O for Ontario (Canada)

Pea Hummus

Pea Hummus

Ingredients:-

3 cups of Frozen Garden peas

1/4 cup parsley or cilantro

3/4 teaspoon cumin ground

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup tahini

the juice of 1 to 2 lemons

Method:-

Put a large pot of water on to boil, and when it boils add the peas. Boil until tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the parsley or cilantro, cumin, salt, garlic and tahini into a food processor. Process until finely chopped.

Drain the cooked peas, and rinse them in cold water until cool. Drain well, and add them to the food processor. Blend until very smooth. Add the juice of one lemon, and blend it in well. Taste the hummus, and add more lemon juice if desired. I find this does take a lot of lemon juice; the peas are so delightfully fresh and sweet tasting, but that calls out for a lot of lemon to balance them.

Serve as you would regular hummus, with bread, crackers, chips etc.

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Parsnip Fritters

Parsnip Fritters

Ingredients:-

225 grams (1/2 pound) parsnips (2 large)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Fresh ground white pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 large egg

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil to fry

Method:-

Peel the parsnips and grate them quite finely; they will cook better than if they are coarse. Toss them with the salt, pepper and flour. Mix in the egg well, then mix in the milk to make a smooth batter.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Put the batter in by spoonfuls to form small patties; you should get 6 to 8 of them, although you could make them even smaller if you like. When you see the edges start to look brown, turn them over and cook them on the other side. They cook very quickly - 2 or 3 minutes will do each side.

When they are done, blot them briefly on paper towel and serve at once.

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Eggplant, Potatoes, Tomatoes & Bean Stew

Ingredients:-

1 large onion diced

3 or 4 cloves of garlic chopped

1 Large eggplant

2 cups chopped green beans cooked

6 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

6 medium potatoes boiled and chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh basil leave sliced

1 teaspoon dried Sage

Method:-

Heat oven to 200°C.

Peel and cube the eggplant

Put in a baking tin and drizzle with olive oil and salt and bake in oven for 40 mins

Heat some oil in a large frying and add the onions and fry until just brown

Add the garlic and fry for a further min

Remove the onions and garlic from pan and set aside

Add some more oil to pan and fry the eggplant for a few mins

Add the potatoes, beans, Basil and sage and stir well

Add the tomatoes, salt and onions and garlic

Cook for 8 to 10 mins stirring regular.

Chicken with Leeks and Barley

Ingredients:-

3 large leeks

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

3 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces

3 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups pot barley

4 cups (1 litre, or 1 quart) chicken stock

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper

1 tablespoon dried sage, or 2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh sage

Method:-

Trim the leeks, chop them, and rinse them well. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the chicken into pieces, if it is necessary.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet, and sauté the leeks until soft. Add the garlic, and sauté for a minute or two more. Put them in a large pot with the barley and the chicken stock.

Heat the remaining butter in the skillet, and sauté the chicken pieces until nicely browned on each side. Put them in the pot with barley and leeks.

Add the vinegar, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and simmer, covered, until the barley is tender; about 1 hour. Stir very gently if it seems to be sticking, otherwise don’t bother. Add the sage about 15 or 20 minutes before the barley is done.

Serve garnished with a little parsley, if you like and if you have some.

Meat Loaf

Meatloaf with Stir fried sprouts and Shiitake Mushrooms

Ingredients:-

Prepare the Vegetables:

1 medium onion

1 large carrot

1 tablespoon sunflower seed oil

Peel and chop the onion fairly finely. Peel and grate the carrot. Sauté them in the oil until soft. Let them cool as you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Meatloaf:

¾ cup fine breadcrumbs

2 extra-large eggs

½ cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon celery seed

½ teaspoon rubbed basil

½ teaspoon rubbed savory

½ teaspoon rubbed thyme

½ teaspoon salt

250g (1/2 pound) each ground beef & lean pork

250g (1/2 pound) ground lamb or turkey

Ingredients:-

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In a large mixing bowl, put all the ingredients except the meats, and mix well. Crumble in the meats, and add the cooled sautéed vegetables. Mix everything thoroughly; I find it easiest to do this with my hands.

Press the mixture into a loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Let rest 5 or 10 minutes before lifting the meatloaf from the pan to a serving platter, and slicing. Serve at once, although it should be noted that the cold leftovers make lovely sandwiches.

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Stir Fried Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms

Ingredients:-

2 cups Brussels sprouts

1 1/2 cups shiitake or button mushrooms, or a blend

1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 or 2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of corn starch

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

Method:-

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, and cut them in halves or quarters depending on their size. Clean and trim the mushrooms, and cut them in halves or quarters as well.

Peel and mince the ginger and garlic.

Mix the corn starch with the soy sauce and water in a small bowl.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, and about 1/4 cup of water. Cook, stirring constantly, until the water evaporates and the sprouts are a fairly bright green. They should look about half-cooked to you at this point.

Add the mushrooms, and continue cooking and stirring until the mushrooms soften and brown slightly, along with the sprouts. Add the ginger and garlic, and mix in well. Finally, stir up the starch and liquid, and pour it over the vegetables. Mix in well; it should thicken up and coat the veggies pretty much immediately. Serve at once.

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