Lasagne Bolognese

Lasagna Bolognese. Fresh made pasta is available at many deli’s or markets from the source. Or you can make your own homemade lasagna pasta (sometimes called “lasagna noodles”) with a dough made of flour and eggs, with or without spinach—or using just semolina (durum wheat flour) and water. But today, the dried packaged ready-to-use lasagna noodles available in the grocery store are really excellent. When using regular store-bought lasagna noodles boil them in batches. To avoid the noodles sticking together, place them vertically on the sides of the pot of boiling...

Double Smoked Pork Chop.

Double Smoked Pork Chops. One of the best country butcher grocery shops I found in Floradale Ontario is Earlidale Fine Meats. My trip to into the Mennonite county was with a purpose. I was needing to put some good pork on my fork. Were talking local county grown pigs. The ones where the farmer has a passion about growing the best he can. They all like to win awards at the agricultural fairs, and raising the best animals possible is how they treat the herd. I found everything I need here at this little deli store. Plus other stores in Elmira, Wellesley or St Jacobs because...

Louisiana Jambalaya Creole’

LOUISIANA JAMBALAYA CREOLE’ One of my favourite jobs back in the early eighties was chef for a turn of the century musical called One Mo Time. I took on this position because it gave me a chance to be in New York and it was something I wanted to add to my repertoire. While there I was to be mentored by Sara Waxman and introduced to Chef Paul Prudhomme well known for his avant-garde approach to Creole Cuisine and the art of blackened grilling Louisiana style. The producers of this musical wanted to have an authentic Creole style menu that would compliment this dinner...

Zucchini Carrot Veggie Fritters

These Zucchini Carrot Veggie Fritters are a version of Latke Potato pancakes. Known by different name like Ukrainian deruny or Irish boxties are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato mixture, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg. They may be topped with a variety of condiments, ranging from the savory (such as sour cream or cottage cheese), to the sweet (such as mango chutney curry coconut yogurt), or they may be served plain. Some variations may be made with sweet potatoes or plantain. here I used cold smoked tuna with fried capers as an...

Mexican Tortilla Soup

Mexican Tortilla Soup This is one of my favourite of all the authentic Sopa de Tortilla or Mexican tortilla soup. It’s best if you make it with a rich home-made chicken stock made from scratch. I was shown different versions by great Mexican cooks in Monterey and Seattle on how to make this an authentic soup. Using chicken feet and tripe to give the broth more of a gelatinous consommé taste along with adding a small amount of good tequila made each trial a better batch. Cut up a chicken into a big pot of boiling water along with a couple stalks of celery, some carrots,...

Rubs and Marinades

My first attempt to use rubs on meats and seafood back in the sixties came from eating some filets of rock cod that were seasoned and blackened in a hot cast iron skillet. The filets were flash fried and had a real hit of flavors. I found the origins of this eastern Spicy Rub had a great Canadian History brought there by the Acadians from Nova Scotia. Because of the early arrivals of the Spanish, Portuguese followed by the British, different ethnic cultures that remained as east coast residents began the use and trading of herbs and spices that were both native and...