Shrimp and Mango Noodle Salad

I think I might start buying mangoes more often. I never realized how much I liked them! Paired with one of my other favorite things, shrimp, this might be my new favorite summer salad. Simple, easy and delicious! Feel free to adjust if you like it more or less spicy or add your own ingredient or spice. You could try sweet chili sauce instead of hot or use orange juice instead of lime. Mandarins instead of mango.....You get the idea! Make it your own!

What you need

 

250-g pkg bean thread noodles or rice vermicelli
1 large ripe mango
1/4 cup lime juice, about 1 to 2 limes
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp hot chili-garlic sauce
1/4 tsp salt or 1 tbsp fish sauce
350 g package of cooked, peeled medium shrimp (or uncooked, peeled)*

1/2 cup finely shredded fresh mint, basil, cilantro or a combination 

 

PLACE noodles in a large bowl and cover with very hot tap water. Let stand until tender, about 8 min.(Rice vermicelli takes longer) Drain, then rinse well with cold running water. Drain again.
Peel mango, slice off the flesh and dice it. In a large bowl, stir lime juice, brown sugar, chili-garlic sauce and salt until sugar is dissolved. Add drained noodles, mango, shrimp and herbs. Toss to coat.

*IF using uncooked shrimp, thaw them in a bowl of warm water and then saute in a small pan with a bit of butter until cooked.  

 

Roasted Tomato Tart

This is super easy and VERY delicious. Store bought frozen puff pastry is so versatile. It can be sweet or savory. Hot or cold. It's definitely a staple at my house. The flavour of roasted tomatoes is like none other. Amazing!

What you need
One sheet of frozen puff pastry(from a 171/4 oz. package), thawed for 2 hours at room temp or in the fridge overnight
About 2 lbs of plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
Olive oil
thyme
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese(preferably shaved)

PLACE your oven racks in the middle and lower 3d of your oven and preheat it to 425 degrees F.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface into whatever shape you want. Round, square, oblong. Doesn't matter! I do this part directly on my silicone baking mat and transfer it to a baking sheet easily. If you don't have one you will have to carefully wrap your pastry around your floured rolling pin and unroll it onto the baking sheet. Chill pastry until ready to use.
Toss tomatoes with about 2 tbsp of oil, 2 tsp of thyme and 1/4 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper until well coated.
ROAST tomatoes, cut side up in one layer on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet in the middle of oven for 1 hour.
BRUSH pastry with olive oil then sprinkle with more thyme(about a tsp).When tomatoes have been roasting for 45 minutes move them to the lower 3d of oven and put the pastry onto to the middle rack and bake about 15 minutes. The pastry should look slightly browned and puffed and the tomatoes browned and juicy.
WHILE pastry is still warm sprinkle it with about a 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese shavings. Top that with the roasted tomatoes, cut side down in an even layer and another sprinkle of thyme, salt and pepper to taste and additional cheese shavings. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

From Scratch.....a mountain kitchen

Doug and I came here for our 3d anniversary. I was curious and excited to try it because of their food philosophy. Local, organic, from scratch etc. Right up my alley. So we get there and grab a couple menus from the front counter. There are racks of condiments they make and syrups and other local things. Honey, chocolate bars, tea etc. They also have freezers full of take home foods, elk and venison pies and even some Canadian fois gras (hopefully it's from a farm that's humane. I didn't ask) :s The kitchen is all open and they have a wood oven that they use for many of their menu items. Anyway it was smaller inside and fairly noisy so we sat out on patio. The wine list was decent. Some local, some organic, some not. We chose a bottle of organic prosecco, which is a white sparkling wine from Italy. Very good, floral and fruity.
Now for the food...I always am curious about new things and so I tried the chicken pate. Trusting it was local and not tortured. It didn't have a bad flavour, but it reminded me of cat food somewhat and it was wrapped in something that looked like grey, raw bacon. Not a good choice. Now that my curiousity is satiated I don't think I'll order that again. So then we tried the cheese and charcutterie. It was good, standard fair. The wood oven bread is VERY crunchy though. Beware cutting the roof of your mouth.
Doug ordered the full rack of ribs and they were smoky and rich. They came with beans, coleslaw and fries. Beans were good but slightly bland and Doug liked the coleslaw but I didn't at all. Not sure of the flavour?? I think it has celery seed in it and I really hate celery so I am probably biased! I ordered the duck confit with mashed potatoes and a juniper sauce. I think it's something I would of enjoyed more in the winter. Very rich and heavy but good. The duck skin was crispy and the potatoes were creamy. Beautifully plated too.
I really had to try the wood oven pizza though so I got one to go. Tried one bite and it was the best bite of the night. It was chorizo, spinach, roasted garlic and olives. Awesome. I want to come here again to try more! They had a whole mess of different pies and tarts to choose from too. I tried the fig and almond tart. Buttery and delicious!
Soooooo long story short....Go there! It's definitely good food for a fair price and you can tell they really take pride in it. Awesome. Local. From scratch... 'nuff said.



Sorry the pics aren't the greatest from my phone but you get the idea right??

Halibut en papillote with Orange Saffron Sauce

I seem to be more creative when it comes to fish. I guess it's because I eat it more then any other protein. This was something I thought up from a little inspiration of what I had in the cupboards and fridge. I bought some saffron last month and I have been itching to use it for awhile. I don't buy it often because it's so expensive but when I do use it I want to make something amazing. Saffron threads are from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus flower, it takes 75,000 blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to make a single pound which explains why it is the world’s most expensive spice. Like $14.99 for a small palmfull if that!

One of the easiest ways to make fish is en papillote. That's french for "in parchment". You basically just put some thinly sliced veggies and a piece of fish on a piece of parchment, add your seasonings and some kind of liquid for the sauce, wrap it up tightly and bake it! It basically steams in the parchment and stays so moist. You will never have a dry piece of fish doing it this way ever again!

Traditionally you wouldn't open the packet until you are at the table and you would eat it straight from the packet as well. I made a really creamy cauliflower puree though, so I wanted to plate it on top of that. Either way is fine. My recipe serves 2 people.

What you need
2 Halibut fillets (preferably sustainably fished ones!)
A small amount of any veggies thinly sliced or cut up (I used mushrooms, orange peppers, a yellow zucchini, snow peas and shallots)
Salt and pepper

For the sauce
A small pinch of saffron threads
The zest and juice of one orange
A tiny splash of white wine
A tbsp or so of butter


THE hardest part of this recipe is wrapping up the parchment. It takes a little practice but it's way easier to just watch a video then to explain it so I provided a link here.

PREHEAT your oven to 400 degrees.
ASSEMBLE your veggies first on one half of the parchment and lay the fish on top. Season it with salt and pepper and then grate the orange zest on top. Then top it with the saffron threads, butter, orange juice and white wine.
WRAP it up and bake it in a preheated oven for about 14 minutes. Depending on how thick your fillets are.

This dish is soooo easy to vary and add your own twist to. I've done it with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and thyme before and also the classic lemon and dill. It's not just halibut that's good for this either. Any type of fish would do. 

My "kid's"

These are my dogs. My "kids" so to speak. They are both rescue dogs. The one on the left was 9 years old when we got her. She is a drama queen and she's always shedding. Her name is Hayley. (a.k.a. Snausage) She is quite round in the middle but this picture is very flattering for her. She loves to lay down in the shallow water down at the river and to lick herself loudly in the morning. She's a little stiff but she has been known to chase a cat or two if the mood strikes her. She likes to eat corn cobs.



This one on the right is Turk. He was only 9 months old when we got him last November. I think they named him Turk because when he lays down with his back legs tucked under him his bum looks like a butterball turkey. I call him Turkey Lurkey. He is not very smart except when it comes to escaping the yard or getting off his leash. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. He loves to swim, run and play with his girlfriend/neighbour Kaylie and eat/inhale everything and anything he can get his paws on, especially the compost. He also likes to chase the cats. He likes to tear apart the garbage and wicker baskets into a million pieces. He can destroy indestructible chew toys and he can chew through wire cables. He gets stuck in fences and almost hangs himself from them. He loves to cuddle at night and he talks in his sleep but moving him off the bed is like trying to move a dead body. He ate my favorite boots. He has caused me many laughs and just as many tears and I wouldn't trade them for the anything.

Ratatouille

This is a really delicious, easy and healthy way to get your veggies in. I love how rustic and hearty it is. Especially with some crusty bread to soak up all the flavourful juices. Feel free to add olives and artichoke hearts for a Mediterranean twist or stir in some basil pesto at the end if you like!!

What you need:
An eggplant, cut into bite size chunks
A zucchini
A couple different coloured peppers
Half of a large white onion or one small whole one, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic, minced
A 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
1 tsp of dried thyme
a bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped
A splash of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

HEAT a large saute pan over medium heat and add a splash of olive oil. Add eggplant and zucchini to pan and saute until tender and golden. Transfer to a bowl and add another splash of olive oil to pan. Add your peppers and saute about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and add another splash of olive oil to pan. Add onions and stir frequently until soft. Add garlic and saute a few more minutes.
ADD your can of tomatoes and break them up with a potato masher or your hand and simmer for about 10 minutes or so until thickened.
ADD the rest of your reserved veggies back into the pan and add the thyme, basil and balsamic vinegar. when heated through, season to taste and serve!

Tomatillo Salsa

I really wanted to try these "tomatillo" things. Are they like a tomato? They looked like one but what is with the papery outer skin and sticky inner skin? They are a Mexican thing for sure. Kinda weird. Seriously though.........I'm so glad I tried them! They are like a burst of summer freshness in your mouth! They have a fantastic citrus-like flavour and mixed with a few other interesting peppers from the farmers market, some garlic and cilantro (among other things) it was the perfect topper for grilled pork chops or any other type of grilled meat or seafood would work beautifully. Try to get a mix of different coloured peppers if you can.

Tomatillo Salsa
2 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
One or two small hot peppers of your choosing (depending on how spicy you like it)
One small regular sweet pepper
A few cherry tomatoes 
2 green onions
One small bunch of cilantro
One clove of garlic
A big pinch of salt
a squeeze of lemon or lime juice

Be prepared for a lot of chopping! Get a big cutting board and roughly chop everything. Start chopping everything together on the cutting board into finer and finer pieces until everything is blended and finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt and lemon or lime juice. Save a few slices of tomatillo for a garnish if you like.

*Side note* Cumin is a great spice to compliment this salsa! Rub some on your meat of choice with the salt and pepper and oil before you grill it! Top with the tomatillo slices and the salsa.

We tried this really fruity Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia for this dinner. I was really surprised with it. It wasn't too oaky or tannic but it had a wonderful hint of vanilla aroma. It was not too dry either. Definitely a little bit on the sweeter side of a traditional Cab Sav. Juicy and delicious with our grilled pork chops and tomatillo salsa!

Smashed Peas on Toast

This is a great way to celebrate delicious fresh peas from your garden or from the farmers market. No you can't use frozen ones. That would totally miss the point. These are a delicious snack or appetizer for when company comes or if your like me, Just because! If you have a mortar and pestle, that would be the best way to make this but a food processor works in a pinch.

GET yourself some fresh peas in the pod and shell them (or get someone else to do it for you like I did!). You need about a half pound or so for 9 toasts. Add them to a food processor or mortar and pestle with a small handful of mint, a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese, Pulse or smash until you get a course paste, add olive oil until it smooths out and then add the juice from half a lemon (or more if you like).
DRIZZLE some slices of baguette or sourdough bread with olive oil and toast in the oven under the broiler or in a griddle pan until nicely browned.
CUT a clove of garlic in half and rub cut side all over the toasted bread.
TOP with the smashed peas and drizzle with more oilve oil and some more shredded Parmesan! Garnish with a little mint and if you have them, fresh pea shoots! Beautiful and delicious!

*This paste would also work well for a piece of grilled fish or mixed with cooked pasta*

CasaVino Wine Bar

So I got a second job at this AMAZING wine bar in Radium Hot Springs B.C. one night a week. The last time I was a server was when I was 15 and I got fired from that place and even though it's been 10 years,  I was a little nervous going into it! Luckily it was a relatively slow night so it was just the right pace to learn without getting overwhelmed. It went pretty well I think. Not counting the broken plate, in front of EVERYONE... woops.... Get a tray next time Holly.... Anyway it was such a fun time it didn't even feel like work. More importantly though it's a chance for me to really start to learn more about wine. It's a great atmosphere and I met some really nice people that gave me lots of encouragement. All the food is soooo good too so if your in the area you should definitely stop by for a glass or two! I'm there Thursday nights! Anyway I am exhausted so I will try and do some blogging tomorrow. I have a few awesome ingredients I want to experiment with so stay tuned for that......Goodnight!

Super Simple Tomato Sauce

This came about for lunch yesterday. I wasn't feeling too good and needed a big filling meal to settle my stomach. My little sister opened a can of tomatoes last night just for the juice to make herself another caesar....so the next morning I thought well I might as well use them to make a delicious tomato sauce for lunch! It really hit the spot and I felt soooo much better after a bowlful and a little nap........

This is a very versatile sauce. You can use it for lasagna or chicken parmesan or as a base for a delicious tomato soup. If you want you can add mushrooms or peppers to make it more interesting or, if your my husband, ground beef. In his opinion, it's much better with ground beef...... To each their own!

What you need
Half a large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
one stalk of celery, finely chopped
a pinch of chili flakes(optional)
1 tsp each of dried or fresh basil, oregano and thyme
One 28 oz can of whole tomatoes (with or without juice!)*
One small can of tomato paste
A pinch of sugar or 1/2 tsp or so of honey (to balance out the acidic tomatoes)
A splash of red wine vinegar or sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
A bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

SAUTE onion and celery until softened then add garlic and herbs. Saute one minute more then add tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and using a potato masher, mash up all the tomatoes so you have a uniformly chunky sauce. Add  sugar and red wine vinegar or sherry. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over your favorite noodle! I like this little Fusilli pasta because it holds all the little bits of sauce and tomato really well. Rotini or shell pasta would be good too.
*If you used the juice with your tomatoes then simmer the sauce longer to make it a little thicker.

Zucchini Carbonara

This is a recipe from my all time favorite chef, Jamie Oliver. I love that man. I know my husband doesn't read my blog so I'm not worried about him knowing that. He probably already does though...... Anyway It's not only his rustic, homey cooking style that I love so much but his food philosophy too. He is my inspiration and a wonderful advocate for REAL food. I am trying to slowly cook my way through his new book which is AMAZING. Anyway enough about Jamie.... I adapted this slightly because I had a few other ingredients in the fridge I wanted to use up and I used the last of the speck I had in here too but the sauce is the same. I encourage you to check out your local farmers market to try to find some wonderful green and yellow zucchini's to make it a little more interesting. The sauce is delicious, creamy and super easy as long as you remember to take the pan off the heat for a bit before you add it!

What you need for 2 people
1/2 a pound of penne pasta
3 medium zucchini cut into pieces about the same size as the penne.
*optional* Any other soft veggies that you have in the fridge like tomatoes, mushrooms or peppers
6 or so slices of speck, pancetta or bacon, cut into chunky pieces
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup of whipping cream
A handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley or basil or thyme

FILL a large pot of water on the stove and add a generous amount of salt.
WHILE your waiting for the water to boil slice up your zucchini and other veggies if you are using them.
ADD your pasta to the pot and set for the recommended time.
IN a small bowl combine the egg yolks, cream and half of your handful of Parmesan cheese. Mix together with a fork and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
HEAT a large deep frying pan or saute pan on medium heat and add a little olive oil. When oil is hot add the speck, pancetta or bacon and fry until it is golden brown and starting to crisp. Add zucchini and other optional veggies plus the chopped fresh herbs and stir to coat the veggies in the lovely bacon flavoured oil. Fry until zucchini start to turn slightly golden brown. Add a couple good pinches of pepper to give it a little kick.

WHEN the pasta is cooked, drain it but reserve a ladleful or so of the pasta water. Quickly toss the drained pasta in the pan with the veggies then REMOVE FROM THE HEAT (or your egg yolks will scramble!) and add the ladleful of pasta water and the creamy sauce. Stir together quickly and add the rest of the Parmesan cheese. Serve right away or the sauce will start to get thick. You can add more pasta water if needed.

Fubuki Sushi Invermere

Amazing food! Tried eel for the first time OMG delicious! So many great types of sushi. Amazing soup and about to partake in some banana tempura. Yum! You must come here!