Mediterranean Vegetable Ragú, so many possibilities.

A few days ago I had some leftover ingredients from a Turkish class. Never letting anything go to waste in my kitchen, I was wondering what to make with them. Looking at the eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions, what immediately came to me was a Sicilian Caponata, but then, not wanting to use honey for the agrodolce, I decided to make something of a fusion between Sicily and Turkey. I love the simple but flavourful Turkish seasonings of red bell pepper paste and tomato paste, so that was the direction this was going to take. Of course, I was making this up as I went along, but my brain knew what to do…

First step: roast the eggplant rather than cook it in the ragú, because in a traditional caponata, the eggplant falls apart, and I wanted to have firmer chunks.

Second step: sauté onions, bell peppers and garlic until soft, then add tomatoes, Turkish red pepper paste and tomato paste, salt and pepper, the cubed roasted eggplant and let that cook down with a bit of water to make things saucy.

Third step: finish with chopped parsley for some freshness and that’s the ragú part which is perfectly delicious as it is. You can use this chunky or blended as a pasta or lasagna sauce.

But then… I had just made a batch of basil pesto, so as my meal is starting to take place in my mind, I add a dollop of pesto to the ragú and wow, what a burst of flavour!

As many of you know, I am eating a somewhat low carb diet nowadays, so rather than reaching for the pasta, I happened to have some zucchini in my fridge, so I pulled out my spiralizer and made short work of that tender summer squash (I really should use this tool more often, I do so love those fun curly vegetables!).

By this time, I am getting so hungry but I can see the finish line. A quick sauté of that zucchini in the pan, just enough to make it a bit softer - I like it with a bit of crunch - then add 2/3 cup of that ragú and 2-3 tablespoons pesto, toss, toss, toss e pronto! My lunch was ready! A healthy grating of Parmigiano on top and I had the most delicious, low carb lunch.

This sauce has so many possibilities, I invite you to try it and see what you can make up for yourself!

Mediterranean Vegetable Ragú

1 large eggplant
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 Tbsp Turkish red bell pepper paste
1 1/2 Tbsp Turkish tomato paste
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

First, roast the eggplant: poke small holes all over it with the tip of a small knife and place in a baking tray. Roast at 425°F for 35-40 minutes, or until completely tender. Remove from oven and cool while you prep everything else. Once cool, cut it into 1” pieces.

While eggplant is roasting, in large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers and a pinch of salt and cook until vegetables are soft and onion is translucent.

Add garlic and cook for two minutes, then add tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes are soft, then add red bell pepper paste and tomato paste, along with some salt and pepper. Mix to combine and then add cubed eggplant and 1/2 cup water.

Simmer over low heat, covered, for 25-30 minutes, until vegetables are soft and fragrant. Adjust seasoning and stir in parsley. This sauce is ready to use as is, or it can be blended if you like a smooth sauce.

To make the zucchini “pasta”, in another smaller skillet, sauté one spiralled zucchini in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook for 2-4 minutes (I like it firm), then add 2/3 cup of the ragú, along with 2 Tbsp basil pesto and mix well. If you think it needs it, add 2-3 Tbsp water to loosen sauce up.

Serve, garnished with Parmigiano Reggiano and some basil leaves. Enjoy!

Makes about 3 cups sauce.

A salad built from a memory of Oaxaca: Lentil and Quinoa Salad.

The last time I was in Oaxaca, Julia and I went to Las Quince Letras, a restaurant that had been on my radar for a while. This restaurant is owned by a famous local Chef, Celia Florián. Recently bestowed with the prestigious Bib Gourmand award, we were eager to try it. Las Quince Letras is famous for its moles (which of course we tried!) but we were pleasantly surprised to find fresh and different salads on the menu. We went there late, so we did not want to have a heavy meal, and the lentil and quinoa salad we tried was out of this world.

I am recreating this salad purely from memory, and even though I don’t think it’s exactly like the one we ate there, it is still pretty delicious and even better, it’s good for you! Lentils and quinoa are both powerhouses of nutrition, so there’s no way to go wrong with this one. Make a batch and have it during the week, it is really flavourful!

A couple of notes: this salad has a fair bit of prep because you have to cook both the lentils and quinoa, but if you’re pressed for time, use canned lentils. Rather than cooking only 1/3 cup of quinoa for this recipe, go ahead and cook a full cup and have some leftovers for the week. I have trouble sourcing jícama where I live, so I used Asian pear, which has a similar taste and texture. If you are lucky to find jícama, use that instead.

Ensalada de Lentejas con Quinoa (inspirada en Las Quince Letras, Oaxaca)
Green Lentil Salad with Quinoa

3/4 cup French green lentils
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 litre water
1 litre vegetable or chicken broth, or water
1/3 cup quinoa
2/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth, or water
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/3 cup freshly squeezed mandarine or orange juice
3-4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lime juice (to taste)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup avocado oil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup diced jicama or Asian pear
1 cup grated carrot
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds

In large bowl, place lentils and kosher salt. Add 1 litre water, cover and let rest on the counter for at least 3 hours and up to 8.

Drain and place in a saucepan with enough water or broth to cover by 2 inches. Add 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer, partially covered, 25-35 minutes, until lentils are tender but still firm (cooking time will depend on the length of time you soaked the lentils). Drain and spread on a sheet pan to cool completely.

While lentils are cooking, rinse quinoa in a sieve for a few minutes, then place in another small saucepan with broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down temperature to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 15-18 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender. Spread on a sheet pan to cool completely.

To make the salad start with the dressing: In large salad bowl, place mandarine juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to dissolve the salt and start adding the oils in a thin stream while continuously whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning, it should be assertive.

Add cooled lentils, quinoa, tomatoes, jícama, carrots, red onion, cilantro and sunflower seeds. Toss to make sure dressing is distributed and enjoy.

Serves 8-10.

Aguachile Negro, bursting with flavour.

I have posted almost the same recipe before, though last time the aguachile also had scallops. This time around, I wanted to try this with only shrimp, as that is what I had in the freezer (and between you and me, I really need to start emptying the freezer!) This recipe is bursting with flavour and it never fails to satisfy.

Whether you are making this with shrimp, scallops or a combination, this is the type of recipe that has the ability to transport you to a sunny beach in Mexico. It doesn't matter if the weather is still chilly outside, serve this with a cold beer and you’re set.

I shared this aguachile with my daughter and after all the shrimp and vegetables were gone, she asked: “what else can I use this marinade for”? I said we could use this same marinade with mushrooms and it would be brilliant! The mushrooms would soak up all that citrus and they would taste amazing, and what about hearts of palm? Same thing. This recipe would lend itself well for those kinds of vegetables.

So I invite you to try this recipe, with whatever variation of ingredients you like and please let me know what you think!

Aguachile Negro de Camarón
Black Shrimp Aguachile

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp liquid Maggi seasoning
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2-3 chiles de árbol, stemmed and crumbled
1 tsp piquín or chiltepín chiles 
A bit of water to tone down the acidity of the sauce, if needed
340g 31-40 shrimp, thawed, peeled, deveined and butterflied
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced thin
2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced thin
1/4 small red onion, sliced very thin
2-3 radishes, sliced very thin, optional
1/2 serrano chile, sliced very thin, optional
Cilantro leaves for garnish
Salsa macha for garnish, optional
Corn tostadas for serving

Place lime juice, soy sauce, Maggi seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, árbol and piquín chiles in blender container. Process until completely smooth, and season with salt to taste. It should taste good on its own. If it’s too tangy, add a bit of water to tone the citrus down.

Place butterflied shrimp in glass or non-reactive dish. Pour black sauce over seafood, stir, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While shrimp is marinating, slice cucumber, red onion, radishes (if using) and avocado.

When the half hour has passed, grab a pretty platter and arrange cucumbers and avocados amongst the shrimp. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of marinade and garnish with red onion, radishes (if using), serrano chile slices and cilantro leaves. Drizzle with salsa macha, if using.

Serve with corn tostadas.

Serves 2-3.

The perfect Turkish Spring recipe - Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

When Julia and I went to Turkey we wanted to EAT everything in sight, but also, we wanted to LEARN how to make some of these delicious foods. Not only is that important for me so I can share my knowledge while I teach, but it is one of the most fun activities I know - learning to cook from the locals is the best! After some research, we decided to book a class with Cookistan, a popular company in Istanbul that caters to small groups (if you find yourself there, we highly recommend the experience!).

I have written before about our class with Cookistan (@Cookistanbul) - (check it out here), it was such a great day! One of the recipes we made there was this one: Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms. As Aysin explained, this one is part of a group of dishes that are called “zeytinyağlılar”, translated as olive oil dishes. Turkey has been a producer of quality olive oil for thousands of years, and it is expected this green gold would feature prominently in the country’s cuisine. Vegetables braised in olive oil are popular and beloved, featuring dishes like this one on the top spot, but including many others like broad beans, green beans, stuffed vine leaves, eggplants and pinto beans.

For the class, we met at Aysin’s neighbourhood and walked the streets, exploring and also buying what we would need to cook in class. We came to this particular shop that specialized only in selling artichoke bottoms. Can you imagine how popular these are that they have a shop that only sells that? It was very interesting to see the humble shop - cases and cases of artichokes and men sitting there, peeling and prepping these hearts to be sold for making this one dish. I have to say, what a time saver! Peeling them would be the most time consuming part of making this recipe, so when I found them frozen and ready to go at my local supermarket I had to get them, and let me tell you, it makes me want to make this recipe again and again. Artichoke bottoms are also sold in brine, in jars at the Middle Eastern stores, but I find they have a bit of an aftertaste and they are not as good as fresh or frozen.

If you cannot find frozen or even jars, go ahead and buy fresh artichokes, using a sharp knife cut the leaves close to the bottom, and whittle away at them until you are only left with the heart - remove the chokes with a spoon and promptly put them in lemon water so they do not oxidize. After that, this recipe is super simple to put together. Serve these warm or at room temperature and feel yourself transported to the Anatolian countryside.

Zeytinyağlı Enginar 
Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

8 artichoke bottoms, thawed (350g frozen) or fresh, trimmed
1/2 lemon

6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion (from 1 large onion)
1 rounded cup diced carrot (from 1 medium carrot)
1 cup diced white peeled potato (from 1 medium potato)
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
Salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped dill
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup hot water
Lemon wedges and dill sprigs for serving
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling 

Place artichoke bottoms in medium bowl and top with cold water. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon and throw the lemon into the bowl. This will keep artichokes from turning brown. Reserve while you prep everything else.

In large sauté or frying pan, heat 5 Tbsp olive oil and add onions. Cook only until softened and then add carrots and potatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes.

Add peas and salt and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain artichokes and nestle them amongst the vegetables, adding some vegetables to the cavities.

Pour lemon juice, water and dill over the artichokes and bring mixture to a boil.

Turn temperature down, cover and simmer for 20 -25 minutes, until artichokes are tender.

When artichokes are done, adjust seasoning.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Add dill sprigs, lemon wedges and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 6-8.

Warming and comforting, Mediterranean Style White Bean Soup

We are in the middle of winter here in Ottawa. What had been relatively mild so far, it suddenly exploded with snowstorms and temperatures below -20°C for a few weeks in a row. And though you’d think I should be used to it after 30 years, it is just not fun. This type of weather makes me want to eat hot soups for days - hearty, comforting and delicious, to ward off the chill.

As you know, I am forever testing recipes to include in my classes, and while looking for something to teach in an upcoming Greek class, I came across a white bean soup. I honestly can’t make a recipe without tweaking something, so this is what I came up with after a few tries. It is made with simple ingredients, but the result is wonderful. You can make a pot of this and have it for lunches throughout the week, and I can guarantee it will ward off the chill.

Mediterranean Style White Bean Soup

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups yellow onion, chopped (about 1 large)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 cups celery, chopped (about 4 stalks)
1 1/4 cups diced carrot (about 1 medium)    
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced Roma tomato (1 large)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 dried bay leaves
4 1/2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 x 540ml cans cannellini, navy or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup chopped parsley

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrots, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, or until vegetables are tender.

Add the garlic and tomato and cook for 5 more minutes, or until tomato is soft.

Add cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes.

Add beans and broth and raise the heat and bring to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Ladle 2 cups of the soup into the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Off heat, stir in lemon juice and parsley. Transfer to serving bowls and top each bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Serve with your favorite rustic bread.

Serves 8.

Spicy, tangy, wholesome and so good, Carrot and Chickpea Salad

I spend most of my free time perusing cookbooks and browsing the internet, looking for interesting recipes and learning all I can so I can teach my students delicious and easy recipes.

I teach a lot of international classes and one of my favourites is the Moroccan class. Unfortunately, I have yet to make it to Morocco (I came so close the last time I was in Spain, but sadly, I could not cross over), but I love their food! The spices, the colours, the flavour combinations, the mint tea! In Morocco, they start the meal with a lot of different salads, I think they are the kings of Meze in salad form. This is one salad I have on rotation at my house - it is a bit spicy from the harissa, tangy from the lemon juice, a bit sweet from the cinnamon and raisins and it has a satisfying crunch from the almonds. The chickpeas, carrots and arugula go so well together and the herbs and the dressing just take it over the top. I like to make a batch on Sunday and eat it throughout the week - the arugula does wilt a bit, so if that’s not to your liking, just add it before you’re going to eat it.

I hope you give this salad a try - it will transport you to sunny Morocco!

Spicy Chickpea and Carrot Salad

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp harissa paste, or chili flakes or minced Jalapeño to taste
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can (400mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups (about 1 medium carrot), grated
1 1/2 cups baby kale or baby arugula
1/4 cup golden raisins, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts, almonds or pistachios
2 Tbsp torn mint
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

In small jar, place olive oil, lemon juice, add paprika, chili flakes and cinnamon.

Shake to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.

In medium bowl, combine chickpeas, carrots, greens, raisins, feta cheese, nuts, mint and parsley.

Drizzle dressing onto salad and toss gently to combine.

Serves 6.

Pastisetas, but better than I remember them.

When I was a kid growing up in Mexico, I loved these butter cookies called Pastisetas. They came in a blue box and I remember them being delicious! Of course, if I were to taste them now, they would be like any other commercial Danish style butter cookie.

Nevertheless, as we are gearing up for holiday baking, I want to recreate those Pastisetas butter cookies I remember from my childhood, but hopefully make them much better than they actually were! I’ve been playing around with this recipe for a while now and I think I nailed it the way I want it to be.

The dough is very easy, with few ingredients, and it comes together very quickly. It is a soft dough that is meant to be piped, so you will need to have a piping bag and tip handy. You can make rosettes or stars, medium or small. The cookies bake quickly as well, and will be done as soon as the edges start to turn golden brown. The centres will still be soft, but the cookies crisp as they cool.

These cookies can be adorned in many ways. You can sprinkle them with sugar, finely chopped nuts or candy sprinkles before they bake; you can pipe in some jam on the centres before they bake, or you can wait until they’ve cooled off completely and then dust them with regular or icing sugar. If you like chocolate, you could dip them in chocolate (either whole or only half), or drizzle them with white or dark chocolate instead and perhaps garnish with chopped nuts. The choice is yours!

Whatever look you decide to go for, I hope you try these and maybe they can become part of your holiday baking repertoire as they have for mine!

Pastisetas
Danish style Butter Cookies

200g unsalted butter, very soft
75g icing sugar, sifted
1 large egg
5g vanilla extract or paste, or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
15g cornstarch
200g all purpose flour, sifted
Pinch salt
Icing sugar for dusting, optional

In large bowl using whisk or hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, icing sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until light and soft.

In a smaller bowl, sift flour, cornstarch and salt.

Add flour mixture to creamed butter mixture in two or three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you work, and mix until dough comes together.

Place dough in a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Pipe stars onto ungreased sheet pans, leaving 2 inches of space between cookies.Chill trays at least 15 minutes before baking.

Preheat oven to 355°F. Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes, only until edges are starting to brown. Cookies will be soft in the centre but will firm up as they cool.

Cool on racks and dust with icing sugar, if using. Store cookies in metal tins.

Variations:
Pipe stars, rosettes or circular cookies.
Sprinkle cookies with coarse or granulated sugar, or even sprinkles before they go into the oven.
Pipe your favourite jam in the centres of the cookies before baking.
Dip half of the cookies in chocolate after they have cooled down.
Drizzle chocolate over cookies once they are cool.

Makes 48-60 cookies.

Flourless Pecan Crescents, yummy and healthier Christmas cookies!

If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would be trying to “healthify” my Christmas cookies, I would have never believed them. Nevertheless, the more I learn about the downside of eating food made with processed and ultra processed ingredients, the more I want to make the food I know taste like I want, but making sure it is healthier.

That’s how these flourless pecan crescents came about. That, and the fact I’ve had some ground pecans in my freezer for way too long. I am not one to waste food, so now I’ve made some cookies that are not only delicious, but they are healthy. To put the cherry on top, I made these with zero calorie sweetener (hello Swerve icing sugar!), so that makes them even better for me!

I think I have a love affair with pecans, they are my favourite nut; partially out of nostalgia, since there was a huge pecan tree right in my front yard in the ranch where I grew up. Also, pecans happen to be native to my area of Mexico, so they feature prominently in many desserts from my hometown. But seriously, what’s not to like about that buttery nut? I’d say nothing!

Without testing, I’m fairly positive these cookies can be made with other nut flours, but I have not tried that, so I’ll have to do some trials before I can say that for sure. Testing recipes is what I like best, it’s one of the most fun things I can do on any given weekend! I will report back once I have made this recipe with at least almond flour.

For now, I would like to encourage you to make these cookies! They go great with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea as you share with your favourite people.

Flourless Pecan Crescents

2 cups pecan flour (finely ground pecans)
1/2 cup icing sugar plus more for dusting
1/8 tsp salt
7 Tbsp softened unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground canela (optional)
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

In medium bowl, place pecan flour, icing sugar and salt and mix to distribute well.

Work in butter and vanilla until you have a crumbly dough. Add canela (if using) and pecans and mix to combine and form a uniform ball.

Portion dough into 30-32 pieces, roll into logs and finally shape into crescents.

Place on parchment covered sheet pan and chill while you preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake for 13-15 minutes. Since cookies are dark, it will be hard to tell if the bottoms are golden. Just trust the timing! Be gentle if you handle them as cookies will be very fragile while hot.

Let cool completely and then roll in icing sugar.

Makes 30-32 cookies. 

Chorizo, the best Mexican sausage.

One of my most requested and popular recipes is Queso Flameado, which happens to be made with Chorizo. Often, the most obvious things get overlooked, and this is the case with this chorizo recipe - I’m not exactly sure why I have never shared it here, but I am doing something about it right now.

This recipe is very special. It was given to me many, many years ago, when I was still living in Mexico. I was about to leave to get married and at the time, I was going directly to Germany to join my soon-to-be husband. In 1986 that was a very far place, since we did not have the ease of communication we have now. Back then we had long distance calls and real letters, so a place across the ocean felt extremely far. As you may imagine, the cooking the food of my beloved Mexico was so important because it helped to keep me connected to my family and my homeland. It was then that my real education on cooking started, and this recipe has been part of my repertoire since then.

My maternal grandmother’s youngest sister, Tía Irene, was widowed and was left with 5 young children to raise, so she would help herself by making and selling chorizo. She was generous and kind and did not hesitate to give me her recipe. Over the years, I have tweaked it somewhat, since ingredients vary (for example, a vinegar from Mexico will not taste the same as one made in Canada, since they are made from different ingredients), but it is very close to the original one. This recipe is one of my daughter’s favourites, especially when it comes to using it for making Queso Flameado. I usually make a large batch and give most of it away so they can enjoy it.

The ingredients in this recipe are easy to find, though you may need to go to a Latin American store to buy dried ancho chiles and Mexican oregano. If you want, you can throw in a guajillo chile to the mix, it would be delicious. Rehydrate the chiles in water with the vinegar until completely soft, then blend thoroughly with the garlic, spices and salt. It is imperative you let this chile spice paste cool completely (I like to spread it out in a large bowl and wait until it is cold). If you add the warm paste to the pork it will spoil and you don’t want to waste all your ingredients. This recipe makes over a kilo of chorizo, which I divide into portions and wrap individually and freeze to have it available at a moment’s notice.

Use this chorizo to make queso flameado, papas con chorizo and eggs with chorizo, among many other things!

CHORIZO NORESTENSE DE LA TIA IRENE
Aunt Irene’s Northeastern Mexican Sausage 

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
5 ancho chiles, seeded and stemmed (meat only - 50g)
1 Tbsp black peppercorns (10g)
1 Tbsp whole cumin (8g)
1 heaping Tbsp Mexican oregano (4g)
1 head garlic, peeled (50g)
1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (15g) (1/2 Tbsp if using table salt)
1 kg ground pork

Rinse ancho chiles, remove the seeds and stems and place in a saucepan with the vinegar and water. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn heat to low to simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, or at least 15 minutes, until the chiles are completely rehydrated and soft.

Using mortar and pestle or spice mill, grind peppercorns, cumin and Mexican oregano. Add salt and set aside.

Remove the chiles from the vinegar and water mixture and place in blender jar. Reserve chile soaking liquid.

Add garlic, peppercorns, cumin, Mexican oregano and salt. Process until you have a completely smooth paste, adding a bit of the chile soaking liquid at a time to make the blending process easier. Paste should be fairly dense, but blender blade should be able to move easily. You may need to add up to 1/4 cup of liquid.

Let this chile spice paste cool completely before adding to the pork.

Using gloves, mix chile paste with the meat, making sure it is evenly distributed. Shape meat into small patties. Wrap each patty individually and place in fridge overnight to let the chorizo blend flavours.  Use what you need and freeze the rest.

 Makes about 15 portions.

Reina Pepiada, the Queen of Arepas.

Arepas are unquestionably delicious and comforting. They have become a trendy food outside Venezuela and Colombia, and for good reason! Easy to make and so tasty, filling them with assorted foods is the most fun of all. Infinitely customizable, think of these like a warm sandwich of the best kind.

Arepas are made of pre-cooked corn flour, commonly known as Harina Pan (the brand name). This is a flour made of precooked white or yellow corn. It is important to note that although arepas are quite similar to Mexican gorditas, the difference is in the flour used. Whereas arepas are made with precooked corn flour, the Mexican variety must always be made with nixtamalized corn flour. This gives them a distinctively different, texture, perhaps making arepas a bit denser, but not any less delicious.

Arepas can be eaten plain with a smear of butter or filled simply with a slice of cheese. They can be filled with scrambled eggs or ham and cheese, with pulled pork, beans or both! You see the trend here? You can fill arepas with whatever you feel like! But the queen of fillings has got to be this creamy avocado chicken mixture that bears the name of Reina Pepiada. This name is in honour of Venezuelan Miss Universe of 1955, Susana Duijm.

This delicious chicken salad can be eaten on its own, but I encourage you to make it with arepas, they are absolutely satisfying and outrageously good. Though the arepas themselves can be plain, I like to add some cheese to the dough to make these a bit more nutritious.

AREPAS DE QUESO CON REINA PEPIADA
Cheese Arepas with Avocado Chicken Salad

3 1/3 cups warm water, or more as needed
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
3 cups Harina Pan corn flour
2 cups mozzarella, Brick or Havarti cheese, grated

In medium bowl, mix water, butter and salt. Mix until butter melts and start adding corn flour, mixing with your hands until it comes together and forms a fairly moist dough that does not stick to the bowl nor your hands. Let dough rest 5 minutes, covered.
 
Divide dough into 1 ½” balls and flatten with your hands until they are about ¼” thick. Cook arepas over medium heat on a dry griddle or frying pan, about 4 minutes per side, or until golden. Place them in a warm oven while you cook the rest.

REINA PEPIADA
Chicken:
1200g boneless skinless chicken breast (4 pc)
1 large cooking onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
2 tsp salt

Avocado Chicken Salad:
Cooked and shredded chicken (8 cups)
1 cup minced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Jalapeños, minced (optional)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 ripe avocados, two mashed and two diced
Juice of 1 lime, optional
Salt and pepper to taste

In medium saucepan, place chicken, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Add enough watr to cover chicken by about 2 inches. Place on stove and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Once it starts boiling, turn down heat to low and simmer, skimming off foam as it cooks, for about 20 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches at least 165°F.

Remove chicken from liquid. Reserve liquid for another use. Let chicken cool for a few minutes, then shred finely and let cool completely.

Once chicken is cooled completely, place in large bowl and add red onion, garlic, Jalapeños (if using), mayonnaise, cilantro, avocados and lime juice, if using. Mix gently but thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Split warm arepas in half and fill with chicken salad. Serve immediately.

Makes 16.

As Ceviches go, this one made with Palmitos is totally satisfying.

When you are feeling like having something super fresh and bright, a little bit spicy and tangy, look no further than a Ceviche! There are many kinds of ceviches, and if you are thinking of the famous Peruvian ones, those are completely different in technique and ingredients. The Mexican ones are pretty simple, but they pack a ton of flavour. Commonly made with seafood - be it the freshest shrimp or fish, they always have a lot of citrus juice (it’s what “cooks” the raw seafood), tomatoes, onions, chiles, avocado cilantro and sometimes fruits such as mango or pineapple. In all its variations, a good ceviche is amazingly good.

As people started eating less protein, vegan ceviches became more the thing. You can make all kinds of different ceviches that would be considered vegan, like this one made with palmitos. Other examples of vegan ceviches would be mushrooms, chickpeas, cauliflower, young coconut, or any combination you may think of. The idea is to have something fresh, bright and delicious!

Hearts of palm are the inner core of certain palm trees. They are mainly grown in Asia, subtropical Africa and Central and South America. I have never had a fresh one, but I hope to one day be able to try it! Up here in Canada, we find the canned variety. They are very mild tasting and have a soft consistency, so you have to be gentle when you mix them into this ceviche so they don’t fall apart too much. This ceviche is best eaten the day it’s made, as the vegetables purge a lot of liquid as they sit.

CEVICHE DE PALMITO
Hearts of Palm Ceviche

3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 Jalapeño, minced, or 1/4 habanero, seeded and minced
1 tsp salt, or more to taste
Juice of 2 large limes
1 3/4 cups diced Lebanese cucumber (about 4)
1 1/2 cups diced Roma tomato (about 3)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 can hearts of palm, drained, hearts of palm quartered lengthwise and then cut into 1/2” pieces
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tostadas, plantain chips or corn chips to serve

In medium non-reactive bowl, place red onion, Jalapeño, salt and lime juice. Stir and let sit while you prep all ingredients.

After a few minutes, onions will have softened. Add cucumber, tomatoes, Jalapeño, cilantro and avocado and mix well.

Gently fold in hearts of palm so you don’t break them too much. Drizzle in olive oil, mix again and adjust seasoning. Let ceviche rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Serve with tostadas, plantain chips or corn chips.

Serves 6.

Garlicky Yuca al Mojo de Ajo should be your favourite carb.

Have you ever tried Yuca? Also known as Cassava, yuca is the root of the cassava plant. It is longer than a sweet potato and it has a very thick dark skin, that you will find waxed in the produce aisles. To prepare it, you must remove the thick skin, including the thin purple layer just underneath it. The flesh below is pure white and firm like a raw potato. You can find frozen and peeled yuca in Latin groceries, in case you don’t want to deal with peeling them yourself. Yuca can be very dry if eaten alone, so often you will find it with an oily sauce such as this garlicky recipe. You can also make a mash out of yuca, or cut it into sticks and make fries. It is very delicious in all its forms.

I first learned how to eat and cook yuca from my Venezuelan friend Tili. Her parents were Cuban and Venezuelan and this was part of their everyday meals. Here’s how Tili makes it: first, the yuca is boiled until tender, then she mashes a ton of garlic and some salt in a mortar and pestle and heats up a good amount of extra virgin olive oil on the stove - just before it starts to smoke, she adds it to the garlic in the mortar along with a good splash of lime juice. The hot oil cooks the garlic instantly, then that wonderful oil is poured over the drained yuca. A garnish of cilantro on top and you have the best yuca you have ever had.

This recipe is basically like Tili’s, but I cook the garlic and olive oil slowly on the stove, then add the cooked yuca and let it soak up that delicious oil. Either way, it is outrageously good. This is a carb heavy dish, so make sure you serve all kinds of fresh vegetables along with your yuca.

YUCA AL MOJO DE AJO
Garlic Yuca

2 large yuca roots (cassava)
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-10 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
½ tsp salt, or to taste
Black pepper to taste

To peel fresh yuca, cut it crosswise into 3” pieces, then use a paring knife to peel: place it between the skin and the flesh, then run it all around the yuca. Once peeled, cut lengthwise in half, then into quarters. Remove fibrous string from the centre and rinse. You can also use frozen yuca, if that’s what you have, proceed to the next step.

Place yuca in large pot and cover with water. Stir in 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Turn temperature down and cook at a gentle boil until softened, about 15-17 minutes. Test by piercing with a fork, it should go in easily. Drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, add oil and garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, but make sure it doesn’t burn, 3-5 minutes.

Add yuca, lime juice, herbs, salt and pepper to taste and stir well.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Stuffed Peppers Caribbean Style.

I am forever researching and testing recipes so I can then teach my students about different dishes around the world. When I think of stuffed peppers, as a Mexican, they will always be chiles rellenos, those meat or cheese stuffed poblanos. Other than these, in Mexico we also make stuffed Jalapeños. But stuffed bell peppers are not something you see often in my country.

In the Caribbean and Latin America, though, that’s a different matter. In Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Perú and others, stuffing peppers is a common practice. This probably is a Spanish legacy that came after the conquest, as in Spain they are common, as they are all over the Mediterranean and Turkey, Greece and the Balkans - no doubt, stemming from the Ottoman Empire.

Regardless, stuffed peppers are delicious and colourful, and I must way, much easier to prepare that the Mexican style of chiles rellenos, as the only prep you need to make for the peppers, is cut the tops off and seed them. Poblanos, on the other hand, need to be roasted and peeled before stuffing, which adds quite a bit of time to the prep.

For this style of stuffed peppers, we need a filling: our meat filling must be pre-cooked, and then some sort of sauce that will allow them to braise as they bake, ensuring they come out perfectly tender when they’re done.

In this recipe, we make a sofrito that is part of the filling, as well as the braising sauce. This flavourful sauté of onion, bell peppers, garlic and tomato paste along with some spices gives the meat a delicious taste, and then, when combined with a bit of broth, it provides the bed the peppers need to braise as they bake, becoming the perfect sauce when you serve them.

This recipe serves 6, giving you a few leftovers for weekly lunches. Serve with rice and fried plantains for a truly Caribbean feast.

PIMIENTOS RELLENOS
Stuffed Bell Peppers 

Sofrito:
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped bell pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup tomato paste
6 Tbsp water, chicken broth or dry white wine
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

 Filling:
500g lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped manzanilla olives
1/4 cup raisins
6 medium bell peppers
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water or chicken broth

Sofrito: Heat oil in skillet on medium heat and sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper until translucent. Add oregano and cumin, and then add the tomato paste. Cook for another 10 minutes, and add the broth and vinegar, and cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve 2/3 cup of the sofrito. Add the beef, olives and raisins to skillet. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Cut tops off peppers and take out all the seeds. Divide filling amongst peppers and top with breadcrumbs. Mix remaining sofrito with the water or broth, and place in an ovenproof dish that fits the peppers snugly. Add the peppers, cover, and bake at 400°F oven for about 30 minutes, until peppers have softened. Serve with sauce over peppers.

Serves 6.

Crispy Tostones, two ways.

Have you ever had Tostones? These are like the best plantain chips you could ever have and they are super easy to make! I first tried them when a Venezuelan friend showed me how to make them. And ever since then, I serve them when there is a good party happening. They are the ultimate celebration food!

To make these, you have to start with green plantains, or slightly yellow ones, as they should be starchy and not sweet at all. In all my years of making tostones, I had never encountered green plantains that would ripen overnight, but it happened to me when I made these. The ones I used were a bit more ripe than I would like, but they still turned out delicious. Ripe plantains, you see, are a different thing altogether. They are soft and sweet, and won’t fry up crispy like these, rather they stay soft and squishy, though absolutely delicious as well. So make sure you have green plantains and you’re good to go.

To serve your tostones, you can make an easy chipotle mayonnaise (or use a commercial brand) or you can make a runny Ají Valluno, resembling more a pico de gallo with a Colombian twist. Either way, these are made for dipping.

I am giving you two ways of cooking them: traditionally, they are fried twice - the first time, to soften them enough so they can be pressed, then the second time is to make them crispy. In my efforts to eat a bit healthier, I started to bake these. Granted, they are not 100% the same as fried, but still they are delicious. And if you have an airfryer, then it’s even easier to cook these without so much added oil.

TOSTONES
Crispy Twice Fried (or baked) Plantains

Tostones:
2 large unripe (green) or barely ripe (slightly yellow) plantains
Canola or vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo, or more to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt to taste

For the Tostones - Baked Method:
With a sharp small knife cut ends from each plantain and cut a shallow lengthwise slit through skin. Peel skin off.  Cut plantains crosswise into 1” thick pieces.

Place plantain chunks in large bowl and toss with enough oil to coat evenly. Sprinkle with salt and place on parchment covered sheet pan.

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and with the bottom of a glass or a wide solid metal spatula flatten plantains to ¼” thick (about 3 inches in diameter).

Brush plantains on both sides with oil and place back on the sheet pan. Return to the oven and bake until crispy, about 15-20 minutes.

Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

For the Tostones - Fried Method:
With a sharp small knife cut ends from each plantain and cut a lengthwise slit through skin. Peel skin off.  Cut plantains crosswise into 1” thick pieces.

In a medium frying pan heat ¼” oil over moderate heat until just hot enough to sizzle when a plantain piece is added. Fry plantains in batches, without crowding, until tender and just golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. With tongs transfer plantains as fried to paper towels to drain.

Remove skillet from heat and reserve oil. With the bottom of a sturdy glass or a wide solid metal spatula flatten plantains to ¼” thick (about 3 inches in diameter).

Heat reserved oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and fry flattened plantains in batches, without crowding, until golden, about 3 minutes.

Transfer fried tostones to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chipotle, lime juice and salt to taste.

Serve tostones with chipotle mayo.

Makes 18-24 tostones.

Pastelitos de Queso con Membrillo, a Latin American pastry.

A version of these Pastelitos exists all over the Caribbean and Latin America. Usually they are made using guava paste, but quince paste, though more Spanish in origin, is equally used in several Latin countries. Both have that gel like texture that works so well in treats like these.

The shape may vary, some of them are square, more like a pop-tart, and some of them are half moons, like empanadas; some are like these, resembling cannolis, and still others are made with only cheese. Whichever you happen to find, I urge you to try some, as they will all be delicious!

The other thing I love about these is that they are a cinch to make! All you need is frozen puff pastry, cream cheese and quince or guava paste. They bake in a hot oven so the pastry puffs beautifully while the filling holds its shape pretty well. Sprinkle with a bit of icing sugar before serving with a great cup of coffee or fragrant tea. If you happen to have leftovers, refrigerate them -but make sure to crisp them up again in the oven before serving.

PASTELITOS DE QUESO CON MEMBRILLO
Cheese and Quince Pastries

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
250g cream cheese, cut into 18 pieces
250g quince (or guava) paste, cut into 18 pieces
1 egg, beaten with a fork in a small bowl
Sugar for sprinkling on top
Icing sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll out dough slightly thinner. Cut each sheet into 9 squares.

Place one piece of cheese diagonally on each pastry square and top with a piece of quince paste. Fold one side of pastry over the filling and then bring the opposite side over the first. The filling will show on both ends. Repeat until all pieces are done.

Place pastries on two parchment-covered sheet pans. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool down and dust with icing sugar.

 Makes 18.

Pupusas, a Salvadorean treat.

I have some Salvadorean friends, and when they make Pupusas and they invite me over, it is the best day ever! Similar to Mexican gorditas, pupusas are stuffed masa cakes. They are larger than gorditas and rather than splitting them open and filing them after cooking - as we do in Mexico - pupusas are stuffed before griddle baking. Fillings vary from cheese, chicharrón, beans, cheese and loroco (a Salvadorean flower) and mixed. They are all delicious and best of all, so easy to make at home, in case you don’t have a local Pupusería where you can enjoy them for the best treat.

The easiest to make at home are the cheese ones, since they don’t require cooking any additional ingredients, but if you happen to have thick refried beans or leftover pulled pork or chicharrón, use those as tasty fillings. In Canada, loroco flowers can be found frozen in Latin America grocers, just make sure to thaw and drain properly before mixing with cheese. Really, if we’re not being too fussy, any type of filling you like can be used for pupusas, even if they are not the traditional ones.

The classic accompaniments for pupusas are Curtido and Tomato Sauce. Curtido is a quick cabbage, carrot and onion pickle that cuts through the fat the pupusas may have, and the tomato sauce just brings it all together. It is a match made in heaven.

The traditional curtido and tomato salsa are not spicy, but I am taking a bit of creative licence here - as a Mexican, I need a bit of heat, so I am adding Jalapeño to the curtido and chipotle to the salsa. They are not spicy, just a bit more to my taste. You can omit if you prefer. Any leftover curtido goes great with boiled yuca or used as a topping for pulled pork sandwiches or fish tacos.

Pupusas can be made, cooled and frozen if you happen to have leftovers. They make great weekly lunches!

Pupusas de Queso
Cheese Pupusas

Curtido:
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed
1 Jalapeño chile, cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced thinly, optional
1 tsp Mexican oregano
2-3 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

Salsa de Tomate:
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
6 medium Roma tomatoes
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo, or to taste, optional
Salt to taste
1 tsp vegetable oil

Pupusas:
3 cups Maseca
2-2 1/2 cups hot tap water
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or queso blanco
Vegetable oil as needed for cooking

To make curtido, boil some water from the kettle. Place cabbage on a sieve and place over large bowl. Pour boiling water over cabbage and let it drain.

Place drained cabbage in large nonreactive bowl and add carrots, rinsed onion, jalapeño chile, oregano and salt and mix well. Add vinegar and water and stir to combine. Transfer to a large glass jar or serving bowl and let stand while you make pupusas and salsa. Curtido can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use.

To make tomato salsa, heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat and roast unpeeled garlic, turning often, until charred and soft, about 15 minutes. Peel and reserve.

Place tomatoes in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

Place tomatoes, garlic, chipotles and salt in blender and process until smooth. Place back in saucepan and add oil. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve. Salsa can be made a day ahead.

To make pupusas, place Maseca in large bowl. Add water, half a cup at a time, while you mix and knead. You may not need the full amount of water, use only enough to make a smooth and pliable dough that no longer sticks to your hands. It should feel moist, but not sticky.

Place 1 cup water in a small bowl and add 2 tsp oil. This will be for wetting your hands as you shape the pupusas.

When ready to start, divide masa into 9 portions. Shape each portion into a ball and wetting your hands in the oily water as you work, flatten each ball as you make a hollow in the centre. Fill with 2-3 Tbsp cheese and then close the ball to encase the cheese. You will have a bit of extra masa at the seam and you can pinch it off so your masa cake is not too doughy.

Start patting the masa cake, transferring it from hand to hand as you press, as you work to make it thinner. You want your pupusa to be about 3/8” (1 cm) thick. If cheese pokes through, just patch it with a bit of dough, but it’s ok if it does. Shape all your pupusas and place them on a plate.

To cook pupusas, heat a cast iron griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Grease with a bit of oil and place cook pupusas 1-2 minutes, turning when golden brown. You may have to turn them a couple of times, until cooked through. Keep pupusas warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.

Serve with curtido and tomato salsa.

Makes 9 pupusas.

Creamy Roasted Poblano, Zucchini and Corn Rajas are perfect for tacos.

Creamy roasted poblano rajas with corn and cheese are a staple in Mexican cooking. Nothing pairs better with poblanos than cream, cheese and corn. It is one of many people’s favourite ways to eat poblanos, myself included. This concoction invariably makes into a tortilla to become a sublime taco.

Building onto that perfect recipe, I created this variation, making use of summer’s abundant zucchini crop. I love using yellow and green zucchini to give a recipe extra colour, especially in this one, otherwise it would be mostly white and green.

The hardest part of this recipe is roasting the poblanos. I suggest making more than you need and once you have them cleaned and deveined, you can freeze some for future use, saving you time the next time you have a craving for a poblano recipe.

A simple sauté of onion, plus the roasted poblano strips, zucchini and corn make this a delicious mixture. I use whipping cream and boil it down to reduce to the perfect creamy consistency. If you have access to Mexican crema, you can use that and skip the reducing part, as it is already the right thicker texture for this dish. Finish with queso fresco, panela or feta cheese for that extra creamy body. It is absolutely delicious. If you happen to have any leftover shredded chicken, add some to the mix and make a heartier taco filling or it could double up as an Aztec pie or lasagna filling.

Rajas Cremosas de Poblano, Calabacita y Elote
Creamy Roasted Poblano, Zucchini and Corn Rajas

4 medium poblano chiles
1 Tbsp vegetable oil or butter
1 medium cooking onion, cut into thin julienne
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/4” pieces (about 3 cups)
1 1/4 cups corn kernels removed from 2-3 ears of corn, or frozen and thawed kernels
2 cups whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled queso fresco, panela or feta cheese

To roast poblano chiles: place chiles on tray and place a few inches under the broiler and cook until nicely charred, turning as needed until charred all over. If you have a gas stove, you can place the chiles right on top of the burners and char, turning often, until blistered all over. This can also be done on the barbecue.

Once chiles are blistered and charred, place in a bowl and cover so they can steam. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them, open them and remove all the seeds and veins. Cut them into strips.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and sauté onion until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.

Stir in roasted poblano strips, then add zucchini and corn.

Add whipping cream and increase temperature to bring the cream to a rapid boil. Stir every so often and make sure you watch it so it does not boil over. Cook until cream has reduced, about 5 minutes.

Add cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Summer calls for cold soups like this Cantaloupe Cucumber Gazpacho.

As the temperature rises during the summer months, all I want is cold food. I don’t enjoy heating up the kitchen by cooking in the oven or anything that will cause the temperature to rise in my house. That’s why I love this Cantaloupe Cucumber Gazpacho, it could not be easier to prepare - that is, if you have a blender or food processor.

Cold soups are popular in many countries around the world; Spain makes the most famous - the tomato Gazpacho, as well as the thicker and creamier Salmorejo and Ajo Blanco. In Mexico we make a Creamy Pecan soup and in the US you can find a cold Corn soup, Creamy Avocado soup and the potato and leek Vichyssoise (it is from New York, not France!). In the Middle East, cold yogurt soups are popular, as well as in the Balkans, most likely a legacy of the Ottomans. In Scandinavia they have Fruktsoppa and in Russia, the chunky Okroshka. In Poland, they make the beet Chlodnik Litewski and in Hungary the colourful sour cherry Hideg Meggyleves. This is only touching the surface in the world of cold soups. But most of them, if not all, are made mostly in the summer to battle the heat.

Our recipe today could not be easier. As always, try to find the best produce you can find, as we don’t have a lot of ingredients and their quality makes or breaks this recipe. Start with a ripe, fragrant cantaloupe, it should be sweet. Firm Lebanese cucumbers, a bit of red onion or shallot and best quality light tasting extra virgin olive oil are essential. Depending on the sweetness of the cantaloupe, you can add a touch of honey, but only if you think it needs it. Salt and pepper will round out the flavours. Blend everything and then chill the soup for a few hours before serving. This gazpacho will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. A bit of separation is normal as it sits, just stir it up again before enjoying. This makes a great make-ahead dish to serve as a light starter at your next gathering.

Cantaloupe and Cucumber Gazpacho

4 cups cubed ripe cantaloupe (from about half a medium fruit)
1 cup chopped Lebanese cucumbers (2 small)
2 Tbsp chopped red onion or shallot
1/4-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup light tasting extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tsp honey or agave syrup, optional
1 small Lebanese cucumber, chopped, for garnish

Place cantaloupe, cucumber, red onion and 1/4 cup water in blender container. Blend until completely smooth.

With motor running, add olive oil in a thin stream, and process until mixture is smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste and honey if more sweetness is desired or needed. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Serve in small cups or bowls, garnished with cucumbers and drizzled with olive oil.

Makes 1 litre, serving 4-8, depending on serving portion.

Fresh and bright, this Mediterranean Zucchini Carpaccio is a summer delight.

One of the pleasures of summer is having the freshest fruit and vegetables, some that are not available any other time of year. Such is the case of round zucchini. Whereas it may be common in other parts of the world year round, for us in Canada it is a summer thing, as local farmers grow these seasonal delights.

This salad can be made with regular zucchini, of course, but I love the size of the small round ones, that way you can use one of each in this recipe and you won’t leave any bits leftover wrapped in the fridge.

This Zucchini Carpaccio is really easy to put together, the only thing you need is a bit of time to let it rest so that the lemon juice can work its magic to soften the zucchini. Since we have such few ingredients, they really count, so use the best extra virgin olive oil you have for this recipe. This salad can be part of a mezze spread, or it can be a light and fresh starter to a summer barbecue. Either way, it is light, bright and delicious.

This salad is a slight variation of the Sicilian Zucchini Salad I have posted previously on the website. But this one has a bit of protein thrown in in the form of feta cheese, so even though it is light, it is a bit more wholesome.

Mediterranean Zucchini Carpaccio

1 small round green zucchini, ends trimmed
1 small round yellow zucchini, ends trimmed
Juice of 1 small lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Handful of mint leaves

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice zucchini into very thin rounds. Zucchini should be pliable, about 1/16” (1mm) thick.

On large rimmed plate, place about 1 Tbsp lemon juice and stir in a bit of salt, just enough to season that lemon juice.

Start arranging zucchini, alternating colours, around the plate in a concentric pattern, until the plate is full.

Squeeze the rest of the lemon juice on top and sprinkle with a bit more salt. Let zucchini rest for about 15 minutes, to allow it to soften with the acid.

To finish carpaccio, crack some black pepper on top, and sprinkle with feta cheese. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Serves 2.

Healthy and protein packed, this has become my favourite dessert.

As you have heard me say already, I am doing my best to eat better, but that does not mean food should be boring! Far from it! I am really enjoying figuring out how I can eat what I really like, but in a more wholesome and healthy way.

This dessert is a prime example, loosely based on the Indian Shrikhand, this yogurt and fruit concoction is so good that it is hard to think of it as healthy. In reality, could eat it by the bucketful, and I can honestly say it has become one of my favourite ways to end my evening meals. It satisfies the craving for sweets, without compromising my health.

Indian Shrikhand is usually made with really thick or strained yogurt and mangos, and indeed it is super tasty, but since I had frozen berries and peaches, I decided to make it with these fruits instead. Strain the frozen fruit to make sure there is no excess liquid, as that will impact the texture of your final product. I have made that mistake and you end up with a runny yogurt, which is not a bad thing either, but ideally, this dessert should be thick and easily spoonable. For flavouring, I am using ground cardamom, but it could easily be flavoured with vanilla or even cinnamon. If you are using fresh fruit and you need to thin the mixture a little bit, use some whipping cream to help things along. Otherwise, it is just the fruit, the yogurt, a bit of sweetener in the form of icing sugar (I use low calorie sweetener like monk fruit or Swerve), the spices and that’s that!

Pour into your pretty containers and refrigerate for a couple hours. Garnish with chopped pistachios, more berries and enjoy your guilt free dessert.

Creamy Mixed Berry and Peach Cups

2 cups mixed berries and peaches, fresh or frozen (drained if frozen)
2 1/2 cups really thick plain Greek yogurt (I like to use Siggy’s brand)
3-4 Tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom, cinnamon or vanilla
Ground pistachios and berries for garnish

Place fruit, yogurt, icing sugar and cardamom in blender or food processor and process until completely smooth. If using frozen fruit and you need to thin out the mixture, use a bit of whipping cream.

Pour mixture into serving dishes. Cover with lids or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve, garnished with pistachios and berries.

Makes 1 litre, serving 6-8.