46 Love food


For your Valentine sweetie without a


One of my favourite food cultures is that of France so on special occasions such as birthdays or Valentine’s Day, those tend to be the recipes I dig out and prepare – with a special, local twist.


Jude’s Kitchen JUDIE STEEVES


Although the heavy sauces and liberal use of butter which is typical of French cuisine has led it into disfavour in these days of concern about obesity and cholesterol, there’s more to it than either of those traditional components. Cooks who’ve had to be concerned about the cholesterol content of their meals have learned how and where to reduce the impact by adapting favourite recipes. That includes simple tricks like making sauces with skim milk instead of cream, and substituting no-fat yogurt for sour cream, or using just the egg white instead of the whole egg. Obviously, you have to learn when these substitutions can be made


PORKY PINWHEEL


This is a very moist way to cook the lean pork loin which can easily become dry. The stuffing is yummy and the pinwheel looks appetizing on the serving platter. I roasted potatoes, onions and carrots to go with it, and steamed broccoli on the side. This would make a lovely one-platter meal for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day, served in front of the fire with a glass of the 2015 CedarCreek Gewurztraminer with its flavours of exotic fruits and spice.


2 lb. (1 kg.) pork loin roast 1 small onion


1 tbsp. (15 ml) dried cranberries 1 tbsp. (15 ml) cream cheese 2 c. (500 ml) fresh spinach 1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh rosemary


• Pre-heat oven to 350 F.


• Butterfly the loin by slicing lengthwise, about a third of the way down; then turn over and slice lengthwise about halfway through the remaining meat so it will lay flat, three times the size of the original roast. Pound gently to even out the thickness, if necessary. You could also have your butcher butterfly it for you.


• Prepare the stuffing by cutting the chorizo lengthwise in four, then chopping that up into bits, then frying it over medium heat with the chopped onion until the onion is just soft.


• When softened, add the cranberries and bread cubes, grated Swiss and the cream cheese and a sweet white wine or cooking sherry to moisten them slightly. Mix in with a tightly-packed two-cup measure of chopped fresh spinach leaves, the fresh minced herbs (or half as much dried) and salt and pepper.


• Remove from heat and cool.


• Season the meat before spreading the stuffing mixture evenly, leaving a bit of a border all around.


• Roll up from the long side and tie with kitchen twine in several places. • Roast for about 40-55 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 F in the middle of the roll.


• Let sit for 10 minutes before carefully carving into pinwheels for serving. • Garnish with fresh sage and parsley, if available. • Serves 4-5.


1 chorizo sausage 1/3 c. (75 ml) bread cubes


1/4 c. (60 ml) grated Swiss cheese 3 tbsp. (45 ml) moscato wine 1 tbsp. (15 ml) fresh sage salt and pepper, to taste


detrimental effect and when it just won’t work but generally, such alternatives are just as tasty, if not quite as rich.


Another


feature of most French cooking is simplicity, using seasonal


ingredients so they’re always fresh, including herbs. They can turn an otherwise bland salad or marinade, omelette or sauce into something with a zing of wonderful flavour. Luckily, we can now find fresh, local herbs most months of the year, if not in our own windowsills, then in the produce section at the store.


In France, when you travel from region to region, the cuisine is as distinct as if you were in another country, similar to BC. For instance, tomatoes, garlic and seafood tells you you’re in Provence, while in the north of France,


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • FEBRUARY 2017


Cranberries, cream cheese and sausage make pork tenderloin even tastier! JUDIE STEEVES PHOTO


there’s more of a Germanic influence, with sausages and cabbage soup.


Throughout, there are very special wines to be enjoyed with each dish and to use in cooking as well, just as in BC. This Valentine’s Day,


remember the love of your life with a fabulous French meal; it’s much more reasonable


than travelling there.


Whenever I think of France, I remember not only the caves in the Loire Valley where wines were stored deep in natural rock caves between the vineyard and the river, but also people cycling through every village and city with that distinctive French baguette clamped on behind the seat,


FRENCH COUNTRY CHICKEN


This is full of delectable flavours and delicious served over a spinach and brown- with-wild rice pilaf and a glass of CedarCreek Estate Winery’s Riesling. The list of ingredients looks long, but it’s mostly herbs, which give it wonderful flavour, and it’s actually a very simple recipe to make.


6 chicken thighs 1 onion


6-8 frozen plum tomatoes 1 tbsp. (15 ml) oregano 1 tsp. (5 ml) tarragon 1/2 tsp. (3 ml) marjoram


1/4 tsp. (1 ml) cayenne pepper drizzle of olive oil


1 c. (250 ml) dry white wine fresh parsley, to garnish


salt and pepper 4 cloves of garlic


1 tbsp. (15 ml) thyme 2 tsp. (10 ml) rosemary 1 tsp. (5 ml) salt


1/2 tsp. (3 ml) savory


1/4 tsp. (1 ml) black pepper 2 tbsp. (15 ml) tomato paste 1 c. (250 ml) chicken broth


• Skin chicken pieces and season with freshly-ground sea salt and freshly- ground black pepper; chop onion and mince garlic.


• I used the meaty plum-type tomatoes from summer’s garden which I’d frozen, then run under water to loosen and remove the skins. Chop them and set aside about a cup and a half. You may use canned (389 ml), drained plum tomatoes.


• Measure out the herbs and spices into a small bowl and set aside. Use more if the herbs are fresh.


• Pre-heat the oven to 325 F. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and soften the chopped onions, adding the garlic once they’re clear and soft. Remove to a small dish and drizzle a little more olive oil into the pot.


• Brown chicken thighs on both sides, briefly, then return the onions and garlic and add the tomatoes and the herb and spice mixture, mixing it in well. • Stir in the dry white wine and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and bringing it all to bubbling. • Put it into the oven and let it cook for about an hour, until the chicken is cooked.


• Remove the chicken from the pot to a serving dish and cook the sauce for five minutes or so, until it’s reduced and thickened slightly. • Pour over the chicken and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serves 3-4.


threatening to graze passing cars or pedestrians.


Best of all were the meals at a wonderful pension or guest house in Provence, eaten on the lawn under the palm trees on a cliff overlooking the sunny Mediterranean Sea. Now, that’s a memory to exult in while you deal with our February slush and snow.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47