Jamie Oliver Proper Blokes' Sausage Fusilli

Confession: I've made this dish many times before. But that's why I decided to blog about it. It's actually one of my all-time favs. The flavours are just beautiful. There's a perfect balance between savory, spicy and citrus freshness. And just in case you didn't know, Jamie Oliver is my secret boyfriend. I love his recipes so much. I know some people hate the way he never gives you the proper measurements, but I love that. A wineglass of wine or a handful of parmesan cheese, it just speaks to my cooking style. And the flavours of his dishes never disappoint. He knows the way to my heart.

Note: please listen to my boyfriend and only use good quality sausages. If you're a Torontonian, you can get your sausages at MEATing on Queen, the best sausages in the city in my humble opinion. I usually get the Moraccan Pork or Moraccan Chicken sausages for this dish because the spices in the recipe are simple enough to let the sausages be the star. And they really should be, they are phenomenal. I mean look at them, gorgeous no?

Last note, I couldn't find any dried chili peppers so I used 2 small fresh chili's, deseeded, which worked perfect.

Proper blokes' sausage fusilli

This is a real blokey, gutsy yet simple pasta dish – but saying that, girls tend to like it as well! It hasn't really got a sauce of any description because all the flavour that comes out of the ingredients will stick to the pasta and that's enough. I will even go so far as to say that this is one of my top ten pasta dishes! Remember to buy the best sausages you can afford – if you get cheap, dodgy sausages it just won't work.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 heaped teaspoons fennel seeds
2 dried red chillies, crumbled
olive oil
400 g quality coarse Italian or Cumberland sausages
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 small wineglass white wine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
320 g good-quality fusilli or penne
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 small handful Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Method
Bash up the fennel seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar or Flavour Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.

Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavours then add a lug of olive oil, the Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

Onion Rye, Mushroom, Gouda & Ham Grilled Cheese

This Sunday was my father-in-laws birthday and being that we'd be travelling to hubby's hometown for a spaghetti dinner, I decided to make lunch. 

This recipe is super easy, but it was really tasty. It's from the LCBO Food & Drink guide. 

I used normal bread as DH is not a fan of rye bread and I added thyme to the mushrooms because that's how I roll. And of course my favourite dijon mustard on the planet, Kozlik's. If you ever come to Canada, you must find this mustard. It's the best I've ever had, like off the charts yummy. My fave, that I used for this recipe, is Antons Secret Bordeaux. But I suppose any dijon mustard will do. :P

ONION RYE, MUSHROOM, GOUDA & HAM GRILLED CHEESE

AUTUMN 2009
By: Heather Trim

Thunder Oak Gouda from Thunder Bay has been at the forefront of great cheese making for several years. Not only does the company make an excellent traditional Gouda, it also offers flavoured goudas such as cumin or jalapeño. Available in specialty cheese stores or on-line at www.cheesefarm.ca.

4 tsp (20 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (250 mL) mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices onion rye or light or dark rye, with or without caraway seeds
Honey Dijon or regular Dijon mustard
4 oz (125 g) Ontario Gouda or cheddar, thinly sliced
2 thin slices black forest ham

1. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it starts to sizzle, add mushrooms. Stir frequently until softened and browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in pinches of salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Turn mushrooms into a bowl. Wipe pan clean.

2. Spread remaining butter over 1 side of each slice of bread. Spread 2 slices with mustard followed by half the Gouda, a slice of ham, folding to fit if needed, mushrooms, remaining Gouda and bread, butter-side out.

3. Return large frying pan to medium heat. Add sandwiches to pan. Cook until cheese is melted and bread slices are golden, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Press with spatula to help sandwiches stick together better.

Makes 2 sandwiches

Mushroom Spinach Stuffed Shells

I missed last week because I was on vacation. I had planned on cooking and posting from my aunt's house in Florida, but Carrabba's Italian Grill got in the way. And for a chain restaurant it was pret-tay pret-tay good.

While there I picked up a copy of Food Network Magazine's Cheese Issue. As a self-proclaimed cheese fiend, it only seem appropriate that my next post come from the mag. They had a section presenting a single dish two ways: light and rich. I choose the light option, but only because my husband preferred mushrooms over the sausage being offered in the rich version. And then I made it unhealthy because that's how I roll. Lots and lots of cheese. Oodles in fact. Yummy dairy goodness.

The recipe calls for a 10 oz package of frozen spinach. You can do that, but I didn't think I'd have time to thaw the spinach so instead I bought two 8 oz packages of fresh spinach that I cooked down until the moisture was gone with garlic, marjoram, butter and a slight sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.  And of course the other change I made was to up the cheese factor to heart-attack level. Otherwise I followed the recipe below. It was delicious. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Mushroom-Spinach Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

For the stuffed shells:

Kosher salt8 ounces (20 to 24) jumbo pasta shells2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling and brushing1 small onion, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, minced12 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry1 1/2 cups low-fat small-curd cottage cheese1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese1 large egg, lightly beaten1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

For the sauces:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced1 teaspoon fennel seedsLarge pinch of red pepper flakes1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by handKosher salt1/4 cup low-fat small-curd cottage cheese1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Make the stuffed shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook until slightly softened but still firm, about 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with olive oil and toss; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 more minutes. Add the spinach and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

Finely chop the spinach-mushroom mixture and combine in a bowl with the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the filling; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, then rinse out the can with 1 cup water and add to the skillet; add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the skillet and rinse out the blender.

Make the cheese sauce: Combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan and egg in the blender and puree until smooth.

Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil and pour in half of the tomato sauce. Add the stuffed shells, then top with the remaining tomato sauce. 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes; uncover and continue baking until bubbly, 15 to 20 more minutes. Turn on the broiler; drizzle the shells with the cheese sauce and broil, about 2 minutes.

See you next week!

Rachel Ray New Mexican Green Chile Chili

One of my besties made this chili this summer and it was so yummy that I really wanted to try making it myself. It was super hearty and actually made a great winter meal. When Amanda made it, it was a little less thick and more like a soup. She's really good at feeding lots of people for very little, so I'm willing to bet she went with less meat than the recipe called for. As it was, I only went with 2 lbs of pork butt and I found that it was quite heavy on the meat, so you could probably go with just 1 1/2 lbs and still get a delicious meal that is a little less stewy in consistency. 

I also used grape seed oil for browning the pork as I recently learnt it has a higher smoke point and won't set off the fire alarm in your house. Key when you have a little one sleeping.

I couldn't find Mexican oregano, but the amount is so small that using regular oregano really didn't change the flavour too much. I wish you successful cooking! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 1 pork shoulder/butt (2-3 pounds)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 medium yellow onions, 2 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
• 1 bottle Negra Modela or other Mexican beer
• Juice of 3 limes, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (1/3 palmful)
• 1 tablespoon cumin (a palmful)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (a palmful)
• 2 cans or 12 fresh tomatillos, chopped, divided
• 4-5 New Mexican green chili peppers or 3 poblano peppers, charred, peeled and seeded
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons masa or cornmeal
• 1 can pinto beans (optional)

Toppings:

• Cilantro
• Raw red onions, finely chopped, or pickled red onion rings
• Fritos or corn tortilla chips
• Queso fresco, crumbled, or other mild cheese, shredded
• Lime wedges

Serves 4-6

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.

Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and brown on all sides until deep golden in color.

Top the browned pork with a pile of the sliced onion; add the bottle of beer and juice of two limes to the pot. Cover and roast for 2-2 1/2 hours until very tender. Shred the pork with forks and set the meat back into the drippings.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the remaining EVOO, two turns of the pan. To the hot oil, add the chopped onions and garlic; season with salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and coriander. Cook to tender.

If using canned cooked tomatillos, add one can of them to a food processor with the roasted chili peppers, seasoned cooked onions, garlic and honey. Puree, then return to the stove top and stir in the remaining can of tomatillos and stock.

If using fresh tomatillos, soften the onions for 5 minutes, then add the tomatillos and cook for 10-12 minutes more until the color of the tomatillos pales and they have cooked down into a thick sauce. Puree the cooked tomatillo sauce with the chili peppers and honey, then return the puree to the pot and stir to combine with the stock.

Marry the pulled pork and its drippings to the chili base; stir in the masa and pinto beans, if using. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes to thicken. Serve in shallow bowls with the toppings of your choice and wedges of lime.

Lobster Tails with Dill Butter & Pistachios on Saffron Risotto with Leeks

Eek it's Wednesday and I'm only posting about my Sunday meal now. Oops. Moving along...

I've burnt the last two weeks meals. Both salvageable, but nonetheless I was determined not to overcook this week's meal. And I almost accomplished it. I say almost because I did overcook the lobster ever so slightly but the flavour was so good it didn't really matter. Plus this isn't Top Chef and no one at the table was complaining. 

Today's recipe comes courtesy of the Ontario Government. Odd I know, but our government controls our liquor in Canada. The downside is that it limits the variety and is very corporate, almost like a Walmart. The upside is they fund this AMAZING magazine called the LCBO Food & Drink. And for all you non-Ontarians, they post the recipes to past issues on their website with an excellent search engine. These recipes are created by some of the top culinary experts in the country and it's rare that one disappoints. And this one is no exception. The dill butter poaches the lobsters to perfection and they are perfectly matched with the creamy flavour of the risotto. Enjoy!

Large Lobster Tails with Dill Butter & Pistachios

This is among the simplest of entrées to prepare and is quite festive. Cooking lobster in the shell results in a concentration of seafood flavour.

1 cup (250 mL) shelled pistachios (see TIP)
1 lemon
⅓ cup (75 mL) salted butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
6 large lobster tails, each 10 to 12 oz (300 to 375 g), defrosted

1 Finely chop pistachios by pulsing in food processor; however, leave large enough so pieces of nut are recognizable. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.)

2 Finely zest lemon with a rasp. Stir zest with butter, dill and pepper. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Bring butter to room temperature before using.)

3 To prepare lobster tails, place each one, smooth-side up, on a cutting board. Use heavy kitchen scissors to snip open shell along midpoint from front (where meat is visible) going back to the tail. Using your fingers, force shell open and loosen the meat. Stuff butter between meat and shell and over the exposed meat. Tails can be covered and refrigerated for up to half a day.

4 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

5 Place stuffed tails, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Fan out each tail to steady. Bake 25 minutes or until lobster separated with 2_forks at thickest point has lost grey centre and reads at least 165°F (73°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

6 To serve, force open shells more widely. Grasping meat with tongs, loosen at bottom and pull out. Place lobster on a bed of risotto (below). Nap with butter and juices from broiling pan; liberally sprinkle with pistachios. Serve right away.

TIP
The pistachios need to be bright green, which means shelling large salted California pistachios, as already-shelled pistachios sold in bags are usually too darkly roasted. Nearly 3 cups (750 mL) of nuts in the shell are needed to yield 1 cup (250 mL) of shelled pistachios.

Serves 6

Saffron Risotto with Leeks

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, but thankfully a little is all that is needed and too much actually decreases the pleasure of the flavour. Saffron is often sold in tiny 2-g boxes—use about one-sixth of the contents for this risotto. If purchasing broth in a 900-mL carton, simply use water to make up to 1 litre. 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine Generous pinch of saffron threads

4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 medium finely sliced leek (white/light-green part only), about 1 cup (250 mL)
1⅓ cups (325 mL) arborio rice, about 8 oz (250 g)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp (1 to 2 mL) salt (optional)
Sprigs of fresh herb such as dill, parsley or thyme

1 Measure wine; add saffron. Let threads soak 1 hour or more. Heat broth in a small saucepan or in microwave, until just boiling. Keep hot over low heat.

2 Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add leek; stir 3 to 5 minutes or until transparent. Then add rice all at once; stir 2 to 3 minutes or until coated and edges are becoming transparent. Add wine, including saffron threads; stir until absorbed.

3 Continue to cook slowly, adding 1/2 cup (125_mL) hot broth at a time, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until each ladleful is absorbed. This takes about 25 minutes. The rice ultimately is creamy and tender to the bite. If more liquid is needed, simply use water. Taste; add salt if needed.

4 Heap risotto into warmed shallow soup bowl or deep plates. Garnish with sprigs of fresh herb.

Serves 6

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Breakfast's been on my radar for a few weeks and as I'm serving my in-laws a frozen tourtière I made back in December for dinner, today seemed as good a day as any. It was either breakfast or cupcakes. They're still on my list though - I LOVE cupcakes - and I've been eying a few yummy recipes on Pinterest, one that includes bacon and another with marshmallows. Can't go wrong with either of those things. In fact, bet they'd go well together? Hmmmm...

I could use some reader feedback on this Pinterest recipe (if you're out there!) from the Lovin From the Oven blog. The flavour is spectacular. But I was a little bummed with the cooking instructions as the heat didn't seem high enough to caramelize the brown sugar mixture, even after 50 mins. I ended up broiling it for a minute or two which did caramelize the sugar but burnt a few of the higher bread pieces in the process. Next time I'll try it at 375 F for a shorter period of time. I'd also completely remove the white sugar next time. The recipe is über sweet and I think the brown sugar on top is more than enough. Also, I completely forgot to grease the pan. Duh! Hey future Kathy - don't forget to grease the pan.

But as said, the flavour was really good so I'll definitely make it again. I served it with bacon, because I love to cut sweetness with salt. Enjoy.

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Ingredients
1/2 loaf stale bread (i used challah)
4 whole eggs
1 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/8 cups sugar
1 tablespoons vanilla
1/4 cup ap flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick cold butter, cubed

Directions
grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
tear the bread into chunks and place them in the greased pan.

mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. pour the mixture evenly over the bread. cover and refrigerate overnight.

in another bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. add the butter and mix until the batter comes somewhat together, like little pebbles. store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
take your pan with the soaking bread inside and sprinkle crumb mixture on top.

if you like soggier french toast, bake for 45 minutes. for a firmer and less liquid-y french toast, bake for an hour.
serve warm with maple syrup and butter, if desired.

Superbowl Sunday - Buffalo Chicken Potstickers, Veg Nachos and Parm Potatoes

This Sunday my husband was the winner winner chicken dinner. Not only did he get an amazing spread cooked by moi for the Superbowl, but I let him pick the menu. It's too bad his football pick wasn't as strong as his menu picking. You gave a good fight post-blackout SF 49ers. 

He was most stoked about the unworldly Bufffalo Chicken Potstickers. The recipe from the Add a Pinch blog was found via Pinterest and Robyn is a creative genius for combining potstickers and buffalo sauce after noticing how busy both wing houses and Chinese restaurants could be. Bravo Robyn! I'll definitely be back. The Parm Potatoes were also found on Pinterest at Family Favourite Recipes and the Veg Nachos were adapted from a Pinterest recipe linking to Healthy Happy Life. Hmmm I see a theme, I may be Pinterest obsessed. 

Buffalo Chicken Potstickers

Author: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1½ cups buffalo sauce
• 3 green onions
• salt and pepper
• 48 wonton wrappers
• water for sealing wonton wrappers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ cup chicken stock

Instructions

1. Combine first four ingredients (through salt and pepper) in a large bowl. Place 1 tablespoon of buffalo chicken mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper. Brush water along all edges of wonton wrapper for sealing. Bring two corners of wrapper together in a point and then seal edges of wrapper closed. Form filled wrapper into a crescent at the bottom to help the potsticker stand during and after cooking. Place on a baking sheet covered with a damp towel to prevent wrappers from drying out before cooking.
2. Add olive oil to the bottom of a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add 10-12 wrappers to the skillet at a time and cook for two minutes. Then, pour chicken stock into skillet and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for two more minutes.
3. Remove lid and remove potstickers from skillet. Place onto a baking sheet and keep warm in a 225 degree oven until all potstickers are ready to serve.

Parmesan Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
• 1/4 cup butter
• grated parmesan cheese
• garlic powder
• other seasonings (to personal preference)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9x13 inch pan and spread evenly across the bottom. Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter. Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve on a plate with a side of sour cream for dipping.

Vegetarian Nachos

Ingredients

• 1 bag of your favourite tortilla chips
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper
• Cilantro
• 1 can of corn (or cooked and cut fresh from 2 cobs if you have)
• 1/2 an onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 green onions
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 cup Veggie broth
• Olive oil
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Chilli powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Roughly chop and mix together avocado, tomatoes, pepper, corn and cilantro in a large bowl and set aside. Simmer the beans, onions and garlic in veggie broth until tender adding cumin, garlic powder and chilli powder to taste. Reduce bean mixture on simmer until liquid is almost completely evaporated. Spread one layer of tortilla chips on an oven proof sheet or dish. Cover with layer of bean mix, then cover with layer of avocado mix and top with cheddar cheese. Repeat layering step. Place baking dish in oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. 

Serve with sour cream.

Funday Tips

1. I halved the buffalo potstickers recipe as serving 12 was not my intention. Just 4 hungry Superbowl partakers and we were happy to have some leftovers.
2. I put my potatoes on parchment paper to prevent sticking which worked really well. I also used thyme, a no brainer for the flavours already present. Next time I think I'd do fresh garlic rather than garlic powder.
3. I was a bit distracted and burnt the nachos a little. Eek! I used the 'burnt toast' method and just broke off any super burnt pieces. So heed my warning, don't forget about the nachos!