Recipe by Request - Greek Style Bruschetta

 

Most girls would tell you that one of the best feelings is when you discover something fabulous in your closet that you had totally forgotten existed.  Last year's birthday dress, those shoes you thought you lost, a clutch that you loved in university that got shoved in the back of your closet for years - its all good.  For me however, the feeling is just as wonderful when I remember a fantastic recipe that had been slipping my mind for far too long.  Instead of the "OMGGG I FORGOT I OWNED THISSSS - WHAT A GREAT FINDDD" It's one of those "OMG I FORGOT ABOUT THAT DISH I NEED TO MAKE IT NOW" moments. and yes, the caps is very necessary.

When one of my besties, I will call her Lala, reminded me of this fresh and tasty Greek style bruschetta that I once made for her - I was determined to scroll through my 403429347539497653045 photos and find the day I made it - photographed it - so I could blog it.  Mission accomplished.

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes (chopped)

1/2 large cucumber (chopped)

1 red onion (finely chopped)

1 1/2 cups kalamata olives (pitted and chopped)

1 1/3 cups crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup EVOO

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

4 medium pita's  (or one per person)

Cut the pita into quarters and then toast in a 400 degree oven for 3 minutes (should be slightly crisp)

Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl and toss evenly.

Spoon out the topping on top of the pita & enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

happy birthday to me.

happy birthday to me it was.  actually it felt more like happy stuff your face for the entire weekend day - but who can tell the difference.

As per usual. my birthday this weekend ended up becoming a week long celebration.  This happens when you are married, with divorced parents....with friends  (hopefully everyone at least has the latter of those three).  Your Dad and Step-Mom want to see you and feed you,  your in-laws want to take you out, your husband wants a special birthday night for a romantically delicious time, your friends want to dine somewhere fun, and then to roll out the obesity - your Italian Mother wants to stuff your face with Lasagna, veal, bruchetta and dairy queen birthday cake.  help.

Nevertheless, it always ends up being one of the best, most delicious and chubby weeks of the year.  Up there with turkey feasts and shortbread binges around the holidays.  Ergo, in an effort to make all you foodies drool over your computer this fine Monday morning, I'll share two out of the five meals from this past weekend.

Friday July 22nd (the night before my actual bday) Enoteca Sociale with my besties and their men.

This restaurant really does deserve it's own blog post of praise.  We had dinner in their private room - aka their wine cellar that overlooks their little cheese cave.  Surrounded by wine and cheese at a big wooden table, presented with a simply delicious meal - it was perfect.

my menu choices:

 Papardelle with Rabit Ragu

Saturday July 23rd - Lee Restaurant with Hubs

One of our favorite restaurants in Toronto, hubs chose Lee for my birthday dinner.  Since Susur Lee is a foodie celeb for me, it was nice to see that he was actually there on Saturday, and therefore the dishes were extra delicious.

our sharing plates consisted of...

Susur's Signature Singapore Slaw

Asian-style Salmon ceviche
pickled daikon, ginger, ponzu sauce, confit lemon purée, jalapeno

Duck confit roll
spiced nuts, oven-dried pineapple,
goat cheese & Canadian Ice wine syrup

Korean style skirt steak
garlic mushroom & spicy ponzu

Top Chef green curry chicken
Sweet pea polenta, butter almondine, spicy tomato jam, oven dried pineapple, chilli mint chutney (Top Chef winning dish)

A total feast.  Loved every minute of it.  Sad its over :(

xo Chef Natty

Lazy Boy "Taco" Salad

 

Though i'd like to think that all my lovely readers are busy cooking in the kitchen every night just whipping up all my recipes - I know that my 3 hour long homemade spinach pappardelle bolognese cannot be a dish whipped up on any ol' tuesday night.  For this reason, i've decided to provide you all with a super lazy version of a taco salad that can be made in under 30 minutes.  It's quick - it's easy - it tastes good - and sometimes that is all you need!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 lb lean ground beef (you can also substitute turkey or chicken)

1 package old el paso seasoning mix

1/2 head iceberg lettuce (washed and chopped)

1 tomato (diced)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 handfuls blue corn chips

EVOO

white vinegar

salt

jalapeno peppers (optional)

Begin by cooking your meat with your seasoning mix (follow the instructions on the back of the package).

In a large bowl, toss together your lettuce and tomatoes and dress with a couple dashes of EVOO, white vinegar and a pinch of salt.  mix well.

Plate your salad and top with the seasoned ground meat.  Top with cheese and jalapenos and either line the bowl with the chips, or crumble them right on top of the salad.

Serve & Enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

Fusilli with Tomatoes, Arugula & Goat Cheese

 

Did you miss me?  Have you been starving since my last blog post, unsure of what to eat without my recipes and guidance?  Let's pretend this is the case.  Makes me feel important.

Today I'd like to throw a pasta into the mix.  I feel like we have been a little pasta dry for the past couple of weeks, so it's time.  This is a very healthy pasta recipe.  It's light, tastes great with whole wheat pasta if you wanted to switch up fusilli for a whole grain penne, and (as with the recent theme), is a great summertime dish.  It makes a great dish on it's own, but also a nice side dish to accompany some grilled chicken? shrimps? Maybe even toss the chicken and/or shrimp in WITH the pasta.  Many options for this one.  Feel free to get crazy with it.

Ingredients (serves 4)

500g fusilli (or penne)

2 cups arugula leaves

EVOO

kosher salt

2-3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes 

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

fresh ground pepper

1 yellow pepper sliced thinly (optional)

Bring a pot of water to a boil and then add salt the water.  Cook your pasta al dente, strain it and reserve about 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water.  Place the pasta in a large bowl, toss in the arugula and keep warm.

Just before the pasta is cooked, in a large pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tbsp EVOO.  Add the tomatoes and toss.  Sprinkle in the garlic simultaneously while tossing the tomatoes.  Keep the tomatoes moving until they begin to blister.  Remove from the heat and season with salt.  Spoon the tomatoes over the pasta.  In the same pan cook your pepper, if you are using it, until soft.  Season with salt and add to the pasta.

Sprinkle the goat cheese into the pasta and toss to combine, adding some of the cooking water as you go if the pasta seems dry.  Season with pepper - serve & enjoy

xo Chef Natty

Perfect Potato Salad

 

Good Morning Foodie Friends.  Now that we are well into summer and the warm weather is upon us,  I've been conjuring up some summertime favorites to share.  For those of you that live in a condo that prohibits BBQ's, you might be going into BBQ withdrawal like me.  As hubs knows very well, I have a weak spot for hot dogs.  It is a strange addiction.  One that I have, at times, gone to great lengths to fulfill.  Running around town like a crazy person trying to find change because I NEED to get a vendor dog from the stand I just passed on the street.  I eat them as a late night treat after a night out, I eat them alone shopping on bloor street (something alot of girls I know would never dare do), and most importantly, I eat them in the summertime, poolside at my parents house, straight off the BBQ.  Along with many other BBQ treats that are among my favorite, one of my favorite summertime BBQ sides to any piece of grilled meat is the classic potato salad.  This chef Natty original is a dish I threw together on Father's Day for the 78 Dad's I needed to visit on that day (Dad, Step-Dad, Father-in-law....) and it was a huge hit.  I highly urge all you lucky BBQers to try this one out this weekend.

Ingredients (note - this makes a large bowl of potato salad)

3 lbs small potatoes  (mix white and red if desired)

3/4 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped scallions

Kosher salt

1 1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

4 tbsp dijon mustard (I used a flavored mustard - maple glazed)

10 eggs

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

Freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tbsp white vinegar (optional)

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water (potatoes covered). Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until easy to pierce with a fork (about 20 minutes).   Drain the potatoes in a colander to cool.

At the same time, put your eggs in another large pot and cover them with water (at least 1 inch above the eggs).  Add a touch of white vinegar to to water (this helps peel the shell off once they are boiled).  Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes for a nice hard boiled egg.  Rinse in cold water and then peel the shell off.  Cut the eggs into quarters.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, mustard, dill, cayenne pepper, paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the eggs, celery and green onion, and some more salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

xo Enjoy!

Chef Natty

Basic Tomato Sauce ... long overdue

So as I was deciding what to blog about today, I took a gander through some of my old posts and realized I have yet to post a basic tomato sauce recipe.  I figured since so many of my recipes are pasta dishes, it would be a disservice to my tiny chef's in the making to not provide you with an easy reference to a good, basic tomato sauce.  This is your standard sauce - I've done about a million varieties to it - added wine, added meat to flavor the sauce, pinch of sugar to sweeten the tomatoes etc... But if you are looking for your basic, delicious, multi-purpose sauce - this is your reference...

Ingredients: (makes about 5-6 cups of sauce)

6-8 chopped garlic cloves (depending on size)

1 spanish onion (chopped)

1/4 cup EVOO

2 28 oz cans san marzano tomatoes

salt

1 bunch basil (leaves only)

In a large pot, heat up your EVOO over medium heat and add your onions and garlic.  Cook until soft but not brown (about 5 minutes).  Add in your tomatoes and stir.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.  Using a hand mixer, lightly pulse the tomatoes to makes a uniform sauce (do not over mix, you don't want it completely smooth).  Add in your basil and 2 tbsp salt.  Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.  Use with any pasta, lasagna, eggplant parmesan or anything else you love with a good classic tomato sauce!

xo Chef Natty

Arugula, Poached Bosc Pear & Torn Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

Inspired by my last post, I decided to keep it in the family this week and toss in another great summertime salad recipe.  This has to be one of my all time favorite salads.  Arugula - bitterly beautiful as it is - is not everyone's cup of tea.  Some people love it - and some people hate it.  Those same arugula haters are also probably not a fan of rapini either which has popped up a time or two in my Italian recipe repertoire.  I on the other hand love love love arugula, rapini and all things bitter.  Mostly because when you pair them the right way, they make the sweet sweeter, the salt saltier, and the savory savory..er? ...

For this salad the combination of the lemon dressed arugula, the coarsely torn and salted buffalo mozzarella with the sweetness of a poached pear is simply a perfect combo.

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 heaping handfuls of arugula
1 Bosc pear (peeled)
1 ball of Buffalo Mozzarella
juice from 1 lemon
salt
EVOO
1 tsp sugar

To start - we have to poach the pears.  Simply bring a small deep bottom pan full of water to a low boil and add your sugar and your peeled pear.  Cover the pan with parchment paper cut to fit the pan.  Cut a small hole in the middle of the round parchment paper cover to allow the steam to release while the pears poach.  Let boil for 15 minutes, strain and set aside.

Once the pears are cool enough to handle, slice them up and put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

When you are ready to serve - toss your arugula with 1 tbsp EVOO, the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.  Plate the arugula and then top with your poached pear.  Top the salad with hand torn pieces of buffalo mozzarella and then lightly drizzle about 1 tsp of EVOO and another tiny pinch of salt on each plate.  Serve cold & enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

Burrata Caprese with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil Pesto

What dish screams summertime better than a nice tomato salad?  Even more so, a tomato salad accompanied with one of the most magnificent cheese creations known to man - Burrata.  The difference between a tasty red tomato in the summer months - when they are in season - compared to a preserved, imported from Mexico, tasteless barely orange "tomato" in the winter - is like night and day.  Are you eating enough tomatoes people?  If not, I suggest you take advantage of this in-season produce product and throw it in your next couple of meals.  Your homemade tomato sauces are better, your salads are better, everything is better with a fresh summertime tomato.  To celebrate the tomato love, I present to you a twist on your regular caprese salad.  This time, with roasted vine tomatoes (instead of raw), Burrata cheese (instead of buffalo mozzarella) and a muddled basil oil for your tasting pleasure.

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 ball Burrata cheese (a la Village Cheesemonger)
12 - 14 small tomatoes on the vine
EVOO
12 fresh basil leaves
course salt

Preheat your oven to 400 and set your tomatoes on a baking sheet.  Drizzle them with some EVOO and salt and bake until the tomatoes are starting to blister (15 or so minutes).  Set aside to a plate and let cool.  When the tomatoes are at room temperature, set them in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

With a mortar and pestle (if you do not have one, use a blender to lightly mix the basil, salt and oil), add about 1/3 cup of EVOO, your basil and a pinch of salt and muddle the mixture together.

Plate the tomatoes on the vine on a plate with 1/2 the burrata on each plate.  Drizzle the cheese with your basil oil, serve & enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

Buttermilk Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

 

who doesn't love pancakes?  gimme a short stack and a side of bacon after a night of heavy vino and all is cured.  As one of the most loved breakfast foods in my home, I felt it only appropriate to share hubs and my favorite pancake recipe (and our traditional Christmas morning dish).  Since (surprisingly) Hubs is the breakfast Guru around here, this leads me to believe that not only are these pancakes so moist and tasty, but they must also be incredibly easy to make (if he can do it - you all can too).  We use strawberries, whipped cream and maple syrup to dress up these babies, but feel free to use whatever pancake additions you love best.

Ingredients:

5 eggs, separated (yolks and whites)
Zest of large lemon
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
Dash of salt

Preheat griddle or skillet on medium heat.

Mix the egg yolks and then combine with lemon zest, buttermilk and ricotta cheese. Sift and mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine with egg yolks mixture.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into the egg-ricotta batter.

Lightly oil griddle and pour a pancake-sized amount onto griddle. Cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook other side until golden. Do not flatten after flipping and only flip once.

Serve immediately with garnish of choice & Enjoy!

xo Chef Natty Hubs

Liberty Village Farmers Market

On a lovely Sunday mid-morning walk yesterday, hubs and I decided to take a stroll through the farmers market that sets up shop in Liberty Village every Sunday in the summer months.  With amazing fruits, vegetables, meats etc... it's amazing to see what 20 bucks can get you at one of these amazing fresh markets - in comparison to how far that can get you at a local grocery store.  The gigantic basil bunch for $2.50 was a particular highlight for me, since it's hands down my favorite herb.  Here are a few photos from this lovely market - I highly recommend you all check it out before the summer is up.  The best part? The whole market is perched just steps away from The Village Cheesemonger - throw some cheese into the mix of fresh meat and produce and you've got yourself a dandy and delicious Sunday.

xo Chef Nattty