taro root & pork spring rolls

I think I was terrified of frying. It seems like all the stories of houses burning down are from ubiquitous pots of oil on the stove left unattended. I am getting over it, however, because it is so very worth it. And sure, I can see how an oil fire could scare anyone off. But after you've fried a few times, it's really not so bad or so terrifying. Potentially messy, a tad greasy, sure. The results though, are definitely worth the clean up. I don't leave the stove unattended, so I'm pretty certain I'm covered there. Fingers crossed! These spring rolls are incredibly mouth-watering. They are a little salty and a little sweet, and when dipped in the dipping sauce, even a little spicy. Okay, so they are downright irresistible. I had tasted taro root before, but I didn't know the flavour until a couple awesome students I teach introduced me to spring rolls with taro root inside. I was enamoured, and couldn't stop eating. It's a good thing they said that I get extra "for the baby". I purchased the root at T&T market in Calgary, and it came already peeled. Apparently it can get quite slippery if you are peeling it yourself, so be careful! A package of small spring roll wrappers can be found in the freezer section of many markets. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic to a large bowl, this makes a LOT of spring rolls. You might want to call a few friends or even freeze a portion of the filling. Using the grating attachment on the food processor, or by hand, finely grate the taro root and add it to the bowl. Then grate an onion, and don't cry, it will be worth it! Grated carrot adds a bit of sweetness, and a heck of a lot of colour. Once you've added the ground pork, fish sauce, sugar, ground pepper, and salt, you are ready to start making the scrumptious packages. Lay a couple tablespoons of filling across the widest portion, and then fold across the nearest corners. Next, you will need to roll the wrapper snugly against the filling. The remaining edge needs a little dab of beaten egg white to help seal everything tightly inside. If the spring rolls don't have you licking your lips, this tangy dipping sauce will. Taro Root and Pork Spring Rolls Filling: 3 cloves of minced garlic 4 cups of shredded peeled taro root 3 cups of shredded carrot ( 4 medium sized carrots) 1 cup of shredded onion (1 medium onion) 1 lb of lean ground pork 1 tbsp of fish sauce 1 tbsp of granulated white sugar 1 tsp of kosher salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 package of 25 spring roll wrappers, defrosted if frozen 1 egg white canola oil, enough to cover at least one inch of the bottom of the pot 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the garlic. taro, carrot, onion, pork, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. 2. Beat the egg white, and set aside with a pastry brush. 3. Open the package of spring roll wrappers, and cover with a damp towel. 4. In a deep-sided saute pan or dutch oven, heat the canola oil to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. Place a couple tablespoons of filling into each wrapper. Close in the ends of the length of the wrapper, and roll up nearly the rest of it. Leave the final corner to be sealed by the beaten egg whites. Set aside until ready to fry. 6. Using tongs, place a couple spring rolls into the oil. Be careful not to add too many, or the temperature of the oil will dip too low, and you'll have greasy spring rolls. Continue to fry them until they are deeply golden brown, then they are ready to be removed to paper towels on a rack. Let cool at least a couple minutes. Serve quickly. Spring Roll Dipping Sauce 1 tbsp fish sauce 1/4 cup yellow/brown sugar 2 tbsp hot water 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp sambal oelek 1. Dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water. Whisk together with the remaining ingredients. Serve along side the spring rolls.
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bucatini all'amatriciana

I love pasta. Like I mean I really, really, love pasta. Especially pasta with a slightly salty, spicy, and sweet sauce. And you know, I adore it even more, when it is quick and easy to prepare. Who can argue with that? There are a few things that can really make it or break this particular recipe though. First, you need the best bacon you can get. Shrinking bacon need not apply. This goes for tomatoes too, find the best canned tomatoes you can get. Recipes with only a few simple ingredients requires extra delicious ingredients in order for the whole thing to come together. Spaghettini or linguine pasta would work well in place of bucatini, but it is much easier to ensure that bucatini will remain undercooked, making it perfect for entertaining, as you still have time to serve it without it becoming overcooked. Your choice, and of course this also depends on availability or what you might have on hand. Also, this is after all, a simple dish. So if you have six slices of bacon, or even eight or ten, just go for it. The same goes for the amount of tomato puree. This is comfort food at it's finest, and isn't meant to be the least bit finicky. Begin by heating the olive oil with the onions, and diced bacon. Mouthwateringly delicious. And also completely addicting; I'm not complaining. bucatini all'amatriciana Serves 4 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 5 slices thick-cut bacon, diced good pinch of red chili peppers 2 cups plum tomatoes in their juices, pureed 1 package bucatini pasta salt, to taste 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 2. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions, and cook until nearly soft and translucent. Add the bacon, and continue to cook until the bacon is nearly crisp. Add a good pinch of red chili peppers. 3. As soon as the chili peppers have flavoured the mixture, lower the heat, and add the pureed plum tomatoes. Cover, and stir occasionally. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as desired. 4. Cook the pasta according to pasta directions, erring on the side of under cooked. 5. Drain the pasta, and immediately combine it with the sauce before plating. Allow to rest in the saucepan for a moment to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated. 6. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
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Cold Be Gone Soup

This is a casual soup, a real rustic affair. No peeling of potatoes or carrots. Nothing of the sort. This is a soup that just feels kind of tossed off. Just put stuff in a pot. Well, sort of. Like I said, I'm in a rut. But I am slowly getting out of it. Thanks to you. It's not that I didn't have any inspiration, goodness knows you all help me out on that front, but they are your ideas, not mine. I am getting there though. On the bright side, I am slowly starting to get rid of this disastrous cold. It left me voiceless, and stuck at home for three days! Although, what really irked me was that I felt compelled to eat only the healthiest foods, and started to get a little bored. I am still craving some ooey gooey creaminess of a delicious camembert, with a taste of Syrah on the side, but soon enough. In the meantime, I made a soup I liked so much that I even ate it back-to-back, for multiple meals. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against leftovers. I just freeze things so often, that I hardly eat anything again the next day, and certainly not three or four meals in a row. That's right, I slept through breakfast, and woke up and had more soup. Then again for dinner. And again for lunch the next day. Surely, there are soups with far more vegetables, and beans. But that wasn't the point. It was to hydrate, and feel like I was eating something with some serious flavour. Something a little substantial too, so I wasn't feeling like a baby with pablum, as well as a lot of broth to get my voice working properly again. I love chicken broth. Is there anything much more fabulous? It just seems so simple, a clear liquid, with so much potential. The possibilities are endless. Although sometimes it's just a crime to cover it up. The same goes for a tasty vegetable broth. Just keep it available to the palate to find and linger over. Nothing offensive or harsh, just delicious flavour. There was also this pasta I bought awhile back, specifically for soup. It was kind of odd, since I make a lot of soup for leftovers or to freeze, but I find that pasta explodes in soup if it sits for too long, and frozen can become messy if I don't eat it soon enough. I could keep the pasta separate, but that is a pain when you don't eat lunch at home. But in any case this ditali lisci was calling my name. Truth be known, I really wanted to have pasta, but I knew I needed soup too. I was sick after all, so this was like the best of both worlds, especially since I knew I could eat it for a couple of days, and really put my feet up. Adorable ditali lisci pasta, perfect for soup. If there is anything else which makes a soup quite addicting, it is bacon. Bacon just makes everything else sing out with glee, as it flavours everything with a deep and smoky richness that is definitely unmistakable. The only thing that seems to help just as much is to get a rind from the trimmings of a leg of prosciutto (ask at the store), and toss a bit into the soup for added silkiness. Beans get a close second after bacon, for my favourite in soups, as I do put some kind of bean into nearly every soup I make. They are super good for you, taste great, and nothing is kinder on the pocketbook, especially when cooked from scratch. Doesn't it look like chicken soup though? Sorry, no chicken. Cold Be Gone Soup (4 servings) 3 slices bacon, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped carrots 6 small potatoes, roughly chopped (1 cup) 1500 mL chicken or vegetable stock (homemade, or organic tends to have the best flavour) 3 cups water 250 g ditali lisci pasta 1 20 oz can romano beans, rinsed 2 tbsp chopped parsley salt and pepper to taste 1. In a large stock pot, sauté the bacon until golden brown on a medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and celery, and continue to sauté until the onion is translucent, and tender. Add the carrots, and sweat for maybe two minutes or more. 2. Turn the heat to high, and add the potatoes, stock, and water. Put a lid on it until it boils. Move the heat to low, but it should still be simmering, and let it cook for another 10 minutes. 3. Add the pasta, and let it cook for 15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to your preference. Stir in the parsley and beans. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes. Season to taste, and serve momentarily.
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braised pork with cherries

As you might know by now, or might be frightened to know, that I can easily become obsessed with a specific food and let it completely overtake my life until I have mastered it. Sadly, I am a master of none, but I willingly continue to try regardless. Currently, the rage is pork. We've had an ongoing relationship for years, but this affair isn't exclusive. It includes any meat that can be cooked until fork tender and requires virtually no utensils, maybe just a straw, or a good swack of bread. Cheap cuts of meat cooked right, are not the easiest feat, so I consider it a noble challenge, of which I have failed quite miserably too many times. The secret? Time. It is almost sickening how often recipes are deemed as easy or simple or fast, but ultimately, there is a lot to be said for just taking the time to cook something which isn't a lot of work, it just takes a very, very long time. In fact, I almost feel lazy with this recipe, as I watch Jeff dash around the kitchen, hastening, to roast potatoes, since, of course, I had already worked so very hard creating braised pork. Being able to cook simple foods well is an ongoing rage; cooking things like a pork shoulder. FYI, this is also sometimes, called pork butt, or even pork butt shoulder. At the butcher, they will ask are you making pulled pork? Say yes. This is the stuff you want. Then cook it for what seems like even longer than forever, and in the process, discover that the best things are not only worth waiting for, but are also worth attempting to perfect. A little bizarre to obsess about these things, sure. If it weren't for a deep yearning for flavour, and my own personal desire for food which requires some labour (of love), then perhaps everything would be easier. Fortunately, I think all of this experimenting and extensive research is starting to pay off. The technique might almost be right. And how easy, right, is to achieve, just as I was starting to doubt its existence. And then? Eureka. Try it - fortunately, good things are achievable, and tasty too. Braised Pork with Cherries Serves 4-6 5-7 hours cooking time 4-6 lb pork shoulder (butt) roast, bone-in 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 2 medium white onions, sliced 1 cup full-bodied red wine 2 cups chicken stock 2-3 cups of fresh pitted cherries 3 tsp coarse sea salt 1. Using the stove-top and a deep sauté pan or dutch-oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat, nearly until it starts to smoke. Carefully, using tongs, add the pork, and brown all sides resulting in a golden caramel colour. Just before browning the last side, add the onions, and cook in the oil which has formed. Add salt evenly throughout the pan. Do be sure to leave all of the rendered fat in place, as this is the main flavour of the dish. This process will take approximately 30 minutes. 2. Turn the temperature down to medium-low, and pour in the wine and chicken stock. Cover the pan and wait, approximately 4-6 hours, or until the meat is literally falling off the bone. Check with a fork. Be patient. Occasionally, turn the meat. If you need to leave the house, turn the oven to 300F, and continue the braising process in the oven. 3. Pit the cherries. 4. When the meat is fork tender, heat the oven to 375 degrees F, and place the pitted cherries on top of the roast. Spoon some of the broth that has formed on top of the meat and cherries. Place the pan, uncovered, into the pre-heated oven for another 30 minutes. 5. Turn on the broiler, and slightly carmelize the cherries. Remove from the oven and serve, spooning over the broth over the top. Serve with good crusty bread.
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dim sum at pine lake restaurant, calgary's chinatown

A seemingly random hole-in-the-wall restaurant can perfectly exemplify all the things that I want to eat. Food prepared by hand, and it's all superb. Everything is a little casual, and neighbourhood-like. No one is too worried if you're under dressed, or wearing the wrong shoes. There are creaky stairs which must be climbed or descended upon, and you're just not sure that the table will remain upright if you lean on it once more. Noting to yourself that the chair has a few stains of food, you start to think that the food requires a voracious appetite and willingness to get right into it. The service is attentive, but somewhat indifferent as they know you will not care about service; you are there because you love food. And darn good food it is. Calgary's Chinatown is not exactly undiscovered. I say this, as it isn't exactly a forbidding maze. Plus there are a few restaurants whose ages are approaching decades, unheard of in this town, and nearly everyone goes to the same places again and again. This cultural intermingling is just part of what makes Canada a great place to eat. Sometimes though, it helps to know someone in the know. C & J, are not going for dim sum because it is a trendy thing to do. It's a part of life, and lucky for me, C has been introducing me to her food world for a long, long time. First sushi, then dim sum and bubble tea. But now I'll readily admit that things are much better, if only since we have our husbands to help us enjoy a greater variety of dishes! Going to Pine Lake Restaurant is like leaving Calgary without the expensive transcontinental plane ticket, and attempting to follow in the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain. This is easily possible, however, if you can find the door to Pine Lake. There is a sign, but it's small. This is perfect I though. I know that C & J know their stuff, so I was even more excited. No carts, they said, everything is made fresh. Then the paper menu arrived in characters I can't understand, and I was hooked. This is definitely going to be good. These noodles arrived first, and everything about them was just what I want to eat - salty, sweet, soft, fatty. Just right. At the top of the page are delicately flavoured shrimp dumplings wrapped in thin pieces of cabbage. The sweetness of the shrimp is completely addicting, and the pieces of inside still resemble their origins. Ahhh, the pork buns. If I could eat only this in life, I probably would. The softest, most tender steamed bread on the outside, with a little present of sweet and tangy barbecued pork inside. There were decent sized pieces of pork in there too. This is C's favourite, and it's hard to describe. She describes it as a Chinese doughnut inside a noodle. There's a salty sauce on the bottom and it came with two more. There's lots of good things to dip into at a meal like this. I love dumplings, of any kind, but these are mind-blowingly good. It's the usual kind of wrapper, but then there's this somewhat sweet mixture of almonds, pork and celery inside. Dip it into the spicy chili sauce, and it's an unforgettable combination of flavours. Shrimp dumplings are always good. Not really sure how to describe this - it's sort of tofu, and tofu, and a broth. I didn't try it this time, but will next time. Tripe is always fun for the whole family. Ok, so it's not for everyone, but worth a try. The flavour was deep and hearty, the texture, however, was not for me. Maybe next time. These have to be the most beautiful chicken's feet anywhere, and, yes, while I didn't eat them (been there done that), these ones are tempting. Yes, maybe the next time. Next time, I'll have to go for dinner, maybe with dim sum in the same day. It is far and away the best dim sum I've had. Pine Lake Restaurant, 118 5 Avenue SE (downstairs), Calgary, AB, (403) 266-3720
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salumi, Seattle

Salami might sound like just any old cured meat to plunk into a sandwich and sink the teeth into. However, when at Salumi, you discover that it is anything but. Salumi plays on the Italian word salumeria, and has become a food-lover's destination in Seattle, and even a bit of a landmark. Pilgrams to the shop will find their own version of high art. A slice of salami is studded with kaleidoscopic colours, and multiple layers of intense flavour. New York restaurateur and celebrity chef, red-haired, clog-sporting Mario Batali is certainly well known in the world of food. But in this case, Salumi is the brainchild and dream of his father, Armandino Batali. He retired from Boeing, went to Panzano, Italy, with food expert, Faith Willinger to learn from the ultimate in Tuscan food knowledge, Dario Cecchini. Then Armandino brought back to Seattle the knowledge of how to prepare the treasures of the Italian table. Not only is there salami, and beautiful sandwiches, but traditionally prepared dishes as well. Salumi has also begun to create their own culatello. It is in some ways similar to prosciutto, basically the same part of the back leg of the pig, but a smaller section of it. Originally, culatello is from Zibello, near Parma, and the curing process traditionally only happens in January and lasts from 6-8 months. However, the entire process is dependent upon the climate, and therefore is not easily replicable inside a factory. This stuff is in demand and hard to get. Culatello is not often available outside of Zibello, and due to the type of process used to prepare it, was not easily obtainable in the United States. Now, if you are lucky, you can enjoy it at Salumi, or mail-order it. Even though it has become nearly obligatory to photograph the sign above the entrance, Salumi is actually easier to recognize by the line-up of eager denizens pouring out into the street. Luckily, the jovial staff are occasionally meandering down the cue with a plate of some delicious carnivorous samples like a spicy mole salami. Salumi is so wildly popular that even though they are open from Tuesday through Friday from 11am-4pm, the door often closes sometime around 2pm as they frequently sell out. A few dishes of the day, including eggplant or pasta shells with tomato and basil: Interestingly, the prosciutto we saw was from Canada. Get the prosciutto, fig, and goat cheese sandwich as a snack for the late afternoon. Salumi has weekly specials, and luckily, it was oxtail. Enjoy the hot sandwiches at the communal table, make a few friendes, and wash it down with some wine. This is some of the best stuff you can eat anywhere. It doesn't get any better. It is impossible to take decent pictures while rushing frantically to get to the plate. The oxtail is great, and so is the porchetta. It is roasted so beautifully, resulting in chunks of the most tender meat around. Salumi is a place doing good things, for good eating. Short of learning Italian, and intensely studying the Michelin Guide Book on where to eat, this is as good as it gets on this side of the pond. Salumi -309 Third Ave South, Seattle, WA (between Main and Jackson, across from Seattle Lighting)
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