Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today was  sort of a lazy Sunday, but I was having a craving for something sweet and decided to make chocolate chip cookies!

I pulled out one of our favourite cookbooks, The Best of Chef at Home by Chef Michael Smith. I have never made his chocolate chip cookies, but I have tried them when my best friend made them and they were pretty tasty. It's a fairly simple recipe and doesn't take much time at all, which is perfect when you have a craving!

I whipped them up in no time and when they were done we enjoyed them out on the back deck with glasses of milk and a game of Bananagrams!

UeaT

I work at the University of Toronto's downtown campus. That means that I eat lunch around there often. I try to pack my lunch most days, but sometimes there's no food at home, or I'm just too lazy!

I've found UeaT to be a great resource."UeaT is about more than just serving food; it is an interactive and dynamic way of thinking about food. Through UeaT, we encourage our customers to understand, interact with, and engage with food. With over 40 cafeterias and dining halls, we strive to provide a wide selection of healthy and affordable meals for our students, staff and faculty members."

This webpage not only provides a list of all the places to eat on campus, but has a food map, recipes, photos, fun facts (did you know: each year, Chestnut Residence hosts “Battle of the Wings“ where 600 hungry students eat 1200 lbs of wings, and vote for their favorite one) and a blog! Their latest blog post is all about Sriracha: the Asian Ketchup, which takes you on a fascinating path and presents you with 4 ways to use Sriracha better.

My favourite place to eat on campus is Sammy's Student Exchange. "Sammy’s is a multicultural pub and cafe inside Hart House. They serve healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner catered for a variety of diets. Sammy’s also features music, a full bar, large screen tv and outdoor patio." I usually get the couscous salad with feta cheese and veggies. It's nice and light and very refreshing on a warm day.

Giardiniera

In class tonight we also made Giardiniera, which is an Italian or Italian-American relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar.

This is a modified version of the recipe we used in class.

Ingredients
1 - Cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 - Fennel bulbs, cored, medium dice
2x 10 oz - Pack of Red Pearl Onions, trimmed & blanched 1 min in boiling water & peeled
10 pcs - Pickling (or Lebanese) Cucumbers, cut into 1/2" slices
400 g - Celery ribs, cut into 1/2" slices
2 - Yellow Peppers, medium dice
2 - Red Peppers, medium dice
6 - Bay Leaves
2 tsp - Peppercorns
4 tbsp - Pickling or Kosher Salt
4 tbsp - Sugar (or more to taste)
2 L - White Wine Vinegar (min. 6% acidity)
1 L - White Wine or Water

Directions

1. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Place the jars in a large pot lined with a jar rack or clean towels. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Sterilize the jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Heat the lids in a small saucepan of freshly boiled water (do not boil).
2. Combine vinegar, wine, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.
3. To the boiling brine add the vegetables as listed: cook the cauliflower florets for 1-2 minutes, strain and place in a dish lined with a clean towel. Repeat with all the vegetables. They should be firm, but heated through. Bring the brine back up to the boil.
4. Mix the blanched vegetables and scoop them into the jars.
5. Strain the brine over the vegetables, to cover,  leaving 1cm or 1/2" in headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil and wipe the rims with a clean damp papertowel. Centre the hot lids on the clean rims and screw the bands on slightly.
6. Place the filled jars back into your large pot and cover with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a full boil. Process the jars for 30 minutes from the point of boiling.
7. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars rest for an additional 5 minutes. Place the jars on a cooling rack or on a counter lined with a towel. Leave then undisturbed for 24 hours. If the lids seam loose, that is ok, do NOT tighten them.
8. Check the jars to make sure they have sealed properly. The lids should be curved down. Note: if the jars fail to seal, refrigerate and use within 2 days.
9. Store the jars in a cool, dark place and use within one year. Labeling is recommended. 

Note: You can blanch the vegetables in salted water.

Preserved Lemons

Tonight in my Preserving and Canning class at George Brown we made preserved lemons!

Here is the modified version of the recipe we used in class.

Ingredients
12 - Organic Unwaxed Lemons (use Meyer Lemons when in season)
1/4 to 1/3 cup - Unrefined Sea Salt OR 1/2 to 3/4 cup - Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Scrub the lemons under running water, then dry. Trim the ends if necessary.
2. Standing a lemon on the stem side, cut into 4-6 wedges. Remove seeds over a bowl to collect the juice.
3. Put the salt in a bowl. Place a few lemon wedges in a sterilized jar, pressing to release the juice. Layer with 1 tsp of salt, alternating layers of lemons with salt.
4. Press the lemons as you make the layers, ensuring that they are covered with the brine (salt and lemon juice). Add fresh lemon juice to cover.
5. Cover the jar with a non-metallic lid and ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks. The lemons will keep in this mixture for up to a year.

Notes: The brine can be used in salad dressings, added to tangines or couscous.
To use the preserved lemons, remove lemon from jar with a clean utensil and rinse well under cold water. Cut away the pulp from each quarter. Use the skin as instructed in your recipe. The pulp can be finely chopped or pureed and mixed with soft butter.
If a white film forms on the preserved lemons in the jar, just rinse off before using.

Wanda's Pie in the Sky

Today for lunch I walked over to Kensington Market and grabbed a bite at Wanda's Pie in the Sky!

I had a roasted red pepper focaccia sandwich. It's a huge sandwich with lots of yummy fillings including olive spread, arugula, roasted zucchini, roasted eggplant, cheese, and caramelized onions. It is absolutely incredible!! I've found a new favourite. I had the sandwich with a side of coleslaw that had walnuts and dried cranberries in it. Also very yummy.

For dessert I grabbed some Parisian Macaroons and a chocolate pecan tart! I gave the pink macaroon to my friend and ate the green one. It was very sweet and I found it didn't have much flavour. I'm a huge macaroon fan and have eaten the real thing in Paris, so I can truthfully say that this was not the best macaroon I have eaten. The chocolate pecan tart was delicious and a nice treat to get me through the afternoon.

The next time you are in Kensington Market make sure you drop by Wanda's. They have a whole selection of pies (one of my favourites is the banana cream pie!), cakes and cookies, as well as a savory menu of sandwiches, pizza and salads. The atmosphere of  Wanda's is really cool. You can eat in or take out and during the warmer months you can sit out on their patio and have a watermelon slushie if it suits your fancy. If you do eat in, you'll be given your food on colourful dishes, like my blue plate and orange bowl. And if you take it to go it will be wrapped in red and white checkered paper. Either way, it will be delicious.

Summerlicious - 259 Host

Summerlicious is on in Toronto!

"Discover the finest dishes in the city at one of Toronto’s favourite culinary celebrations. Enjoy delicious three-course prix fixe menus at 195 of the city’s top restaurants, all at fantastic price points." This year it takes place from July 5 to 21 and there are lunch and dinner options. Lunches are offered for $15, $20 and $25, and dinners are offered for $25, $35 and $45 at participating restaurants.

Check out the website for more information and to see the menus.

This evening I had dinner with my best friend at 259 Host, an Indian restaurant in downtown Toronto. They were offering a $25 dinner which included an appetizer, an entree with a choice of side, nan bread and rice, as well as a dessert to finish. You can view their Summerlicious menu here.

The menu was large compared to other restaurants I've been to during past Summerlicious and even Winterlicious events. There was lots of variety and we found it very difficult to choose because everything sounded delicious!

The food was great. The atmosphere was nice, it was quiet but started to get busier throughout the meal. We had a great table with a view into the immaculate kitchen. The host and waitress were very attentive and we didn't have to wait too long between courses. The restaurant was clean and had beautiful decorations.

The main level is accessible to wheelchair users, but the washrooms are not. Typical Toronto restaurant.

Overall, our experience was wonderful! I would go back there and I definitely recommend 259 Host.  

Our meal:

Matching glasses of Riesling

Lentil Sprout Salad with cucumber, potatoes, limes, mangoes, peppers in a cumin olive dressing 

Lazeez Nan, tandoori baked bread stuffed with spinach and goat cheese

Butter Chicken served with Chana Masala (chick peas), rice and salad

Saag Paneer served with Dal Bukhara (black lentils), rice and salad

Kesari Gulab Jamun Cheese Ball in saffron flavoured sugar syrup

Rasmalai Spongy homemade cheesecake in thick, sweetened flavoured milk

Mixed Berry Pie Filling

This week in class we made a mixed berry and apple jam to be used as a filling for pie! The jam on its own was delicious, but when baked into a pie and eaten with vanilla ice cream it was simply scrumptious!

This also fit in with this weeks Gastropost Mission: "Hardly anything says summer as well as a bowl of fresh berries, so let’s celebrate these sweet little treasures. Your mission this week is to eat something with berries — ideally the freshest ones you can find."
You can find my post here!

This is a modified version of the recipe we used in class

Mixed Berry Pie Filling
Ingredients
4 Cups - Blackberries, Blueberries & Raspberries
1 - Apple, peeled and diced
200 g - Granulated Sugar
28 g - Clearjel Modified Cornstarch (for cooking, not instant)
300 ml - Water
2 tbsp - Lemon Juice

Directions

1. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Place the jars in a large pot lined with a jar rack or clean towels. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Sterilize the jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Heat the lids in a small saucepan of freshly boiled water (do not boil).
2. Combine sugar and Clearjel in a large saucepan. Slowly stir in water until well incorporated. Heat on medium-high and simmer until the mixture thickens.
3. Stir in the lemon juice and boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
4. Fold in the fruits and bring back to a boil.
5. Fill the jars with the mixture leaving 1cm or 1/2" in headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil and wipe the rims with a clean damp papertowel. Centre the hot lids on the clean rims and screw the bands on slightly.
6. Place the filled jars back into your large pot and cover with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a full boil. Process the jars for 30 minutes from the point of boiling.
7. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars rest for an additional 5 minutes. Place the jars on a cooling rack or on a counter lined with a towel. Leave then undisturbed for 24 hours. If the lids seam loose, that is ok, do NOT tighten them.
8. Check the jars to make sure they have sealed properly. The lids should be curved down. Note: if the jars fail to seal, refrigerate and use within 2 days.
9. Store the jars in a cool, dark place and use within one year. Labeling is recommended.

Gastropost

About a week ago I got the following comment on a post of mine on Instagram:

I immediately Googled Gastropost and was amazed at what I found. Every "Saturday, Gastropost appears as a two-page spread in the Toronto Edition of National Post." To participate you need to complete their weekly food mission and submit a photo via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or through the Gastropost webpage. If your photo is really great it could be printed in the Saturday paper.

Since I'm taking photos of food often, this is a perfect outlet for me and it would be really cool to get some exposure!

You can see my first post here.

Canned Tomato Sauce

Last week Chef Ema gave us a demo on how to make Tomato Passata, which is a traditional Italian crushed tomato sauce. This week we got to make what we learned. The entire class of 24 worked together and in the end we had made over 150 jars of the tomato sauce.

Jars prepped for canning

The method of canning is pretty easy, but there are lots of precautions that must be taken to make sure everything is preserved correctly and will still taste good when you open the jar months and even years later. All the jars must be washed and sterilized before filling them and then once they are filled they need to be processed in boiling water for about 30 minutes (the time varies depending on the size of the jars being used).

For this sauce we used San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil. This is a modified version of the recipe we used in class.




Directions

1. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Place the jars in a large pot lined with a jar rack or clean towels. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Sterilize the jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Heat the lids in a small saucepan of freshly boiled water (do not boil).
2. Clean the tomatoes and sort out any that are rotten or damaged (the damaged ones can be salvaged by cutting off the bruises).
3. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and scoop them out when the skin begins to crack. Poke with a skewer or a fork and strain to release any excess juices. Run the tomatoes through a tomato mill (hand crank or electric) or a food mill. 
4. Place a few basil leaves in the bottom of each jar and a 1/4 tsp of citric acid*.
5.  Fill the jars with sauce leaving 1cm or 1/2" in headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil and wipe the rims with a clean damp papertowel. Centre the hot lids on the clean rims and screw the bands on slightly.
6. Place the filled jars back into your large pot and cover with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a full boil. Process the jars for 35 minutes from the point of boiling.
7. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars rest for an additional 5 minutes. Place the jars on a cooling rack or on a counter lined with a towel. Leave then undisturbed for 24 hours. If the lids seam loose, that is ok, do NOT tighten them.
8. Check the jars to make sure they have sealed properly. The lids should be curved down. Note: if the jars fail to seal, refrigerateand use within 2 days.
9. Store the jars in a cool, dark place and use within one year. Labeling is recommended.

*Depending on the PH level of the tomatoes, tested with a PH thermometer, the citric acid might not be necessary

Jars filled with Tomato Passata