Image courtesy of Sara Chan

The internet is a great source for all things foodie, and we’re constantly bookmarking, starring, and emailing intriguing recipes, food porn, and inspiration. Here’s a selection of clippings we think are worth checking out.

I’ve realized recently that I’m a big fan of onions, even raw ones have their place. So when I saw that my friend Sara posted a recipe for pickled onions – they make a great gift – I knew I had to share.

Custard + cornbread = Me deliriously happy.

On Coronation Street, I’ve heard them talk about Eccles cakes, but I’ve never actually seen or tried one. Maybe I should just make a batch?

Melissa Clark is one of my favourite food writers, and her recent focus on Sunday soups is so perfect for this time of year. With this recipe, she had me at parsnips.

If you’re not making a soup on Sunday, I think a rich and slow-cooked Bolognese should be at the top of your to-do list.

It’s already February. It’s already February, and I haven’t written one post about the cooking I did over the Christmas holidays. If January went by this fast, it’s sure to be Easter in no time. And then summer. And then Thanksgiving. And then Christmas again. If this is aging, I don’t mind so much because the yuckiest month is over. It’s already February!

Having done a lot of cooking for Christmas celebrations, I took it easy when it came to cooking during my quiet Christmas staycation. I didn’t stretch as far as last year and roast some flesh. Instead, I roasted some squash. Slice in half (I had a butternut), place face down on parchment in a 400-degree oven, and about 45 minutes later, you have a lot of roasted gourd to play with. Then, remove the peel and mash by hand or puree it with the help of a blender. Portion it out, refrigerate it or freeze it. You’re good to go. A healthier side dish than potatoes, a suitable mash to add some moisture to your baked goods, and a vitamin-packed, high fibre, low calorie orange veg that will help you balance any overeating damage you did in honour of baby Jesus.

Taking a cue from the many sandwiches I see featured on Serious Eats, I concocted a grilled cheese with some of the mash. The squash’s sweetness added a nice contrast to the saltiness of the cheese, and its texture added great mouth feel. No, this isn’t exactly diet food but it IS delicious.

Grilled Cheese and Squash Sandwich

Everybody usually has their own tricks and preferences for making a tasty grilled cheese. I tend to like mine only with Gruyere, but I had some leftover Fleur d’Aunis from the Christmas cheese plate, so I added it for some extra goo.

I have no measurements, but the basic idea is:

- Preheat your heavy duty frying pan to medium low.
- Butter the outside of two slices of bread.
- Smear some dijon mustard on the inside of one slice of bread, butter the inside of other.
- Spread a few tablespoons of squash on the mustard’d slice, sprinkle some fresh parsley, then load on your cheese. Top with the other slice of bread.
- Place in your pan and be patient. A good grilled cheese is made like a braise: low and slow. Don’t turn up the heat. You’re looking at about five minutes per side to get perfect golden brown bread and cheese that oozes.

Image courtesy of www.inspiredtaste.net

The internet is a great source for all things foodie, and we’re constantly bookmarking, starring, and emailing intriguing recipes, food porn, and inspiration. Here’s a selection of clippings we think are worth checking out.

Lavender honey roasted chicken sounds like a good reason to crank up the oven and heat up the kitchen in chilly January.

When you take starchy potato pillows and then bathe them in cream and stinky cheese, it’s a good thing. Gnocchi gratin with gorgonzola.

I can hardly fathom how tasty these ricotta cakes with honey butter would be if made with DIY ricotta. Worth waking up for on a blustery winter day.

Never in my life have heard of a sweet coconut covered cake treat called a lamington, but I sure want to eat one.

And I think some earl grey hot chocolate would get along quite nicely with my new friend, Mr. Lamington.

Though Edmonton is not often thought of as a dining destination, amidst the clutter of chain restaurants and fast food, Edmonton has some great culinary talents who consistently turn out top notch food, bevvies, and treats. With my computer nerd hubby getting ready to welcome a whole bunch of fellow internet marketing peeps to our fair city for a spring conference, I couldn’t resist obliging his request to share the best of Edmonton eating according to moi. In no particular order. Enjoy.

For  eating…

Handmade ravioli at Corso 32

Corso 32
Ridiculous talent and a most sincere love for food, real Italian food, collide at Corso 32 in the inspired hands of chef Daniel Costa. Don’t plan on “showing up” at the door of this popular downtown restaurant hoping for a table. Book well ahead and have your planning rewarded with some of the most perfect food you’ll eat in any city. Some favourites on the ever changing menu include the arancini, house made goat ricotta crostini, whatever today’s ravioli is, and the braised polpette aka meatballs. The cocktail and wine list is notable, too.

Culina Family of Restaurants
Be it lunch at Culina Muttart, or a dinner or weekend brunch at Culina Mill Creek, the Culina family of restaurants never disappoints. With a menu loaded with ethnic inspired comfort food, a focus on local fresh ingredients, and the best cocktail list in the city, there is something for everyone. The bacon and eggs at brunch cannot be beat, and the dinner menu has me ordering goodies like the pork and cheese tortillas, the local chorizo sausage hotpot, and the phyllo wrapped goat cheese, over and over again. And happily so. Um, did I mention the cocktails?

Red Ox Inn
I am ashamed that this is the first time that I have mentioned my love for Red Ox on Cream and Sugar. I think I’ve just been so busy gobbling up their food that taking pictures and writing went astray. Not only is their self proclaimed “serious food in a casual room” outstanding, but both the owners and the front of house staff are about the most gracious people you’ll ever meet. I must confess that I’ve yet to sample the newly revamped menu, but should some old favourites resurface on the ever changing menu, the warm goat cheese salad with bacon and cranberry vinagrette, and the rack of lamb with polenta and cassoulet are not to be missed. Reservations are recommended at this casual fine dining gem nestled just above the river valley.

Carnitas at Tres Carnales

Tres Carnales
These three guys have brought authentic Mexican tacos to the prairies, and plenty of charm to keep the vibe of their casual downtown taqueria humming. Make hard decisions from the mouthwatering menu, order at the counter, and watch your food appear in no time flat. Lunch or dinner, grab a seat at the big communal table and get ready to wolf down a plate (or two!) of Tres Carnales tacos. And don’t forget to order some guacamole y totpos. Salty chips, perfectly seasoned, citrus-ed, fresh guacamole to devour as you wait for the main attraction. The rajas con crema quesidilla and the carnitas tacos are my go-to menu items.

Viphalay
For proper Thai curry and spicy basil chicken, look no further than Viphalay. Hands down the best authentic Thai and Laos food in the city. Now with two downtown locations you can head to the dodgy edge of little Italy, or the quieter tree lined street just south of Jasper Avenue to get your fix. The red curry with bamboo, papaya salad, and penang are my favourites. And for dessert the roti rolls, fresh warm roti smothered in condensed milk and sugar, are my favourite dessert in the whole city.

Acajutla
I love pupusas. If you’ve had one before, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, now’s the time to change that. Acajutla is a little family run El Salvadorean and Mexican restaurant serving up the best little masa enveloped meat, bean, and cheese bundles in town. The decor is less than fancy and the restaurant is located in an “edge of downtown” neighbourhood that has what we’ll call “flavour”, but it’s worth the journey. The mixed pupusas, chicken enchiladas, and lime margaritas on the rocks are stars. Don’t be put off by the ridiculous website that spews latin beats to entice you. What they lack in design savvy and computer know how, they make up for in deliciousness, AND it’s cheap and cheerful!

Tony’s Pizza Palace
Quite simply the best thin crust pizza in the city. Mario’s Special adorned with capicollo, proscuitto, capers, and artichokes is THE one.

Sushi Wasbi
Located in an unassuming little strip mall in South Edmonton’s Lendrum neighbourhood, this small Japanese owned and run sushi house is tops. Rice is always perfectly flavoured, the right amount of sticky, and topped with the freshest of fish. Reservations are recommended, as is the negitoro maki, the agedashi tofu, and the gomae.

The Golden Rice Bowl
This efficient and busy Chinese restaurant is the place that much of the local Asian community chooses for celebrations, special occasions, and family meals, and for good reason. The food is top notch, the room is bustling, the menu is extensive, and the service is quick. Of course many of the most delicious things are not on the menu. I use the “point at other people’s food” method of ordering when something yummy looking comes out. My favourites include the Peking duck (which must be pre-ordered), prawn and scallop nest, house special beef tenderloin with cashew nuts (not on the menu), crispy garlic chicken, garlic pea greens, and Cantonese chow mein.

And now for some treats and bevvies…

Lemon tart at Dauphine Bakery and Bistro

Dauphine Bakery and Bistro
Located on the lovely and revitalized 104th Street downtown, in a bright vaulted basement space in the Armstrong heritage building, Dauphine Bakery and Bistro (formerly known as The Queen of Tarts) turns out some of the best artisan breads, jams, and of course tarts, in the city. The lemon curd tart is worth the trip alone. Perfectly balanced, tart and sweet, it’s citrus perfection. Go for treats, or enjoy a simple French inspired bistro lunch in their charmingly simple, yet sophisticated space.

Da Cappo Caffe
Serving the best freshly made artisan gelato in the city, Da Cappo Caffe is the place to go for creamy pistachio, dulce di latte, and chile chocolate frozen goodness. The coffee is good, too.

Transcend Coffee
This is the cult coffee house in town. Bean heads flock from all over the city to sample Transcend’s serious in house roasts from around the globe. If you end up hooked, a coffee subscription that will deliver the best beans of the month to your door is an easy at home fix.

Eva Sweet Waffles
If you can find one of the happy vans, Eva Sweet waffles are worth seeking out. These perfectly sweet Liege waffles are a thing of beauty, and luckily are also served at a number of cafes around town.

Treats from Duchess Bake Shoppe

Duchess Bake Shoppe
Drawing the masses to 124th Street for perfectly executed Parisian macarons, in flavours like rose, pistachio, and salted caramel, Duchess is a sweet treat for proper French pastries and treats. Perfect butter croissants, gorgeous tarts and cakes, sour cherry pie, lovely house blended teas, fresh marshmallows, and simply delicious sandwiches, you will find plenty of ways to satisfy any craving here. Get in line and prepare to make hard decisions with so many gorgeous things peering back at you through the pretty glass case.

Sugar Bowl
With the best beer list in the city, from Belgian to Quebecois selections, this is the place to go for a frosty mug. Nestled in a casual bustling space just over the High Level bridge on the edge of the University of Alberta campus, this popular spot is packed from morning to night drawing crowds not only for its lagers and witbiers, but for its great food and famously perfect cinnamon buns.

La Poutine
Because lord knows after you drink all that beer, you’ll need some top notch poutine. Fries, squeaky curds, gravy. Need I say more?

BiBO
From the Culina family of restaurants, my favourite tiny little spot to sit on a bench and drink a great glass of wine is BiBO. Nestled two doors down from Culina Mill Creek, this petite candle lit space is always pumping out an eclectic mix of moody music and filling glasses with beautiful wines and perfect recommendations.

The Confederation Lounge at the Hotel MacDonald
And lastly, in honour of great Edmonton institutions, there is something so lovely about walking through the doors of the hotel MacDonald and strolling into the grand but den like Confederation lounge for something on the rocks, or in a big wine glass, or perhaps in the form of a steaming boozy blueberry tea. And when warm weather cooperates, it has quite simply the best patio for a “drink with a view” in the city.

Here’s a map!

View Best of Edmonton Dining, Snacking, and Drinking in a larger map

Stop reading now if you’re on some crazy New Year cleanse or avoiding carbs, sugar, fat and all things fun. Just stop reading because the next sentence is going to tempt you. I’ve come across one of the best cookies I’ve ever made or eaten in all my 32 years. Please meet the Gooey Butter Cookie.

I am a cookie dough girl. I love tracing my tongue along the beaters, scraping my finger across the spoon and pinching off little morsels from oddly shaped unbaked cookies. I remember eating more refrigerated English Bay cookie dough than English Bay cookies as a teenager. The next person to open the tub would come upon finger tracks that revealed many a chocolate chip, but not enough dough to surround it. Pure, unadorned dough of sugar, fat, flour and eggs is all I wanted. No nuts or chips or raisins or whatever. I love the dough. And that is what these cookies taste like. Dough dough dough.

But they’re fully cooked, of course, and the high amount of butter and sugar means they are reminiscent of shortbread. But then the cream cheese gives a toothsomeness that shortbread never has. Oh, and then there’s the vanilla seeds and the vanilla extract that add both a heavenly perfume and flavour. And how could I forget that you’re to eat them cold? Yes, cold. Just like cookie dough from the fridge. As I’ve suggested before, cold cookies are a thrill worth seeking out.

I am sorry that I had to share these with you post-holidays. As I made them only two days before Christmas, there would have been little time for you to shop for and make them—because you really must shop for and make them—and then whoooooosh, January. It’s the time to work off other people’s cookies so that you can now try these.

Gooey Butter Cookies
adapted from Lottie + Doof

I got about two dozen of the size shown and another dozen and a half wee ones.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
250 g cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 vanilla bean, scraped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing sugar for rolling and dusting

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  With your hands, with a hand-held mixer or in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, butter, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar together until fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla extract.

Incorporate the flour mixture.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.  Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Half fill a small bowl with icing sugar. When the dough is chilled enough to be formed, scoop balls that are about 1-2 tablespoons (I used a cookie scoop over an inch in diameter) and toss in the icing sugar.  Place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment, a couple of inches apart.  Bake until they spread and puff slightly, about 12-16 minutes.  (In my oven they were ready at 12 minutes.) They will be really soft in the center.  If they start to brown, they’ve gone too far.  Cool to room temperature.

It is suggested that at this point you can refrigerate them on the tray because as the cream cheese and butter get cold, they’re easier to pick up. It is a good tip.  These cookies are best served straight out of the fridge.

These will keep for up to a week in the fridge or can be frozen for longer (and then thawed in fridge).

Image courtesy of willowbirdbaking.com

Happy new year! We hope your holidays were full of edible indulgences and that the turn to 2012 and everyone else’s diet resolution talk doesn’t mean you’ve sworn off butter completely. The internet is a great source for all things foodie, and we’re constantly bookmarking, starring, and emailing intriguing recipes, food porn, and inspiration. Here’s a selection of clippings we think are worth checking out.

Cooking blogs have been awash with edible cookie dough recipes that are turned into things such as truffles (no eggs make them safe to eat). Using the dough as a base for a bar covered in pretzels and sitting atop a brown butter crust sounds like the leader of the pack to me.

But if you are trying to be a bit more mindful of your calories this new year, a look to Southeast Asia can help you add a lot of flavour without adding anything heavy. This Vietnamese-inspired shrimp and quinoa salad is sure to make your doctor proud of you.

And while burgers aren’t diet food, nixing cheese, substituting turkey and again, looking to Asia for bold flavours makes these ones very appealing. Plus, the jacked-up mayo will do a fine job of helping you forget the absence of a fat slice of cheddar.

Savoury scones should be a welcome addition to any brunch table, but take a particular look at this recipe, which includes Melissa Clark’s method for quick caramelized onions.

But if you have sworn off butter, this spicy lemon date spread may come in handy if you’ve got some bread (and cheese…).

It’s Christmas! For this week’s Clippings, we look back at our holiday baking adventures.

If traditional is your modus operandi, you can’t go wrong with the Christmas pudding that’s been passed down in Sugar’s family or Cream’s classic whipped shortbread.

Unconventional? Coconut barfi/burfi have nothing to do with Christmas, but that doesn’t stop them from looking like perfect little snowballs. And you might score points with the in-laws when you present them with some lemon-sage shortbread.

Is Hanukkah more your thing? Rugelach are a pain to make, but are so so worth it.

If you’d like to cut some corners given that Christmas Eve is only two sleeps away, buy some puff pastry and go to town with these palmiers.

One of my first far away adventures was to Chile. Just after final exams wrapped in my third year of university, I flew standby with my two besties to go visit our other bestie in Santiago. Of all the sacrilegious crimes, I was a vegetarian when I went. Yes. To the meat capital of the world. No completo hotdogs, no chacareros, no meat empanadas. I need a re-do. Luckily my meat aversion is well behind me, and some years ago at a little long gone Edmonton restaurant called Churros King, I met the Lomito sandwich. Tender pork, sauerkraut, avocado, mayonnaise, tomato. Piled on a tender Chilean bun, it really is a perfect sandwich.

This week when my sweet uncle showed up at my door with a dozen (still warm) buns from the Chilean owned Latin Bakery, I could not get the Lomito out of my head. With a bit of “Lomito” googling and a quick call to my Chilean bestie who is happily back in Edmonton, I was set. I opted for slow roasting the pork and it really turned out gorgeous. Falling apart beautiful. As a bonus, the pan fried pork leftovers made a yummy companion to soft scrambled eggs the next morning. I can hardly wait to make these sandwiches again. For friends.

Lomito Sandwiches
serves 2 1/2

1 pork tenderloin
2 cloves of garlic
2 avocados
1 tomato
olive oil
sauerkraut
mayonnaise
Chilean buns (or ciabatta buns would be an appropriate substitute)

For the pork:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place whole pork tenderloin in a covered roaster or dutch oven. Fill water to almost cover. Add a few generous pinches of salt, freshly ground pepper, and the 2 whole garlic cloves. Slow roast the pork with the lid on for 2 hours or more. Remove from the roaster and shred. If you wish you can smash the soft roasted garlic and add it to the mix with a little of the remaining pan juices.

For the fillings:
Smash the avocados and add a squeeze of citrus if you plan to let them sit to prevent browning.
Thinly slice the tomato and sprinkle them with kosher salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
Warm the sauerkraut.
Warm the buns in the oven.

To assemble:
Pile the warm shredded pork on the warm bun. Top with sauerkraut, tomato, avocado, and loads of mayonnaise.

Oh, and don’t forget a stack of napkins.

To meat! Cin cin.

Photo courtesy of Dominic's Pics on Flickr

Our cultural foodie moment means that there are heaps of food-related news stories, info pieces and commentaries that appear on a daily basis. Here are our favourites of the week.

On how to properly drink a cappuccino.

Is the recipe card dead?

Epicurious posted two articles on how to survive holiday boozing. Bottoms up!

Enter the world of fictional food.

‘Tis the season of lists. The James Beard Foundation predicts 2012 food trends.

Indeed! What IS behind that very, uh, distinct smell emanating from Subway?

It took five years and four trips to New York City for me to finally find the time to make it up to the Upper West Side to visit the famous Levain Bakery. There are few “best of” type shows on the Food Network or “best of” NYC lists that don’t mention how amazing and how unique these seemingly ordinary cookies are. The recipe is a secret, of course, and so the frenzy only grows for these softball-sized treasures.

The famous Levain Bakery chocolate chip walnut cookie.

Why do people flock to this shoebox of a bakery opened by two friends who aren’t even trained pastry chefs? No cookie I’ve ever tasted has been able to achieve the holy grail of cookie texture the way Levain does: a perfect crisp crust that protects a gooey, chewy middle. When I broke apart my cookie to see if it was true, it was a moment of shock and awe. How did they do this? How can I be eating this entire giant cookie? What will I do without access to the best cookie I’ve ever eaten, hands down?!?!

I do the next best thing. I scour the Internet for a copycat recipe and make do. As you can see, my copycats look nothing like the original. So…yeah, not much of a copycat in the looks department. The taste? Also not the same. BUT, they were pretty darn alright for a chocolate chip cookie. They did have a little of the crisp outside, gooey inside thing going on but nowhere near the perfect crust that Levain achieves. I must also say that I think I preferred Nigella’s cookies. And now I’m really wanting to try to make the also famous New York Times ultimate chocolate chip cookie. In time, in time.

Within the same few days, I had the pleasure of trying the excellent chocolate chip cookies of both Balthazar and Chikalicious, and Levain was definitely the best. (Have I told you yet that it was the best cookie I’ve ever eaten?) So, if you ever find yourself in New York City, don’t be silly and wait like I did. GO. Yes, there’s nothing really around to see except the Museum of Natural History and The Dakota, but it’s worth the trip.  You could also spend a fortune ordering them online, but that wouldn’t be as much fun, now, would it?

Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Parsley, Sage, Dessert and Line Drives

I halved the recipe below and got four large (roughly a half cup each) and three medium-sized cookies. I also used half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate, which I got by chopping up chocolate bars, not chocolate chips. You might notice that there is no vanilla in this recipe. Strange, but true. I also have learned from cookie-powers-that-be that you should let your dough rest so that the ingredients fully integrate. So, I did that.

1 cups cold and cubed unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1  1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until well incorporated. (I did this in a food processor, you could also do by hand.)
Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch, and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 10-12 equal portions on a parchment-lined plate or cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and flatten slightly (a step I forgot). Bake in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes depending on how gooey and raw-ish you like the interior, until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat in an airtight container.

These are best eaten on the day they are made. To freshen them at a later time, give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds or a few minutes in a warm oven.