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Recipe of the Week: Lamb Navarin
Navarin is a French dish of lamb (or mutton if you can find it), stewed with a medley of vegetables until tender. It is a traditional springtime dish, when fresh peas are available to dot the dish with pops of green: a delight after months of grey winter.
Lamb Navarin
Serves 6
Ingredients
4 tbsp duck fat (or olive oil), divided
3 lbs lamb shoulder stew
1 lbs lamb bones
2 tsp sugar, divided
to taste salt and pepper
2 tbsp flour (all purpose)
1 liter chicken stock
2 small tomatoes, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed to break apart (not sliced)
2 bay leaves
6 thyme branches
12-15 pearl onions, peeled
4 turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5 inch lengths, then cut lengthwise into even wedges
1 cup green beans, tips removed and cut into 1.5 inch lengths
12-15 small “new” potatoes, peeled
1 cup green peas (fresh are best, but frozen will do the trick)
Method:
1) In a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of the duck fat. When hot, add the lamb stew. Season with 1 tsp of sugar, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until brown all over. Drain any fat, leaving about 2 tbsp in the pot. Add the flour and mix thoroughly so the flour mixes and cooks with the fat and meat. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. There should be enough liquid to just cover the meat. If you need more liquid, add water until the meat is covered. Bring the stock to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot. Summer for one hour.
2) While the lamb is cooking, prepare your vegetables. In a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of duck fat. When hot, add the peeled onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown all over. Remove from pan. Add the turnips to the same pan, and season with 1 tsp of sugar, salt, and pepper, and sauté until lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
3) After an hour of cooking, remove the lamb stew pieces from the pot using a pair of tongs. Strain the braising liquid into a clean pot, and skim for any fat or impurities. Add the lamb back to the liquid and bring to a simmer again over a low heat for an hour.
4) Add the vegetables to the pot in stages, as they all cook at different times. After the first 20 minutes of the second lamb cook, add the onions, potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the caramelized turnips.
5) Simmer for an additional 20 minutes, then add the green peas (if fresh – if using frozen peas add them after an additional 30 minutes). After the hour is done, remove the pot from the heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve.
Note that this recipe can be made up to three days ahead of time in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before serving.
Recipe of the Week: BBQ Sauce-Braised Beef
It’s the first day of spring, and I am very happy about it. The older I get, the less attractive winter can be. I generally don’t participate in many outdoor winter sports, and the lack of sunlight brings me down. The cold temperatures and snow are just added insults to an already dreary season. Spring brings a hope of sunnier days, shorter sleeves, and BBQs with pals. I’m here for it!
From a culinary viewpoint, we are in a bit of a middle point between braising and grilling. Sure, you could do either, but depending on the thermostat I get pulled in both directions when planning my meals. Today I wanted to share a recipe that is a slow cook, but with a BBQ flavour. Best of both worlds!
BBQ Sauce Braised Beef
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
3 lbs beef blade roast
3 tbsp Smoky Pork Rub
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large (or 2 small) onion, sliced
1 bottle (500 ml) Dad’s BBQ Sauce
2 cups water
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 320°F.
2. Rub the beef blade roast with the Smokey Rib Rub, getting the spice mix into all the crevices of the roast.
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat. Sear the beef blade on all sides to brown the outside. Once browned and crispy, remove the beef and set aside.
4. Add the onions to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow the onions to steam and release their water for about five minutes. Stir the onions well to scrape up any bits of beef and spice mix.
5. Once the onions are starting to colour, add the Dad’s BBQ Sauce and water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the roast back to the pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven on a center rack. Braise until fork tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Check the pot at the halfway mark and add more water if necessary.
6. Once cooked, allow the roast to cool for 20 minutes. Tear the meat apart with two forks and stir well to coat with the sauce. Serve with rolls and coleslaw.
Recipe of the Week: Beef and Guinness Pie
Since we’re celebrating both PI Day and St Patrick’s Day this weekend, I decided to share a recipe that combines both delightfully tasty holidays. You can make the pie without the stout, but you would lose the richness that Guinness brings to the dish.
Beef and Guinness Pie
Makes one 10-inch pie
Ingredients:
For the pie dough:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
¾ cup butter, cold, cubed
⅓ cup cold, rendered lard (if unavailable, replace with more cold butter)
Scant ½ cup ice-cold water
For the filling:
1 pound stewing beef, preferably from the blade, in 1½-inch cubes
To taste salt and pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in small dice
1 medium carrot, cut in small dice
1 celery stalk, cut in small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 can Guinness stout ale
1 bay leaf
¾ cup Beef Stock
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup medium diced potatoes
1 Tbsp chopped thyme
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp lemon juice
1 egg
Method:
For the pie dough:
1. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix to combine. Add the butter and lard and mix at low speed until it looks coarse and mealy
2. With the motor running, pour the water into the dough and allow the dough to gather around the paddle. Turn off the mixer.
3. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and gather it together in a pile. Cut the dough in half, place each piece on top of each other, and press together, using a decent amount of force. Repeat this step three times.
4. Cut the dough in half again, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and place each piece on a floured work surface. Roll each piece of dough into a disk, about ⅛ inch thick. At this point you can refrigerate (or freeze) the pie shells until you’re ready to fill them. They’ll keep refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 3 months. Let frozen dough thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
For the filling and pie:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place the beef in a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat and, working in batches, brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and sweat, stirring often, until slightly caramelized. Add the garlic, and sweat until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Return the browned beef to the pot, dust with the flour, stir well to incorporate, and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pot with the beer, scraping up any cooked bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf, stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, then set the pot on a center rack in the oven and stew for 30 minutes. Turn down the heat to 325°F and cook for 1½ hours more.
5. Add the potatoes to the stew, stir well, and cook in the oven until the potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the thyme and rosemary, then season with salt, pepper, and the lemon juice. Allow to cool completely at room temperature.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Roll out each piece of dough to just larger than your pie plate. Invert your pie plate onto one of the circles. Using a paring knife, cut around the circumference of the dish. Set this top piece aside.
8. Line a pie plate with the other dough disk, pressing it into and up the sides. Use a pair of scissors to cut away any overlapping pieces of dough. Fill with the beef mixture to just under the top of the pie plate.
9. Make an egg wash by whisking the egg with a splash of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash around the lip of the pie shell. Place the top piece over the filling, press down gently, and crimp the edges of the pie to seal the top to the bottom. Use the leftover bits of dough to make designs, if you like, then brush the egg wash over the whole pie crust. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
10. To serve, allow to cool slightly and cut into individual servings.
Recipe of the Week: Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon is a specialty from the region of Burgundy, France. It is a simple, yet polished beef stew that incorporates a lot of red wine, bacon, and onion to produce a luxurious and robust dish, perfect for a cold evening with lots of crusty bread for soaking up the juices.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
3 lbs beef stew, cut at about 1.5” to 2”, preferably from the beef blade (shoulder) muscle
2 tsp salt
750 ml red wine (Burgundian pinot noir or Beaujolais is traditional), divided
8 branches fresh thyme
2 leaves bay leaves, preferably fresh
4 branches fresh parsley
8 oz (240 gr) sliced bacon, cut into thin lardons (cross-cut strips)
1 large carrots, peeled and cut in half
1 onion, peeled and cut in half through the equator
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 cups beef stock
2 tbsp butter, divided
18 pearl onions, peeled
1 large (or 2 small) carrots, peeled and diced in uniform sizes (about 1 inch)
2 lbs button mushrooms, wiped clean and cut in half
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
to taste salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place the beef stew in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and enough red wine to marinate (it should be about a cup). Tie the thyme, bay leaves, and parsley branched together and nestle in the beef. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
3. In a large heavy pot over medium low heat, cook the bacon until it has released its fat and is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and reserve.
4. Drain the red wine from the beef and reserve with the herb bundle. Pat the beef dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Turn the heat under the pot up to medium high. Working in batches as to not overcrowd the pot, brown the beef in the hot rendered bacon fat, about a third of the beef per batch (depending on the size of the pot). As the beef is browned, remove it from the pot and reserve until all the beef is browned.
5. Once all the beef is browned, add the carrot halves and onion halves to the pot, and cook until golden, about five minutes. Add half of the minced garlic and lightly cook for a minute, then add in the tomato paste, stirring well and cooking for another minute. Deglaze the pot with the reserved wine and herb bundle from the marinade, then add the remaining wine. Reduce until the wine has evaporated by half.
6. Add the beef stock and the browned beef back to the pot and stir well. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer. Skim and discard any foam that floats to the surface of the stew. Cover the pot and place in the oven to braise for 1.5 hours, or until the beef is just tender.
7. Start to cook the garnish about 30 minutes before the beef is finished. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the pearl onions and carrots, and, stirring frequently, sauté until golden brown all over, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from pan and reserve. Melt a second tbsp of butter in the same pan over medium heat and add the mushroom and remaining minced garlic. Stir frequently until the mushrooms are golden and have released some of their liqueur, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reserve the mushrooms and their juices with the pearl onion and carrot.
8. When the beef is just tender, take out of the oven and place over a medium low heat, continuing to simmer. Remove the herb bundle, halved onion, and halved carrot and discard. In a small work bowl, mash the soft butter and flour together to make a paste. Ladle about a half cup of the braising liquid to the paste and whisk to emulsify. Pour the emulsification back into the pot and stir to incorporate. This will thicken the stew.
9. Add the reserved crisp bacon, pearl onions, carrots, and mushrooms (with the liqueur) back to the pot, stirring well to blend everything together. Add the chopped parsley, stir, and remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Recipe of the Week: Lamb Biryani
During my time as a chef at Mistura, I worked with several new Canadians and formed particularly good friendships with two men from Bangladesh, Khalil and Mizan. During Ramadan, the annual period of fasting, reflection, and prayer for Muslims, they abstained from eating while the sun was up. Each morning when they came to work, Khalil, Mizan, and the other observant Muslims we worked with would bring large trays of delicious food that their wives had prepared for them to eat once the sun went down. They would reheat the dishes and share them with the rest of the staff and we feasted on pakoras, onion bhajis, delicious curries, and one of my favorites, lamb biryani. Here is my version of that biryani, a festive dish that is aromatic, flavorful, and very popular for serving large groups of people. Serve lamb biryani with naan bread and a yogurt-cucumber salad.
Adapted from Cooking Meat
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
½ cup + 3 Tbsp clarified butter (divided)
1 onion, sliced
3 pounds lamb shank, each shank cut in 3-4 pieces (ask your butcher)
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
2 Tbsp salt (divided)
1 Tbsp chopped green chilies
1 tsp chili flakes or chili powder
1 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups plain yogurt
2 limes, juice only
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 black cardamom pods
1 tsp black peppercorns
1½ cups basmati rice
1 cup milk
1 tsp saffron
Method:
1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the 3 Tbsp of clarified butter. Add the onions and cook until slightly brown and translucent.
2. Place the lamb meat in a large bowl. Add the cooked onions, garlic, ginger, 1 Tbsp of salt, green chilies, chili flakes (or chili powder), mint, cilantro, yogurt, and lime juice. Stir well and set aside.
3. In a large pan over medium heat, toast the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and peppercorns until fragrant. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then place the spices on a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a sachet (or place them in a large tea infuser ball). Add this spice sachet to the lamb mixture, cover, and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. (Alternatively, mix the spices directly into the lamb mixture, but if do you this, you’ll have to warn your guests to watch for them.)
4. While the lamb is marinating, soak the rice in 6 cups of warm water for 1 hour.
5. Melt the ½ cup of clarified butter in a large pot over medium heat. Discard the spice sachet from the lamb mixture, add the meat to the pot, and bring it to a simmer. Cook until the lamb is tender, about 30 minutes.
6. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbsp of salt. Drain the rice, add it to the boiling water, and cook for 5 minutes. (It will not be fully cooked.) Remove from the heat and drain well.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the milk in a small pot over medium heat, then add the saffron. Allow to infuse for at least 5 minutes.
8. Pour the lamb mixture into a casserole dish just large enough to hold everything without crowding. Spread the half-cooked rice evenly over the meat and drizzle the saffron milk over top. Cover with a tight lid or aluminum foil and bake until the rice is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
9. To serve, place the casserole dish in the middle of the table and eat immediately.
Recipe of the Week: Whole Chicken Soup
Whole Chicken Soup
Abridged from Cooking Meat
Poaching a whole chicken is one of the easiest and most satisfying one-pot meals you can make, and you can vary the ingredients according to your mood. In place of bread, this recipe is equally tasty with cooked rice or pasta to soak up the broth.
Serves 6 to 8
1 whole chicken, about 3½ pounds
2 onions, cut in large dice
2 carrots, cut in large dice
2 turnips, cut in large dice
1 celery stalk, cut in large dice
1 leek, washed thoroughly and cut in large dice
5 garlic cloves, halved
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
1 herb bundle made of 6 thyme branches, 6 parsley stems, 2 bay leaves)
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup shredded cabbage (Savoy or green)
12 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp finely chopped thyme
to taste salt and pepper
2 cups roughly torn stale French bread
Method:
1. The day before you plan to serve this dish, place the chicken, onions, carrots, turnips, celery, leeks, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and herb bundle in a deep pot and just cover with cold water. Bring the water to a low simmer over medium-low heat and poach the chicken, uncovered, for 1½ hours, skimming and discarding any fat and impurities that rise to the surface.
2. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It should read 180˚F. (If not, cook the chicken for 5 to 10 minutes more and check again.) The meat will be pulling away from the bone, especially around the leg knuckle. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool in its own liquid before covering and refrigerating overnight.
3. 30 minutes before you plan to serve the chicken, skim off and discard any solidified fat. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, reserving the poaching liquid in the pot. Using a sharp knife, cut the breasts and legs away from the carcass. Using your thumb, strip off any meat clinging to the carcass and put it back into the pot with the vegetables. Discard the skin from the breasts and slice the meat before adding it to the pot. Discard the skin from the legs and strip the meat away from the bones. Place the leg meat back in the pot and discard the bones. Discard the herb bundle, then bring the broth to a simmer over medium-low heat.
5. To finish the chicken, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the cabbage and mushrooms, stir well, and cover. Steam the vegetables until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Season with the thyme and salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
6. To serve, place a few pieces of torn-up bread at the bottom of each bowl. Add a couple of tablespoons of the cabbage and mushroom mixture, then ladle a good amount of the chicken and vegetable mixture with some broth over everything and serve!
Recipe of the Week: Baked Ziti
Family Day weekend is here! We hope you all get a chance to connect with your loved ones this weekend, preferably over a nice plate of food!
This week’s recipe is perfect for a large group. Baked ziti is a popular Italian American dish that most likely originated in Southern Italy. Ziti is the shape of the pasta – a smooth tubular noodle that holds up well during the baking process and is substantial enough to hold its shape while scooping into your bowl. Ziti isn’t super easy to find here in Toronto, so I’ve substituted with the very common Penne Rigate, whose textured edge pick up lots of tasty sauce.
I’ve also added a couple of vegetables to this sauce but hidden them, so the little ones won’t notice. This family day, it’s important to get these kids eating any vegetables!
Baked Ziti
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 large carrot, peeled and grated on a box grater
8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, grated on a box grater
to taste salt and pepper
680 ml tomato passata (1 bottle)
500 gr dried ziti pasta (or penne rigate)
1.5 cup mozzarella, grated
1.5 cup fontina, grated
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat until slightly translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and break it up well with a wooden spoon. Stir well and brown the beef, about ten minutes. Add the carrots and mushroom and continue cooking until the vegetables release their moisture and the mixture dries out, about another ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes less than the package directions (the pasta will continue cooking in the oven). Drain the very al dente pasta, then add to the simmered meat sauce, stirring well.
4. Ladle the pasta and meat sauce into the base of a casserole dish, filling it about halfway up the side. Mix the two cheeses together, then sprinkle half of the combined mixture all over the first layer of pasta. Fill the casserole with the remainder of the pasta and sauce, then top it off with the remaining cheese mixture.
5. Put the casserole in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Recipe of the Week: Taco Pie
No big explanation necessary. Now you know what you're going to make for Superbowl Sunday!
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs ground beef
3 tbsp A Spice Affair Taco Seasoning
3 cups frozen corn niblets
2 cups tomato sauce
To taste salt and pepper to taste
4 10" wheat tortillas
1 can refried beans
3 cups cotija cheese, grated (substitute with mozzarella if needed)
1-2 cups fresh cilantro, washed and chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the onion in the vegetable oil for about five minutes, or until soft
3. Add the ground beef and brown. Add the Taco Spice and corn niblets, stir well, and continue cooking for another three minutes, or until corn is soft. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Line a 10" springform pan on the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
5. Spread 2 tbsp of refried beans on each tortilla, covering the surface area.
6. Place one tortilla on the bottom of the springform pan. Spread 1/4 of the simmered beef on top. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese on top of the meat, then finish with 1/4 of the cilantro.
7. Repeat step 7 until all the tortilla and sauce is in the pie. Sprinkle extra cheese and cilantro on the top if you have extra.
8. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown on top.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes before opening the springform pan and transferring the pie to a serving platter. Serve with limes and hot sauce.
Recipe of the Week: Soy Sauce Chicken
This Sunday is Groundhog Day everyone! We are a few steps closer to spring! I can almost taste it!
Soy Sauce Chicken is a delicious comfort food that is so easy to make, you’ll be wondering why you don’t make it a couple of times a month. You have definitely walked by Chinatown restaurants that showcase their soy sauce chickens in the window – the caramelized colour of the chicken gleaming, just waiting to be chopped up and served on steamed rice with a side of scallion-ginger condiment. In honour of the Year of the Snake, I wanted to showcase a great recipe that you can easily do at home (perhaps with our Heritage Chickens that are on sale this week!). This recipe is slightly modified from the great food blog The Woks of Life. Check them out for all kinds of amazing Chinese recipes.
Soy Sauce Chicken
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, 3.5-4 lbs (heritage chickens work really well)
2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, etc)
8-10 slices of fresh ginger (no need to peel)
3 whole scallions, bruised with the back of a knife
3 pc star anise
1.5 cups Shaoxing cooking wine
1.5 cups light soy sauce
1.25 cups dark soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
10 cups water
Method
1. Remove the chicken from the fridge to bring it closer to room temperature, about 30 minutes before you start the recipe.
2. Heat the oil in a tall stock pot over medium high heat. Add the ginger and fry to release the aroma – about one minute. Add the scallions and continue frying for another minute.
3. Add the star anise and the Shaoxing wine. Simmer for a minute to cook off the alcohol.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes to create your cooking broth.
5. Increase the heat and bring the broth to a light boil. Using either a carving fork or a large, perforated spoon, slowly lower the chicken into the broth, breast side up, until it’s completely submerged. If it’s not submerged add some hot tap water to cover. Leave in the broth for five minutes
6. After five minutes, raise the chicken out of the broth and let the broth that was trapped in the cavity run back out into the pot. This step is to ensure the chicken is cooked evenly (otherwise the interior of the chicken would cook more slowly than the exterior, as the broth in the cavity would be cooler.
7. Lower the chicken back to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
8. After 25 minutes, turn the heat off and place a lid on the pot. The chicken will continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature after this time (it should be 165°F).
9. Remove the chicken form the pot and allow to rest for a few minutes before carving and serving on steamed rice.
Ginger Scallion Condiment
Ingredients
4 tbsp scallions, finely chopped
4 tbsp peeled ginger, finely chopped
to taste salt
1/3 cup neutral oil (vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, etc)
Method
Mix all ingredients together and let marinate for 30 minutes before serving.