Winter Melon Soup (Duong Qua Tong)

Eight Precious Jewels Winter Melon Soup; (Duong Qua Tong) One of my favourite restaurants was a corner diner in White Rock next to my Deli. I used to dine out for my weekly fix of contemporary Asian soups. I’ve have tried many versions of this great prized Cantonese winter melon soup. These large oval or round melon globes are found in the Chinatown markets and are usually recognizable by the dusty, “frosted” white coating found on the green exterior shell of the melon. My chef friend loved his Winter melon and was seen as nourishing and cleansing to the...

Roasted Lemon Thyme Chicken

Roasted Lemon Thyme Chicken. The best and quickest way to make a great home cooked meal. I prefer to use a utility grade small organic fryer chicken and after washing rubbed the skin with lots of fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, sea salt and tucked a tablespoon of butter under the breast skin. I used the juices from two lemons and placed the zested rinds into the birds cavity with some more thyme and salt. I preheated the oven to 350 while letting the chicken rest while getting my rice dish together. I minced some crispy bacon with a strip of red and green bell pepper,...

BBQ Sauce Root Beer Ribs

BBQ Sauce Root Beer Ribs During the summer I was on stage doing a cooking demonstration at the Fusion Fest. I met lots of cooks and chefs and it was great meeting and hearing about their new adventures. It was good fun tasting all the unique foods that were offered from around the world at this Fusion Festival.  All the different countries delicacy’s kept me in a food nirvana for most of the day. The festival participant’s spirits were high and it was a well-run cultural Pow-Wow. When I ever enter a major food festival I will introduce one of my favourite condiments like...

Knotty Pine style Nanaimo Bars

Knotty Pine style Nanaimo Bars. I have been asked for this recipe several times and only had the recipe in a large commercial batch. After a few ingredient adjustments and tweaking here it is. You will need; 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 1 large egg 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup sweetened flaked dried coconut 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tbs milk 1 tbs real vanilla 3 ounces 85 % unsweetened chocolate, chopped. Preparation; In a 2 quart thick bottom pot over low heat, melt 6 tbs butter; let...

Supreme Green Bean Salad!

Supreme Green Bean Salad! Beans beans the miracle fruit, the more you eat the better you feel. Fresh picked beans are a most excellent supply of many healthy nutrients and taste. Great ruffage and especially nice lightly steamed with just simple salt pepper and butter. Adding some pani pan squash or maybe some okra makes an excellent side dish. A splash of amaretto liqueur with toasted almonds makes a great bean almandine side dish with halibut or sole.  For a spicy bean dish try a Garlic Peanut wok fried Sichuan style stir fried with some chili garlic and nuts. Pickled...