A Pat & A Pinch

Smoke Infused Potato Salad with Chorizo and Asparagus

We are at the end of the local asparagus season and I wanted to do something different with the last of the local harvest.

This recipe, adapted from a recipe by Heather Christo, did the trick for me taste wise. Unfortunately, it was not as photogenic as I hoped. Next time I will look for smaller yellow fingerlings to provide more of a visual contrast for presentation.

What the recipe lacks in presentation is made up in flavor. The smokiness infuses the sautéed onions which, when combined with the freshness of the asparagus and the spiciness of the chorizo, makes for a refreshing combination of flavors. The salad is a perfect simple meal that is easily assembled.

Smoke Infused Potato Salad with Chorizo and Asparagus

1 pound small fingerling potatoes

1/3 pound chorizo sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 pound trimmed asparagus, each stalk cut into thirds.

1/3 cup water

¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until just fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan or heavy skillet, cook the chorizo over medium heat, breaking it up as you cook, about 2-3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, the liquid smoke, and the red onions and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and sauté two minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes from the pot of water and add them to the pan. Stir to coat and cook, add the water and a lid and cook 2 more minutes.

While that is cooking, whisk together the remaining paprika, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

When you remove the lid of the pan, make sure that the water has all cooked off. Turn the heat to low and add the oil and vinegar mixture. Toss everything together.

Transfer to a serving platter and garnish as desired: I used some micro-greens. Serve hot or warm.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

June 22, 2014September 1, 2014

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Lemon Cornmeal Cake

If you’ve looked at other recipes on my blog, you will know that I have an affinity for lemon. This simple cake brings together the flavor and crunch of cornmeal with a touch of the freshness of lemon. It comes via Chef Anthony at Pirate’s Point Resort in Little Cayman from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle. It is perfect when you want something a touch sweet but not too sweet. If you choose to use stone ground cornmeal, it will be crunchier.

Lemon Cornmeal Cake

1 1/3 cups (5.7 oz/161g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (5.3 oz/150 g) cornmeal

1 cup (7 oz/200g) sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 ½ cups (12.75 oz/363 g) sour cream

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks/6 0z/170 g) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon (0.2 oz/6 g) finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing or Confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 3 inch springform pan and dust the pan with flour.

In a large bowl gently whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs until blended. Add the sour cream and whisk together until combined. Add the butter and whisk until blended. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla, whisking until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients mixing until just blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Unmold the cake and dust the top with icing sugar prior to serving.

The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with foil, for up to five days.

To dress the cake up for a fancier desert, it can be served with a fruit compote and whipping cream.

June 16, 2014January 11, 2015

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The Ultimate Cornbread

It was a little unfair of me to post my Opa’s pork rib recipe without immediately posting this cornbread recipe given that, in our house, it is somewhat of a sacrilege to cook one without the other. This recipe is not your ordinary cornbread, in fact my mother often refers to it as evil as it is filled with butter, cheese, jalapeño and corn.

The Ultimate Cornbread

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

4 eggs

1 14 ounce can cream-style corn

½ can jalapeño peppers, drained and chopped

1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Marble, Mozzerella, or Monteray Jack in any combination)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Blend in the creamed corn, chilies, and cheese.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a second bowl. Add the flour mixture to the corn mixture and stir until just smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1-1 ¼ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

May 27, 2014September 1, 2014

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Opa’s BBQ Pork Ribs

My Opa (grandfather in German) is one of the most fascinating people I know. His skills range from welding to cooking to removing blackberry stains to growing the best tomatoes in his greenhouse (which as you can likely guess he built all by himself). He is a man of all trades but most of all, he is a family man who loves to be surrounded by good food and company. Back in the day, I honestly have no idea when a company, then called Western Natural Gas in Alberta, Canada, provided recipe suggestions to its customers. This recipe, which has been lovingly modified and bulked up since, came from that company oddly enough. It is one of my absolute favourite recipes to make as it is simple and a definite crowd pleaser. Unless you are vegetarian, I guarantee this will be a hit!

Opa’s BBQ’d Pork Back Ribs

2 pounds, preferably back rib rack

Sauce

1 1/12 cups ketchup

1 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons liquid smoke

4 teaspoons celery seed, optional

4 tablespoons hot horseradish (preferably not creamed)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix the sauce ingredients together.

Brown the ribs on the BBQ. Then place them in a disposable aluminum pan and cover with the sauce. Cover the pan with foil.

Cook on the BBQ on a low heat until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning. Back rib racks take approximately one and one-quarter hours, country style ribs take longer.

May 23, 2014June 17, 2014

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Marzipan Strawberry Shortcakes

My mother has always been a phenomenal cook and aside from a handful of family recipes, she has honed her skills putting hours of love and dedication in in the kitchen. This recipe was taught to her in a cooking course at an Italian restaurant in Chicago that has been long since forgotten by our family aside from these. They are not your everyday spongecake strawberry shortcakes, but rather are marzipan filled sweet biscuits which are more traditional, photogenic, and delicious than their modern bakery aisle counterpart.

This recipe, depending on the size of each shortcake you choose, makes approximately 8-10 shortcakes.

Marzipan Strawberry Shortcakes

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons baking powder

4 ounces butter, cold

4 ounces almond paste broken into small chunks

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 whole eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

sliced almonds

To serve:

Fresh berries

Whipping cream

Heat the oven to 350 F. A convection oven is preferred but not necessary.

Stir together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. When this is incorporated, slowly work in the almond paste and the cold butter that has been cut into pieces. Work this together until the mixture appears to be like a coarse meal.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and the almond extract. When this is incorporated, add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix only until the dough starts to form. You will probably not need all of the liquid ingredients.

Knead the dough slightly. Pat the dough out to a one inch thickness using as little flour as needed so that the dough does not stick to the work surface.

Using a round cutter, cut the dough into individual servings. It is helpful to dip the cutting edge of the cutter in flour prior to making each cut. Place the round disks onto a lightly greased flat baking pan or a pan lined with parchment or a silpat. Brush the tops with the left over liquid and sprinkle with the sliced almonds and the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool. Slice horizontally and fill with berries and whipping cream as desired.

May 20, 2014June 8, 2016

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Pan Fried Salmon Cakes with Dill-Mustard Sauce

Living on the west coast, good salmon is easy to come by. For this recipe, we typically use Pink or Coho fillets as opposed to the more coveted Sockeye. The dill-mustard sauce is an absolute must with this recipe as the two compliment each other perfectly, although we serve the sauce on the side as some of us like to take more than others.

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Dill-Mustard Sauce

Salmon Cakes

1/2 kg poached salmon (boned and flaked)

1/4 c. wild rice, uncooked

1/2 c. bread crumbs

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tbsp. capers, finely chopped

1 tbsp. horseradish

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup mayonnaise

salt and pepper

3 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. paprika

butter

Dill-Mustard Sauce

2 ½ tbsp. grainy mustard

2 ½ tbsp. honey mustard

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. honey

8 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped

Boil the wild rice until cooked. In a large bowl, mix the salmon, wild rice, breadcrumbs, onion, dill, capers, horseradish, and lemon juice. Add and combine the beaten eggs and mayonnaise to bind. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Using your hands, form the salmon mixture into thick patties. Lightly coat each patty in the seasoned flour and refrigerate for at least half an hour ensuring that they are in a single layer or there is parchment paper between the layers.

To prepare the sauce, whisk together the mustards and incorporate the vinegar and honey. Stir in the dill and refrigerate until the meal is ready to be served.

When ready to cook the salmon cakes, melt some butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add as many patties as will comfortably fit in the pan and sauté, turning once, until golden brown on both sides (approximately 5 minutes on each side). Cooked cakes can be kept warm in the oven on a low temperature until the whole batch is ready to be served. Add more butter to the pan if needed.

Serve the cakes with the sauce. We like to serve them over a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette that does not compete with the dill-mustard sauce.

May 12, 2014June 4, 2014

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