Welcome to the recipe archives! Here you will find all the delicious dishes from previous months gone by. Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Strawberry Rhubarb Creme Brulee

In celebration of spring’s harvest, try my Strawberry Rhubarb Creme Brulee.
This is a great combo of sweet and sour and is best made one day or at least 8 hrs in advance.

Ingredients:

16 oz Whipping Cream
7 Egg Yolks
2/3 cup sugar

½ cup diced rhubarb
½ cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar

Combine rhubarb and 1/4 cup sugar and 2 TBL water in a small pot and bring to a simmer, cook until tender. Add sliced strawberries and allow to cool

Place the whipping cream in a medium pot and bring to a boil (watch it carefully!)
Meanwhile, combine sugar and egg yolk, whisk till smooth.
Pour boiled cream into egg-sugar mix all at once, stirring constantly, allow to sit 5 minutes.

Arrange 6, 5 oz oven proof ramekins in a baking/casserole dish. Divide the rhubarb-strawberry mix evenly, leaving any liquid which may have formed behind.
Skim the foam from the egg-cream mix and pour into the ramekins.
Add hot water to the baking dish - approx. 1 inch deep (tell your friends it’s a “bain marie” to look impressive).

Bake at 300 for approx 1 hr. To test for doneness, jiggle the custards, they should move as a single mass and have no liquid present (you can cheat by poking your finger into the center of one). Remove from the water bath to cool.

To prepare for serving, top each dish with a thin layer of granulated sugar and place under the broiler till it caramelizes. Works great with a propane torch too!

White Point Gingerbread

Served warm as a dessert or just to snack on, gingerbread is wonderful!
Preparation is very simple.
Preheat your oven at 350

4 oz fresh ginger ( don’t even peel)
1 cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup veg oil
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs

Puree ginger with the sugar
M ix all dry together
C combine all wet
M ix together until moist.

Bake in cake pans, spring form pans or as individuals (baked in well buttered ramekins)  - what ever you like and just cook till center is set and springs back when pressed.

White Point Gingerbread is best served warm (and yes it microwaves nicely!) with caramel sauce and whipped cream. We serve it with a warm apple and apricot-raisin compote and ginger ice cream.

Enjoy! And please do as you wish with the recipe, we have no secrets!

Artichoke Bruschetta

Ingredients:

- 1 can artichoke hearts ( quarters or whole)
- Baguette or any other bread
- Good quality commercial Caesar dressing (look for the refrigerate stuff)
- Parmesan such as Grana, Padano or Reggiano
- Olive Oil

Preparation:

Cut you baguette in rounds ½ inch thick, drizzle with olive oil and spread each bread with a generous amount of Caesar dressing. Top each slice with a quartered artichoke and grate Parmesan over each piece. Bake at 450 until browned slightly.

Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients:

- 1 commercial pre-baked flatbread or thin pizza crust
- commercial caesar dressing
- Prosciuto, Serrano Ham, Genoa Salami or any other quality cured meat
- Parmesan, Asiago, Bocconcini, Mozzarella or an Italian Cheese Blend
- Olive Oil
- Dried or Fresh Basil
- Cracked black pepper

Preparation:

As with the Bruschetta above, brush the flatbread with olive oil and spread generously with Caesar dressing. Drape whole slices or cut meats onto bread and
grate cheese over or slice bocconcini and scatter drizzle with more olive oil, freshly ground pepper and dried or fresh basil. Bake at 450 until browned. Cut into 2 inch squares. For a more custom approach, pre-cut the flatbread into 2 inch squares, build the pizza as individuals.

Dukka

The Middle eastern bread dipper is perfect for the dinner table or pre dinner h’ors douvres!

Ingredients:

- ½ cup almonds, sliced slivered, or whole
- 3 TBL ground cumin
- 3 TBL sesame seeds
- 1 TBL dried thyme or fresh leaves
- 1 TBL chili powder
- 1 TBL salt
- 1 tsp black pepper

- olive oil or nut oil
- Rustic bread for dipping

Preparation:

Spread all spices, sesame seeds and nuts on baking sheet and bake at 375 until nuts are lightly browned. Pour this mixture into a food processor and pulse until fine crumb. Serve with cubed bread, and a shallow dish of good olive or nut oil. Dip the cube of bread in the oil and roll in the spice-nut mixture.

Szechuan Marinade for Pork or Chicken

Perfect for BBQ season!

½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp dried chili
2 inch piece, peeled and chunked, fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
3 TBLS Honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Place all ingredients in a blender and off you go!
Marinate no more than 12 hours

Tomato Parmesan Soup (world’s easiest)

1 Vegetable Bouillon Cube
1 Cup Warm Water
2 Cups Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce ( or a flavor of your choosing)
1 Cup 35% Whipping Cream
1 Tsp Dried Basil
1/4 Cup Grated Fresh Parmesan
½ tsp Cracked or Freshly Ground Pepper

Combine Bouillon cube and water, boil to dissolve
add cream, tomato sauce, simmer
add pepper
add Parmesan, remove from heat and serve
Voila!

To make it extra special and show you care, toast some 1/4 inch thick rounds of baguette drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with more Parmesan. Serve on the side or float one in the soup bowl.

Chicken Stuffed with Brie and Apple

4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts ( if you can get skin on and remove the bone yourself it’s so much better)
3/4 cup diced Baguette
1 TBL spoon minced Spanish Onion
2 TBL spoon Olive Oil
4 oz Brie, diced ( 1 mini wheel)
½ cup diced firm apple ( toss with ½ tsp of vinegar or lemon juice to prevent oxidation if you’re preparing the day before)
½ tsp Cracked Black Pepper

Mix Together bread, onion, olive oil and cheese
Cut an opening lengthwise, in each chicken breast to create a pocket and pack half of the stuffing in each.

Don’t worry if it won’t close, but do try to press the edges back together after stuffing.
If using skinless breast, brush tops with more olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper or a mix such as Montreal Steak Spice. If using skin on breast, generously season the skin so it crisps while cooking.
Bake at 425 till done.

Simple Sauce?

Take 1 Package commercial Demi Glaze Mix such as Knorr Swiss follow the instructions, just use apple juice in place of the water, add 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme leaves and swirl in 1 TBL hard butter at the end.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Pudding:

1 1/4 cups water

1 Tbl vanilla

1 cup pitted dates, chopped

½ tsp baking soda

1 cup plus 2 Tbl flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbl butter, at room temp.

½ cup plus 2 Tbl sugar

2 eggs

Caramel Rum Sauce:

 ½ cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup 35% cream

4 Tblsp butter
2 Tbl dark rum

 

In a medium sauce pan combine all ingredients for the sauce

heat until it just comes to a simmer, stirring constantly,

remove from heat

 For the pudding

 350 degree oven

6, 6 oz. buttered ramekins

 

In a medium sauce pan bring the water, dates and vanilla to a boil

Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda, reserve

Combine flour, baking powder and salt

In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar till combined

Add the eggs one at a time allowing each one to be incorporated

 

At a slow speed, add ½ of the flour mixture till combined

add date mix and remaining flour, mix till combined
Diving the mixture between the ramekins

and bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes, or until barely set

Remove the puddings from the oven and pour 1 Tbl of the sauce over each and bake a further 5 minutes. Once baked, spoon a little more sauce mix over each pudding (it will absorb)

 

For serving, these puddings can be unmolded when slightly cooled and served immediately or removed from the ramekins and re heated in the microwave when needed. Garnish with the sauce, which can also be reheated,and some soft whipped cream.

Wildflower Honey Glazed Pork Chops with Macintosh Apple Compote and Savory Turnip Apple Crisp

4, 8 oz Thick Cut Boneless Pork Chop

3 Tbl Honey

1 cup white wine

2 tbl diced onion

½ tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

pinch of salt

3 medium apples, peeled, seeded and diced (½ inch)

1 tsp vegetable oil

Gently cook the onion in the oil till clear, add white wine, thyme, pepper and boil till reduced by half. Add the honey, cook till syrupy then add apples and cook for 1 minute, remove from heat while apples are still intact, salt to taste.

Grill or pan fry pork chops, cook till medium. Baste liberally with more honey season with coarse salt and pepper. Serve the apple compote cascading down the pork chop, excellent either hot or cold.

For the Turnip Apple Crisp

2 medium apples

2 cups diced turnip

½ tsp salt

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup butter

Boil apple and turnip until soft. Mash together with salt and put into a 5x8 buttered baking dish. Combine flour oats, sugar and butter either by hand or in a food processor until fine meal crumbs are formed. Top turnip mixture with crumble and bake until golden ( 18-20 minutes)

This crisp makes an excellent side dish for the fall. You might like it so much you'll serve it with ice cream for dessert!

BBQ Baked Beans

1/2 lb. bacon cut in pieces
2 cups chopped onions
28 oz tomato sauce
1 cup brown sugar
6 oz cider vinegar
3 oz molasses
3 tbls Worcestershire sauce
5 tbls Chili Powder
2 tsp tabasco sauce ( more if you feel daring)
2 14 oz cans kidney beans

sautee bacon till soft, add onion, cook till translucent
add every thing else except the beans
simmer for 5 minutes
add beans and simmer for 30 minutes

These are a nice accompaniment to any BBQ and also terrific with breakfast.
They’ll keep for a week in the fridge

Wild Blueberry Cobbler with Thyme and Maple

~ 200 ml Maple Syrup
~1 tsp Lemon Juice
~1 tsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
~2 Cups Wild Blueberries
~½ tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
~9 oz Flour
~5 oz Sugar
~2 Tsp Baking Powder
~4 Oz Butter
~½ Cup 35% Cream

Combine syrup, ginger and lemon juice in small pan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 3 minutes.

Pour blueberries in baking dish ( 9 inch glass pie plate)
Pour syrup mix over the blueberries.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, butter and cream in a food processor and pulse until the dough comes together ( no longer than one minute)
Crumble the dough over the fruit and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and crust is golden.

Serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream.

Crispy Skinned Salmon with Lobster Mashed Potatoes

and Pinot Noir Glaze

4, 6 oz portions of salmon, skin on ( scaled)

2 cups mashed potato       
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbl Chopped Green Onions or Chives
2 Tbl Cooked Bacon Coarsely Chopped
2 Tbl Chopped Lobster Meat
Cracked Pepper and Salt

1 cup reduced veal stock ( or commercial demi glaze in a pinch)
3-4 pieces dried mushrooms, soaked in 1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbl minced shallots
1 cup red wine
2 oz hard butter

To prepare the lobster mashed potatoes:
After mashing the cooked potatoes, stir in the sour cream, lobster meat, green onions and bacon Season to taste with cracked pepper and salt.

Adjust consistency with additional sour cream to achieve a mash that will hold it's shape but not become runny. These can be prepared in advance and re-heated in the microwave.

To prepare the salmon:
Preheat a non-stick pan with oil to just below the smoke point, add salmon, skin side down, reduce the heat on the pan and cook on the skin for 6 minutes. Season the top of the fish and turn for two minutes on the flesh side to complete cooking. The fish should be just "center warm" upon completion.

To prepare the sauce:
saute shallots, with 1 tsp butter until translucent

add red wine, reduce by half
add mushrooms and liquid, reduce by half
add veal stock and reduce, while skimming until sauce is concentrated
add hard butter and whisk to emulsify
season to taste

Plating:
Ideally, this can be presented in large flat bowls
Position a 1/4 of the mashed potatoes in the center of the bowl
Place salmon fillet on top with the crisp skin up, season top of  skin with sea salt
drizzle 1/4 of the sauce around the base of the plate
Garnish with fresh thyme or chives

Wine pair for this dish would be a full bodied, "new world" style Pinot noir such as Wyndham Bin 333 or Lindeman's.

Maple Creme Brulee     

6 egg yolks
1 whole egg
2 cups 35% cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
sugar for burning

Pre heat oven to 300. Fill a baking dish (large enough for 4, 6 oz. ramekins) with 1 inch of hot water and place in oven while it preheats.

Bring cream to a simmer and remove from heat

While cream is heating, whisk together egg yolks, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Add a small amount of the hot cream to the egg mixture and stir to incorporate.

Slowly pour in the remainder of the hot cream and stir to combine * optional,

I’d recommend at this point straining this mixture through a fine sieve before cooking.

Adjust the maple syrup to your taste at this point.
Divide the mixture into 4 ramekins, skimming any foam on top.

Bake at 300 degrees in the water bath, 30-45 min. or until just set.
Cool over night.

To “brulee” the tops I’d suggest a small propane torch, however, your oven’s broiler will do too.

Coat the entire top of each ramekin with a thin layer of sugar.

*It’s important to have the whole top covered as the taste of scorched custard is unpleasant.

Using your torch or broiler heat until the sugar has caramelized. Careful! It’s really hot in it’s molten state.

Eat and Enjoy!

Perfect with a glass of Jost maple dessert wine and some crisp biscotti.