The Pepper Prez checks in (Updated Dec. 12^th ): How did December get here so fast? I know I’ve said it many times before, but thank you all for embracing Pepperheads…a little Christmas embrace is a good thing!
(Miss Wild Garlic is already checking out to see where the mistletoe is hung.) To everyone one of you who have joined in this adventure…thank you! A number of ‘presents’ came in early from Texas and New Mexico, but you can’t taste hardware (awards). Food, family, friends and a few days off is what we’re all getting ready for. As I take a moment to look at our Recipes To Inspire section, I’m amazed by how many recipes & cooking tips you have sent in and shared. In a small attempt to ‘share the love’ that you have shown, here’s a little seasonal warmth back at cha…

RECIPES OF 2005 THAT INSPIRED US…

Influenced by taste, attitude, and moved by your response, we’ve picked a few recipes and are sending Pepperheads swag out to each.

The Best Combination of Story, Taste and Attitude:
This recipe from Calgary just struck such a ‘Pepperheads’ note….never let language barriers get in the way…just go out and play, follow your heart, have some fun and blow formalities out the window!

PORTUGESE SHRIMP:

This recipe is somewhat inexact as we sort of finagled it from 2 very hospitable young guys at a little restaurant down at the dock area, in a warehouse sort of setting in Lagos, Portugal. They cooked everything on a 2 burner propane stove, much like a Coleman stove. They couldn’t speak any English, and we didn’t speak Portuguese, but after much merriment and wine, we were sort of able to figure out this delicious shrimp recipe from them.

1. About 1 lb. of good sized shrimp in their shells, say sort of tiger prawn size. We’ve tried cooking them without their shells but prefer shelling them after we’ve cooked them. We think they have better flavour when cooked in their shells.
2. Melt a good glop of butter, add some olive oil (extra virgin) in a pan – we prefer a wok.
3. Cook about a ½ dozen or so garlic cloves until they’re soft – may be crushed, but whole also works
   
   Then comes the fun!
   
   
4. Add the juice of ½ lemon squeezed right into the pan.
5. Add a tablespoon or so of good Dijon mustard.
6. Add a healthy portion of Piri-Piri Sauce, amount varies to taste.
7. Add some chopped cilantro and a dash of salt. The cilantro can be half and half; half cooked now and half added just as the shrimp is ready to come out of the pan.
8. Mix the whole thing with a spoon (wooden if you’re using non-stick pans), so the resulting sauce is fairly uniform.
9. Then throw in the whole mess of shrimp. Turn and cook until they’re all pink.
10. Throw the whole works in a bowl on a table with a newspaper spread on it. Peel and eat the shrimp, throw the shells on the newspaper.
11. Oh, yeah, add copious quantities of chilled white wine and lots of good fresh bread to sop up the sauce remaining when the shrimp is gone.

~ Compliments of Gordon & Linda, whom I met at Farmfair in Edmonton. A great attitude to travel with & what a memory to bring home. Those moments are priceless and so is your much appreciated casual approach to this recipe. It’s the recipe(and story) for a party!

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Easy & Tasteful Recipes That Make Great Gifts:
Two winners in this category (Mission, B.C. and Canmore). Both are very tasteful and you can make a bigger batch and share them as gifts. If you try them, be sure to send a little thanks in ‘Share Your Thoughts’ to let them know how you enjoyed them.

CRANBERRIES FROM HEAVEN September15 , 05

“This is a recipe that my mother gave me years ago, although I have modified it considerably. Dark Secrets #10 has brought new life to an already great recipe, you really must try this as it is a wonderful and welcome departure from the normal fare.”

2 cups cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine and cook until berries are mostly popped, then add…

¼ cup finely chopped onion
3 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp Worchester (Lea & Perrins) sauce
1 tsp salt
a tsp paprika
1 tsp Mexican chili
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp Dark Secrets Hot Sauce

Cook for 3 minutes and jar. Makes 1 500ml mason jar, keeps very well!

~ Gord from Canmore is a passionate hot sauce fan and makes his own GORDZ HOT SAUCE for family & friends. He really gets the sense of ‘community’ that we all share and wanted to share this recipe in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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PAUL’S BOTTLE & AGE SALAD DRESSING

1 (375 mL) tall, clear ice wine, or vinegar bottle
3 Tbsp. Honey Garlic Mustard Rub
1 (6-8”) sprig of thyme
Clean virgin olive oil

Make sure your bottle is well sterilized. Put in rub, then thyme sprig, then fill with olive oil. Cap, or cork, and set aside for one month in a cupboard.
“When it’s ready, just put your thumb over the top and drizzle over your salad. They make great gifts, but you have to plan ahead.”
        ~ Compliments of Paul in Mission, B.C.

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The ‘Who Says Meatloaf Is Boring’ Award:
A gem from Turner Valley, Alberta. ‘The Artful Loafer’ is a firm believer of using local ingredients, so don’t be afraid to use black currants, saskatoons, or huckleberries. Bison works as well as elk, but if you are using a less lean meat (ground beef), you might want to cut back a bit on the breadcrumbs.

THE ARTFUL LOAFER
(Elk, Portabella, Blue Cheese & Berries)
(a.k.a. “Millarville Market Meatloaf”)

~ This began as a market conversation between D’Arcy (Pepperheads) and Eric and Louise (E&L), then Mark Klaudt (Route 40 Soup Company) took the basic concept and added his very unique touch. Anybody who has tasted Mark & Lannys’ soups at the market, know they are always unique and memorable. After tasting this recipe, Mark was referred to as ‘the artful loafer’. Taking the ‘regional cuisine approach, we used products from the Millarville Market wherever possible: bread, bacon, sage, eggs & elk. It’s worth the effort & has a wonderful fine blend of tastes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. ground elk	1 free-range egg
6 tbsp. Dark Secrets BBQ Sauce	1 ½ cup flax bread crumbs
2 tbsp. Wild Garlic Hot Sauce	1 medium onion, diced
1 cup fresh blueberries	½ cup Portabella mushrooms, cubed
½ cup soft blue cheese	2 ½ tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1/3 cup maple bacon, cubed

Cube up 1/3 cup of a nice local smoked, or maple bacon (we used Kurt’s) and simmer on med-low heat in a skillet until it begins to brown nicely. When the bacon is ready put it into a large mixing bowl but keep remaining juices in the skillet. Chop Portabella mushrooms into ½” cubes, dice onion and sauté both in the skillet with 2 tbsp. Dark Secrets BBQ Sauce. While sautéing, add ground elk, egg, flax bread crumbs, sage, Wild Garlic Hot Sauce, blueberries & softened blue cheese to bacon in mixing bowl and mix well. Add & mix sautéed onion and portabella mushrooms when ready. Transfer into a bread (meat loaf) pan & spoon 4 tbsp. of Dark Secrets BBQ Sauce over the top of the loaf for a glaze. Cook in preheated oven at 375 degrees (until the internal temperature is 165 degrees) for approximately 55-60 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting. This also makes for some great burgers.

~ If you haven’t tried Route 40 yet, you’re missing a treat! They just moved to a larger location in Turner Valley (933-7676 for details). They have the #1 most rave reviewed restaurant in our area. Good folks as well and they use fresh regional ingredients from local producers (including Pepperheads), as a belief & approach.

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The ‘How Sexy Is That’ Award:
Regina’s own…CJ Katz! Great taste and a playful attitude…

CJ’s BISON BACK RIBS January 17, 05

Notes: Bison back ribs are meatier than pork back ribs, but much leaner. Hence, the need to braise them in a slow oven until they are so tender they fall from the bone. Finished on the barbeque with rum-spiked Dark Secrets, you’ll be licking your fingers and gnawing at the bones. How sexy is that?

2 racks (7 ribs each) bison back ribs, or beef back ribs
1 cup red wine 1	10 oz. can beef broth
1 medium cooking onion, peeled & cut into eighths
10-12 cloves garlic, unpeeled	1 – 8” to 10” stem fresh rosemary, broken in two
10 mixed whole peppercorns	1 bay leaf

1. Along the bone on the underside of each rack, make about 7 “x” patterns. (The sinew along the bone is very tough and the “x’s” help to separate the meat from the bone when the racks are cooked.)
2. In a large shallow ovenproof pan combine remaining ingredients.
3. Set bison back ribs on top of the seasoned liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid or with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in 250 degrees oven for 5 hours. Do not open lid.
5. Ribs are cooked when meat begins to fall off the bone.
6. Remove bison racks from cooking liquid and set aside to cool.
7. Spray barbeque grill with non-stick cooking spray.
8. Preheat barbeque to high.
9. Meanwhile combine ¾ bottle Dark Secrets Gourmet BBQ Sauce with 4 tbsp. dark rum.
10. Brush both sides with ample amounts of barbeque sauce.
11. Grill on medium heat on both sides until golden brown and just starting to char.

~ Compliments of CJ Katz in Regina. Be sure to check out her great Saskatchewan online food magazine at www.savourlife.ca it’s always full of new surprises and discoveries.

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The ‘How Easy Is That?’ Award:
Simple and effective! It’s nice to see them have a little fun while they work…

EASY DIDSBURY CHICKEN & VEGETABLES

A great cooking tip from the folks at Didsbury AG Foods. They always try something different in-store on Saturdays. They took a whole chicken & rubbed over half a jar of Honey Garlic Mustard Rub over the chicken & sprinkled a bit more inside, then they grabbed all kinds of different vegetables from their produce section, placed the chicken, then the vegetables in a cooking bag, added a bit of water on the bottom of the bag & cooked it in their oven. The steam inside the bag as it cooked caused the rub flavours to blend into the vegetables. The cauliflower results were very interesting and the chicken was picked clean to the bones. “It was awesome!” was the feedback.

           ~ compliments of the staff at Didsbury AG Foods

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The ‘Inspired Does Not Have To Be Complicated’ Award:
Another tireless believer in letting people know about wonderful food. Mary Bailey does Edmonton (and Alberta) proud. These seem to just roll off the top of her head…

MARYBEE'S QUICK BASTING SAUCE

 “A quick basting sauce: Piri-Piri sauce, juice of one lime, one shot of tequila or gin. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and reduce slightly. Add a handful of chopped basil and black pepper. Reserve some for dipping. Use this to baste chicken, pork tenderloin, shrimp or fish.

~ Compliments of Mary Bailey (www.citypalateedmonton.ca ). Mary just loves to play, she doesn’t just review something, but she whips up some great tip to offer her readers as well.

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The ‘You Betcha’ Award:
Dark Secrets and baked beans…you betcha! When a Calgary cookbook author tackles a casual staple, you know it’s a winner.

FIERY CHIPOTLE BAKED BEANS

4 ounces chorizo sausage	2 large onions, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar	1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Dark Secrets Gourmet BBQ Sauce
1/3 cup chili sauce	1/3 cup dark molasses
2 tsp. dry mustard	2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
¼ tsp. salt	¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground allspice	2 cups cooked black beans
2 cups cooked kidney beans	2 cups cooked pinto beans

Preheat oven to 325F. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo, sauté 2 minutes. Add onion, sauté 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients, bake uncovered at 325F for 1 hour.

Yield: 10 – ½ cup servings

~ Linda Matthie-Jacobs offered to share this great baked beans recipe. She has written two cookbooks “Light The Fire” (hot and healthy) and “Fire ‘n’ Ice” (contemporary & traditional Mexican cuisine). www.cookingwithfire.com

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The ‘We’re All Suckers For A Good Cream Sauce’ Award:
Another Calgary regular. Now if we could only get T-Bone to share his Seafood Chowder recipe with us…

T-BONE’S ROASTED RED PEPPER & PIRI-PIRI SAUCE

4 red peppers (roasted, burn black on BBQ or under broiler ~ remove skin & seeds)
¾ cup of chicken stock (homemade or good quality, low salt, no MSG)
1 medium onion (coarsely chopped)
2 tbsp. of chopped garlic
2 tbsp. of heavy cream
1 cup of Pepperheads Piri-Piri Sauce
1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

Sweat onions in olive oil, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add the chopped roasted peppers. Cook for 2-4 minutes. Add chicken stock, cook for 2-4 minutes, then add the Piri-Piri Sauce, add cream and reduce (simmer) until the sauce thickens.

~ “Use this sauce on pasta, seafood, or chicken and enjoy!” ~T-Bone

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The ‘Non-Stop Kitchen Party’s Amazing Guest Chefs’ Awards:
If you were at Fantasy Food 2005 in Regina, or Indulgence 2005 in Edmonton, you’ll have tasted these off-the-top creations. Both were huge crowd favorites. These awards are based on your response!

FANTASY FOOD #1: ROAST BEEF RIB EYE
Roast rib eye of beef with fines herbes! (Took a traditional French approach)
MIX: fine bread crumbs, Dark Secrets BBQ Sauce, fresh chopped tarragon, rosemary, thyme, horseradish, salt and pepper. Combine it all together, adding enough Dark Secrets Sauce so you can spread the mixture all over your roast top, sides and bottom. Cook on low heat uncovered. This works great on your fillet and strip loin roast, will also go with a nice pork roast. “Pick a big red wine to go with this.”
~ Compliments of Brent at AAA Meats in Regina. This was a hit at Regina’s Fantasy Food 2005. Brent has won over 50 culinary awards & now staffs his butcher shop with chefs. With all that international competitive experience, it was easy for him to improvise.

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THE TRUE TASTE BEEF Mac BURGER and a touch of DARK SECRET

 This was the recipe that Executive Chef Patrick Turcot of the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton created for Indulgence 2005. He featured True Taste Piedmontese Beef and a little Dark Secrets.

8 broiche bread	2 lbs. lean True Taste beef
1 tsp. chopped garlic	1 tsp. chopped red onion
1 tsp. tarragon	½ tsp. Dark Secrets Hot Sauce
4 slices smoked apple wood cheddar	salt & pepper to taste

Mix the beef, chopped garlic and onion, chopped tarragon, Dark Secrets Hot Sauce and seasoning in a large bowl. Form 4 patties and refrigerate before grilling so they will hold better. Grill until done, turning once, placing slice of cheese on each patty just before they’re finished cooking. Slice your brioche bread in half and grill. Assemble your burger between the brioche slices and garnish with more Dark Secrets sauce, stone ground mustard and fresh tomato, or fixings of your choice. Serves 4.
~ Our thanks to Chef Patrick for sharing this recipe. The burgers were a big hit at Indulgence…they went through 300 in 45 minutes.

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The ‘Leftover’ Award:
No…the award is not leftover, but as we all plan on too much turkey for Christmas this is very useful. Jack, please get in touch with us!

LEFTOVER TURKEY ~ SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY CAKES

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups (750 mL) shredded, cooked turkey meat
1 cup (250 mL) onion, finely chopped
½ cup (125 mL) celery, finely chopped
½ cup (125 mL) green pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp. (15 mL) canola oil
2/3 cup (150 mL) old cheddar, grated
½ cup (125 mL) mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Pepperheads Wild Garlic Hot Sauce
½ tsp. (2 mL) lemon zest
2 tbsp. (30 mL) lemon juice
1 ½ cups (325 mL) fresh bread crumbs
Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

METHOD:

Heat a large, non-stick skillet to medium-high. Add oil, onions, celery and green pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
In a large glass bowl, combine the Sautéed vegetables, turkey, cheese, mayonnaise, Wild Garlic Hot Sauce, lemon juice and zest. Mix thoroughly to incorporate.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Using approximately a half cup of mixture per cake, shape mixture into ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, oval-shaped cakes. Coat evenly in breadcrumbs. Cook over medium heat on a lightly greased griddle for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden and heated through.

Serve immediately. SERVES: 4-6.

~ Compliments of Jack & www.recipes-from-friends.com

So, there you have it. Enjoy your holidays and if you’re still looking for ideas, don’t forget the award winning Sweet Piri-Piri Potatoes, freshen up the tastebuds with a few Piri-Piri Strawberry Shooters, or try rubbing your turkey in olive oil and then add Honey Garlic Mustard Rub. Enjoy!