    Ingredients
    2 Medium Rutabagas
    4 medium Turnips
    1 medium yellow onion
    1 medium tomato
    1/2 inch fresh ginger
    1 small jalapeno
    1 tsp coriander powder
    1 tsp sweet paprika
    1 tsp turmeric powder
    Salt to taste
    1/2 tsp brown sugar
    Flat leaf parsley leaves or sliced green onion
    1 cup water
    3 tbsp olive oil
    Method
    1. Wash, pat dry, peel and chop rutabagas and turnips into inch sized pieces.
    2. Chop tomatoes and onion and set aside in separate bowls.  Slice the jalapeno and discard seeds.
    3. Grate the ginger and set aside.
    4. Heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions, ginger and jalapenos and cook till onions are golden in color.
    5. Add the tomatoes, coriander, paprika and turmeric powder.  Cook for a minute.
    6. Add the rutabagas and turnips and toss in the mix so its well coated.  Add salt to taste.
    7. Cook the vegetables with 1 cup of water for 15-20 minutes on medium heat making sure the vegetables hold their shape.
    8. Add the sugar towards the end and fold in.
    9.  Serve warm on brown rice or quinoa.
    10. Garnish with a few parsley leaves or sliced green onions.