Beef Wellington is one of those dishes that people tend to be terrified of. It just seems to be such an elegant and complex dish that we all think it must be incredibly difficult to make. When I announced that we were making Wellies for Valentines Day dinner, Mooby was a bit concerned that we might not be able to pull it off. I quite literally sent him to the den to check out a great video that would simplify things greatly.

The great thing about Gordon Ramsey’s show The F Word is that during each show he does a quick bit where he condenses a seemingly complicated dish into just a few minutes worth of video. In the following video, he shortens the process of making Beef Wellington into just over 2 minutes, completely removing the fright factor from the process.

After the break, we embark on our own recipe free version of Beef Wellies that include a couple of twists.

We began by cleaning up a whole beef tenderloin as I described yesterday and chose our sections. While the large, non stick pan was heating with olive oil, we seasoned the beef and then seared it in the hot pan. Timing can be a bit of a challenge if you haven’t worked with tenderloin before as it cooks quickly. You want to sear the beef and partially cook through, but not so much that it over cooks in the oven later in the process.

While I seared the beef, Mooby worked on the assortment of shrooms. Cleaned them, stemmed them and then attempted to pulse them in our tiny, $20 food processor. As often happens while there is vino involved in cooking, there was carnage. Fortunately, no fungi were lost as the processor shot fragments of itself across the kitchen!

Yes Chef! The shrooms were indeed full of moisture. We sauteed the moisture from the processed forest fungi and then added a healthy dose of Jack Daniels just to add a bit of fun. We cooked that down too, until the liquid had been absorbed.

Ramsey loves to get in the occasional dig at the French, but we just couldn’t wrap our heads around slathering cheap ass prepared mustard on our meat so we used dijon. Apparently I forgot to take photos of this part of the process. As I said, there was wine involved. Lots of it.

Now the assembly begins. Position a long chunk of plastic wrap, saran or the British cling film on your cutting board. Lay out however many slices of prosciutto as you need to wrap your meat. Mind out of the gutter…I meant your beef…oh crap, you know what I mean! Overlap them so the shroomage will be contained evenly. Spoon out your mushroom mixture evenly, spreading it out across the yummy smoked pork goodness.
Place your beef across the mushroom mixture and carefully, using the wrap, roll the prosciutto and mushroom around the beef. Wrap it together tightly and put it in the fridge to cool for about 20 minutes or the time it takes you to enjoy a glass of wine. 2 glasses if you use those wimpy little 2 oz glasses.

Like most kids, ours abhor mushrooms. Well, that isn’t entirely accurate, as 2 of them enjoy raw shrooms but despise cooked ones. Go figure. We weren’t about to skimp on our own adult pleasures just because there are short people in the house, so we improvised. Costco sells massive bags of Hormel real bacon bits. Our kids love bacon. We prepared a second wellie with bacon bits instead of mushrooms. Mooby was skeptical, but the end result was wicked and the kids loved it.

Not only does this go along with the theory that everything tastes better with bacon, but it also shows that a recipe is just a guide. Tweak it as you see fit for your tastes.

Next up, store bought puff pastry. This stuff is so good that there really no reason for making your own. Thaw the pastry as per the instructions and then unroll it on your cutting board, leaving the parchment in place. Brush egg wash around the edge to ensure a good seal once you wrap it up. Unwrap your bundle of beefy goodness and place it at one end of the pastry. Then, carefully roll the lump of meat from one side to the other while drawing the trailing edge of the pastry along for the ride.
When you are done, press together the ends of the pastry to seal it all together. You should have something that looks something like these puppies. If you haven’t consumed enough wine to inebriate a small nation, they will probably look better than ours. Don’t fret over being too neat though, as once your guests see the final results they are going to be impressed regardless of how neat a wrapping job you did.
Brushing the remaining egg wash over the entire wellie will ensure that your pastry has a delightful golden crust when it is cooked.

Once you have brushed the eggie liquid on the pasty, you might want to work on presentation before baking the wellies. Very gently, score a diamond pattern across the pastry, being careful not to cut through the pastry. A very fine cut line is all that you need to make yourself look like a baking master.

Perhaps the most important element to cooking a dish like this is missing from the video. How long do I cook it and at what temperature? If I recall correctly (it was a month ago and did I mention that there was copious amounts of wine involved?) we set the oven to 375 degrees F and cooked it for about a half hour. The most important thing about any beef tenderloin is that it must not be over cooked. We aimed for an internal temperature of about 140-145 degrees, which is medium rare, knowing that it would be approaching medium once the meat had rested for a while.

Once you have allowed your spectacular beef loaves to rest for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you are somewhat sauced), you are ready to slice. Using your sharpest large knife or a good quality bread knife, cut it into slices that are on the thicker side of one inch.

When the main course is something this flavorful and awe inspiring, not to mention time consuming, it is better to keep the sides and presentation simple. We served our wellies with steamed asparagus and goat cheese mashed potatoes. The kids loved their special version and the double pig shot of bacon and prosciutto worked perfectly. The JD shroomage was just what the doctor ordered.

Beef Wellington may sound like a scary dish to prepare, but really it just needs a bit of confidence and good timing in the kitchen. Beyond that it is a really simple dish that is guaranteed to wow your guests.

It used to be that a real foodie would never talk about the little shortcuts used in the kitchen lest they be considered less of a cook by their friends. The reality these days is that many large chain stores have gone to a lot of trouble to create ready made products that are not only easy, but taste great too. Here in Ontario, we are lucky to have the President’s Choice brand that offers many unique products that can’t be found elsewhere. The do sauces particularly well. In this recipe, we’ll use their Memories of Lyons peppercorn sauce as the base for a quick, easy and flavorful pasta.

The beauty of cooking like this is because there is no recipe you can make as much or as little as you need.

What ya need:

Boneless chicken breast – we used 3 big ones, but you can vary depending on the size of your clan
1 package of the pasta of your choice. We used penne.
1 bottle PC Memories of Lyons 4 peppercorn sauce or similar.
Whipping cream

How ya make it:

Preheat a large, non stick pan with a splash of veggie oil.

Heat a big honkin’ pot of salted water for the pasta.

On a clean cutting board, cut the chicken into bite size chunks. Season with salt & pepper (we prefer fresh ground) and carefully add to the hot pan.

Sear the chicken on all sides, then turn the heat down and allow chicken to cook through, being careful not to overcook it. Then, remove chicken & put in a bowl.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook as per instructions. Ours took 9 minutes to al dente, but yours may vary. Read the package as each pasta is different.

Add the peppercorn sauce to the pan and heat. Once sauce is hot, stir in the whipping cream a little at a time until you are happy with the creaminess and pepper heat. Add chicken to reheat & soak up sauce.

Drain pasta well in a colander and then add to sauce & chicken mixture. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes to allow pasta to pick up the sauce.

Serve in bowls, grating fresh parm on top if you so desire.

It has been a while since I’ve made a big pot of chili, so I thought that would be a great project for the return of winter. I looked at a few recipes, but none caught my eye so I just went to the store and grabbed a few things to add to the 2 packages of stewing beef that had taken up long term residence in the freezer.

As TV chef Michael Smith says, a recipe is just a beginning. Close the book, use some creativity and get cooking.

I used our Saint Patties Day Chili as a sort of basis and then had some fun. You can refer to it if you want some actual instructions. I used a couple of pounds of stewing beef, a pound of lean ground beef and a half pound of bacon. Yes, bacon! I figure if Voodoo Donut in Portland can put bacon on donuts, I can use it in chili! Oh, and yes I have had their maple and bacon donuts and they aren’t as gross as you might think!

I used 2 1/2 large onions, finely chopped and I omitted the peppers, because I forgot to buy them!
1 beer – Steelback Draft
Half a mason jar of home made turkey stock.
1 can small Mexican beans. Never seen them before thought they might be good.
1 can seasoned smashed tomatoes, with another in reserve just in case.
1 can tomato paste
Spices are pretty much the same as before.
I wanted to use some chipotles in adobo sauce, as I love the smoky taste, but they didn’t have any.

Otherwise I pretty much followed my own recipe. Ok, I cooked stuff in the same order! So far, it tastes awesome with just the right amount of heat for the family.

It really is that easy to throw something interesting together. While the ability to pair flavours comes with practice, the only way you get that practice is to actually try. So find a recipe you like and try making some substitutions, you might just find that you love your creation!

Our family usually loves anything with a nice clean citrus flavour, so when I made some Greek style potatoes a year or so ago, everyone loved them. I decided it was time to have a go at another Greek style dinner so went looking around for some recipes.

I came across Robert’s Place who had a simple pork chop recipe which I worked with to actually make pork tenderloin medallions. For the taters, I found Toronto based food blogger Peter Minakis at Kalofagas who has a recipe that isn’t really a recipe. Just the way I like it!

No details recipes after the break.

Simple Greek style pork tenderloin medallions

1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2″ medallions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs dried oregano, more or less as you like
Fresh ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon – I used 1 1/2 and I think it was a little bit much
Olive oil

Mix all the ingredients into a large ziploc bag or in a low, flat prep bowl so that all pieces of meat are in the marinade.
Allow meat to marinate for at least 1 hour.

I didn’t feel like going out into the rain, so I pan fried the medallions for about 3 minutes per side. This also allowed the garlic to brown nicely as it was pressed into the meat. These medallions would be even better when cooked on the grill.

Greek Roasted Potatoes

Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
Olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Water or stock, I used fresh home made turkey stock
Dried oregano
Salt & pepper, I used sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450 deg F

Combine your liquids and then toss or stir in potatoes. Peter says to toss them, but I think I used more liquid than he does. Tossing would have been messy, even using the deep sided baking dish I chose to use.

Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Put the spuds in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes.

Now go away and surf the net while enjoying a glass of wine!

When done, your taters will be nicely browned on the edge and soft on the inside.

The nice thing about no recipe recipes like this are the flexibility of them. Got more people? No problem, just use more potatoes and pork and bump the quantity of olive oil and lemon juice. Want to try some different spices? Go to it. Some cilantro might work just as nicely with the lemon and you might even want to put some tequila in your pork marinade.

We enjoyed our pork n taters last night with some nice green beans that were perfectly steamed to al dente, leaving them with a nice crunch that went well with the softness of the pork & spuds.

I just wish I had remembered to take the after photos!

To me, fish curries are always a delightful surprise – they’re not often found on restaurant menus….  But this is just one example of a number of incredible Indian fish curries I’ve tried (and a great way to get your Omega 3s)!!  The method for this recipe is a pretty radical departure from the one that inspired it, entitled “Bengali Fried Fish”, from The Food of India:  A Journey for Food Lovers ( Priya Wickramasinghe & Carol Selva Rajah, Whitecap, ISBN 1-55285-678-X), but the ingredients are the same.  This book is one of the most amazing cookbooks ever for those of us who were Indian in another life….  Serves 4.

• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) rainbow trout or salmon filet
• 23 ml (1 ½ tablespoons) lemon juice
• 3 ml (½ teaspoon) ground turmeric
• 3 ml (½ teaspoon) salt
• 3 green chillies, chopped
• 3 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 5 cm (2 inch) piece of ginger, chopped
• 60 ml (4 tablespoons) mustard oil or oil
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) panch phoron
• 3 ml (½ teaspoon) garam masala

Sprinkle the fish with the lemon juice and leave for 10 minutes.  Rinse with cold water and pat dry.  Skin the filet and cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a medium-sized bowl, toss the fish with the combined turmeric and salt.

Put the chillies, tomato and ginger in a food processor and chop until smooth, or finely chop together with a knife (in this case, wear gloves for the chillies).

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan or sautoir over medium-high heat and add the panch phoron.  Fry for 1 minute, until aromatic.  Add the tomato mixture and fry for another 5 minutes, until some of the excess moisture has evaporated.  Add the cubes of fish and slowly return to the boil.  Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle with the garam masala and season with salt, to taste.

Serve with basmati rice and wilted spinach or chard.

Notes:

When tomatoes are not in season, by all means use a 398 ml (14 oz) can of chopped tomatoes, instead.

Ideally, use Serrano chillies (but in a pinch, jalapenos will do).

Mustard oil, panch phoron (a whole 5-spice mixture) and garam masala (a ground spice mixture) are available at Asian markets.

This curry is relatively mild.  Feel free to double the spice quantities if you prefer a more piquant curry.

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

This dish delivers mild, yet unexpected flavours.  The sauce is inspired by the one for the Steak Gorgonzola Pizza (which is awesome!) from the LCBO’s Food and Drink Magazine (Winter 2008, recipe by Marilyn Bentz-Crowley).  Although it looks like a lot of ingredients and preparation, the process is pretty quick – it’s mostly assembly!!  Serves 6.

• 8 large red bell peppers
• Cooking spray
• 3 Tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter
• 1 lb (454 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) grapeseed oil
• 1 lb (454 g) ground turkey
• More salt & pepper to taste
• 6 Tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 Tbsp (90 ml) all purpose flour
• 3 cups (750ml) cold milk
• ½ cup (125 ml) crumbled Danish blue cheese, about 3 oz (90 g)
• Yes, more salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lb (450 g) Ricotta cheese
• 4/5 lb (375 g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Cooking spray or oil
• 8 fresh lasagne sheets
• 3 cups (750 ml) mozzarella cheese (about 10 ½ oz or 300g)
• 1 cup (250 ml) parmesan cheese (about 3 ½ oz or 100g)

There are three ways to prepare the red peppers:

1.       Barbeque:  Preheat to medium-high.  Place the peppers directly on the grill and char them, turning every 5-10 minutes, until uniformly black and blistered (about 30 minutes).  Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes.  Peel the black skin from the peppers and remove seeds and any membranes from inside.

2.       Oven:  Preheat to 450F.  Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and membranes in advance.  Spray with cooking spray.  Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until soft inside and blackened on the outside.  Follow the rest of the instructions as for barbequing.

3.       Easiest way ever:  omit the peppers and cooking spray from the ingredient list and instead, troll your favourite grocery store (pickle or canned vegetable aisle) or Costco!  You’ll find them in jars.  They’ll be brined, so you’ll want to rinse them.  Dry with kitchen paper.

Heat the butter in a large skillet or sautoir over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and seasonings and sauté; Keep those crazy little fungi (they really are fun, aren’t they?) moving until they begin to emit their moisture, or they’ll stick.  Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the oil in the same pan over medium-high heat.  Add the turkey and season with salt and pepper.  Stir frequently to avoid sticking, until cooked through.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool (refrigerate if not using promptly).

Using the same pan again, melt the second portion of butter over medium heat.  Sweat the garlic for about a minute, then add the flour and stir in to make a paste.  Whisk in the milk, about a cup at a time.  Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes or until mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from the heat. Stir in the blue cheese, salt and pepper. If your sauce seems very thick, stir in splashes of additional milk until consistency is that of a pasta sauce. (Sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)  Set aside about 1/2 cup of sauce and add the cooked turkey and sautéed mushrooms to the remainder (again, be sure to refrigerate if not using promptly).

In a medium bowl, mix together the Ricotta, spinach, salt and white pepper.  Set aside or refrigerate.

Coarsely grate the mozzarella and parmesan and mix together in a medium bowl.

When you’re ready to put it all together and get cooking, preheat the oven to 350F.

Spray or oil an 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 pan.  Use half of the reserved plain blue cheese sauce to coat the bottom of the pan (which prevents the lasagne noodles from sticking).  You’ll need two sheets of pasta to cover the bottom (it’s okay if they overlap a little).  Use half of the turkey and mushroom sauce to cover the noodle layer and then add a layer of red pepper.  Use two more pasta sheets, then add the entire ricotta and spinach mixture and spread evenly.  Layer two more pasta sheets on top.  Repeat a layer of red pepper, then turkey and mushroom sauce and two more pasta sheets.  Top with the rest of the straight blue cheese sauce and spread evenly over the noodles.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes

Remove the lasagne from the oven and uncover.  Add the mozzarella and parmesan in an even layer on top and return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to turn golden.  Let the lasagne rest and set for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Notes:

Pasta sheets are readily available at your grocery store, where you find other fresh pasta.  If you’re looking for a “healthier choice”, Olivieri makes a good whole wheat product called “Nutriwise” (PC Blue Menu makes a similar product, but the results were disappointing).  By all means, use your favourite dry noodles, if you prefer, following package directions.

If you’re a serial cook, by all means use the same pan for the first three steps.  If you’re a simultaneous cook, go ahead and use three pans (if you’ve got them).  I just hate doing dishes… and wasting the flavour that’s left behind in the pan.

I have a new lasagne pan that I need to rave about:  the stick-resistant stainless steel roasting pan by Paderno (PEI isn’t just about potatoes, anymore!).  It has no chemical coating, but features a textured bottom that really and truly does resist sticking!!  The pans come in a variety of sizes.  A store like Hendrix Restaurant Equipment and Supplies (Ontario, Alberta and BC) is a good bet, and likely less expensive than other retailers.  You can also shop online with Paderno!!

Equally good, I think, might be “Beef and Blue Cheese Lasagne” or “Lamb and Blue Cheese Lasagne”….  Let your imagination take you where it will!

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

If you’re a fan of lamb, you’ve got to try this sometime soon, while the barbeque is still an option!  (If you’re not barbequing anymore, you can just as easily pan-sear the chops!)  Serves 4.

• 12 lamb loin chops
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil, plus more to spray the grill
• Fleur de Sel aux Herbes de Provence, or regular Fleur de Sel or Kosher Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp dried lavender flowers

Heat the barbeque to high.

Oil both sides of the chops, then sprinkle with the salt, pepper and lavender.

Once the grill is hot, spray with a little oil to prevent sticking.

Grill the chops for about 3 minutes per side (for medium-rare, depending on thickness of chops), then cover and let rest for 3-5 minutes.

Notes:

Fleur de Sel (both kinds, as listed above) is available at specialty food shops.  In Calgary, try The Cookbook Company Cooks.  In Toronto, Alex Farm Products at the St. Lawrence Market or Yonge St. between Eglinton and Lawrence; they should be able to help you out.

Dried lavender flowers are also available at specialty food stores.

Serve with Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes with Garlic  and steamed fresh green beans or asparagus.

If you live in the Ottawa area, we procured our lamb from the North Gower Farmer’s Market.  Although the chops were frozen when we bought them, the lamb had just been butchered that very week.  It was just awesome!

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

My father thinks I do everything but barbeque (I was actually at the dinner table when he reported this to another guest!).  It seems that BBQ is the work of men-folk.  All I care to say is, try not to burn this, Dad!  Serves 4.

1 cup barbeque wood chips

4 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

Kosher salt or Fleur de Sel and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• Place the chips in a bowl and soak in 2 cups (500 ml) of water for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the barbeque at high heat.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry the chicken breasts with kitchen paper.  Oil the chicken on both sides and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
• Drain the chips and wrap securely in foil.  Use a fork to punch holes into the packet.  Carefully place the foil packet directly onto the hot coals.  When the chips begin to smoke (about 10 minutes), reduce the heat to medium.
• Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill and close the lid (you’ll want to keep the lid closed as much as possible to keep the smoke in.  After 4-5 minutes, give the chicken a quarter turn for nice “hatch marks”.  Leave another 4-5 minutes skin side down.
• Turn the chicken rib side down, and cook a further 10 minutes.
• Move the chicken to the upper rack and cook a further 5-10 minutes.  The temperature at the end of this time should be 77 degrees Celsius, using a meat thermometer (you can check the temperature early; once it reaches 77 degrees, it’s ready to come off the grill).
• Remove the chicken to a plate or platter, cover immediately with foil and let rest for five minutes (very important! – it’s still cooking and needs to reach 82 degrees).

Notes

BBQ wood chips are readily available in grocery stores, in season.  Most of the time, you’ll also find them at retailers like Winners and Home Sense, as well.  Our first bag were chips from a Chardonnnay Oak barrel that we procured from an Ontario winery….  It doesn’t matter how or where you get them, just get them!!

This chicken is really delicious – juicy and smokey and crispy – all on its own!  But, if you’re having a dinner party and looking for a saucy sauce to accompany it, try the Roasted Red Pepper and Rosehip Sauce we’ve got happenin’ here at FAB!

Looking for perfect accompaniments?  Try our Potato Puree with Fresh Oregano, Grilled Portabella Mushrooms and Steamed Asparagus with Balsamic Drizzle (coming to you in the next few days at FAB!).

Enjoy!

~ One of Seven

Planning on burgs for Labour Day? These ones are a little extra effort, but totally worth it!! They were inspired by a lamb sausage recipe from The Chef’s Table: Restaurant-Inspired Recipes for the Home Chef, by Lucy Waverman, James Chatto and Tony Aspler (ISBN 0-679-31039-8). These patties are so tasty I’ve literally been dreaming about them! Make the most of what’s left of summer and throw some on the grill this long weekend! Makes 6, 5 1/2-oz patties.

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) grapeseed or canola oil
• 1 ½ cups (375 ml) finely chopped white onion (about 2 medium onions)
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fennel seeds
• 1 tsp (5 ml) hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp (5 ml) garam masala
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Chinese five spice powder
• 2 lb (908 g) ground chicken
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
• ¼ tsp (1 ml) cracked black peppercorns
• ½ (125 ml) cup chopped fresh cilantro

The “extra effort” here is in caramelizing the onions. If you’ve never done this before, it’s definitely worth the babysitting required!!

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pan (I like my cast iron frying pan for this process, but a stainless pan will certainly do). Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it becomes soft and opaque. Continue to cook until you can just detect the slightest hint of browning (i.e., do not walk away for any period of time!) and immediately turn the heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions develop a lovely, caramel colour. Over this period of time, the onions will reduce considerably.

Add the next six ingredients and cook very gently for another 2-3 minutes, or just until the mixture is super-fragrant. If your pan is too hot, remove from the heat but allow to continue cooking. Remove the mixture to a bowl to cool. You can fan, stir or refrigerate the onions, if you’re at all short on time.

Once the onion mixture is cool, add the lamb, beaten eggs, salt, pepper and cilantro. Mix thoroughly (with your hands, if you’re not squeamish; it’s more efficient). Form into six patties.

Heat the barbeque to medium. Cook the patties for approximately 5 minutes a side, until thoroughly cooked.

Serve on whole wheat or multigrain buns, with the condiments of your choice. These are awesome with brie, if you like cheeseburgers!!

Notes:

The caramelization process will take at least half an hour, depending on your stove (or, in our case, the side burner on your barbeque!). You do need to pay close attention, but you can work on your accompaniments while you’re there in the kitchen.

Garam masala and Chinese five spice are easily available at Asian markets. They do add to the flavour, but if you can’t find them, just omit and enjoy the other flavours.

I love burgers of any kind. These are great with chicken, but I’ve tried this recipe with ground beef, turkey, venison, elk and lamb. They all work out to be completely delicious, so don’t hesitate to choose your own favourite!

Barbeques vary widely in heat ranges, so use your judgement with regard to doneness. For chicken or turkey burgers, I recommend using a thermometer: cook to a minimum of 77 degrees Fahrenheit, remove to a plate, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes. This allows poultry to reach its final (safe!) temperature of 82 degrees.

Enjoy!

~ One of Seven

Chili for Saint Patrick’s Day? It’s not green, so what gives? Well, the February issue of Bon Appetit has a great looking recipe for Beef & Dark Beer Chili. I’d been eying the recipe for a few weeks & then figured with a pint of Guinness it would make an almost Irish meal. Ok, I know it’s kind of twisted logic, but it works for me. At least the jalapenos are green! Believe it or not, the local LCBO was out of Guinness on St. Patties day, so we had to settle for Smithwick’s instead. Life is tough!

I spent the afternoon putting this big pot together and resisted the urge to taste until all the ingredients were together. The smells while building the chili are incredible. Once everything is assembled, the chili is fantastic. The spices, jalapenos and chipotles give just enough heat, which is countered by the sweetness of the bell peppers. This chili will likely become a staple around here.

Saint Patties Day Chili Adapted slightly from Beef & Dark Beer Chili in the February 2007 issue of Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander

5 pounds ground beef
olive oil
2 1/2 pounds sweet onions, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 1/2 pounds yellow or orange bell peppers
2 large jalapeno chilis, with seeds, coarsley chopped
7 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons canned chipotle chilis in adobo, minced
2 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
2 15 ounce cans of kidney beans
1 1/2 pints of Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Coarsely grated old cheddar cheese

Putting it all together

Toast the cumin and coriander in a skillet over medium heat until the spices turn darker in colour and start smoking slightly. The aroma is heavenly. Set the pan aside to cool.

Saute the beef in your biggest heavy pot, breaking it up with a spoon, until there is no pink left.

While the beef cooks, heat a splash of olive oil in your largest skillet. Add half the onions and 3 kinds of peppers and saute until they begin to soften, about 15 minutes on medium heat. Add the mixture to the pot full of meat. Heat another splash of oil and the rest of the peppers and onions, cook the same way and put this batch in the pot as well.

Now it’s time to make things happen. To the big pot, add the chipotle chilis, the toasted spices, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, beans and beer. Stir it up well. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Serve it up

Fill each bowl with the chili. Top with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheddar and a sprinkle of chopped green onions. Serve with a nice crusty bread.

Now pour yourself yet another pint and prepare to enjoy.