Tomato Vodka Salmon

Michael makes a romantic dinner for two with an emphasis on presentation. He prepares Bloody Mary salmon, salad ‘Bouquet’ with cucumber vase and roasted tomatoes and little vanilla cakes.

• Bloody Mary Salmon
• Little Vanilla Cakes
• Mint and Pea Puree
• Salad ‘Bouquet’ with Cucumber Vase and Roasted Tomatoes

Bloody Mary Salmon

Yield: 2

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Bloody Mary Salmon

• 1 cup tomato juice
• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 tsp horseradish
• A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsps lemon juice
• Large splash olive oil
• 1 x stalk celery, chopped
• 2 x salmon filets, 6 oz each

Directions:

Bloody Mary Salmon

1. Pour tomato juice, vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire, lemon juice, olive oil and celery into a shallow pan.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and add salmon filets.
3. Cover with a tight fitting lid and let salmon poach in the liquid for about 10-12 minutes, until it is just cooked through.
4. Serve with Mint and Pea Puree (recipe from this episode).

Little Vanilla Cakes

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Little Vanilla Cakes

• 4 x white chocolate
• 2 ounces butter
• 2 x eggs
• 4 Tbsps sugar
• 1 x vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cup flour

Directions:

Little Vanilla Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly butter 4 ramekins and then sprinkle with sugar.
3. Shake so the sugar coats the bottom and sides of each ramekin. Discard excess sugar.
4. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water until melted. Stir until smooth.
5. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla seeds, vanilla extract and flour.
6. Pour into prepared ramekins and refrigerate until ready to bake.
7. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cakes are just cooked through.
8. Un-mold onto serving plates and serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Mint and Pea Puree

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: Approximately 1 cup
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Mint and Pea Puree

• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 x small bunch fresh mint leaves

Directions:

Mint and Pea Puree

1. Place peas, oil, water and salt and pepper into a small pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the peas are bright green and cooked through.
3. Remove from heat and add mint leaves.
4. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, or alternately puree in a blender.

Salad ‘Bouquet’ with Cucumber Vase and Roasted Tomatoes

Yield: 2

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Roasted Tomatoes

• 2 x plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 
  

Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Salad

• 6 x Boston lettuce leaves, cleaned
• 6 x leaf lettuce leaves, cleaned
• 1 cup mixed baby greens
• Sprigs fresh dill
• Sprigs fresh basil
• Fresh chives
• Broccoli or alfalfa sprouts
• 1 x cucumber, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick

Directions:

Roasted Tomatoes

1. Place tomatoes in a small baking dish.
2. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350°F until softened and caramelized, about 45 minutes.
3. Cool.

Vinaigrette

1. Place ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Salad

1. Divide salad lettuces and baby greens into 2 piles, with the larger leaves on the bottom and the smaller ones in top.
2. Roll them into bundles and fold the ends up.
3. Secure with a finger and wrap a cucumber slice around the base to hold it together.
4. Secure with a large toothpick.
5. The bundle should be stable and able to stand on a plate with the cucumber acting as a vase holding the greens like a bouquet.
6. Stick herbs sprigs and some sprouts attractively into the bouquet and garnish the plate with roasted tomatoes and some vinaigrette.

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Fusion Fish Cakes

Michael fuses fun and flavours in the kitchen. Smoked salmon sushi, fusion salmon cakes, Asian noodle salad, iced tea and coconut tarts with chocolate add an international flavour to the menu.

• Asian Noodle Salad
• Coconut Tarts with Chocolate and Coconut Cream
• Fusion Salmon Cakes
• Smoked Salmon Sushi
• Spiced Maple Ice Tea

Asian Noodle Salad 2

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Asian Noodle Salad

• 1 pkg of rice vermicelli, soaked until soft in hot water and drained
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter
• 1/4 cup of marmalade
• 1 tbsp of soya sauce
• dash of hot sauce
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 x green onions, sliced
• 1 cup of cilantro leaves
• 1 x carrot, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup of peanuts

Directions:

Asian Noodle Salad

1. To make the dressing, whisk together lime zest and juice, peanut butter, marmalade, soya sauce, hot sauce and olive oil until smooth.
2. Place the rice vermicelli, green onions, cilantro and carrot into a salad bowl and add dressing. Toss well and garnish with peanuts.

Coconut Tarts with Chocolate and Coconut Cream

Yield: 6

Ingredients:

For the Coconut Tart Shells:

• 2 x egg whites
• 2 cups of shredded coconut

For the Chocolate and Coconut Cream:

• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 8 oz of bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

For the Coconut Tart Shells:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk egg whites lightly and stir in coconut.
3. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and press a large spoonful of coconut mixture into each cup, pushing it evenly into the bottom and up the sides.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool in muffin pan.

For the Chocolate and Coconut Cream:

1. Heat coconut milk.
2. Place chocolate into a bowl and pour hot milk over it. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture becomes satiny-smooth.

Fusion Salmon Cakes

Yield: 2

Ingredients:

Fusion Salmon Cakes

• 8 oz filet of salmon, skin removed, cubed
• 2 tbsp of ginger, grated
• 1 tsp of soya sauce
• 2 tbsp of minced red onion
• 1 cup of cilantro leaves
• 3 tbsp of olive oil

Directions:

Fusion Salmon Cakes

1. Place ingredients into a food processor and pulse a few times just until ingredients come together. Do not over mix.
2. Form mixture into 2 large patties.
3. Heat a large skilled over medium high heat. Add oil and when it’s hot, fry salmon cakes. When golden on the one side, flip and brown the other side. Serve alone or on a bun with desired condiments.

Smoked Salmon Sushi

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Smoked Salmon Sushi

• 1 cup of canned chickpeas
• 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp of sesame oil
• dash of hot sauce
• 1 tbsp of soya sauce
• 3 tbsp of chopped cilantro
• 16 slices of smoked salmon
• 4 x sheets of nori paper

Directions:

Smoked Salmon Sushi

1. Mash chickpeas and add Dijon, sesame oil, hot sauce, soya sauce and cilantro and mix well.
2. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Place a sheet of nori paper over the plastic wrap.
3. Cover the half of the nori sheet closest to you with 4 slices of smoked salmon, slightly overlapping them.
4. Spread a few tablespoons of the chickpea mash over the smoked salmon. Using the plastic wrap to help, begin to roll tightly. Dampen the far edge of the nori with water and then seal the edge. Cut into 1 inch slices

Spiced Maple Iced Tea

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Spiced Maple Ice Tea

• 6 x green tea bags
• 1 tbsp of star anise, cracked or powdered
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 x lemon, sliced
• Ice

Directions:

Spiced Maple Ice Tea

1. Boil a kettle of water.
2. Put tea bags, star anise, maple syrup and lemon into a large pitcher. Pour in six cups of hot water and brew for 5 minutes. Chill.
3. Fill a glass pitcher with ice and pour tea over it. Serve.

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Hors d'Oeurves Party

Great ingredients and lots of friends are the key to any great party. Chewy wine shots, chicken dippers, smoked salmon mousse in tortilla chips, smoked salmon egg rolls, chipotle yogurt dip and savory Parmesan and thyme cookies round out this delectable cocktail party menu.

• Balsamic Syrup
• Chewy Wine Shots
• Chicken Dippers
• Chipolte Yogurt Dip
• Savory Parmesan Thyme Cookies
• Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls
• Smoked Salmon Mousse in Tortilla Cups

Balsamic Syrup

Ingredients:

Balsamic Syrup

• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup of sugar

Directions:

Balsamic Syrup

1. Combine and simmer until reduced by three quarters and very thick.

Chewy Wine Shots

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

Chewy Wine Shots

• 750 ml bottle of red wine
• 750 ml bottle of white wine
• 750 ml bottle of pink zinfandel
• 9 envelopes of powdered gelatin
• 3 cups of sugar

Directions:

Chewy Wine Shots

1. Pour each bottle of wine into a separate saucepan. Add 1 cup of sugar and 3 envelopes of gelatin to each pan. Stir over low heat to dissolve sugar and gelatin.
2. Pour each flavour of wine into a lightly oiled 8 inch by 8-inch pan and place in the refrigerator until set.
3. To remove, slide a small knife around the edges of the pan, dip the bottom of each pan into hot water and then invert and wine jelly will release. Cut into bite-sized cubes.

Chicken Dippers 2

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Chicken Dippers

• 4 x boneless chicken breasts, skin removed
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 2 tsp of ground cumin
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Chicken Dippers

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut chicken breasts into long thin strips.
3. Pour cornmeal, cumin, salt and pepper into a resealable freezer bag. Add chicken strips and shake well.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Chipotle Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

Chipotle Yogurt Dip

• 2 cups of yogurt
• 1 x small tin of tomato paste
• 2 x whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 3 x green onions
• 1/2 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro
• Salt

Directions:

Chipotle Yogurt Dip

1. Put everything into a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning.

Savory Parmesan and Thyme Cookies

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

Savory Parmesan and Thyme Cookies

• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tbsp of fresh thyme (or rosemary)
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or cheddar)
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Savory Parmesan and Thyme Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place flour, thyme, butter and salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add cheese and sour cream and pulse a few more times, until dough comes together.
3. Roll out into a log and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Using a sharp knife, slice discs off of the roll and place on a lined baking sheet. Press an herb leaf into the center of each. Bake for 15 minutes, until they just start to brown.

Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls

Yield: 6

Ingredients:

Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls

• 4 x eggs
• 2 tbsp of plain yogurt or sour cream
• dash of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 x green onions, thinly sliced
• pinch of salt
• 1 pkg of smoked salmon, sliced
• 1 bunch of arugula

Directions:

Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls

1. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, sesame oil and salt.
2. To make the crepes, place a small non-stick fry pan over medium heat and add oil. Pour in a small ladle full of egg mixture and let it roll around the bottom of the pan and cook until the top has set. Repeat until all the egg mixture is gone.
3. Lay a crepe flat on a counter top. Cover with 2 slices of smoked salmon and then 4 arugula leaves. Roll up and cut in half.

Smoked Salmon Mousse in Tortilla Cups

Ingredients:

For the Mousse:

• 1/2 cup of cream cheese
• 500 g of smoked salmon
• 1 tbsp of chopped, fresh dill
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fresh ground pepper
• Fresh dill pieces for garnishing

For the Tortilla Cups:

• 6 x flour tortillas
• 3 tbsp of olive oil

Directions:

For the Mousse:

1. Put ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

For the Tortilla Cups:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush tortillas with olive oil and cut into 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. Press into a mini muffin cups and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes. Set on a rack to cool.
3. Fill a plastic freezer bag with the salmon mousse and squeeze it toward one of the corners. Cut the tip off with a pair of scissors to form a piping bag. Pipe the mousse into the tortilla cups and top with a sprig of dill.

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Caribbean Salmon

• Banana Rum Coconut Smoothies
• Caribbean Coconut Crusted Salmon
• Caribbean Salad
• Caribbean Salsa
• Fresh Grated Coconut
• Mango Fool
• Reggae Rice

Banana Rum Coconut Smoothies

Yield: 2

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Banana Rum Coconut Smoothies

• 4 x bananas
• 2 cups of pineapple juice
• 1 can of coconut milk
• pinch of ground allspice
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 4 oz of vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Banana Rum Coconut Smoothies

1. Place all ingredients into a large pitcher and puree with an immersion blender or alternately, puree in a blender.

Caribbean Coconut Crusted Salmon

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Caribbean Coconut Crusted Salmon

• 1 1/4 cups of shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 4 x 6 oz salmon filets, skin removed
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Caribbean Coconut Crusted Salmon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Put coconut into a freezer bag. Drop in the salmon filets one at a time and toss to coat. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Serve with Caribbean Salsa.

Caribbean Salad 2

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Salad Base:

• 6 cups of mixed salad greens
• 3 x green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
• 1 x mango, peeled, pitted and sliced

For the Coconut Lime dressing:

• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 cups of coconut milk
• 1 tbsp of fresh ginger, grated
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the Salad Base:

1. Put dressing ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the greens.

Caribbean Salsa

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Caribbean Salsa

• 2 cups of fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 1 x small red onion, diced
• 1 cup of fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Several dashes of your favourite hot sauce

Directions:

Caribbean Salsa

1. Put pineapple, red onion and cilantro into a medium-sized bowl. Add lime zest and juice, oil and hot sauce. Toss well and let flavours mingle for at least one half hour before serving.

Fresh Grated Coconut

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Fresh Grated Coconut

• 1 x whole coconut

Directions:

Fresh Grated Coconut

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pierce the eyes of the coconut using a hammer and large nail. Drain coconut milk and reserve for another use.
3. Bake coconut in oven until it cracks, about 20 minutes. Let cool and then crack it in half with the blow of a hammer. Peel coconut flesh from the outer shell and shred using a box grater. Refrigerate in a re-sealable plastic bag.

Mango Fool 2

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Mango Fool

• 2 x mangos, peeled, pitted and cubed
• 2 cups of cream, whipped
• 1 tbsp of sugar

Directions:

Mango Fool

1. Puree mangos with the sugar and fold into the whipped cream.
2. Pour into 4 glasses or serving bowls and refrigerate until serving time.

Reggae Rice

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Reggae Rice

• 1 cup of basmati or 1 cup of white rice
• 1 x 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
• 1 x can of black beans, rinsed
• 1 tsp of ground allspice
• 1 x cubanella or 1 x chili pepper, minced
• 2 x green onions, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tsp of salt
• pinch of pepper

Directions:

Reggae Rice

1. Put rice, tomatoes, black beans, allspice and salt and pepper into a medium-sized saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let simmer until liquid has absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add green onions and cilantro just before serving.

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Potato Crusted Salmon

Michael tries something new with a family favourite, fish. Potato & horseradish crusted salmon with pickle sauce, roasted licorice carrots, sauteed mushrooms with sherry & spinach and mango & strawberry cobbler make up this reinvigorating menu.

• Horseradish Potato Crusted Salmon with Pickle Sauce
• Mango and Strawberry Cobbler
• Roasted Licorice Carrots
• Sautéed Mushrooms with Sherry and Spinach

Horseradish Potato Crusted Salmon with Pickle Sauce

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Salmon

• 2 x russet potatoes, baked and chilled
• 2 tbsp horseradish
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper
• 4 x salmon filets, 6 ounces each
• 
  

The Pickle Sauce

• 2 x dill pickles, chopped
• 1 x small bunch dill, chopped
• 1 x green onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• The juice from half a lemon
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

The Salmon

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grate potatoes through the large holes of a box grater into a medium sized bowl.
3. Stir in horseradish, oil and salt and pepper mixing well.
4. Pat crust onto top surface of filets and place in a baking pan or on a baking sheet.
5. Bake until salmon is cooked through and the crust is golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.

The Pickle Sauce

1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
2. Serve with salmon.

Mango and Strawberry Cobbler

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Filling

• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
• 2 cups fresh or frozen mango
• 1/2 cup cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 
  

The Topping

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 stick stick butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

The Filling

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place fruit into a large bowl and toss well with the flour, sugar and lemon juice.
3. Pour into a 2-quart ovenproof casserole or other dish.
4. It is best if the fruit fills the dish but doesn't rise above the edges.

The Topping

1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Grate in frozen butter and mix lightly with fingertips.
2. Pour in milk and stir until mixture comes together and forms a rough dough.
3. Place spoonfuls of the dough on top of the fruit evenly covering it.
4. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden, about 45 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Roasted Licorice Carrots

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy. A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Roasted Licorice Carrots

• 6 x carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp ground star anise
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Roasted Licorice Carrots

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place the carrots in an 8" x 8" baking pan or other baking pan.
3. It is best if they form a single layer on the bottom of the pan.
4. Drizzle with oil and toss with star anise, salt and pepper.
5. Roast until carrots are caramelized and tender, about 30 minutes.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Sherry and Spinach

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy. A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Sautéed Mushrooms with Sherry and Spinach

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 lb. button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly
• 1 x large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup sherry, Marsala, Madeira or port
• Salt and pepper
• 4 x handfuls of baby spinach

Directions:

Sautéed Mushrooms with Sherry and Spinach

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt butter.
2. When it begins to foam, add mushrooms and onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize.
3. Deglaze the pan with sherry, season with salt and pepper and cook down, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. When the sherry has reduced, add spinach and stir until it has wilted.
5. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

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