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Christmas Dinner 2009: Chinese Hot Pot

2009-12-30T12:05:00.001-05:00

I unfortunately had to work half a day on Christmas Eve this year, then drive 6 hours to my mother's in Montréal. What kept me going was knowing that I would be enjoying a great meal at the end of my drive. As I walked in to my mom's house, she was deep frying wonton's and chả giò (Vietnamese fried spring rolls) - another recipe that's on my list for 2010.

Deep fried wonton's filled mainly with ground shrimp and a bit of pork.

My mom had been asking my sister and me what we wanted for our Christmas meal. We also discussed having it at my sister's like last year's, or at her place. Finally, my sister asked if we could have hot pot. Strangely, it's a tradition at my sister's fiancé D's family to have Chinese hot pot (fondue chinoise) for Christmas dinner. However, my sister stated that it was different from how our family usually does it.

Variety of mushrooms, watercress and tofu.

I'm not sure how my mom's hot pot is different, but doing a quick recipe search for fondue chinoise seems to indicate that fondue chinoise has been quite "westernized" with ingredients like Worcestershire sauce and red wine for the broth (at least here in Québec). My mom just made a (Vietnamese flavoured) chicken broth. She also added a few pieces of taro for added flavour. She heated up before adding to the hot pot that my sister and D brought over.

Beef, shrimp and cuttlefish.

For the ingredients to be dipped in the hot broth, my mom had a variety of mushrooms (enoki mushrooms, meaty Chinese shiitake mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms), watercress, tofu, slices of beef (specifically for fondue), shrimps and cuttlefish. For the dipping sauce, my mom mixed soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, minced ginger and a bit of sugar, and watered it down (adjust any of the ingredients to taste). She then microwaved it for 1-2 minutes so the green onions were cooked.

Eating hot pot is quite a social activity and forces people to take their time with their meals. We had fun cooking our foods and dipping each item in the sauce. You also have to know how long different items take to cook. My sister and I were making fun of D for liking his beef slices overcooked while we liked it just pink. I had trouble not overcooking the pieces of cuttlefish. At the end, I spooned out some broth and had it as soup. It was quite hearty with the flavours of everything that had been cooked in it.

Dipping sauce and cooking the ingredients.

Finally, my sister contributed to Christmas dinner by making Martha Stewart's bûche de Noël (yule log) for dessert. She had a bit of difficulty making it pretty (especially rolling the génoise - which I also watch Anna & Kristina struggle with on their Christmas special!) but it was very tasty! I especially enjoyed the chocolate mousse filling. Another great Christmas meal!

Martha Stewart's bûche de Noël.

New Year's 2008: Macaroni Bar

2009-01-07T18:19:00.007-05:00

4448 St. Laurent

Montréal, Québec

514.287.0287

website

I got a call from my university friend C before Christmas asking if I had plans for New Year's. Someone cancelled and she asked if I wanted to go to a New Year party in Montréal. Having no plans, I accepted. The party was held at Macaroni Bar, a newly opened, happening bar on St. Laurent, at the corner of Mount Royal. I didn't know any of her friend but they were all very nice and we had a good time.

But what about the food? It was a set menu, with a couple of choices. At $135 a head (alcohol excluded, except for a glass of champagne at midnight), my expectations were very high. However, all New Year's parties are overpriced.

We arrived after 8 pm and service was very prompt, maybe to ensure we would finish before midnight. All the female servers were wearing sexy black sequined dresses. It made us feel bad for the guests who also wore black sequined dresses... We started with bread and a dip that I thought, in the dark, was eggplant. It turned out to be artichocke based. It was not addictive like most artichocke dips because it was not hot nor did it have any cheese!

Our choices of appetizers were beef tartar and crab cake. My friend C went for the beef tartar while I got the crab cake. C thought the beef was good. Considering the last time she had beef tartar was in Paris, I think that is a compliment. I thought the humongous crab cake was good also. I especially liked the squiggly lined sauces.

Tartare de boeuf.

Crab cake.

Next came the pasta dish: orechiette with wild mushrooms & truffle. The portion was not too big and they were actually pieces of mushrooms (and the wild mushrooms were not button mushrooms)! C and I, being big mushroom fans, really enjoyed this dish. I didn't think this dish tasted particularly truffle-y but still very yummy nonetheless.

Orechiette with wild mushrooms & truffle.

By this time, I felt very full. This might have been caused by my sister's tight dress rather than the meal itself, but I digress. The main dishes were grilled veal chop or Chilean sea bass. Knowing that Chilean sea bass is not a sustainable fish to eat, I went for the veal. C, having no qualms about the sea bass, picked the fish. My veal was GI-normous. I was only able to eat half and someone else enjoyed the other half. I did like the mashed potatoes. C enjoyed her sea bass too but preferred my mashed potatoes rather than her celery root purée. I really liked the cipollini onions that I initially thought was roasted garlic.

Chilean sea bass with celery root purée.

Grilled veal chop with caramelized cipollini and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

By dessert time, I felt like I could not fit any more food. The chocolate fantasy had chocolate goodness and hazelnut, always a good combo.

Chocolate fantasy.

I got to sample dishes that I wouldn't necessarily order off a menu but it was pretty good. Supposedly, Macaroni Bar makes a mean mac and cheese and interestingly sounding gnocchi poutine (C being Italian thinks that's a travesty!). Maybe I'll try it out one day if I ever move to Montréal or get a job...

Thanks C for the invite!

Happy belated New Year to everyone! Hope 2009 treats you well and you all get well fed!

Christmas Dinner 2008: Chinese Style Stuffed Duck

2009-01-02T08:08:00.011-05:00

I had a late departure on Christmas Eve for Montréal. In addition, it rained during the whole drive which made the roads icy and slippery. So I arrived at my sister's and her boyfriend D's condo at 8:30 pm, with everyone ready to eat!

Although my sister L does not have a blog, she also does enjoy food. We (including our mom) had much discussion on what should be made. She was thinking of Asian food but she also wanted a whole bird. We came up with xôi vịt (sticky rice and duck) and vịt tiềm thuốc bắc (duck with Chinese medicinal stuffing). Not really remembering if she liked the latter, my sister asked my mom to make xôi vịt. I suggested having quails if she wanted "whole birds".

The Menu

Fried Quails

Chả Giò (Spring Rolls)

Gỏi (Vietnamese salad) served with Bánh Phồng Tôm (Shrimp Crackers)
Xup Bát Bửu (Chinese 8 Treasure Soup)

Vịt Quay stuffed with Xôi Vịt

Chestnut Bûche de Noël

Black Forest Cake

Quails, on a bed of watercress, make for a great little treat!

This vegetarian gỏi comprised of cabbage, carrots, celery and topped with mint.

You cannot have gỏi without bánh phồng tôm (that I brought home from Vietnam!).

Chả giò is a classic; you never get tired of them!

My plate was full and they're only starters!

I love this soup and for no particular reason, we usually have it for the holidays.

Even though the purpose of having quails was to have "whole birds", my mom decided to get a vịt quay (Chinese BBQ'd duck). This means that she had to fight the Christmas crowds to buy two ducks, one for the vessel and the second for the stuffing. After stuffing the bird, my mom put it in the oven for another hour. My sister and I love, love, love xôi vịt, sticky rice with pieces of duck, mushroom and Chinese sausage. Yum!

Stuffed vịt quay.

Close-up of stuffing.

Pieces of duck with xôi vịt.

Finally for dessert, we couldn't just have one... My mom made a Black Forest Cake while my sister made a Chestnut Bûche de Noël, firsts for both of them.

Black Forest Cake covered with real whipped cream.

My sister did a good job with her bûche de Noël.

By this time, I was overstuffed!

My mom and my sister did a great job cooking Christmas dinner. D and my sister were also great hosts. My only contribution was eating. Thank you!

Christmas Baked Goods 2009

2009-12-19T14:35:00.008-05:00

I was slow getting started Christmas baking but I'm finally done! I wanted to try all new recipes with expected results: some new favourite recipes added to my repertoire and some definite failures. I wasn't sure whether I should post recipes before or after Christmas, but I finally decided to start posting today.

If you're looking for Christmas recipes right away, take a look at last year's Christmas baked goods. Otherwise, this year's recipes will be posted in the next few days:

My failed recipe was a pistachio cranberry icebox cookie. I was attracted by the holiday colours from the pistachios and cranberries. Unfortunately, I tried to make it dairy-free and replaced the butter with vegetable shortening. I'm not sure if that's what went wrong but I had a hard time slicing the cookies without them crumbling. I may also have put too many cranberries and pistachios which made it hard to slice. The cookies didn't taste bad; they were just too unappealing!

Failed cookies. Sad...

Chocolate Crinkles

2009-12-20T22:20:00.009-05:00

So the first post on my Christmas baked treats is one I have been waiting to make for a long time, ever since I visited Olson Foods at Ravine this summer with my sister & co. For a quick summary, my sister bought one chocolate crinkle that we divided in four and slowly savoured. Luckily, Anna Olson has the recipe on foodtv.ca for us to replicate! I thought it would be a perfect start to my Christmas baked goods!

Chocolate Crinkles - Makes about 40
From Anna Olson.
When my sister excitedly made these cookies for the first time, she thought the recipe was wrong and it did not have enough flour, causing the batter to be very runny. I learned later that she did not chill the batter for the requisite 4 hours. So yes, DO plan 4 hours (or overnight as I did) to chill the batter! The batter is still very sticky to work with - think making truffles (to come!). I needed to grease my hands with oil to shape the balls. I would even add that by the third batch, the batter had warmed and softened up, making it very hard to roll. I would consider separating the batter into two bowls, or putting the bowl back in the fridge in between batches.

½ cup unsalted butter
10 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 egg, room temperature
1-½ cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant espresso powder or coffee extract
½ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1-2 tbsp oil
⅔ cup icing sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl, over a pot of simmering water and set aside.
Whip eggs with sugar, vanilla and espresso powder with electric beaters, until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk melted chocolate into egg mixture until incorporated.
Whisk in flour mixture.
Cover batter with plastic and chill for at least 4 hours before baking (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Grease the palm of your hands with some oil - this will help the cookie dough from sticking and creating a sticky mess!
Spoon cookie dough by tablespoonfuls and roll gently to shape into a ball.
Roll cookie in icing sugar and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between cookies.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
To test doneness, lift a cookie off the tray – if it comes off cleanly, then cookies are done.
Tada!

Melting the chocolate and butter over simmering water.

Whipping the eggs, sugar and espresso powder.

Adding the chocolate mixture in.

The batter complete and chilled.

Shaping the cookies was a messy affair but worthwhile!

The end result: chocolate-y goodness!

For more ideas for Christmas baked goods:

Last year's included chocolate hazelnut biscotti, French chocolate bark & cranberry pecan bars
Date Squares
Orange-Almond Buttons
Mocha Toffee Bars
Truffles Three Way

Date Squares

2009-12-21T18:20:00.005-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for dairy-free recipes that my mom will like (hence, the pistachio cranberry icebox cookie failure!). So when I spotted this date square recipe on Gourmet's Favourite Cookie section (an awesome reference for Christmas baking, by the way!), I thought perfect. My mom also really likes dates. The date squares were easy to make and came out pretty well, although a bit too sweet for my taste.

Date Squares
From Gourmet, September 1945.
The recipe was very easy to make. My only little problem with these squares were cutting the dates. I bought whole dates, rather than pieces (because they were cheaper!). I wasn't able to use a knife because the dates were so sticky. I used scissors instead, and in a moment of inattention seriously cut my finger. Be careful!

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 14 crackers)
½ teaspoon salt
1-½ teaspoons baking powder
1-¾ cups dates, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped roughly
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
powdered sugar

Mix graham cracker crumbs with salt and baking powder.
Add chopped dates and walnuts.
Beat eggs well and gradually add brown sugar, then beat in the date mixture.
Pour into a well greased 9" x 9" square pan (I lined mine with parchment paper).
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 375°F.
Allow to cool, and cut into small squares.
Cut while warm and sprinkle powdered sugar.
Tada!

The batter was a sweet and sticky one!

A little square is all you need!

For more ideas for Christmas baked goods:

Orange-Almond Buttons

2009-12-25T11:04:00.012-05:00

As I was surfing Design*Sponge, one of the blogs I check out on a daily basis, I was introduced to the food blog Lottie + Doof's 12 Days of Cookies in the "in the kitchen with" series. I was instantly attracted to their Day 10 cookie, orange-almond buttons, for various reasons: 1) they combine orange and almond (my mom would love that), 2) they were pretty and 3) the recipe promised they would taste like Fruit Loops (I likey Fruit Loops!).

These cookies were easy to make and were quite a hit with everyone who tried them! It also fulfilled the promise of tasting like Fruit Loops without any artificial ingredients. As I look back now at the original recipe, I realize my cookies don't look exactly the same. Mine look smoother, which I'm guessing is because I grounded the almonds more finely. I also like the look of skins on the almond slices better but I couldn't find them at the grocery store.

Orange-Almond Buttons - Makes 36 cookies
From Lottie + Doof's 12 Days of Cookies.
The cookies were easy and quick to make. I was worried a bit about not properly whipping the egg whites and the batter being too runny but they came out well. I spooned the cookies rather than piping them.
Note that the almond quantities are broken down into two: for the cookies and for decorating. I read the recipe quickly and only bought ½ cup of almonds, and realized I needed one cup. Finally, I only used a handful of almonds for decorating since the cookies are pretty small.

2-½ ounces (heaping ½ cup) blanched or unblanched almonds
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 extra-large egg whites
½ cup sliced almonds (for decorating)
confectioner’s sugar (for decorating)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine nuts with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and process until it’s the consistency of a fine meal.
Add ¼ cup of the granulated sugar, the flour, and orange zest, and pulse on and off until just combined.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on low, until frothy.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn the mixer to high, gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 more minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer.
In 3 batches, gently fold in the nut mixture to incorporate.
If using a pasty bag, fill it half full.
Working quickly, pipe or spoon (about 1-2 tsp) the batter into circles, about 1 inch in diameter and spaced about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Scatter about 3 to 5 sliced almonds over each circle, allowing the nuts to topple off the edge slightly while still clinging to the batter.
Sift a fine layer of powdered sugar over the cookies and bake about 20 minutes, until the nuts are lightly browned, and the cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
(I sifted more sugar after they were baked - I thought the sugar's colour melded into the cookie.)
Tada!

The orange zest made the batter very fragrant!

I tried to make my spoonfuls of batter consistently the same size!

These cookies are small enough for one bite!

For more ideas for Christmas baked goods:

Last year's included chocolate hazelnut biscotti, French chocolate bark & cranberry pecan bars
Chocolate Crinkles
Date Squares
Mocha Toffee Bars
Truffles Three Way

Mocha Toffee Bars

2009-12-26T13:00:00.002-05:00

These mocha toffee bars are actually the first recipe I made for my Christmas package. They represent 1987 in Gourmet's Favorite Cookie Recipes: 1984-2008 collection. There were quasi-successful. However, the advantages of being a food blog reader is that you get to learn from the mistakes of the food blog writer! Other than that, they were good but not remarkable. I'll admit I might be influenced by the slight frustration I experienced. I think they are similar enough to the Just-like-Skor Bars recipe that I would just stick to it (and this is when I realized I have never posted on the Just-like-Skor Bar recipe; it will have to be in 2010 then!).

Mocha Toffee Bars - Makes 40 bars
From Gourmet, December 1987.
My frustration with these toffee bars can easily be remedied. I had daintily sprinkled cashew pieces onto the melted chocolate and let it set. In hindsight, I should have pressed on the cashews to make sure they stuck. I discovered this as the cashew pieces fell off the bars as I was cutting them. I then decided to quickly broil the bars to melt the chocolate and stick the cashews again. That's when I forgot them and burnt a few. So you get to learn from my mistakes if you decide to make this recipe!

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1-½ teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped or use chocolate chips
¾ cup salted roasted cashews, chopped

In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter, add the brown sugar, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy.
Beat in the yolk, add the vanilla and the espresso mixture, a little at a time, and beat the mixture until it is combined well.
Add the salt and the flour, and beat the mixture until is combined well.
Spread the batter evenly in a jelly-roll pan (or parchment-lined cookie sheet), 15-½" by 10-½" by 1".
Bake it in the middle of a preheated 350° F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it pulls away slightly from the edge of the pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over simmering water.
Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the baked layer and sprinkle the cashews over it (make sure you press on them firmly!).
Let the mixture cool in the pan on a rack, cut it into bars, and chill until the chocolate is firm.
Tada!

I also thought it was rather difficult to spread the batter onto a cookie sheet.

For more ideas for Christmas baked goods:

Truffles Three Way

2009-12-27T15:10:00.002-05:00

I first made truffle 8 Christmases ago. It was really my first experience making Christmas treats. I remember using a large amount of butter in the chocolate and on my hands to roll the truffles. It was a messy endeavour. It's still a messy endeavour but I think I have found a recipe I really like that does not involve butter!

Truffles Three Way
From use real butter's mocha truffles.
I followed the mocha truffle recipe and made two other versions. I halved the recipe so I could have less quantity and more variety. I ended up with 60 truffles instead of 120! The truffles were easy to make and could be varied to suit any flavour one prefers.

For the truffles
⅓ cup heavy cream (35% fat)
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Heat up the cream in a small pot.
Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream until melted. (If the chocolate does not melt completely, heat it over a pot of simmering water.)
Add flavouring as you like.
For the mocha truffles: add ½ tbsp instant espresso powder into the cream before pouring onto the chocolate and ½ tbsp coffee liqueur (I had Bailey's on hand).
For the orange truffles: add ½ tbsp of orange liqueur (I used Cointreau) and some orange zest.
For the ice wine truffles: add ½ tbsp of ice wine (I used an ice wine and brandy bottle).
Cool the chocolate mixture until you can work it with your hands (I refrigerated it overnight and let it warm up a bit at room temperature).
Spoon or scoop out the chocolate (I found a mini-scooper helped keep the truffles relatively the same size).
Shape the truffles into rounder shapes by rolling them between your hands (I considered using gloves but was worried it would leave a rubbery taste - maybe medical gloves are not a good idea...).

Melting the chocolate and scooping out the chocolate mixture.

Coating the truffles
I liked coating the differently flavoured truffles in different coatings so they could be easily identified. You can pick which coating you prefer, or come up with new ones, like using chopped nuts or coconuts, or drizzling some white chocolate!

For the mocha truffles: I followed use real butter's original recipe by first dipping the truffles in melted chocolate (again with a bit of cream to get the right consistency) and then rolling them in cocoa.
For the orange truffles: I just dipped them in chocolate, by using two forks, and placed them on a parchment lined sheet so the chocolate solidified.
For the ice wine truffles: By the final batch, I was tired of dipping truffles into additional melted chocolate and just rolled them in powdered sugar. That was sufficient, except the truffles were smaller without the extra layer of melted chocolate.
Tada!

Rolling the chocolate into spheres and rolling them into cocoa powder.

Truffles take a bit of effort but taste great and are oh so pretty!

For more ideas for Christmas baked goods:

Last year's included chocolate hazelnut biscotti, French chocolate bark & cranberry pecan bars
Chocolate Crinkles
Date Squares
Orange-Almond Buttons
Mocha Toffee Bars

Menus by Occasion

2008-09-01T13:15:00.425-04:00

Breakfast
Breakfast at my Sister's

Lunch
Monte Cristo Sandwich Lunch

Dinner

G's Birthday Dinner: Spaghetti and Meatball

Mom's Birthday Dinner: Indonesian Fried Chicken and Fries

T's Birthday Dinner: Rice Vermicelli and BBQ

Holiday Meals
Christmas Baked Goods 2008
Christmas Baked Goods 2009
Easter Dinner: Baked Ham
Thanksgiving Menu 2008: Pumpkin Ravioli & Stuffed Turkey Breast
Thanksgiving Menu 2009: Mushroom Soup, Homemade Tourtière & Pumpkin Fritters

Recipes by Types of Dish

2008-09-01T13:15:00.423-04:00

It's sometimes hard to break down recipes so take this with a grain of salt...

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.

Appetizers and Snacks
Bacon and Parmesan stuffed Mushrooms
Baked Shrimp Toasts
Bánh Bao (Chinese Bao Steamed Dumpling)
Bánh Bột Lọc
Bánh Củ Cải (Turnip Cake)
Bánh Giò
Bánh Ít Trần (Mung Bean stuffed Dumpling)
Bò Bía (Vietnamese Jicama and Carrot Rolls)
Crispy Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Ricotta and Mint
Curried Olive & Cheddar Topped Triscuits
Fried Quails
Pan-Fried Onion Dip
Potato Mushroom Bruschetta
Potato Salmon Cakes
Ram Bắp (Corn Spring Rolls)
Ram Tôm (Shrimp Spring Rolls)
Roasted Chickpeas
Shrimp Satay
Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Sướng Heo (Spare Ribs)

Beverages
Blended Cherry Mojito
Sinh Tố Bơ (Avocado Shake)
Sữa Đậu Nành (Homemade Soy Milk)

Condiments, Dips and Sauces
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Hành Mỡ (Scallion Oil)
Homemade Ketchup
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Hummus
Lemongrass Chili Sauce
Nước Chấm (Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce)
Pesto

Soups
Bún Gà Xả (Lemongrass Chicken Soup)
Bún Mộc (Vermicelli & Pork Meatball Soup)
Bún Riêu (Crab and Tomato Soup)
Butternut Squash Soup
Canh Gà (Vietnamese flavoured Chicken Broth)
Canh Hến (Baby Clam Soup)
Canh Khổ Qua (Bitter Melon Soup)
Cháo Ca (Fish Porridge)
Chicken Broth
Chicken Soup
Chickpea and Leek Soup
Corn Soup with Dill
Mediterranean Chicken Soup
Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Bean Thread Noodle Soup)
Mushroom Soup
Parker's Split Pea Soup
Pasta e Fagioli
Vegetable Broth
Xup Bát Bửu (Chinese 8 Treasure Soup)
Xúp Bột Bán (Tapioca and Crab Soup)
Xúp Măng Cua (Crab and Asparagus Soup)
Wonton Soup

Salads
Chopped Greek Salad
Classic Potato Salad
Fajita Salad
Four Bean Salad
Fresh Corn Salad
Garden Salad with Rice Wine Vinegar & Maple Syrup Dressing
Gỏi Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Gỏi Mực (Cuttlefish Salad)
Green Papaya Salad (Tom Som)
Thai Tuna Salad

Sandwich
BLT with Pesto Mayo
Grilled Vegetable and Chicken Panini
Monte Cristo Sandwich

Main
Mish Mosh
Bánh Bèo Two Ways
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crepes)
Cheese Fondue
Eggplant Rollatini
Fiddlehead Omelette
Grilled Pizza with Pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella
Grilled Vegetable Couscous
Pâté Chinois (Québécois Shepherd's Pie)
Penne with Turkey Meatballs
Pita Pizza
Roasted Butternut Squash Pesto Pizza
Quesadillas on the BBQ
Shepherd's Pie
Tarte Grecque en Croûte de Riz (Greek Tart with Rice Crust)
Tourtière (Meat Pie)
Vegetarian Chili
Vegetable Pot Pie
Noodles, Pasta and Rice
Asparagus alla Carbonara
Bánh Hỏi Chạo Tôm (Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane with Fine Rice Vermicelli)
Baked Chicken Penne in a Rosé Sauce
Bún Thịt Heo Băm Xào (Rice Vermicelli with Ground Pork)
Chicken and Mushroom Orzo
Cơm Tấm Chả (Broken Rice with Meatloaf)
Eggplant Parmesan
Pasta with Pesto, Grilled Chicken and Vegetables
Penne with Sausage and Swiss Chard
Pumpkin Ravioli
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Roll
Shrimp & Pesto Alfredo
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
Stir-Fried Broccoli and Scallops on Pan Fried Cantonese Noodles
Toppings for Bún
Beef
Bò Lá Lốt (Beef Stuffed Wild Betel Leaves)
Beef Stew and Dumplings
Bún Thịt Bò Xào (Vermicelli with Stir-Fried Beef)
Bún Thịt Bò Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Beef with Rice Vermicelli)
Korean Style Short Ribs (Kalbi)
Fish
Cá Hấp (Steamed Fish)
Cá Kho (Braised Fish)
Chả Cá (White Fish with Dill and Green Onion)
Cornmeal Crusted Sole
Fish & Chips
Mushroom Crusted Tilapia
Pan Fried Basa with Bamboo Shoots
Pan Fried Basa with Crab Sauce
Pork
Bún Thịt Heo Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Rice Vermicelli)
Baked Ham with Orange-Mustard Glaze
Cơm Tấm Chả (Broken Rice with Meatloaf)
Cơm Tấm Sườn (Broken Rice with Pork Chops)
Nem Nướng (Pork Meatballs)
Sướng Heo (Spare Ribs)
Thịt Heo Kho (Braised Pork)
Poultry
Chicken Scallopini
Curry Chicken Pot Pie
Fried Chicken with Lime and Coconut (Ayam Goreng Kalasan)
Gà Rô-ti (Braised Chicken)
Turkey Breast with Pancetta & Chestnut Stuffing
Tajine au Poulet et aux Olives (Chicken and Olive Tajine)
Seafood
Bánh Tôm (Sweet Potato and Shrimp Cakes)
Salt and Pepper Lobster
Tôm Kho (Braised Shrimps)

Sides
Asparagus in Crab Sauce
Baigan Bharta
Broccoli with Garlic
Brussel Sprouts and Almonds
Buttered Green Beans
Cà Tím Dồn Thịt (Stuffed Eggplant)
Chana Masala
Đậu Xao Trứng (Green Beans & Eggs)
Fresh Green Peas & Mushrooms
Frittata with Zucchini and Goat Cheese
Pancetta Mashed Potatoes
Potato Gratin
Roasted Carnival Squash
Sautéed Corn
Stir-Fried Cải Làn (Chinese Broccoli)
Stir Fried Sliced Brussel Sprouts
Tropical Fries Basket
Trứng Hấp (Steamed Eggs)

Baking
Chestnut Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies (Elizabeth Falkner's)
Chocolate ² Chip Espresso Cookies (Elizabeth Falkner's )
Chocolate Crinkles
Cinnamon Rolls
Cranberry Pecan Bars
Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes
Date Squares
Frozen Blueberry Pie
Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin
Ginger Snaps
Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti
Lime Squares
Maple Scones
Orange-Almond Buttons
Super Moist Pumpkin Muffins & Bread
Zucchini Muffins

Dessert
Bánh Da Lợn (Pandan and Mung Bean Sweet)
Bánh Flan
Bánh Phu Thê (Husband and Wife Cake)
Chocolate Fondue
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake
Chocolate Pie
Flourless Chocolate Torte
French Chocolate Bark
Lime Cheesecake Tarts
Mini Apple Tarte Tatin
Raspberry Parfait
Pineapple upside down Coconut Cake with Coconut Sorbet
Pumpkin Fritters

Recipes in green font are vegetarian.

Recipes by Cuisine

2008-09-01T13:15:00.422-04:00

Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Chinese
Baked Shrimp Toasts
Bánh Bao (Chinese Bao Steamed Dumpling)
Bánh Củ Cải (Turnip Cake)
Cá Hấp (Steamed Fish)
Cháo Ca (Fish Porridge)
Pan Fried Basa & Asparagus with Crab Sauce
Salt and Pepper Lobster
Stir-Fried Broccoli on Pan Fried Cantonese Noodles
Stir-Fried Cải Làn (Chinese Broccoli)
Trứng Hấp (Steamed Eggs)
Xup Bát Bửu (Chinese 8 Treasure Soup)
Wonton Soup

English
Beef Stew and Dumplings
Shepherd's Pie

Indian
Chana Masala (Indian Chickpeas)
Baigan Bharta (Indian Eggplants)

Indonesian
Fried Chicken with Coconut and Lime (Ayam Goreng Kalasan)
Shrimp Satay

Italian
Asparagus alla Carbonara
Chicken Scallopini
Fresh Green Peas & Mushrooms
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta with Pesto, Grilled Chicken and Vegetables
Penne with Sausage and Swiss Chard
Pesto
Pumpkin Ravioli
Spaghetti & Meatballs

Korean
Kalbi (Korean Style Short Ribs)

Laotioan
Green Papaya Salad (Tom Som)

Mediterranean
Chopped Greek Salad
Hummus
Mediterranean Chicken Soup

Mish Mosh
Bacon & Parmesan stuffed Mushrooms
Baked Chicken Penne in a Rosé Sauce
Broccoli with Garlic
Chicken and Mushroom Orzo
Corn Soup with Dill
Crispy Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Ricotta and Mint
Curried Olive & Cheddar Topped Triscuits
Curry Chicken Pot Pie
Eggplant Rollatini
Fajita Salad
Four Bean Salad
Fresh Corn Salad
Grilled Pizza with Pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella
Grilled Vegetable and Chicken Panini
Grilled Vegetable Couscous
Penne with Turkey Meatballs
Pita Pizza
Potato Mushroom Bruschetta
Pumpkin Fritters
Quesadillas on the BBQ
Roasted Butternut Squash Pesto Pizza
Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Rolls
Sautéed Corn
Shrimp & Pesto Alfredo
Tarte Grecque en Croûte de Riz (Greek Tart with Rice Crust)
Thai Tuna Salad
Tropical Fries Basket
Vegetarian Chili

Moroccan
Tajine au Poulet et aux Olives (Chicken and Olive Tajine)

Québécois
Pâté Chinois (Québécois Shepherd's Pie)
Tourtière (Meat Pie)

Vietnamese
Bánh Bao (Chinese Bao Steamed Dumpling)
Bánh Bèo Two Ways
Bánh Bột Lọc
Bánh Da Lợn (Pandan and Mung Bean Sweet)
Bánh Flan
Bánh Giò
Bánh Ít Trần (Mung Bean stuffed Dumpling)
Bánh Hỏi Chạo Tôm (Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane with Fine Rice Vermicelli)
Bánh Ít Trần (Mung Bean stuffed Dumpling)
Bánh Phu Thê (Husband and Wife Cake)
Bánh Tôm (Sweet Potato and Shrimp Cakes)
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crepes)
Bò Bía (Vietnamese Jicama and Carrot Rolls)
Bò Lá Lốt (Beef Stuffed Wild Betel Leaves)
Bún Gà Xả (Lemongrass Chicken Soup)
Bún Mộc (Vermicelli & Pork Meatball Soup)
Bún Riêu (Crab and Tomato Soup)
Bún Thịt Bò Xào (Vermicelli with Stir-Fried Beef)
Bún Thịt Heo Băm Xào (Rice Vermicelli with Ground Pork)
Bún Thịt Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Meat with Rice Vermicelli)
Cá Kho (Braised Fish)
Cà Tím Dồn Thịt (Stuffed Eggplant)
Canh Gà (Vietnamese flavoured Chicken Broth)
Canh Hến (Baby Clam Soup)
Canh Khổ Qua (Bitter Melon Soup)
Chả Cá (White Fish with Dill and Green Onion)
Cơm Tấm Chả (Broken Rice with Meatloaf)
Cơm Tấm Sườn (Broken Rice with Pork Chops)
Đậu Xao Trứng (Green Beans & Eggs)
Fried Quails
Gà Nướng Xả (Grilled Lemongrass Ribs)
Gà Rô-ti (Braised Chicken)
Gỏi Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Gỏi Mực (Cuttlefish Salad)
Hành Mỡ (Scallion Oil)
Lemongrass Chili Sauce
Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Bean Thread Noodle Soup)
Nem Nướng (Pork Meatballs)
Nước Chấm (Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce)
Pan Fried Basa & Bamboo Shoots
Ram Bắp (Corn Spring Rolls)
Ram Tôm (Shrimp Spring Rolls)
Sinh Tố Bơ (Avocado Shake)
Sữa Đậu Nành (Homemade Soy Milk)
Sướng Heo (Spare Ribs)
Sướng Nướng Xả (Grilled Lemongrass Ribs)
Thịt Heo Kho (Braised Pork)
Tôm Kho (Braised Shrimps)
Toppings for Bún
Xúp Bột Bán (Tapioca and Crab Soup)
Xúp Măng Cua (Crab and Asparagus Soup)

Western
Baked Ham with Orange-Mustard Glaze
BLT with Pesto Mayo
Brussel Sprouts and Almonds
Buttered Green Beans
Butternut Squash Soup
Cheese Fondue
Chestnut Brownies
Chicken Broth
Chicken Soup
Chickpea and Leek Soup
Chococolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies (Elizabeth Falkner's)
Chocolate ² Chip Espresso Cookies (Elizabeth Falkner's )
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Crinkles
Chocolate Fondue
Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake
Chocolate Pie
Cinnamon Rolls
Classic Potato Salad
Cranberry Pecan Bars
Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes
Date Squares
Fiddlehead Omelette
Fish & Chips
Flourless Chocolate Torte
French Chocolate Bark
Frittata with Zucchini and Goat Cheese
Frozen Blueberry Pie
Garden Salad with Rice Wine Vinegar & Maple Syrup Dressing
Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin
Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti
Lime Cheesecake Tarts
Lime Squares
Maple Scones
Mini Apple Tarte Tatin
Mom's Ginger Snaps
Monte Cristo Sandwich
Mushroom Crusted Tilapia
Mushroom Soup
Orange-Almond Buttons
Pan-Fried Onion Dip
Pancetta Mashed Potatoes
Parker's Split Pea Soup
Pineapple upside down Coconut Cake with Coconut Sorbet
Potato Gratin
Potato Salmon Cakes
Raspberry Parfait
Roasted Carnival Squash
Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
Stir Fried Sliced Brussel Sprouts
Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Super Moist Pumpkin Muffins & Bread
Turkey Breast with Pancetta & Chestnut Stuffing
Vegetable Broth
Zucchini Muffins

Recipes in green font are vegetarian.

Baking

2008-09-01T13:15:00.421-04:00

Chestnut Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies (Elizabeth Falkner's)
Chocolate ² Chip Espresso Cookies (Elizabeth Falkner's )
Chocolate Crinkles
Cinnamon Rolls
Cranberry Pecan Bars
Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes
Date Squares
Frozen Blueberry Pie
Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin
Ginger Snaps
Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti
Lime Cheesecake Tarts
Lime Squares
Maple Scones
Orange-Almond Buttons
Super Moist Pumpkin Muffins & Bread
Zucchini Muffins

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Vegetarian

2008-09-01T13:15:00.420-04:00

Appetizers /Snacks
Crispy Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Ricotta and Mint
Curried Olives & Cheddar Topped Triscuits
Ram Bắp (Corn Spring Rolls)
Roasted Chickpeas

Beverages
Sinh Tố Bơ (Avocado Shake)
Sữa Đậu Nành (Homemade Soy Milk)

Soups
Butternut Squash Soup
Chickpea and Leek Soup
Mushroom Soup
Pasta e Fagioli
Vegetable Broth

Sauces/Condiment/Dips
Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Hành Mỡ (Scallion Oil)
Homemade Ketchup
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Hummus
Pesto

Salad
Chopped Greek Salad
Four Bean Salad
Fresh Corn Salad
Garden Salad with Rice Wine Vinegar & Maple Syrup Dressing

Sides
Baigan Bharta (Indian Eggplants)
Broccoli with Garlic
Brussel Sprouts and Almonds
Chana Masala (Indian Chickpeas)
Đậu Xao Trứng (Green Beans & Eggs)
Fresh Green Peas & Mushrooms
Roasted Carnival Squash
Sautéed Corn
Stir-Fried Cải Làn (Chinese Broccoli)
Tropical Fries Basket

Main
Cheese Fondue
Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Rollatini
Fiddlehead Omelette
Frittata with Zucchini and Goat Cheese
Grilled Pizza with Pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella
Grilled Vegetable Couscous
Pumpkin Ravioli
Roasted Butternut Squash Pesto Pizza
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Roll
Tarte Grecque en Croûte de Riz (Greek Tart with Rice Crust)
Vegetarian Chili
Vegetable Pot Pie

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Salads

2008-09-01T13:15:00.417-04:00

Chopped Greek Salad
Classic Potato Salad
Fajita Salad
Four Bean Salad
Fresh Corn Salad
Garden Salad with Rice Wine Vinegar & Maple Syrup Dressing
Gỏi Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Gỏi Mực (Cuttlefish Salad)
Green Papaya Salad (Tom Som)
Thai Tuna Salad

Recipes in green font are vegetarian.

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Meat and Poultry

2008-09-01T13:15:00.411-04:00

Beef
Beef Stew and Dumplings
Bò Lá Lốt (Beef Stuffed Wild Betel Leaves)
Bún Thịt Bò Xào (Vermicelli with Stir-Fried Beef)
Korean Style Short Ribs (Kalbi)
Pâté Chinois (Québécois Shepherd's Pie)
Shepherd's Pie
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Thịt Bò Nướng (Grilled Beef)

Pork
Baked Ham with Orange-Mustard Glaze
Bún Mộc (Vermicelli & Pork Meatball Soup)
Bún Thịt Heo Băm Xào (Rice Vermicelli with Ground Pork)
Cà Tím Dồn Thịt (Stuffed Eggplant)
Cơm Tấm Chả (Broken Rice with Meatloaf)
Cơm Tấm Sườn (Broken Rice with Pork Chops)
Monte Cristo Sandwich
Nem Nướng (Pork Meatballs)
Sướng Heo (Spare Ribs)
Thịt Heo Kho (Braised Pork)
Thịt Heo Nướng (Grilled Pork)
Tourtière (Meat Pie)
Vietnamese style Lemongrass Ribs

Poultry
Baked Chicken Penne in a Rosé Sauce
Bún Gà Xả (Lemongrass Chicken Soup)
Canh Gà (Vietnamese flavoured Chicken Broth)
Cháo Gà (Chicken Porridge)
Chicken and Mushroom Orzo
Chicken Broth
Chicken Scallopini
Chicken Soup
Curry Chicken Pot Pie
Fajita Salad
Fried Chicken with Lime and Coconut (Ayam Goreng Kalasan)
Fried Quails
Gà Rô-ti (Braised Chicken)
Gỏi Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Mediterranean Chicken Soup
Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Bean Thread Noodle Soup)
Penne with Turkey Sausage and Swiss Chard
Penne with Turkey Meatballs
Tajine au Poulet et aux Olives (Chicken and Olive Tajine)
Turkey Breast with Pancetta & Chestnut Stuffing
Vietnamese style Lemongrass Chicken Drumsticks

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Soups

2008-09-01T13:15:00.404-04:00

Bún Gà Xả (Lemongrass Chicken Soup)
Bún Mộc (Vermicelli & Pork Meatball Soup)
Bún Riêu (Crab and Tomato Soup)
Butternut Squash Soup
Canh Gà (Vietnamese flavoured Chicken Broth)
Canh Hến (Baby Clam Soup)
Canh Khổ Qua (Bitter Melon Soup)
Cháo Ca (Fish Porridge)
Cháo Gà (Chicken Porridge)
Chicken Broth
Chicken Soup
Chickpea and Leek Soup
Corn Soup with Dill
Mediterranean Chicken Soup
Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Bean Thread Noodle Soup)
Mushroom Soup
Parker's Split Pea Soup
Pasta e Fagioli
Vegetable Broth
Wonton Soup
Xup Bát Bửu (Chinese 8 Treasure Soup)
Xúp Bột Bán (Tapioca and Crab Soup)
Xúp Măng Cua (Crab and Asparagus Soup)

Recipes in green font are vegetarian.

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Dessert

2008-09-01T13:15:00.401-04:00

Bánh Da Lợn (Pandan and Mung Bean Sweet)
Bánh Phu Thê (Husband and Wife Cake)
Bánh Flan
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Fondue
Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake
Chocolate Pie
Flourless Chocolate Torte
French Chocolate Bark
Frozen Blueberry Pie
Lime Cheesecake Tarts
Mini Apple Tarte Tatin
Pineapple Upside Down Coconut Cake
Pumpkin Fritters
Raspberry Parfait

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Restaurant Posts

2008-09-01T13:15:00.390-04:00

Banff, Alberta
Barpa Bill's (Greek, burgers)
The Bison Mountain Bistro (Western)
Melissa's Restaurant (Western)

Calgary, Alberta
Fiore Cantina (Italian)

Burlington, Ontario
Bahn Thai Restaurant (Thai)

Hamilton, Ontario
Affinity Vegetarian Restaurant (Chinese, vegetarian)
B&T Restaurant (Vietnamese, Thai)
Baramibunei (Korean)
Cafe Limoncello (Italian)
The Himalya (Indian, vegetarian)
The Jade Garden (Chinese)
Montfort Restaurant (Mediterranean, Middle Eastern)
My Thai Restaurant (Thai)
Pancake House (breakfast)
Poco Loco (Mexican)
Staropolskie Delikatesy (Polish)
Stoney Creek Dairy Bar (ice cream)
Tarboosh Restaurant (Middle Eastern)
West Town Bar & Grill (breakfast)

Milton, Ontario
Glencairn Golf Club (Western)

Montréal, Québec
Bánh Cuốn Đào Viên (Vietnamese)
Deli Snowdon (Jewish)
India's Oven (Indian, BYOW)
Kam Shing Restaurant (Chinese)
La Foumangerie (cheese, sandwiches)
La Maison Kam Fung (Chinese, dim sum)
La Maison VIP (Chinese)
La Taqueria Mex (Mexican)
Macaroni Bar (Italian)
Mr Pattie (Jamaican)
Patati Patata (burger, fries)
Pizzeria Napoletana (Italian, pizza, BYOW)
Première Moisson (French, bakery, pastries)
Restaurant Vietnamien Bánh cuốn Đào Viên (Vietnamese)
Zao's Restaurant (Chinese)

Ottawa, Ontario
Elgin Street Diner (breakfast, diner)
Shafali Restaurant (Indian)

Niagara Region, Ontario
Olsen Foods at Ravine, St. Davids, (lunch)
Upper Canada Cheese Company, Vineland (cheese)
Zooma Zooma Café, Jordan (Western)

St. Jacobs, Ontario
The Fritter Co. (dessert)

Toronto, Ontario
Golden Regency Restaurant - Pacific Mall (Chinese)
Good Taste Garden - Pacific Mall (Chinese)
India Palace (Indian)
Oja Noodle House (Japanese, Korean)

USA
Billings, Montana - Blue's BBQ (BBQ)
Chicago, Illinois - Cemitas Puebla (Mexican)
Chicago, Illinois - White Palace Grill (diner)
DeForest, Wisconsin - Ehlenbach's Cheese Chalet (cheese)

Green font signifies vegetarian restaurants.

Vietnamese

2008-09-01T13:15:00.377-04:00

Bánh Bao (Chinese Bao Steamed Dumpling)
Bánh Bèo Two Ways
Bánh Bột Lọc
Bánh Củ Cải (Turnip Cake)
Bánh Da Lợn (Pandan and Mung Bean Sweet)
Bánh Flan
Bánh Giò
Bánh Hỏi Chạo Tôm (Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane with Fine Rice Vermicelli)
Bánh Ít Trần (Mung Bean stuffed Dumpling)
Bánh Phu Thê (Husband and Wife Cake)
Bánh Tôm (Sweet Potato and Shrimp Cakes)
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crepes)
Bò Bía (Vietnamese Jicama and Carrot Rolls)
Bò Lá Lốt (Beef Stuffed Wild Betel Leaves)
Bún Gà Xả (Lemongrass Chicken Soup)
Bún Mộc (Vermicelli & Pork Meatball Soup)
Bún Riêu (Crab and Tomato Soup)
Bún Thịt Bò Xào (Vermicelli with Stir-Fried Beef)
Bún Thịt Heo Băm Xào (Rice Vermicelli with Ground Pork)
Bún Thịt Nướng (Grilled Meat with Rice Vermicelli)
Cá Hấp (Steamed Fish)
Cá Kho (Braised Fish)
Cà Tím Dồn Thịt (Stuffed Eggplant)
Canh Gà (Vietnamese flavoured Chicken Broth)
Canh Hến (Baby Clam Soup)
Canh Khổ Qua (Bitter Melon Soup)
Chả Cá (White Fish with Dill and Green Onion)
Cháo Ca (Fish Porridge)
Cháo Gà (Chicken Porridge)
Cơm Tấm Chả (Broken Rice with Meatloaf)
Cơm Tấm Sườn (Broken Rice with Pork Chops)
Đậu Xao Trứng (Green Beans & Eggs)
Fried Quails
Gà Nướng Xả (Grilled Lemongrass Ribs)
Gà Rô-ti (Braised Chicken)
Gỏi Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Gỏi Mực (Cuttlefish Salad)
Hành Mỡ (Scallion Oil)
Lemongrass Chili Sauce
Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Bean Thread Noodle Soup)
Nem Nướng (Pork Meatballs)
Nước Chấm (Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce)
Pan Fried Basa & Bamboo Shoots
Ram Bắp (Corn Spring Rolls)
Ram Tôm (Shrimp Spring Rolls)
Sinh Tố Bơ (Avocado Shake)
Sữa Đậu Nành (Homemade Soy Milk)
Sướng Heo (Spare Ribs)
Sướng Nướng Xả (Grilled Lemongrass Ribs)
Thịt Heo Kho (Braised Pork)
Tôm Kho (Braised Shrimps)
Toppings for Bún
Trứng Hấp (Steamed Eggs)
Xúp Bát Bửu (Chinese 8 Treasure Soup)
Xúp Bột Bán (Tapioca and Crab Soup)
Xúp Măng Cua (Crab and Asparagus Soup)

Recipes in green font are vegetarian.

Click here for Recipes by Cuisine.
Click here for Recipes by Types of Dish.

Chopped Greek Salad

2009-12-12T07:29:00.006-05:00

Not only did I wait very long to make this recipe that I spotted on the blog Use Real Butter, it also took me a very long time to write about it. I have been distracted by a new job and a gym membership. But I will try to end the year off not too weakly, and a visit to my mother's for the holidays should help any blog blues!

Back to the recipe! When I saw this recipe, it really appealed to me because I like Greek salads very much and I was intrigued by the chopping component. I believe I have some slight OCD tendencies, which really comes out in the kitchen when I'm chopping. I can spend a lot of time, obsessively chopping food in small, uniform pieces. My sister and mom can attest to that. But other than feeding my chopping needs, it was a very tasty salad. I really enjoyed being able to taste each ingredient in one bite, and experiencing the salty (feta, olives), crunchy (pita croutons), fresh (cucumber, tomato, peppers) and creamy (avocado) components at the same time.

Chopped Greek Salad - Serves 2
Adapted from Use Real Butter's Chopped Greek Salad. As I mentioned, I really liked the addition of the pita croutons which reminded me of a fattoush salad.

For pita croutons
1 pita, sliced in small squares
olive oil
salt
dried oregano
garlic powder
lemon zest

Place the small pieces of pita in a bowl.
Drizzle with olive oil making sure to coat most of them.
Sprinkle with salt, oregano, garlic powder and lemon zest.
Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet in one layer.
Broil in the oven for 5 min on the top rack - keep an eye on them or they will burn quickly!

Chopping the croutons and a quick broil.

For the vinaigrette
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
dried oregano
honey dijon mustard, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix the vinegar, olive oil, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette.

Assembling the salad
½ a red pepper, diced small
4" section of cucumber, diced small
1 small tomato, diced small
½ an avocado, diced small
small piece of feta, diced small
½ a handful of olives, sliced

Place all the vegetables, feta and olives in a bowl.
Pour the vinaigrette onto the vegetables and mix well.
Right before serving, add the pita croutons, and mix in - so they don't get soggy.
Tada!

Chopped components of the salad.

Healthy and also tasty!

Phở Bến Thành Restaurant

2009-02-28T10:30:00.003-05:00

115 Park Street North
Hamilton, Ontario
905.528.6888
website

Phở Bến Thành, or more informally referred as B&T Restaurant, is one of the most popular Vietnamese restaurants in Hamilton. It is actually referred as a Viet-Thai restaurant, although the owners are Chinese and the waiters do not necessarily speak either Vietnamese or Thai. The owners also own The Jade Garden, a few blocks away.

It seems like B&T Restaurant has become a little chain with restaurants all over Southwestern Ontario. The Hamilton location is situated at the corner of Cannon Street, in the heart of Little Vietnam. Ok, I'm exaggerating. It's like maybe two blocks of Chinese and Vietnamese businesses. It is also next door to a Vietnamese grocery store, where I shop very often.

The B&T Restaurant is one of those restaurants with a VERY extensive menu (over 600 items, including the drinks, yikes!), including their specialty phở (Vietnamese beef soup), vermicelli and rice dishes. There are also a dozen of vegetarian items. Like many Vietnamese restaurants, they also have a great offering of Vietnamese shakes. You have to jot down the item number you want on a piece of paper. You can make special requests, like no peanuts, but the waiters are sometimes unresponsive. You might have to repeat a few times and send your dish back.

Since it is still cold here, I decided to go for a phở. I always order the same one: phở tái bò viên (lean beef and meatballs). I was meeting my friend D before he and his wife move back to Halifax and he also went for a phở, minus the bò viên (meatballs). I got a small bowl of #108 for $5.50 while D went for the large #102 for $6.50. I should have taken a pictures of both bowls for a comparison!

#108, phở tái bò viên (lean beef and meatballs), $5.50 for a small bowl.

There are many different ways to eat phở. Usually, you add the bean sprouts, Thai basil and some lime juice in. I always ask for extra lime juice and like my broth extra lime-y. My mom likes to get her bean sprouts blanched because she does not like them raw. I find they cook sufficiently once they are added to the broth. I like to have Hoisin sauce and Sriracha on the side, and dip my various meats in the mixture. Others like to add the sauces directly to the broth. It doesn't matter how you eat it!

The accompanying Thai basil, limes, bean sprouts and hoisin sauce.

I have to admit that I have no interest in learning how to make phở. I think it takes a lot of work and for just one person, it's not worth the effort. I can be satisfied with eating it at restaurants. Maybe one day I will want to learn. I do remember my mom making a ginormous pot on Saturdays and really enjoying it, with pieces of cooked daikon in it. There are no daikon pieces at restaurants!

Once the sprouts are added, you can dig in!

All in all, B&T Restaurant offers affordable Vietnamese dishes. Other than the phở, I also really enjoy the different combinations of vermicelli bowls, such as #303 (grilled pork balls, BBQ pork and spring roll). I will have to write about it next time! I have seen the pad thai and it does not look appealing to me. I doubt their Thai food is authentic and would stay away from them. While the owners are Chinese, they actually grew up/lived in Vietnam and know their Vietnamese food pretty well.

Bò Bía (Vietnamese Jicama and Carrot Rolls)

2008-10-31T20:43:00.002-04:00

Bò bía is a Vietnamese street food. They are rolls comprised of jicama, carrot, dried shrimp, eggs and lạp xưởng (Chinese sausage). I used to buy some in Vietnam, where it is considered a street food. I used to regularly make these as a vegetarian version for my ex-roommate D. We referred them as carrot rolls even though I would say jicama plays a more important role in this dish.

My favourite type of dish again: easy, healthy and yummy! This dish can be served as an appetizer but I like it as a light main meal. I love the crunch of the jicama and the sweetness of the hoisin sauce for dipping. I also really enjoy lạp xưởng but you can skip it if you're really worried about being healthy... The first time I ate this dish was at one of my mom's friends. My mom had totally forgotten bò bía from her repertoire of Vietnamese dishes but it was quickly added as one of our favourites.

Bò Bía (Vietnamese Jicama and Carrot Rolls) - Serves 4
Traditionally, this is made with dried shrimp. I omit this but you can find a more traditional recipe on Wandering Chopsticks!

For jicama and carrot mixture
oil
1 garlic clove
1 jicama, julienned (cut into matchsticks)
3 carrots, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook garlic in oil.
Add jicama until it has softened but still has some crunch left.
Add carrots and mix.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Jicama matchsticks.

Cooked jicama and carrot mixture for bò bía.

Serve with
At home, we serve this as "roll your own", as most dishes with bánh tráng (rice paper). This mean we serve all of the ingredients for the rolls, the rice paper and a bowl of warm water. Each person dips their rice paper, adds what they want and roll themselves. I skip the traditional fresh herbs and usually roll this with lettuce. I feel like a terrible Vietnamese person but when I was younger I used to hate herbs. Now I don't mind them but don't bother buying them when I cook for myself.

bánh tráng (rice paper), 3-5 per person (for a meal)
jicama and carrot mixture
thin omelette (1 egg per person and same amount of milk - I use the broken eggshell to measure the milk)
1-2 lạp xưởng per person, cooked and sliced thinly
lettuce or herb of your choice
hoisin and chili sauce, for dipping

For omelette: Beat eggs and mix with milk, a bit of salt. Pour thin layer in hot pan and roll. Slice thinly.
For lạp xưởng: Cook lạp xưởng in a pan and slice thinly.
Mix hoisin sauce with chili sauce. (If you're lucky, you made some homemade chili sauce!)
On top of a wet rice paper, line up ingredients and roll. (There are pictures at the bottom of my bánh xèo post.)
Dip in sauce.
Tada!

Thin slices of omelette.

I love the flavour of lạp xưởng (Chinese sausage).

Mix hoisin sauce with as much chili sauce as you can handle. I used to use Sriracha.

Pesto and Grilled Vegetables

2008-10-01T18:03:00.005-04:00

I found myself running out of ideas as to what to cook. I find I tend to get lazier when I cook for myself. I tried to get inspired by shopping at the Hamilton's farmer market. I found a bunch of basil and decided to make pesto. This was a rather weirdly spontaneous decision since I may have made pesto once before in my life.

I also find that when I cook for myself, I tend to go back to eating low fat ingredients. So I'm back to eating whole wheat, high fibre, brown, low fat and skim foods.

Pesto
I needed some pine nuts but realized at the supermarket that it is quite expensive; $5.99 for a tiny pack!! Since I am budget-minded these days, I decided to replace them with pistachios. My Weight Watchers cookbook (yes, I have two!) suggests adding vegetable broth to reduce the amount of olive oil. I did not have vegetable broth but would definitely try it next time.

1 bunch of basil (about 2 cups, packed)
2 tbsp pistachio nuts
2 tbsp parmesan
3 tbsp olive oil
salt, to taste

Throw everything in a blender or food processor and hope everything is processed (I had some issues with G's blender).
Tada!

Pasta with Pesto, Grilled Chicken and Vegetables
I was initially thinking of making pasta with pesto and really colourful vegetables. I really enjoy it at restaurants and it seems so simple to make. So I decided to grill some vegetables and stretch them out into 2 or even 3 meals.

1 portion of pasta of your choice
3 tbsp pesto
olive oil
dried herbs of your choice
vegetables (zucchini, red peppers, broccoli, carrots)
1/2 chicken breast

Cook pasta. I added some broccoli at the last minute. Save some cooking water.

Grill vegetables with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, herbs.

Season chicken with a bit of olive oil, salt, herbs, paprika, hot chili flakes.

Grill chicken and slice.

Toss pasta with pesto and a ladle of cooking water.

Add vegetables and chicken to pasta and mix.

Zucchini with oil and seasoning.

Grilling vegetables.

Pita Pizza

I often make pita pizza, using a whole wheat pita for a healthier choice. It's a quick dinner and it satisfied me. I love pesto on pizza and as my sister would say, a ri-DONK-ulous amount of (low fat) toppings. You can use whatever you want though.

pesto

whole wheat pita
toppings of your choice
mozzarella (it doesn't have to be low fat...)
oregano
dried chili flakes

Cover pita with pesto. You can see chunks of unprocessed pistachios.

I covered my pita with pre-cooked slices of potato and low fat spicey turkey sausage...

... then the grilled vegetables and some onion...

... and finally some sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, oregano and dried chili flakes.

Bake until cheese has melted. The final product without any guilt!

I was able to use the grilled veggies for a third meal: spaghettini with meatballs in a tomato sauce. I also threw in some pesto in an omelette for lunch. The possibilities are endless!

Spaghettini with meatballs.

Pasta E Fagioli

2008-10-19T12:15:00.006-04:00

I have already mentioned that I have a vegetarian recipe repertoire from living with my ex-roommie D for 5 years. This recipe for pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans) was in the rotation when the weather got cold. We both enjoyed it very much. Not only is it tasty, but it is oh-so-healthy that there is no guilt if you want a second bowl!

I thought this soup would be a good entry as a "hearty vegetarian soup" for the food blogging event No Croutons Required, hosted by Lisa's Kitchen this month. I have been looking at Lisa's blog for a while now.

This recipe came from a cookbook I had, All About Pasta & Noodles, which was part of a joy of Cooking book series. Notice I used the past tense because I have lost the book (I don't know how one loses a cookbook...). I tried to remember the ingredients and I think I got it right. I wasn't sure whether there were tomatoes in the recipe but now I am pretty sure there were. I also remembered lima beans. I was so excited to find fresh lima beans, or so I thought. The beans were really big, so I am not so sure anymore what kind of beans they were...

From searching recipes online, pasta e fagioli seems to be typically salted meat, beans over pasta. No vegetables really. However, I do remember once making this soup while our window was being repaired (break-in #1 out of 2 at my old place) and the repairman commenting on how it smelled exactly like a soup his mother used to make. Nice compliment!

Pasta E Fagioli (serves 12)
Adapted from Pasta e Fagioli in joy of Cooking: All About Pasta & Noodles.

For the vegetable broth
I made a vegetable broth because I had celery I wanted to use up. However, it's not necessary. I've used the powdered stuff for this soup.

2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 potatoes, sliced
1 onion, sliced in two
1 garlic clove
2 bay leaves
3-4 peppercorns
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Place all vegetables and spices in a pot.
Add water.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer for about 45 minutes and turn off.
Strain the broth through a sieve.

For the pasta
I have no idea what type of beans the original recipe called for. My guess would be cannellini beans. I only had dry black eyed peas and I really like them! I prefer dry beans because I find the canned ones are too mushy, but they would be fine for this soup too. I remember the cookbook stating that this was between a soup and pasta, so it is supposed to be pretty thick!

1/2 cup dry blacked eye peas, soaked in water for a few hours (or from a can)
olive oil
1 onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
2 carrots, diced small
1 celery, diced small
1 zucchini, diced small (not sure if this was in the original recipe)
dried herbs (oregano, thymoe, basil, parsley)
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup small pasta
handful of green beans, sliced in 1" sections
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, sliced in 1" sections
lima beans, fresh or frozen
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Stir fry onion, garlic, carrot and celery until softened in a big pot.
Add zucchini and tomatoes.
Season with salt, pepper and dried herbs.
Add the vegetable broth, followed by the black eyed peas.
Turn up the heat.
Once the blacked eyed peas are cooked, add the pasta and lima beans.
When the noodles are cooked, add the green beans and Swiss chard.
Turn off the heat.
Add the Parmesan cheese.
Adjust seasoning to taste.
Tada!

Tip: If the soup portion seems to big, do not add the pasta. Freeze some of the soup without the pasta, then add pasta for the remaining portion.

Celery and carrots, diced small.

Lima beans or...?

Close-up of the mystery beans.

I think I cooked (and ate) Swiss chard for the first time for this recipe.

Final product, pre-cheese. You can omit the cheese and easily make this vegan.

Dig in!