Delicious "D Dutchman Dairy": Local Dairy Products

"D Dutchman Dairy" is a family favorite place to stop along the road in Sicamous, B.C. The farm also sells a lot of their products to various markets in Calgary, such as Sunterra. Their chocolate milk is to die for!!! We stopped in at the farm and checked out what they had to offer straight from the source. The line-up for their ice cream was out the door, with so many flavours to choose from. They also had tones of different cheeses for sale. We picked up a few delicious cheddars and made our favorite scones with a local twist:

Sharp Cheddar Scones
(Recipe adapted from Anna Olson's Back to Baking)

3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup cold milk (plus extra for brushing the scones)
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (sharp preferably)

Be sure to watch Anna Olson's Scone making episode:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
3. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter (to an oatmeal-like texture) and then using your hands, pick up handfuls of the mix and press and roll the butter pieces into flat thin sheets.
4. In another bowl, mix together the egg yolk and whole egg, then whisk in the cup of milk. Add the flour and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a work surface (it will be sticky).
5. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and flatten the dough, then fold it in half, and repeat this about 4-5 times.
6. Shape the dough into a square or circle, depending on the finished shape you want, and cut into 16 pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving an inch between them, then brush with milk.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Lively Latin American: Inspired by Ingredients

I have a couple of important people in my life who are Colombian, so I have always had a soft spot for the Colombian culture. The food of Colombia is also something I enjoy and wanted to share with you. I went, with a friend as a guide, to a local Latin American market, UniMarket. Check out their website here for more information and locations. UniMarkets are tons of fun just to poke around in, as they have edible goodies from dozens of different Latin American countries. My Brazilian friend also frequents this market. Some of the highlights I encountered were:
-Queso fresco with Guava Paste: A friend from Mexico city first put me onto this tasty combination. Squeaky mozzarella-like cheese with sweet guava pasta, a pairing similar to Manchego cheese and Quince Paste.
-Lizano salsa: I fell in love with this salsa while in Costa Rica. Eggs, and rice and beans, are not the same without it. It is a savory brown sauce, not spicy at all, I think of it as Costa Rica’s ketchup. The put that %$&# on everything…
-Coconut concentrate: I saw this and had zero idea what it was, but it intrigued me, so stay tuned.
-Dulce de Leche: If you haven’t tried this sweet caramelized condensed milk (aka liquid gold), you need to. I even found a coconut Dulce de leche! Colombia has their own version called Arequipe which I find to be a bit thicker, but oh so good.

I was also delighted to find fantastic fresh tortillas and tons of other frozen authentic foods. They have sodas, cookies, and sauces galore. Check it out, and when you do, be sure to try this Arequipe Crème Brûlée recipe:

Arequipe Crème Brûlée
Recipe adapted from a "Baking Bites"

1 1/4 cups (1 13-14-oz can) arequipe (or dulce de leche)
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (use the extract with vanilla seeds if possible!)
1/4 tsp almond extract
5 large egg yolks
1 large egg approx
3/4 cup sugar (pref. superfine), for topping

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Put a kettle of hot water on the stove (which will be used for cooking the custards).
3. In a medium pan on medium heat, bring heavy cream, milk, salt, vanilla and almond extracts JUST to a boil.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolks and arequipe until well combined.
5. Now whisk in the hot cream mixture very slowly and stirring constantly. Strain into a large measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout.
6. Divide evenly into 8 six-ounce ramekins. Place ramekins in large baking dish or tray. Place on the oven rack and then fill with hot water (from the kettle) until it reaches 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until custards are just set and jiggle slightly in the centre when the pan is moved. Allow to cool in the water bath, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
8. Before serving. Sprinkle each with 1-2 tbsp sugar and brulee with a hand torch or a few seconds under the broiler (or preferrably a brulee torch!). Serve immediately after caramelizing the sugar. Makes 8 servings.

Moroccan Magic: An Exotic Getaway!

I’ve always loved Moroccan food! My favorite places to go in Calgary for Moroccan are the Sultan's Tent (do not miss the Saffron Beef Tajine or the Cornish Game Hen with Honey, Almonds, and Dried Fruit), followed by The Casbah. Both restaurants are richly decorated with tapestries, cushioned banquets, authentic light fixtures, and exotic adornments. It is authentic to begin a Moroccan meal by having your hands washed at your table. Restaurant staff bring beautifully ornate vessels you hold your hands over, while they pour lightly orange-blossom scented warm water over your hands. This is traditional because Moroccan food is to be eaten with your hands (don’t worry, they will give you a fork if you ask!), and I do recommend giving it a try if only for some fun! Having always loved Moroccan food, I came across this beloved recipe (below) for a tajine. Interesting to note, tajine is the name of an Arabic cooking vessel (it allows steam to rise and then recirculate, keeping food very moist) as well as it is the name of Moroccan stews named after the vessel they are cooked in (i.e. you would order a “lamb tajine”). A cast iron enamel pot substitutes nicely, or you can pick up a tajine from Homesense or cooking stores quite easily, if you keep your eyes open. In my experience, I prefer to cook in a cast iron pot and then transfer to serve in the tajine, instead of cooking in it itself, as I have had a couple in the past not able to withstand the oven heat and duration required. You should be able to find almost all of the ingredients at your local grocery store; you will just have to track down the preserved lemons (I got them from the Cookbook Co.). Try this recipe out and treat yourself to an exotic getaway…

Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemon and Green Olives
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. sweet or hot paprika
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon whole cloves (3 cloves)
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
1 large pinch saffron
4 lbs. chicken (I used breast and thighs)
1 medium onion chopped
1 preserved lemon cut into slices and flesh removed (you will need to get these at a specialty store)
½ cup cracked green olives
1 cup chicken stock
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves chopped

1. In a skillet over medium heat, toast the cinnamon, peppercorns, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, and cloves until they start to smoke. This is an important step to release the spices' natural oils and "wake them up". Remove from the heat and grind in a spice grinder (I used my magic bullet, or a mortar and pestle will do).
2. Add the garlic, ginger, spice mix, bay leaves and saffron in a bowl, set aside.
3. In your preferred cooking vessel (I used my cast iron Le Crueset), add a big splash of olive oil and sear your chicken in batches at medium high heat until golden brown. Remove.
4. Add the onions to the pot and stir until browned. Also add your preserved lemon.
5. Add your ginger, garlic, spice mix ect., olives, and chicken stock to the pot, stirring to combine. Add back in the chicken.
6. Finish this in the oven now for 30-35 min. Be sure to double check the chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer is great for this) and don't forget to discard the bay leaves! Accompany this dish with below couscous recipe.

Apricot Couscous

1 ½ cups couscous
2 cups hot chicken stock (bring to a boil and remove from heat)
10 dried apricots
1 orange, juiced
2 tbls. Olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 tbls. Chopped fresh parsley

Put couscous in a medium sized bowl and pour the hot stock and orange juice over it, stirring to combine. Cover with saran wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss through.

Tasty Tacos: Carne Asada Steak Tacos from Rural Mexico

I am currently reading "It Must've Been Something I Ate", which is the sequel to Jeffrey Steingarten's "The Man Who Ate Everything". If you enjoy food and have not read either of these, I highly recommend doing so. They are both an anthology of essays or articles he has amassed over the years, each one focusing on something food related. Some of my favourite articles include ones on Blue Fin Tuna, writings describing the history of chocolate, his constant search of perfecting our favourite foods and finding the best of the best, whether it is ketchup or the perfect roast turkey... One of the best elements of these two books is that whenever possible, recipes are included which optimize this search of perfection. To name a few tempting creations; the "perfect" potato dauphinois, the "best" hot chocolate (from a famous French chef), and what I tried just recently; Carne Asada Tacos.

Carne Asada Tacos
By: Jeffrey Steingarten

Salsas: Ranchera, Roja and Guacamole
Ranchera
1/2 lbs. white onions, peeled
1/2 lbs. ripe red tomatoes, halved
6 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. salt
Roja
1/4 cup dried chiles de arbol
1 small tomato, halved
1/4 tsp. salt
Guacamole
1/4 lbs. avocado
1/2 white onion cut into chunks
5 sprigs cilantro
1/4 plus 2 tbls. water

Carne Asada: The Meat
2 flank steaks (about 2 lbs. each)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves

Wheat Tortillas
1 lbs. flour
1 tbls. salt
1/2 cup minus 1 tbls. lard at room temperature
1 1/4 cup very warm water

For the salsas:
Ranchera
Dice the onion and tomatoes. Chop and add the cilantro, as well as the salt. Yields: 2 cups.
Roja
Snap off the stems of the chilies and toast them over medium-high heat, stirring often, until dark but not black. Place tomato halves in a small saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook until it gives off an orange foam. Put toasted chilies in a blender and add tomato cooking water until just covered. Add the tomatoes and salt and puree until smooth.
Guacamole
Thin style. Peel and pit the avocado and mash. In a blender, puree together the onions, cilantro and water. Pour this mixture over the avocado and mash until combined.

The Meat
Slice each flank steak into 2 thin sheets of meat. Prepare marinade by mixing orange juice, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and olive oil and whisk together. Crush the garlic and add to mixture. 20 or 30 min before grilling the meat, cover the meat in marinade (I recommend doing this in a large ziploc). Then brush off garlic and grill over high heat and cook until desired doneness (medium-rare is recommended). Allow the meat to rest and slice the meat, the recipe suggests into 1/4" cubes.

Wheat Tortillas
Add the flour and salt to a large bowl, mix. Roll the lard in the flour, breaking it into pieces and coating them in flour (much like making pie pastry, so I used a pastry cutter). When finished, the lard pieces should be the size of rice grains. Mix in the warm water, using 1/3 of the water at a time. Gather the dough and knead it in the bowl, collecting all of the flour, and when finished it will look somewhat shaggy. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and roll them well in flour. Using a rolling pin, roll* out the dough into a thin circle. This takes some practice, but I find it is best understood by doing it yourself and finding the method that works for you. Don't stress too much about perfection, these are hand-made after all! Once you have your tortilla rolled out nice and think (just think of the thickness of store-bought tortillas), add it to a preheated frying pan on medium-low. If you have the right temperature, your tortillas should puff in several places in under a minute and brown lightly in approx. 2 min. Play with the heat until you get it right. White and dry tortillas are a sign of too high heat.
*You do need to roll out flour tortillas, they don't work in tortilla presses (meant for corn tortillas).

I really enjoyed making my own tortillas, they are fun to make and so much more flavourful than store-bought. Try them for yourself! It will make you, and the people you share it with, appreciate this meal all the more. Once you have all of the components made, serve them buffet style so people can build their own tacos. I liked mine served with lime wedges and sour cream, but it is personal preference. ¡Salud!

Farm Fresh: Enjoying Alberta's Bounty

This weekend we decided to head out of the city to enjoy some of the local produce our area has to offer. We went to Saskaberry Ranch, a wonderful U-Pick on the way to Sundre, Alberta. They also offer "We-Pick" services if you just want to head out and grab somethings to bring home. We expected berries but were delighted to end up taking home several varieties of impressive cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. The berries are planted in rows outside. The raspberry bushes are rather low but full of juicy berries, and the strawberries are planted in raised beds which makes them very easy to harvest. The strawberries were a little sparse, although I could see plenty more starting to ripen. Unfortunately, due to a flock of birds, they lost their Saskatoon crop before they were even ripe. Here is to hoping for next year!
There are several greenhouses in which you can select and pick your own veggies, and the plants are very impressive. Everything is well maintained and cared for, and the owner was very helpful and friendly. We also enjoyed taking home some farm fresh eggs and a frozen chicken (they have 4 to 7 lbs. sizes available) which was raised on the ranch. Everything was incredibly reasonably priced, making eating local all the more enjoyable and attainable. All in all, it was a wonderful morning! It was great to get out of the city and do a little labor for big rewards. The berries we picked make store bought ones pale in comparison, as well as the delicious fresh veggies. We roasted the chicken for dinner last night and it was fabulous, so flavorful and juicy, you can tell they were happy birds. Next time you are looking for something fun to do with friends or family, or perhaps you are interested in eating locally and healthy, I highly recommend making the trek out to Saskaberry Ranch. We had a fantastic day out in the country and returned with an even more fantastic bounty. Being a Locavore has never been so easy!

Tip: Be sure to check the website for directions and hours before you make the drive, as some days are only available by appointment. They also have up to date postings of what produce is available. Enjoy!

Ramen Randevous: T&T Style

Ramen noodle soup is a delicious treat, think gourmet Ichiban. It is a Japanese noodle dish, featuring Chinese-style wheat noodles; ramen. The styles of ramen greatly vary, as some favor fish broth, while others prefer the salty Umami flavors that pork delivers. I recently acquired David Chang's cookbook "Momofuku" and was seriously tempted to try out his famous Ramen recipe. I succumbed to temptation... I made the broth and the seasoning, Taré, but chose to purchase fresh Ramen (David Chang recommends doing this also instead of making your own, the noodle recipe is for another day). With good friend Anna in tow, we headed off to T&T to pick up what was required...

Some of the ingredients needed definitely called for a trip to the fantastic T&T market, with 2 locations around Calgary. It is a kaleidoscope of sights, smells, and sounds. Languages you can't understand all around, ingredients you have never heard and forfeit trying to pronounce, and unfamiliar smells that make your stomach rumble in anticipation. Going here reminds me of just how multicultural this city truly is. Our first items to locate (with the help of the staff) were konbu (a necessary dried kelp), dried shitake mushrooms, fresh ramen noodles, mirin, and sake. We also picked up our meat and veg here, as their prices and selection is very impressive. Venturing through the seafood and frozen sections alone are very interesting! Frozen Soft Shell Turtle anyone? A huge variety of seafood is offered live, from Tilapia to Spot Prawns, and of course Crabs and Lobster. I will admit I do feel sorry for the crustaceans as children enjoy stabbing them with the provided tongs... But nonetheless, T&T's seafood cases are bursting with exotic and fresh products, and all at reasonable prices. Once loading up our cart with a variety of mysterious Asian candies, too many boxes of Pocky to count, and the odd frozen coconut treat, we grabbed two BBQ pork buns to go and headed home to make our soup!

Momofuku's Ramen Broth (adapted from David Chang's "Momofuku")
(I made half of this recipe as it makes a lot!)

Two 3x6 inch pieces konbu (kelp)
6 quarts water
2 cups dried shitakes
4 lbs. chicken (whole bird or legs)
5 lbs. meaty pork bones
1 lbs. smoky bacon
1 bunch scallions
1 medium onion
2 large carrots
Taré (recipe follows, I suggest making it while making the broth)
Ramen noodles
Accompaniments

1. Rinse the konbu under running water, then combine it with the water in an large stock pot. Bring the water to a simmer on high and turn off the heat; let steep for 10 minutes.
2. Remove konbu from pot and add shitakes. Turn heat back to high and bring to a boil, then turn heat down so it comes to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 400°F.
4. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and add the chicken. Keep at a gentle simmer, and skim off and discard any foam, froth, or fat. Replenish the water as necessary to keep the chicken covered. After 1 hour, test the chicken; the meat should pull away from the bones easily. If it doesn't, simmer until it does and then remove the chicken from the pot.
5. While the chicken is simmering, put the pork bones on a baking sheet and brown them in the oven for up to an hour (turn them over half way through).
6. After removing the chicken, add the pork bones and bacon to the broth. Adjust the heat to keep the broth at a steady simmer; skim the surface and replenish the water as needed. After 45 minutes, fish out the bacon an discard it. Now simmer the pork for as long as possible (recipe suggests 6-7 hours but Chang says as long as your schedule allows; for me it was 2 hours). Stop replenishing water after hour 5.
7. Add scallions, onions, and carrots to the pot and simmer for the final 45 minutes.
8. Remove and discard the bones and vegetables. Pass the brother from a strainer lined with cheese cloth. Chang says at this point you can use as is or reduce by half to freeze and then reconstitute with an equal portion of water. Broth keeps in the fridge for a couple of days or a few months in the freezer.
9. Finish the broth by seasoning with Taré.

Now it is time to start putting everything together! Cook the ramen noodles to the packages directions and add these to your wonderful broth along with whatever accompaniments you choose. This time around I used straw mushrooms, baby bok choy, carrots, and some kale. You can really use whatever you like! Chang makes beautiful pork belly for his and also recommends bamboo shoots, nori (seaweed), and whatever vegetables are in season.

Taré (adapted from David Chang's "Momofuku")
This recipe also makes quite a lot, so consider halving it.

2 to 3 chicken backs or the bones and their immediate flesh and skin (reserved from butchering 1 chicken)
1 cup sake
1 cup mirin
2 cups usukuchi (light soy sauce)
Pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 450°F.
2. Break chicken down into manageable pieces (more surface area= more browning area= deeper better flavor).
3. Spread the bones out in a wide oven proof saute pan or skillet and put in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check often to make sure you are not burning them. You want deeply browned but not burnt!
4. When properly browned, remove from the oven and put on the stove top. De-glaze the pan with a splash of sake and turn the burner to medium high. Once the sake starts to bubble, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all of the good bits.
5. Add the remaining sake, mirin, and soy to the pan and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil and reduce so liquid barely simmers. Cook for 1 hour, it will start to thicken slightly.
6. Strain the bones out of the Taré and season with pepper. Use right away or store and refrigerator for 3-4 days.

All said and done, it was a long day but ended with some great results. Give it a try for yourself, I promise you will never think of Ichiban the same way again...

Duck Dinner: A Peking Feast

I am very lucky to have had my cousin marry a wonderful Cantonese girl who is more than happy to introduce us to new foods and even more of our favorites. This time around we ventured to Ginger Beef, with several locations around town, for their famous Peking duck dinner (片皮鴨). It is a three course menu with a set price of $45, so depending on how many people you bring it can turn out to be a very good deal. It starts with your choice of two soups; we opted for a fragrant cloudy broth with fresh bok choy, tofu, and shredded duck meat. Next came the famous sliced Peking duck, with deliciously crispy skin, accompanied with green onions, cucumber strips, savory hoisin sauce, and delicately thin pancakes for you to fill and wrap up; who doesn't enjoy interactive food? This was followed by noodles made in-house with shredded duck meat. They make their own handmade noodles right there in the restaurant, which interestingly enough has a glass wall between the kitchen and dining room, so you can see the masters at work for yourself. Throughout the meal we also got a couple of other things to sample along the way; Shanghai dumplings, duck lettuce wraps, gingery lobster, fried dough desserts filled with red bean paste... but the duck meal itself was more than enough. As we arrived a bit earlier than our guests we had some Won Ton soup to tide ourselves over, and I have to say it was the best Won Ton soup I have ever had! A perfect consistency of pork inside an artfully formed dumpling, with incredible flavor and of the course the broth itself was not to be over looked. All in all we left stuffed and satisfied. I look forward to taking a group of friends there as this deal really cannot be beat for its affordability, authenticity, and simply the experience itself.  食飯 (Bon Appetite)