Golden Moroccan Spiced Beet Pickles

I make Christmas Spiced Beet Pickles every year and always run out before the next beet season.  As soon as the first beets came out of the garden,  I preserve a new batch. This year, in addition to the more traditional red beets I grow every year,  I also had some golden beets, and thought I would experiment with the golden beets.  The designer in me liked the idea of star anise against the golden background of the beets.  I make a roasted vegetable dish with star anise and cinnamon and thought the combination might work well with beets also.  The first batch was a bit too acidic. Apple cider vinegar and raw sugar rounded the second batch out.

Golden Moroccan Spiced BeetPickles, with Christmas Spiced Red Beets behind

Ingredients for Golden Moroccan Spiced Beet Pickles

• 2 pounds of golden beets
• 2 cups of Demerara sugar
• 2 cups of apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 of a cup of water
• 2 cinimon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 12 pepper corns
• 4 small bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of pickling salt
• 4 one pint preserving jars

Prepare beets, cutting off tops to within an inch of the beet, leave root attached. Put in stainless steel pot and bring to boil,  reduce to simmer and cook for 25 to 50 minutes, until cooked.  Mean while, sterilize bottles, and put  1/2 a teaspoon of pickling salt, 3 pepper corns, 1/2 a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, and one star anise in each bottle.  

Remove beets from water and rinse under cool water.  Peel beets and cut into bite size pieces. Tightly pack bottles with beets, to within 1/2"of top of bottle. 

Combine water, sugar and vinegar, in stainless steel pan and bring to boil.  Fill bottles to within 1/4 inch of top with syrup and put lids on bottles. Process for 30 minutes.

Cool and store in dark place.  Best after two weeks.  

Note: for my red Christmas beets, substitute 4 cloves and 2 all spice berries in each jar for the star anise.  I also use white sugar and white vinegar, rather than the demerara sugar and cider vinegar. 

Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Parmesan

My friend Ian introduced me to zucchini noodles a few months back, and I have to admit, I was sceptical and then I tasted.  He has this gadget, Taglialegumi, Plastica  (model # A4982799) made by the Italian Paderno , that turns zucchini into noodles that looks just like spaghetti.   Ian served the zucchini noodles with a cold tomato and date sauce which was so good that I immediately started looking for a gadget of my own.  I found one at a local restaurant and have been experimenting with different versions of zucchini noodles since then.

Zucchini coming out of Gadget 

I currently have an abundance of zucchini and basil in the garden, and have just harvested my garlic,  and so made a pesto version of the zucchini noodles this past weekend to rave reviews.

Zucchini Noodles

• 1 large green zucchini, 
• 1 large yellow zucchini
• 1 teaspoons of salt

Pesto

• 1 bunch of basil, about 2 cups of leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic
• approximately 2/3 of a cup of olive oil, 
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan Reggiano, freshly  grated 
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts or sunflower seeds

Cut zucchini noodles with noodle maker. Alternately  use a mandolin and slice both ways.
Salt zucchini  and toss gently.  Let rest in a colander for 10 or 15 minutes.

Mean while, prepare pesto.  Remove basil leaves from stems, discard stems and place leaves in food processor.  Add garlic,  olive oil and and process.  Add grated Parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds and process.  Add more olive oil if needed.  

Gently squeeze out excess water from zucchini noodles. Place in bowl.   Stir in pesto and serve.   

Note: my sister found a Taglialegui on Craig's List.

Andrea's Quinoa Salad

While Jean Pierre was busy making his zucchini spread,  Andrea was making this colourful Quinoa Salad.  She used a combination of golden and red quinoa and a multitude of summer herbs and vegetables  from the garden.  The end result was spectacular, to the point that my vegan daughter hid a secret stash at the back of the refrigerator to bring home.  

Andrea's Quinoa Salad

• 1/2 cup of golden quinoa
• 1/2 cup of red quinoa
• 1/2 red bell pepper 
• 1 medium sized yellow zucchini
• 1 medium sized green zucchini 
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• a handful of flat leaf parsley
• a handful of cilantro leaves 
• some fresh thyme
• 1 preserved lemon
• 3 scallions
• large handful of chives
• olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa well to ensure not bitter.  Boil two cups of water. Add washed quinoa, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, and let rest for 4 minutes.  Remove lid and fluff with fork, then cool.

Chop red pepper, zucchini, scallions and chives, and place in large bowl.  Rinse preserved lemon and finely dice.  Add to bowl.  Add cooled quinoa, and mix.  Finely chop parsley,thyme, and cilantro. Add to bowl.  

Prepare dressing with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Add to bowl and gently toss.  Taste and adjust salt. 

Chill and serve. This tastes best the next day, when all of the flavours have had a chance to meld. 

Aunt Garrie's Tomato Soup Cake

Growing up, my Aunt Garrie made Tomato Soup Cake for family events.  It was something we always looked forward to, partly because of the novelty of a cake made with tomato soup, but also because it tasted very good; and so when she asked what she could bring to the barbecue, I suggested the Tomato Soup Cake.  This recipe was passed down from my great grandmother, to my grandmother, to my aunt, and now she is passing it on to the next generation.

Aunt Garrie with her Tomato Soup Cake with ice cream

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 10 oz. can tomato soup
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins or currants

Sift dry ingredients together.  Whisk  shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Dust raisins and nuts with flour.  Alternately add dry ingredients and soup beating well each time. Stir in nuts and raisins. Mixture will be thick.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes in a greased loaf pan, or 45 minutes in a ring pan.

Jean Pierre's Fire Roasted Zucchini Spread

Jean Pierre's Fire Roasted Zucchini Spread 

My friends, Andrea and Jean Pierre were in the country this weekend helping me prepare for my big barbecue.  While reviewing the menu, Andrea declared that I didn't have enough appetizers, and so after some discussion, Jean Pierre  suggested he take advantage of the abundance of zucchini, onions, peppers and garlic in the garden.  The end result was this fabulous spread with a bit of a kick. 

• 4 or 5 large zucchinis
• 2 onions
• 1 head of garlic
• juice of 1 lemon
• olive oil
• 1 small habanero pepper, seeds removed
• 1 14 oz can of chickpeas
• salt and pepper to taste

Grill whole onions over open fire,  charring the exterior, over medium heat until insides are soft and sweet.  Chop zucchini into large chunks, salt, and set on paper towels to drain.  Grill over fire.  Remove seeds from pepper and grill. Roast a whole head of garlic at the same time until soft.

Chop the top off of the garlic head and squeeze out soft garlic into a food processor.  Add grilled zucchini, onion and pepper, chickpeas and lemon juice to food processor. Blend, slowly adding olive oil until a smooth consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   

Andrea with Jean Pierre preparing the Zucchini

Note:  Jean Pierre held back on the amount of hot pepper he put in the spread because of the diverse ages and backgrounds of the guest list.   

Nonna's Frittelle Fiori de Zucchine

Zucchini Flower Fritters

Nona with her Frittelle Fiori de Zucchine

Yesterday, my friend Christine and her in-laws visited me in the country.  Christine's in-laws are from Calabria, the toe of Italy. Her Nonna is most comfortable in front of the stove lovingly making the family favourites for a large extended family. I have fond memories of the fabulous meals she would produce when I helped with the annual ritual of putting down hundreds of bottles of tomatoes every fall.

Cleaned Zucchini Flowers

I walked with Nonna through my garden, hoping for advice, and she immediately focused in on the zucchini flowers.  Nonna told me that every morning her husband goes out to their garden and picks zucchini flowers only when they are perfect,  and stores them in the refrigerator until there are enough flowers to make Frittelle Fiori de Zucchini.  Later in the afternoon her husband walked through the garden and picked a zucchini flower, bringing it back to his wife and presenting it as a special gift.  

Zucchini flowers  are a special treat in the summer and the only reason I grow zucchini in my garden. I have cooked them a number of ways, however had never heard of, or tried this recipe, and so I was very pleased when Nonna offered to show me how to make it. I love the simplicity of this recipe, and the decadence of the flowers and the indulgence of deep frying.

Chopped Zucchini Flowers

• approximately 2 cups of large zucchini flowers
• 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of grated pecorino cheese
• salt to taste
• 1 cup of light vegetable oil, I prefer grape seed oil

Carefully clean inside and out of flowers, removing pollen, bugs and anything else that may have gotten into the flower.  I was being very gentle with the flower, until Nona got frustrated with me and took the flower away, turned it inside out and ran it under water to make sure that all the dirt was removed.  Remove the stem and leaves, and the pedestal.  Cut flowers into quarters the length of the petal, and then chop into 1/2 slices.  Nona told me her sister did not chop the petals and only quartered the flowers.  Put in a large bowl and dredge with the flower.  Stir in the water until a bit gooey.  Add cheese and salt to taste 

Dredging With Flour

Put oil in large cast iron pan and heat until it bubbles when a bit of batter is dropped into it.  Spoon a large spoon of batter into the hot oil.  

FrittelleCooking in Hot Oil

Flatten out with back of spoon and cook until golden brown, and then flip. Cook until golden brown, drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Grilled Peaches

It's peach season!!!  Local peaches, in six quart baskets, are now everywhere, at all of the markets and grocery stores.  The season is so short, and like strawberries, the local peaches taste so much better.  They are juicy and sweeter, I think, because they have ripened on the tree and not had to travel for days in refrigerated trucks. I do not buy peaches for the rest of the year, because there is just no comparison.

Bob and Denis were over for dinner and there was a fresh basket of peaches sitting on the counter, so we decided to grill them on the barbecue.  They were fabulous.  Bob ran to the corner store for ice cream, and Denis cleaned and added the red currents.  A perfect summer desert, of hot and cold, sweet and tart.

Grilling the peaches is very simple - cut the peach in half, remove pit, and grill face down, on a hot barbecue until caramelized.  It takes maybe 5 minutes, depending on the temperature of the grill.