Plain Salad Turned into A Delectable and Gratifying One?

I do have to admit that salads are not my forte when it comes to food. Since I mentioned numerous times before on how much I love meat, salads are usually found last on my list whenever I order my meal at a restaurant or even when I prepare a home cooked full course meal for the family or guests. Now that I've discovered different ways of making a salad more scrumptious looking and tasty, I cannot serve dinner without a stunning salad.

Ever notice that when the salad is served during a dinner party, it's usually the last dish to be consumed or it's the ice-breaker when meeting new people over dinner. It's also considered as the optional side dish. Salads are often ignored but people will eat it simply out of guilt, so as to say that they've eaten a healthy dish, nonetheless.

I've seen mouth-watering and inviting-looking salads served in Italian restaurants that were incredibly well prepared. They were colourful, appealing to the eyes and to tastebuds. Most importantly, they looked like a gratifying main course meal.

Finally, I found that the key to turning a boring lettuce and tomato salad into an appealing and interesting mouth-watering salad is to add a few ingredients that most people would enjoy eating during the main course meal. The salad dish doesn't have to become the dish, it can remain as an appetizer, but still a crowd pleaser. Because I live with someone who is incredibly health conscious, I've learned to prepare "considered boring" foods into delicious and tasty foods. The big test to see if your "boring" dish has indeed become "interesting" is to see if the kids like it. Kids tend to be extremely picky eaters and usually love anything that is rich tasting, or foods that are crispy. They need to hear a "crunchy" or "crispy" sound as they bite into it, and I guarantee that they will love it, unless they have an intolerance to certain foods (such as nuts, shrimps...etc.).

So, to a normal bland lettuce and tomato salad, I drizzled the salad with a wasabi vinaigrette from one of my previous posts, and added a few slices of well roasted and crispy eggplant slices. Depending on how your kids are open to trying out new foods, kids are usually not fans of eggplants because of their "particular odd" taste. But if you roast them correctly so that they become crispy throughout, I've been told by many parents that their kids couldn't even tell they were eggplants . Benefits from eating eggplants can be found here. But here's an excerpt :

Studies of the Institute of Biology of São Paulo State University, Brazil, would have shown that eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol. Another study from Heart Institute of the University of São Paulo found no effects at all and does not recommend eggplant as a replacement to statins.
It helps to block the formation of free radicals and is also a source of folic acid and potassium.
*For this amazing eggplant salad, I added a few artichoke hearts. To have a more complete meal, you can also add canned sardines, which can be either seared in a pan or grilled on a mini indoor grill. Canned tuna or hard boiled eggs can also be added. In fact, you can add anything you want that's easy for you to make and that your tastebuds are calling for.

eggplant slices sprinkled with ground tumeric (curcuma), coarse sea salt, minced garlicm and drizzled with olive oil, before roasting in the oven.

Preparation time : 15 minutes, Cooking time : 10 minutes for the eggplants.

Recipe "au pif":
1 large bouquet of leaf lettuce ("frisé" laitue), chopped in 3-inch pieces
1 serving of wasabi vinaigrette 1 can of artichoke hearts, drain water and cut artichoke hearts in halves
1 large tomatoe, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Wash the lettuce and pat dry or drain out water. Lay the lettuce leaves in a large salad bowl. Add in the tomatoes, the artichoke hearts, the black pepper, then drizzle the lettuce mix with the wasabi vinaigrette. Mix well. Put aside.

Roasted Eggplants with garlic and tumeric:

Preheat oven at 350F

1 baby eggplant, cut into thin diagonal slices
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil


Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper over aliminium foil because food doesn't stick to it.

Lay the eggplant slices over the parchment paper, about 1 inch apart.

Sift the ground tumeric evenly over the eggplant slices

Sprinkle the coarse sea salt, pepper,and the minced garlic evenly over the eggplant slices.

Drizzle evenly and generously the olive oil over the seasoned eggplant slices.

Roast for about 10 minutes until the eggplants have browned and edges are crispy.


Lay the eggplant slices over the salad mix.

Serve as an appetizer or a main course meal, by adding hard-boiled eggs, sardines, tuna, anything else that you enjoy eating!
Serves 4-6.

Share and enjoy.

Cooking Ideas for and Benefits of Tumeric - Roasted Mushrooms

Being an avid meat eater, I am still set on eating real meat if my body craves for it, which is once a month. But when my craving for meat lessens, I tend to want to eat food with substance, not necessarily meat, but something that will gratify my "small" meat-craving. Granted, Portobello mushrooms are not the perfect substitute for a mouth-watering rib-eye steak or juicy fillet mignon, especially for a huge carnivore like myself, but they do have the texture that fills me up and they taste great when well seasoned. Otherwise, if my desire for a steak is so strong....scr--w the portobello mushrooms!

But nicely enough, I just had guests over yesterday, Su from Vancouver, who is a vegetarian, and Anne whom I haven't seen in a while. The evening was absolutely lovely. We had candles lit, a warm and cozy atmosphere. To my surprise, I received house-warming gifts which I've been thinking of getting for myself. I'll show them to you in a later post, as they are quite useful for avid cooks like me and also perfect for quiet and private dinner settings. On the menu was a Seitan Gratin, a white bean with leek stew, a small serving of alfalfa sprout with tomatoes, and Berbere fennel bread drizzled with a bit of olive oil, lightly toasted in the oven to serve warm as an accompaniment. Vegetarian meals can be as delicious and gratifying as any other meat dishes.
So, if you are a newly "converted" vegetarian or vegan who still dreams about meat galore, you may want to try out this portobello mushroom recipe as part of your slow progression towards your new realm of vegetarianism. I say, give it a go. As a strong carnivorous individual, I loved the way this satisfied my craving for meat. Tumeric (aka curcuma) not only adds an interesting flavour to food but also has great benefits to your health, which has been scientifically proven in numerous articles in magazines, on special television shows or even cooking shows. It's one of the main ingredients found in freshly ground curry powder, giving it that deep yellowish colour.

Recipe "au pif":2 large Portobello mushrooms (sliced 1-inch thick) - should make 8 large slices
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp ground tumeric( aka curcuma)
1/2 tsp of coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil


Preheat oven at 350F

Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper over aliminium foil because it doesn't food doesn't stick to it.

Lay the portobellow mushroom slices on the parchment paper, about 1 inch apart.

Sift the ground tumeric evenly over the Portobello mushroom slices

Sprinkle the coarse sea salt, the pepper and the garlic.

Drizzle evenly and generously the olive oil over the mushrooms.

Roast for about 10 minutes until the edges of the mushrooms are almost black or crisp dark brown.

Serve as a meat substitute or a side dish.
Serves 2-4 people.

Share and enjoy.

Brown-Bag-Roasted Garlic and Chili Cornish Hen with a Touch of Honey

The buttery scent of this dish is the ultimate show-stopper at dinner parties. As guests arrived yesterday for Thanksgiving (Action de Grâce in French), they were immediately drawn by the rich aroma and smell swarming from the kitchen as the cornish hens were slowly roasting in the oven.

I've posted a few recipes of roasted poultry already and you probably noticed that I often use the bag method to roast chicken or hen. I like to use either these special plastic oven bags or greased brown paper bags to roast poultry as it significantly reduces the cooking time of the meat and renders the poultry into a sublimely tender and juicy pièce de résistance.

Turkey can also be roasted using this bag method, using a much bigger bag such as the ones used for packing your groceries, as long as the poultry is cooked in a well-sealed container that creates a steamy environment for the poultry to slowly cook and to brown at the same time. Another great advantage of using an oven bag or a brown paper bag, as opposed to a oven-safe ceramic covered pot, is that the poultry roasts to a crispy and tender bird as it cooks. This year, I decided to go with smaller poultry, like the cornish hen, because they are easier to prepare and portions are easier to serve. I also find that the meat is also more tender then chicken or turkey.

The left over sauce dripped from the roasting can be used to make a light tasty gravy by slowly stirring the sauce with a bit of flour, no more than a tablesppon, and slowly whisk the mixture until the sauce thickens. I usually don't make any gravy because the cornish hens usually come out very very juicy. I like serving them with salads, vegetables, potatoes or a well seasoned rice. A fine bottle of wine should complete your Thanksgiving dinner.

Preparation time: 10 minutes for both cornish hens, Cooking time : 1 hour in convectional over, 1 1/2 hour in a regular oven.

Recipe "au pif":
2 grain-fed cornish hen (about 2 lbs each)
3 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp dried chili flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp softened garlic butter
Canola oil

Preheat the oven at 350F.

Prepare the marinade by mixing the honey, garlic, chili flakes, pepper and olive oil in a small salad bowl.

How to spatchcock a chicken or hen (flatten the chicken for the grill or the oven roast):Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using poultry shears or a very sharp knife, cut from the neck to the tail end along either side of the backbone to remove.You'll be cutting through flesh and small bones, so you'll have to use some force; take special care if using a knife.Once the backbone is out, you'll have a clear view of the interior of the cornish hen .With both hands placed on the rib cage, crack open the cornish hen by opening it, like a book, toward the cutting board.Flip over, flatten the cornish hen with your fist and smooth the skin. You've spatchcocked your bird.Marinate the cornish hen by rubbing with your hands all sides of the cornish hen , the skin and the interior, with the already prepared honey-garlic-chili marinade. Let the cornish hen marinate for 24 hours or overnight in a well-sealed container or tupperware.
Rub the softened butter on top top side of the cornish hen.

Line a large baking dish with 2 brown paper bags that have been cut open in halves on one side. Place the cornish hen in the brown lunch paper bags. Take some of the remaining marinade and rub the rest on the cornish hen. Close the bag and seal it well by tucking the open ends under the bird. Grease the top part of the bag with the oil with the help of a soft brush. Make sure the bag is translucid so as to prevent burning while roasting the cornish hen.
Roast the cornish hens for about 1 hour if using a convectional oven, or 1 1/2 hours if using a regular oven, or until the skin of the cornish hen has browned. This is a good indication that the hens are ready. You can peek once in a while to check the skin.

Serve with a side dish roasted vegetables (potatoes, zucchinis, carrots) or herb-fragranced rice.
Serves 4-6 people.

Share and enjoy a great Thanksgiving dinner.

Juicy and Savoury Vietnamese Stuffed Tomatoes

The stuffing is always the best part of stuffed vegetables, whether it be stuffed cabbage, stuffed zucchinis, stuffed bell peppers or stuffed tomatoes. I love this pork stuffing in this traditional Vietnamese dish because I grew up with it and am an avid meat eater. It's incredibly easy to prepare and can please dinner parties of 4 to 6 people.

I don't have any special story behind this tasty stuffed tomato except that I have been sharing it with a few of my friends. It's so easy to make (I know I already mentioned that) that even my brother who isn't fond of cooking, loves making them. Kids and dogs also love them too. Our dog has been snatching some of our food when left on a coffee table, low enough for him to smell and sneak a taste, and the stuffing of this tomato is not an exception. Of course, after he's done, you're left with the tomato shell alone on its plate.

Preparation time : 10 minutes, Cooking time : 15 minutes

Recipe "au pif":4-6 big ripe tomatoes
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 of a large yellow onion, chopped in cubes
1/4 cup cooked brown basmati rice
1/3 cup black mushrooms , soaked in warm water for 5 minutes (water discarded)
1 tbsp fish sauce (or 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp of canola oil

Cut the tomatoes in halves, remove the flesh from the tomatoes with a small scooper, and put the tomatoe flesh aside for sauce preparation.

Mix the pork, chopped onion, rice, mushrooms, fish sauce, egg and pepper in a medium sized salad bowl. Mix well with your hands until all ingredients all well incorporated.

With a table spoon, fill in each tomato half with the pork mixture up to the rim of the tomato. Add in a little more stuffing if desired. Repeat until you filled all the tomatoe halves. If you have stuffing left, you can use it in the sauce.

In a large deep sauce pan, heat oil on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add in the stuffed tomatoes face down so that the stuffing browns first. Add 4 at a time if your pan is not large enough. Or add them all at once. Brown them for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the tomato flesh (and remaining stuffing if any left) to the pan, while continuing cooking the stuffed tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 7-10 minutes, or until the pork is completely cooked.

Serve with rice and vegetables.
Serves 4-6 people.

Share and enjoy.

Hearty White Beans and Leek Stew

I took a few days off from work since last Friday and took advantage to go to Ottawa's Farmer's market. We wanted to get away from the hustling and bustling of Montreal's cosmopolitan atmosphere and decided to get up really early, 6am (real early for a day off and for a non-morning person at all) to make sure to get the best of the goodies from Ottawa's local farmers. It was a little bit cold, but we pretty much got what we needed. Our main purchase was at least 4 kilos of leeks.

Leek is one of my favourite types of "onion" at this time of year, when it's cold and nippy. They're the perfect ingredient to add to soups, stews, popular dishes like lasagnas or even quiches.

This weekend, I made a dish that is a favourite in Haitian families, a well seasoned stew made of white beans and leek. It's creamy, tasty and so satisfying to the palate. In Quebec, we have the yearly Cabane à Sucre that usually starts at the peek of Spring. Although I've grown less fond of eating at the Cabane à Sucre (sugar shack), only because I had gone so many times when I was younger, my favourite part of the meal was the traditional cooked beans in maple syrup. It's just so tasty and delicious. Now, I like cooking my own beans because I'm more conscious of my health and know that beans are an excellent source of iron, potassium, selenium, molybdenum, thiamine, vitamin B6, and folic acid.

The last 5-7 years, I have met many different interesting people who have different eating habits, as a result of health issues or purely personal preferences. It seemed to me that over the years, many of my friends or even new acquaintances have developped intolerances to different types of foods or have made personal choices to not eat certain foods. Some have become vegetarian, or more seriously vegans, and some have developped an intolerance to gluten, dairy products, nuts, or seafood. Even though I love receiving and cooking for friends and family, I find it's become somewhat challenging to cook for guests. My solution to have a stress-free dinner reception is to simply suggests my guests, in advance, what I plan to offer them for dinner and ask them to let me know which foods or ingredients I should avoid adding on the menu. This is when the real test kicks in to become more creative when cooking delicious meals without taking away the enjoyment of eating a good meal. But of course, I also know many people, including my direct family, who will eat just about anything. They're not picky eaters and are ready to try just about everything. Although I don't like to categorize, but I do have to say this to Lisa, Daph, Stefan, Lorraine, Louis, Marsela and Artan...I think you know where you fit in.....Thank goodness you guys are around...

In fact, knowing people with different taste palates or with certain preferences, has allowed me to learn more about food that I never knew existed or to know more about their flaws and qualities. This bean recipe can be eaten as a main course or a side dish to a meat or fish dish. Either way, I'm sure you'll find it gratifying. It even tastes better after a couple of days when the seasonings have had the time to soak well into the sauce.

Preparation time : 20 minutes, Cooking time : 1 hour with pressure cooker, or 2 hours in large sauce pan (after beans soaked overnight)

Recipe "au pif" :1 1/2 cup uncooked white beans
7 cups hot water
3 cups leeks (roots and green leaves removed), chopped in cubes
1 large yellow onion, chopped in cubes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (optional) - ends snipped off twigs, or fresh tarragon finely chopped.
1 tsp fresh ground paprika
1 tsp chili flakes
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable or chicken stock concentrate - or 1 cube vegetable or chicken broth.
1 tbsp olive oil


In a pressure-cooker, add in the hot water and the uncooked beans. Close and pressure-cook on medium heat for about 1 hour.

* if using a regular large sauce pan, beans must be soaked in warm water overnight to soften. Use 3 cups of hot water to cook them for about 2 hours. *

Beans are cooked when they've reached an off-white colour, have softened and water has thickened Add in the chicken stock. Turn off heat but put lid back on.

In the meantime, toast the mustard seeds in a large frying pan on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Then add in the oil and heat for another minute.

Stir in the onions, let them brown for about 1 minute. Then stir in the garlic and mix. Finally add in the chopped leeks and stir until almost golden brown on the edges.

Stir in the leek/onion/garlic mixture in the pressure cooker with the cooked beans. Add in the chili flakes and the fresh thyme (optional), or preferrably fresh tarragon. Give it a good stir and cover to slow cook for about 10 minutes.

Serve as a healthy side dish to roasted eggplants or roasted poultry.
Serves 4-6 people

Share and enjoy!