Lunch, Great Lakes,

Saturday we drove to Burlington, ON, to have lunch with friends. Burlington is on Lake Ontario. A delightful lunch it was too, nice to see them, haven’t done so in such a long time, mostly because they are still young enough to work all the hours God sends so just don’t have a terrific amount of spare time. It was an absolutely beautiful day with blue skies. Still a little chilly, but made you think of spring at least. Of course we do have a lot of snow on the ground in places.  Later, I had intended to shut off the lights for Earth Hour, but I completely forgot until someone mentioned it on Facebook. First time I haven’t done so since the idea began.

Funny thing about The Great Lakes we live in an area surrounded by them (Huron, Erie and Ontario) and yet they rarely impinge on our consciousness. When you do see them, to me its a bit like going to the seaside, there is a frisson of excitement and I try to see as much as possible al;though I am usually in a car. The lakes are absolutely vast, and appear to go on forever. They are really inland seas, not lakes at all. The US and Canada share them all except for Michigan which is entirely in the US. Lake Ontario is the smallest and is 7,320 square miles, 193 miles long and 53 miles at its widest point.

One more week and the A to Z Blogfest begins. I have finished my blogs for the month. As I said before, I have volunteered to help L. Diane Wolfe, as a Spunky Soldier, to keep an eye on her assigned blogs, as yet I don’t know which ones will be my responsibility. Checking today there are over 1200 blogs signed up. If you haven’t joined in, I recommend you do so, its not only great fun, but helps to spread your name around the blogging world so more people read your blogs.

On Sundays I like to have a glass of champagne before lunch. I recently found some Parmesan Cheese crisps which I am now adding to my drink. When I was a kid, my mother used to make fried cheddar cheese for me and I loved it. These Parmesan chips are oven baked, but much the same thing and absolutely delicious. Unfortunately they are also quite expensive, $7.99 for 3 oz. which is not very much. It turns out they are made in New York by Kitchen Table Bakers so next time we are in the States I will see if I can get them and bring a few packets home. I do like them so very much. They go very well with champagne too.

In honour of the beginning of Passover this evening, and for those who make seder tonight, here is a Matzoh Ball Soup recipe.

Passover Matzoh-Ball Soup

Contributed by Andrew Zimmern
Photo © Stephanie Meyer

• ACTIVE: 1 HR
• TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS
• SERVINGS:8 to 10 servings

For 40 years I looked high and low for the best matzoh ball recipe, but nothing measured up to my grandmother’s until I discovered Susan’s, an old family friend. After a Passover seder at her house 20 years ago, I begged for this recipe and finally she gave it to me. It’s the perfect balance for a matzoh ball: light enough to float, dense enough to be a good “sinker.” I can now die in peace knowing I have achieved what every Jewish man should for his family: a roof over their heads and a nice chicken-soup-and-matzoh-ball recipe. We eat this meal year-round, and we call it chicken-in-the-pot. When I make it as a main course, I serve the chicken in sixths with the skin and bone. I will often add kasha (toasted buckwheat groats) or noodles and leave the vegetables in bigger pieces so the dish is more like a poulet pot au feu than a first course for Passover seder. For the uninformed, the seder is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is held at sundown on the 14th day of Nissan in the Hebrew calendar and on the 15th by observant Jews living outside Israel. That means late March or April for most of us. The meal involves a retelling of the liberation of the Israelites from their bondage in ancient Egypt. It’s basically Thanksgiving for Jews, and it’s my favorite holiday of the year.—Andrew Zimmern



Chicken Soup

1. 2 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2. One 3-pound chicken

Matzoh Balls

1. 1 1/4 cups matzoh meal
2. 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3. 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6. 5 large eggs, 3 separated
7. 1/4 cup melted chicken fat (schmaltz) or vegetable oil
8. 1/4 cup minced onion
9. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for forming the matzoh balls

To Finish

1. 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
2. 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
3. 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4. 1/4 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
5. 4 large dill sprigs
6. 4 large parsley sprigs
7. Kosher salt
8. Freshly ground pepper

1. MAKE THE CHICKEN SOUP In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Add the chicken and return the stock just to a simmer. Cover the chicken with a small plate to keep it submerged and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to maintain a very low simmer; simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken and let cool slightly, then shred the meat; discard the skin and bones. Strain the soup into a heatproof bowl. Skim off the fat and return the soup to the pot.
2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE MATZOH BALLS In a large bowl, combine the matzoh meal, salt, garlic, baking powder and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs with the 3 yolks, schmaltz and onion. In a separate bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir the schmaltz mixture into the dry ingredients, then stir in one-third of the beaten egg whites until incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the batter and refrigerate for about 20 minutes or overnight, until firm.
3. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. In a small bowl, combine the vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon of water. Scoop 1-tablespoon-size mounds of the matzoh batter onto the baking sheet. Using the oil-and-water mixture to keep your hands moist, roll each scoop of batter into a ball, handling them as gently as possible.
4. Return the chicken soup to a simmer. Add the carrot, celery, onion, rutabaga, dill and parsley and season with a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the matzoh balls. Cover and cook over moderate heat, turning the matzoh balls a few times, until they are plump and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and cook just until the meat is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs. Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Make Ahead The soup can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight. Cover the matzoh balls and shredded chicken with plastic wrap before refrigerating.

Happy Seder to those celebrating.

Have a good day

Spring, huh!! Dinner, A to Z

Tuesday it snowed all bloody day and was totally horrid out there. Not that I went, but we have a girl who cleans for us once a month and she had trouble getting her car cleaned off and came an hour late which, for a Canadian, shows how bad it was. I can’t see us having spring any time soon, more snow is forecast for the rest of the week. In fact there is a heading on CBC “Canadians brace for a cold spring coast to coast”. Those groundhogs, especially Wiarton Willie, didn’t know what they were talking about. Luckily the roads have been staying pretty clear. Funny this winter, we didn’t have anything much until the beginning of February and then we ended up getting snow and its been snowing on and off ever since. I don’t know if this will be a good or bad thing for asparagus season, at least there should be plenty of moisture. Last year they were having trouble because it didn’t rain.

Last night we finally made it to The Keg – we were given vouchers  as an anniversary present last September. Another couple of friends had vouchers too so we finally got together and went. Matt and I had never been before, there isn’t one in Kitchener, although there is one in Waterloo and another in Cambridge, neither of which are very far away. Found the service to be very good, but for us, the restaurant was way too noisy. We like to be able to chat amicably not shout across the table. Matt and I had Caesar salad, a beautifully cooked fillet steak with rice pilaf in my case and baked tatie for Matt served with mushrooms and peppers. We also split a bottle of wine between the four of us. Our friends ordered starters, calamari for one and escargots for the other. Turns out there is a world shortage on escargots, didn’t know that, so she didn’t get them; had calamari as well. I’m afraid we weren’t sold on the place and neither of us would go back, mostly because of the noise.

Although the A to Z Blogfest is not til April 1, I have been working on my blogs and have nearly got them all finished. Don’t forget to sign up if you haven’t done so. You can click on the badge at the side and it will take you to the sign up page. Its a fun way to meet other bloggers as well as getting a few more comments on your own blog.

Ketchup seems an odd ingredient, but I must say the picture looks delicious. This is certainly one we will try although possibly with haddock rather than cod, easier to get for us.

Sautéed Cod with Rich Ketchup Sauce

Contributed byJean-Georges Vongerichten

• SERVINGS: 4

Ketchup is the mystery ingredient in the complexly flavoured sauce for chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's sublime cod and vegetable dish.

1. 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
2. 1/4 cup ketchup
3. 1/4 cup soy sauce
4. 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
5. 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
6. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
7. 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
8. 1 garlic clove, minced
9. 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
10. 2 celery ribs, finely diced
11. 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
12. 1 plum tomato—peeled, seeded and finely chopped
13. 6 large green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
14. 6 calamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
15. 1 tablespoon nonpareil capers
16. Pinch of saffron threads
17. 2 teaspoons shredded basil
18. 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
19. Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless cod steaks, about 1 inch thick
20. Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter with the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar and Tabasco and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Remove from the heat.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, celery and chile and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a bowl and add the tomato, olives, capers, saffron, basil and thyme.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Season the cod with salt and pepper and add the steaks to the skillet. Cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crisp and the flesh flakes easily, about 12 minutes.
4. Rewarm the sauce and pour about 2 tablespoons in the center of each of 4 large dinner plates. Set the cod steaks on the sauce and spoon the vegetables on top. Serve immediately, passing any additional sauce alongside.

Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Let the vegetables return to room temperature before serving.

Have a great day

Prostitutes Retire, Hyperlink, A to Z Blogfest

Incredible story of twin sisters who have just retired after 50 years as prostitutes in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. They said they were getting a bit tired and had touches of arthritis. They worked in Amsterdam’s red light district. Their names were Louise and Martine Fokkens. Unbelievable. They estimate they have dealt with 350,000 customers between them in that long time, the longest of any sex worker in Amsterdam. They made enough money to buy themselves a house. I must admit I am a bit took aback and wonder just how many customers they had in their latter years.

Having done the Top 10 Movies Blogfest, I noticed a lot of people were not using the Hyperlink recommended by Shannon on the A to Z Blogfest page. It really does make it easier to find people who leave comments so I recommend those of you, who haven’t done so, make your own before April 1 which, Hilary Melton-Butcher just reminded me, is April Fool’s Day. Everyone seems to be gearing up for the Blogfest to end all Blogfests. If you haven’t done so you can click my A to Z badge and get to the sign up page and add your name to the fun. I just checked and at present there are 1161 blogs taking part. I am a minion for L. Diane Wolfe, or a Spunky Soldier, so will be helping to check on blogs and leave comments or see if the blogger is making it and/or needs help maybe.

As I have had an incipient migraine all day, that’s it for now. We have had lots of snow today and are supposed to have more before its all over. Ah well, when I came here I knew it snowed.
I like pickled carrots so will be giving this one a go.


Dilly Carrots

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com
Try these garlicky-dilly pickled carrots chopped in your dinner salad for a burst of flavor. They are gluten free too.

Ingredients

Prep: 40 minutes (plus 1 day marinating time) | Total Time: 40 minutes

• 2 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks (about 9 cups)
• 12-24 sprigs fresh dill
• 3-6 whole large cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 cups distilled white vinegar, or cider vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

1. Place a large bowl of ice water next to the stove. Bring a large pot of water to a boil in a large pot. Add half of the carrot sticks, cover, return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the carrots to the ice water to cool. Repeat with the remaining carrots.
2. Drain the cooled carrots and divide among 6 pint-size (2-cup) canning jars or similar-size tempered-glass or heatproof-plastic containers with lids. Divide the dill and garlic among the jars.
3. Combine vinegar, 3 cups water, salt and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Carefully fill jars (or containers) with brine to within 1/2 inch of the rim, covering the carrots completely. (Discard any leftover brine.)
5. Place the lids on the jars (or containers). Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Have a great day