Steak and Raita lettuce wraps

Tired of Taco Night? Try these spicy steak and cool raita lettuce wraps. Just as fun to assemble, but twice the flavor. Easy to prepare ahead, so if you're having a dinner party spend your time with your guests and not slaving away in the kitchen.  

(Serves 4)

Start by preparing your Raita*, peel, remove seeds and chop cucumber. Put in food processor with green onions, 2 garlic cloves, fresh cilantro, yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, 1 tsp of paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Make ahead and refrigerate to let the flavors combine.

Steak Marinade: combine 1/4 cup of ketchup, 2 tsp of olive oil, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 1tsp chipotle paste, 1 tsp paprika, 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 2tbsp shoyu (or soy sauce) and 1 chopped garlic clove. Pour over steaks and refrigerate for several hours, or make ahead the night before. 

Clean button mushrooms by brushing with a dry paper towel.  Toss in 1/4 cup of shoyu,  3tbsp of worcestershire sauce and 1 tbsp of steak spice.  Let mushrooms marinate for about an hour before cooking. At this time you can also wash and dry lettuce and set aside until ready to serve. Keep lettuce dry and cool to keep lettuce crisp.

Remove steaks from fridge and let sit for about an hour.  Then in hot pan or bbq, cook steaks. I used NY striploins, about 2 inches thick, on med high heat, I cooked each side for 4 minutes for med-rare. Brush marinade onto steaks while cooking.

Remove steaks from heat and cover  with aluminum  foil and let rest for 10 minutes.  While steaks are resting, in 2 hot pans, add 1tbsp of butter to each on med high heat. In one, saute mushrooms, in other, saute red peppers with 2 tbsp of ketchup, 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar and some fresh cracked black pepper. Cook both peppers and mushrooms until tender, about 10 minutes. 

Slice steak and assemble a platter so that everyone can make their own wraps.

Ingredients:

• Raita: 
• 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• juice from one fresh lime
• 1 whole cucumber
• about 2 handfuls of fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

• Steak Marinade:
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp shoyu ( or soy sauce)
• 1 chopped garlic clove

• Mushroom Marinade:
• 1/4 cup shoyu
• 3 tbsp of worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp steak spice

• Everything else:
• 1 container of button mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper ( with 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and fresh cracked pepper)
• 1 head of bib lettuce, boston lettuce or 2 heads of romaine hearts
• steak enough for 4 people, ( I used 2, 10 ounce NY striploins from Saslove's meat market) http://www.saslovesmeat.com/

* Raita is a yogurt based sauce, typically served as a cooling agent for spicy dishes in Indian cuisine.

10 Veg Tomato Sauce

To me, nothing says comfort food like spaghetti. Serve it with a perfectly cooked striploin steak and you have the ultimate meal. This recipe is for a hearty tomato sauce, packed full of 10 different vegetables. Every step is an exercise in building flavor, so that every veggie's taste is highlighted and enhanced. Bon appetit! (makes about 3L)

In a large pot bring salted (about 1tsp of salt) water (enough to cover broccoli and cauliflower) to a boil, cook broccoli and cauliflower for 3 minutes, drain then return to pan. Add 2tbsp of butter, grated Romano cheese and 1 tbsp of cracked black pepper, toss and set aside until later. 

Meanwhile in another large pot, on med high heat, bring  1tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil to a sizzle, add chopped onion, carrots, garlic and leeks, saute until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and 1 cup of olive oil to previous mixture, bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to med and simmer for about 45 minutes.

While your sauce is simmering, in another pan heat 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil on med high, saute mushrooms first until they begin to turn golden, about 10mins. Then add chopped zucchini and red peppers and oregano and saute for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In batches with food processor or hand mixer, puree tomato, onion, carrot and leek mixture. Return to pot and add, mushroom mixture, and broccoli mixture. Add fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste ( about 2 tbsp of each). You can also add a little fresh cream if you'd like. Simmer to allow flavors to blend, then serve with fresh pasta or spaghetti squash.

This sauce is a great base, you can add ground beef, turkey or chorizo sausage.  Or serve it with your favorite white fish or red meat.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a cauliflower head cleaned, stems removed, chopped uniformly
• equal amount of broccoli or broccolini (about 3 florets)
• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
• chopped carrots (same amount as onion)
• 1 leek (cleaned and chopped, refer to Leek and potato soup for know how)
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 1  and a1/2 cups of chopped mushrooms
• 8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped (or more)
• 1 red pepper
• 2 tbsp dried oregano (fresh is great too)
• 2 cans of whole or chopped unseasoned tomatoes ( 800ml each)
• 1cup and 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 5 tbsp of butter
• 3 tbsp of cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 2-3 tbsp of sea salt (to taste)
• 1 and1/4 cup shredded romano pedano cheese

optional; add 1/4 cup of heavy cream.

Maple and chili glazed duck with creamy barley risotto

Creamy, buttery, cheesy risotto is one of my favorite dishes. While it's traditionally made with arborio rice,  this version is made with pearl barley. Served with decadent duck breast, this dish is sure to impress your guests. But what will impress you, is how easy this dish is to prepare. ( serves 4)

In a small pot, bring maple syrup, beef broth and chili flakes to a boil.  Reduce heat  and simmer for about 15 minutes. Until liquid reduces to about half. In another large pot,  heat stock and keep on low heat.

 In a third large pot, on med high heat  saute chopped onion and shallots in 2tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of cooking oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Add rinsed barley. One ladle at a time, add hot stock and stir until liquid is absorbed, repeat this step until all stock has been added to barley. Stir continuously, to keep barley from sticking to pot. This takes about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saute pan, heat on med high  1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Once butter is completely melted, add chopped mushrooms, fresh ground pepper and shoyu ( organic soy sauce) or salt. Saute until soft (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and add peas. Set aside. 

Once all of the stock has been absorbed, remove pot from heat and add grated cheese and 2 tbsp of butter  and stir.  Also stir in mushroom and pea mixture. Remember to taste while cooking and add seasoning where you feel it's necessary.  When all is combined, put lid on pot and set aside. Risotto will stay hot until you're ready to serve.

Take, thawed duck breasts and score skin. ( with a sharp knife, cut  through the skin, almost all the way through the layer of fat, on a diagonal, you'll cut a checkerboard pattern) Season duck, with salt, pepper and paprika.

In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of butter, and 1 tbsp of cooking oil on med high heat. When butter reaches a sizzling point, gently place duck, skin side down into hot pan. Cook, for 5 minutes and turn over and cook for another 8 minutes. ( for med rare) *

Remove duck from pan, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes.

Slice duck and serve over risotto. Spoon about 2 tbsp of  maple glaze over duck .  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 Thawed duck breasts ( purchased from Aubrey's Butcher shop http://www.aubreysmeats.ca/ )
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp of chili flakes
• 1.8L of chicken (or vegetable) stock (2 standard containers)
• 2 cups of rinsed pearl barley ( hulled in great too, but be prepared to double your cooking time)
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sweet peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 tbsp shoyu ( organic soy sauce)
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ( I used romano pedano)
• 6 tbsp butter ( approximately)
• 3 tbsp cooking oil (approximately)
• salt and pepper to taste

*  Cooking with butter alone is fine, but often butter will burn. By adding a little cooking oil, you retain the flavor you get from butter, but keep it from burning. Oil has a much higher smoke point than butter.

Black and white cheesecake bites

Cheesecake everyday, without bursting the seam of your pants? Possible, with these bite sized, dark chocolate dipped, mini white chocolate cheesecakes.  Sounds like a mouthful? You betcha. Great for parties, or just keep them in the freezer and have them as a treat. The key though, is having just one at a time - Good luck!

Create a double boiler with a small pot, fill only 1/4 of pot with water.  Cover pot with a bowl, stainless steel is ideal, but oven safe bowls are just fine. The bowl should fit in pot, but not sit in the water. Bring water to a boil, add white chocolate chips to bowl, stir while melting.   

Melt butter and mix thoroughly with oreo crumbs.  

Grease spring foam pan with butter. Pour in oreo mixture into pan and press down evenly throughout. Something with a small flat surface can help you with this, I used the bottom of my measuring cup.

While your chocolate is melting, you can start mixing your cheesecake. Start by mixing cream cheese, add sugar and then add eggs one at a time. If you're using an electric mixer, stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Continue to mix and finally add vanilla, lemon juice and melted white chocolate.

Tip: to avoid egg shells getting into your recipes, break eggs into your hand. Let egg slip through your fingers into the bowl. If there are any shells, they'll stick to your hand and won't end up in your food.

Pour batter over oreo crust and with a spatula, spread batter gently and evenly throughout.
Bake cheesecake at 325*C for 45 minutes on middle rack. Remove and cool.

Once Cheesecake has cooled, run a sharp knife around the edge, then gently remove cheesecake from pan.

Trim edges and square off cheesecake.

With a clean knife cut cheesecake into squares. With every cut, wipe your knife clean, otherwise you'll end up with little bits of cheesecake that will eventually end up in your melted dark chocolate. Then chill squares in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes.

Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler on high heat. Once the chocolate is melted, turn heat to low. While holding the bottom of cheesecake between your thumb and index finger, dip square into chocolate upside down, let excess drip off. You  could also use toothpicks. On a parchment lined tray place cheesecakes in freezer.

Keep cheesecakes in fridge, or keep in freezer for a later date.

Ingredients:

• 2  250g packages of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups oreo cookie crumb
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

The key to this dessert is being organized so you can work quickly. Have all you squares cut and chilled and your trays lined with parchment paper, before you begin to dip them in the melted dark chocolate.