Grilled Garden Vegetables

When the vegetables in the garden are fresh, they don't need much help to taste delicious.  I like to put them on the grill and dress and season them lightly. Most vegetables grill fairly well - as long as they're big enough not to fall through the grate.  Here, I'm using bell pepper, long beans and aubergine.

First, I like to coat everything lightly with olive oil and season with salt.  It tastes great and keeps things from sticking.  Then I like to get a good char on the peppers so that the skin slides off easily.  The beans and eggplant need to grill just long enough to become tender - not mushy.

Plate it up fancy!  So many vegetable dishes tend to be simply piled on the place.  Take a moment to arrange the ingredients to be visually appealing.  I like to serve it with fresh tarragon, basil and cherry tomatoes.  Then, drizzle a bit of aged balsamic and olive oil for extra flavour.  Happy Summer!

Dolmades

With grapes on the vine and leaves to spare, it's time to make dolmades!  There are several types with different filling.  I like a nice savoury eggplant and rice filling to make the perfect doma. Start by roasting an eggplant (aubergine).  I like to score it, salt it and drizzle on olive oil.  While it's roasting, plunge the grape leaves in boiling water.  Continue to cook them until they're tender.  Also, prepare a bit of rice to add to the filling.  I like to use brown jasmine rice.  It imparts a nice texture and a subtle, delightful flavour.

When the eggplant is mushy and browned, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.  When it's cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and combine it with a bit of rice.  I use nearly equal portions of each.  Then, mix in a bit of turmeric, onion powder, lemon juice and salt.

Place a spoon of the filling mixture onto a grape leaf and roll it up - kinda like a little burrito.  Garnish with dill and drizzle with olive oil.

Smoky Hummus

Smooth, smoky and tasty; this hummus tastes like summer. I hesitate to liken this hummus to "barbecue" flavour since it can mean so many different things.  But, it's kind of like barbecue potato chips (my weakness).

Start with the spice blend and the basic hummus ingredients:  garlic powder, smoky paprika, onion powder, salt, olive oil and lemon juice.  I use tinned chickpeas, but I always make sure to wash them.  This rinses away the thickeners and some of the gas producing compounds.

Add all the spices, the oil and lemon juice to a food processor, or high powered blender.  (I used a Vitamix).  Then add a bit of water ~250ml, and half the chickpeas.  It's important to add only half if you're using a blender.  It allows the ingredients to liquify, which makes it easier for the rest of the chickpeas to integrate in the blender.

Puree until the ingredients are liquified, then add the last half of the chickpeas.  Blend until smooth, adjusting the seasoning and liquid (oil and water) to suit your tastes.

Enjoy this smooth, smoky spread with pita bread, or in a veggie wrap.

Lemony Kale

Kale from the garden and meyer lemon from my trees!  Lemony kale salad is a quick easy and healthy side dish. First, wash, dry and tear the kale into bite sized pieces.  Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt.  Then, squeeze in a bit of fresh lemon juice and mix gently.

Last, I like to add a bit of tarragon for an extra flavour dimension.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

The garden is slowing down, but there are still lots of peppers.  I roasted a few and added them to my usual hummus recipe.

The base is chickpeas, red pepper, onion and lemon juice.  Start by grilling or roasting the peppers and onions.  They're ready when the skin slides easily off the peppers.

I season my hummus with sea salt, smoky paprika, sesame seeds, sriracha, onion powder and garlic powder.

Chuck it all in a blender, or food processor, and blend until smooth.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho has the reputation of being an awkward dish.  It's not always well received - after all, it's cold soup.  The first time I tried it, I was in Paris and decided, "I'm never coming back to this place!  They can't even heat up soup properly."Thankfully I got over my Parisian aversion and I learned to actually like gazpacho!

I started with tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, chili pepper and basil - all harvested from the garden. First, peel, half and remove the seeds from a medium cucumber.  Then coarsely dice the cucumber, tomato, onions and pepper.  Be sure to very finely mince the chili pepper - any remove the seeds unless you're really a fan of spice. Pile it all in a food processor with the basil, a bit of salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Blitz it up until it's soupy, but not a fine puree.  There should be a bit of texture.

I find it's best to serve chilled, but not ice cold.

Confit byaldi - Variation on Ratatouille

My favourite vegan french dish: Ratatouille!  It's also one of my favourite dished because I grow all the vegetables in my garden.

First, slice the squash, zucchini and eggplant.  Then, dice and fry in olive oil; the peppers, tomatoes, shallots and onions.  Once the onions and peppers are softened, spoon the mixture in a baking dish.  I chose to use small oven-safe dishes but really any baking dish will work.

Then, layer the sliced vegetables in an overlapping, alternating pattern.  Be sure to cover the entire baking dish.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top.

Wrap, or cover, the baking dishes with parchment paper (not wax paper).  This keeps the vegetables from drying out in the oven.  Bake at 350F for about an hour.  Remove from the over, let cool and refrigerate over night.

The next day, remove the parchment and cover the top with tomato sauce.  Admittedly, I used tinned tomato paste with fresh sauteed vegetables to make the top sauce.  I had only green tomatoes and those don't make an attractive sauce.

Return the sauce covered ratatouille to the oven for ~15 minutes to reheat.  Serve while it's still hot.  It's amazing on its own, but also goes well with rice and salad.

Focaccia: baking watery bread #notgross

Focaccia is a delightful bread.  It's a little unique that it contains ~60%-70% water.

As usual I just threw things together; so bad at measuring.  After you work for years with bread it becomes second nature.  So, now's the perfect time for you to start!  In no time, you'll be making bread from scratch.

Begin by mixing flour, salt, yeast and water to form a very soft dough.  I like to let the dough ferment overnight in the refrigerator to allow it to develop complex flavours.

Scoop the dough out on a floured surface.  Here's the trick, the dough should be folded over itself rather than traditionally kneaded.  This forms the gluten, gives the bread shape and it keeps the air bubbles intact.

After folding, place the dough on a baking tray (lined with a silicon baking mat, oiled parchment, or simply oil the baking tray).  Let it raise until doubled in size and then use your fingers to make indentions on the surface.  This keeps the bread from raising too high and it gives the topping a nice home.

Then drizzle with good olive oil and top with delightful Italian flavours.  I chose red onion, olives and tomatoes.  Bake at 400F until golden brown.  It's a delight!

Traditional, first tomato sandwich of the year 2014

Each year I take the first ripe slicing tomato, bake bread from scratch and assemble a sandwich. Multigrain wheat and rye swirl:

Garden grown; vine ripe, pesticide free:

Mmmm... a delicious tradition.

Avocado filled Potatoes

A delicious fusion of carbs and avocado bliss, this dish is energising and filling. The starchy sweetness of the potatoes melds delightfully with the mellow avocado.

First, wash and scrub the potatoes. Boil the potatoes with a bit of salt. Continue boiling until soft, testing for doneness by inserting a knife. When the knife can go through easily, they're ready.  Remove the potatoes from the heat and allow to cool in the cooking water. When they've cooled completely, coat with olive oil, dill and a bit of salt.  Then, halve them and scoop out the insides, leaving at least a quarter inch on the sides.

Mix the scooped potato with a couple avocados, a squeeze of lemon, salt, tarragon and blend in the food processor until creamy.

While it's mixing, warm the hollowed potatoes.  A hot grill, a skillet, the broiler are all perfect methods.  I just used a gas torch... because it's manly.

Quickly place the creamy avocado-potato puree in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.  Fill the warmed, hollow potatoes with the savoury, sweet, tangy and smooth avocado mixture.  Garnish with tarragon, green onion, tomato and finishing salt (Maldon or fleur de sel).

Brioche French Toast

It's rare for brioche to last long enough to get stale, but if it does, french toast is the perfect thing.

First whip up the batter: eggs, splash of almond milk, pinch of salt and a slash of vanilla.  Dip slices of brioche in the batter and fry in olive oil.  You can use butter to fry, but I like the heartyness olive oil adds.

Serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar and garnished with fresh fruit.

French bread made into french toast.  #winning

Baked Gruyère Chips

Adding a bit of Swiss cheese makes plain chips a delight.

First, peel and cut the potatoes in batons (chunky sticks).  Place them in salted water and bring to a boil - continue boiling for a couple minutes.  Then drain, drizzle with olive oil and arrange on a parchment lined baking tray.

Place into a cold oven and "preheat" to 350F; continue to bake for about 5 minutes.  Using the preheat setting heats extra hot and quick, adding a crispness to the chips.

You can keep it vegan, but I have a weakness for Gruyère.  Remove from the oven and grate Gruyère over the chips.  Return to the oven and increase the heat to 450F.  Once the oven reaches 450F, the chips should be done, but be sure to test.  They should be tender, yet and crisp on the outside.  Season with fleur de sel or Maldon salt and serve.

Laminated Potato Crisps

These are some of my favourite!  I saw Julia Child make something like this years ago and decided to give it a try.

Start by peeling and thinly slicing potatoes.  I mean really thinly sliced - so thin you can read through it.

Carefully layer one slice of of potato, an herb, a bit of oil and top with another slice of potato.  It helps to roll the herbs (basil, thyme, chives, or green onions) so they're flat and the chips don't warp in the oven.  Bake at 350F until they're golden brown.  Then remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt.  Transfer to paper towels to cool and drain any excess oil.

Bon appetit!

Vichyssoise

It's that time of year where the evenings can be cold or hot. So, why not have a soup that can be served cold or hot?! Vichyssoise is the perfect dish!This soup is kinda French and kinda American. There's a bit of undecidedness regarding the origin, so let's just call it French-American fusion. Regardless of the source, it's a delicious and smooth preparation made of leeks and potatoes.

Start by coarsely hacking up the white bit of leeks, and an equal portion of peeled potatoes. Add the leek, potato, along with a bit of olive oil and salt, to a large pot and gently sautée. Don't allow colour to develop on the veg - the soup should be a glistening creamy white.

Add enough water to cover the veg and just a bit more.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Continue cooling until the potatoes are soft.  Then, transfer the mix to a blender and puree.  I like to use the Vitamix because it makes an ultra smooth soup.

For a hot dish, serve it up right away.  I garnished it with crushed pistachios and olive oil.  For the more traditional soup, refrigerate before serving.  The chilled one I garnished with celery leaves and green onion.

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

It's an easy and flavourful dish!  As the weather gets warmer; easy, light and tasty meals are in demand.

Simply add a healthy portion of sun dried tomatoes to your usual hummus recipe.  I add chickpeas (and the tomatoes) to the Vitamix and cover with water - a bit of salt, sesame seeds, onion powder and a glug of olive oil.  I also like to add turmeric, garlic and smoked paprika.  Start slow and increase the speed to work up to that delicious thick consistency.

Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a few chick peas and a sprinkle of sesame seed.  Enjoy!

Wheat Bread [Fresh Ground Flour]

I got a dry ingredient container for my Vitamix and decided to give it a try.

I used red organic wheat and ground it to flour.  It's important to sift four that's just been ground since the occasional unground kernel may be hiding amongst the powder.

Plain bread - composed of sugar (molasses), salt, fat (olive oil), water, yeast and this fresh-ground flour - comes together fairly easily.  If you measure your ingredients, fresh flour should be added by weight, rather than volumetrically.

Shape the loaf; score it in whatever fashion makes you happy, and let raise.  Bake at 350F until it's golden brown.

I know I'm horrible about posting recipes.  But, bread is one of those amazing baking things that is resilient.  Jump in and give it a try!

Here's a basic recipe:

• 1 Cup Water
• 2½ Cups Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Keep in mind that this a very basic recipe and needs adjustments depending on the nature of the ingredients.

Pan-seared Polenta with Chèvre and Thyme

Polenta has a reputation of blandness.  It's a well earned reputation, so you have to build flavour into the dish.

First, bring salted water to a boil.  You can also use veg stock to provide more taste.  Polenta varies in terms of firmness.  Since this will be fried, this dish needs enough cornmeal so that it's not porridge.

Slowly add the cornmeal to the boiling water while stirring.  Or, if you're crazy enough to try to hold a camera and take photos while cooking, you'll need to whisk the mixture to remove the lumps.  Boil for about a minute or two, until it's thick and begins to "blurp."  Then allow to cool and set firm.

Once cooled, remove from the pan and slice into workable chunks.  (It helps to wet the knife before cutting.)  Sear both sides of the polenta in olive oil.

Garnish and serve with flavourful pairings.  I chose the creamy sharpness of goat cheese; the also tangy, yet sweet, aged balsamic; savoury, bright tomatoes and the mildly pungent thyme.

This can easily be made vegan by substituting or omitting the chèvre.  Mixed olives would be an ideal alternate.

Bulgar? Bulgar!

One of the most simple and tasty foods I sampled in Turkey: Bulgar.  It's a type of wheat that's been parboiled and dried.  There are several ways to prepare it, but my favourite dish was a simple vegetable and bulgar casserole.

It's fairly easy to make and it's delicious.  Start an assortment of veg.  I used carrots, onions, peppers and sauteed them for just a bit of colour.  Then puree them with a can of stewed tomatoes.  Add seasoning: salt or soy sauce - something to give it a good savour.

I rinsed the bulgar and added the wheat to the veg puree and simmered the mixture until thickened.  It's ready when the wheat is tender - like brown rice.

This is a perfect dish for chilly evenings and is full of vegetables, fibre and energy.

Pasta and Vegan Cream Sauce

Made from scratch pasta and a vegan cream sauce that doesn't taste like puke!

Start making the pasta with equal parts of semolina and spelt flour.  Add in water, olive oil and a bit of salt and knead until it forms a ball.

Let is rest for a while; wrapped in cling film or under an inverted bowl.

Puree soaked walnuts, sauteed onions, peppers and celery along with stewed tomatoes.  I used cashews in this recipe and was slightly disappointed.  It just made the sauce too sweet.  Since the vegetables have already been cooked (sauteed and stewed) the sauce is ready at this point.  Simply warm it if needed.

Shape the dough into the desired shapes.  I'm a fan of fettuccine.

Serve with the sauce - a tasty and authentic vegan dish.  It's simple and, although it's a "cream sauce," it stands on it's own rather than merely imitating a dairy version.

Chopped Salad with Carrot Ribbons

Red bell pepper, carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower and basil. Dressed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt.

I used these peelers to make the carrot ribbon: