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Friends Food Fun

FFF Ep-47 What’s For Dinner?

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSG_ntwkB98

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). However, in order to eat weird food, you actually have to have food. What a concept! What’s for dinner? Well, when I arrived at Brian’s, the answer was obviously … nothing. ::is shocked not to mention hungry:: The kitchen counter was bare, save for the soap dispenser and small potted palm. Can’t eat either of those, can we? No cookbook, either. So I made Brian scale the heights to delve into his cupboards, then back down into his fridge and freezer. It was a clear case of WYSIWYG. Recipe? Who needs a recipe when you have an imagination? Well, obviously that and a few odd ingredients.

What we got was a can of hearty smoked bacon clam chowder soup that was filled with more … stuff such as bacon, smoked oysters, petits pois, then flavoured with freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper before being ladled out onto half a chive and cheddar scone and topped with the other half. It was terrific: spicy and filling, so that I finally got over the fact that Brian’s cupboard was bereft of the canned tuna I wanted to include. Oh, well. I survived that oh-so-tragic moment (NOT), but I’m sure I’ll end up making my own version and include that added layer of flavour and texture. If you know me at all by now, then you’ll recognize those two important buzzwords in my vocabulary.

Brian did wonder whether or not we were cheating. But I recognized that it’s not always easy to have fresh food in the fridge or out on the counter and, in fact, given the uncertainty of the weather especially in winter, it’s crucial that everybody stock up with at least some canned and frozen foods. Because, if there’s a snowstorm, I doubt you’ll be able to get a pizza delivered. 30 minutes or it’s free might end up being 3 hours or it’s free! And, by then, you may have been chewing on ice cubes as the only ingredient of any substance in your freezer. ::shudders and not only from the chill:: Yuck!

At least with the inclusion of a prepared soup as a base that is then filled with other ingredients, you can cut down on the level of sodium and other preservatives (that often make even the best quality of soup taste … uh … like cans). If you have an open bottle of wine, you can pour in a couple of spoons just prior to serving. Then you can be sure it won’t taste anything like a commercially prepared soup. If not wine, then port or brandy. Or a dry sherry. Just about anything as long as it isn’t too sweet. I’ve even made a soup with vodka. [But, then, remember I not only eat weird things, I also drink them, too! And it was a real recipe for Bloody Mary Tomato Soup from a fancy Toronto hotel.]

In any case, if it’s been some time since you’ve climbed your own stepstool to see what’s in your cupboards, you might want to have a look-see. If the cupboard’s pretty bare, lay in some provisions. So you’re not caught short (as Brian was with the yes-I’m-going-to-mention-it-again missing tuna), it might be a good idea to keep a list of foods taped to the inside of the cupboard; when you use a few things up, then you’ll know what you need to replace. Besides canned soups, there’s tuna, ham, seafood, chopped tomatoes. And on and on. Brian and I both like frozen petits pois (baby peas). The quality is far superior to that of mature peas (that seem to be nothing but starch in a shell, frankly). You could buy frozen julienned carrots (much nicer than those boring circles) or a frozen stir-fry mix (they may say Chinese, Thai or Japanese, etc. on the package). Plus, nobody should be without at least a couple packages of dry pasta which, when cooked, can be dressed with a drizzle of olive oil, herbs, sliced black olives and grated parmesan. You don’t need to always go the meat sauce route.

Usually, most dried soups have tons of sodium and that’s not a good thing. But, recently, I’ve found a line of organic dried soups (all you need to add is boiling water) that are full of fibre and nutrition. You may want to take a look around to see what’s available in your supermarket or health food store. Of course, a jar of peanut butter and crackers or a jar of your favourite jam and frozen bagels that will be toasted in a twinkle are terrific comfort foods, too. [Reminder to self: Self, you need to pick up marmalade this week! And I did, with extra-oranges!]

You’ll note that I’ve concentrated far more on foods that are canned or preserved (in glass jars). Why? Well, if your freezer is stuffed to the gills and a storm or other emergency leaves you with a power outage for a significant length of time, you’re going to have a lot of food to throw out. But, then, you’d be unable to cook it unless you have a gas stove, a gas BBQ or even an old-fashioned fondue set. Okay, so I won’t focus on the loss of electricity. Let’s stay positive.

The only place where I don’t follow the advice of the experts is that I can’t stand the taste of powdered milk, so I personally don’t stock that. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep a couple of hunks of a good hard cheese in your freezer. And you may be drinking your coffee or tea with sugar or honey only. But that’s only a temporary deprivation.

Variations:
Brian brought up the possibility of starting off with a can of cream of tomato soup instead. Don’t you think that would taste much more lively with the addition of fresh basil (if you have it, otherwise dried), plum tomato chunks and a can of green chilies? If you didn’t know it, you wouldn’t guess that this started off as something you might have had for lunch as a kid along with a cheese sandwich.

Getting back to our smoky bacon clam chowder to which I really wanted to add tuna [and I can hear Brian grumbling for me to stop repeating myself; hmmm, maybe he’ll get some tuna for next time?], if you don’t have tuna, but you have any of the following, they would be a terrific substitute: leftover shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped ham or turkey breast, shredded cheese. If you’re really stuck for filler, then just use a good bread. Since the weather’s finally turned colder and damp, I’ve been enjoying the line of frozen soups that I have but turn into meals by dropping in a slice of Bavarian multigrain rye (my favouritest bread ever) that has been torn into rough pieces. The bread soaks up some of the liquid and gives you something chewy to play with in your mouth.

Helenka’s Really, Really Nostalgic Meanderings:
Now we’re going waaaaaaay back to my childhood (not only last century but also last milenium). I remember one memorable time when there were live chickens in the basement. Thankfully that experiment wasn’t repeated after the first time. But the basement was the location of much other more fascinating stuff. Such as making home-made wine. ::giggles:: Did I mention that – at least in those days – it was natural for kids from European families to have a little alcohol with meals?

But, okay, that’s just a preamble. What I wanted to talk about was the art of home preserving and pickling. When I was young, we would regularly go to friends’ farms to pick our own fruits and veggies. Both farms were in Scarborough. Of course, when I was a child, it was an adventure to get there. I remember when the Gardiner Expressway first opened and there we were – just like the Jetsons – on an optimistic highway to the future. At one friend’s farm, we’d pick strawberries, raspberries and red currants. [That’s the farm where my childhood friend and I played at being Lawrence of Arabia and Sharif Ali at the well where we’d … uh … ridden our pretend “camels”.] These fruits would all get turned into luscious jams. At another friend’s farm, we’d get tomatoes and pickling cucumbers. The tomatoes were turned into what was called “chili sauce” in the Polish community, though it was really just a tomato, celery and onion relish. Really yummy with lots of foods. And, of course, you can’t be authentically Polish without experiencing dill pickles. Though, occasionally, we’d buy a can of pickles from Poland and I was intrigued to see that turmeric was added to the list of pickling spices.

If we drove in the opposite direction to Stoney Creek, we’d end up getting peaches and grapes. I believe there may be a picture of me, 8 years old, wearing shortish pants and a plaid shirt, up in a tree. But I have it hidden in my storage locker, so it’s unlikely to be used as blackmail material, lol (or not).

So, let’s return back to the basement where we had a cold cellar. It was a room carved out from the earth surrounding it. The lower part of it was only as wide as the door. At waist-height, the bricks formed receding steps. And each step on all three sides was covered by bottles and jars, their jewel-bright colours gleaming. The jams and “chiili sauces” were in traditional small mason jars (oh, I remember those fiddly rubbers); the peach halves in taller jars; the pickles in enormous rectangular jars, filled with tall fronds of dill with cloves of garlic; and a few bottles of wine. It was our own treasure cave. In some ways, I could hardly wait for the cucumbers to finish getting pickled because I wanted to eat them so badly. It’s no wonder that I prefer new dills instead of full sours. [That cold cellar also played another role in my imagination, where I pretended it was the entrance to a Phantom of the Opera like cavern and I had been kidnapped from royalty and brought to Toronto. Well, I keep telling you I have an imagination. You should expect such tales from me by now.] But … enough of my even weirder childhood, though it’s fun to visit from time to time. And, in 3-2-1, we’re back to the present.

Well, that’s a wrap for another (now colder) fall episode for 2011. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP – 45: Coconut Shrimp

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o8EXKWM1Fg

[Editor’s cautionary preamble. Um … at times I don’t know if we were doing a cooking show in this episode or something a lot more naughty. There were fingers being licked (and pronounced “the best-tasting fingers in the world” TM) and alone-time was sought with … shrimp. What?!?!? ::breathes a huge sigh of relief:: Okay, so this is STILL a cooking show blog … and not the other … uh … thing. In that case, let us return to our customary welcome.]

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). From the opening bit of silliness above (where I simply had to express myself), you can tell that Brian chose shrimp as the major ingredient for this recipe. And the other amazing collaborator was coconut. Add them together and you get – TA-DA – Coconut Shrimp! Served with a sprightly and colourful side salad. And, well, two additional coconuts (namely Brian and me, but then I gather you’ve already figured that one out a long time ago).

You heard us mention that, in the olden days, we were surprised, intrigued and satisfied with the PC brand of frozen coconut shrimp discovered by Brian. I can still remember the first time Brian made them for me … and was filled with glee, because I’d never eaten the dish. But that was before we figured we could imitate or ::gasps:: even go beyond the original recipe. And this was certainly a terrific example of it. Brian joked (though it’s really true) that this dish would be suitable to serve all-year round (thank you, Brian, because I love to cultivate versatile dishes), as long as the sides were seasonal. Ours was the summer version, served with the salad that I got to … um … play with as I helped assemble the colourful ingredients. But the shrimp could be served alongside pasta mixed with petits pois and diced red peppers, or subtle cilantro-lime rice with sliced green onions, or hearty baked harvest vegetables with walnuts, if you wanted to serve them during the colder weather months.

Helenka’s Nostalgic Meanderings:
Yes, I’m going back to my Polish roots that had absolutely nothing to do with coconuts. But, after my father returned from some R&R in Florida where he’d been sent by his company (by himself which was So. Not. Fair), he brought me three prezzies: a bright beach towel, a shell charm bracelet and … a coconut. Mind you, I wasn’t too impressed with it. First of all, trying to crack the shell was really hard (ow, did I really write that?), I didn’t like the coconut milk (or what I thought was milk) nor the chunks of the flesh itself. But, hey, I was about 12 and still enmeshed in a semi-sheltered culinary bubble ranging from Polish dishes at home … all the way to Polish dishes at my best friend’s house. Wow! The distance was about two blocks. At that point, I hadn’t yet been introduced to Anglo-Canadian school cafeteria fare or even been out for a pizza! Can you believe it?

So, it was a relief to get all growed-up and discover shredded coconut and coconut milk. And how wonderful it was as a gateway ingredient to many new and hitherto unexplored cuisines.

So, I thought all there was to a coconut was its meat and milk. Well, I was wrong. Here I learned that the liquid inside a fresh coconut is actually “coconut water”, something that can be drunk to balance electrolytes (take that, commercial sports drinks) and, since sterile when extracted from a fresh coconut, it had even been used in medical emergency battlefield situations as an IV solution! There is an actual process that must be followed to extract/create milk. Though you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t use the outer shell of one in the shower as a body polisher; I’ll stick to my little, commercial bath scrubber. But, really, all parts of the coconut can be repurposed in an amazing number of ways.

Before we go, we wanted to tell you about our (separate) Thanksgiving celebrations. Brian had his on Saturday with one of his sisters. But let him tell you in his own words. Here’s Brian:
First, we spent the day shopping at a local mall (we are both really good shoppers, though I seem to have more restraint, lol), then came home to Cornish Hens with a bread stuffing and roasted root vegetables. I stuffed the hens the night before (smart, eh?), then the next day put them in the oven and set the timer to start the cooking process so that they would be done by the time we got back (love that feature of my oven). I made my own stuffing which was a recipe handed down to me by some Italian friends (who also introduced me to Cornish hens as a replacement for turkey). The stuffing consists of bread cut into tiny pieces (no crusts, thank you), celery, green onions and carrots (all cut into very tiny pieces), before being sautéed in olive oil. You can add shallots and/or garlic, too. Season to taste and then let cool; stuff the hens and bind them tightly so that the stuffing doesn’t escape. Roast at 350F for about 1.5 or 2 hours. The meat literally falls off the bone and the bones fall apart too, lol. For the veggies, I used an assortment of thinly-sliced root ones, roasted in my oven for about 20-30 minutes at 375F.

The main course was followed by a really good store-bought chocolate cake for dessert. How good, you ask? Well, does two pieces give you a good idea? The rest of the weekend was spent with another friend of mine and we got to enjoy the great summer-like weather. Now … back to Helenka!

[I’m back, I’m back. Yay!] First of all, celebrating Thanksgiving Day is something I learned to do when I grew up, as it wasn’t a part of my traditional Polish childhood. I faintly remember … something, but it wasn’t gobbler-related. This year, I waited until the day itself (aka Monday), but just about everything else was as non-traditional as possible. Well, with the exception of including sweet potatoes. And … um … pumpkin pie (store-bought but very light) with whipped cream. But let me tell you about the sweet potatoes. I only stayed up until 4:30 a.m., trying to find just the right recipe. Even though there were some scrumptious-sounding ones that incorporated sliced apples (and often onion chunks) in a bake, I went for simple Baked Sweet Potatoes with Oregano. After first soaking in cold water, then draining, I mixed huge chunks with olive oil, freshly ground salt and pepper and a generous amount of oregano. Then I baked them on a foil-lined pan at 400F for an hour. Yes, they were very crisp on the outside but melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside (also, the aroma during baking was so tantalizing). The rest of the impromptu meal had Angus beef sliders and German sauerkraut.

But wait. That wasn’t the only non-traditional thing. As the weather was simply amazing (warm and sunny with a lilting wind), we carried the food out to the picnic table overlooking the lake. I even adorned the table with deccies nearly 20 years old. Really, to be able to sit outside the second weekend of October – in Eastern Canada – without having to bundle up is pretty much miraculous. And it gave us an extra reason to be thankful. Well, until Tuesday morning rolled in with its chill and bitter wind (thereby dashing my hopes of having a relaxing walk along my lake). But, hey, mid-October, ya takes what ya gits. And be happy for it, too.

Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

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Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP – 44: BASIL PESTO PASTA

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRSLck7UhcQ

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). As my entirely unwanted throat problems were being quite persistent (and embarrassingly noticeable on camera ::sighs::), I believe Brian was doing his utmost best to try to shock them out of my system with as much garlic and other intense flavours as possible. This was another such episode. [Aw, Brian, you were being so helpful. ::pats Brian on the head::]

The recipe was simply smashing and the changes Brian made were very much appreciated. As you know, garlic is our friend and we think it should be yours, too. If the dish weren’t evidence enough, there was also garlic bread to accompany the pasta. Yay, more garlic!

We’ve mentioned more than once before that, when you reduce fat, salt and sugar, you must-must-must replace those appetite-enticers with strong flavours. [Well, you obviously wouldn’t replace the sugar with garlic (though I’m sure someone in Gilroy, Ca., the capital of garlic, has), but that’s why you have cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as extracts, in your spice rack, too. Right?]

I’ve always loved pasta (well, after I grew up, moved from my Polish neighbourhood, and actually discovered and started eating it) and cannot imagine not having it as a part of my personal culinary repertoire. The terrific thing about this dish is that, along with the marvellous merging of garlic, pesto and chili garlic sauces, there were all those primavera style veggies tossed in with abandon. I definitely believe that, if you’re going to try to eat healthier, it’s easier to create a tasty pasta dish that uses a titch of oil (as this one did), rather than trying to reproduce a cream-sauced dish (can anyone say Alfredo nemesis?) using low-fat substitutes. I’m sure it works … on some other planet, but not on Earth (or not without a whole lot of convoluted prep of the low-fat ingredients, thereby defeating the desired goal of simplicity). So I’m a big fan of olive oil or, if you only need a sheen in the skillet, an olive oil spray.

Variations:
If you’re not keen about any of the veggies we used, then come up with your own combination. You could incorporate any number of the following: green beans, sugar snap peas, baby corn, water chestnuts, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini, a medley of colourful bell peppers, or anything else that grabs your attention while you’re walking through the produce section.

If you want to move beyond using plain olive oil (ooh, adventurous), you could experiment (there’s another of my favourite words) with flavoured oils such as roasted garlic (so NOT a surprise for us to recommend it), hot pepper or basil, etc.

If you think that angelhair pasta is too fussy (and don’t care to do all the twirling, either Roman-style or with a pasta spoon), go for penne or rotini. I could even see this dish being transformed into a vegetarian lasagna, layering the broad noodles with a mixture of sautéed veggies and the pesto/garlic/chili sauces. [Oh, Brian, I just made myself hungry. Could we try making this as a lasagna? Pleeeeeease? ::sighs in defeat:: Brian’s ears are apparently in OFF mode.]

Helenka’s Nostalgic Meanderings:
In the episode, I said that angelhair was my favourite type of pasta. But that wasn’t quite truthful. I happen to enjoy so many different styles of pasta because each has its own unique personality and texture (not to mention shape). After all, if there’s anything I can’t stand, it’s a food that is boring. Blech. ::shudders::

Angelhair is definitely a delicate delight. But, then again, I also remember how often I would make linguine with clams in a white wine and garlic broth that included many veggies. I think that was my signature dish during the 1980s. In the summer of 2010, I got into the habit of cooking up a pot of fusilli, draining and cooling the pasta before I’d toss it with kalamata olives, chopped tomatoes, sliced shallots, a spritz or two of red wine mist vinaigrette, and a finishing sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. On a hot day, it made for a very refreshing and quick’n’easy dinner. Considering how unbearably hot it was last year, this dish helped to cool me off. Mind you, the glass of white wine was also nice.

And that’s another bonus for cooking with pasta. As long as you avoid any butter or cream sauces, you can usually serve it cold. It’s a versatile dish, a comfortable carbohydrate to which you can add a variety of protein, be it chicken, beef or sensational seafood (crab, lobster or shrimp are all yummy enhancements), making more expensive food purchases go a long way.

Well, that’s a wrap for another fall episode for 2011. As the weather gets colder (except for the lovely though totally anomalous warmth and sunshine we’re enjoying in Toronto this pre-Thanksgiving week), we’re sure this dish will definitely warm you up, inside and out. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

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Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP – 43 Chili Glazed Salmon

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-n96vhqeVE

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). It seems as if Brian and I didn’t have enough chili sauce in the last episode (Chili Mango Chicken), so we decided to have some more. A lot more. Hmmm. Is that another Teletubbies moment, or just simple recognition of something that tastes very good? Well, whatever the motive, this was an excellent recipe to make. I also have this opportunity to correct a misconception from my notes last time (when I was bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t eat salmon from Lake Ontario in a counter-argument to locavore cuisine). I met someone on the boardwalk bridge in front of my castle over the weekend and learned that our wee lagoon is stocked annually with baby salmon and other varieties of fish. So, indeed, there are salmon in Lake Ontario, though not to a commercial level. [::glances over at Brian with a wistful look:: Oh, Brian, will you catch me a salmon? Please? Brian merely rolls his eyes.]

Mind you, in addition to creating this really easy salmon dish (accompanied by broccoli with parmesan), Brian and I certainly did get up to some antics, enjoying a wee drink (or was it five!) of Bailey’s Irish Cream that had been previously chilled in the freezer. I even communed with the floor (very briefly). Well, as we did remind our viewers, we like to mix SF in … occasionally … so perhaps we’d lost our inertial dampeners at that moment. [Note to self: Self, keep baffling the audience with Memories of McKay. Rodney, that is!]

But, speaking of … memories, Brian and I have a whole bunch of them. Or had. What memories? Well, the President’s Choice Memories of sauce collection. We began buying them up avidly when they were first introduced onto the grocery shelves. In fact, for a while, I believe I had more Memories sauces than food in the fridge (probably battling for supremacy with the umpteen jars of olives and pickles). It was almost as if we could close our eyes, get spun around until dizzy, then point to a spot on a globe. And there would be a sauce for it. We each had our own faves. Brian always liked grilling shrimp (mmmmmm, lots and lots of shrimp) with the Thai sauce while I believe I made ribs a few times with the Patagonia sauce, for an unusual taste sensation. But it was no wonder they were so popular. They were very tasty and affordable. Check out some of the various flavours here: Unfortunately, a number of them have been retired over the years (and we miss them a lot).

Since those early days, we’ve both grown more confident, becoming more creative in food prep, with sauces being an easy way to experiment. If you’re putting unknown ingredients together, start out with small quantities of each item, adjusting the proportions to suit your taste. I’m sure you’re already more than aware of my hand-waving during tasting as I try to describe the layered nuances of various sensations on my tongue and and what lingers after I have swallowed. You may find that one ingredient is dominant when the sauce is still in its raw state, but will recede into the background after it has been cooked. And that’s all a part of the experimentation: to have fun and to surprise yourselves. Hey, we do that all the time. If that weren’t the case, we would not have learned that we like to over-garlic a lot of dishes (or, as in this case, over-ginger). So, don’t be afraid to try out strong flavour combinations. If you goof, you don’t necessarily have to throw out your experiment. You may be able to save it and intrigue unsuspecting guests who may not be aware that the spoonful of honey, or wine, or hazelnut oil was an afterthought. You’ll have averted a culinary collapse and learned that you can indeed overcome a variety of obstacles. [Speaking of obstacles, I may have already mentioned this … waaaay back … but I was making … er … trying to make crème brulée for a special dinner for Brian. But the stupid dish refused to become firm. Though I was on the verge of feeling frantic, I simply turned to my freezer, removed the always-chilling bowl of my ice-cream maker and turned the potential disaster into a supremely luscious, creamy vanilla ice cream (that included the essence of a Bourbon vanilla bean pod). I also felt vindicated, years later, when I read a semi-professional cooking magazine that compared different recipes for crème brulée and learned that there are a number of ways the finished product could be sabotaged. But, alas, I didn’t know that at the time. As I’ve said … cooking is a learning experience that never stops.]

In any case, go ahead and try things out. See if your tastebuds compare to your friends’, or are there subtle or wildly diverging differences. If there are, could it be related to where you grew up and what you ate as a child. ::giggles:: Considering Brian’s childhood when compared to mine, sometimes I wonder how we could possibly have anything in common. But that’s the wonder of food. Sometimes all it takes is an open mind (and an open mouth)!

Well, that’s a wrap for our second fall episode for 2011. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

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Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP-42 Chili Mango Chicken

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OUE9ppARCU

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). Brian and I are baaaaaaack, after a really, really (take my word for it), really hot summer – though he managed to escape a few times. [Note to self: Self, look into electronic ankle cuffs. ::sits back and waits for Brian’s sputtering reaction::] [sometimes silence is the best revenge – {Brian}]

When we filmed this episode, I was slightly under the weather (okay, some dirty scoundrel had stolen MY voice … the noive) so I was really pleased with the choice of recipe. Why? Because I firmly believe that consumption of strong spices promotes good health. In fact, using hot spices has been found to actually prohibit the proliferation of bacteria in cooked food. [I read that a while ago and, you know, it makes sense.]

Without the mango, this would have been just a chicken-veg stir fry. But – with the inclusion of luscious chunks of firm mango – this dish became exceptional. And it was a breeze to prepare.

Mango Musings
I know that there is much good to be said about the locavore food philosophy (whether it be 50 or 100 miles). At the same time, I also recognize that having one’s food choices strictly bound by geography would lead to very boring meal times. And less healthy ones when one considers how many brilliantly-coloured fruits and vegetables can not be grown naturally in Canada. Uh, sorry, locavores, but I’m not going to subsist (an apt descriptor, emphasis on the sub) on rhubarb, strawberries, peaches, corn and zucchini in the summer, apples in the fall and potatoes and parsnips in the winter. And there’s no salmon spawning in Lake Ontario either. Mind you, a locally-grown organic chicken would be delightful.

So … discovering a cornucopia of produce from warmer climates brings new energy to the preparation of meals. And mangoes are – to me – essential! How often have I downed a cold Thai chicken and green mango salad. [Rhetorical question, obviously.] Or made a salsa with a firm yellow mango, peach, red onion and red pepper. One of my fave holiday dinners for Brian included home-made mango ice cream, served with a fresh mango purée. Over the top in flavour? Definitely.

Mangoes are so versatile that they can be served in both sweet and savoury dishes. Try chopped mango, sliced strawberries, a drizzle of honey, a scoop of natural yogurt and a sprinkling of walnuts. [And I know Brian would probably add a bit of balsamico, too.] Now that’s a divine breakfast or dessert. Or sliced mango and grilled tuna on a bed of spring greens, with a zingy lemon pepper dressing. Really, you can’t go wrong using your imaginations, not with this fruit.

You may have noticed how much fun I have tasting the finished dish (and Brian’s usually left out of the picture until after the filming’s done); this time, with a wee looping effect (hmmm, should I call it the Teletubbies effect, namely “Do it again, do it again”), you get to see me taste the dish … twice. ::giggles:: Well, I know I enjoyed it. And perhaps that bit of chili I swallowed was supposed to make me get better twice as quickly.

Well, that’s a wrap for the first fall episode for 2011. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.