Can opener cuisine

If you're like me, you watch a lot of cooking shows on TV.

What always strikes me as interesting, though not necessarily interesting in a good way, is that cooking with canned (or frozen, or otherwise processed) food is always presented as a "challenge" to professional chefs.  What makes me even more frustrated is the disgust with which they discuss these ingredients: these are things that they "wouldn't be caught dead cooking" if they weren't participating in this particular reality TV show.

First let me say: I get it.  You can do a lot more things with fresh food than you can with things that have been processed in some way.  But let's face it...this kind of "I only cook with fresh organic produce and meat and wouldn't touch canned or processed food with a ten-foot pole" way of thinking is not accessible to your average home cook, either because they do not have access to them, or (more likely) because eating this way can be quite expensive.

So today I'm going to let you in on a little secret: one of my favourite casseroles is made with (gasp!) mostly canned/otherwise processed ingredients.

This is a casserole that my mom used to make when I was little, and I've made a few modifications to the recipe since then.  I love it because the sauce is cheesy and delicious, and it's a complete meal that (1) can be ready in 30 minutes or so, (2) can be made the day before and just re-heated for dinner, and (3) most of the ingredients are things that you can keep in your cupboard/fridge/freezer for a rather long time (making it a great "I didn't have the time/desire to go shopping" meal).

Ingredients

-2 cans of Campbell's "Cream of ________" condensed soup.  I like to use one can of cream of celery and another of cream of broccoli, but feel free to choose any two that you like.

-1 cup of milk

-6 cheese slices (alternatively: use grated cheese, though it doesn't melt quite as nicely)

-3 cans of turkey flakes (you could also use tuna or ham), drained

-2 cups frozen peas

-1 pound of penne (or any other pasta)
-1 cup grated cheddar cheese (alternatively: use more cheese slices)

1) Cook the pasta per the directions on the package.  Drain, and set aside.

2) Combine the condensed soups and milk in a pot over medium-low heat.  Add the cheese slices and cook until they have melted.  Add the turkey flakes and peas.

3) Add the soup mixture to the pasta; mix well.  Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.

If you're making this casserole ahead, after step (3) put the casserole in the fridge.  I've left it there for as long as 24 hours (though I wouldn't want to leave it much longer than that).

4) If you'd like to eat right away, sprinkle grated cheese over the top at bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or so (until bubbly).  If you don't have grated cheese and are topping your casserole with cheese slices instead, add the cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking time.  If you have made the casserole ahead it may need a little extra time in the oven...

As always...enjoy the hot, bubbly (admittedly processed and full of sodium) goodness!

I must apologize...I don't have a picture of this particular casserole, mostly because I tend to dig right in after I put it on the plate (seriously...it's that good).  But these are the ingredients, and I always have them on hand for those "Oh crap I don't really want to go to the store" kind of days....

Keeping it simple.

I'm not one to get scared off by a complicated recipe, but the last thing I want to do when I've been running around madly all day is attempt some process that requires 16 steps and random ingredients that I have to dig out from the back of my cupboard.

As luck would have it though, the best way to cook a piece of white fish happens to be the simplest.

Pan-fried white fish is something that brings back lots of memories for me...memories of going fishing with my dad, and bringing home whatever we could catch for my mom to fry up in a pan.  All you need are four ingredients:

-1 cup of flour
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 tbsp of whatever combination of herbs and spices that you desire (though you don't really have to add anything more than salt and pepper if you don't want to)
-2 tbsp butter

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and spices (if you're using any).  Dredge the fish (that is, cover it in the flour mixture), then fry in melted butter until golden brown and crispy.

Simple right?  And delicious too.  Just ask Michael Smith...

The best thing about this particular method of cooking is that it's easy to add different flavours and change things up: all you need to do is vary which herbs and spices you add to the flour.  I was eating curried lentils with my fish this week, so I decided to add a couple of tablespoons of garam masala to my flour mixture....the result was pure deliciousness.

The second best thing is that the fish is done is fewer than 10 minutes!  These lentils took longer.......

Mac and cheese, 2.0

The last time I posted about making mac and cheese the subject of my musing was an ooey gooey oven baked casserole.  Delicious.  However, completely impractical given the summer heat.  Better to do it on the stovetop, and add some fresh veggies for colour and crunch.

And bacon.  Because everything's better with bacon.........

Ingredients
-3 cups broccoli florets (use pre-cut to save time)
-4 cups uncooked rigatoni (or any other pasta that you have in the cupboard)
-2 slices bacon
-1/2 tbsp butter
-1 1/2 tbsp flour
-1 1/4 cup milk
-1/2 cup (ish) Velveeta cheese, cubed (the secret to a creamy sauce)
-1/2 cup (ish) shredded cheddar
-salt and pepper to taste

1) Steam broccoli for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Drain; pat dry and keep warm.

2) Cook the pasta in the same pot.  Drain; return to pot and keep warm.

3) In a small frying pan cook the bacon until crispy; remove to a paper towel but reserve drippings.  Add butter and flour to create a roux and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Slowly add milk (stirring well to incorporate) and then bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook for 1 minute, until slightly thick, and remove from heat.  Add Velveeta and stir until incorporated, then add the shredded cheddar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Add sauce to broccoli and pasta.  Crumble bacon over the top and enjoy!!

Don't worry if broccoli isn't your thing...you can replace it with any other vegetable that you like.  A cup of frozen peas works particularly well, just add them to the sauce at the same time as the shredded cheese so that they heat through!

From the restaurant to the home

I was recently in France, and while there was lucky enough to have some delicious seafood.

Mussels, to be more precise.

To some people who know me well this might come as somewhat of a shock.  You see, when I was younger than I am now I was not the biggest fan of seafood (my suspicion is that being raised in a landlocked province didn't help).  With time, however, I have learned that fish is delicious, and find myself cooking it at least once a week.

But anyway.....mussels.

The mussels I had in France were delicious.  They were simply steamed until they opened, and then finished with lots of herbs and butter (of course they were....we were in France).  The mussels I decided to make for myself at home, however, were a touch lighter and had a bit of Italian flair.....

Ingredients
-2 lbs fresh mussels (rinsed, beards removed)
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 cup sliced yellow onion
-1 cup sliced fennel
-1 clove minced garlic
-2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped
-pinch of red pepper flakes
-lemon zest
-1 cup dry white wine

1) In a large saucepan (that had a tight fitting lid), saute the onions and fennel in olive oil until soft (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest and cook for another 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).

2) Add wine.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add mussels.  Cover and steam until they are all open.

Serve with salad, bread, and the remaining wine.  Simple and delicious!

Tis the season for salad

Lately it's been warm in Montreal, and when it's warm out I don't really relish the idea of heating up my  apartment further by cooking something hot.  The answer is making a salad for dinner.

It's actually quite easy to make a salad into a meal.  One way is to add cooked grains to bulk it up...quinoa is one of my favourite choices in this case, but it does require some stovetop cooking time (couscous is another great option).

Another good way to make a salad into a meal is to add protein.  For this reason I usually keep a tin of chickpeas on hand...no cooking required, just rinse and add!  And, of course, you can also add meat, which is what I did to make this Thai-inspired salad.....

Dressing:
-1/3 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 whole limes)
-1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
-1 tbsp grated ginger
-1 tbsp fish (or soy) sauce
-1-2 tsp chile paste with garlic (less if you like your salad mild, more if you prefer spicy food)

Combine all five ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Salad
-julienned carrot
-chopped cucumber
-fresh basil leaves (using a couple different varieties of basil really makes the salad delicious)

Exact quantities here are not important.  Basically...just cut as many vegetables as you like in whatever style you want (I, for instance, use julienned carrots because I have a vegetable peeler that does the julienning for me).  Feel free to add your favourite baby greens...cilantro and mint also go very well in this salad!!  Once you've chosen your salad ingredients, combine them with the salad dressing.

Steak
-flank steak, trimmed
-salt and pepper

Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper.  Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat; add steak to pan and cook for about 6 minutes on either side (or until the steak reaches the desired degree of doneness).  Remove from the pan and rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes (this seals in all the juices).  Cut the steak diagonally across the grain in this slices, drizzle with some of the salad dressing.  Arrange over salad and enjoy!

As always, I serve my salad with bread :)

Try this on the side...

The next time you're trying to decide which side dish to have with your dinner, consider polenta.  Polenta is basically a porridge made with corn meal, but it tastes better than that sounds.  It has a rich and creamy texture, is easy to make, and is good for you...making it the perfect companion for any number of dinners.  Once you've got the technique down it can be ready in about 20 minutes.

Also, for the cash starved students among us, corn meal is quite inexpensive. :)

There are only two requisite ingredients for polenta: coarsely ground yellow cornmeal and some variety of liquid.

I use the Bob's Red Mill...that way my polenta counts as a serving of whole grains!

When making polenta add 4 parts of liquid for every 1 part of cornmeal.  The liquid can be whatever you want...the only thing that will change in the taste.  I like to use half chicken stock and half skim milk to give my polenta a rich flavour and creamy texture, but you could also use: all milk, all chicken (or vegetable) stock, or even plain old water.

Step 1: measure out the necessary quantity of whatever liquid you choose (remember, 4 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of cornmeal) and bring it to a boil.

Step 2: Add the cornmeal in a slow steady stream, stirring constantly to prevent clumping (don't worry if it does clump...just keep stirring and crush any large clumps that you see.  The others will disappear as the polenta cooks).  Lower the heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture really thickens.

What does it mean for polenta to be really thick?  That's hard to describe, but basically you will know that your polenta is done when the trail left behind by your spoon doesn't fill in as quickly as it did in the beginning.

Thickened: now it's ready for more flavour!

Step 3: Stir in any additional flavours.  I almost always add cheese...whatever kind I have leftover in the fridge.  I also like to add frozen corn to sneak an extra helping of vegetables onto my plate, along with whatever fresh herbs I happen to have on hand that day.

Step 4: Serve!

Polenta goes great with anything...here I'm serving it with peas and grilled fish.

Alternate step 4: make a polenta "cake".  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and pour the polenta into a loaf pan or other baking dish.  Bake for 15 minutes then refrigerate until firm.  This makes the polenta into something that can be sliced and grilled (or seared in a pan), giving it a crispy crust and a creamy interior.  Perfect for polenta fries!

A 15 Minute Meal

...that I bet you've never thought of.

When you want food fast it's easy to turn to takeout, but this is not your only option.  There are plenty of delicious meals out there that take very little time to cook.

The secret: frozen shrimp.

A staple in my freezer.

These sweet frozen morsels can be thawed in less than 5 minutes, and fully cooked in under 10.  Tonight, I used them to make Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli.

I've made this recipe several times, and have thus taken the time to improve upon the original online offering.  The quantities I give here make one plate for one person...be sure to adjust accordingly if you're cooking for more.

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2) Put the frozen shrimp in a colander under cold running water so that they can thaw.

3) While the shrimp thaw, pre-cook the broccoli.  Put the broccoli in a microwave safe container, and add enough water to cover.  Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes (until broccoli is slightly tender), then drain and spread on a cookie sheet.

Tip: buy pre-cut broccoli florets to save on prep time.

4) By now your shrimp should be thawed.  Toss in 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and whatever other herbs/spices tickle your fancy (I usually add some Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes).  Add shrimp to cookie sheet.  Drizzle the rest of the oil/spice mixture over the broccoli.

5) Bake for 8 minutes, then enjoy!  I like to enjoy my shrimp with garlic bread and white wine........ 

Seriously delicious, and seriously little work.