Recipes, tips and reviews
These recipes are developed, tested and re-tested until perfect. Try one at home tonight.
I used the Japanese Kuri squash which is a fiery red colour. It roasts well. You can use any drier variety of squash for this curry.
The best Scottish shortbread handed down through my family. Crumbly, sweet and buttery.
This dish has a salty, savoury sauce with a little bit of a kick. If you don't want the spice of the jalapenos, leave it out, and finely diced onion can be used instead of the shallots.
This is the one hors d’oeuvre that I keep being asked for time and time again. It’s crunchy, creamy, spicy and hits all the high spots.
Mushrooms and squash have a real affinity and this soup proves it. I like to use oyster mushrooms, but chanterelles, which I found at the supermarket this week, provide the best flavour.
The fifth taste, umami, has much to do with glutamate, an amino acid found in such foods as prosciutto, soy sauce and a number of cheeses. Umami can show up in your glass, too (fermentation is glutamate’s old friend).
When this recipe originally ran in The Globe and Mail, I received a lovely note from reader Barbara Zuchowicz. This dish reminded her of a wonderful meal she had in Italy: "It brought back joyful memories of a trip to Italy my late husband, an exceptional cook, and I took a number of years ago.
This is another popular Asian appetizer, which I bake in the oven rather than fry, producing a lighter result. Serve it with the same salad mixture and dressing used for the summer rolls, as a superb appetizer or with the Cantonese Dressing for dipping.
Read MoreThis excellent dressing can also be used as a dip or a seasoning for stir fries, in which case the oil should be used for frying and the rest of the sauce added afterward.
Read MoreI have always found fresh spring rolls to be a bit boring, but this recipe, courtesy of chef Lawrence Eels of the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Hawaii, is full of flavour. It is also light on calories and makes a perfect appetizer or hors d'oeuvre. I buy the teriyaki chicken for this, or I grill a couple of chicken breasts marinated in teriyaki sauce and then shred. Glass noodles are also known as bean thread noodles and look a little like white steel wool.
Read MoreRhubarb varies in sweetness depending on whether it is garden-grown or hothouse-forced. Hothouse rhubarb is usually sweeter, but garden rhubarb has more taste. Always sweeten rhubarb to taste. This very simple dessert is ideal after a rich meal.
Read MoreBaby artichokes are in season right now, but not for long, so use them while you can.
Read MoreThis pesto freezes well, so I make lots and have it for the next couple of months. If Meyer lemons are not available, use tangerines (remove the seeds) with a spritz of lemon juice. If you can't find all the fresh herbs for the rub, cut the quantities by a third and substitute dried.
This classic side accompanies many a Hawaiian blue plate special, which typically consists of a protein and this hearty, very simple salad. It is very high in fat and probably not good for you, but tastes like food you remember from childhood.
Shutome is a billfish with a similar texture to swordfish; you can also substitute Pacific halibut. White anchovies in brine are available at specialty foods shops, but you can also omit them if you can't find them. The recipe is from the Ilihani restaurant at Manele Bay.
Read MoreThe Terrace at Koele Lodge, a beautiful Four Seasons resort on the remote island of Lana'i, is an American's dream version of a British hunting lodge, serves this excellent riff on a tuna tartare appetizer that is also easy to make. If you cannot find wasabi tobiko, flying fish roe laced with wasabi, use regular tobiko mixed with a spoonful of wasabi or omit altogether. Ring moulds are often used in professional kitchens, but you can use a tall, round cookie cutter to shape the tuna, too.
My grandson Josh, 6, said that he loved this steak so much it changed his life!
Read MoreA few tricks we've learned with pizza on the grill: Go lightly on the toppings to ensure that the crust crisps slightly and doesn't go soggy. Make sure your barbecue is clean and lightly oiled so that crusts don't stick. Use a large baking sheet to transfer rolled dough and finished pizzas to and from the barbecue. For this topping, local hothouse and cherry tomatoes both work well. You can also have several other toppings available and let the people choose their own.
Read MoreUse a wok or a large non-stick skillet to prepare this dish. Always heat your wok before adding oil and stir-fry over high heat. Time is of the essence, so chop and measure everything beforehand.
Read MoreThis recipe, with a sort of deconstructed hollandaise, is the ultimate asparagus experience. Dip the stalks into the eggs and the butter and savour the sensation. If you have any truffle salt, this is the place to use it.
Read MoreTom Colicchio includes a recipe in his for caramel ice cream in the book, 'wichcraft (Clarkson Potter, $32), which is great to make if you have an ice cream freezer. If you don't, buy a good-grade caramel ice cream and used it instead. Substitute canola oil for grape seed if desired.
This juicy sandwich is perfect with a cold beer on the deck. Cutting the tuna grilled side down means it does not break apart. Buy pickled Italian peppers or cherry peppers. Recipe adapted for The Globe from Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft (Clarkson Potter, $32).
Read MoreIf green garlic, garlic scapes or wild leeks are available, substitute them for the leeks. Artisan-made pasta, available at Italian shops or upmarket grocers, is much tastier and comes in more interesting shapes, which are perfect for this elegant dish. Parmesan gives a more subtle finish to the dish but the ricotta salata is earthier. Your choice.
Read MoreThe idea for this rich, complex dish comes from an excellent restaurant in Phoenix called Cowboy Ciao. Buy ready-made polenta that comes in a roll. The mushrooms are left whole or torn into large chunks.
Read MoreIn South Korea, chefs are reinventing what is basically a meat-heavy cuisine. This is a vegetarian version of bi bim bap, a dish that usually includes ground or barbecued beef. If you have access to a Korean or Asian store, you can buy all the ingredients for this recipe (including the hot sauce) already prepared. All you have to do is cook the rice, top with pre-bought ingredients, add an egg and mix together.
Read MoreCold soups are a snap to make and easy to present; shooter glasses make it a lovely little starter before dinner while larger glass mugs, martini or water glasses give it a summery feel. Rim the glasses with salt or some pesto and add a stick of cucumber to peek out of the glass. The mint pesto gets a little dark when it sits for too long so make it right before dinner if you want the brightest green colour. The taste will not change either way.
Read MoreGarlic scapes, which should be coming on the market this week, have a subtle garlic flavour that matches halibut beautifully. If they still have not arrived at a market near you - this has been a cold few weeks - use green onions and 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic. Serve a salad with this dish.
Powered by Squarespace.
© 2018, Lucy Waverman.
