BAKED CANADIAN BACON
BAKED STUFFED ARCTIC CHAR November 1 , 04
BRIE & GRAPE SANDWICHES WITH MINT   April 14, 04
CARNE a la PARILLA
CAFÉ TAFEL CHICKEN WRAP
CHARCOAL-GRILLED BABY ONIONS WITH LIME
CHILI CRABS ( Thailand) April 12, 05
CHIMICHURI
CHOCOLATE-ALMOND PETIT FOURS       June 9, 05
CIDER GLAZED SALMON       June 9, 05
CUBAN ADOBO
EGGS WITH PIGNOLI SAUCE (Early Roman)    Decmber 7 , 04
HERB BUTTER
LOVE POTION #9 (Ginseng Syrup)    January 5, 04
ONION SOUP LES HALLES
Not-for-kids PUMPKIN PIE September 28, 03
POLLO A LAS BRASSOS, ESTILO SINALOENSE
PRAYAS (Mongolian Grilled Vegetables) November 15, 04
ROAST PRAIRIE LAMB CHOPS    June 9, 05
RUSHIN FISH IN FOIL ( BAHAMAS)     November 1 , 04
SPAGHETTI WESTERN
SPIKE MILLIGAN’S SPAGHETTI a’la FRED NEW September 15, 05
TABBOULAH SALAD With NASTURTIUM FLOWERS  August 5, 03
TURDUCKEN (A Chicken In A Duck In A Turkey) NEW September 15, 05
WILD BOAR PATE

"I don't like to say that my kitchen is a religious place, but I would say that if I were a voodoo priestess, I would conduct my rituals there."
          ~Pearl Bailey (from: Pearl's Kitchen)

1. Moisten dry ingredients with the cognac to paste consistency. Cut diamond pattern in fat side of the bacon & place a clove in each diamond.Bake about 1 ½ hours at 300 degrees.Remove and pat one half of the paste mixture over the top surface.Return to the oven & cook for another 15 minutes.Remove & again coat with the remainder of the paste.Bake for another 15 minutes.
2. Slice & serve hot or cold.

This is very nice with rye bread.

BAKED STUFFED ARCTIC CHAR   November 1, 04

1. Wash and dry fish. Sprinkle on inside with salt.
2. Stuff loosely with desired stuffing* (3/4 cup for each pound of stuffed fish, or 1 cup per pound of stuffed fish if backbone is removed).
3. Fasten opening with small skewers, or sew with large needle.
4. Place stuffed fish on greased baking plan.
5. Brush with melted fat or oil.
6. Measure char at thickest part. Bake in hot oven @ 450 degrees F. – 10 minutes cooking time for each inch of thickness.

1. Cook onion and celery in butter until tender.
2. Add cooked vegetables and seasoning to bread crumbs. Toss lightly.

1. Rub the steaks with the salt and pepper. Marinade them in chimichuri a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
2. Broil over charcoal as desired. Baste generously with marinade during this process. Serve hot with the marinade.

1. Mix ingredients together.Cut chicken breasts into strips.Pour sauce over the chicken strips & marinade overnight.
2. Cook chicken under a broiler & wrap in tortillas with: lettuce, cheese, onions & roasted peppers.

Compliments of Chef Lincoln.

CHARCOAL-GRILLED BABY ONIONS WITH LIME (Mexico)6 - 8 bunches large green onions
2 tbsp vegetable (or olive) oil
2 large limes (cut into wedges)
salt to taste

1. About 45 minutes before serving, light charcoal & let it burn down until medium-hot.Cut the roots off onions, trim ½" off the tops & pull off any outer layers.When charcoal is medium-hot, place the grill 4-6" above the coals.Fold a square of tin foil in half & lay it on one side of the grill.
   Lightly brush the onions with oil, then lay them on the grill, bulb-side over the coals and green-side over the foil.Grill, turning frequently for 7-12 minutes depending on size, until the bulbs are browned & the green tops are soft.
2. Remove to a warm serving platter, squeeze a couple of lime wedges over them & sprinkle with salt. Serve remaining wedges on a side dish, for those who want more.)

SERVES 6-8. Goes very well with Pollo a las Brasas, Estilo Sinaloense (Charcoal-Grilled Chicken, Sinola-Style

1. 
   Place the garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, black pepper and bay leaves in a mortar and pestle & mash into a fine paste.
   Work in the sour orange or lime juice.
   Throw it into a blender and puree. Add salt or cumin to taste if needed.
2. Makes ¾ cup. Refrigerate. Keeps for up to a week, but best when used in one or two days. This will give you enough Adobo for 1 ½ pounds of meat, chicken or seafood.
   

• Whole chicken or turkey - 12 hours (put some Adobo in the cavity, some under the skin & rub the rest over the skin).
  Whole pork roasts or tenderloins, rack of lamb and beef tenderloins - 4 to 8 hours.
  Whole fish - 2 to 4 hours (put some Adobo in the cavity, some in the slits in the fleash and pour the rest over the skin).
  Chicken breasts, steaks and pork chops - 1 hour.
• Shrimp and fish fillets - ½ to 1 hour.

EGGS WITH PIGNOLI SAUCE (Early Roman) Decmber 7 , 04

HERB BUTTER(Vintage Canadian Ranch Style)
Take 5 or 6 soup spoons of soft butter, a 3 fingered pinch of thyme, the same of tarragon and some freshly chopped parsley. A pinch of salt and pepper, a couple of pinches of mint and mix well.

LOVE POTION #9 (Ginseng Syrup)

2 large ginseng roots (or 4 smaller roots), cut up finely
3 tbsp. sake or vodka
10 ounces of water

Using a mortar, pound the ginseng roots well and then place them in a small earthenware casserole dish with the water and sake or vodka. Heat in the oven at 275 degrees F (or 140 degrees C) for two hours, then leave it overnight in the oven at the lowest possible temperature. Strain & bottle the liquid the next morning. If stored in a cool place, it will keep for a month. It's a great syrup to add to any vegetable dishes for your next romantic dinner. (NOTE: Chinese ginseng is considered more potent.)

“A number of rare or newly experienced foods have been claimed to be aphrodisiacs. At one time this quality was even ascribed to the tomato. Reflect on that when you are next preparing the family salad.”
       ~ Jane Grigson

ONION SOUP LES HALLES (France)
Soup was introduced to France around 1650. This classic recipe of the most famous hearty peasant bread soup, comes from "Wild Women In The Kitchen" and we felt compelled to add it, if only for the following story…."This version was made for centuries at Les Halles, a huge Parisian market where traditionally, just after mid-night, farmers would truck their wares in from the countryside to the market. By 2:00 A.M., restaurant owners & shopkeepers would arrive to buy ingredients for the day. A ring of restaurants sprang up around the markets and, because they were open all night, they became the after-hours stopover for theatregoers and other night owls. And because onion soup was believed to be an antidote to a hangover, all the restaurants in the area began serving it. Revelers typically ended an evening with a steaming bowl at Les Halles."
~ A tip of our (chef's) hat goes to the Wild Women. Thanks!

1 pound of onions (thinly sliced)
2 cups dry white wine
2 tbsp butter
6 cups unsalted beef broth or 5 cups salted broth diluted with 1 cup water
6 slices stale French bread, cut ½ inch thick
2 cups freshly grated Gruyere cheese (about ½ pound)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   In a medium flameproof dish, combine the onions, wine, & butter.
   Bake uncovered, stirring once or twice, until the onions are very soft & most of the liquid is evaporated, about 1 hour.
   
   Remove from the oven & set aside.
   In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.
   Preheat the broiler with the rack about 6 inches from the heat.
   Arrange six oven-roof soup bowls on a baking sheet.
   Evenly distribute the onions among the bowls & cover immediately with broth.
   Place a round of bread on top of each.
   Sprinkle the cheese over the breads.
2. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and broil until the cheese is lightly browned (about 2 minutes). SERVES 6.

2 medium, whole chickens (3- 3 ½ lbs each)
Pepperheads Wild Garlic Salsa(For the marinade….)
1 small onion (roughly chopped)
10 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
1 1/3 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
½ tsp. (each) dried thyme, marjoram & oregano
4 bay leaves (broken)
1 (generous) tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
CHICKEN 'CHOP' ~ on each, cut down the backbone, through the joints where the legs attach, then through the ribs; remove the backbone. Open the chicken out flat on the cutting board, skin-side up, and press on the breastbone to loosen it so the chicken will lie flat. Make a small incision through the skin toward the bottom of each thigh & press the end of the nearest drumstick through it (this will hold the leg in place as the chicken is grilled). Place both chickens in a large bowl.MARINATING ~ Puree all the marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor, pour over the chickens & rub them to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or 4 hours if you are in a hurry), turning the chickens several times.GRILLING & SERVING ~ At least an hour before serving, light your charcoal and let it burn until the coals are medium-hot. Lightly oil the grill and place about 8" over the coals. Lay the chickens on the grill, skin-side up, and grill for 35-45 minutes, basting with leftover marinade & turning them every 10 minutes. Cook until tender and a fork pricked deep into the thighs brings up clear (not pink) juices. (Optional - during the final 10 minutes of cooking, grill the Baby Onions ~ see 'Charcoal-Grilled Baby Onions With Lime' on this page.) Cut chickens into quarters, lay on a warm platter & serve. Works well with Pepperheads Wild Garlic Salsa, steaming corn tortillas or grill-roasted corn.

PRAYAS (Mongolian Grilled Vegetables) NEW November 15, 04

30 gm (1 oz.) of Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Hazel nuts (or a combination)
1 ½ tbsp (25 ml) vegetable oil
juice of 1 orange
115 gm (4 oz.) horseradish (cut into thin strips)
115 gm (4 oz.) yellow & red bell peppers (cut into bite-sized pieces)
115 gm (4 oz.) carrots (cut into thin strips)
2 tbsp (8 gm) Coriander leaves, chopped
Salt & black pepper to taste

1. Toast the nuts in a preheated wok until golden brown. Remove & keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wok; when close to smoking, add the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes on high heat. Remove and keep aside.
3. Pour the orange juice into another wok and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
4. Arrange the vegetables on a warmed platter; sprinkle over with coriander leaves and season to taste with salt & black pepper.
5. Drizzle the orange juice over, sprinkle with nuts & serve right away.

You’ll need to have a second wok, or being doing dishes (wok) as you go. If you want to add your favorite Pepperheads sauce to this traditional Mongolian recipe, add to taste mid-way through step #2. A nice veggie delight!

This recipe can be prepared indoors or outdoors, on the stove, under the broiler, on firewood or coals. You will find it fun on the beach.

PREPARATION: Cut fish into portion size, season with salt and hot pepper sauce or pepper. Place on tin foil large enough so that the foil can crimp seal and wrap which will make it airtight. Sprinkle two tablespoons lemon juice over the fish and cover the fish with 3 slices of onion and two pats of butter. While wrapping be sure not to let any of the juice escape. Cook under broiler 20 minutes, on coals or firewood coals 12 minutes. The sauce is used with the fish.

~ This is a cute little recipe that comes from “Bahama Cook & Drink Book” (1971) by Joie Cartwright. We really liked the outdoor approach and found that Piri-Piri Sauce worked well with its lemon & lime accent. Still haven’t done it on the beach yet!

SPAGHETTI WESTERN

TABBOULAH SALAD With NASTURTIUM FLOWERS

1. Put bulgar in small bowl and cover with boiling water, and let it sit until water is absorbed.
   Mix parsley, mint, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, green onions & Nasturtiums in your salad bowl.
   Stir in the softened bulgar and set aside.
   For the dressing, mix lemon juice, olive oil & allspice in a separate bowl, then pour over the salad.
   
2. Garnish with whole Nasturtium flowers and serve.

A refreshing summer salad. For a heartier version, add chick peas and feta cheese. Compliments of www.sagekitchen.com where you can find many interesting ways to cook with edible flowers. This was their addition to our World's Longest BBQ party.

TURDUCKEN (A Chicken In A Duck In A Turkey)
The Turducken will need to cook for 12 or 13 hours at 190 degrees F so begin preparation well in advance.

Needs:

• 6 to 8 kg. Whole Free Range Turkey
• 1 ½ to 2 1/3 kg whole Duck
• 1 ½ kg whole Free Range Chicken (or use a larger Chicken and place the Duck inside it)
• corn bread dressing
• sausage stuffing
• large roasting pan and rack
• cotton string and cheese cloth

Place the cleaned turkey, breast side down, on a flat surface. Cut through the skin along the length of the spine. Using the tip of a knife and starting from neck end, gently separate meat from rib cage on one side. Toward neck end, cut through meat to expose shoulder blade; cut meat away from and around the bone, severing bone at the joint to remove shoulder blade. Disjoint wing between second and third joints. Leave the wing bones and keep the wing attached to the meat.

Continue separating meat from frame, heading toward the thighbone and being careful to keep the "oyster" (pocket of meat on back) attached to skin, rather than leaving with bone. Cut through ball-and-pocket joint to release thighbone from carcass (bird will be open on one side, exposing bones left to deal with). Keep the leg attached to the meat.

Repeat boning procedure on the other side of the bird. Varefully remove carcass and reserve for making stock. You should end up with a flat boneless (except for wings and legs) turkey with the skin intact in one large piece. Cover the boned turkey and set aside (or chill).

Repeat the process on the duckling and chicken, but cut off the first two joints of wings, and bone both stumps of wings and leg drumsticks (cut through flesh at thinnest point and trim around the bones with a knife until they can be removed). Trim excess skin and fat from necks of birds. If it is your first time boning a fowl, it is advisable to practice first on the chicken rather than the turkey. Both the chicken and duck will be stuffed inside the turkey and need not be kept "perfectly" intact. Make stock from the chicken carcass.

Prepare seasoning mix and set aside:

• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1-2 tbsp. paprika
• 1-2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1-2 tbsp. Pepper
• 1-2 tsp. dried thyme

Prepare sausage stuffing: Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add 3 cups onions and 1 ½ cups celery. Sauté until onions are dark brown but not burned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add 2 lbs. sausage (we prefer spicy Italian sausage) to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes or until the meat is browned, stirring frequently. Add paprika (3 tbsp.) and minced garlic (3 tbsp.) and cook about 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3 cups of chicken stock and bring to simmer. Continue cooking until water evaporates and oil rises to top, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 cups toasted bread crumbs and mix well. Add more bread crumbs if mixture is too moist.

Prepare a similar amount of another stuffing such as corn bread stuffing.

At least 13 to 14 hours before dinner, assemble the Turducken.

Spread the turkey, skin down, on a flat surface, exposing as much meat as possible. Rub 3 tablespoons of seasoning mix evenly on meat. Spread sausage stuffing over the turkey in an even layer approximately ¾ inch thick.

Place duck, skin down, on top of stuffing. Season exposed duck meat with about 1 tbsp. of seasoning mix. Spread corn bread stuffing in an even layer (about ½ inch thick) over the duck.

Arrange the chicken, skin down, evenly on top of corn bread stuffing. Season chicken meat with seasoning mix. Spread remainder of sausage and/or cornbread stuffing on top of chicken.

With another person's help, carefully lift the sides of the layered birds, folding the sides of the turkey together. Have a helper hold the bird while sewing the opening down the back of the turkey together using cotton thread. The bird may not close perfectly, and a strip of cheese cloth can be used to help close the "crack" in the back of the turkey so stuffing will not leak out when the bird is turned over.

Since the Turducken has no skeleton, it must be trussed up or it may fall apart in cooking. Tie cotton string around the bird, widthwise, every inch or so along the bird's length. Turn the bird over and place in a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan so it is oriented breast side up and looks like a "normal" turkey. Tie the legs together just above the tip bones.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS!
Heat oven to exactly 190 degrees F. Temperature control is crutial since the Turducken is so massive that it has to be cooked very slowly at a low temperature.

Using an oven thermometer or regular meat thermometer is highly recommended.

Place the bird in the center of the oven and bake until a meat thermometer inserted through to center reads 170 degrees F, about 12 to 13 hours. There will be no need to baste or cover with foil, but accumulated drippings will have to be removed from the pan every few hours so that the lower portion does not deep fry in the hot oil. Remove the Turducken from the oven and let cool in the pan for an hour before serving. Make gravy according to your favorite recipe, or check out The Griesser Spoon's own home made gravy.

Don't cut the Turducken in half before serving. To serve start carving from front to back.

8 kg. to 10 kg. Boned Meat (17 lbs to 22 lbs) Will make 15 to 25 servings.
~ This comes in compliments of The Griesser Spoon in Canmore. The Griesser Brothers are Austrian trained chefs & really know their stuff. If you don't want to go to all the trouble, you can book a Turducken ahead of time for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Check with them at www.griesserspoon.com A wonderful, hard-to-find treat.

WILD BOAR PATE (The Canadian Rocky Mountains)
(Prepare this pate at least 48 hours before you plan to serve it.)SERVES 6:
2 large chicken breasts ¾ cup back fat from pork chops
¾ lb. wild boar and/or pork ½ cup duck livers
(shoulder is best) (optional, but a great addition)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled & cored 1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp nutmeg
3 juniper berries 4 bay leaves
1 tsp mixed dried herbs - marjoram, sage thyme
¼ cup brandy ¼ cup Port or Madeira
1 lb bacon, preferably double smoked 2 large eggs

1. Dice the chicken, wild boar or pork, the fat and livers (if using) into walnut-size pieces.
   In a very hot skillet quickly saute the meat in small batches to brown on all sides. The meat should still be rare.
   In a bowl place the meat and apple cut into chunks and sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg, junniper, 1 bay leaf, dried herbs, brandy and Port. Enjoy a sip of brandy or Port yourself. Mix well and cover. Chill for 24 hours.
   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
   
   Remove the bay leaf and lift meat out of the marinade, reserving liquid. Grind the marinated meat and apple in a meat grinder fitted with a coarse blade or in a food processor. Process in very small batches.
   Dice the bacon into small pieces and mix into the pate. Mix in the eggs and juices from the marinade and mix well. Spoon off about a tablespoon of pate, form it into a small patty and fry it to test the seasoning. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
   
   Fill a terrine or loaf pan with the meat, smooth the top and decorate with bay leaves. Bake in oven for 60 minutes.
2. While the pate bakes, some fat will rise to the top. If you let the fat cool with the pate, it will seal the meat and allow the flavours to develop more fully. Leave it for two days or so and you will be amply rewarded. The fat may be removed before serving, or may be eaten with the pate, depending on your preference. This pate will keep chilled for six to eight days.