Saturday, January 28, 2012

Embezzlement, Pensions, Peeling Garlic in 10 Seconds.




Very upsetting news, our local non-profit, community radio station, CKWR which is supported predominantly by donations and fund raisers, has lost around $60,000 due to embezzlement by one of their former board members, Bozana Radisic-Valincic. They have had to ask their few paid staff to wait for their pay and plus going cap in hand to the landlord and the bank. They are now going to be doing everything they can to raise money once more. Donations are also very welcome if you happen to be a listener and live in the area. We have been listening to this station ever since we came to Canada in 1975 (I hadn’t realised they only started broadcasting the year before) except when we were in the US of course. Its also the station where I have done a few Recipe Corner broadcasts in recent months. They have a website with all the recipes on it at www.CKWR.com, you then have to click on the yellow banner at the top of the page which takes you to Randy Johnston’s page where you can access the recipes.

Our Prime Minister, Mr. Harper, is talking about changes in the Old Age pensions. As yet no-one knows what these changes will be and we will have to wait til the spring budget. One thing mentioned is making people wait til 67 instead of 65 before being able to receive the pension. I see no harm in that, a lot of older people continue to work anyway plus with people living longer and longer, it will become necessary to push retirement ages higher and higher. I know, I already have my retirement, but I really don’t think 2 years will make a lot of difference. The thing that scares me is the possibility of reducing the amount of the pension. I guess we will just have to wait to find out.


A useful tip posted on Facebook by a friend, How to Peel Garlic in less than 10 seconds. Wish I had known this before I peeled my large supply of garlic a few weeks back. I won’t be needing it for a while now and not sure if I will remember it when I do need it. It really looks so easy, if it works.



Yesterday I mentioned this recipe, today I pinched it from Dragon’s Kitchen – with her permission, I am definitely going to try this out. Not sure, think I will have to attempt it for just us to start with. I haven’t got the guts to do it first time for a dinner party as I think the timing might be difficult.



Crisp Egg With Watercress Sauce and Bacon
Recipe by Chef Emily Watkins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

500 gr (1 lb 2oz) watercress, washed and stems removed
Splash of white vinegar
5 Eggs (1 per person, plus 1 extra for breadcrumbing)
Plain flour
300 gr (10 1/2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
Vegetable Oil, for deep frying
150 gr (5 1/2 oz) unsmoked bacon lardons

Directions:

1. To make the watercress sauce, bring a pan of water to the boil and have a bowl of iced water ready. Blanch the watercress in the boiling water for about 2 minutes until tender but still vibrant and green. Drain and plunge into the iced water. Lift out of the water and whizz in a blender with a little of the cold water until you have a smooth sauce.

2. For the eggs, bring a pan of water to a simmer and add a splash of white wine vinegar. Stir the water around to make a mini whirlpool and crack 4 of the eggs into the pan. Poach the eggs until the albumen is firm and the yolk soft (about 3 minutes). Lift out and place into iced water to chill. Then set them on kitchen paper to dry.

3. Beat the remaining egg. To breadcrumb the eggs, carefully place them one at a time in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg and lastly in the breadcrumbs.

4. Heat some vegetable oil in a saucepan to 180C/350F. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in the frying pan (there's no need to use any extra fat - the bacon will cook in the fat running out of it) until crisp, and warm through the sauce.

5. Gently lower the eggs into the hot oil and cook until crisp and golden. Lift out the eggs and place on to kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. Place a spoonful of the sauce on to the plate, put some bacon on top and lastly a crisp egg.

Have a great weekend





 


4 comments:

  1. looks yummy. Great work and great ideas to learn about some delicious recipes...

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  2. Thanks. Like the name Chocolate wines.

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  3. The problem with raising the retirement age is there are those who aren't really fit to work for many reasons but wouldn't be classed as disabled. My husband can just about manage his part-time work of 1-2 days a week but any more than that and he gets overtired. He's just about to hit 68 but he started to physically slow down and develop health issues around 64. Looking around at our friends - all around the same age - and it's easy to see if your health is good there's no problem but if it's not you're in trouble.

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  4. I do see what you mean Helen, his doc won't class him as disabled? If he/she did you could fill in disability forms and get your taxes reduced. Doc must know he can't work full time etc.

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